for their crime. Or, the people of Samos for cult, and was crucified on that account. . . . You burning Pythagoras? In one moment their country see, these misguided creatures start with the Evidence for the Existence was covered with sand. Or the Jews by murdering general conviction that they are immortal for all of Christianity and Jesus their wise king?. . . after that their kingdom was time, which explains their contempt for death and abolished. God rightly avenged these men. . . the self devotion . . . their lawgiver [taught] they are Christ in Secular History wise king. . . lived on in the teachings he enacted." all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and Roman Emperors: Phlegon was a historian who lived in the first worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. century. There are two books credited to his name: All this they take on faith . . . " The Passing Hadrian, Imperator Caesar Trainus, (AD 76- Chronicles and the Olympiads. Little is known Peregrinus 138), was considered a man of culture and the arts. about Phlegon but he made reference to Christ. It appears he preferred peace rather than war. The The first two quotes are unique to Origen and the Thallus (circa A.D. 52) wrote a history about the following quote comes from a letter sent to last quote below is recorded by Origen and middle east from the time of the Trojan War to his Minucius Fundanus, proconsul of Asia, about how Philopon. own time. The work has been lost and the only to treat Christians. record we have of his writings is through Julius Written A. D. 80 — "Now Phlegon, in the Africanus (A.D. 221). Below Julius Africanus Written A. D. 76 – 136 — "I do not wish, thirteenth or fourteenth book, I think, of his refers to Christ's crucifixion and the darkness that therefore, that the matter should be ignored Chronicles, not only ascribed to Jesus a knowledge covered the earth prior to his death. without examination, so that these men may not be of future events . . . but also testified that the result harassed, nor an opportunity given for malicious corresponded to His predictions." Written A. D. 80 — "This darkness Thallus, in the proceedings to be offered to informers. If, third book of his History, calls, as it appears to me therefore, the provincials can clearly show their Origen Against Celsus without reason, an eclipse of the sun. For the charges against these Christians, so as to answer "And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Hebrews celebrate the passover on the 14th day before the tribunal, let them pursue this course Tiberius Caesar, in whose reign Jesus appears to according to the moon, and the passion of our only, but not just petitions, and mere outcries have been crucified, and the great earthquakes Savior falls on the day before the passover; but an against Christians. For it is more fitting, if any one which then took place . . . ” eclipse of the sun takes place only when the moon brings an accusation, that you should examine it." comes under the sun. And it cannot happen at any "Phlegon mentioned the eclipse which took place other time but in the interval between the first day Emperor Trajan (AD 53 - 117), Imperator Caesar during the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and no of the new moon and the last of the old, that is, at Divi Nervae Filius Nerva Traianus, was one of the other (eclipse); it is clear that he did not know their junction: how then should an eclipse occur most famous Roman emperors of all time. His from his sources about any (similar) eclipse in when the moon is almost diametrically opposite reputation as a successful military strategist is previous times . . . and this is shown by the the sun? demonstrated by his military exploits, which historical account of Tiberius Caesar." De. opif. expanded the Roman boundaries to the Persian mund. II21 Gulf. The quote below is a reply to Pliny, who had The Evangelization Station asked for directions in how to treat the Christians. Greek Satirist: Hudson, Florida, USA E-mail: [email protected] "The method you have used, my dear Pliny, in Lucian of Samosata lived during the second www.evangelizationstation.com investigating the cases of those who are accused of century. He was a satirist who was scornful of being Christians is extremely proper. No search Christians. He wrote several books: The Passing Pamphlet 400 should be made for these people; when they are Peregrinus and Alexander the False Prophet. accused and found to be guilty they must be punished; with the restriction, however, that when "The Christians. . . worship a man to this day - the the individual denies he is a Christian, and gives distinguished personage who introduced this new proof that he is not (that is, by adoring our gods) he shall be pardoned on the ground of repentance, Pontius Pilate (1 BC - circa AD 37) was the fifth famous works: "Antiquities of the