Flavius Josephus
37 – 100 AD
Jewish Historian
The Antiquities of the Jews, an account of Jewish history from its early beginnings to the revolt against Rome in 66 AD, written in Greek in about 93 AD.
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Flavius-Josephus
Summary:
- James, brother of Jesus confirmed outside the Bible, and stoned to death
- Jesus, who was attributed the name of “Christ”
- A wise man, will be important with the writings of “Mara bar Serapion”
- Created a following between Jews and Gentiles
- Performed miracles, or gave gifts
- Influential
- Crucified by Pilate (Governed between 26 – 33 AD)
“…And so he convened the judges of the Sanhedrin, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, the one called Christ, whose name was James, and certain others, and accusing them of having transgressed the law delivered them up to be stoned…”
- Antiquities of the Jews (Book 20, Ch. 9)
‘Testimonium Flavianum’
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to 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 these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. “
- Antiquities of the Jews (Book 18, Ch. 3) – Greek
In italics is considered likely to be tampered with by Christians.
“At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good, and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”10th century Arabic manuscript of Josephus that was cited by historian Schlomo Pines of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1972
