"King Paul"

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Secret Alias
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Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

"King Paul"

Post by Secret Alias »

People always ask me - why did you publish so many half-baked ideas on your blog? In this forum? The answer is so that I can attract readers who forward me information like this article:

https://www.academia.edu/304358/_Sayf_i ... 08_164-202

The accompanying email:
I'll try to be brief. I've been following your blog ever since I read Real Messiah. You have a great command of sources, many of which I may have never encountered otherwise. Now and then I've wanted to contribute some observation only to discover that you've already covered the subject. I did a search before starting this e-mail so hopefully I'm not pointing to something you've already seen.

I found this essay by Sean Anthony, an assistant professor at Ohio State, about an early Islamic tradition concerning the corruption of Christianity by Paul. I've encountered the general polemic before, but this account -- perhaps incidentally -- touches on themes similar to what's covered by your blog. If nothing else it picks up on the apparent incongruities of the Saul of Tarsus figure. The identification of Paul as a Jewish King and crediting him with anti-zealot sentiment is particularly striking. Rather than summarize, I'll just link to the essay. I'd recommend reading it as if it were a proto-Orthodox Christian polemic against Agrippa rather than an 8th century Islamic one
When I started out in this racket my sense was always - too few people engaged in a 'macrocosmic' (i.e. 'big picture') view of Christianity. Thirty years later I've come to see that as a naive criticism. But nevertheless there is something refreshing and bold about youthful naivete.

At the very least the Islamic tradition captures another interpretation of the 'Paul as persecutor' motif.
Last edited by Secret Alias on Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul" in the Early Islamic Tradition

Post by Secret Alias »

I actually think this tradition is closer to the historical truth than Acts. More on that in a moment. I have first attempted to isolate and transcribe Anthony's original translation
§0. Isnad, or chain of transmitters
§1.Ascension of Jesus, spread of Christianity persecution and flight of the Christians
§2.Distress of the Jews on account of the Christians; scheming of KingPaul
§3.Conversion of Paul
§4.Corruption of the Christians by Paul
§5. Origins of the four factions of Christianity
§6.Faithfulness of the Believer
§7.Fate of the Christians and the Believer’s faction
§8.Qur'nic epilogueThe account runs in its entirety as follow:

§0.Ibn Abbas -> Yazid al-Faq'asi -> Atiya -> Sayf -> Sˇuayb -> al-Sari said that:

§1.He (i.e. Ibn Abbas) said, “Isa/Jesus– upon him peace– pro-claimed the Gospel (da'a) to the Israelites and whomsoever God willed believed in his message. So after God Most High had raised him, the people delighted in his speech. His companions reached seven hundred among the people of the temple (ahl al-bayt).”

Then he continued, “Paul (his tecnonym was [kana yukna] Abu Saul)38 being the king in those days killed the Christians, so they fled. Thenhe rode in their tracks until he reached the narrow passes (of the mountains).39 Thus, they had bested him (fa-rakiba fi atarihim hatta intaha ila l-durubi fa-a'qazuhu).

§2.“Paul told them (i.e., the Jews): ‘Indeed, their message is appeal-ing, and they have gone to your enemy. They are still acting as thebenefactors of the Christians. Soon, they will come riding againstyou with the aid of your enemies unless you pay heed to what I am about to say to you.’ They said, ‘Yes, [we will]!’ He said, ‘You are mypartners in the good and the bad. I am as one of you.’ ‘Yes!’ they said.

§3.„So, he left his kingdom (mulk) and wore their clothes.40 Then he pursued them with the intent to lead them astray (li-yu d'illahum) until he reached their army (askarihim). They took him saying,‘Praise be to God who has humbled you and taken your power fromyou!’ Paul replied, ‘Lead me to your leaders, for my folly has not become [so great] that I come without a sign/proof (lam yablug min humqi an atikum illa wa-ma'iburhan).’ Then they led him to their leaders, whereupon they said: ‘What do you have [to say] (mah)?’ He answered, ‘Jesus found me while I was departing from you and took from me my hearing, my sight, and my reason (aqli). I neither heard nor saw nor reasoned. Soon after, he healed me (kas'afa'anni), and, by God, I gave an oath to join your cause, to dedicate my life to you, andto teach you the Torah and its laws (al-tawra wa-ahkamaha).’41 Andthey believed that he spoke the truth

