In this thread I’m going to suggest that not only have the gospel writers referenced, or reflected, this historical execution of Antigonus in their literary Jesus story - but that the Josephan writer, notwithstanding his failure to record the full details of the execution of Antigonus in his historical account, does , nevertheless, support the details recorded by Cassius Dio. The Josephan writer does this by telling a story that reflects his knowledge of another story - the story that we now know from the Dead Sea Scrolls. The story about the Teacher of Rightousness and the Wicked Priest. The Josephan story deals with the figure of James, who has a brother named Christ, and the High Priest Ananus. This Josephan account is used by the Jesus historicists as evidence for the historicity of that gospel figure. However, by considering that Josephan story through the lens of Greg Doudna’ interpretation of the DSS story, it will become apparent that the Josephan story is not history. Therefore, it cannot be used as evidence for a historical gospel Jesus figure. (of whatever variant it’s proposers advance).
Greg Doudna has provided an interpretation of two DSS figures:
(my bolding)After his overthrow by Antigonus Mattathias, Hyrcanus II echoes the basic features of the Teacher of Righteousness in being an ex-high priest, expelled from the temple, cast into exile and opposed to a regime in Jerusalem which fell in a brutal Roman conquest.
In his death at the hands of gentiles Antigonus Mattathias corresponds with the portrayal of the death of the Wicked Priest, and Antigonus Mattathias is the only Hasmonean ruler of the first century bce who does.
ALLUSIONS TO THE END OF THE HASMONEAN DYNASTY IN PESHER NAHUM (4Q169)
Gregory L. Doudna
http://scrollery.com/wp-content/uploads ... 59-278.pdf
Before turning to the Josephan story its perhaps necessary to lay the groundwork, so to speak, for the approach to the material that follows.
Preface to the War of the Jews, ch.1.par.6
....many Jews before me have composed the histories of our ancestors very exactly;......... But then, where the writers of these affairs and our prophets leave off, thence shall I take my rise, and begin my history.
Dreams and Dream Reports in the Writing of Josephus, A Traditio-Historical Analysis by Robert Karl Gnuse.
Josephus’ prophetic role as historian merits special attention.....
As a priest Josephus is a custodian of his people’s traditions, and by continuing that history in the Jewish War and subsequently by rewriting it in his Antiquities, he is a prophet. For Josephus prophets and historians preserve the past and predict the future, and he has picked up the mantle of creating prophetic writings. Perhaps, in his own mind he is the first since the canonical prophets to generate inspired historiography....
Prophetic Figures in Late Second Temple Jewish Palestine: The Evidence from Josephus: by Rebecca Gray.
Page 78
There is no denying that the picture we now possess of Josephus as a prophet has been refined and developed in various ways.
And it is probable that, with the passage of time, Josephus’ image of himself as a prophet became clearer in his own mind.
(Schwartz making reference here to Herodias and Antipas jealousy of Agrippa)Daniel Schwartz: Agrippa I
Page 35. It seems, therefore, that VAgr was written in the image of two biblical stories (which are similar one to another as well) which also describes the successful adventures of Jews in imperial courts....But if VAgr’s genre is that of the Joseph and Esther novels, then one must register doubts about its historical worth.
Page 56. It is difficult to know where to draw the line between history and novel here.
Note: VAgr, for Schwartz, references a source the Josephan writer used for his history of Agrippa I.
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The above quotes indicate that the Josephan writings should not be taken at face value. The Josephan writer can write history - and he can write prophetic history and he can write ‘novels’. As Schwartz says, it is sometimes “difficult to know where to draw the line”.
The Josephan story to be considered in this OP is the story set down at Antiquities: Book 20.ch.9.
Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a Sanhedrin without his consent. Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.
There are four reasons to consider this to not be a historical account.(1) From an ahistoricist position, that the gospel Jesus figure is a composite literary figure and hence has no flesh and blood brother by the name of James. (2) There is no historical evidence for the Josephan figure of James. (3)The Josephan writer has contradicted himself over the character of the High Priest, Ananus ben Ananus. (4) The dating of the Josephan story around 100 years from the events of 37 b.c.In the Antiquities story, Ananus is portrayed as “ a bold man in his temper, and very insolent”. Whereas in War the Josephan writer says that Ananus was: "unique in his love for liberty and an enthusiast for democracy" and as an "effective speaker, whose words carried weight with the people".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananus_ben_Ananus
The Josephan account cannot be verified historically. Consequently, viewing it as a reflection of history, not a record of history, is a perspective that can throw some light on this account. The dating is around 62/63 c.e. That is around 100 years from the execution of Antigonus II in 37 b.c. - and the start of around a 7 year period leading to the execution of Hyrcanus II in 30 b.c. Thus, the question arises: is the Josephan writer using the DSS story, a story about a Teacher of Righteousness and a Wicked Priest, as his source for his own story of the years 62/63 c.e. to 70 c.e.?
