Editing Josephus on Jesus (section)

=== Authenticity of the James passage ===
[[Bruce Chilton]] and [[Craig A. Evans]] state that the general acceptance of the authenticity of the James passage lends support to the partial authenticity of the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' in that the brief reference to "Jesus, who was called Christ" in ''Antiquities'' [[wikisource:The Antiquities of the Jews/Book XX#Chapter 9|XX, 9, 1]] "clearly implies a prior reference" and that "in all probability the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' is that prior reference".{{sfn|Chilton|Evans|1998|pp=187–198}} [[Paul L. Maier]] concurs with the analysis of Chilton and Evans and states that Josephus' first reference was the ''Testimonium''.{{sfn|Flavius Josephus|Maier|1995|pp=284–285}} [[Géza Vermes]] also considers the "who was called Christ" reference in the James passage as the second reference to Jesus in the ''Antiquities'' and states that the first reference is likely to be the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}''.<ref name=Geza35>''Jesus in the Jewish World'' by [[Geza Vermes]] 2011 {{ISBN|0-334-04379-4}} pp. 35–43</ref><ref>''The Changing Faces of Jesus'' by Geza Vermaes 2001 {{ISBN|0-670-89451-6}} p. 276</ref>

==== Reconstruction of an authentic kernel ====
[[File:Works Translated by William Whiston.djvu|page=11|thumb|upright=0.5|''The Works of Josephus'', 1879]]
[[Robert E. Van Voorst]] states that most modern scholars believe that the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' is partially authentic, and has a reference to Jesus.{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}} However, he states that scholars are divided on the tone of the original reference and while some scholars believe that it had a negative tone which was softened by Christian interpolators, others believe that it had a neutral tone, in keeping with the style and approach of Josephus regarding the issue.{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}} According to Van Voorst, scholars who support the negative reconstruction contend that the reference read something like "source of further trouble in Jesus a wise man" and that it stated "he was the so-called Christ".{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}} Van Voorst states that most scholars support a neutral reconstruction which states "Around this time lived Jesus, a wise man" and includes no reference to "he was the Christ".{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}} Van Voorst states that if the original references to Jesus had had a negative tone, the Christian scribes would have likely deleted it entirely.{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}} Van Voorst also states that the neutral reconstruction fits better with the Arabic ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' discovered by [[Shlomo Pines|Pines]] in the 1970s.{{sfn|Van Voorst|2000|p=97}} Van Voorst states that the neutral reconstruction is supported by the majority of scholars because it involves far less conjectural wording and fits better with the style of Josephus.{{sfn|Van Voorst|2003|p=509}}

==== Exclusion of three divisive elements ====
[[Craig Blomberg]] states that if the three elements "lawful to call him a man", "he was the Christ" and the reference to the resurrection are removed from the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' the rest of the passage flows smoothly within the context, fits the style of Josephus and is likely to be authentic.<ref name=Blomberg434>''Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey'' by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 {{ISBN|0-8054-4482-3}} pp. 434–435</ref> Blomberg adds that after the removal of these three elements (which are likely interpolations) from the Greek versions the remaining passage fits well with the Arabic version and supports the authenticity of the reference to the execution of Jesus by Pilate.<ref name=Blomberg434 /> [[Joel B. Green]] also states that the removal of some elements from the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' produces a passage that is likely to be an authentic reference to the death of Jesus.<ref name="Joel B">[[Joel B. Green]] "Crucifixion" in the ''Cambridge Companion to Jesus'' edited by Markus N. A. Bockmuehl 2001 {{ISBN|0-521-79678-4}}, p. 89.</ref>

In the estimation of [[James Dunn (theologian)|James Dunn]], there is "broad consensus" among scholars regarding what the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' would look like without the interpolations.{{sfn|Dunn|2003|p=141}} According to Dunn's reconstruction, the original passage likely read:{{sfn|Dunn|2003|p=141}}<ref name="Joel B" />{{quote box|align=left|Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.}}

In this passage, which is based on [[John P. Meier]]'s reconstruction, Jesus is called a "wise man", but "lawful to call him a man" and "he was the Christ" are removed, as is the reference to the resurrection.{{sfn|Dunn|2003|p=141}}<ref name="Joel B" /> According to [[Bart D. Ehrman]], Meier's reconstruction is currently the most accepted among scholars.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ehrman |first=Bart D. |date=March 10, 2019 |title=Do Any Ancient Jewish Sources Mention Jesus? Weekly Mailbag |url=https://ehrmanblog.org/do-any-ancient-jewish-sources-mention-jesus-weekly-mailbag/ |website=The Bart Ehrman Blog |language=en-US |quote=If this is something Josephus wrote, as most scholars continue to think, then it indicates that Jesus was a wise man and a teacher who performed startling deeds and as a consequence found a following among both Jews and Greeks; it states that he was accused by Jewish leaders before Pilate, who condemned him to be crucified; and it points out that his followers remained devoted to him even afterward (Ant. 18.3.3).}}</ref>

[[Géza Vermes]] has performed a detailed analysis of the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' and modified it to remove what he considers the interpolations.<ref name=Henry185 /><ref name=Geza35 /> In Vermes' reconstruction "there was Jesus, a wise man" is retained, but the reference to "he was the Christ" is changed to "he was called the Christ" and the resurrection reference is omitted.<ref name=Geza35 /> Vermes states that the ''{{lang|la|Testimonium}}'' provides Josephus' authentic portrayal of Jesus, depicting him as a wise teacher and miracle worker with an enthusiastic group of followers who remained faithful to him after his crucifixion by Pilate, up to the time of Josephus.<ref name=Geza35 /> Vermes's version reads:<blockquote>Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and many of Greek origin. He was called the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-12-14 |title=Jesus in the Eyes of Josephus |url=https://standpointmag.co.uk/jesus-in-the-eyes-of-josephus-features-jan-10-geza-vermes/ |access-date=2021-09-06 |website=Standpoint |language=english |archive-date=2021-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918163503/https://standpointmag.co.uk/jesus-in-the-eyes-of-josephus-features-jan-10-geza-vermes/}}</ref></blockquote>