Sanhedrin 43a: who is the "herald"?

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
John2
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Re: Sanhedrin 43a: who is the "herald"?

Post by John2 »

You know, as much as I have trouble navigating Eisenman's writing style these days, sometimes what he says cuts through the fog for me. In this case, as I was searching for a reference to the Recognitions of Clement regarding Nicodemus' execution, I found this interesting detail in JBJ:
Whatever one may think of these stories, Nakdimon does seem to reappear in the New Testament in the Gospel of John as 'Nicodemus' ... He also would seem to reappear in Josephus, who apparently reverses his name into 'Gurion the son of Nicomedes' ... this namesake of Nicodemus is executed as a collaborator ...

https://books.google.com/books?id=XhJcW ... ns&f=false
Wikipedia says about this Nicodemus:
Nicodemus ben Gurion ... was a wealthy Jewish man who lived in Jerusalem in the 1st century CE. He is believed by some to be identical to the Nicodemus mentioned in the Gospel of John. Elsewhere he is discussed in Josephus' history, The Jewish War, and later, rabbinic works: Lamentations Rabbah, Ecclesiastes Rabbah, the Babylonian Talmud, and Avot of Rabbi Natan.

Ben Gurion means "son of Gurion" in Hebrew and his real name was apparently Buni or Bunai. He acquired the nickname Nicodemus, meaning "conqueror of the people" (from νίκη and δῆμος), or alternate semitic etymology Naqdimon, because of a miraculous answer to a prayer he made.

Nicodemus appears to have been a wealthy and respected figure, known for his holiness and generosity. He was an opponent of the Zealots and of the rebellion against Rome which led to the destruction of Jerusalem.

When Vespasian became emperor, Nicodemus sought peace with the emperor's son Titus, who was conducting the war. He agitated against the prosecution of the war by the Zealots. In retaliation, they destroyed the stores of provisions that he and his friends had accumulated for the use of pilgrims.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicodemus_ben_Gurion
War 2.17.10:
It is true, that when the people earnestly desired that they would leave off besieging the soldiers, they were the more earnest in pressing it forward, and this till Metilius, who was the Roman general, sent to Eleazar, and desired that they would. give them security to spare their lives only; but agreed to deliver up their arms, and what else they had with them. The others readily complied with their petition, sent to them Gorion, the son of Nicodemus, and Ananias, the son of Sadduk, and Judas, the son of Jonathan, that they might give them the security of their right hands, and of their oaths; after which Metilius brought down his soldiers; which soldiers, while they were in arms, were not meddled with by any of the seditious, nor was there any appearance of treachery; but as soon as, according to the articles of capitulation, they had all laid down their shields and their swords, and were under no further suspicion of any harm, but were going away, Eleazar's men attacked them after a violent manner, and encompassed them round, and slew them, while they neither defended themselves, nor entreated for mercy, but only cried out upon the breach of their articles of capitulation and their oaths. And thus were all these men barbarously murdered.
It would make sense to me if the NT Nicodemus is this Nicodemus, for the same reasons I think Peter could be Josephus' Simon (mentioned in Ant. 19.7.4), Paul could be Josephus' Saulus, Philip could be Josephus' Philip, and Niger (mentioned in Acts 13:1) could be Josephus' Niger (of Perea). They are all associated with Saulus (excepting Simon) and were pro-peace (like Christian leaders were), so I think this could be the historical Nicodemus too.
You know in spite of all you gained, you still have to stand out in the pouring rain.
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