Chrëstians,  (p. 567,  568.)  Tom.  2.  (p. 568.)   Forgeries— Manuscripts:  (p. 566. l )   Jews  established in Rome  (p. 568.  Note:—  Tacitus says.)
[More references at bottom of this page.]

Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions
(Page)  564      APPENDIX  D.

     We maintain that  not  so much  as one single passage  purporting to be written,  as history,  within  the first  hundred years  of  the Christian era,  can be produced  to show  the existence  at  or before that time  of  such  a person  as Jesus  of  Nazareth,  called  the Christ,  or  of  such a set of men  as could be accounted  his disciples  or followers.  Those  who would be likely  to refer  to Jesus  or his disciples,  but who  have not done so,  wrote about:
     A. D. 40  Philo. a
40  Josephus.
Philosophers.
79  C.  Plinius Second,  the Elder. b
69  L.  Ann. Seneca.
79  Diogenes Laertius.
Geographers.
79  Pausanias.
79  Pompon Mela.
Historians.
79  Q.  Curtius Ruf.
79  Luc. Flor.
110  Cornel Tacitus.
123  Appianus.
140  Justinus.
141  Ælianus.
a  The  Rev. Dr. Giles says:  “Great  is our disappointment  at finding  nothing  in the works of  Philo  about the Christians,  their doctrines,  or their sacred books.  About the books  indeed  we need not expect  any notice  of these works,  but  about the Christians  and their doctrines  his silence  is more remarkable,  seeing that  he was about sixty years old  at the time of  the crucifixion,  and living  mostly  in Alexandra,  so closely connected with Judea,  and the Jews,  could barely  have failed to know  something  of  the  wonderful events  that had taken place  in the city  of  Jerusalem.”  ( Hebrew and Christian Records,  vol. ii.  p. 61.)
     The  Rev. Dr. Giles  assumes that  these  “ wonderful events”  really  took place,  but,  if they  did not  take place,  of course  Philo’s  silence  on the subject  is accounted for.
b  Both these philosophers  were living,  and must have experienced  the immediate effects,  or  received the earliest information  of  the existence of  Christ Jesus,  had  such a person  as the Gospels  make him out  to be,  ever existed.  Their ignorance  or  their willful silence  on the subject,  is not  less than  improbable.

     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,c  and the passage  concerning James,  the Lord’s brother.d
     3.  It interrupts the narrative.
     4.  The language  is quite Christian.
     5.  It is not quoted  by  Chrysostom,e  though  he often refers to Josephus  and  could not have omitted  quoting it,  had it been  then  in the text.
c  Antiquities,  bk. xviii.  ch. iii.  3.
d  Ibid.  bk. xx.  ch. ix.  1.
e  John,  Bishop of Constantinople,  who died  - - -
( Missing footnote Text -  not printed  in  Book.)

APPENDIX  D.                    (Page)  565

     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.
     8.  Neither Justin,  in his dialogue with  Typho  the Jew,  nor  Clemens Alexandrinus,  who made  so many extracts  from ancient authors,  nor  Origen  against  Celsus,  have even  mentioned  this testimony.
     9.  But,  on the contrary,  Origen  openly affirms  (ch. xxxv.,  bk. i.,  against  Celsus),  that  Josephus,  who had mentioned  John  the Baptist,  did not  acknowledge  Christ. f
f  Lardner,  vol. vi.  ch. iii.
     In the  “ Bible for Learners,”  we read  as follows:
     “ Flavius Josephus,  the well-known historian  of  the Jewish people,  was born in  A. D. 37,  only two years  after the death of  Jesus;  but  though his work  is of  inestimable value  as our chief authority  for the circumstances  of  the times  in which  Jesus  and his apostles  came forward,  yet  he does not  seem to have  ever mentioned  Jesus  himself.  At any rate,  the passage  in his  ‘Jewish Antiquities’  that refers  to him  is  certainly spurious,  and was inserted by  a later  and a  Christian hand.  The  Talmud  compresses  the history of  Jesus  into a single sentence,  and  later Jewish writers  concoct  mere  slanderous anecdotes.  The ecclesiastical fathers  mention a few sayings  or events,  the knowledge  of  which  they drew from  oral tradition  or  from  writings that  have since  been lost.  The Latin  and Greek historians  just  mention his name.  This meager harvest  is  all we reap  from sources  outside the Gospels.” g
g  Bible for Learners,  vol. iii.  p. 27.
     Canon Farrar,  who finds himself  compelled  to admit that  this passage  in Josephus  is an interpolation,  consoles himself  by saying:
     “ The single passage  in which  he  (Josephus)  alludes to Him  (Christ)  is interpolated,  if not wholly spurious,  and  no one can doubt that  his silence  on the subject of  Christianity  was  as deliberate  as it was  dishonest.” h