Jews" and the even though he may have formerly incurred Roman procurator of Judea (AD 26 - 36 ), under "Wars of the Jews." Historians say Josephus was suspicion. Documents without the accuser's Emperor Tiberius, who sentenced Jesus to death by not a Christian. signature must not be admitted in evidence against crucifixion. The quotes below refer to the Acts of anyone, since this introduces a very dangerous Pontius Pilate, a document now missing. Its "Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, precedent, and is by no means consistent with the existence is strongly supported by Epiphanius if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was a doer spirit of the age." Pliny letters X, 97. (Heresies 50.1), Justin Martyr (First Apology) and of surprising feats - a teacher of such men as Tertullian (Apology). receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Roman Officials: him both many of the Jews and many of the "'At His coming the lame will leap as a deer, and Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at Cornelius Tacitus (55-120 AD) has been called the stammering tongue will clearly speak: the blind the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, the greatest historian on ancient Rome. He lived will see, and the lepers will be healed; and the had condemned him to the cross, those that loved during the reign of several Roman emperors and dead will rise, and walk.' And that He did those him at the first did not forsake him, for he was a Roman historian and a governor of Asia things, you can learn from the Acts of Pontius appeared to them alive again the third day, as the [Turkey] in AD 112. He wrote two major works: Pilate." First Apology 48. divine prophets had foretold these and ten Annals and the Histories. thousand other wonderful things concerning him; '''They pierced my hands and my feet,' was used in and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are Written A.D. 52 – 54 — "Consequently, to get rid reference to the nails of the cross which were not extinct to this day." Antiquities of the Jews of the report, Nero falsely charged with the guilt, driven into His hands and feet. And. . . they cast 18.3.3. and punished with the most exquisite tortures a lots for His clothes, and after they crucified Him class hated for their abominations, people called distributed it among them. And that these things The Talmud ("teaching" or "study") is a multi- Christians by the populace. Christus [Christ], from did happen , you can ascertain from the Acts of volume compilation containing the Mishnah (oral whom the name had its origin, suffered the Pontius Pilate.' First Apology 35. legal teachings) and Jewish commentary on the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius [AD Mishnah (Gemara). It is the basis of Jewish 14-37] at the hands of one of our procurators, Gaius Suetonius Tranquilla was a Roman religious life. The accepted version was compiled Pontius Pilate. But the pernicious superstition, historian (AD 117-138) under Hadrian (AD 76- by Rabbis Akiba (died AD 135) and Meir and repressed for a time broke out again, not only 138). He was also the secretary of state and completed by Rabbi Judah in AD 200. through Judea, where the mischief originated, but authored a book entitled Life of Claudius. through the city of Rome also." Annals 15.44. "On the eve of the Passover Yeshu [Jesus] was Written A. D. 41 – 54 — "Because the Jews at hanged. . . but since nothing was brought forward Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (AD 61-112), Rome caused constant disturbances at the in his favor he was hanged on the eve of the or Pliny the Younger, was the governor of instigation of Chrestus [Christ], he [Claudius] Passover." Babylonia Sanhedrin 43A Bithynia (AD 112) and a Roman senator. He wrote expelled them from the city [Rome]." Life of to emperor Trajan asking for guidance on how he Claudius.\ Other writings: should treat the Christians in his province. Written A. D. 112 "Nero inflicted punishment on the Christians, a Mara Bar-Serapion was a Syrian who lived at sect given to a new and mischievous religious least 73 years after Jesus Christ. He left a legacy “Christians were "meeting on a certain fixed day belief." Life of Claudius. manuscript, a letter, written to his son Serapion. before it was light, when they sang in alternate The letter is now in the possession of the British verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound Jewish Historians: Museum. themselves to a solemn oath, not to do wicked deeds, never commit fraud, theft, adultery, not to Flavius Josephus (AD 37-97), was born into a Written A. D. 73 — "What benefit did the lie nor to deny a trust. . . " Epistles X96 priestly Jewish family. He was a Pharisee and a Athenians obtain by putting Socrates to death? historian for the Roman empire. He wrote several Famine and plague came upon them as judgment