Joseph. Antiq. lib. xix. c. 8, sect. 2. "He went to the city of Cesarea.
Here he celebrated shows in honour of Caesar. On the second day of the
shows, early in the morning, he came into the theatre, dressed in a robe
of silver, of most curious workmanship. The rays of the rising sun,
reflected from such a splendid garb, gave him a majestic and awful
appearance. They called him a god; and intreated him to be propitious to
them, saying, Hitherto we have respected you as a man; but now we
acknowledge you to be more than mortal. The king neither reproved these
persons, nor rejected the impious flattery. Immediately after this he
was seized with pains in his bowels, extremely violent at the very
first. He was carried therefore with all haste to his palace. These
pains continually tormenting him, he expired in five days' time."
The reader will perceive the accordancy of these accounts in various
particulars. The place (Cesarea), the set day, the gorgeous dress, the
acclamations of the assembly, the peculiar turn of the flattery, the
reception of it, the sudden and critical incursion of the disease, are
circumstances noticed in both narratives. The worms mentioned by Saint
Luke are not remarked by Josephus; but the appearance of these is a
symptom not unusually, I believe, attending the disease which Josephus
describes, viz., violent affections of the bowels.
VI. [p. 41.] Acts xxiv. 24. "And after certain days, when Felix came
with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul."
Joseph. Antiq. lib. xx. c. 6, sect. 1, 2. "Agrippa gave his sister
Drusilla in marriage to Azizus, king of the Emesenes, when he had
consented to be circumcised.--But this marriage of Drusilla with Azizus
was dissolved in a short time after, in this manner:--When Felix was
procurator of Judea, having had a sight of her, he was mightily taken
with her.--She was induced to transgress the laws of her country, and
marry Felix."
Here the public station of Felix, the name of his wife, and the singular
circumstance of her religion, all appear in perfect conformity with the
evangelist.
VII. [p. 46.] Acts xxv. 13. "And after certain days king Agrippa and
Berenice came to Cesarea to salute Festus." By this passage we are in
effect told that Agrippa was a king, but not of Judea; for he came to
salute Festus, who at this time administered the government of that
country at Cesarea.
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