Historiography in Jesus' era, or the ethics of writing good history, was also different from our own -- objective, historical accounts were rare, rather each historian wished to present his or her version of the facts. History and belief invariably 'butt heads,' and when confronted with arguments about the life of Jesus that challenge all notions of science and history, such as the resurrection of dead: Charlesworth admits "Historians cannot answer this question" as "this question extends beyond the methodology and focus of historians" (Charlesworth 118; 121). For believers, aspects of Jesus will always exist outside of historical time, but it is the duty of those who seek the historical Jesus...

A singular Jesus may never emerge, but scrupulous historical and literary analysis can reveal a clearer picture of the many versions of Jesus that existed during the era and enable a more informed reading of scripture for all.
Works Cited

Charlesworth, James H. The Historical Jesus: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon, 2008.

Horsley. Richard a. Jesus and Empire: The Kingdom of God and the New World Disorder.

Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.

Van Voorst, Robert E. Jesus Outside the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans

Publishing Co., 2000