Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, provided two main references to Jesus in his work "Antiquities of the Jews":
1. The Testimonium Flavianum:
This passage, found in Book 18, is the most extensive reference to Jesus. It states that Jesus was:
- A wise man and teacher
- A doer of wonderful works
- Believed to be the Messiah by some
- Crucified under Pontius Pilate
- Had followers who continued after his death[1][2]
However, most scholars believe this passage contains later Christian interpolations and is not entirely authentic in its current form[1].
2. James, the brother of Jesus:
In Book 20, Josephus mentions "James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ." This reference is generally considered authentic by modern scholars[1].
Additionally, Josephus provides information about John the Baptist, which is considered authentic and differs from New Testament accounts, suggesting it's not a Christian interpolation[1].
It's important to note that the exact wording and extent of Josephus' original statements about Jesus remain subjects of scholarly debate[1][3].
Sources
[1] Josephus on Jesus - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus_on_Jesus
[2] Primary Sources - Josephus' Description Of Jesus | FRONTLINE - PBS https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/josephusjesus.html
[3] Josephus' Account of Jesus: The Testimonium Flavianum https://www.josephus.org/testimonium.htm
[4] [PDF] Flavius Josephus and His Testimony Concerning the Historical ... https://www.socinian.org/files/TestimoniumFlavianum.pdf
[5] Josephus and Jesus: The Testimonium Flavianum Question https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/testimonium.html