     The Rev. Dr. Giles,  after commenting  on this subject,  concludes  by saying:
     “ Eusebius  is the first  who quotes the passage,  and our reliance on  the judgement,  or  even  the honesty,  of this writer  is not  so great  as to allow  of  our  considering  everything  found  in his works  as  undoubtedly  genuine.” i

     Eusebius,  then,  is the first person  who refers to these passages. j  Eusebius,  whose honesty  is not  so great  as  to allow  of  our  considering  everything  found  in his works  as  undoubtedly  genuine.”   Eusebius,  who says that   it is lawful  to lie  and cheat  for the cause of  Christ. k   This Eusebius,  is the  sheet-anchor  of  reliance  for  most  we know  of  the first  three centuries  of  the  Christian era?
h  Life of  Christ,  vol. I.  p. 63.
i  Hebrew and Christ.  Rec. vol. ii.  p. 62.
j  The Ancient Ecclesiastical History of  Eusebius Pamphilius,  (Bishop of  Cesarea  in Palestine  in  ten books,  London:  George Miller,  1636),  lib. 2.  ch. xii.
k  Ch. 31,  bk. xii.  of  Eusebius  Præ paratio Evangelicu  is entitled  “ How far it may be proper  to use falsehood  as a medium  for the benefit  of  those  who require  to be  deceived;”   and he closes his work  with these words:  “ I have repeated  whatever may rebound to the glory,  and suppressed  all that  could tend  to the  disgrace  of  our religion.”

(Page)  566      APPENDIX  D.

     The celebrated passage  in Tacitus  which  Christian divines—  and even  some liberal writers—  attempt to support,  is  to be found  in his  Annals.  In this work  he is made  to speak of  Christians,  who  “ had their denomination  from  Christus,  who,  in the reign of  Tiberius,  was put to death  as  a criminal  by the procurator  Pontius Pilate.”