§4.“Paul said: “Build for me a hermitage/temple (bayt)42 and furnish it with ashes,’ and they furnished it with ashes.43 Paul dedicated him-self to the worship of God therein and taught them whatsoever Godwilled. Afterwards, he locked himself away from them, and they circumambulated the hermitage/temple (fa-atafubihi). They said: ‘We fear that he saw something displeasing and shunned it.’ After a day, he opened it, and they said: ‘Have you seen anything displeasing?’ ‘No!’he said, ‘Rather I have an opinion (ra'aytu rayan ) that I present to you. If it is correct (sawab) then adopt it, but if it is erroneous (hata) then dissuade me from it.’ ‘Let us hear it,’ they said. Paul said: ‘Haveyou ever seen a flock grazing except it be with its shepherd (inda rabbiha)?’ ‘No!’ they said. He continued, ‘I have seen the night and morning, the sun and moon and heavenly constellations44 coming from this direction, and that direction was none other than the direction most deserving to pray towards.’ ‘You speak the truth,’ they said.Thus, he caused them to abandon their direction of prayer (fa-radda-human qiblatihim). After that, he locked himself away for two days,and the Christians were fearful even more than the first time and circumambulated the hermitage/temple (wa-atafu bihi). When heopened it, they spoke as they did the first time, and he said the same.‘Give us what you have,’ they said. Paul said: ‘Do you not claim that aman, if he gives a present to a man and honors him only to have thisman spurn him, that he will be hurt? God has subjected to you what ison the land and has created for your sake what is in the sky and hashonored you with it. Indeed, none is more worthy than God so that one does not reject what he has honored. So how is it that some things are licit [to eat] and others illicit (fa-ma balu ba'di l-asya halal un wa-ba diha haram un)? Everything from the beetle to the elephant is licit (halal).’45 They said, ‘He speaks the truth.’ This is the second. Thenafter that, he locked himself away a third time, and they were even more fearful than the second time, and they circumambulated the hermitage/temple (wa-a tafu bihi). When it had been opened by him,they spoke as before and so he did likewise. They said, ‘Give us whatyou have.’ Paul said, ‘I think (ara) that no one ought to be harmed andno one recompensed, so whoever does evil to you, do not give him what he deserves. If one slaps his cheek, let him turn to him the other, and if he takes some of his clothing, let him give him the rest of it.’46 They accepted this and abandoned warfare (qabilu üa lika wa-tarak u l-qihad).

§5.“After this, he locked himself away longer than before. The Chris-tians were more fearful than they had ever been before and circled the hermitage/temple (wa-a tafu bihi) until he opened it. They spoke to him as they had before, and he spoke to them as he had before. They said, ‘Give us what you have.’ He said: ‘Take the people of the temple away from me (ahriqu anni ahla l-bayti), so that no one remains save Yaqub (i.e., Jacob/James), Nastur, Malkun, and the Believer (al-mu'min).’47
They did so, and he said, ‘Have you ever known of any human being who has created from clay a creature and breathed in to it causing it to become a breathing thing?’ ‘No!’ they said. He said,‘Have you ever known of any human being who has healed the blind and the leprous and who has quickened the dead?’ ‘No!’ they said. He said, ‘Have you ever known of any human being who used to tell people what they ate and stored away in their houses?’48 ‘No!’ they said. He said, ‘Indeed, I claim that God Most High appeared to us and then concealed himself!’ So, some of them said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ One said, ‘He is Allah, and Jesus is His Son.” Another said,“No, rather he is the third of three (wa-la kinnahu tali tu tala tatin):49 Jesus the Son, his Father, and his Mother!”50

