Page 55 - Bible Doctrine Survey I (3)

historical eclipse, attributed to Thallus, has been taken as a mention of the darkness described in
the Synoptic gospels account of the death of Jesus, although an eclipse could not have taken place
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during Passover when this took place.

Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 55-120) is generally viewed as the greatest historian of ancient Rome, known for
his integrity and accuracy. His Annals, one of his two most acclaimed works, cover the period from
Augustus' death in AD 14 to the time of Nero (AD 68). They mention the existence of Christians in Rome
and allude to the death of Christ under Pontius Pilate to explain who they are. Here is a quote from his
Annals 15:44:
“Christus (Christ), the founder of the name, was Put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in
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the reign Of Tiberius:…”

Plinius, governor in Asia Minor in AD 112, wrote a short letter to the Roman emperor, Trajan, to seek
counsel how to treat Christians, since there were so many that he was putting to death. He as well tries
to explain their belief and points out that he found it impossible to force them to curse this Christ (as a
means to humiliate them), even if it cost them their lives. He mentions Christianity, Christians, and the
name of Christ ten times in the short letter, even remarking that Christians "addressed a form of prayer
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to Christ, as to a divinity."

Flavius Josephus (AD 37-100), a Jewish general and historian who shortly after the
time of Christ (1 Century historian), penned a controversial paragraph about
st
Jesus:

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him
a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive
the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many
of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the
principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved
him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine
prophets had foretold these and then ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the
tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct to this day. (Antiquities of the Jews, XVIII.3. 3)
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Second Century writers
First and second century writers provide additional testimony. People like Eusebius, Papias, Clement of
Rome, Irenaeus (about AD 130) confirm the biblical account. For them this was recent history and there
was a chain of witnesses from the time of Jesus to them, which they could track down.

32 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thallus_(historian)
33 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate#:~:text=Pilate's%20role%20in%20condemning%20Jesus,Pontius%2
0Pilate%2C%20and%20the%20pernicious
34 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Younger_on_Christians
35 http://www.biblicaljesus.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/basics.tour/ID/2/Historical-Jesus.htm

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