In
studying Judean history in the first century AD, there
is no historian more important than Josephus, especially
when one is interested in the study of the historical
Jesus or of the world around him (the
religious/social/political climate, etc.) Josephus is
not only the only Jewish historian of this era to
comment on Jesus, he is the only Jewish historian to
thoroughly present the history as well as the
psychological outlook of the Jews through a lengthy span
of time. His works are immeasurably important to anyone
interested in this line of study.
The works of Josephus give a reader a window into the
perceptions of the world in the first century. Josephus
offers information about individuals, groups, customs
and geographical places. His writings provide a
significant, extra-biblical account of the post-exilic
period of the Maccabees, the Hasmonean dynasty and the
rise of Herod the Great. He makes references to the
Sadducees, Jewish High Priests of the time, Pharisees
and Essenes, the Herodian Temple, Quirinius' census and
the Zealots, and to such figures as Pontius Pilate,
Herod the Great, Agrippa I and Agrippa II, John the
Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and a much disputed
reference to Jesus Christ. He is an important source for
studies of immediate post-Temple Judaism (and, thus, the
context of early Christianity).
Hard cover versions of these works
have sold for 10 times or more the cost of this disk. With
our CD, you can read, study, and print out the pages as many
times as you want.
