I've been busy with work and haven't been able to read as much as I would like, but in tearing through different texts (trying to get a better handle on the Apostle Paul and Jewish ideas regarding resurrection) I came across a paragraph taken from the Slavonic text of Josephus'
Jewish War. This version contains a much longer passage regarding Jesus and his trial which does not appear in the Greek (which is the version everyone is familiar with).
"At that time also a man came forward - if it is fitting to call him a man. His nature as well as his form were a man's, but his showing forth was more than that of a man. His works were godly and he wrought wonder deeds, amazing and full of power. Therefore it is not possible for me to call him a man, but in view of the nature he shared with all, I would also not call him an angel. And all that he wrought through some kind of invisible power, he wrought by word and command. Some said of him: Our first lawgiver has risen from the dead and shows forth many cures and arts. But others supposed that he was sent by God. He opposed himself in much to the law, and did not observe the Sabbath according to ancestral custom. Yet he did nothing reprehensible nor any crime, but by word solely he effected everything. And many from the folk followed him and recieved his teachings; and many souls began to waver, supposing that through him the Jewish tribe would be freed from Roman hands. It was his custom often to walk outside the city, preferably on the Mount of Olives; it was there that he dispensed his cures to the people. And there gathered around him a hundred and fifty servants. When they saw his power, and that he accomplished everything by word of mouth, they urged him that he should enter the city, massacre the Roman soldiers and Pilate, and rule over them. But he scorned it. Later, the leaders of the Jews obtained knowledge thereof and they convened with the high priest and said: We are powerless and too weak to withstand the Romans, like a bow that is bent. Let us tell Pilate what we have heard, and we shall have no trouble; if he should hear it from others, our goods may be confiscated, we may ourselves be beheaded, and our children may be exiled. So they went and informed Pilate. He sent his men, who killed many of the people, and they brought this miracleworker before him. He interrogated him, and he found that he did good not evil, that he was no revolutionary, and that he did not aspire to royal power; and he discharged him. For he had healed his wife who had been dying. He went to his accustomed place and wrought the accumstomed works. And as an ever increasing number of people gathered around him, he won great reputation among them all. The teachers of the law were envenomed with envy, and they gave thirty talents to Pilate that he should kill him. Pilate took the money and gave them permission to carry their purpose into effect themselves. They seized him and crucified him, notwithstanding the laws of their ancestors."
Of course, most believe this to be added by a later hand. Whoever the author was, I found it interesting that Pilate (not Judas) receives the silver. It makes me wonder...(I now have "Stairway to Heaven" in my head
) how familiar the true author was with any of the written Gospel stories or if they were trying to create a new "history" of Jesus. It seems quite obvious that the author was hell-bent on showing the Jewish leaders as responsible for Jesus' execution. They not only call for his death, but actually pay Pilate and then carry out the act themselves. Notice also that in this tradition Jesus healed Pilate's wife. (Pilate's wife was also featured in the
Acts of Pilate - she had dreams about Jesus and wanted her husband to have nothing to do with him.)
Okay...back to reading. Just wanted to share.
