Philo, Pilate, Tiberius and the Gospel of John
Many are the arguments over the four New Testament gospels. The gospel of Mark is viewed by many as the first gospel of the New Testament canon, while others prefer the gospel of Matthew as being earlier. The debate over the gospels of Luke and Marcion is a constant source of debate. And the gospel of John - a gospel that got tagged on at the end of the canon almost as an afterthought and not in the same ball park as the three synoptic gospels. But what if, rather than being last, the gospel of John actually proceeded the three synoptic gospels ? I think there is a way to demonstrate that it is earlier than the synoptic gospels.
The argument that follows does not deal with Greek words or specific Jesus story details. It is based on the one story that all the gospels uphold, the one constant through all the various storytelling. The story of a Jesus crucified under Pilate in the time of Tiberius. The earliest literary reference to Pilate is in Philo’s work The Embassy to Gaius. In that work, within a story about Agrippa, Philo puts words into the mouth of Agrippa that connect Pilate to the time of Tiberius. (14 – 37 c.e. ) No specific dating for Pilate is given. It is not until the Josephan Antiquities (94/95 c.e.) that detailed dating is given for Pilate, albeit ambiguous dating. That is a time gap of 45 or more years from the death of Philo. (believed to be around 49/50 c.e.) During those 45 or more years, writers of a Jesus and Pilate crucifixion story could place their story anywhere within those 23 years of Tiberius.
The gospel of Matthew provides a birth narrative in the time of King Herod. Luke’s gospel has a birth narrative in the time of Quirinus. Mark gives no chronological marker apart from Pilate. Although the gospel of John has no birth narrative it does supply a chronological marker. Its Jesus figure is ‘not yet 50 years old’. 49 is not yet 50. 49 is a multiplication of the number 7. (7 x 7) The gospel of John has demonstrated not only an interest in Philo’s Logos it has, by its interest in the number 7, shown it is aware that Philo has linked this number to the Logos.
The gospel of John opens with a Word/Logos story.
John.1
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
[14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Philo’s Logos story.
‘’Genesis 2:4 (LXX) provides Philo with further motifs to discuss the role of the Logos: “This is the book of the creation of heaven and earth, when it came into being” (LXX Gen 2:4).31 This refers to the perfect Logos, which moves according to the number seven and is the beginning of the creation both of the mind ordering itself according to the Ideas and of mental sense perception, if it is possible to say so, which also orders itself according to the Ideas. [Moses] calls “book” the divine Logos, in which are inscribed and engraved the structures of other things. In order that you may not suppose that the deity creates something according to definite periods of time, but may understand that the creation is beyond human perception, definition, and comprehension, he adds “when it came into being,” not defining time by a concrete figure. (All. 1.19–20)
Philo explores here the multiple meanings of the word “Logos,” which range from “word” and “book” to “rationality.” He identifies the biblical motif of a book as a reference to a superior Logos, which provides a rational structure to the world and is connected to the Platonic Ideas. While the latter are taken for granted, Philo self-consciously offers new ideas about the Logos. He is highly aware of the fact that his readers may be surprised, wondering himself whether “it is possible to say so.” The Logos is described in terms of the Pythagorean theory of numbers and then credited with a special role in the creation. Philo regards it as “the beginning” or source of the creation, suggesting an ideal creation that is not governed by such material qualities as time. Relying on Platonic and Pythagorean notions, Philo introduces radically new conceptions. Within the Platonic tradition he argues for the first time that the Ideas are not eternal but have been created by God. Within the Jewish tradition he is the first to suggest that the creation of the world has been anticipated by an ideal creation brought about by the Logos.
……..
For him it is clear that God must have initiated the creation of the Ideas via the Logos. “By his own supremely manifest and far-shining Logos,” he explains, “God creates both the Idea of the mind, which he [Moses] symbolically calls ‘heaven,’ and the Idea of sense perception, which he figuratively calls ‘earth’” (All. 1.21).
