Luke and Annas the high priest

[JoeWallack]

JW:
Continuing with Josephus:

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX CHAPTER 9

Perseus

2. Now as soon as Albinus was come to the city of Jerusalem, he used all his endeavors and care that the country might be kept in peace, and this by destroying many of the Sicarii. But as for the [1]high priest, Ananias (25) he increased in glory every day, and this to a great degree, and had obtained the favor and esteem of the citizens in a signal manner; for he was a great hoarder up of money: he therefore cultivated the friendship of Albinus, and of the [2]high priest [Jesus], by making them presents; he also had servants who were very wicked, who joined themselves to the boldest sort of the people, and went to the thrashing-floors, and took away the tithes that belonged to the [3]priests by violence, and did not refrain from beating such as would not give these tithes to them. So the other [4]high priests acted in the like manner, as did those his servants, without any one being able to prohibit them; so that [some of the] [5]priests, that of old were wont to be supported with those tithes, died for want of food.

[1]high priest = ἀρχιερεὺς. Oh oh. Singular genitive. The [holder of] High Priest. But the narrative is clear that Ananias has just been replaced as official High Priest. One for the defense (prior to my vote Perseus rated the genitive form at 61%. After my vote the non-genitive form was raised to 61%). Perseus points out that Josephus/ancients occasionally appear to have the wrong parsing based on extant. Assuming accurate transmission, this seems to be quite a coincidence. The only time so far that Josephus describes someone who by narrative was clearly not the holder of the office of High Priest at the time with the genitive form of the word, Ananias is the one it is used on. The name that is the basis of the inquiry of this Thread (presumably "Luke's" Ananias though was the elder and Josephus' here was the younger). Transmission change to support "Luke"? The basis for "Luke's" presentation? Or just evidence that the range of usage of the offending word in the genitive case could go beyond chronological limitation (a former High Priest could still be referred to as holder of the office)?

[2]high priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. The High Priest (Jesus).

[3]Priests = ἱερέων. Plural feminine genitive. The [holders] of Priest.

[4]High Priests = ἀρχιερεῖς. Plural masculine. The High Priests. Again, use of the offending word but used in a general context of contrast, higher Priests vs. lower Priests.

[5]high priesthood = ἱερέων. Plural feminine genitive. The [holders] of Priest.


So per Josephus:

• 1 - There was only one official High Priest at a time.
  
  2 - Josephus would only refer to "The Priesthood" of one High Priest at a time.
  
  3 - Josephus regarded the related Roman appointments as authoritative.
  
  4 - Josephus could use the title "High Priest" of a former High Priest for identification purposes.
  
  5 - Josephus explicitly identifies Ananus, the elder, as a former High Priest.
  
  6 - There was special clothing only for the one High Priest.
  
  7 - There was a thought in Ananus' family that once you were removed as High Priest you were unworthy to be reappointed.
  
  8 - Josephus does use the offending word to refer to the plural of High Priest at the same time. Presumably this usage has a general meaning, the most important Priests.
  
  9 - Josephus does use the word in the genitive one time to refer to a former High Priest that had just been removed (Ananias the younger).

Josephus

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[JoeWallack]

JW:
Continuing with Josephus:

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX CHAPTER 9

Perseus

3. But now the Sicarii went into the city by night, just before the festival, which was now at hand, and took the scribe belonging to the governor of the temple, whose name was Eleazar, who was the son of Ananus [Ananias] the [1]high priest, and bound him, and carried him away with them; after which they sent to Ananias, and said that they would send the scribe to him, if he would persuade Albinus to release ten of those prisoners which he had caught of their party; so Ananias was plainly forced to persuade Albinus, and gained his request of him. This was the beginning of greater calamities; for the robbers perpetually contrived to catch some of Ananias's servants; and when they had taken them alive, they would not let them go, till they thereby recovered some of their own Sicarii. And as they were again become no small number, they grew bold, and were a great affliction to the whole country.

[1]high priest = ἀρχιερέως. Again, singular masculine genitive for Ananias even though he is the former High Priest by narrative. The only exception to Josephan usage so far for the offending word which just happens to be the subject (so to speak) of this Thread = Why does "Luke" use the word to refer to Ananias as current holder of the High Priesthood when he was not?

4...And now Jesus, the son of Gamaliel, became the successor of Jesus, the son of Damneus, in the [1]high priesthood, which the king had taken from the other; on which account a sedition arose between the [2]high priests, with regard to one another; for they got together bodies of the boldest sort of the people, and frequently came, from reproaches, to throwing of stones at each other. But Ananias was too hard for the rest, by his riches, which enabled him to gain those that were most ready to receive.

[1]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνης. Singular, feminine and genitive. Office of the High Priest.

2]high priests = the offending word is not there, only implied.

