blood of these early martyrs, of those who knew by personal observation of Christ and his work, is the strongest possible proof of the divinity of Jesus Christ. The blood of those unnamed Christians who suffered persecution for their faith cries to us across twenty centuries and tells us that these Christians knew who Christ was and that he was God, and therefore they died for him.

CHAPTER VI

THE TESTIMONY OF JOSEPHUS

1. The mention of Jesus Christ and of James and John the Baptist by Josephus strongly corroborates the testimony contained in the sacred text, showing the historical appearance of Christ and proving his divinity.

Flavius Josephus was born at Jerusalem in A.D. 37, or about four years after Jesus Christ had completed his mission on earth.

His father, Matthias, was a priest, whose duty it was to officiate in the first of the twenty-four courses; and his mother was of a royal family, being descended from the line of the Asmonean princes.

Josephus was highly educated and possessed a thorough knowledge of both Hebrew and Greek, and very early in life he became famous for his great learning and ability.

He was in the Roman army at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus in the year 70; and after the fall of the city and the destruction of the temple, he returned to Rome and engaged in literary pursuits.

He wrote a history of the Jews, which he entitled "Antiquities of the Jews," in twenty books; the

"Wars of the Jews," in seven books; and "Against Apion," in two volumes. He also wrote his "Autobiography," in one volume.

His "Antiquities" contained the history of the Jews from the earliest times down to the death of Nero and embraced the period of the life of Jesus Christ on earth.

Josephus is regarded as one of the most accurate and truthful historians of all ages. His style is easily recognizable, and on this account the authenticity of any quotation or pretended quotation from his books can readily be determined.

In Book XVIII., Chapter III., of the “Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus relates how Pilate, the Procurator of Judea, removed the army from Cæsarea to Jerusalem, how he set up Cæsar's image in the city of Jerusalem, and how he undertook to bring a current of water to Jerusalem with the sacred money of the Jews, and then adds:

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, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day,

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.

This passage from Josephus accords with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ so fully and perfectly that, granting its authenticity, its value as corroborative evidence can hardly be estimated. It contains in a few lines a reference, more or less explicit, to the principal events of the history of Christ as contained in the biographies of him by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and its importance is recognized at once.

The value of this quotation as evidence corroborative of the record and history of Christ as contained in the four Gospels is so well recognized that infidelity has attacked the passage with as much energy as it ever displayed in criticizing the Scriptural narrative. It is a significant fact, however, that only those reject this passage as spurious who deny everything else connected with the history of Jesus Christ, especially everything that affirms the divinity of Christ.

The authenticity of the quotation, however, is now practically admitted. The early Christian writers, including Origen and Eusebius, declare that the paragraph quoted is authentic, and nearly all the

Christian writers of the first few centuries quoted this passage from Josephus.

Even Renan, who denies the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ, admits the authenticity of the passage, though he thinks it possible that the words "if it be lawful to call him a man" were added by some translator. "I believe the passage respecting Jesus to be authentic," says Renan. (See "Life of Jesus," by Ernest Renan, author's Introduction.)

Josephus refers to Jesus Christ in another place; and this passage has never been questioned, so far as I have been able to learn. Its authenticity seems to be admitted. Referring to the stoning to death of James, the apostle, and some others in Jerusalem at the instigation of Ananus, the high priest, Josephus says:

But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders above the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed. When, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity to exercise his authority. 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. And when he had formed an accusation against them as break