Christian Texts and History • Re: W. E Barnes, The Testimony of Josephus to Jesus Christ (1920)

Since we don't have autographs, anything is hypothetically possible.

If we don't follow what looks likely, then we can do anything we want with the texts.

So the interpolation of the TF into Josephus is practically required to preserve our sanity. If it's an interpolation, that implies we can tell what is interpolated and what isn't in ancient texts by what appears to be likely. If it's not an interpolation, it implies we're in a looking-glass world where nothing is as it seems.

A vote for a TF interpolation is a vote for the possibility of our knowledge of antiquity.

Hi Peter

Do you mean that if we are able to identify interpolations at all then we should unhesitatingly prefer the position that the TF is entirely an interpolation to the position that the TF is entirely authentic ?
If so then I agree.

Or do you mean that if we are able to identify interpolations at all then we should unhesitatingly prefer the position that the TF is entirely an interpolation to the position that the TF is partly authentic ?
If so, then I don't agree. There is a perfectly sensible case that the TF is entirely interpolated but the claim above is stronger than that and IMO unduly strong.

Andrew Criddle

Statistics: Posted by andrewcriddle — Sat Nov 16, 2024 2:11 am

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