One of the most controversial figures in history, Jesus of Nazareth is also one of the most influential. His short life and ministry sparked the beginning of a new religion that has become one of the largest in the world today, and has been the subject of intense debate among scholars and the general population for centuries now. Some groups, such as the Jesus Seminar, assert that the historical Jesus neither said nor did most of the things attested to Him in the New Testament, while more conservative scholars believe that most, if not all, of the statements and actions of the New Testament The will was real. Still others, like Rudolf Bultmann, believe that it doesn't matter whether Jesus was historical or not: you can still have faith regardless of history. Some people believe that Jesus was a real person, but he was not the Messiah the Jewish people were waiting for. Rather, he was simply a good person and a good teacher who was killed unjustly. Many others have based their faith and even their lives on the teachings of Jesus and call him Lord, including C.S. Lewis, who went on to suggest that you cannot call Jesus a good teacher and be done with it. According to the Lewis trilemma, since Jesus claimed to be God, then he must be God, be crazy, or be a liar (Lewis 51). Before forming a judgment on the person of Jesus, however, it is essential to examine the documents relating to His life and what they say about Him, as well as His teachings and his mission. There is too much debate surrounding the person of Jesus to find a consensus among scholars that one can agree with: it is an opinion one must form oneself. Our primary source for knowing the person of Jesus is the Bible, which includes both the Old...... middle of paper......gh The divinity of Jesus is widely debated, there is no denying the fact that Jesus of Nazareth existed. Many sources, biblical and extra-biblical, mention this historical figure and discuss his life and teachings. Every person who hears about Jesus must ultimately make a decision about who he really was, and that decision could be life-changing. Regardless of what you think of Jesus, He was certainly a very influential individual who changed the course of history, and His ideas are still relevant today. Carver, Stephen. “Sources for studying Jesus”. BI 250. Warner Pacific College, Portland. 7 October 2010. Conference.—. "The historical context of the life of Jesus". BI 250. Warner Pacific College, Portland. 16 September 2010. Conference. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008. Print.Lewis, C.S. Simple Christianity. New York: Macmillan, 1952. Print.