Why Pilate? Because of PEILATUS ("Cloud-Topped") of Transfiguration memory

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Post Reply
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Why Pilate? Because of PEILATUS ("Cloud-Topped") of Transfiguration memory

Post by Giuseppe »

“Phineas” may be a variant of the name “Phanni, son of Samuel”, high priest of the temple installed by the zealots in 67 CE.

[the Zealots]...undertook to dispose of the high priesthood by casting lots for it, whereas, as we have said already, it was to descend by succession in a family. The pretense they made for this strange attempt was an ancient practice, while they said that of old it was determined by lot; but in truth, it was no better than a dissolution of an undeniable law, and a cunning contrivance to seize upon the government, derived from those that presumed to appoint governors as they themselves pleased. Hereupon they sent for one of the pontifical tribes, which is called Eniachin, and cast lots which of it should be the high priest. By fortune the lot so fell as to demonstrate their iniquity after the plainest manner, for it fell upon one whose name was Phannias, the son of Samuel, of the village Aphtha. He was a man not only unworthy of the high priesthood, but that did not well know what the high priesthood was, such a mere rustic was he! Yet did they hail this man, without his own consent, out of the country, as if they were acting a play upon the stage, and adorned him with a counterfeit thee; they also put upon him the sacred garments, and upon every occasion instructed him what he was to do. This horrid piece of wickedness was sport and pastime with them, but occasioned the other priests, who at a distance saw their law made a jest of, to shed tears, and sorely lament the dissolution of such a sacred dignity.

(War 4.155)

But where do we find again this name?

"Woe unto him who maketh himself alive by the name of God....A sectarian said to R. Chanina: Do you know how old Balaam was? [R. Chanina] replied: It is not written. However, since it says (Psalms 55:24) "Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days..." he was 33 or 34. [The heretic] said: You said well. I have seen the chronicle of Balaam and it said "At 33 years Balaam the lame was killed by Pinchas (Phineas) the robber."

(Sanhedrin 106b)

"Baalam" who is 33 years old is, obviously, the talmudic parody of Jesus.

According to scholar hearsay (the reader may verify freely), the Talmudic passage quoted above seems to be the only passage, in all the Talmud, where Pilate is mentioned behind the name of Pinchas (Phineas).

Pontius = Pinchas.

Hence, note the coincidence: also the Zealot high priest works as the Pilate of the Gospels:
  • Pilate is piloted by the sinedrites
  • Pinchas/Phannias is piloted by the Zealots

Could it be by a simple mistake by "Mark" (author), that the story about a Jesus ben Sapphias condemned by the high priest Pinchas in 60 CE was confused as the story about a Jesus son of Jo-Sapphias (=Joseph) condemned by the governor Pilate in 30 CE?

. As initially far-fetched as this my hypothesis sounds, I suggest reading Doudna's case before rejecting it out of hand.

ADDENDA: I have modified the title of the thread.
Last edited by Giuseppe on Tue Feb 18, 2020 2:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Re: Why Pilate? Because of Pinchas

Post by Giuseppe »

It seems that Phanni/Phineas appears again here:

But now at this time it was, that one of the priests, the son of Thebuthus, whose name was Jesus; upon his having security given him by the oath of Cæsar that he should be preserved, upon condition that he should deliver to him certain of the precious things that had been reposited in the temple, (23) came out of it, and delivered him from the wall of the holy house two candlesticks; like to those that lay in the holy house: with tables, and cisterns, and vials, all made of solid gold; and very heavy. He also delivered to him the veils, and the garments; with the precious stones, and a great number of other precious vessels that belonged to their sacred worship. The treasurer of the temple also, whose name was Phineas, was seized on, and shewed Titus the coats, and girdles of the priests: with a great quantity of purple, and scarlet, which were there reposited for the uses of the veil: as also a great deal of cinnamon, and cassia, with a large quantity of other sweet spices, (24) which used to be mixed together, and offered as incense to God every day. A great many other treasures were also delivered to him; with sacred ornaments of the temple, not a few. Which things thus delivered to Titus, obtained of him for this man the same pardon, that he had allowed to such as deserted of their own accord.

