WHAT VALUE DOES JOSEPHUS CONTRIBUTE?
Josephus lived a critical time of in Christianity. He was a prominent Jew. who came from a prominent Jewish family and heritage. He was well educated as a Jew. He writes about contemporary Jewish theology. HE WRITES ABOUT JESUS. He advised Jewish Rabbis. He served as a Jewish general during the Roman-Jewish war. He was a good writer of history, who was well connected up in the Jewish communities. He also lived and worked as a prominent person in the Roman high society
Josephus was born in Jerusalem in A.D. 37/38 and became a historian writing principally about the Jewish people up until his death ca. 100.
Four of his works are extant: 1) The Jewish War; 2) The Jewish Antiquities; 3) Vita (life) and 4) Against Apion. These works provide us with knowledge of the New Testament era which we otherwise would not possess.
In short, Josephus has added much to our understanding of the social, political, historical (incl. chronological data) and religious backgrounds of the New Testament.
REFERENCES JOSEPHUS MADE TO JESUS CHRIST IN
BOOK 18 PAGE 379, CHAPTER 3
Josephus writing a history of the Jews inadvertantly mentions Jesus Christ.
"Now, there was about this time, Jesus a wise man. If it is lawful to casll him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works--a teacher of such men as recieve the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both manyn of the Jews and many Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him in the cross. Those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold them and ten thousand other wonderful thingsconcerning him ; and the time of Christians, so named after him, are not extinct at this day."
BOOK 20 PAGE 423 CHAPTER 9
Actually the subject of the statement is Festus and the execution of James brother of Jesus.
"Festus was now dead; so Albinus assembled the sanhedrin of the judges and brought before them James brother of Jesus who was called the Christ..."
Objections that later Christians tampered with writings ; there is no mention that Jesus was God or that Jewish leaders were involved --all of which Christians would certainly have mentioned.
REFERENCES JOSEPHUS MADE TO JESUS CHRIST IN
BOOK 18 PAGE 379, CHAPTER 3
Josephus writing a history of the Jews inadvertantly mentions Jesus Christ.
"Now, there was about this time, Jesus a wise man. If it is lawful to casll him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works--a teacher of such men as recieve the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both manyn of the Jews and many Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him in the cross. Those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold them and ten thousand other wonderful thingsconcerning him ; and the time of Christians, so named after him, are not extinct at this day."
BOOK 20 PAGE 423 CHAPTER 9
Actually the subject of the statement is Festus and the execution of James brother of Jesus.
"Festus was now dead; so Albinus assembled the sanhedrin of the judges and brought before them James brother of Jesus who was called the Christ..."
Objections that later Christians tampered with writings ; there is no mention that Jesus was God or that Jewish leaders were involved --all of which Christians would certainly have mentioned.
