Titus Flavius Josephus (36-100 CE), the Jewish historian, is the main source for understanding Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE. In the last decades of the 1st century CE, he wrote The Jewish War, the Antiquities of the Jews, Against Apion, and The Life of Flavius Josephus. His histories and eyewitness testimonies remain essential to the study of the historical context that gave rise to the origins of Christianity.

? ? ? ? ? ?猶太歷史學家提圖斯·弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯（公元36-100年）為我們提供了了解公元1世紀“第二圣殿猶太教”的主要資料。在公元1世紀的最后幾十年里，他編寫了《猶太戰(zhàn)爭》、《猶太人的歷史》、《駁斥阿皮恩》和《弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯的生活》。有關他的歷史和目擊者證詞對于研究基督教起源的歷史背景仍至關重要。

提圖斯·弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯

Flavius Josephus was born Yosef ben Matityahu, a member of a priestly household in Jerusalem through his father’s side (the house and order of Jehoiarib), and his mother was of royal descent (Hasmonean). He was educated in Jerusalem and most likely shared ideology and sympathy with the party of the Pharisees.

? ? ? ? ? ?弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯原名約瑟·本·馬賽厄斯（Yosef ben Matityahu），他的父親是耶路撒冷一個祭司家庭的成員（Jehoiarib，祭司家族的首領），他的母親是皇室后裔（哈斯蒙尼）。弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯在耶路撒冷接受教育，很可能與法利賽人有著共同的意識形態(tài)和同情心。

During the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE, Josephus was appointed the commander of Galilee. He became famous (and infamous) for changing sides during the siege at Jotapata. He successfully predicted that the Roman commander, Vespasian (r. 69-79 CE), would become the next Roman emperor. Vespasian spared his life, and Josephus spent the rest of the war as a consultant to Vespasian’s son Titus (r. 79-81 CE), who ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple complex in the year 70 CE. After the war, Josephus moved to Rome where he had access to archives and wrote his histories.

? ? ? ? ? 在公元66年的猶太人大起義（猶太戰(zhàn)爭）中，約瑟夫斯被任命為加利利（加里肋亞）的指揮官。他因在約德法特的圍攻中改變立場而聞名（也很臭名昭著）。他成功地預測了羅馬指揮官維斯帕先（提圖斯·弗拉維烏斯·維斯帕西亞努斯，公元69-79年）將成為下一個羅馬皇帝。維斯帕先饒了他一命，約瑟夫斯在戰(zhàn)爭余下的時間里擔任維斯帕先的兒子提圖斯（公元79-81年）的顧問，后者最終在公元70年摧毀了耶路撒冷和圣殿建筑群。戰(zhàn)爭結束后，約瑟夫斯搬到了羅馬，在那里他可以接觸到許多珍貴的檔案并編寫歷史。

The writings of Josephus are crucially important for several disciplines: Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE, background sources for early Christianity, historical details of the client kings of the Roman Empire in the East, and the line of the Julio-Claudian emperors in Rome. Considered one of the greatest traitors by Jews, Christians were the ones who preserved his writings for posterity. This is because he wrote about John the Baptist, reported the death of Jesus’ brother, James, and provided a passage on Jesus himself.

? ? ? ? ? 約瑟夫斯的著作對幾個學科來說都非常重要。公元1世紀的第二圣殿猶太教、早期基督教的背景資料、羅馬帝國在東方的附庸國王的歷史細節(jié)以及羅馬的朱里亞·克勞狄王朝的皇帝譜系。猶太人認為他是最大的叛徒之一，而基督徒則為后世保留了他的著作。這是因為他記載了施洗者約翰，描述了耶穌的兄弟雅各的死亡，并提供了一段關于耶穌本人的內(nèi)容。

希律·安提帕斯

A son of Herod the Great (c. 75-4 BCE), Herod Antipas (r. 4 BCE - 39 CE) inherited the region of Galilee (as one of the tetrarchs, the sons of Herod the Great). Josephus described his reign and activities in detail in Antiquities. Antipas was married to the daughter of King Aretas of Petra (the Kingdom of Nabatea in Jordan). However, when meeting the wife of another half-brother, Herodias, he divorced the daughter of Aretas and married her. Aretas then went to war against Herod Antipas who was defeated. In a digression, Josephus added the following:

? ? ? ? ? Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God and was a very just punishment for what he did against John called the baptist [the dipper]. For Herod had him killed, although he was a good man and had urged the Jews to exert themselves to virtue, both as to justice toward one another and reverence towards God and having done so join together in washing. For immersion in water, it was clear to him, could not be used for the forgiveness of sins, but as a sanctification of the body, and only if the soul was already thoroughly purified by right actions. And when others massed about him, for they were very greatly moved by his words, Herod, who feared that such strong influence over the people might carry to a revolt - for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise - believed it much better to move now than later have it raise a rebellion and engage him in actions he would regret. And so John, out of Herod's suspiciousness, was sent in chains to Machaerus, the fort previously mentioned, and there put to death; but it was the opinion of the Jews that out of retribution for John God willed the destruction of the army so as to afflict Herod. (Antiquities 18.5.2)

