Josephus, Paul, and the Fate of Early Christianity
Josephus, Paul, and the Fate of Early Christianity

Author: F. B. A. Asiedu

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2019-03-01

Total Pages: 371

ISBN-13: 1978701330

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Flavius Josephus, the priest from Jerusalem who was affiliated with the Pharisees, is our most important source for Jewish life in the first century. His notice about the death of James the brother of Jesus suggests that Josephus knew about the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem and in Judaea. In Rome, where he lived for the remainder of his life after the Jewish War, a group of Christians appear to have flourished, if 1 Clement is any indication. Josephus, however, says extremely little about the Christians in Judaea and nothing about those in Rome. He also does not reference Paul the apostle, a former Pharisee, who was a contemporary of Josephus’s father in Jerusalem, even though, according to Acts, Paul and his activities were known to two successive Roman governors (procurators) of Judaea, Marcus Antonius Felix and Porcius Festus, and to King Herod Agrippa II and his sisters Berenice and Drusilla. The knowledge of the Herodians, in particular, puts Josephus’s silence about Paul in an interesting light, suggesting that it may have been deliberate. In addition, Josephus’s writings bear very little witness to other contemporaries in Rome, so much so that if we were dependent on Josephus alone we might conclude that many of those historical characters either did not exist or had little or no impact in the first century. Asiedu comments on the state of life in Rome during the reign of the Emperor Domitian and how both Josephus and the Christians who produced 1 Clement coped with the regime as other contemporaries, among whom he considers Martial, Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and others, did. He argues that most of Josephus’s contemporaries practiced different kinds of silences in bearing witness to the world around them. Consequently, the absence of references to Jews or Christians in Roman writers of the last three decades of the first century, including Josephus, should not be taken as proof of their non-existence in Flavian Rome.

Josephus's Interpretation of the Bible
Josephus's Interpretation of the Bible

Author: Louis H. Feldman

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 1999-01-18

Total Pages: 934

ISBN-13: 9780520918955

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Josephus (A.D. 37-?100), a pro-Roman Jew closely associated with the emperor Titus, is the earliest systematic commentator on the Bible, as well as one of the foremost historians of the beginning of the Christian era. Politically, Josephus was pro-Roman, and although he had no sympathy for extreme Jewish nationalism, he was a zealous defender of Jewish religion and culture. Louis H. Feldman examines the principles that guided Josephus in his understanding of the Bible, investigating his creative contribution in the rewriting of biblical accounts. This comprehensive study evaluates Josephus as a historian and demonstrates the originality and consistency of his work as an author. The first part of Feldman's work attempts to understand Josephus's purposes and techniques in retelling the Bible. The second part reviews Josephus's treatment of twelve key biblical figures. In addition to its reevaluation of an important early historian, this unique compendium provides a mine of information on the reassessment of the most important biblical figures.

Josephus on Jesus
Josephus on Jesus

Author: Alice Whealey

Publisher: Peter Lang Incorporated, International Academic Publishers

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13:

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The Testimonium Flavianum, a brief passage in Jewish Antiquities by Flavius Josephus (37 - ca. 100 AD), is widely considered the only extant evidence besides the Bible of the historicity of Jesus Christ. In the sixteenth century the authenticity of this passage was challenged by scholars, launching a controversy that has still not been resolved. Josephus on Jesus: The Testimonium Flavianum Controversy from Late Antiquity to Modern Times is a history of this passage and the long-standing debate over its authenticity. Because it may be the most quoted ancient text next to the Bible, this book not only illuminates the history of the Testimonium Flavianum through the ages, but also the general development of historical criticism in the Western World.

Josephus
Josephus

Author: Miriam Maranzenboim

Publisher:

Published: 2017-02-14

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 9781944878320

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After 2,000 years, the writings of Josephus remain an important and relevant source for historians and Bible scholars. "Josephus - The History of the Jews Condensed in Simple English" takes one of his most important works and presents it to modern readers in condensed simple English--the first update of his "Antiquities" in nearly 300 years.Treasures of faith and history await the reader's discovery on each page. Find out about a prophetic and friendly meeting between Alexander the Great and the high priest, Jaddua. Learn important details about the first and second temples--essential for understanding the spirituality and religious politics in those times. This book is an invaluable resource for those wanting to quickly and easily access "The History of the Jews." Miriam has condensed the massive original text of Josephus into one easily read volume. The language is clear and simple--making this a valuable tool to help young boys and girls preparing for their bar/bat mitzvah better appreciate their rich heritage and history, and to see the hand of G-d directing the events recorded by Josephus. Original illustrations, a map, a table of equivalents, and a colorful timeline further contribute to understanding the complexities of the times about which Josephus wrote.

Josephus and the New Testament
Josephus and the New Testament

Author: Steve Mason

Publisher: Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson Publishers

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13:

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"Updated text and new maps bring this standard introduction up to date . . . "Throughout Christian history, the works of Josephus have been mined for the light they shed on the world of the New Testament. Josephus tells us about the Herodian family, the temple, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. He mentions James the brother of Jesus, John the Baptist, and even Jesus himself. In "Josephus and the New Testament, "an internationally acknowledged authority on Josephus introduces this first-century Jewish historian to readers who want to begin to explore his witness to environment in which early Judaism and Christianity took shape.

Flavius Josephus
Flavius Josephus

Author: Menahem Mor

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2011-03-05

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 9004191674

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An International Josephus Colloquium met in Haifa on 2 - 6 July, 2006. It gathered scholars from Japan, Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Britain, Israel, and the USA who represented different disciplines: bible, history, Judaism, and archaeology. The connecting structure of all the participants was the ancient Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. The fruit of this meeting is presented in twenty four articles and an introduction. Flavius Josephus: Interpretation and History is a multi-disciplinary collection of research on Josephus, the man, the historian, his era, and his writings. It will be of great use to scholars as well as the general public, who take an interest in the literary work of one of the most controversial figures of his era.