| a. d. | 40 Philo.[564:1] | |||||
| 40 Josephus. | ||||||
| 79 C. Plinius Second, the Elder.[564:2] 69 L. Ann. Seneca. 79 Diogenes Laertius. |
| Philosophers. | ||||
| 79 Pausanias. 79 Pompon Mela. |
| Geographers. | ||||
| 79 Q. Curtius Ruf. 79 Luc. Flor. 110 Cornel Tacitus. 123 Appianus. 140 Justinus. 141 Ælianus. |
| Historians. | ||||
Out of this number it has been claimed that one (Josephus) spoke of Jesus, and another (Tacitus) of the Christians. Of the former it is almost needless to speak, as that has been given up by Christian divines many years ago. However, for the sake of those who still cling to it we shall state the following:
Dr. Lardner, who wrote about A. D. 1760, says:
1. It was never quoted by any of our Christian ancestors before Eusebius.
2. Josephus has nowhere else mentioned the name or word Christ, in any of his works, except the testimony above mentioned,[564:3] and the passage concerning James, the Lord's brother.[564:4]
3. It interrupts the narrative.
4. The language is quite Christian.
5. It is not quoted by Chrysostom,[564:5] though he often refers to Josephus, and could not have omitted quoting it, had it been then, in the text.
6. It is not quoted by Photius, though he has three articles concerning Josephus.
7. Under the article Justus of Tiberius, this author (Photius) expressly states that this historian (Josephus), being a Jew, has not taken the least notice of Christ.