===Variation from the New Testament (draft)=== 
 In particular, he discusses the issue of the date of James's death.  Josephus clearly indicates a date of 62 CE, and this is backed up by Jerome 'seventh year of the Emperor Nero' (although Jerome may simply be drawing this from Josephus).  But James's successor as leader of the Jerusalem church, Symeon, is not, in tradition, appointed till after the siege of Jerusalem, and Eusebius notice of Symeon implies a date for the death of James immediately before the siege (i.e. circa 69 CE).   

 Painter points out that the relationship of the death of James to the siege is an important theologoumenon in the early church.  On the basis of the Gospel accountes it was concluded that the fate of the city was determined by the death there of Jesus.  So why the delay of 35 years?  The answer concluded was that the City was preserved temporaily by the presence within it of a 'just man' (see also Sodom); who was identified with James.  This is confirmed in Origen.  So killing James restarted the clock that led to the destruction of the City.  

 Hence the traditional dating of 69 CE simply arises from an over-literal application of the theologoumenon, and is not to be regarded as founded on any historical source.