# Who was Jesus’ real biological father? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 16, 2000, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262 "2000-01-16T01:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/61 "2012-12-23T15:23:48Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Awesome time of year to resurrect this thread. The proper time would have been 1-21-2000. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/62 "2012-12-23T15:48:55Z")
Two biological possibilities are Pantera (other spelling variations) which is the Roman soldier mentioned by Celsus through Origen’s writings, and this view is also expressed in the Talmudic writings, and another lesser known possibility is a high priest, possibly Zechariah which is can be inferred through some of the apocryphal books of the NT. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/63 "2012-12-23T15:56:13Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > Two biological possibilities are Pantera (other spelling variations) which is the Roman soldier mentioned by Celsus through Origen’s writings, and this view is also expressed in the Talmudic writings, and another lesser known possibility is a high priest,\*\* possibly Zechariah which is can be inferred through some of the apocryphal books of the NT\*\*. Which ones? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/64 "2012-12-23T16:33:38Z")
“Virgin” is likely a mistranslation with regrettable theological results. So the father was Joseph. They were married, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Lauren-C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Lauren-C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauren-C)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/65 "2012-12-23T16:39:48Z")
The smart money is on a Roman soldier from Sidon named Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera, who died around 40 AD and whose tombstone was found in Germany in the 19th century. Many ancient sources, such as the Talmud, and the Roman writer Celsus, name Jesus’s father as a Roman soldier named Pantera (or variants thereof), and the fact that he was a Roman soldier is the reason that Mary and her family covered it up, to avoid the scandal. > **[Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Iulius_Abdes_Pantera)** > > Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera (/pænˈtɛrə/; c. 22 BC – AD 40) was a Roman-Phoenician soldier born in Sidon, whose tombstone was found in Bingerbrück, Germany, in 1859. A historical connection from this soldier to Jesus has long been hypothesized by numerous scholars, based on the claim of the ancient Greek philosopher Celsus, who, according to Christian writer Origen in his "Against Celsus" (Greek Κατὰ Κέλσου, Kata Kelsou; Latin Contra Celsum), was the author of a work entitled The True Word (Gre... ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/66 "2012-12-23T16:53:24Z")
> [@Lauren-C](#): > > The smart money is on a Roman soldier from Sidon named Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera, who died around 40 AD and whose tombstone was found in Germany in the 19th century. Many ancient sources, such as the Talmud, and the Roman writer Celsus, name Jesus’s father as a Roman soldier named Pantera (or variants thereof), and the fact that he was a Roman soldier is the reason that Mary and her family covered it up, to avoid the scandal. > > [Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Iulius_Abdes_Pantera) Your own link states that the theory is not given much credance. Plus, would it have been a scandal considering Mary’s background and the situation, taking up with a soldier could certainly have had it’s benefits. ---
**Author:** ![Lauren-C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Lauren-C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauren-C)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/67 "2012-12-23T17:03:35Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Your own link states that the theory is not given much credance. Plus, would it have been a scandal considering Mary’s background and the situation, taking up with a soldier could certainly have had it’s benefits. It was most likely a soldier named Panthera, if not the one whose tomb was found. ---
**Author:** ![Lauren-C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Lauren-C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauren-C)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/68 "2012-12-23T17:06:49Z")
This would also mean, interestingly, that Jesus was Jewish by Jewish law (which inherits through the mother), but Roman by Roman law (which inherits through the father). ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/69 "2012-12-24T03:44:25Z")
Was there not a rebellion in Sepphoris, not far from the Nazereth area around the time of the conception? Considering what Romans were known to do, it raises an unpleasant senario. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/70 "2012-12-24T04:41:19Z")
> [@RM\_Mentock](#): > > **Bricker** > > Doesn’t the bible record Joseph’s reaction–he was upset, and wanted out of the marriage because he _knew_ he wasn’t the father? So, that’s out. > > . Ok, I get this, who wants to be hooked up with a cheating wife? What I don’t get is – why didn’t he dump her earlier, when it became clear he wasn’t going to, er … get any? Did she have an excuse did she have frequent “headaches”? ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/71 "2012-12-24T13:36:44Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Ok, I get this, who wants to be hooked up with a cheating wife? > > What I don’t get is – why didn’t he dump her earlier, when it became clear he wasn’t going to, er … get any? Did she have an excuse did she have frequent “headaches”? Maybe related, how old was she when they married? What was the marrying age ? 13/14? If she was considered a “young woman”, by the bible’s standards, how old was she when she gave birth to jesus? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/72 "2012-12-24T16:01:10Z")
