Was that so like when people like me who ask about evidence outside of the Bible people can say oh yeah theres Josephus. What if Josephus was lieing or writing a fictional story. If I write a fictional story about a God would people in 2000 years think the God I write about is a God?
2006-06-25 13:23:50 · 14 answers · asked by pope 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Josephus proves early "Christians" were liars and did their best to forge documents so they appeared to support Constantine's pagan version of "Christianity."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testimonium_Flavianum
2006-06-25 13:37:26 · answer #1 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You really are an idiot. If what you see is what you get, you see little and get less.
Josephus was a Jewish general in the Jewish War with Rome. He lost and spent the remaining year of his life writing particularly about the Jewish Wars.
The bible is not a history book, it is a collection of 66+ books containing the spiritual information that God gave to man through his prophets. Josephus was not a prophet nor did write about spiritual matter. That is why his books are not included in the bible.
You second part is absolute nonsense. If you write fiction, it would be fiction. The bible is about God and his promises, not about something else. It records a relationship that God has with a people, the Jews.
Just like you need to understand vocabulary to read, you need to have faith/believe to understand spiritual matter. You can say I don't believe whatever. And guess what? Whatever will not be acceptable to you.
Obviously you don't believe in Sargon the Great, because you don't have a picture of him.
2006-06-25 20:49:20 · answer #2 · answered by J. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only those writings fiting a fixed criteria were included in the Bible. The Jewish writings for the Old Testament, and those writings that were written by one of the apostles or close associates, were written within the first century, and a couple of others similar to that were used to identify the books included in the New Testament.
Josephus, fails the criteria of being an apostle or close associate. Also, the books of the Bible are the inspired works of God and Josephus's writings were not.
2006-06-25 20:29:37 · answer #3 · answered by bobm709 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Josephus was a historian. The Bible is written by God through man, not by man alone. Josephus, although credible, is writing from his perspective. And, if you have done your research, you will also find out that the Bible IS actually historically reliable.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.
2006-06-25 20:40:11 · answer #4 · answered by eefen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have dreamed of that!!!! Try it, can't hurt. People actually decided what goes in the bible and what does not, early popes and cardinals mainly. Chances are they found something that would stir up the population, or hurt their chances of total alleigance. It could all be lies, it could all be fiction. There is no evidence outside the bible, because if it is not officially endorsed, it is not part of the religion. Spirituality, maybe. Then again, no one ever tried to convince me that their spirituality is the right one, just the religions do that. In my bible, I will put in a clause that if they find another bible, say te one you write, it is all true! Won't that screw everything up! The looks on their faces, the uproar.... Oh yeah that just happened with the Da Vinci code!
And... bible history is all messed up! Some of those books were not added for hundreds of years, mistranslations and blah blah.
2006-06-25 20:25:57 · answer #5 · answered by unknown 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Josephus said very little about the Christian leader Jesus but in a circa 1950 English edition he is translated as saying Jesus was the Christ. Josephus was born after Jesus was crucified and never met Jesus. His works were saved when the Romans slaughtered the Jews in 76AD.
2006-06-25 20:46:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Josephus was an historian, not a theologian. And furthermore, his writings have been corrupted by later Christians who saw an opportunity to bolster their religion.
Realistically, being a Christian does not rely so much on the historicity of Jesus as it does his teachings. But that statement will probably get me in trouble! ;^)
2006-06-25 20:29:27 · answer #7 · answered by Rebbit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Josephus was a recognised historian who actually criticised many of the Christian churches of his time. His works are often used as evidence, but they also try to debunk various beliefs of the early churches as well.
2006-06-25 23:00:39 · answer #8 · answered by Aingeal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was no reason to believe that Josephus was lying--he was reporting this to the Roman Empire--not an entity you want to be telling these kinds of things to. This would not have benefitted him in any way.
2006-06-25 20:26:21 · answer #9 · answered by RandyGE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u act like Josephus's was the only historian of that time to write about Jesus. there was also others like TACITUS,Suetonius,Phlegon,all of these were roman historians who all saw Christ as a rebel and was put to death buy Pilate and all three of them say the same thing Jesus was areal man that lead a fellowship of both Jews and Greeks
2006-06-25 20:39:14 · answer #10 · answered by ryan s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