No source, other than the Bible itself, provides more relevant information on the first century than the work of Flavius Josephus. This newly edited version updates the original 18th century language; includes commentary by the award winning author and historian, Dr. Paul L. Maier; features over forty photos of ancient sites and artifacts mentioned by Josephus; cross references numbers throughout to the Greek text of Josephus in the Loeb Classical Library; and offers revised indexes of subjects and Old Testament texts.

Encounter the world and traditions that Jesus knew. Illuminate your understanding of the New Testament. In The Complete Works you will discover what the New Testament writers knew about Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, and Solomon and examine an in-depth history of Herod and his infamous family.

Josephus left us the earliest independent accounts of the lives of Jesus, John the Baptist, and James the brother of Jesus. Much of what we know about the beliefs of the Sadducees and Pharisees comes from Josephus. Without Josephus, we would know very little about the Essenes, the ancient Jewish group most frequently associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Features include:
"The War of the Jews"--an account of the Jewish revolt against Rome up to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem"The Antiquities of the Jews"--a history of the Jews from Creation to the Roman occupation of Palestine"The Life of Flavius Josephus"--the autobiography of Josephus, who fought against Rome and later served the empire "Against Apion"--a defense of the origin of Judaism in the face of Greco-Roman slanders"Discourse to the Greeks Concerning Hades"--a text Whiston attributed to JosephusIndex of parallels between Josephus's "Antiquities" and the Old Testament including the Apocrypha

About Flavius Josephus

Josephus was a first-century Pharisee, soldier, informant to the Romans, and writer. He left behind the most extensive writings on ancient Jewish history still in existence.

You haven't completed your biblical understanding until you've traveled back to the lands where it all took place. Now you can hear the sounds and see the sights, meet the people who were there when it happened. This comprehensive account from the legendary Jewish historian takes you right into the action, setting up the historical relevance of first-century events, taking you all the way from Creation to Roman occupation. In the process, Josephus provides substantial first-hand corroboration of the biblical record. Most importantly, you'll meet the historical Jesus in Josephus' writings, as well as John the Baptist and other familiar faces. You'll be able to understand the background of the Bible like never before.

This renowned reference book has served scholars, pastors, students, and those interested in the background of the New Testament for years. The insight given into the Essene community, the destruction of Jerusalem and the interpretations and traditions of the Old Testament in first century Judaism is invaluable. The outlook of Josephus, a late first century Pharisee and historian, on Jesus and the New Testament documents is enlightening and provocative. As an original reference, "The Works of Josephus" is essential to a full understanding of the first century, the time of Christ and the New Testament.

Complete and unabridged, this is the best one-volume edition of the classic translation of Josephus' works. The entire text has been reset in modern, easy-to-read type; numbering corresponding to that used in the Loeb edition has been added to the text; and citations and cross-references have been updated from Roman numerals to Arabic numbers.