Niehoff, Maren R.. Philo of Alexandria: An Intellectual Biography (The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library) (pp. 219-220). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
Philo explores here the multiple meanings of the word “Logos,” which range from “word” and “book” to “rationality.” He identifies the biblical motif of a book as a reference to a superior Logos, which provides a rational structure to the world and is connected to the Platonic Ideas. While the latter are taken for granted, Philo self-consciously offers new ideas about the Logos. He is highly aware of the fact that his readers may be surprised, wondering himself whether “it is possible to say so.” The Logos is described in terms of the Pythagorean theory of numbers and then credited with a special role in the creation. Philo regards it as “the beginning” or source of the creation, suggesting an ideal creation that is not governed by such material qualities as time. Relying on Platonic and Pythagorean notions, Philo introduces radically new conceptions. Within the Platonic tradition he argues for the first time that the Ideas are not eternal but have been created by God. Within the Jewish tradition he is the first to suggest that the creation of the world has been anticipated by an ideal creation brought about by the Logos.
……..
For him it is clear that God must have initiated the creation of the Ideas via the Logos. “By his own supremely manifest and far-shining Logos,” he explains, “God creates both the Idea of the mind, which he [Moses] symbolically calls ‘heaven,’ and the Idea of sense perception, which he figuratively calls ‘earth’” (All. 1.21).
Niehoff, Maren R.. Philo of Alexandria: An Intellectual Biography (The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library) (pp. 219-220). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
Philo’a story utilizes the number 7 in regard to the movement of the Logos. John’s gospel has the Jews saying its Jesus figure is ‘not yet 50’. John’s 49 year time period is undetermined.
If gJohn’s ‘not yet 50’ is to have relevance to a birth narrative that birth narrative would need to be dated prior to the death Tiberius in 37 c.e. - thereby placing a birth narrative in the time of King Herod. Keeping in mind Philo’s observation that the Logos moves according to the number seven - various dates, or time periods, for applying the 49 years are possible. After all, says Philo, ‘’the perfect Logos, which moves according to the number seven’’, suggests that time moves on even for symbolic numbers. Replay, not confinement to one specific time period, being the order of play. That is the approach used in the following argument. An approach that places the gospel of John as the master copy of the Jesus and Pilate crucifixion story. So - follow the numbers - or as that old saying advises - follow the money…….
(Use of the names John, Matthew, Luke and Mark in connection with the Gospels is simply to identify the writings and is in no way to ascribe historicity. This material is written from the perspective that the gospel figure of Jesus is a literary, not a historical figure.)
The Slavonic Josephus and The Acts of Pilate.
The Slavonic Josephus contains fragments of a story dealing with the birth of an anointed one; astronomers are searching for the child after following a star, King Herod has young children killed in Bethlehem.
And immediately he sent forth heralds throughout
the whole land that all (of) the male sex born
from now and (back) to the third year are to be
honoured and to receive (a gift of)gold. (When)
enquiring whether any (male infant) had been born
without a father they were to pretend that (Herod)
would adopt him as his son and make him king.
And since they did not discover a single such
(infant), he gave orders to kill all
6 myriad and 3000 infants.
….
And the king’s rage prevailed.
Later, they rose and told him:”Listen to your
servants, so that the Most High
may favour you. It is written that the
Anointed One is (to be)born in Bethlehem.
Even if you have no mercy on your servants,
kill those infants of Bethlehem and let the
others go”. And he gave the order and they
killed all the infants of Bethlehem.”
In the fifteenth year of his reign
he (re)built the temple
and renovated its walls,
Enclosing double the ground
and spending wealth untold.
embellishing it with beauties ineffable.
Page 261 has the story of the wonder doer crucified under Pilate.
