This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Bible records the life, teachings, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, empowering Him as the Son of God and Savior of mankind.
Now a contemporaneous document written by a Roman historian has been revealed to be confirming a part of those beliefs.
A report in the Daily Mail explains the writings, called the Annals, were written by Roman historian Tacitus, also known as Publius Cornelius Tacitus, who lived from around 56 AD to 120 AD and was widely regarded to have been among the most important Roman historians.
His writings, done only some 90 years after Jesus' life on earth, start with the death of Emperor Augustus in 14 AD and finish with Nero's suicide 54 years later, according to the report.
"In Book 15, the historian discusses the Great Fire of Rome in 54 AD, shortly before Nero's death, which the emperor blamed on a class 'called Christians,'" the report said.
"The second sentence reads: 'Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.'"
The report explains that "Christus" is Latin and means "the Messiah."
The Bible's record is that Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea and was the one to sentence Jesus to death by crucifixion.
Tacitus also records the persecution of those who at the time became to be called Christians.
He wrote of the tortures inflicted on them: "Covered with the skins of wild beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired."
The report explains that the manuscripts long have been recognized, but "the details in them recently surfaced online."
The report said the "ancient manuscripts detailing the events during the Roman Empire are believed to contain 'first hand' evidence about the life and death of Jesus Christ."
Tacitus relied on official records, Senate proceedings, and "firsthand accounts" to compile his writings, the report said.
The historian documented how Nero blamed Christians for the fire that destroyed much of Rome, and he then "inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace."
Another historian, Flavius Josephus, also has documented that, "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. … Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.