     In answer  to this  we have  the following:
     1.  This passage,  which would have served the purpose of  Christian quotation  better than  any other  in  all the writings of  Tacitus,  or  of  any Pagan writer  whatever,  is not quoted  by any of  the  Christian Fathers.
     2.  It is not quoted  by  Tertullian,  though  he had read  and  largely quotes  the works of  Tacitus.
     3.  And though  his argument  immediately called for  the use of  this quotation  with  so loud  a voice  ( Apol. ch. v.),  that  his omission of  it,  if  it had  really existed,  amounts to  a  violent improbability.
     4.  This Father  has spoken of  Tacitus  in  a way  that  it is absolutely impossible  that  he should have spoken of  him,  had  his writings  contained  such  a passage.
     5.  It is not quoted  by  Clemens Alexandrinus,  who set himself  entirely  to the work  of  adducing  and bringing together  all the admissions  and recognitions  which  pagan authors  had made  of  the  existence  of  Christ Jesus  or  Christians  before his time.
     6.  It has been  nowhere  stumbled upon  by the laborious  and  all-seeking  Eusebius,  who could  by no possibility  have overlooked it,  and whom  it would  have saved  from the labor  of  forging  the passage  in Josephus;  of  adducing  the correspondence  of  Christ Jesus  and  Abgarus,  and the  Sibylline verses;  of  forging  a  divine revelation  from the god  Apollo,  in  attestation  of  Christ Jesus’s  ascension  into heaven;  and innumerable other  of  his pious  and holy cheats.
     7.  Tacitus has  in  no other part of  his writings  made the  least allusion  to  “Christ ”  or  “Christians.” 
     8.  The use of  this passage  as  part of  the evidence  of  the  Christian religion,  is absolutely modern.
     9.  There is  no vestige  nor trace  of  its existence  anywhere  in the world  before the 15th  century. 1
1  The original  MSS.  [Manuscripts]   containing the  “Annals of  Tacitus ”  were  “discovered ”  in the  fifteenth century.  Their existence  cannot be traced back  further than  that time.  And  as it was  an age of  imposture,  some persons  are disposed  to believe that  no only  portions of  the  Annals,  but  the whole work,  was forged  by  Poggio Bracciolini,  their professed discoverer.  At the time of  Bracciolini  the temptation was great  to palm off  literary forgeries,  especially of  the chief writers of  antiquity,  on account of  the Popes,  in their efforts  to revive learning,  giving money rewards  and indulgences  to those  who should  procure  MS. copies  [Manuscript copies?]   of any of  the ancient  Greek  or  Roman  authors.  Manuscripts  turned up  as if  by magic,  in every direction;  from libraries of  monasteries,  obscure  as well as  famous;  the most  out-of-the-way  places,—  the bottom of  exhausted wells,  besmeared by  snails,  as  the  History of  Velleius Paterculus,  or  from garrets,  where they  had been  contending  with cobwebs  and dust,  as  the  poems of  Catullus.

APPENDIX  D.                    (Page)  567

     10.  No reference  whatever  is made to this passage  by any writer  or historian,  monkish  or otherwise,  before that time, m  which,  to say the least,  is very singular,  considering that  after this time  it is quoted,  or  referred to,  in  an endless  list of  works,  which  by itself  is  all but conclusive  that  it was not  in existence  till the fifteenth century,  which was  an age of  imposture  and  of  credulity  so immoderate  that  people  were easily imposed on,  believing,  as they did,  without sufficient evidence,  whatever was foisted  upon them.
m  A portion  of  the passage—  that  relating to the manner  in which  the Christians  were  put  to death—  is  found  in the  Historia Sacra  of  Sulpicius Severus,  a  Christian Father,  who died  A. D. 420;  but  it is evident  that  this writer  did not  take it  from the  Annals.  On the contrary,  the passage  was taken—  as Mr. Rose shows—  from the  Historia Sacra,  and  bears traces  of  having been  so appropriated.  ( See  Tacitus and Bracciolini,  the  Annals  forged  in the  XV th century,  by  J.W. Rose.)
     11.  The Interpolator  of  the passage  makes  Tacitus  speak of  “Christ,”  not  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  showing that— like the passage  in Josephus—  it is,  comparatively,  a modern  interpolation,  for,
     12.  The word  “Christ”  is  not  a  name,  but  a  TITLE; n  it being  simply  the Greek  for the  Hebrew word  “ Messiah.”  therefore,
     13.  When Tacitus  is made  to speak of  Jesus  as  “Christ”  it is  equivalent to  my speaking of  Tacitus  as  “ Historian,”  of  Washington,  as  “ General,”  or  of  any individual  as  “ Mister,”  without  adding  a  name  by which  either  could be distinguished.  And  therefore,
     14.  It has  no sense  or meaning  as  he is said  to have  used it.
n  “Christ  is  a  name  having  no spiritual signification,  and  importing  nothing more  than  an ordinary  surname.”  ( Dr. Giles:  Hebrew and Christian Records,  vol. ii. p. 64.)
“ The name of  Jesus  and  Christ  was both  known  and honored  among the ancients.”  ( Eusebius:  Eccl. Hist.,  Lib. 1.,  ch. iv.)
“ The name  Jesus  is  of  Hebrew origin,  and signifies  Deliverer  and  Savior.  It is the same  as that  translated in  the  Old Testament  Joshua. 
The word  Christ,  of  Greek origin,  is properly  not  a  name  but  a  title  signifying  The Anointed.  The  whole name  is  therefore,  Jesus  the  Anointed  or  Jesus  the  Messiah.”  ( Abbott and Conant;  Dictionary of  Religious Knowledge,  art.  “Jesus Christ.”
In  the oldest Gospel  extant,  that attributed to  Matthew,  we read  that  Jesus said  unto his disciples,  “ Whom say ye  that  I  am? ”  Whereupon  Simon Peter  answers  and says:  “ Thou  art  THE  CHRIST,  the son  of the  living God. . . .  Then  charged he  his disciples,  that  they  should tell  no man  that  he was  Jesus  THE  Christ.”  ( Matt.  xvi.  15 - 20.)
This  clearly shows that  “ the  Christ,  was simply  a  title,  applied to  the man  Jesus,  therefore,  if  a  title,  it cannot  be  a  name.  all passages  in the  New Testament  which speak  of  Christ,  as  a  name,  betray  their  modern date.
     15.  Tacitus  is also  made to say  that  the  Christians  had their denomination  from  Christ,  which would apply  to any other  of  the  so-called  Christs  who were  put  to death  in Judea,  as well as  to  Christ Jesus.  And,
     16.  “ The disciples  were called  Christians  first  at Antioch ”  (Acts xi. 26)  not because they were followers  of  a certain  Jesus  who claimed to be  the  Christ,  but  because  “Christian ”  or  “Chrëstian,”  was a name  applied,  at that time,  to any  good man. o  And, 
o  “ This name  (Christian)  occurs  but  three times  in the New Testament,  and  is never used  by  Christians  of  themselves,  only  as spoken by  or coming from  those  without  the church.  The general names  by which  the early Christians  called themselves  were  ‘Brethren,’  ‘disciples,’  ‘believers,’  and  ‘saints.’  The presumption  is  that  the name  Christian  was originated  by  the Heathen.”  Abbott and Conant:  Dictionary of  Religious Knowledge,  art.  “ Christian.”)