§6.“The Believer was horrified and said: ‘May God curse you all!What a catastrophe! No, by God, he has attempted nothing other than your corruption! We are amazed at what we accepted from him when we are the companions of Jesus– not him! We accepted Jesus,heeded him, and obeyed him! What a catastrophe! He attempted no-thing other than leading you astray and corrupting you (ma hawala illa dalalatakum wa-fasa dakum)!’ And, he cursed Paul, repented, and sought God’s forgiveness. He turned away from what Paul had taughtthem. He turned to his companions (wa-aqbala-ala ashabihi) warningthem. He feared that they would follow Paul. So, the Believer said,‘Go out to … [blank in MS]51 and manage your affairs among them(qumu fihim bi-amrikum), for I see them only splitting into factions as you have done.’§7.“They went out and managed their affairs as they believed (bi-mitli ma ra'aw). A group of people followed each person from among them (atba'a kulla insan in minhum qawm un). The Believer had the smallest following, so the three returned to Paul and informed him. He told them, ‘Overtake the Believer and his companions, then kill them lest they prove to be your undoing.’ They went out to their companions and headed after the Believer. So said the Believer, “How miserable you are! Hasn’t his wretchedness and mendacity been clear to you? Did he not forbid you to harm anyone or to ride against them?Has he not changed his message to all of you?” Thus, they warred against them and overtook them. The Believer and his companions (ashabuhu) headed out towards Syria (al-Sam). Soon the Jews captured them, whereupon they informed them of the news. The Christians said, “We have fled to you in order to find security in your country. We have no need for anything in this world. We shall live in caves, on mountain peaks, and hermitages (al-sawami') roaming about the countryside. The Jews left them alone, and these Christians comprised the remnant (al-baqiya).§8.“The Christians took to living in hermitages (al-sawami') and caves and wandered about. They were forced into innovation (wa-ud-turu ila l-bid'a). And this is the Word of the Most High: ‘but the mon-asticism which they invented for themselves (wa-rahbani yatun ibta-da' uha), We did not prescribe it for them rather only to seek to please God and that they guard that with which they were entrusted’(Q. 57.27)– namely, monotheism (al-tawhid). They also disagreed overit except one faction among them ‘and We supported those who be-lieved’ among them and they are ‘over their enemies.’ Among those from the Believer’s faction and others, ‘they became the ones that prevailed’ (Q. 61.14) by the revelation and the appearance of Muhammad(bi-l-huqqa wa-huruq Muhammad), blessing and peace upon him.Some of those fleeing believers (al-u'minin) fled to the Hiqaz, and the Prophet converted from them 30 monks who believed his message.52 And the like of Paul in this community (umma) is Ibn Saba.”53
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul" in the Early Islamic Tradition

Post by Secret Alias »

Let's start with one thing the tradition explains which I never understood about the early church - the letters of Paul. If Paul was really constantly traveling (as is claimed in Acts) why would his letters have formed a canon)? One would have expected instead a series of lectures (as with Origen or other early figures). A canonical collection of letters only make sense if the individual in question can't travel or isn't expected to appear soon.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul" in the Early Islamic Tradition

Post by Secret Alias »

And of course my correspondent knows how my instincts would have approached this evidence (if I had known about it five years ago) - viz. the strange juxtaposition in Chapter 26 of Acts:
How striking is the contrast, in this chapter, between the honour which men receive of one another and that honour which cometh from God only. We find Paul here, a friendless prisoner, with no man to care or plead for him. We find Festus and Agrippa drest in their little brief authority,' and lording it in all the pride of rank and wealth. Yet Paul was a king and a priest unto God, the Lord of all, while they were 'scorned 'by him who 'sits in the heaven.' [https://books.google.com/books?id=gb0PA ... 22&f=false]
Paul before Agrippa generally points the moral of a lesson addressed to the almost decided. Doubtless, all this is true, but it is not all the truth. There are more things in these pages of biography than are dreamt of by the retailers of currently accepted teachings ... Paul had now before him one whose moral responsibility was greater than that of Festus, and to whose conscience a direct path was open through the remembrance of early religious impressions. Thus turning to him abruptly, after the brief dialogue with Festus, he exclaimed, " King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ? I know that thou believest."

Here it is that Agrippa uttered the words which are popularly understood as an acknowledgment that, under the pressure of this appeal, he was " almost persuaded to become a Christian " ; and it is with reluctance that we deviate from this interpretation, remembering how often it has been used to point a most serious moral. But we really gain more than we lose by the correct translation, which may be given thus on the highest authority: "What? In so short a space, and on so slight a summons to
become a Christian to forfeit perhaps fortune and rank, and to become the brother and the fellow of an outcast like thee to part with all, as the result of listening, in a casual visit, to a poor prisoner s self-defence such changes are not for me ! " It was a scornful retort, either uttered to disguise his real feelings, or the true expression of a cold heart ; and derisive smiles from Festus and Bernice very probably accompanied the words.

The substance of the Apostle s reply, intensely earnest, but tenderly delicate, may be given on the same authority. " Well be it sooner or later ; be it on the sudden or on long reflection ; be it by my brief words, or by any other process which God may see fit in His wisdom and in His mercy to employ ; my heart s desire and prayer is that thou, with all that hear me, mightest become such as I am, except these bonds." What a royal courtesy, what a commanding dignity, is in these memorable words ! The true king here was the manacled and suffering prisoner, not the monarch seated in state by the side of the Emperor s representative and surrounded by all the pomp of office. [Hastings, the Dictionary of the Gospel p. 362 -3]
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul" in the Early Islamic Tradition

Post by Secret Alias »

And perhaps most important of all, most people ignore the obvious implications of the Marcionite belief that that Paul sat on the right hand of God (Comm. on Luke 25). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_of_Christ The point of course is that if the Marcionites believed that Paul was enthroned they also necessarily took him to be a king.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul" in the Early Islamic Tradition

Post by Secret Alias »

And then we arrive at the ultimate difficulty. Rome was originally 'the see of Peter and Paul.' How then was there just one throne? Clearly there had to have been two thrones (presumably for two churches). We hear of 'the throne of Peter and Paul' but never 'the thrones of Peter and Paul' even though the Marcionites clearly interpreted there to be two thrones on the right and left of God/Jesus. There is no easy way out of this dilemma other than to assume (as I do) that the image of an enthroned Paul was specifically Marcionite.