? ? ? ? ? 作為希律大帝（約公元前75-4年）的兒子，希律·安提帕斯（公元前4年-公元前39年）繼承了加利利地區(qū)（希律四王制）。約瑟夫斯在《猶太古史》中詳細描述了他的統(tǒng)治和活動。希律·安提帕斯與佩特拉（約旦的納巴泰王國）國王阿雷塔斯的女兒結婚。然而，當遇到另一個同父異母的兄弟希律二世的妻子（希羅底）時，他與阿雷塔斯的女兒離婚并娶了她。阿雷塔斯隨后與希律·安提帕斯開戰(zhàn)，后者被打敗。在一段題外話中，約瑟夫斯補充了以下內(nèi)容：

? ? ? ? ?現(xiàn)在有些猶太人認為希律王軍隊的毀滅來自于上帝，是對他對施洗者約翰的所作所為的一種非常公正的懲罰。因為希律王把他殺了——雖然他是個好人，而且勸猶太人要發(fā)奮圖強，既要彼此公正，又要敬畏上帝，這樣做了之后，就一起接收洗禮。因為在他看來，浸泡在水中不能用于赦免罪過，而是作為身體的圣化，并且只有在靈魂已經(jīng)被正確的行為徹底凈化的情況下。當其他人圍著他，因為他們被他的話語深深打動時，希律擔心這種對人民的強烈影響可能會導致叛亂（因為他們似乎已經(jīng)準備好做任何他建議的事情），認為現(xiàn)在行動比以后引起叛亂和讓他參與他將后悔的行動要好得多。因此，出于希律的懷疑，約翰被困在馬凱魯斯，即前面提到的要塞，并在那里被處死；但猶太人認為，出于對約翰的報應，上帝要毀滅希律王的軍隊，以折磨希律。(Antiquities 18.5.2)

As a client king of Rome, Herod Antipas had a duty to keep law and order in his province. In this period, various messianic contenders riled up the mobs with anti-Roman speeches. Herod Antipas was afraid that the followers of John in their zealousness would rebel. He would be blamed by Rome for not keeping control.

? ? ? ? ? 作為羅馬的附庸國王，希律·安提帕斯有責任在其省內(nèi)維持法律和秩序。在這個時期，各種彌賽亞競爭者用反羅馬的言論激怒了暴民。希律·安提帕斯擔心熱心的約翰的追隨者會造反。他將會被羅馬指責為沒有對統(tǒng)治地維持秩序。

Scholars often compare Josephus’ report to the one found in the gospel of Mark. Mark claimed that John the Baptist had criticized the second marriage. Herod invited his clients to a birthday party, where he asked Herodias’ daughter, Salome, to dance for his guests. He promised her anything she wanted. Her mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. While debating Josephus’ chronology, nevertheless, the story of the Baptist is considered historical and important from an outsider’s point of view.

? ? ? ? ? 學者們經(jīng)常將約瑟夫斯的報告與《馬可福音》中的報告進行比較。馬可聲稱施洗者約翰曾批評了希羅底的第二次婚姻。希律王邀請客人參加一個生日聚會，在那里他請希羅底的女兒莎樂美為他的客人們跳舞。他允諾了她任何愿望，她的母親告訴她要施洗者約翰的頭。在人們爭論約瑟夫斯的年表的同時，從局外人的角度來看，施洗者的故事被認為是具有歷史性和重要性的。

耶穌的兄弟雅各之死

In describing the rule of the procurator Albinus (62 CE), Josephus included the story of the stoning of James, the brother of Jesus:

? ? ? ? ? And now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus ... But this younger Ananus was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews ... Ananus was of this thought he had now a proper opportunity (to exercise his authority). Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned. (Antiquities, 20. 9).

? ? ? ? ? 在描述總督阿爾比努斯（公元62年）的統(tǒng)治時，約瑟夫斯記載了耶穌的兄弟雅各被用石頭砸死的故事：

? ? ? ? ? 現(xiàn)在凱撒聽到Festus的死訊，就派阿爾比努斯作為代理人前往猶太。但國王剝奪了約瑟夫的大祭司職位，將這一權威的繼承權交給阿納努斯的兒子，他自己也叫阿納努斯......。但這個年輕的阿納努斯是個膽大妄為的人，非常放肆；他也是撒都該教派的成員，他們對罪犯的審判非常嚴格，高于其他所有的猶太人......。阿納努斯具有這樣的傾向，他現(xiàn)在有一個適當?shù)臋C會（行使他的權力）。Festus現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)死了，阿爾比努斯也在路上，于是他召集了猶太公會的法官，把耶穌的兄弟（名字叫雅各）和其他一些人帶到他們面前，當阿納努斯控告他們違法時，他讓人用石頭將其砸死。(Antiquities, 20. 9).

