On the origin of the kiss of Judas

Giuseppe · Post by **Giuseppe** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 12:42 am

Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, "They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!"

(Oseah 13:2)

Literally "They offer human sacrifices" reads "sacrificers kiss calves" .

At the same time, the Hebrew expression surely connotes to its readers, at least, a meaning akin to "those who slaughter/sacrifice human beings, kiss calves". On the one hand, the text so understood is ironic and contributes to the foolish characterization of Israel. Rather than slaughter calves (for food) they kiss them; and rather than kiss human beings, they slaughter them. It is a kind of mockery...

https://books.google.it/books?id=GEeqey ... es&f=false

So Guy Fau, La fable de Jésus-Christ, p. 151:

Le baiser de Judas et le lavement de mains de Pilate nous ramnènent aux rites juifs: il s'agit du rite, institué par Moise (si l'on en croit Josèphe mais peut-etre d'origine égyptienne), du sacrifice de la génisse. La génisse était conduite au mont des Oliviers, le sacrificateur l'embrassait et le pretre se lavait le mains devant la victime. Il s'agit d'un rite de purification, ignoré, bien entendu, des auteurs étrangers au judaisme (21).

my translation:

The kiss of Judas and the washing of Pilate's hands bring us back to the Jewish rites: it is the rite instituted by Moses (if we believe Josephus but perhaps of Egyptian origin), the sacrifice of the heifer. The heifer was driven to the Mount of Olives, the priest kissed him, and the priest washed his hands before the victim. It is a rite of purification, ignored, of course, by authors who are foreign to Judaism.

(my bold)

Unfortunately, whereas I read in Josephus, Antiquites, the reference to the washing of hands as symbol of innocence of the human sacrificer of the heifer, I don't find the reference to the kiss of the heifer by the priest.

The source of Guy Fau (per note 21) is :

G. Ory, "Jésus a-t-il été crucifié?", Cahier du Cercle E. Renan, 3° trim. 1955, p. 34.

It follows, by Ory, the previous article:

G. Ory, "Jésus a-t-il été crucifié?", Cahier du Cercle E. Renan, 2° trim. 1955.