7...But king Agrippa, who had the care of the temple committed to him by Claudius Caesar, considering that it is easy to demolish any building, but hard to build it up again, and that it was particularly hard to do it to these cloisters, which would require a considerable time, and great sums of money, he denied the petitioners their request about that matter; but he did not obstruct them when they desired the city might be paved with white stone. He also deprived Jesus, the son of Gamaliel, of the [1]high priesthood, and gave it to Matthias, the son of Theophilus, under whom the Jews' war with the Romans took its beginning.

[1]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνην. Singular, feminine. The High Priesthood.


So per Josephus:

• 1 - There was only one official High Priest at a time.
  
  2 - Josephus would only refer to "The Priesthood" of one High Priest at a time.
  
  3 - Josephus regarded the related Roman appointments as authoritative.
  
  4 - Josephus could use the title "High Priest" of a former High Priest for identification purposes.
  
  5 - Josephus explicitly identifies Ananus, the elder, as a former High Priest.
  
  6 - There was special clothing only for the one High Priest.
  
  7 - There was a thought in Ananus' family that once you were removed as High Priest you were unworthy to be reappointed.
  
  8 - Josephus does use the offending word to refer to the plural of High Priest at the same time. Presumably this usage has a general meaning, the most important Priests.
  
  9 - Josephus does use the word in the genitive one time to refer to a former High Priest that had just been removed (Ananias the younger).

Josephus

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[JoeWallack]

JW:
Continuing with Josephus:

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX CHAPTER 10

Perseus

1. AND now I think it proper and agreeable to this history to give an account of our [1]high priests; how they began, who those are which are capable of that dignity, and how many of them there had been at the end of the war. In the first place, therefore, history informs us that Aaron, the brother of Moses, officiated to God as a [2]high priest, and that, after his death, his sons succeeded him immediately; and that this dignity hath been continued down from them all to their posterity. Whence it is a custom of our country, that no one should take the [3]high priesthood of God but he who is of the blood of Aaron, while every one that is of another stock, though he were a king, can never obtain that [4]high priesthood. Accordingly, the number of all the [5]high priests from Aaron, of whom we have spoken already, as of the first of them, until Phanas, who was made [6]high priest during the war by the seditious, was eighty-three; of whom thirteen officiated as [7]high priests in the wilderness, from the days of Moses, while the tabernacle was standing, until the people came into Judea, when king Solomon erected the temple to God; for at the first they held the [8]high priesthood till the end of their life, [9]although afterward they had successors while they were alive. Now these thirteen, who were the descendants of two of the sons of Aaron, received this dignity by succession, one after another; for their form of government was an aristocracy, and after that a monarchy, and in the third place the government was regal Now the number of years during the rule of these thirteen, from the day when our fathers departed out of Egypt, under Moses their leader, until the building of that temple which king Solomon erected at Jerusalem, were six hundred and twelve.

[1]high priests = ἀρχιερέων. Plural masculine genitive. Holders of the office of High Priest.

[2]high priest = ἀρχιερατεῦσαι. Singular verb. Acted as High Priest.

[3]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνην. Singular feminine noun. Office of the High Priest.

[4]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνης. Singular feminine genitive. Office of the High Priest.

[5]high priests = The word is implied

[6]high priest = ἀρχιερέως. Singular masculine. The High Priest.

[7]high priests = The word is implied

[8]high priesthood = ἀρχιεράτευσαν. Verb plural. Acted as High Priest

[9]although afterward they had successors while they were alive. Josephus makes explicit that post wandering the High Priest appointment was not for life (one of many attempted defenses here is that the Jews considered the appointment for life).

So per Josephus:

• 1 - There was only one official High Priest at a time.
  
  2 - Josephus would only refer to "The Priesthood" of one High Priest at a time. He makes explicit that High Priest appointments in 1st century Israel were not for life.
  
  3 - Josephus regarded the related Roman appointments as authoritative.
  
  4 - Josephus could use the title "High Priest" of a former High Priest for identification purposes.
  
  5 - Josephus explicitly identifies Ananus, the elder, as a former High Priest. He does though twice use the genitive form to refer to Ananus after he had been removed.
  
  6 - There was special clothing only for the one High Priest.
  
  7 - There was a thought in Ananus' family that once you were removed as High Priest you were unworthy to be reappointed.
  
  8 - Josephus does use the offending word to refer to the plural of High Priest at the same time. Presumably this usage has a general meaning, the most important Priests.
  
  9 - Josephus does use the word in the genitive one time to refer to a former High Priest that had just been removed (Ananias the younger).