Ananus was dismissed as high priest for acting on his own before the next Roman magistrate had arrived. Josephus did not clarify the details of the accusation as "breakers of the law." However, by the 2nd century CE, the story of James was expanded to include details of his piety so that he was then known as James the Just. According to this version, he was thrown down from the pinnacle of the Temple and is considered one of the first Christian martyrs.

? ? ? ? ? 阿納努斯因在下一個羅馬行政官到來之前自行其事而被解除了大祭司的職務。約瑟夫斯沒有描述被指控為“破壞法律的人”的細節(jié)。然而，到了公元2世紀，雅各的故事被擴展到包括他虔誠的細節(jié)，所以他當時被稱為“正義的雅各”。根據(jù)這個版本，他從圣殿之巔墜落，被認為是第一批基督教殉道者之一。

《弗拉維奧·約瑟夫斯的證詞》

One of the most controversial passages is presented as a digression in his description of Pontius Pilate:

? ? ? ? ? About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared. (Antiquities 18.3.)

? ? ? ? ? 最具爭議的段落之一是在他對本丟·彼拉多的描述中以離題的方式呈現(xiàn)：

? ? ? ? ? 大約在這個時候，耶穌住在那里，他是一個聰明人，如果真的應該稱他為人的話。因為他做出了令人驚訝的事跡，并且是那些樂于接受真理的人的老師。他贏得了許多猶太人和許多希臘人的支持。他是彌賽亞。當彼拉多因我們中間主要人物的指控而將他判處十字架刑時，那些最先愛他的人并沒有停止。他在第三天出現(xiàn)在他們面前，恢復了生命，因為上帝的先知已經(jīng)預言了這些事情以及關于他的無數(shù)奇跡。以他為名的基督徒部落至今仍未消失。(Antiquities 18.3.)

Scholars debate if this passage was originally written by Josephus or added by a later Christian to validate Christian beliefs. It became more famous in the Middle Ages as proof of the story of Jesus, as it demonstrated an objective, outsider’s point of view. The passage is problematic because aside from the mention of Jesus as "the Christ" in the story of James, there is no other reference to the Jesus movement. What is odd is the fact that if Josephus believed that Jesus was the Christ (the messiah of Scripture), there should have been more details and references to the missions of the apostles throughout the empire. But after this passage, he went on to describe more abuses and conflicts under Roman rule. Some modern scholars attempt to recover the original by eliminating the Christological references, turning it into just one more report of a messianic contender.

? ? ? ? ? 學者們爭論這段話最初是約瑟夫斯寫的，或是后來基督徒為了驗證基督教信仰而添加的。在中世紀，這段話作為耶穌故事的證據(jù)變得更加有名，因為它展示了一個客觀的、局外人的觀點。這段話很有問題，因為除了在雅各的故事中提到耶穌是“基督”之外，沒有其他有關耶穌活動的說法。奇怪的是，如果約瑟夫斯相信耶穌是基督（圣經(jīng)中的彌賽亞），就應該有更多關于使徒在整個帝國的使命的細節(jié)和參考。但在這段話之后，他又繼續(xù)描述了羅馬統(tǒng)治下的更多弊端和沖突。一些現(xiàn)代學者試圖通過消除基督論的提法來恢復原作，把它變成一個又一個關于彌賽亞競爭者的報告。

Because of the above passages, Christians preserved the writings of Josephus, and they remain an important source for the study of early Christianity. In the reconstructions of towns and villages in Judea and Galilee, Josephus is essential for archaeologists as well. There were later traditions that some Christians wanted to grant him sainthood, but this did not materialize.

? ? ? ? ? 由于上述記載，基督徒保存了約瑟夫斯的著作，它們?nèi)匀皇茄芯吭缙诨浇痰闹匾Y料。在重建猶太和加利利的城鎮(zhèn)和村莊方面，約瑟夫斯的文獻對考古學家來說也是必不可少的。后來有傳言說，一些基督徒想授予他圣人的身份，但這并沒有實現(xiàn)。

參考書目：

Louis H. Feldman & Gohei Hata. Josephus, Judaism, and Christianity. Wayne State University Press, 1987.

Mason, Steve. Josephus, Judea, and Christian Origins. Baker Academic, 2008.

原文作者：Rebecca I. Denova

? ? ? ? ? 匹茲堡大學宗教學早期基督教研究的名譽教授。

原文網(wǎng)址：https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1848/josephus-on-christianity/