The Roman Empire sentenced Jesus Christ to death. Yet just years after His crucifixion, its own emperor may have attempted to recognize Him as divine.
A historical investigation is reigniting interest in ancient writings that suggest Emperor Tiberius brought the question of Jesus’ divinity before the Roman Senate around A.D. 35. The proposal was reportedly rejected. Still, the implications of such an event could be extraordinary for understanding Christianity’s earliest years.
Researcher Luigi Zito examined the claims in a study published in Aequitas Magazine, exploring whether the accounts reflect an actual confrontation among Rome’s highest authorities over Jesus Christ’s identity.
According to a Nov. 7 Daily Mail report, the findings suggest that the proclamation of Christ’s divinity may have reached the Roman government far sooner than many might imagine.
The story traces back to Tertullian, an early Christian writer who claimed Tiberius received reports from Palestine concerning Jesus and subsequently supported recognizing Him within Rome’s religious system.
The Senate reportedly refused.
But according to Tertullian’s Apology, Tiberius did not simply abandon the matter. The emperor allegedly maintained his favorable position toward Jesus and threatened punishment against those who accused Christians. Tiberius ruled while Pontius Pilate governed Judea, meaning the emperor was in power when Jesus was crucified. (Read More)
Senior Researcher Brad Myers Comments:
This news story
about ancient evidence by Charisma was first reported in the mainstream press
by the Daily Mail on November 7, 2026.
You might find it interesting that The Jerusalem Post reported on December 21, 2024, that the earliest inscription referring to Jesus as God was found on a mosaic dating back to around 230 AD:
"The ancient Megiddo Mosaic, considered the oldest display of Christian faith in the world, is now on exhibit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., where it will be displayed until July 2025. This mosaic, dating back to around 230 AD, offers evidence of early Christian worship and contains the earliest known inscription identifying Jesus as God. Discovered between 2003 and 2005 by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) archaeologists during excavations at Kfar Othnay, the 16-by-32-foot mosaic was found beneath the floor of an Israeli prison in Megiddo. The mosaic is believed to be part of the world's first Christian prayer hall and provides invaluable insights into the beliefs and practices of early Christians before the religion was legalized in the Roman Empire. The Sun, the Daily Express, and the New York Post, among others, reported on the exhibition."
As Christians, we know that the Bible, in passages like Isaiah 9:6-7, Titus 2:13-14, 1 John 5:20, and John 10:30-33, reveals that Jesus Christ is God, rather than just a first-century Jewish preacher and religious leader as most of the world believes.
