James the brother of Jesus who is called Christ in Josephus

[Bernard Muller]

From http://historical-jesus.info/104.html
A widely believed interpolated passage (not appearing in the earliest known manuscripts) is, according to Eusebius' History of the Church (2, 23):
“Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his writings, where he says, These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called Christ. For the Jews slew him, although he was a most just man.”
Origen (3rd century) commented most likely from the aforementioned passage when he wrote:
"he [Josephus] had a mind to set down what was the cause why the people suffered such miseries, till the very holy house is demolished, he said, that these things befell them by the anger of God, on account to of what they had dared to do to James, the brother of Jesus ..." (Commentary on Matthew, X, 17)
Let's notice, Origen wrote here only "James" (not "James the Just"), as in Ant. 20, 9, 1.
Where would this interpolated passage (in italics here) have been located? Most likely at the end of 'Antiquities', right after book 20, chapter 11, section 2, as follows:
“Now this war began in the second year of the government of Florus, and the twelfth year of the reign of Nero. But then what actions we were forced to do, or what miseries we were enabled to suffer, may be accurately known by such as will peruse those books which I have written about the Jewish war. These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called Christ. For the Jews slew him, although he was a most just man.”
An argument can be made the interpolator was working from Antiquities 20, 9, 1, and repeated “brother of Jesus, that is called Christ.” to make it look as written by Josephus. And James the just (or righteous) could have been borrowed from Hegesippus' writings or from the gospel of Thomas or from the 2nd apocalypse of James, all of them 2nd century texts, well before Origen's times.
Did not Origen know about the passage in Ant. 20, 9, 1?
It seems to me Origen could not resist using the interpolated passage (thought as authentic) which demonstrates the huge importance of James. Origen's intention was not to describe how James was killed, explaining why the earlier passage was passed over (or was it not? because "James" shows without "the just" in both Origen's comment and Ant. 20. 9, 1).

Cordially, Bernard

[MrMacSon]

James 'the Just' is later terminology/nomenclature (post 2nd or 3rd century)

[MrMacSon]

Yes, commentaries about James ties a few things together, but those commentaries do not shed much light on the origins of the narratives about Jesus

[MrMacSon]

A widely believed interpolated passage (not appearing in the earliest known manuscripts) is, according to Eusebius' History of the Church (2, 23):

• “Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his writings, where he says, These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called Christ. For the Jews slew him, although he was a most just man.”

An argument can be made the interpolator was working from Antiquities 20, 9, 1, and repeated “brother of Jesus, that is called Christ.” to make it look as written by Josephus.

There are several permutations as to what happened, and why Eusebius would mention a passage not mentioned elsewhere.

[annotate]

and brought before them the brother of Ned, who was called Bro, whose name was Charles, and some others;

It seems to me that the brother of Ned is named Charles but called Bro. By reading the statement above who would think that Ned was called Bro.

"and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others;"

Definitely seems like "who was called Christ" is an insertion. Or else the brother of Jesus is called Christ (according to the sentence).

[John T]

No insertion or interpolation.

It is a method to identify the connection between James and Jesus.

Josephus rarely used last names back then.

[annotate]

No insertion or interpolation.

It is a method to identify the connection between James and Jesus.

Josephus rarely used last names back then.

John T, you're missing the point of my post. It has to do with the structure of a sentence. In this case the subject of this one.
The sentence, as written is saying, "the brother of Jesus is called Christ."

[John T]

No insertion or interpolation.

It is a method to identify the connection between James and Jesus.

Josephus rarely used last names back then.

John T, you're missing the point of my post. It has to do with the structure of a sentence. In this case the subject of this one.
The sentence, as written is saying, "the brother of Jesus is called Christ."

You are right. I have never heard of anyone claim that James the Just the brother of Jesus was Christ. Is that how you read it in Greek or from a mythicist forum?

[MrMacSon]

and brought before them the brother of Ned, who was called Bro, whose name was Charles, and some others;

It seems to me that the brother of Ned is named Charles but called Bro. By reading the statement above who would think that Ned was called Bro.

"and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others;"

Definitely seems like "who was called Christ" is an insertion. Or else the brother of Jesus is called Christ (according to the sentence).

John T, you're missing the point of my post. It has to do with the structure of a sentence. In this case the subject of this one.
The sentence, as written is saying, "the brother of Jesus is called Christ"

• I agree

[annotate]

You are right. I have never heard of anyone claim that James the Just the brother of Jesus was Christ. Is that how you read it in Greek or from a mythicist forum?

"and brought before them the brother of Jesus, whose name was James, and some others;"

Now it reads as it should. You've never heard? I'm sure there's a lot you've never heard. And why don't you translate it from the Greek, correctly, so it reads like James is the brother of Jesus. Making it up, as a Trumper would, doesn't work.