An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List
288: Jesus Christ: The History (Part 2)
December 22, 2022
Description
Books Referenced
Author: Josephus
Context:
Referenced multiple times as a historical source for information about first-century Judea, John the Baptist, the census, and Judas the Galilean. Josephus's historical works are used to corroborate Gospel accounts
Author: Suetonius
Context:
Referenced when discussing parallels between the birth narrative of Jesus and similar prodigies told about Augustus's birth, including a story from a freedman named Julius Marathus about a prophecy of a future king
Author: Albert Schweitzer
Context:
Referenced when discussing the eschatological interpretation of Jesus's teachings - 'that's what Albert Schweitzer argued at the beginning of the 20th century'
Author: Celsus
Context:
Referenced as an ancient critic of Christianity whose work is known through Origen's response, including claims that Jesus's followers were ignorant peasants prone to hallucinations
Author: Basilides
Context:
Referenced as containing an alternative theory that Simon of Cyrene was crucified instead of Jesus
Author: D.H. Lawrence
Context:
Referenced as a story in which Jesus survives crucifixion and 'wakes up and kind of totters off'
Author: James George Frazer
Context:
Referenced twice in discussion of Victorian-era theories comparing Jesus's resurrection to mythological figures like Osiris and Adonis
Author: John Marco Allegro
Context:
Referenced as a theory from 'a very distinguished scholar of the Dead Sea Scrolls' who claimed Christianity originated from a magic mushroom cult
Author: Eric von Däniken
Context:
Referenced in connection with 1970s theories that Jesus was an extraterrestrial and that his ascension was actually teleportation to a flying saucer