Josephus Class - October 26, 2010

A friend arrived about 7:00 PM to pick me up. We headed off to Grace Bible Church.  Pastor John Ward and a few other people were already there – including a couple named Dale and Miriam from Seattle, WA.  They’re friends with John and his wife, Carole, and came to reciprocate a visit.  They’re staying with John and Carole while they’re in town. 

When the class got started, John took us through:

Book IX: From the Death of Ahab to the Captivity of the Ten Tribes

2 Kings Chapters 1-17

I took some notes in my notebook, plus I also marked passages in both Josephus and the Bible.  John took us through other passages of Scripture and showed us that Josephus confirms events recorded in the Bible. 

John gave us our homework assignment for the next meeting – January 25, 2011:

Josephus: The Antiquities of the Jews:

Book X:   From the Captivity of the Ten Tribes to the First Year of Cyrus

Book XI:  From the Death of Cyrus to the Death of Alexander the Great

Book XII: From the Death of Alexander the Great to the Death of Judas Maccabeus

The Bible:

2^nd Kings Chapters 18-25

1^st Chronicles

2^nd Chronicles

John said that we should take note of anything that Josephus mentions regarding Pharisees, Romans and the Intertestamental Period [between Malachi and Matthew].  John shared with us that the Hebrew Bible goes from Genesis through 2^nd Chronicles. 

Josephus:

Book X   =  11chapters

Book XI  =   8 chapters

Book XII  = 11chapters

Bible:

2^nd Kings 18-25 =  8 chapters

1^st Chronicles =  29 chapters

2^nd Chronicles = 36 chapters

This may appear to be a lot of reading – and it is – but we have 3 months to get it done. John went on to tell us that he is going to “map it out” but he wants to be done with Josephus at the end of the June, 2011 class meeting.  Antiquities of the Jews has a total of 20 chapters.  So, right now we’re nearly ½ way there.  

En route home, my friend and I talked about the class – we both agree that Josephus just goes on to confirm events in the Bible.  She said she wonders if Josephus ever, as a result of his writing, ever came to faith in Christ before he died.  There is, as far as we know, nothing recorded concerning this.  There is, however, a writing called Testimonium Flavonium in which Josephus seems to attest to Jesus’ existence.