Josephus’ Jewish War and Its Slavonic Version: A Synoptic Comparison H. Leeming (editor) K. Leeming (editor) Page 181
the whole land that all (of) the male sex born
from now and (back) to the third year are to be
honoured and to receive (a gift of)gold. (When)
enquiring whether any (male infant) had been born
without a father they were to pretend that (Herod)
would adopt him as his son and make him king.
And since they did not discover a single such
(infant), he gave orders to kill all
6 myriad and 3000 infants.
….
And the king’s rage prevailed.
Later, they rose and told him:”Listen to your
servants, so that the Most High
may favour you. It is written that the
Anointed One is (to be)born in Bethlehem.
Even if you have no mercy on your servants,
kill those infants of Bethlehem and let the
others go”. And he gave the order and they
killed all the infants of Bethlehem.”
In the fifteenth year of his reign
he (re)built the temple
and renovated its walls,
Enclosing double the ground
and spending wealth untold.
embellishing it with beauties ineffable.
Page 261 has the story of the wonder doer crucified under Pilate.
Josephus’ Jewish War and Its Slavonic Version: A Synoptic Comparison H. Leeming (editor) K. Leeming (editor) Page 181
Why the 15th year of Herod ? One reason could be that the number seven was used to determine this date. The 15th year of King Herod (25 b.c.) is 490 years from 515 b.c (Daniel’s 70 weeks of years) That year being the completion of the Temple after the exile. The sixth year of Darius being 516 b.c. (Ezra 6:15)
Although the Slavonic Josephus does not give a date for the Jesus crucifixion story - it does indicate Pilate’s involvement. The first early date for a Jesus crucifixion story is in the Acts of Pilate (that controversial story that had Eusebius see red…..) The 7th year of Tiberius is 21 c.e. 49 years back from that date is 28 b.c. 3 years earlier than 25 b.c. - the Slavonic Josephus saying Herod killed the children under 3 years of age - hence an exact birth date not given.
Thus, so far, we have both the Slavonic Josephus birth narrative of an anointed one and the crucifixion story in Acts of Pilate using variations of Philo’s number 7 in their chronological scenarios.
The Gospel of Matthew and The Reconstructed Gospel of Marcoin
The fundamental premise of the chronological approach being followed in this OP is that all the Jesus/Pilate/Tiberius crucifixion stories - gospels - can be placed prior to the Josephan Antiquities with its ambiguous dating for Pilate.
The gospel of Matthew has no crucifixion date under Pilate and Tiberius. It’s birth narrative uses elements from the Slavonic Josephus story but moves its dating structure to late in the time of Herod. Its Jesus figure being a young child on returning to Judaea from Egypt in the time of Archelaus (4 b.c. to 6 c.e.) The latest possible date for a birth narrative that would allow for a 49 year period is 12 b.c. (49 years to the cut off year of 37 c.e.) Suggesting that the writer of this gospel had John’s formula in mind. This would make a child 8 years old when King Herod died but a young child during the 2 years, re Matthew’s gospel, of Herod’s killing the young children of Bethlehem.
The contribution of the gospel of Marcion to this movement of the number 7 is its use of the 15th year of Tiberius, 28/29 c.e. The Marcion gospel cannot move beyond 37 c.e. (end of the rule of Tiberius) but it can move backwards 7 years. 36 c.e. to 28/29e.c. The gospel of John has a three year ministry. Thus, the chronology of the gospel of Marcion allows for a crucifixion dating of around 32/33 c.e. (in the middle of the week, middle of the 7 year period prior to the death of Tiberius.) Interestingly, this dating is 490 years from the 7th year of Artaxerxes in 458 b.c. - when Ezra takes gold and silver to the Jerusalem temple.