While we have learned to envision 'enthronement' in a manner which doesn't presume royalty, is that merely because our tradition is a fake copy of something else?
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul"

Post by Secret Alias »

I think I may have come up with a novel explanation for the title (remember even in the Catholic tradition it isn't the apostle's birth name and is never fully explained in Acts) 'Paulos.' The Islamic tradition of Ibn Abbas (8th century) has the apostle as a 'king' and a 'general' whose persecution of the Church was very violent. In his study Anthony ignores the most important ancient witness - the story in the Clementines about Paul as a violent 'warrior'
[The preceding chapters describe a debate in Jerusalem between the apostles and the leaders of each of the Jewish sects.] * * *And when matters were at that point that they should come and be baptized, some one of our enemies,20 entering the temple with a few men, began to cry out, and to say, What mean ye, O men of Israel? Why are you so easily hurried on? Why are ye led headlong by most miserable men, who are deceived by a magician?' While he was thus speaking, and adding more to the same effect, and while James the bishop was refuting him, he began to excite the people and to raise a tumult, so that the people might not be able to hear what was said. Therefore he began to drive all into confusion with shouting, and to undo what had been arranged with much labour, and at the same time to reproach the priests, and to enrage them with revilings and abuse, and like a madman, to excite every one to murder, saying, 'What do ye? Why do ye hesitate? Oh, sluggish and inert, why do we not lay hands upon them, and pull all these fellows to pieces?' When he had said this, he first, seizing a strong brand from the altar, set the example of smiting. Then others also, seeing him, were carried away with like madness. Then ensued a tumult on either side, of the beating and the beaten. Much blood is shed; there is a confused flight, in the midst of which that enemy attacked James, and threw him headlong from the top of the steps; and supposing him to be dead, he cared not to inflict further violence upon him.

“But our friends lifted him up, for they were both more numerous and more powerful than the others; but, from their fear of Elohim, they rather suffered themselves to be killed by an inferior force, than they would kill others. But when the evening came the priests shut up the temple, and we returned to the house of James, and spent the night there in prayer. Then before daylight we went down to Jericho, to the number of 5000 men. Then after three days one of the brethren came to us from Gamaliel, whom we mentioned before, bringing to us secret tidings that that enemy had received a commission from Caiaphas, the chief priest, that he should arrest all who believed in Jesus, and should go to Damascus with his letters, and that there also, employing the help of the unbelievers, he should make havoc among the faithful; and that he was hastening to Damascus chiefly on this account, because he believed that Peter had fled thither. And about thirty days thereafter he stopped on his way while passing through Jericho going to Damascus. At that time we were absent, having gone out to the sepulchers of two brethren which were whitened of themselves every year, by which miracle the fury of many against us was restrained, because they saw that our brethren were had in remembrance before God.”
A marginal note in one of the manuscripts identifies the 'enemy' as Saul and the beginning of the Letter of James to Peter confirms that. But what is so interesting in my mind is the parallel with the Aramaic Targums and the use of the transformed word πολέμαρχος 'general' or 'king.' In proper Greek:
πολέμαρχ-ος , ὁ,
A.chieftain, war-lord, Κνωσίων, Ἀχαιῶν, B. 16.39, A Ch.1072 (anap.), cf.Th.828 (anap.).
II. the title of high officers in several Greek states:
1. at Athens, the third archon, Hdt.6.109, Ar.V.1042, IG12.16.10,49.7, al.; ὠφληκέναι παρὰ τῷ π. in his court, Lys.23.3; at Sparta, a military commander, Hdt.7.173, Th.5.66, X.HG4.4.7,4.5.7, etc.; at Thebes, officers of chief rank after the Boeotarchs, supreme in affairs of war, ib.5.4.2 sqq., Michel 232 (ii B.C., found in Crete), etc.; at Orchomenos, IG7.3175.5, etc.; at Mantinea, Th.5.47; in Arcadia, Plb.4.18.2; “π. ἐπιμήνιος” SIG402.1 (Chois, iii B.C.).
2. simply, chief, leader, “συνεφήβων” IG22.2055.
But in Jewish Aramaic the term is used for just the type of figure Paul is described as in the Clementine literature. For instance it is used in the Targums to denote the 400 men who accompany Esau against Jacob in Genesis 32:7:
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: 'We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.'

