WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

History, Scripture, and the Evidence

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba

Shimba Theological Institute

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not merely a Christian belief—it is one of the best-attested events of the ancient world. While the Qur'an, written in the seventh century AD, states:

"They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so..."
—Surah An-Nisa 4:157

the overwhelming historical evidence points in the opposite direction.

The question is simple:

Who should we trust?
The eyewitnesses who lived during the events, or a book written more than 600 years later that contradicts them?

The New Testament Testimony

The earliest Christian writings unanimously proclaim that Jesus was crucified.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures."
—1 Corinthians 15:3 (KJV)

The four Gospels provide independent accounts of Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. These accounts were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses who could confirm or challenge their accuracy.

The apostles did not preach a symbolic cross—they preached a crucified and risen Savior.

The Testimony of Non-Christian Historians

The crucifixion is also confirmed by writers who were not Christians.

The Roman historian Tacitus recorded that Christ suffered execution under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.

The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus likewise referred to Jesus' crucifixion under Pilate.

Other ancient writers, including Lucian of Samosata and Mara bar Serapion, acknowledged that Jesus was executed.

Virtually every professional historian of antiquity—whether Christian, Jewish, agnostic, or atheist—accepts Jesus' crucifixion as a historical fact.

Even Jesus Predicted His Death

Long before His crucifixion, Jesus repeatedly foretold it.

"The Son of man came... to give his life a ransom for many."
—Mark 10:45

"The Son of man shall be betrayed... and they shall kill him."
—Mark 9:31

These predictions were fulfilled exactly.

Why Does the Qur'an Deny It?

The Qur'an's denial appears more than six centuries after the events themselves.

It provides no eyewitness testimony.

It names no historical witnesses.

It gives no alternative historical evidence.

Instead, it simply asserts that Jesus was not crucified.

This raises an important theological question:

If Jesus was never crucified, why did God allow Jesus' disciples, His mother, the apostles, the early church, Roman officials, Jewish leaders, and virtually the entire ancient world to believe He was crucified?

If the crucifixion never happened, then:

• Jesus' disciples preached a false message.

• The apostles willingly died for something they knew was false.

• The earliest Christians believed a deception.

• God allowed the central event of salvation history to be misunderstood for over six centuries before correcting it.

Such a scenario is difficult to reconcile with the character of a God who is truthful and who calls people to believe the truth.

The Cross Is the Heart of the Gospel

Christianity stands or falls on the historical death and resurrection of Jesus.

Scripture declares:

"Without shedding of blood is no remission."
—Hebrews 9:22

Jesus Himself declared:

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
—John 10:11

Without the cross there is no atonement.

Without the resurrection there is no victory over death.

Without both, there is no Gospel.

The Resurrection Confirms the Cross

The resurrection is meaningful because Jesus truly died.

A resurrection requires a real death.

The empty tomb, the post-resurrection appearances, and the transformed lives of the apostles all testify that Jesus conquered death—not that He escaped it.

As Paul wrote:

"If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain."
—1 Corinthians 15:17

Conclusion

The evidence is overwhelming.

The New Testament proclaims the crucifixion.

The apostles preached it.

The earliest Christians believed it.

Roman historians recorded it.

Jewish historians acknowledged it.

Even the enemies of Christianity never argued that Jesus escaped crucifixion—they disputed only what His death meant.

The denial of the crucifixion appears only centuries later and stands in contradiction to the earliest historical testimony.

Christians therefore affirm with confidence:

Jesus Christ was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

He died for our sins.

He was buried.

On the third day He rose again.

Today He reigns as the risen Lord and offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who trust in Him.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
—Romans 5:8 (KJV)

The Cross is not a myth.
It is history.
The Resurrection is not a legend.
It is the foundation of the Christian faith.
Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, raised from the dead, and He lives forevermore.