(Page)  568      APPENDIX  D.

     17.  The worshipers of  the  Sun-god,  Serapis,  were also called  “Christians,”  and his disciples  “ Bishops of  Christ.” y
     So much,  then,  for the celebrated passage  in Tacitus.
y “ Egypt,  which you commended to me,  my dearest Servianus,  I have found  to be  wholly fickle  and inconsistent,  and continually  wafted about  by every breath  of  fame.  The worshipers of  SERAPIS  (here) are called  Christians  and those who are devoted  to the god  Serapis  (I find),  call themselves  Bishops  of  Christ.”  ( the Emperor  Adrian  to  Servianus,  written  A. D. 134.  Quoted by  Dr. Giles,  vol. ii.  p. 86.)


     “ We are called  Christians  ( not,  we call ourselves  Christians).  So,  then,  we are the best  of men  (Chrëstians),  and  it can  never be just  to hate  what is  (Chrëst)  good and kind;   [ or,  “ therefore  to hate  what is  Chrëstian  is unjust.” ]  ( Justin Martyr :  Apol. 1.  c. iv.)

     “ Some of  the  ancient writers of  the Church  have not scrupled  expressly  to call  the  Athenian  Socrates,  and some others  of  the best  of  the heathen moralists,  by the name of  Christians.”  ( Clark:  Evidence of  Revealed Relig.,  p. 284.  Quoted in  Ibid.  p.41.)

     “ Those who lived  according to the Logos,  (  i. e.,  the  Platonists),  were really  Christians.”  ( Clemens Alexandrinus,  in Ibid.)

     “ Undoubtedly  we are called  Christians,  for this reason,  and  none other,  than  because  we are anointed  with the oil  of  God.”  ( Theophilus  of  Antioch,  in Ibid.  p. 399.)

     “ Christ  is the  Sovereign Reason  of  whom  the whole  human race  participates.  All those  who have lived comfortably  to a  right reason,  have been  Christians,  notwithstanding  that they have  always been looked upon  as  Atheists.”  ( Justin Martyr :  Apol. 1.  c. xivi.)

