The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

Certainly it is not the pride of a document researcher that animated Josephus by virtue
of the fact that he could insert this important material into his work, rather [it is] the
satisfaction of an apologist who invokes the pagans in order to prove the value of Judaism. And
herein lies the [229] significance [that is] crucial for Josephus’ inner development. We
remember that when Josephus was composing his War he was to all intents and purposes
following along in the wake of Roman politics; the writing was basically a glorification of
Rome’s unassailable position of power. Here in the Antiquities a personality who feels
differently is speaking to us. The disapproval of the Herodians who were not pure Jews, the
incorporation of Jewish legends, the insertion of the list of high priests, in short, the entire
reworking, which we have demonstrated, in the spirit [that is in accordance with that] of
Jewish circles reveals that Josephus has drawn nearer to nationalistic Judaism. And along this
line one must logically include the exploitation of pagan writers and pagan documents;
Josephus has acquired them in order to defend Judaism against all attacks on this basis.
Therefore, in the Antiquities Josephus offers a historical apologia for Judaism, just as he was to
compose a systematic defence of Judaism in the writing against Apion a few years later. When
one considers that Josephus had placed himself absolutely in the service of Roman politics
even during the great war, that he had composed his War a few years later for the sake of the
emperors and Agrippa, then this break with this past of his is certainly a far-reaching one;
every individual reworking has ultimately become evidence for this inner development.
But we could even establish that these precipitated still more consequences; not only
did the Antiquities take on a new nationalistic Jewish colouring compared with the source
provided in the War, but Josephus now again in reverse has transferred his new view of
matters back to the War in the guise of additions. Therefore it was his intention to dissociate
the War as well from his one-sided pro-Roman attitude and to endow it with a more
nationalistic colouring. Under these circumstances, it is of quite extraordinary significance
that Josephus expresses frankly at the end of Ant. 20.267 that he intended to offer a renewed
portrayal of Jewish history during the war and afterwards. In view of the additions to the War
based on the Antiquities, which we have demonstrated, we can argue with all certainty that
Josephus was impelled to this intention of his, not by some development of new sources,
rather [230] by the new view of matters that he had reached. The War, which had up to
now been composed in the Roman spirit, was to be replaced by a nationalistic
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