Josephus (A.D. 37 - A.D. 100) was an important ancient Jewish historian who wrote “The Jewish Wars” and “The Antiquities of the Jews” and mentioned several biblical figures and groups in those works. He gives us very valuable information concerning the time of the Maccabean revolt and onwards through the time of Christ and beyond. Josephus gives us a great deal of background information of the New Testament times. His writings contain several specific references to John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and James, the brother of Christ, who were all real historical figures that lived in real historical times and places. They were not just myths from the Bible stories that we have heard all our lives. Since his writings are extra-biblical, they give us an important historical text to validate the authenticity of our biblical text, if you need that sort of proof to ground your faith in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible. Josephus is considered a reliable source by most biblical scholars and many others. He is recognized by many scholars in both ancient writings and contemporary writings as being a trustworthy and accurate historian, though some have tried in vain to disprove his writings. He is cited by many scholars from the time immediately after his writings were published until today, who affirm his love for truth and the general accuracy of his writings. About A.D. 410, Isidorus Pelusiot, the Scholar of Chrysostom, in 4.225 writes, “There was one Josephus, a Jew of the greatest reputation, and one that was zealous of the law, one also that paraphrased the Old Testament with truth, and acted valiantly for the Jews, and had showed that there settlement was nobler than can be described by words. Now since he made their interests give place to truth, for he would not support the opinion of impious men, I think it necessary to set down his words. What then does he say?” So here are a few excerpts from those historical documents from ages past.

From The Antiquities of the Jews

In Book 18/3:3 Josephus speaks of Christ directly. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (April 3, A.D. 33) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him for he appeared to them alive again the third day, (April 5) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

In Book 18/5:2 Josephus tells us more about the circumstances around the beheading of John the Baptist. Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist, for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now when many others came in crowds about him, for they were greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it should be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God’s displeasure against him.

In Book 20/9 Josephus tells us of the sentencing of James, the brother of Christ, to death by stoning though it is believed he did not die at that time, but later. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, (or some of his companions) and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, delivered them to be stoned; but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the King (Agrippa), desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a Sanhedrin without his consent; whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which King Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.

From “The Jewish Wars”

In Book 5/13:5 of The Jewish Wars, Josephus also tells us when speaking of the brutality of the Roman soldiers, that it was actually God that condemned the Jewish nation in its destruction in A.D. 70 . He states, “but in reality it was God who condemned the whole nation, and turned every course that was taken for their preservation to their destruction.”

Also Cornelius Tacitus (55 A.D.- 117A.D.), a Roman historian, wrote a most important work, commonly called Annals (Annals, c. 115-17) but possibly originally titled Ab Excessu Diui Augusti (From the Death of the Divine Augustus), which is a history of the Julian emperors from Tiberius to Nero, covering the years 14 A.D. to 68 A.D. In Annals, Book 15, Tacitus tells us of the open destruction of the Christians by the evil Roman emperor, Nero. “Nero, in order to stifle the rumor (as if he had himself set Rome on fire) ascribed it to those people who were hated for their wicked practices, and called by the vulgar Christians; these he punished exquisitely. The author of this name was Christ, who in the reign of Tiberius was brought to punishment by Pontius Pilate, the procurator. For the present this pernicious superstition was in part suppressed but it broke out again, not only over Judea, whence this mischief first sprang, but in the city of Rome also, whither do run from every quarter and make a noise, all flagrant and shameful enormities. At first, therefore, those were seized who confessed; afterwards a vast multitude were detected by them, and were convicted, not so much as really guilty of setting the city on fire, but as hating all mankind; nay, they made a mock of them, as they perished, and destroyed them by putting them into the skins of wild beasts, and setting dogs upon them to tear them to pieces: some were nailed to crosses, and others flamed to death.; they were also used in the nighttime instead of torches for illumination. Nero had offered his own gardens for this spectacle. He also gave them Circensian games, and dressed himself like the driver of a chariot, sometimes appearing among the common people, sometimes in the circle itself; whence a commiseration arose, though the punishments were leveled at guilty persons, and such as deserved to be made the most flagrant examples, as if these people were destroyed, not for public advantage, but to satisfy the barbarous humor of one man.

In another example of the plight of early Christendom, Pliny’s letter to Trajan when he was proconsul of Bithynia, and the reply of Trajan, which is cited by Tertullian, Eusebius, and Jerome, is another important extra-biblical record of the movement of early Christianity into the hearts and minds of those ancient peoples even in the face of certain death for taking the name of Christ.

Pliny’s Epistle to Trajan about 112 A.D.

