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Eusebius of Caesarea

260/265-339CE

  • Eusebius is an admitted liar. The title of book 12 chapter 31 says it is sometimes necessary to use a falsehood as remedy.
  • He quotes Plato on use use of beneficial lies. He then uses the Old Testament god as being labeled "jealous, or sleeping, or angry, or subject to any other human passions" as an example.
  • He is the first source to say Ignatius' martyrdom took place during the reign of Trajan.
  • Richard Pervo argues "Eusebius may have had an ideological interest in dating church leaders as early as possible, and asserting a continuous succession between the original apostles of Jesus and the leaders of the church in his day."
  • He also is the first to claim that 1 Clement was written around 96CE and that Clement of Rome died in the third year of Trajan (99/100CE).
  • He wrote that Dionysius of Corinth (??CE-??CE) attributed 1 Clement to Clement of Rome. Eusebius' mention is the only evidence of the existence of Dionysius of Corinth.
  • He is the first person to quote the Testimonium Flavianum. He includes the entire passage within Demonstratio Evangelica Book 3 instead of summarizing or paraphrasing it. He also makes the questionable statement: "And here it will not be inappropriate for me to make use of the evidence of the Hebrew Josephus".
  • He writes in Church History that Mark established the first churches in Alexandria. Despite the claim that this is supported by "long-standing, unwavering church tradition and ancient Coptic accounts." this is the earliest mention of Mark starting churches in Alexandria.
  • He claimed to have translated letters between Jesus and King Abgar of Edessa from the Edessan archives. They have been considered spurious since the fifth century.
  • Christian authors before 324CE refer to Josephus' works, but none of them mention the Testimonium Flavianum.
    • * Hippolytus of Rome, his descriptions of the Essenes parallels Josephus' description in Jewish Wars. It's believed Hippolytus adapted Josephus directly.
    • ** Sextus Julius Africanus a surviving fragment quotes books 12, 14, and 15 of Antiquities of the Jews (disclosure: I haven't found that specific fragment yet). That fragment is not to be confused with his reference to Herod's beother who is also named Josephus.
    • *** Arnobius of Sicca mentions Josephus by name, but doesn't quote his works.
  • It has been suspected for a long time, due to language only present in the Testamonium Flavianum and the works of Eusebius. Stylometry has also confirmed his involvement.