I commented on Dr. Cargilll's blog that as an historian, I do not believe there is enough evidence for the stories in the Synoptics, John, and Acts. There is no mention of this person in Josephus. Joshua the "prophet" very well may have existed along with many other wandering "prophets" at the time. Folklore tends to build up in a very short time if the stories are re-told enough . Human compassion was not present in large amounts at this time (or at any time, sad to say); so a person showing this could be said to perform miracles because people would feel better. Many of the dramatis personae in all probability also either did not exist, were dead already, etc. These were stories meant to preach, not to be a biography.
I commented on Dr. Cargilll's blog that as an historian, I do not believe there is enough evidence for the stories in the Synoptics, John, and Acts. There is no mention of this person in Josephus. Joshua the "prophet" very well may have existed along with many other wandering "prophets" at the time. Folklore tends to build up in a very short time if the stories are re-told enough . Human compassion was not present in large amounts at this time (or at any time, sad to say); so a person showing this could be said to perform miracles because people would feel better. Many of the dramatis personae in all probability also either did not exist, were dead already, etc. These were stories meant to preach, not to be a biography.