("Antiquities,” book xx., ch. ix., sect. 1), and this passage shares the fate of the longer one, being likewise rejected because of being an interpolation.  The other supposed reference of Josephus to Jesus is found in his discourse on Hades, wherein he says that all men “shall be brought before God the Word; for to him hath the Father committed all judgment; and he, in order to fulfil the will of his Father, shall come as judge, whom we call Christ” ("Works of Josephus,” by Whiston, p. 661).  Supposing that this passage were genuine, it would simply convey the Jewish belief that the Messiah—­Christ—­the Anointed, was the appointed judge, as in Dan. vii., 9-14, and more largely in the Book of Enoch.

The silence of Jewish writers of this period is not confined to Josephus, and this silence tells with tremendous weight against the Christian story.  Judge Strange writes:  “Josephus knew nothing of these wonderments, and he wrote up to the year 93, being familiar with all the chief scenes of the alleged Christianity.  Nicolaus of Damascus, who preceded him and lived to the time of Herod’s successor Archelaus, and Justus of Tiberias, who was the contemporary and rival of Josephus in Galilee, equally knew nothing of the movement.  Philo-Judaeus, who occupied the whole period ascribed to Jesus, and engaged himself deeply in figuring out the Logos, had heard nothing of the being who was realising at Jerusalem the image his fancy was creating” ("Portraiture and Mission of Jesus,” p. 27).

We propose now to go carefully through the alleged testimonies to Christianity, as urged in Paley’s “Evidences of Christianity,” following his presentment of the argument step by step, and offering objections to each point as raised by him.

The next historian who is claimed as a witness to Christianity is Tacitus (born A.D. 54 or 55, died A.D. 134 or 135), who writes, dealing with the reign of Nero, that this Emperor “inflicted the most cruel punishments upon a set of people, who were holden in abhorrence for their crimes, and were commonly called Christians.  The founder of that name was Christus, who, in the reign of Tiberius, was punished as a criminal by the procurator, Pontius Pilate.  This pernicious superstition, thus checked for awhile, broke out again; and spread not only over Judaea the source of this evil, but reached the city also:  whither flow from all quarters all things vile and shameful, and where they find shelter and encouragement.  At first, only those were apprehended who confessed themselves of that sect; afterwards, a vast multitude discovered by them; all which were condemned, not so much for the crime of burning the city, as for their hatred of mankind.  Their executions were so contrived as to expose them to derision and contempt.  Some were covered over with the skins of wild beasts, and torn to pieces by dogs; some were crucified.  Others, having been daubed over with combustible materials, were set up as lights in the night-time, and thus