Josephus

ErrancyWiki

[JoeWallack]

JW:
Continuing with Josephus:

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX CHAPTER 10

Perseus

1...After those thirteen [1]high priests, eighteen took the [2]high priesthood at Jerusalem, one m succession to another, from the days of king Solomon, until Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made an expedition against that city, and burnt the temple, and removed our nation into Babylon, and then took Josadek, the [3]high priest, captive; the times of these [4]high priests were four hundred and sixty-six years, six months, and ten days, while the Jews were still under the regal government. But after the term of seventy years' captivity under the Babylonians, Cyrus, king of Persia, sent the Jews from Babylon to their own land again, and gave them leave to rebuild their temple; at which time Jesus, the son of Josadek, took the [5]high priesthood over the captives when they were returned home. Now he and his posterity, who were in all fifteen, until king Antiochus Eupator, were under a democratical government for four hundred and fourteen years;

[1]high priests = ἀρχιερέας. Plural masculine. High Priests.

[2]high priesthood = ἀρχιερατεῦσαι. Singular feminine. High Priesthood.

[3]High Priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. The High Priest.

[4]High Priests = ἱερωσύνης. Singular feminine genitive. Priestly office.

[5]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνην. Singular feminine. High Priesthood.


So per Josephus:

• 1 - There was only one official High Priest at a time.
  
  2 - Josephus would only refer to "The Priesthood" of one High Priest at a time. He makes explicit that High Priest appointments in 1st century Israel were not for life.
  
  3 - Josephus regarded the related Roman appointments as authoritative.
  
  4 - Josephus could use the title "High Priest" of a former High Priest for identification purposes.
  
  5 - Josephus explicitly identifies Ananus, the elder, as a former High Priest. He does though twice use the genitive form to refer to Ananus after he had been removed.
  
  6 - There was special clothing only for the one High Priest.
  
  7 - There was a thought in Ananus' family that once you were removed as High Priest you were unworthy to be reappointed.
  
  8 - Josephus does use the offending word to refer to the plural of High Priest at the same time. Presumably this usage has a general meaning, the most important Priests.
  
  9 - Josephus does use the word in the genitive one time to refer to a former High Priest that had just been removed (Ananias the younger).

Josephus

ErrancyWiki

[JoeWallack]

JW:
Continuing with Josephus:

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX CHAPTER 10

Perseus

1...and then the forementioned Antiochus, and Lysias the general of his army, deprived Onias, who was also called Menelaus, of the [1]high priesthood, and slew him at Berea; and driving away the son [of Onias the third], put Jaeimus into the place of the [2]high priest, one that was indeed of the stock of Aaron, but not of that family of Onias. On which account Onias, who was the nephew of Onias that was dead, and bore the same name with his father, came into Egypt, and got into the friendship of Ptolemy Philometor, and Cleopatra his wife, and persuaded them to make him the [3]high priest of that temple which he built to God in the prefecture of Heliopolis, and this in imitation of that at Jerusalem; but as for that temple which was built in Egypt, we have spoken of it frequently already. Now when Jacimus had retained the [4]priesthood three years, he died, and there was no one that succeeded him, but the city continued seven years without a [5]high priest. But then the posterity of the sons of Asamoneus, who had the government of the nation conferred upon them, when they had beaten the Macedonians in war, appointed Jonathan to be their [6]high priest, who ruled over them seven years. And when he had been slain by the treacherous contrivance of Trypho, as we have related some where, Simon his brother took the [7]high priesthood;

[1]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνης. Noun feminine genitive. High priesthood.

[2]high priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. High Priest.

[3]high Priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. High Priest. Note that this is High Priest of a Temple in Egypt.

[4]priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνην. Noun singular feminine. Priesthood.

[5]high priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. High Priest.

[6]high priest = ἀρχιερέα. Singular masculine. High Priest.

[7]high priesthood = ἀρχιερωσύνην. Noun singular feminine. Priesthood.

So per Josephus:

• 1 - There was only one official High Priest at a time for the Jerusalem Temple. Josephus does use the offending word for the High priest of an imitation Temple in Egypt.
  
  2 - Josephus would only refer to "The Priesthood" of one High Priest at a time. He makes explicit that High Priest appointments in 1st century Israel were not for life.
  
  3 - Josephus regarded the related Roman appointments as authoritative.
  
  4 - Josephus could use the title "High Priest" of a former High Priest for identification purposes.
  
  5 - Josephus explicitly identifies Ananus, the elder, as a former High Priest. He does though twice use the genitive form to refer to Ananus after he had been removed.
  
  6 - There was special clothing only for the one High Priest.
  
  7 - There was a thought in Ananus' family that once you were removed as High Priest you were unworthy to be reappointed.
  
  8 - Josephus does use the offending word to refer to the plural of High Priest at the same time. Presumably this usage has a general meaning, the most important Priests.
  
  9 - Josephus does use the word in the genitive one time to refer to a former High Priest that had just been removed (Ananias the younger).

Josephus

ErrancyWiki