Daily Devotion

 

 

Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian and a contemporary of Apostle Paul, writes, "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...many...Jews and many...Gentiles. He was (the) Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among 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."

 

In AD 94 Josephus published his definitive study, "Antiquities of the Jews." A most fascinating passage in it contains the events in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Biblical scholar, Craig Blomberg, writes, "Many recent studies of Josephus agree that much of the discourse closely resembles Josephus' style of writing elsewhere...most passages seem to be authentic. This is certainly the most important non-Christian testimony to the life of Jesus that has been preserved."

 

I personally believe that God purposely raised up Josephus, a Jewish historian, who wrote about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Just think...this non-Christian follower of Jesus writes about His life as well as His death and resurrection. He also quotes the Old Testament prophets to prove Jesus authenticity.

 

Even those who were not followers of Jesus wrote about His life and the miracles that followed Him during those three years of ministry. They had to include His death and the resurrection for the whole world to have additional proofs other than the Bible to read about this worker of miracles that the grave could not hold.