Texts_Non-biblical Ref to Jesus

NonBiblical References to Jesus Josephus (37/38 to about 100 A.D): two mentions Antiquities 20.9.1 §200: “Being therefore this kind of person, Ananus, thinking that he had a favorable opportunity because Festus had died and Albinus was still on his way, called a meeting of judges and brought into it the brother of Jesus‐who‐is‐ called‐Messiah, James by name, and some others. He made accusation that they had transgressed the law, and he handed them over to be stoned.” (from John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, vol. 1 [Doubleday, 1991], p. 57). Antiquities 18.3.3 §63‐64: “At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one should call him a man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. He was the Messiah. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. For he appeared to them on the third day, living again, just as the divine prophets had spoken of these and countless other wondrous things about him. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.” (From Meier, p. 60. Most scholars think that all or part of this is a Christian interpolation). Tacitus (55/56 to about 120). Annals 15.44: “Therefore, to squelch the rumor [that he was responsible for the great fire in Rome], Nero created scapegoats and subjected to the most refined tortures those whom the common people called ‘Christians,’ [a group] hated for their abominable crimes. Their name comes from Christ, who, during the reign of Tiberius, had been executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate. Suppressed for the moment, the deadly superstition broke out again, not only in Judea, the land which originated this evil, but also in the city of Rome, where all sorts of horrendous and shameful practices from every part of the world converge and are fervently cultivated.” (From Meier, p. 89‐90). Suetonius (70 to about 130 A.D.) Claudius 25.4: “Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from the City.” (Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars. Penguin Classics, p. 197; scholars debate whether this Chrestus is Christ, who in any case was never in Rome). Pliny the Younger (61 to 120) In Book X, 96, in a letter from Pliny to the Emperor Trajan, Pliny explains his policy toward Christians in Bithynia and Pontus (in north central Turkey), including his efforts to get them to recant their belief. He mentions that the Christians met

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Non-Biblical references to Jesus in Ancient Texts

Transcript of Texts_Non-biblical Ref to Jesus

NonBiblicalReferencestoJesusJosephus(37/38toabout100A.D):twomentionsAntiquities20.9.1200:Beingthereforethiskindofperson,Ananus,thinkingthathehadafavorableopportunitybecauseFestushaddiedandAlbinuswasstillonhisway,calledameetingofjudgesandbroughtintoitthebrotherofJesuswhoiscalledMessiah,Jamesbyname,andsomeothers.Hemadeaccusationthattheyhadtransgressedthelaw,andhehandedthemovertobestoned.(fromJohnP.Meier,AMarginalJew:RethinkingtheHistoricalJesus,vol.1[Doubleday,1991],p.57).Antiquities18.3.36364:AtthistimethereappearedJesus,awiseman,ifindeedoneshouldcallhimaman.Forhewasadoerofstartlingdeeds,ateacherofpeoplewhoreceivethetruthwithpleasure.AndhegainedafollowingbothamongmanyJewsandamongmanyofGreekorigin.HewastheMessiah.AndwhenPilate,becauseofanaccusationmadebytheleadingmenamongus,condemnedhimtothecross,thosewhohadlovedhimpreviouslydidnotceasetodoso.Forheappearedtothemonthethirdday,livingagain,justasthedivineprophetshadspokenoftheseandcountlessotherwondrousthingsabouthim.AndupuntilthisverydaythetribeofChristians,namedafterhim,hasnotdiedout.(FromMeier,p.60.MostscholarsthinkthatallorpartofthisisaChristianinterpolation).Tacitus(55/56toabout120).Annals15.44:Therefore,tosquelchtherumor[thathewasresponsibleforthegreatfireinRome],NerocreatedscapegoatsandsubjectedtothemostrefinedtorturesthosewhomthecommonpeoplecalledChristians,[agroup]hatedfortheirabominablecrimes.TheirnamecomesfromChrist,who,duringthereignofTiberius,hadbeenexecutedbytheprocuratorPontiusPilate.Suppressedforthemoment,thedeadlysuperstitionbrokeoutagain,notonlyinJudea,thelandwhichoriginatedthisevil,butalsointhecityofRome,whereallsortsofhorrendousandshamefulpracticesfromeverypartoftheworldconvergeandareferventlycultivated.(FromMeier,p.8990).Suetonius(70toabout130A.D.)Claudius25.4:BecausetheJewsatRomecausedcontinuousdisturbancesattheinstigationofChrestus,heexpelledthemfromtheCity.(Suetonius,TheTwelveCaesars.PenguinClassics,p.197;scholarsdebatewhetherthisChrestusisChrist,whoinanycasewasneverinRome).PlinytheYounger(61to120)InBookX,96,inaletterfromPlinytotheEmperorTrajan,PlinyexplainshispolicytowardChristiansinBithyniaandPontus(innorthcentralTurkey),includinghiseffortstogetthemtorecanttheirbelief.HementionsthattheChristiansmet
regularlybeforedawnonafixeddaytochantversesalternatelyamongstthemselvesinhonourofChristasiftoagod.(TheLettersoftheYoungerPliny;PenguinClassics,p.294).Thereareafewother,lessnotablereferences,namelyabriefmentioninaletterof(thepagan)MarabarSarapion,probablyfromsometimeafter73A.D.,whichislikelydependentuponSyrianChristiansources);theJewishBabylonianTalmud,bSanh43a;andLucianofSamosata(about115200)inhissatiricalThePassingofPeregrinus.