100 Words: Historicity of Jesus, from Extra-Biblical Sources (Part 4)

Suetonius. Roman historian who wrote during the late first century and early second century. This short quote is from The Life of Claudius, 25.4:

“Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.”

“He” being Claudius, the Roman Emperor from AD 41 to 54. Suetonius misspells “Christos,” the Greek word for Christ. However, this account is similar to Luke’s account of Jews being expelled in Acts 18.2. All throughout Acts we see the Jews’ retaliation to the Gospel message. So Suetonius further confirms both the retaliations as well as the existence of Jesus (as well as validating a portion of the historic narrative of the Bible).

Did you miss Part 1? Part 2? Part 3?