God’s redemptive story brings heaven to earth, mixing the supernatural and eternal with the world we live in. The Father speaks his love and shows his glory to real people in real places. Therefore, extra-biblical sources will support the narrative history within Scripture.
These sources are few and far between, however. First, until the last couple hundred years, writing was for the educated, a rare thing for most people. Major world events might be recorded, but the normal, everyday lives of people went largely forgotten. For kings and rulers to record great deeds, they often had agendas and embellished for their own sake. And even if things were written down, they often were lost to time and entropy. This can make the historical record complicated to understand.
Further, God often worked through normal people, the poor or marginalized; not individuals anyone would naturally think to write about. And God often dealt with these people in obscurity, as well. People would tell the stories and eventually write them down, of course. In fact, Scripture itself becomes a reliable primary source for these reasons.
So, when an extra-biblical source connects with what we read in the Scripture, it gains our attention. As the Roman world and the Pax Romana allowed for more written communication, we have such a source for a historical Jesus. An historian whose name was Josephus.
Who Was Josephus and Why Is He Significant for Biblical History?
Josephus lived in the academic Roman world as a Jewish historian. He was born Yosef ben Matityahu in Jerusalem around 37 AD. He came from a rich, priestly Jewish family. His Hebrew name means “Joseph, son of Matthias,” both common Jewish names in the first century. He was captured by the Romans during a Jewish revolt, and then he took the Roman name Flavius Josephus, taking the family name of the Flavian emperors who supported him with patronage.
Josephus received a masterful education in Jewish and Greek philosophy and law. He studied the Jewish sects like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. He eventually chose to follow the ways of the Pharisees, which included lawyers who engaged with Jesus in his day. By the time he reached his twenties, he went to Rome and helped argue for the freedom of Jewish priests, impressing Roman officials.
During the Jewish-Roman War in 66-73 AD, Josephus commanded troops in Galilee against the Romans. The Romans captured him at Jotapata, and he predicted Vespasian would be the next emperor, which came true. He gained Vespasian’s favor and became a Roman citizen and historian under the protection of the emperor. Many Jews saw him as a traitor, but he thought he could mediate between Jews and Rome.
Josephus tried to use his influence as a historian to teach Jewish history to the Hellenistic culture, defending Judaism as a legitimate religion and culture. His major works include The Jewish War and Antiquities of the Jews. He also wrote Against Apion, defending Judaism from Greek critique, and an autobiography of his own life.
He interviewed survivors, read archives, and used his own experience to tell stories, entertain, and educate. He wrote as both a Jew and a Greek. His writings teach about Jewish traditions, especially during Second Temple Judaism and the Pharisees, and he encountered early Christianity while it spread through the empire.
What Were Roman Empire Historians Like in the First Century?
In the first century of the Roman Empire, historians grew more popular and helped to record important events and even shape the political world. During Jesus’ time and the early church, these historians recorded events and interpreted them.
Historians like Tacitus, Josephus, and Pliny the Elder had a primary goal: to preserve Rome’s legacy. This bordered on propaganda, of course, but they would analyze the actions of emperors and major figures like generals and senators. These historians would often add moral lessons for their readers. They didn’t care about objectivity. Historians wanted to teach and spread their philosophies and morals. For example, Tacitus wrote The Annals and The Histories, which included heavy criticism of the corrupt empire, wanting to return to a more virtuous and pure earlier Republic.
Looking at methodology, they observed, looked at official records, collected eyewitness accounts, and usually had their own personal writing style. Since they usually supported the Empire, they had access to state records, and these highly educated people came from the elite class, giving them connections and motivation to continue the imperial system. They did interview witnesses and researched different sources when available, but first century historians would often blend truth and interpretation and literary flair.
Because of their education, historians often worked within the public discussion and debate, consulted by senators and leaders. They didn’t work in formal universities, like we would see today. Their books helped develop and affirm Roman identity, government, and morals. They preserved culture with their writings, as history is a primary way to do that, giving meaning to the story. We know much of Roman life in the first century because of these amazing historians.
How Do Josephus' Writings Support the Gospels?
The most direct reference to Jesus comes in Antiquities Book 18, Chapter 3. This passage has become known as the Testimonium Flavianum, given a name due to its popularity. Josephus writes about “Jesus, a wise man,” who “performed surprising deeds,” had disciples, and even was “condemned to the cross by Pilate at the suggestion of Jewish leaders.” He continues to describe how Jesus’ followers didn’t reject or abandon “his teaching” and “continued to spread his message.” They formed what Josephus called the “tribe of Christians.” Some scholars debate the original phrases, thinking later Christian editors might have added or changed parts, but the core passage is almost universally accepted as genuine and authentic. It confirms how Jesus lived, taught, gathered disciples, and was crucified under Pilate, all consistent with the Gospels.
Later, in Book 20 of Antiquities, Josephus even mentions James as “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.” Very few challenge the authenticity of this passage. It further supports Jesus’ existence in history and having a brother, who led the early church in Jerusalem. James is also mentioned in Acts and Paul’s letters.
Further, Josephus’ writings give us great details about Jewish and Roman life in the first century that support Gospel and New Testament details. He talks about Herod the Great, Roman rule in Judea, the different Jewish religious parties, and the whole Jewish religious environment. Josephus records the rise of messianic expectations and religious hopes of God’s deliverance. While not a Christian himself, Josephus provided cultural and religious details that align with the New Testament.
Josephus wasn’t trying to affirm Jesus' existence, however. He was only recording the Jewish cultural life of the day, which would naturally include this growing sect of Christians. Josephus only wrote about Jesus and Christianity because the disciples preached and made more disciples, and Christianity had become a newsworthy sect in Josephus’ day.
What Can We Learn from Josephus?
From Josephus, we have further evidence that when we read the Bible, we can trust the historical accuracy of the text. Not only have the original writers and believers throughout the centuries attested to this, but other historical sources also support biblical reality. God works in real circumstances, not myths or legends. As a Jewish historian who didn’t follow Jesus, his record gives an important outside perspective to support Scripture’s credibility.
This teaches us a few things. First, God cares about our current circumstances. He cares about us, who we are, and our own context. He brings life and heaven into our lives right now, where we live. Second, when he does, the word will spread to the world. Even non-Christians will hear about Jesus and his works through us spreading his Word and our testimony.
Too often, when modern people hear about a resurrection, they dismiss it as untrue or impossible. But Josephus clearly indicated how talk of Jesus included his miracles. God’s miracles don’t cancel out history. God works within history, even ours, to accomplish his purposes. We don’t have to be embarrassed or shy away from testifying to God’s miraculous work within real history.
Beyond Josephus, historians and archaeologists still uncover evidence and proof that aligns with the Bible. Cities mentioned in the Bible (like Jericho, Jerusalem, and Caesarea) have been dug up and confirm biblical history. Inscriptions and national documents talk about the reigns of biblical rulers. Although Josephus doesn’t support every claim in the New Testament, his work gives interesting validation that the Bible doesn’t use fictional details. On the contrary, the Scripture is accurate and can be trusted.
Peace.
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