Another case for Christ

For Christians, the historicity of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the bedrock of our faith. It's the truth of these events we seek to share with a skeptical world. T.C. Schmidt’s Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (Oxford University Press, 336 pp.) emerges as a remarkable new evidence-based study, offering a fresh, compelling examination that affirms the historical reality of Jesus through the lens of a first-century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus. This open-access book is a gift to believers and seekers alike, blending rigorous scholarship with profound implications for evangelism and apologetics. Schmidt’s work is exhilarating—a must-read for anyone passionate about defending the truth of Christ’s life and legacy.

Schmidt,a professor at Fairfield University and a visiting fellow at Princeton, tackles one of the most debated texts in historical Jesus studies: the Testimonium Flavianum, a passage in Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews (written ca. 93/94) that describes Jesus as a wise man, a doer of extraordinary miracles, and the crucified leader of a persistently growing movement. For centuries, scholars have questioned its authenticity, suspecting Christian tampering due to its seemingly favorable tone. Schmidt delivers a tour de force, arguing persuasively that the Testimonium is not only authentic but also a treasure trove of historical insight into Jesus’ life, miracles, death by crucifixion, and early followers.

Schmidt begins by applying a cutting-edge stylometric analysis to show that the passage’s vocabulary and style align closely with Josephus’ other writings, dispelling doubts about its authorship. He further demonstrates that ancient Christians, unlike modern skeptics, often read the Testimonium as neutral or even slightly negative, not as a glowing endorsement of Jesus. For Christians, this is a game-changer: The earliest non-Christian reference to Jesus—documented within six decades of His crucifixion—confirms His historical existence, His miracles, and the enduring faith of His followers. Schmidt’s study transforms a long-debated text into a powerful apologetic tool, offering external, independent, non-Christian validation of the Gospel accounts.

One of the most astonishing conclusions of Josephus and Jesus is Schmidt’s argument that Josephus had direct access to individuals involved in Jesus’ trial. As a first-century Jew with ties to Jerusalem’s elite, including Sanhedrin members and chief priests, Josephus was uniquely positioned to gather reliable information about Jesus’ life and death. Schmidt meticulously traces these connections, suggesting that the Testimonium is not fanciful hearsay, but a report grounded in firsthand testimony. For Christian readers, this finding is electrifying. It positions Josephus as a near-primary source, offering a non-Christian perspective on the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. This strengthens our confidence in the historical reliability of the New Testament, providing a bridge to share with skeptics who question the Gospel narratives.

Schmidt’s analysis of the Testimonium’s content is equally compelling. He argues that Josephus’ references to Jesus’ extraordinary deeds and resurrection reflect how these events were perceived by Jesus’ contemporaries, not necessarily Josephus’ personal Jewish beliefs. This neutral reporting aligns with Josephus’ historiographical style, offering a window into how early memories of Jesus’ miracles and resurrection circulated. For evangelicals, this insight is profoundly encouraging. It shows that even a non-Christian historian acknowledged the remarkable claims surrounding Jesus, lending historical weight to the miracles and resurrection we hold dear.

Schmidt’s careful study invites us to see the Testimonium as a bridge between faith and history, affirming that the Jesus of the Gospels is the Jesus of history. For conservative Christians, Josephus and Jesus is a triumph—a scholarly yet accessible work that bolsters our faith in the historical Jesus. Schmidt’s meticulous research and bold conclusions invite us to see Josephus not as a skeptic but as an unlikely ally, whose words echo the truth of Christ across centuries. The book’s open-access availability is a blessing for the Church. Its free digital format ensures that pastors, students, and laypeople can engage with this groundbreaking scholarship without financial barriers. This serves the Church’s mission to equip believers with tools to “give a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Whether you’re a pastor preparing a sermon, a student exploring the historical Jesus, or a believer seeking to defend your faith, Josephus and Jesus is an invaluable resource. As we share the gospel in a doubting world, Schmidt equips us with fresh evidence that Jesus is indeed “the One called Christ.”