I am neither a Biblical scholar nor a practicing Christian, so may not be qualified to “rain on this parade,” but I do have some common-sense. Jesus was not born of a virgin. Paul doesn’t mention this myth;the Gospels of Mark and John do not mention this myth; the whole _Nativity narrative was invented by the author of Luke to make connections with ancient prophecies_. That the Nativity narrative is fictional shouldn’t be in dispute – the “first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria” couldn’t have taken place when Herod the Great ruled (as he did at Jesus’ birth according to Matthew’s Gospel), since Herod had been dead nine years before Quirinius’ reign began. So the Virgin Birth is fictional. Believe it if you wish, but don’t hope for it to make sense. To the contrary, the Gospels insist that Jesus was “of the House of David” through his father Joseph. What of Pantera, the Roman soldier who allegedly impregnated Jesus’ mother? This story is first found _180 years after Jesus’ birth_ ! Some scholars insist Jesus is likely fictional, with Josephus the first non-Christian Jew to mention him, decades after his death, … but a century _later_ someone remembers not only Jesus, but the soldier with whom his mother had a dalliance?? :smack: Anybody want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge? Jesus’ father was, as far as anyone can tell, Joseph. Get over it. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/73 "2012-12-24T19:14:20Z")
What? Everybody knows the answer to this one: Nortius Maximus! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/74 "2012-12-24T19:18:04Z")
Not Biggus Dickus?! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/75 "2012-12-25T04:17:15Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Not Biggus Dickus?! He hath an alibi; he wathn’t in Galilee at all that year, he wath in Judea, cruthifying theveral theditiouth thcribeth from Thetharea. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/76 "2012-12-25T05:17:34Z")
Just don’t ask me about Sillius Soddus. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/77 "2012-12-26T01:26:52Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Which ones? The “Infancy Gospel of James” which also goes by “Protovangelium of James” spends a great deal of time with Zechariah (Zachariah and Zacharias spelling in other works) and Mary, and would be one source to look at. Paul Kurtz in “the Transcendental Temptation” mentions the apocryphal books of the NT implying one of the high priests of the Temple suggesting Zechariah as possible, but he stops short of naming which books. The Unification Church has always went with Zechariah as Jesus’ father. Mark Gibbs, another Unificationist is said to list canon and non-canonical sources for the Zechariah and Mary connection in his book, “Secrets of the Holy Family”, but my interest hasn’t taken me that far and I don’t intend to read it. Some make a fair case of it with just Luke to some extent. From Luke we know that Mary was in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s house for three months when she became pregnant, and Joseph wasn’t around for any of that time. Robert Price addresses some issues that get brought up for those considering Zacharias as possibly Jesus’ father in this piece [here.](http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/art_zachar.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/78 "2012-12-26T03:24:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The problem with this question is that there is simply no ready answer. Obviously, there is no contemporary record purporting to identify a father. > > I would note that in general, when a child is born in wedlock, the presumptive father is the husband. So if you would like to pick a candidate, Joseph is a fairly reasonable one. > > I, of course, accept the alternate theory: to wit, that the Holy Spirit was responsible. But if your question excludes that, then (a) we can only speculate, and (b) one speculation is abou as useful as another. > > - Rick - The father was Joseph - Speculation. - The father was a Roman soldier who raped/seduced Mary - Speculation - It was the “holy spirit” - SPECULATING like you can’t speculate no more. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/79 "2012-12-26T06:05:33Z")
By the way, at least a couple of you have used Immaculate Conception incorrectly. Immaculate Conception refers to the Catholic dogma that Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It has nothing to do with Jesus’ conception except of course she was his mom. If you’ll note the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on Dec 8th, which is not at all the right time for Jesus’ conception accepting Dec 25th as the birth date. I don’t know if any Protestant Churches follow in this dogma. I’m not even sure if this is Church of England dogma as it was not formally proclaimed until 1854 by Pius 9. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262/80 "2012-12-26T06:14:47Z")
Too bad you weren’t around in 2000 when they were. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-jesus-real-biological-father/17262.md?page=5)