Josephus The Complete Works (Super Value Series)

The Jewish author of what for Christianity has become perhaps the most significant extra-biblical first century testimony. He confirms the historicity of Christ and his early followers, his works covering Jewish history from approximately 200 years before Christ to the dramatic account of the fall of Masada in 73 AD. Archaeological work there and elsewhere in Palestine consistently shows Josephus' accuracy in detail, just one example being the recent discovery of the tomb of Herod the Great.The oldest of Josephus' writings is entitled 'The Jewish War'. It is believed that he prepared this account to present the Jews with a graphic portrayal of Rome's superior strength and to provide a deterrent against future revolts. These writings scrutinize Jewish history from the capture of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes (in the second century BC) to the turbulent strife of 67 AD. As an eyewitness, Josephus then discusses the war climaxing in 73 AD.Another of Josephus' works was 'The Jewish Antiquities', a detailed history of the Jews. Starting with Genesis and Creation, it continues to the outbreak of war with Rome. Josephus wrote a personal narrative entitled simply 'Life'. In it he seeks to justify his stand during the war and attempts to allay accusations brought against him by critics of his decision to collaborate with Rome. A fourth work, 'Against Apion', defends the Jews against misrepresentations.There is no doubt that much of Josephus' history is accurate. In 'Against Apion', he shows that the Jews never included the Apocryphal books as part of the inspired Scriptures. He gives testimony to the accuracy and internal harmony of the divine writings. Says Josephus: "We have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another, . . . but only twenty-two books [the equivalent of our modern division of the Old Testament into 39 books], which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine."In 'Jewish Antiquities', Josephus adds interesting detail to the Biblical account. He says that "Isaac was twenty-five years old" when Abraham bound him hand and foot for sacrifice. To the Scriptural account of Israel's departure from ancient Egypt, Josephus adds these particulars: "The number that pursued after them was six hundred chariots, with fifty thousand horsemen, and two hundred thousand footmen, all armed." Josephus also says that "when Samuel was twelve years old, he began to prophesy: and once when he was asleep, God called to him by his name" (See 1 Samuel 3:2-21).Other writings of Josephus give insight into taxes, laws, and events. He names Salome as the woman who danced at Herod's party and who asked for the head of John the Baptizer. (Mark 6:17-26) Most of what we know about the Herods was recorded by Josephus.Just 33 years after Jesus gave his prophecy concerning Jerusalem and its temple; the fulfilment began to unfold. Radical Jewish factions in Jerusalem were bent on throwing off the Roman yoke. In 66 AD, news of this prompted the mobilizing and dispatching of Roman legions under Syrian governor Cestius Gallus. After wreaking havoc in the suburbs of Jerusalem, Cestius' men pitched camp around the walled city. Using a method called testudo, the Romans successfully combined their shields like the back of a tortoise for protection from the enemies on the city wall. Attesting to the success of this method, Josephus states: "The darts that were thrown fell, and slid off without doing them any harm; so the soldiers undermined the wall, without being themselves hurt, and got all things ready for setting fire to the gate of the temple.""It then happened," says Josephus, "that Cestius . . recalled his soldiers from the place . . he retired from the city, without any reason in the world." Evidently without intending to magnify God's Son, Josephus recorded the very act that Christians in Jerusalem had awaited. It was the fulfilment of Jesus Christ's prophecy! Years earlier, he had warned: "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the country places not enter into her; because these are days for meting out justice, that all the things written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:20-22) As Jesus instructed, his followers quickly fled the city, stayed away, and were spared the agony that befell it over three years later.When Roman armies returned in 70 AD, the consequences were recorded in graphic detail by Josephus. Vespasian's eldest son, General Titus, came to conquer Jerusalem, with its magnificent temple. Within the city, warring factions attempted to take control. They resorted to extreme measures, and much blood was shed. Some "were in such distress by their internal calamities, that they wished for the Romans," hoping for "delivery from their domestic miseries," says Josephus. He calls the insurgents "robbers" engaged in destroying the property of the wealthy and murdering men of importance--those suspected of willingness to compromise with the Romans.Graphically depicting the civil war, Josephus described living conditions in Jerusalem plunging to unimaginable depths. The seditious themselves "fought against each other, while they trod upon the dead bodies as they lay heaped one upon another." They plundered the populace, murdering for food and wealth.Titus exhorted the Jews to surrender the city and thus save themselves. He "sent Josephus to speak to them in their own language; for he imagined they might yield to the persuasion of a countryman of their own." But they reproached Josephus. Titus next built a wall of pointed stakes around the whole city. (Luke 19:43) With all hope of escape cut off and movement restricted, famine "devoured the people by whole houses and families." The continuing battle added to the death toll. Unknowingly fulfilling Bible prophecy, Titus conquered Jerusalem. Afterward, observing its massive walls and fortified towers, he exclaimed: "It was no other than God that ejected the Jews out of these fortifications." Over one million Jews perished.After the war Josephus went to Rome. Enjoying the sponsorship of the Flavian Emperors, he lived as a Roman citizen in the former mansion of Vespasian and received an imperial pension along with gifts from Titus. Josephus then pursued his literary career, to our lasting benefit, indeed, it has been noted we know more about first century Jerusalem than we do about fifteenth century London, thanks to Josephus.

