Where can I find writings from Joshepus?
Where can I find writings from Joshepus?
Josephus had a number of writings, but the most relevant for a
Christian are the works “The Antiquities of the Jews,” and “The Wars of
the Jews,” also known as “The Jewish Wars.” “The Antiquities of the
Jews” is a fairly comprehensive history of the Jewish people, beginning in
the pre-historic past of Genesis, right up to the lifetime of Jesus and a
generation beyond. It is this work which has the famous references to the
death of the apostle James, as well as a somewhat controversial reference
to Jesus Christ. Probably more relevant as history for most believers is
the shorter “Jewish Wars,” which describes the rebellion of the Jews
against Rome beginning in AD 65, up to the final destruction of the last
Jewish holdouts at Masada in AD 72. This is a gripping and fascinating
picture of the war which led to the destruction of the temple in AD 70.
It is quite easy to get access to this material. First of
all, any good library would have a copy of the writings of Josephus. It
is fairly easy to get a copy of the complete works of Josephus. If you
are willing to shell out a few bucks, you can get a copy of the Complete
Works of Josephus, or perhaps separate copies of The Jewish Wars at any
good Christian bookstore. Of course, cheaper used copies are always
available through e-Bay and other sources!
John Oakes