The table below sets out Greg Doudna’ interpretation of the DSS story alongside the Josephan story.
Hasmonean History. |
Greg Doudna' interpretation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. |
Josephus: Antiquities: Book 20. ch.9. |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 b.c. Antigonus, the last King and High Priest of the Jews, bound to a cross, flogged and slain. Cassius Dio. | Angigonus II is the Wicked Priest. | Josephus: 62/63 c.e. The High Priest, Ananus and James story. 100 year Anniversary of the execution of Antigonus. | |
| High Priest Ananelus, removed. 37/36 b.c. | High Priest Joseph Cabi ben Simon, removed. | ||
| High Priest, Aristobulus III drowned (plot of Herod the Great) brother of Mariamne I. (36 b.c.) | High Priest, Ananus ben Ananus, removed; “a bold man in his temper, and very insolent”. James stoned, brother of Jesus, called Christ. | ||
| Ananelus (restored) 36-30 b.c. | Jesus, son of Damneus, made High Priest. | ||
| Herod the Great executed former High Priest, Hyrcanus II in 30 b.c. 7 years after the execution of Antigonus. (After the Battle of Actium). | The DSS Teacher of Righteousness is Hyrcanus II. | High Priest, Ananus ben Ananus, killed 7 years later at the siege of Jerusalem in 70 c.e. | |
| After 37 b.c. Hyrcanus continued to be regarded - as both King and High Priest. | Ananus, after being removed in 62/63 c.e.continued to be regarded as former high priest and was involved in the war of 70 c.e., in which he was killed. | The Josephan account of Ananus in 'War' is of a 'good guy'. In Antiquities, Ananus is a 'bad guy'. The account in 'War' deals with the period up to 70 c.e., and the death of Ananus. If the account in Antiquities is a Josephan 'novel' - then the account of Ananus, assumed to be a historical figure, in 'War' is the correct account. An account that can be compared with that of Hyrcanus II after his removal from being High Priest. ie both figures, Ananus and Hyrcanus, remain historically relevent after removal from office. Different context, different perspectives, allowing for, as it were, a switch in characterization...and providing points to ponder.... | |
| Antiguities: Book 15. When Hyrcanus was brought into Parthia king Phraates treated him more fairly, being already aware of what an illustrious family he came from, and so he set him free from his chains and gave him a residence in Babylon, where there was a large numbers of Jews. These honoured Hyrcanus as their high priest and king, as did the whole Jewish nation as far as the Euphrates, which was gratifying to him. ........He was of a mild and gentle character, who generally left the state to be administered by others under him, being reluctant to mix with the public, and without the shrewdness to govern a kingdom. | War. book 4. I would not be wrong in saying that the death of Ananus was the beginning of the destruction of the city and in dating the destruction of her wall and her total ruin from the day which saw their high priest, the guarantor of their safety, killed in the heart of the city. For the rest, he was a good and holy man, and despite the grandeur of the noble dignity and honour he possessed, he had shown a sense of equality, even with regard to the lowest of the people. He was a great lover of liberty and an admirer of a democracy, always preferring the public good over his own advantage and loving peace above all things, knowing well that the Romans could not be defeated. He also foresaw that a war would surely follow and that the Jews would be destroyed unless they quickly made peace with them. | The Josephan story of 62/63 c.e. has the High Priest, Ananus, ordering the death of the James ( the Teacher of Righeousness). The DSS does not, as far as I’m aware, have the Wicked Priest executing the Teacher of Righteousness. Historically, the Wicked Priest of the DSS, (Antigonus according to the reconstruction by Greg Doudna) was executed 7 years prior to the execution of the DSS Teacher of Righteousness, Hyrcanus. However, historically (re Josephus) Antigonus did ‘kill’ Hycransus in 40 b.c. - he ‘killed’ Hycransus from being a High Priest - by biting off his ears – thereby disqualifying him from ever being High Priest in Jerusalem. The Josephan writer has reflected this history in his Antiquities interpretation of the DSS documents regarding a Teacher of Righteousness and a Wicked Priest. War: Book 1.ch.13 | |
The DSS writers set down a story that reflected Hasmonean history; a story that reflected the end of Hasmonean rule. The Josephan writer, 100 years later, has reflected that same history in his own story. Two stories, two historical reflections - but one historical reality - the events of 37 to 30 b.c.