This is part of the Nelson's Super Value Series and super value is what it is. It is also good quality and one of the few places were all of Josephus' writings can be accessed in a book, although they can be found on-line (see Comments).JOSEPHUS was an aristocratic Jew from a priestly family. He was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD. He had misgivings about the Jewish revolt when it began in AD 66, but he eventually joined it, becoming a commander in Galilee. He was taken prisoner by the Roman army, at that time led by Vespasian. Josephus then changed sides. Jerusalem was taken and destroyed in AD 70 and the Jews were finally defeated by the Romans in AD 73. In the meantime, the emperor Nero had killed himself and after the "year of the four emperors" Vespasian became emperor. Josephus changed his name to Flavius Josephus (Flavius was Vespasian's family name) and spent the rest of his life in Rome, writing.Josephus is of interest to students of the New Testament and to students of Roman and Jewish history. His Jewish War is also an early documented example of a revolution, which should be studied alongside the later French and Russian revolutions. Readers of Josephus may also be interested in the works of  Philo of Alexandria .THE BOOK is well bound and has a readable typeface. The pages are thin, but not too thin. This is the complete works, with 1,149 pages, so it is bulky, but not so bulky that it cannot be held whilst reading. The text is a reproduction of the standard William Whiston translation of 1737 (see Comments). My only criticism of this complete works is that the Introduction is only one page long. It is left to the reader to use Josephus' own autobiography to get some background information. A more objective discussion about the life and works of Josephus in a longer introduction would be better. Concerning the Jewish War, Josephus is not an unbiased reporter. He can be relied upon for many of the details and the background information, but he was a rich aristocrat who was reluctant to join in the uprising and was more a part of the Hellenised culture of the eastern Mediterranean than the of the ordinary life of the majority of poor Jews. He also changed sides during the war and history is written by the victors.THE CONTENTS: Josephus' best known work was the "Jewish War". This was the Jewish revolt against the Romans from 66 to 73 AD and is an easily obtainable book. His other great work was "The Antiquities of the Jews" and this is much more difficult to obtain. It is a re-writing of the Old Testament as the history of the Jews to which Josephus added more recent history (to him) of the first centuries BC and AD; it was written to explain the Jews to the Romans and Greeks. Together these two books make up the majority of this complete works. This complete works also includes the 48 page "Against Apion", a defence of the Jews against an anti-Jewish Alexandrian teacher, and Josephus' 29 page autobiography. There is an Appendix which includes a correspondence between the Antiquities and the Old Testament, a 39 page Index and 8 pages of maps. The Appendix includes 7 Dissertations by William Whiston, covering 113 pages: 1 Josephus and Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and James the Just; 2 Abraham and Isaac; 3 Tacitus and the history of the Jews and the Jewish War; 4 Josephus used an authentic Old Testament from Herod's Temple as the source of the Antiquities; 5 Chronology of Josephus; 6 On Hades; 7 Vindication of Josephus' history of the family of Herod. William Whiston was an academic and clergyman and these dissertations are framed by the world-view of an 18th century Christian.

Definitely a book for those interested in Jewish history, with rather a different retelling of the Bible's Old Testament. As regards the account of the Jewish Roman war, some historians cast doubts on the veracity of what Josephus recounts. Even so so I found it a fascinating read.

This is a good read if you are interested in the history of the time and place otherwise it can be a real chore to get through.

It was a prezzie so I only read a few pages. If you want a comprensive collection of Josephus works at a low price, this is the one

This book arrived in perfect condition. Costing £8 sold elsewhere at £40!!! A very interesting read from a contemporary of the Lord Jesus Christ. Should take me a long time to read.

Nice book

Excited to get the book and was so disappointed in the quality. Paper was poor and type was out of alignment. What a shame, since it wasn't even the cheapest copy out there. The books outside corner was bent over as well. It shouldn't have even been shipped.