Lesson 3: Non-Biblical Sources of Jesus Christ Historicity

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The Life and
Ministry of
Jesus Christ
Bible Way Apostolic Church
B I B L E S T U D Y S E R I E S
Lesson 3: Non-Biblical Sources of Jesus
Christ Historicity
Presenter: Bro Damaine Franklin
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Profile
 Birth Name: Yosef ben Matityahu/Joseph ben Matthias
 Other Name: Titus Flavius Josephus
 Birth: Born AD 37 – Died AD 100
 Province: Judea/Jerusalem
 Country: Roman Province
 Careers: Scholar, Historian & Military leader

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Early Years of Josephus
 Josephus ben Matthias is the best known ancient Jewish historian.
 He was born in AD 37, only a few years after Jesus' execution.
 Josephus was well educated in biblical law and history.
 On his mother's side he was a descendent of the Hasmonean Kings.
 On his father's side he came from a priestly family who followed the Jehoiarib priestly
order. (1 Chr. 24:7).
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus’ Military and Political Life
 When the Jews in Palestine revolted against Roman rule in 66 CE, Josephus was
given command of the Jewish forces in Galilee.
 During a fierce battle with the Romans commanded by general Flavius Vespasian,
Josephus was forced to surrender and was taken captive.
 While imprisoned by the Romans, Josephus predicted that the Roman general
Vespasian would become Emperor of Rome.
 Vespasian became Emperor of Rome in 69 CE, and Josephus was given the family
name Flavius and appointed as an advisor to the Emperor and his son Titus.

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus’ Military and Political Life
 Titus the son of Vespasian used Josephus as an interpreter and negotiator as Jewish
resistance grew throughout Judea.
 After Josephus' efforts to persuade the Jewish forces to surrender failed, Titus and his
army crushed the revolt and destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 CE.
 After the destruction of Jerusalem, Josephus retired in Rome and spent the rest of his
life as writer and historian.
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus's well-known work
 As a free Roman citizen, Josephus volunteered to record the history of the Jews,
with a focus on Roman conquests and victories. His most important works were:

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus's well-known work
In This document, Josephus provides
the Romans with a first hand account
of Roman conquest and the great
Jewish revolt.
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus's well-known work
Josephus described the entire history
of the Jews in this documentation. It
covered a wide range of topics, from
Alexander the Great to the destruction
of the Second Temple.

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus's well-known work
In this document, Josephus defends
refute the malicious anti-Jewish
slanders circulated by Apion and
others. He defends and extols the
Mosaic law and Jewish ethics.
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus Describes the Romans' Destruction of Jerusalem
 In the book title ‘The Wars of The Jews’, Josephus describes a decisive event of the
first Jewish-Roman War, in which the Roman army captured the city of Jerusalem and
destroyed both the city and its Temple in 70 CE.
The Wars of the Jews, Book 6: Chp. 8 & 9

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Jesus Christ Foretells The Destruction of the Temple
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to
him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you,
There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown
down.
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus’ References to Jesus Christ
 Josephus documented and discussed various actions of Pilate in Jewish
Antiquities 18.3.3, and he also mentions Jesus and his ministry. This passage
is known as the Testimonium Flavianum referred to hereafter as the "TF".

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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus’ References to Jesus Christ - Continued
 In Jewish Antiquities 20.9.1 there is what could be called a passing reference
to Jesus in a paragraph describing the murder of Jesus' brother, James, at the
hands of Ananus, the High Priest.
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The Jewish Sources – Flavius Josephus
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Josephus’ References to John The Baptist
 Antiquities of the Jews Book 18.5.2

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The Jewish Sources – The Talmud
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The Talmud
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References
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1. Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII http://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/
2. Josephus Flavius https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/josephus-flavius
3. The Wars Of The Jews https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2850/2850-h/2850-h.htm
4. Josephus Describes the Romans' Sack of Jerusalem
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/josephussack.html

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The End
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