A scholar has published a book arguing that a nearly 2,000-year-old account of Jesus, written by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, may be more historically reliable than previously thought.
T.C. Schmidt, an associate professor of religious studies at Fairfield University in Connecticut, has written "Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ," which examines a long-disputed passage about Jesus in Josephus' work "Antiquities of the Jews." Josephus lived from roughly 37 to 100 A.D. and wrote one of the few surviving non-Christian accounts of Jesus' life.
The passage, which describes Jesus as a wise man who attracted followers and was sentenced to crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, has been the subject of debate among scholars for centuries. Some have questioned whether Christian scribes altered the passage, which contains statements about Jesus that would have been unusual for a non-Christian Jewish writer.
However, Schmidt's research suggests that the passage is authentic, citing linguistic analysis and comparisons with Josephus' other writings. Schmidt examined ancient versions of Josephus' account in various languages, including Greek, Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Armenian, and found similarities throughout the passage.
Schmidt argues that some of Josephus' descriptions of Jesus have been misinterpreted, making the passage appear more favorable to Christianity than Schmidt believes Josephus intended. He notes that Josephus' description of Jesus performing supernatural deeds does not necessarily mean the historian believed those powers came from God.
Schmidt's findings could strengthen the historical evidence surrounding Jesus' life, as the passage corroborates details found in the Gospels, including Jesus' disciples, his reputation for performing miracles, and his crucifixion under Pontius Pilate.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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