Life Of Josephus

Life Of Josephus

Introduction

A contemporary historian-- that is to say, an historian that lived as well as wrote during the time in which Christ is said to have lived. Any historian living or writing after that time could not have seen the events with his own eyes-- possibly could not have even known any witnesses personally. Any historian writing decades or centuries after the events could only write of those things which he had heard others say. In other words, he would be writing hearsay... secondhas well as accounts of what Christ's followers said about him. Certainly, this cannot be considered as reliable information. The followers of any cult leader certainly would exaggerate the character of the man they follow. As you shall see, whatever the authenticity of the documents turns out to be, none of the historians in question were contemporaries of Christ.

His personal life was not successful, probably because he lived a life of extremes. He married four times, once at the command of Vespasian and while in jail. He had three sons by his third wife, whom he married in Alexandria, two of whom preceded him after his death. He excelled well in the Jewish law and learned together with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes. In 62 AD he headed to Rome to liberate some jailed priests. Josephus and some six hundred others were attacked in their ship in the Adriatic Sea, fortunately he was among eighty swimmers who survived and were rescued by a ship sailing from Cyrene.

With the help of a Jewish actor known as Alturas, and Poppaea Sabina, Nero's empress who was concerned in Judaism, Josephus became successful. When he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD he found the nation in rebellion against Rome. The splendor of the imposing capital must have assured Josephus that Rome could never be fought, and he went back home as an activist for peace, a policy also supported by Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice. He was a 1st century Jewish Historian who endured and wrote of the ruin of Jerusalem in 70. His articles provide a significant outlook into first-century Judaism .

JOSEPHUS' INFLUENCE IN MODERN RELGION

The life of Josephus was that of a diplomat and historian that was crowded with challenges. He studied in the wilderness but wrote in the city. He was a peace maker who went to battle; he was a military commander who had no training, but he fought as though he had. He was the fatal enemy of an emperor-to-be who later welcomed him into his family. He studied in Aramaic, and wrote a history in Greek for the Roman people, and his writings are regarded as very important. Many historical works are no longer in existence, but his have endured over time. He was ridiculed by his fellow Jews but respected by Christians.

He has been described as a conspirator, quisling, or an ordinary opportunist, and on the other hand a survivor, genius, and a resourceful ...