NON-CHRISTIAN WITNESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 12

NON-CHRISTIAN WITNESS.

Sir,—Jn liis last letter "A.E.C." gives the main reasons why most (not all) scholars and critics have rojected the passages about Christ in the "Antiquities." of Josephus. But even such a thoroughgoing modernist critic and " historical philosopher" as von Harnack, who died last week, agreed with the minority, who are not satisfied with those reasons for rejection. (1) In the first place Josephus must have known of {he existence and crucifixion of Christ, becauso the Roman historian Tacitus was only twenty year 3 younger than Josephus, aud ho quite definitely and naturally speaks of Christ and Pilate and the crucifixion, in His undisputed "annals." If, therefore, the Roman historian, and also his personal friend, the Governor of Bithynia, knew these facts, the Jewish historian must have known them too; and he need not havo hesitated to make even a passing reference in his historical works. (2) The only suspicious part of the disputed passage is the end of it—"Ho was (the) Christ"; but this docs not necessarily mean that Josephus accepted the Messianic claims, in that case he would havo used the Jovvish term "Messiah." Ho was writing as a historian, and ho distinguished Jesus.from others of that name by using the very early titlo of "Christ." (3) All available manuscripts contain the disputed passages; and the early uncertainties and vagaries of the text wore -almost inevitable, because of the brittleness of the papyrus rolls, besides the strong probability of deliberate deletion of the testimony by some of the violent enemies of Christianity, who burnt Christian books wholesale. (4) The "Antiquities" contain in Books XIII-XX. the clear and full historical setting for tho passages about Jesus. May 1 remind "A.E.C." that I (lid not state that "no Jew questioned Christ's existence." What I said was that "there is no evidence at. all of any early denial of Christ's existence." The solitary instance of Trypho, who, in the latter part of the second centurv, is leported (oi character-, isod) by Justin Maityn, the converted Stoic philosopher, as denying Christ's Messiahship, does not throw any doubt on the existence oi the*, historic Jesus. Trypho i? said to have referred to him as "Chris!," as Justin did, but not as he himself would havo dono had ho accepted the Messiahship. J. C. Fussell. Dargaville Vicarage, June 17.