Sir,

It is my constant method to apply myself to you for the resolution of all my doubts, for who can better govern my dilatory way of proceeding or instruct my ignorance? I have never been present at the examination of the Christians (by others) on which account I am unacquainted with what uses to be inquired into, and what, and how far, they used to be punished; nor are my doubts small, whether there be not a distinction to be made between the ages (of the accused)? And whether tender youth ought to have the same punishment with strong men? Whether there not be room for pardon upon repentance? Or whether it may not be an advantage to one that had been a Christian, that he has forsaken Christianity? Whether the bare name, without any crimes besides, or the crimes adhering to that name, be to be punished? In the meantime, I have this course, about those who have been brought before me as Christians. I asked them whether they were Christians or not? If they confessed that they were Christians, I asked them again, and a third time, intermixing threatenings with the questions. If they persevered in their confession, I ordered them to be executed; for I did not doubt but, let their confession be of any sort whatsoever, this positiveness and inflexible obstinancy deserved to be punished. There have been some of this mad sect whom I took notice of in particular as Roman citizens, that they might be sent to that city. After some time, as is usual in such examinations, the crime spread itself, and many more cases came before me, A libel was sent to me, though without an author, containing many names (of persons accused). These denied that they were Christians now, or ever had been. They called upon the gods, and supplicated to your image, which I caused to be brought to me for that purpose, with frankincense and wine; they also cursed Christ; none of which things, it is said, can any of those that are really Christians be compelled to do; so I thought fit to let them go. Others of them that were named in the libel, said they were Christians, but presently denied it again; that indeed they had been Christians, but had ceased to be so, some three years, some many more; and one there was that said he had not been so these twenty years. All these worshiped your image, and the images of our gods; these also cursed Christ. However, they assured me, that the main of their fault, or of their mistake, was this: That they were wont, on a stated day, to meet together before it was light, and to sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god, alternately; and to oblige themselves by a sacrament (or oath) not to do anything that was ill; but that they would commit no theft, or pilfering, or adultery; that they would not break their promises, or deny what was deposited with them, when it was required back again, after which it was their custom to depart, and to meet again at a common but innocent meal, which they had left off upon that edict which I published at your command, and wherein I had forbidden any such conventicles. These examinations made me think it necessary to inquire by torments what the truth was; which I did of two servant maids, who were called Deaconesses: but still I discovered no more than that they were addicted to a bad and to an extravagant superstition. Hereupon I have put off any further examination, and have recourse to you, for the affair seems to be well worth consultation, especially on account of the number of those that are in danger; for there are many of every age, of every rank, and of both sexes, who are now and hereafter likely to be called to account, and to be in danger; for this superstition is spread like a contagion, not only into cities and towns, but into country villages also, which yet there is reason to hope may be stopped and corrected. To be sure, the temples, which were almost forsaken, begin already to be frequented; and the holy solemnities, which were long intermitted, begin to be revived. The sacrifices begin to sell well everywhere, of which very few purchasers had of late appeared; whereby it is easy to suppose how great a multitude of men may be amended, if place for repentance be admitted.

Trajan’s Epistle to Pliny

My Pliny,

You have taken the method which you ought in examining the causes of those that had been accused as Christians, for indeed no certain and general form of judging can be ordained in this case. These people are not to be sought for; but if they be accused and convicted, they are to be punished; but with this caution, that he who denies himself to be a Christian, and makes it plain that he is not so by supplicating to our gods, although he had been so formerly, may be allowed pardon, upon his repentance. As for libels sent without an author, they ought to have no place in any accusation whatsoever, for that would be a thing of very ill example, and not agreeable to my reign.

So here we have several extra-biblical genuine historical examples of what it was really like to be an early Christian, subject to questioning, judgment, torture and death, just for naming the name of Christ. I wonder what we, as Christians today, will do when that time comes for us; when we no longer have the comfort of our church pews and many of us will be beheaded for the witness of Christ, which is spoken of in the Revelation of John. Already Christians are persecuted worldwide, and even in the United States, we are accused of many things that simply are not true of genuine Christians. We have to stand up for truth and righteousness in the face of ridicule and outright hatred from some people who have the audacity to call themselves good and us evil, who don’t flinch at murdering babies, or using euthanasia on our elderly, who flagrantly flaunt their sexual excesses and deviances, and who won’t have tolerance for any of us who believe themselves to be acting in sin. We do our best to show them the way out of that bondage of sin, while they mock and accuse us of every sort of evil. We try to show them that God loves them, even if we believe their sins are wrong in God’s eyes, and that they need to be and can be forgiven upon repentance. God knows that our efforts are not in vain and that even when we are tested beyond what we can endure, that we, who are truly Christian, will shine forth as light in the darkness. So in closing, in answer to the question Is There Evidence Outside the Bible that Christ was a Real Historical Figure? I believe the answer to that is unequivocally Yes! And if a sword were held to my throat, and my head cut off if I didn’t deny that Christ was my Savior, I would stake my life on it. How about you?