Bibliography
| Title: The continuing enigma of Josephus' testimony about Jesus Secondary Title: BJRL Volume: 67 Pages: 609-622 Type: Journal Article Year: 1985 Abstract: "The Testimonium Flavianum (Ant. XVIII,63-64) cannot be restored to Josephus in any guise but is the work of a forger. This writer knew the favorite phrases of Josephus from wide acquaintance with his work, but showed himself at work by using these phrases in senses which ware not those customary in the rest of Josephus' works".
"There are three opinions about Josephus' testimony about Jesus in Ant. 18:63-64: It is authentic as it stands; the received text is a Christian reworking of the original; or it is spurious, the work of an interpolater who sought to transform Josephus into a witness to Jesus and his ministry. Examination of the text, with the aid of the concordance to Josephus' writings, indicates that the passage was the work of a forger who knew Josephus' favorite phrases but used them in uncustomary ways". - D.J.H.
"Surveys significant contributions to the question of the authenticity of the Testimonium Flavianum (Jos. Ant. 18). On the basis of the new concordance of the works to Josephus (edited by K. H. Rengstorf, 1973-1983) it can be claimed that the language of the received text of the "Testimonium" is usually not strictly in accordance with Josephan usage elsewhere in his works. Developing his own thinking Birsdall arrives at the conclusion that "as a result of this investigation we have a prima facie case that the passage cannot be restored of Josephus in any guise but is the work of a forger, who knew the favourite phrases of Josephus, from wide acquaintance with his work but showed himself at work, and not Josephus, by using these phrases in senses which are not those customary in the rest of Josephus's work" (621). The "Testimonium" therefore seems to have its origin in the period of the Apologists". Keywords: Testimonium Flavianum |