An Extract out of Josephus's Discourse to The Greeks Concerning Hades

"An Extract out of Josephus's Discourse to The Greeks Concerning Hades" by Flavius Josephus is a historical and religious exploration of the afterlife, specifically tailored to a Greek audience. The narrative unfolds with Josephus's explanation of Hades, a shadowy realm housing all souls, differentiated by the contrasting fates awaiting the righteous and the wicked. He vividly pictures the "Bosom of Abraham" as a luminous haven for the just, while the unjust endure torment in the dark depths. A key argument is the importance of bodily resurrection, challenging the Greek view of the soul's immortality alone. The work climaxes with the idea of a final divine reckoning, promising unending bliss for those who are faithful and eternal suffering for those who are not, issuing a call for the Greeks to believe in God.