Josephus and Jesus

T. C. Schmidt (Yale PhD) has broad interests that touch upon the historical Jesus, the formation of the New Testament, the history of Christianity in Syriac and Arabic contexts, and the origin of Christmas. Notably, Professor Schmidt has produced peer-reviewed translations from Latin, Greek, Syriac, and Arabic texts. These include works from ibn Katib Qaysar (a twelfth-century Arabic Christian writer), Isho'dad of Merv (a ninth-century Syriac Bishop), and Hippolytus of Rome (a third-century theologian). His books have been published with academic presses such as Cambridge, Fordham, Catholic University, and Gorgias. He currently teaches at Fairfield University.

An extraordinary scholarly achievement, this book has the potential of redefining the discussion of the Testimonium Flavianum and its value as a source of historical information. With impressive philological acumen, Schmidt suggests a compelling reading of the text that confirms its authenticity. His argument for the existence of a surprisingly close connection between Josephus and those involved in Jesus' execution should be taken seriously by all historical Jesus scholars.

• INTRODUCTION 1. The Authenticity of the Testimonium Flavianum 1: The Greek Reception 2: The Western and Eastern Reception 3: An Authorial Commentary on the Testimonium Flavianum 4: Authenticity and Possible Translations of the Testimonium Flavianum 2. The Sources of Josephus and the Meaning of the Testimonium Flavianum 5: Josephus> ' Sources: Clues in His Background 6: Identifying the <'First Men among Us> ': Possible Candidates 7: Summary and Conclusion: The Jesus of History Appendix 1: Eusebius, His Citational Practices, and the Testimonium Flavianum Appendix 2: James the Brother of Jesus: Antiquities 20.200 Appendix 3: The Trial of Jesus and Passover Appendix 4: Ananus II and the Trial of Jesus Appendix 5: The Great Sanhedrin and Its Records of the Trial of Jesus Appendix 6: Josephus> ' Silence Regarding Jesus in the War