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ, הַמַּלְאָכִים, אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, לֵאמֹר: בָּאנוּ אֶל-אָחִיךָ, אֶל-עֵשָׂו, וְגַם הֹלֵךְ לִקְרָאתְךָ, וְאַרְבַּע-מֵאוֹת אִישׁ עִמּוֹ
In the Targums the '400 men' are described as 'פולמוסין' the plural of פולומרכא = πολέμαρχος
Pseudo Jonathan:
ותבו עזגדיא לות יעקב למימר אתינא לות אחוך לעשו ואוף אתי לקדמותך וארבע מאה גוברין פולומרכין עימיה

Neofiti:
וחזרו מלל{{ה}}יה לוות יעקב למימר מטינן״אתינן#2#״ לוות אחוך לוות עשו והא הוא אתא לקדמותך וארבע מאה דגברין פולמרכין״פולמוסין״ עמה׃

FTP Gn
איש עמוְ פולימרכין עימיה
The same terminology is used to describe Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) in the Targum. In the Hebrew:
And there went out a champion from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

וַיֵּצֵא אִישׁ-הַבֵּנַיִם מִמַּחֲנוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים, גָּלְיָת שְׁמוֹ מִגַּת: גָּבְהוֹ, שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת וָזָרֶת
In the Targum:
ונפק גברא פולומרכא דאיתיליד מביני תרתי גניסן מן שמשון דהוה מן שיבט דן ומן ערפה דהות מן בני מואב גלית שמיה׃
What is so interesting though is that פולומרכא could well break down into the two names of the Christian convert who, in the heretical tradition, expanded upon SImon Peter's original gospel. פולומרכא

Paulos = פולו

Syriac ܦܘܠܘܣ = Pwlws

Markos = מרכא

Let's look at the name Paul for a moment in Aramaic:

pwlwsˀyt = 'Pauline'

pwlynysˀ = to be a Paulianist

ܦܘܠܝܢܝܢܐ = Paulianist (to be a follower of Paul of Samosata

Could the name 'Paul' have simply have emerged as a corruption of the original Aramaic terminology used in the Clementine literature for the (anonymous) enemy of the Christians?

Under this scenario both 'Paul' and 'Mark' are corruptions of the original 'general' or 'warrior' or 'king' who persecuted the early Church and then came to be a Christian = Agrippa (who is often described as 'general Agrippa' in the rabbinic literature.
Last edited by Secret Alias on Wed Jul 01, 2015 7:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul"

Post by Secret Alias »

I think this is the key to developing an alternative explanation to the inherited assumptions about 'Paul' and 'Mark.' Too bad I hadn't known about this when I wrote my shitty book.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul"

Post by Secret Alias »

From the Wikepedia article on Polemarch

A polemarch (/ˈpɔːləˌmɑrk/, from Ancient Greek: πολέμαρχος, polemarchos) was a senior military title in various ancient Greek city states (poleis). The title is composed out of the polemos (war) and archon (ruler/leader) and translates as "warleader" or "warlord", one of the nine archontes (ἄρχοντες) appointed annually in Athens. The name indicates that the polemarchos' original function was to command the army; presumably the office was created to take over this function from the king. Eventually military command was transferred to the strategoi (στρατηγοί), but the date and stages of the transfer are not clear. At Marathon in 490 BC the strategoi debated and voted on strategy, but Callimachus [1] the polemarch had a casting vote, and he was the leader;[2] it is disputed whether that means he was the real, or merely the titular commander-in-chief. Certainly the polemarchos no longer had military authority after 487/486 BC, when archontes were appointed by lot and it could not be expected that every polemarch would make a competent commander.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: "King Paul"

Post by Secret Alias »

This is implicitly Marcionite:
Paul said, ‘I think (ara) that no one ought to be harmed andno one recompensed, so whoever does evil to you, do not give him what he deserves. If one slaps his cheek, let him turn to him the other, and if he takes some of his clothing, let him give him the rest of it.’46 They accepted this and abandoned warfare (qabilu üa lika wa-tarak u l-qihad).
And the fact that it is Platonic (and identified as such by Celsus) makes the connection with Agrippa even stronger who is called 'a great philosopher' by the author of Against Apion. The whole context here better suits the Jewish War than the presumed time of the ministry of Paul.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
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