The Josephan writer, in Ant.20, with his story of the High Priest Ananus, and James, who has a brother, Christ, has, likewise, drawn upon a 7 year period. The 7 year period between 62/63 c.e. and the 70 c.e. siege of Jerusalem. The death of James and the death of Ananus being 7 years apart. The Josephan reversal of the order of events, his placing the execution of James, (the Teacher of Righeousness) prior to the death of the Wicked Priest, (Ananus), indicates that his story is rewinding the historical tape, going back as it were, to earlier Hasmonean history.
The Josephan story of 62/63 c.e. has the High Priest, Ananus, ordering the death of the James (the Teacher of Righeousness). The DSS does not, as far as I’m aware, have the Wicked Priest executing the Teacher of Righteousness. Historically, the Wicked Priest of the DSS, (Antigonus according to the reconstruction by Greg Doudna) was executed 7 years prior to the execution of the DSS Teacher of Righteousness, Hyrcanus. However, historically (re Josephus) Antigonus did ‘kill’ Hycransus in 40 b.c. - he ‘killed’ Hyrcanus from being a High Priest - by biting off his ears – thereby disqualifying him from ever being High Priest in Jerusalem. The Josephan writer has reflected this history in his interpretation of the DSS documents regarding a Teacher of Righteousness and a Wicked Priest.
Summary: Greg Doudna’ interpretation of the DSS figures of the Teacher of Righteousness (Hycrancus II) and the Wicked Priest (Antigonus II) has allowed the Josephan story of Antiquities ch.20, to be interpreted in light of the history of the end of the Hasmonean period. Doudna has provided a historical framework from which to view the DSS story. The Josephan story, in Antiquities, book 20, is a reflection upon the DSS story and Hasmonean history - a memorial, if you like, a remembrance, a snapshot, of those dramatic days 100 years ago.
From this perspective, the Josephan story in Antiquities, book 20, ch.9, cannot be used to support a historical gospel Jesus - of whatever variant the proposers of this theory present.
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Footnote: (1) Doudna’ interpretation of the DSS story is based upon Hasmonean history. Both Hyrcanus II and Antigonus II were historical figures. (Hasmonean coins supporting their historicity) Any interpretation of Antiquities book 20. Ch.9 that is not able to produce historical support remains speculative. Doudna has historical reality on his side. Eisenman (carbon-dating aside) while connecting the Josephan figure of James to the Teacher of Righteousness of the DSS - has glimpsed only a shadow not the reality to which Antiquities Book 20, ch.9 is pointing.
Footnote:( 2) That the gospel writers have used the execution of Antigonus, his being bound to a cross and scourged, in the crucifixion element of their story about Jesus, does not mean that they have taken the ‘Wicked Priest’ of the DSS and transformed that figure into the ‘good guy’ of their salvation history. The DSS story is an interpretation of Hasmonean history from a particular perspective. Undoubtedly, at the time of the Antigonus v Hyrcanus conflict there would be sides taken. However, with the passing of time a wider perspective, a more philosophical perspective , a more spiritual or theological perspective, on the whole of that historical tragedy,would present possibilities for moving forward.
Footnote: (3) That the Josephan writer has, in Ant. book 20, ch.9, a figure named James who has a brother called Christ has not been the focus of this OP. Hopefully, those who respond to this thread will not take it in that direction - without, at least, first taking on board the reflections in the Josephan account related to DSS documents. Perhaps, for a while at least, consider the Josephan account without putting on ones NT eyeglasses.....i.e. first identify the Jewish history involved - and then proceed to question time....
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As of now - this OP is how I'm viewing Antiquities book 20 ch.9...........Yep, the post is long - but it's a long weekend ahead for contemplation.........so out with the popcorn ..
- sorry, no smiley for Easter eggs...Oh, and many thanks to Greg Doudna.
