Josephus on James the Just? A reevaluation of Antiquitates Judaicae 20.9.1

This article reviews the well-known (supposedly Josephan) mention of James as “the Brother of Jesus” (i.e. Antiquitates Judaicae 20.9.1.200). Here, with reference to, inter alia, the insights of Earl Doherty, Steve Mason, Peter Kirby, John Paul Meier, Nikos Kokkinos, as well as to certain key findin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of early Christian history 2017-01, Vol.7 (1), p.1-27
Main Author: Allen, Nicholas P.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antiquitates Judaicae
Forgery
Interpolation
James the Just
Jesus of Nazareth
Josephus Flavius
Origenes
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Summary:This article reviews the well-known (supposedly Josephan) mention of James as “the Brother of Jesus” (i.e. Antiquitates Judaicae 20.9.1.200). Here, with reference to, inter alia, the insights of Earl Doherty, Steve Mason, Peter Kirby, John Paul Meier, Nikos Kokkinos, as well as to certain key findings gleaned from critical readings of Origen’s Commentary on Matthew and Contra Celsum, I attempt to demonstrate Origen’s possible role in the creation of this long-suspected fraudulent text. In this regard, by highlighting a number of Origen’s key philosophical and theological refutations it becomes evident that apart from the unlikelihood of Josephus ever writing about James, Origen must now be considered the primary suspect for what is possibly a third century CE Christian forgery.
ISSN:2222-582X
2471-4054
DOI:10.1080/2222582X.2017.1317008