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/war-6.html

The episode remembers somewhay the rite of the celestial high priest Jesus of Hebrews, suffering "out of gate"... ...of the Temple? After that he was seized by the Romans?

Unfortunately, there is no trace of a hostility between Jesus son of Saphat and Phineas/Phincas/Phanni, that would have made the point of the thread.

Curiously, Phineas was a "robber" (as the Talmud calls him) since he delivered to Titus the things of the Temple. Did he receive the grace by Titus, differently by Jesus son of Saphat?
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Re: Why Pilate? Because of Pinchas

Post by Giuseppe »

If "called Christ" of Antiquities 20:200 is genuine but, even so, the Jesus "called Christ" is the Jesus son of Damneus (since otherwise there would be no need for Josephus mention someone called "Christ" without an explanation), then this Jesus "called Christ" and brother of the James killed by Ananus is, in the same time:
  • an enemy of Ananus (killer of his brother, hardly someone who can be forgiven by him for the murder of the brother)
  • an enemy of Phineas the Zealot high priest (as Jesus son of Damneus lends loyalty to king Agrippas, as 100% expected by one made high priest by the king who is enemy of the Zealots ).
Hence we have a Jesus "Christ" who has, as enemies, an Ananus and a Phineas, and one who was probably killed by the Zealots. Was he the Jesus "called Christ" killed, according to a process-farce, by Ananus and Pinchas (the latter becoming respectively: the high priest Annas and the governor Pontius Pilate) ?
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Re: Why Pilate? Because of Pinchas

Post by Giuseppe »

“Phineas”, who Greg suspects may be the same “Phanni, son of Samuel”, high priest of the temple installed by the zealots in 67 CE (War 4.155), remembers someway the description of Simon of Cyrene coming “out of the country”:
By fortune the lot so fell as to demonstrate their iniquity after the plainest manner, for it fell upon one whose name was Phannias, the son of Samuel, of the village Aphtha. He was a man not only unworthy of the high priesthood, but that did not well know what the high priesthood was, such a mere rustic was he! Yet did they hail this man, without his own consent, out of the country, as if they were acting a play upon the stage, and adorned him with a counterfeit thee; they also put upon him the sacred garments, and upon every occasion instructed him what he was to do.
Only, they are the Zealots to move him, not the Romans. Is there some irony in action?
If Phineas was crucified while the priest Jesus was freed thanks Josephus (so Frans Vermeiren), then this Phineas would play the role of the Cyrenaic, who was crucified in the place of Jesus according to some “heretical” voices.
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Re: Why Pilate? Because of PEILATUS "Cloud-Topped")

Post by Giuseppe »

Moved by Martin's suggestion about Pilatus as title, I see that "pileatus," means "cloud-topped."

This remembers the cloud of the Transfiguration episode:

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

In another thread I have advanced the hypothesis that the Transfiguration was the original crucifixion.

For example, Moses and Elijah were the 2 thieves. The Pillars were the people around the cross. The mountain was the Golgotha. The shining garments were the garment divided by soldiers.
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Re: Why Pilate? Because of PEILATUS "Cloud-Topped")

Post by Giuseppe »

Giuseppe wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 2:33 am Moved by Martin's suggestion about Pilatus as title, I see that "pileatus," means "cloud-topped."

This remembers the cloud of the Transfiguration episode:

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

In another thread I have advanced the hypothesis that the Transfiguration was the original crucifixion.

For example, Moses and Elijah were the 2 thieves. The Pillars were the people around the cross. The mountain was the Golgotha. The shining garments were the garment divided by soldiers.
Pilate is the demiurge:

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

(Exodus 13:21–22)
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
Post Reply