     “ Lucian  makes  a person  called Triephon  answer the question,  whether the affairs of the  Christians  were recorded in heaven.  “ All nations  are there  recorded,  since  Chrëstus  exists  even among  the Gentiles.”

         Note:—  Tacitus says—  according to the passage  attributed to him—  that  “ those who confessed   to be  Christians ]  were first  seized,  and then  on their evidence  a huge multitude  (Ingens Multitudo)  were convicted,  not so much  on the charge of  incendiarism  as for  their  hatred  to mankind.”
Although  M. Renan  may say  (Hibbert Lectures,  p. 70)  that the authenticity  of this passage  “ cannot be disputed,”  yet the absurdity of  “ a huge multitude”  of  Christians  being in Rome,  in the days of  Nero  A. D. 64.—  about thirty years  after the time  assigned for the cricifixion of  Jesus—  has not escaped the eye  of thoughtful scholars.
Gibbon—  who saw  how ridiculous  the statement is—  attempts to reconcile it  with common sense  by supposing that  tacitus  knew  so little  about the Christians  that he  confounded them  with the Jews,  and that  the hatred  universally felt  for the latter  fell upon  the former.
In this way  he believes  Tacitus  gets his  “ huge multitude,”  as the  Jews  established themselves  in Rome  as early as  60 years  B. C.,  where they multiplied rapidly,  living together  in the  Traslevere—  the most abject portion  of  the city,  where  all kinds  of  rubbish  was put  to rot—  where they became  “ old clothes”  men,  the porters  and hucksters,  bartering  tapers  for  broken glass,  hated  by the mass  and  pitied  by the few.
Other scholars,  among whom  may be mentioned  Schwegler  (Nachap Zeit.,  ii. 229);  Köetlin  (Johann-Lehrbeghr.,  4721);  and  Baur  (First Three Centuries,  i. 133);  also  being struck with the absurdity of  the statement  made by  some of  the early Christian writers  concerning the wholesale prosecution  of  Christians,  said  to have happened  at that time,  suppose  it must have taken place  during the  persecution  of  Trajan  A. D. 101.
It is strange  we hear of  no  Jewish martyrdoms  or  Jewish persecutions  til  we come  to  the times  of  the  Jewish war,  and then  chiefly  in Palestine!
But  fables  must be made  realities,  so we have the ridiculous story  of  a  “ huge multitude”  of  Christians  being  put to death  in  Rome,  in  A. D. 64.   evidently  for the purpose of  bringing Peter  there,  making him  the first Pope,  and  having him  crucified  head downwards.
This  absurd story  is made  more evident  when we find  that  it was not  until about  A. D. 50 —  only  14 years before the alleged persecution—  that the first Christians—  a mere handful—  entered  the capitol  of  the empire.  ( See Renan’s  Hibbert Lectures,  p. 55.)
They were  a  poor dirty set  without manners,  clad in filthy gaberdines,  and smelling strong  of  garlic.  From these,  then,  with others  who came from Syria,  we get our  “ huge multitude”  in the space of  14 years.
The statement  attributed to  Tacitus  is,  however,  outdone by  Orosius,  who asserts that  the persecution  extended  “ through  all the provinces,”  (Orosius,  ii. 11.)   That it was  a very easy matter  for some  Christian writer  to interpolate  or alter  a passage  in the  Annals  of  Tacitus  may be seen  from the fact  that  the  MS.  [ p. 566  footnote: l ]   was not known  to the world  before the  15th century,  and  from information  which is  to be derived  from reading  Dailie  On the Right Use of the Fathers,  who shows that  they were  accustomed to  doing such business,  and that  these writings  are,  to a large extent,  unreliable.


Book available here:  Bible Myths


PREVIOUS  Reference To:
Doane,  Bible Myths and their Parallels
in other Religions,  7th ed.,  pp. 559 et seq.

     INDEX  of  Subjects.

Martian Visitor   ( Home )

Metaphysics:  Which is  PRIMARY?

The Pagan origins of Easter

              THE WORLD’S
SIXTEEN CRUCIFIED SAVIORS