The extant
manuscripts of the book
Antiquities of the Jews, written by the first-century Jewish historian
Flavius Josephus around AD 93–94, contain two references to
Jesus of Nazareth and one reference to
John the Baptist.
[1]
The first and most extensive reference to Jesus in the
Antiquities, found in
Book 18, states that Jesus was the
Messiah and a wise teacher who was crucified by
Pontius Pilate. It is commonly called the
Testimonium Flavianum.
[2] Almost all modern scholars reject the authenticity of this passage in its present form, while most scholars nevertheless hold that it contains an authentic nucleus referencing the life and execution of Jesus by Pilate, which was then subject to
Christian interpolation or alteration.
[3][4] However, the exact nature and extent of the Christian addition remains unclear.
[5][6]
Modern scholarship has largely acknowledged the authenticity of the second reference to Jesus in the
Antiquities, found in
Book 20, Chapter 9, which mentions "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James."
[7] This reference is considered to be more authentic than the
Testimonium.
[8][9][10]
Almost all modern scholars consider the reference in Book 18, Chapter 5 of the Antiquities to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist also to be authentic and not a
Christian interpolation.
[11] A number of differences exist between the statements by Josephus regarding the death of John the Baptist and the
New Testament accounts.
[12] Scholars generally view these variations as indications that the Josephus passages are not interpolations, since a Christian interpolator would likely have made them correspond to the New Testament accounts, not differ from them.
[13] Scholars have provided explanations for their inclusion in Josephus' later works.
[14]
emphasis mine - jt3
en.wikipedia.org
Josephus, Antiquities, Book 20 Chapter 9:
1. AND now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood, and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees,
[23] who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road;
so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a sanhedrim without his consent.
[24] Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.
emphasis mine - jt3
en.wikisource.org
Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18, Chapter 5:
2. Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him.
en.wikisource.org
Jospehus:
Flavius Josephus[a] (
/dʒoʊˈsiːfəs/;
[7] Greek: Ἰώσηπος,
Iṓsēpos; c. AD 37 – c. 100) was a
Roman–Jewish historian and military leader. Best known for writing
The Jewish War, he was born in
Jerusalem—then part of the
Roman province of Judea—to a father of
priestly descent and a mother who claimed
royal ancestry.
He initially fought against the
Roman Empire during the
First Jewish–Roman War as
general of the Jewish forces in
Galilee, until surrendering in AD 67 to the
Roman army led by military commander
Vespasian after the six-week
siege of Yodfat. Josephus claimed the
Jewish messianic prophecies that initiated the First Jewish–Roman War made reference to Vespasian becoming
Roman emperor. In response, Vespasian decided to
keep Josephus as a slave and presumably
interpreter. After Vespasian became emperor in AD 69,
he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the Emperor's family name of
Flavius.
[8]
Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted
Roman citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian's son
Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the
siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. Since the siege proved ineffective at stopping the Jewish revolt, the city's pillaging and the looting and destruction of
Herod's Temple (Second Temple) soon followed.
en.wikipedia.org
