The Secret in Biblical History○ Talmud – Sanhedrin
For forty days before his execution, a proclamation that “he would be stoned to death” was made,
and no witness came forward in his defense.
He was accused of “practicing sorcery and leading Israel astray.”
○ Tacitus – Annales, Book 15, Chapter 44 (c. AD 116)
Christus suffered the extreme penalty under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius.
This harmful superstition was suppressed for a time, but later arose again and spread as far as Rome.
○ Suetonius – The Twelve Caesars (c. AD 121)
Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome because they continually caused disturbances at the instigation of “Chrestus.”
Nero punished those who had become involved in a new and harmful superstition (superstitio nova ac malefica).
○ Josephus – Antiquities of the Jews (c. AD 93)
“He was a wise man and a doer of remarkable works.”
He was crucified under Pilate.
○ Mara bar-Serapion – Letter to His Son
Date: After AD 73 to the early second century
Origin: Syria; a non-Christian philosopher
Key passage:
The Jews killed their “wise King.”
Although the King was put to death according to the law,
“his teaching still lives.”
○ Lucian of Samosata – The Death of Peregrinus
Date: c. AD 165
Key passage:
They “still worship the crucified man called Christ.”
He was “a wise man who introduced new rites and persuaded people to live according to them.”
○ Philo of Alexandria
Date: AD 20–50
(A Jewish philosopher contemporary with Jesus)
Philo does not directly mention Jesus,
but he emphasized the image of a righteous figure who teaches “the wisdom of God” through the Logos.
○ Flavius Josephus – Antiquities of the Jews (AD 93–94)
“Jesus was a wise man
and a doer of wonderful works.”
He was “a teacher of those who willingly received the Truth,”
and “drew many Jews and Greeks to follow him.”