Antiquities of the Jews (Book 18, Chapter 3, Section 3).
“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 among 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.”
earliest passage from the 11th Century AD
Josephus 20 volume history and only one line mention?
70 CE). However, after being captured by the Romans, he surrendered and defected, becoming a client and historian for the Roman general Vespasian, who later became emperor. As a result, Josephus was granted Roman citizenship and financial support, but he was also expected to write history in a way that suited his Roman patrons.
Under this arrangement, Josephus wrote several works, the most significant being:
- The Jewish War (c. 75 CE) – A firsthand account of the Jewish-Roman war, justifying Rome’s conquest.
- Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93–94 CE) – A massive 20-volume history of the Jewish people from creation to his present day.
Despite writing around 800,000 words, Josephus supposedly mentions Jesus in only one disputed passage, the Testimonium Flavianum, found in Antiquities Book 18. There is also a brief mention of “Jesus, the brother of James” in Book 20, but some scholars believe even this was later edited by Christian scribes.
Given Josephus’ Roman loyalty and Jewish background, it’s suspicious that he would have written such a glowing passage about Jesus, calling him “the Christ” and stating he “appeared alive again” after death. The fact that no early Christian writer mentions this passage until the highly unreliable Eusebius in the 4th century strongly suggests that it was inserted or altered later to support Christian claims.
Eusebius’ Unreliability
Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–339 CE) was a biased church historian who prioritized theology over objective truth. He openly admitted to selective reporting, stating that only useful events should be recorded (Praeparatio Evangelica, 12.31)
Eusebius Admitted That Lying for the Church Was Acceptable
This has been interpreted as an admission of selective reporting or outright forgery.
In Praeparatio Evangelica (Book 12, Chapter 31), Eusebius discusses the idea that it is sometimes useful to deceive for a higher cause, saying:
“We shall introduce into this history only those events that may be useful first to ourselves and afterwards to posterity.”
Josephus Was a Devout Jew—He Would NEVER Call Jesus ‘The Christ’
Josephus was a Pharisaic Jew. He never converted to Christianity, never praised Jesus elsewhere, and never showed any belief in him. So why would he suddenly claim Jesus was “the Christ”? This line is an obvious Christian insertion.
The Passage Magically Appears in Christian Manuscripts—But Nowhere Else
Early Christian writers, including Origen (3rd century), who obsessively quoted Josephus, never mention this passage. If the Testimonium Flavianum were real, why would Christian scholars ignore one of the greatest non-Christian testimonies to Jesus’ existence? Because it wasn’t there! It conveniently appears only in later Christian manuscripts.
Origen (3rd Century) – No Mention of the Testimonium Flavianum
Origen, an early Christian scholar, frequently cited Josephus but never mentions Jesus in Josephus’ works. In fact, Origen specifically states that Josephus did not believe in Jesus as the Christ, which directly contradicts the Testimonium Flavianum. This strongly suggests that the passage as we have it today was not present in Origen’s time.
The Passage Disrupts the Flow of the Text
If you remove the Testimonium Flavianum, the surrounding text reads smoothly. The passage appears awkwardly inserted, breaking the narrative structure. This suggests that later Christian scribes forced it into the text.
The Language Sounds Too Christian for Josephus
The phrases used—like “doer of wonderful works” and “He was the Christ”—sound more like Christian propaganda than neutral historical writing. Josephus never uses similar language elsewhere, further proving the passage was doctored.
Possible Marginal Note Turned Into ‘History’
This line might have started as a Christian marginal note, later copied into the text by mistake. Scribes frequently added notes in the margins—this could be one that slipped into later manuscripts.
Which Jesus Are We Talking About?
“Jesus” was a common name in 1st-century Judea. Josephus mentions multiple people named Jesus. Without additional context, we have no reason to assume this refers to the Jesus of Christianity.
Early Christian Writers Still Don’t Mention It
Just like the Testimonium Flavianum, this passage wasn’t cited by early Christian writers. If it had existed, they would have used it as evidence long before it was “discovered” centuries later.
The Smoking Gun: A Deliberate Christian Deception?
The overwhelming evidence suggests that Christians tampered with Josephus’ work to create fake historical proof of Jesus. Whether through outright forgery or subtle textual manipulation, the Josephus passages are far from reliable.
So, what does this mean? It means the most famous non-Christian source for Jesus might not be independent at all. If Josephus’ account is fabricated or altered, where does that leave the case for a historical Jesus?
The truth is, without Josephus, the non-Christian evidence for Jesus is disturbingly weak. If Christian scribes had to invent references to Jesus in one of history’s most famous historians, what does that say about the actual evidence for Jesus’ existence?
Sources:
“The Josephus Testimonium: Let’s Just Admit It’s Fake Already” by Richard Carrier
Carrier presents evidence suggesting that the Testimonium Flavianum is a complete forgery, likely inserted by later Christian scribes.
https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/7437
“Fresh Evidence: The Forged Jesus Passage in Josephus” on Vridar
This article discusses the absence of the Testimonium Flavianum in early Christian writings and posits that it first appeared in the works of Eusebius, raising suspicions of forgery.
https://vridar.org/2015/01/16/fresh-evidence-the-jesus-passage-in-josephus-a-forgery/
“Josephus’s Testimonium Flavianum Examined Linguistically” by D. M. Murdock
Murdock conducts a linguistic analysis of the passage, arguing that its language and style differ significantly from Josephus’s typical writing, indicating it may be a later addition.
https://www.academia.edu/10463098/Josephus_s_Testimonium_Flavianum_Examined_Linguistically_Greek_Analysis_Demonstrates_the_Passage_a_Forgery_In_Toto
“Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics” by Bart D. Ehrman
Ehrman explores various instances of forgery in early Christian literature, including discussions on the potential interpolation of the Testimonium Flavianum.
“The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ?” by Earl Doherty
Doherty examines historical evidence for Jesus’s existence and argues that references in Josephus’s works are later Christian forgeries.
“On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt” by Richard Carrier
Carrier provides a comprehensive analysis questioning the historicity of Jesus, including a critical examination of the Testimonium Flavianum as a potential forgery.