Jesus in History
Explore three non-biblical historical accounts from different sources. Discover how these historical accounts provide unique insights and perspectives beyond traditional biblical narratives.
Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus
Regarding Jesus, Josephus wrote:
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."
Regarding James the half-brother of Jesus Josephus wrote:
"But this younger Ananus, who, as we told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent. . . . He assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus the so-called Messiah-Christ, whose name was James, and some others. When he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them over to be stoned.”
The Works of Josephus
Antiquities of the Jews
[in brackets] - Modern scholars believe this to be interpolation.
Flavius Josephus, original name Joseph Ben Matthias, (born AD 37/38, Jerusalem—died AD 100, Rome), Jewish priest, scholar, and historian who wrote valuable works on the Jewish revolt of 66–70 and on earlier Jewish history. His major books are History of the Jewish War (75–79), The Antiquities of the Jews (93), and Against Apion.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Flavius-Josephus
Tacitus - Roman Senator and Historian
Tacitus referred to Jesus, his execution by Pontius Pilate in his work Annals written ca. AD 116. This is from book 15, Chapter 44
Here, Tacitus writes about the crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius Pilate and the beginning of Christianity:
Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.
Justin Martyr AD 100-AD 165
Martyr's First Apology 155-157 A.D.
Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, thirty-five stadia from Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from the registers of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first procurator in Judæa.
