Case file · Witness · Prove All Things

The Sentence From Josephus

“But prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Douay-Rheims

The case

A Jewish general who surrendered to Rome wrote one sentence. And if you think Jesus never existed, you still have to explain it. His name was Josephus. He fought Rome in Galilee, surrendered, and ended up writing history in Rome. Around the year ninety-three, he finished a huge history of the Jewish people.

The evidence

Every quotation below is printed in the words of the edition named under it. Nothing is paraphrased.

“so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others”

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.1 (20.200), trans. William Whiston, PD — read it at the source

“Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.”

Genesis 13:8 (Douay) — read it at the source

“Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.”

Matthew 27:56 (Douay) — read it at the source

What’s established, and what isn’t

What the sources support, claim by claim — each one checked against the sources listed at the foot of this page:

Josephus commanded in Galilee in the revolt, surrendered at Jotapata, later wrote in Rome under Flavian patronage
Antiquities completed c. AD 93-94
Ant. 20.200 (20.9.1): the high priest Ananus had James 'the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ' stoned
Most scholars accept 20.200 as authentic
Catholic teaching: 'brothers' of Jesus are kin, not children of Mary (CCC 500)
Gen 13:8 Abram and Lot 'brethren'; Lot was Abram's nephew (Gen 12:5)
Matt 27:56 names 'Mary the mother of James and Joseph'

Where the record stops short:

The sentence in Antiquities 20.200 is accepted as authentic by most scholars. Most is not all.
Josephus is a Jewish historian writing in Rome under Flavian patronage, not a Christian source. He confirms that James was killed and how his brother was described, nothing more.

For your men’s group

A historian who was not a Christian mentions Jesus in passing, to date someone else's death. Why is a passing mention worth more than an enthusiastic one?
The Hebrew and Greek of the time used 'brother' for kin well beyond sons of the same mother. Where else have you seen a word read flat and made to prove something?
What would you say to a man who told you Jesus is not mentioned outside the Bible?

Every source

Found an error? [email protected] — errata corrected the day they’re found.

Drafted with AI assistance, founder-directed, and checked against the sources linked here. Our editorial standards.

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