Subject: tc-list Josephus: The Slavonic Additions?

From: "Harold P. Scanlin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 09:36:52 -0400

Joseph Crea asked about the Slavonic Josephus.

>  I recently encountered a couple of gentlemen who
> mentioned that, besides the customary references to the Testimonium
Flavium
> (Antiq. xviii.iii.3) and the passing reference to James  (Antiq.
xx.ix.1),
> Josephus had written a statement to the effect that a plaque had been
> attached to the Temple walls proclaiming that "JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS PUT
TO
> DEATH FOR PROPHESYING THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS HOLY PLACE".  When queried
as
> to the location of this remarkable bit of evidence they told me it was to
> be found in the "Slavonic Additions" to the  __Jewish Wars__ of Josephus.
> Can anyone enlighten me as to the status and bona fides of this document?

It is a late expansionistic version, perhaps with additions intended to add
to the paucity of references to the historical Jesus.  In addition to
Nodet, you may want to check Solomon Zeitlin's _Josephus on Jesus, with
particular reference to the Slavonic Josephus and the Hebrew Josippon_
(Philadelphia: Dropsie, 1931).  Zeitlin was (in)famous for his view that
the DSS were forgeries, but his work on Josephus might be helpful. 

Harold P. Scanlin
United Bible Societies
1865 Broadway
New York, NY  10023
[email-masked]