Gospels Part 021

Born into a priestly family in A.D. 37, Josephus was well educated and a military commander who led a Jewish detachment in Galilee during the Jewish revolt of 66-70 until he was captured by the Romans. When the war ended, he went to Rome with the Roman general Titus, and there he lived and wrote until his death around A.D. 100. His detailed historical works The Jewish War and Antiquities of the Jews provide a lot of historical information not recorded and preserved anywhere else.  

Last time, we discussed what Josephus wrote about John the Baptist and his executioner, Herod Antipas, and the apostle James, half-brother of Jesus. Now we’ll examine what he wrote about Jesus Christ Himself—though there is some confusion because later copyists apparently inserted some of their own opinions into the text.  

Here are Josephus’ words as they appear in his printed books today:  

“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 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 18:3:3).  

While many scholars dispute parts or all the passage, it is quoted as above by the historian Eusebius in Greek as early as A.D. 315 and appears this way in all the earliest surviving copies of Josephus’ works. 

But some of these statements are very odd for a Jewish writer who wasn’t apparently a Christian. Most scholars today agree that the underlined portions were added sometime in the second or third century by a scribe copying this work, which would mean some parts aren’t the actual original words of Josephus.  

Supporting this view is an Arabic-language version of this portion of Josephus’ writings that was apparently preserved in its more original form. It reads this way:  

"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 their loyalty to him. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive. Accordingly, they believed that he was the Messiah, concerning whom the Prophets have recounted wonders.”  

This leaves out the parts—apparently added later by a scribe—about Jesus working miracles, that he was the Messiah foretold by the prophets rather than others believing Him so, and that He was raised from the dead rather than this having been reported as being so. It would appear that this Arabic-language manuscript was copied from what Josephus originally wrote before a scribe added his own thoughts to the text. Most scholars who have investigated this agree that Josephus originally wrote about Jesus, but a later scribe elaborated on Josephus’ account, inserting his own personal Christian beliefs.  

But regardless of those apparent later additions, here, in the most extensive preserved history of Judea from the first century, we have confirmation of the existence of Jesus, as well as John the Baptist and James, the half-brother of Jesus!  

We also have confirmation of the key points of the Gospels and book of Acts—that Jesus was a wise and virtuous man whom both Jews and gentiles chose to follow as the Messiah, that He was crucified under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, and that He was reported to have been resurrected to life again and appeared to His followers three days after His death.