Many seek contemporary accounts of Jesus beyond the gospel writers. A recent book highlighted Josephus, who was personally acquainted with the families who condemned Jesus at his trial.
Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (c. AD 37–100) is a key source for first-century events in Judea. He wrote a History of the Jewish War, the war that led to the destruction of the temple in AD 70. Josephus commanded a Jewish army in Galilee but surrendered and subsequently became a Roman citizen.
Josephus’ 20-volume Jewish Antiquities traces the history of the Jewish people from creation to his day. Book 18 contains significant comments about Jesus. Deeming them too pro-Christian, modern scholars have suggested that Christian scribes amended the passage.
But historian Tom Schmidt has demanded that scholars take this Testimonium Flavianum – Josephus’ comments on Jesus – seriously. Schmidt argues it is written in Josephus’ style, it is not so pro-Christian as claimed, and it bears crucial clues as to Josephus’ well-placed sources. Schmidt is a serious scholar and his book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ is published by Oxford University Press.
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