(Whether or not Marcion was a historical figure or that this is just a name given to a specific writing of unknown origin does not impact upon the chronology contained within this gospel. Whatever are the Marcion stories recounted by ‘church fathers’ they do not remove this gospel from the overall gospel framework within which this gospel can be placed. Perhaps it was not so much Marcon’s gospel that made the ‘church father’s see red but the two gods theory plus his non-Jewish Jesus. A two gods theory problem that would not be settled until the triune god became Christian theology. Of interest regarding the two gods theory is this book:
Two Gods in Heaven: Jewish Concepts of God in Antiquity: Peter Schäfer (Author), Allison Brown (Translator))
The Gospel of Luke
Luke.1
[1] Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
[2] Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
[3] It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
John.1
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
[14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Philo:
This is the book of the creation of heaven and earth, when it came into being” (LXX Gen 2:4).31 This refers to the perfect Logos, which moves according to the number seven and is the beginning of the creation both of the mind ordering itself according to the Ideas and of mental sense perception, if it is possible to say so, which also orders itself according to the Ideas. (All. 1.19–20)
Luke’s gospel contains a number of contradictions. It’s birth narrative is set in 6 c.e (Quirinius) yet the story narrative goes on to have its Jesus figure around 30 years of age in the 15th year of Tiberius in 28/29 c.e. It has it’s John the Baptist figure born under Herod - yet goes on to say that it’s Jesus figure is just 3 months younger than John, hence also born under Herod. Scholars have debated the Luke problems: Attempting to harmonize Luke with Matthew, scholars have attempted to have Quirinius in Syria earlier than 6 c.e. Attempts have been made to date the death of Herod to 1 b.c. - applying Luke’s about 30 years of age back from the 15th year of Tiberius.
Taking Luke’s opening words as an indication of what he is doing - his gospel is an attempt to recap, to remind his readers of earlier Jesus/Pilate/Tiberius stories.
From the beginning, says Luke, ..’’from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;’’. In the beginning says John - ‘…..the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,’’). Philo: ‘’This refers to the perfect Logos, which moves according to the number seven and is the beginning of the creation..’’
From the beginning - suggests that the Lukan writer is presenting a recap, a recalling of the Jesus/Pilate/Tiberius stories that preceded his own story:
1) The gospel of John is being referenced in the introduction regarding the eyewitnesses of the ‘word’.
2) The John the Baptist figure was born in the time of Herod. The Jesus figure is 3 months younger. Indicating both figures born in the time of King Herod. An early birth narrative and a later birth narrative. The pregnancy involving Elizabeth and Mary being the link between the early and the late birth narratives that were set in the time of King Herod. The 28/25 birth narrative of Slavonic Josephus and the second birth narrative later in the time of Herod. Matthew’s addition of its Jesus figure being a young child in the time of Archelaus.
3) The Lukan birth narrative is placed around 6 c.e., in the time of Quirinius (6 c.e. to 12 c.e. governor of Syria). It is a birth narrative that takes Luke’s chronology, his use of the number 7, back 70 years to 63 b.c. - and the time of Pompey and the Hasmoneans.
4) The 15th year of Tiberius is a reference to the gospel attributed to Marcion. Luke’s addition to the list of rulers, Lysanias of Abilene, indicates that Luke is linking that time period to 40 b.c. - 70 years back from around 30 c.e. Lysanias had close family ties to the Hasmoneans.
5) Luke’s states that: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:’’. The ‘one to redeem Israel’ is found in the wonder doer story now in Slavonic Josephus - and, seemingly, in the gospel attributed to Marcion: ‘ But we supposed him to be the ransomer of Israel’’
Luke’s gospel not only does a recap of the previous Jesus/Pilate/Tiberius stories - it indicates that these stories have a historical relevance to the history of 63 b.c. and 40 b.c. In other words; Luke not only acknowledges the work of earlier writers of the Jesus and Pilate stories he also links the relevance of these stories to Hasmonean history.
The gospel of Mark
This gospel contains no birth or crucifixion dating. It’s setting is the same. It’s Jesus figure is crucified under Pilate in the time of Tiberius. (14 – 37 c.e. ) Apart from that context this gospel does not add anything to the silver thread suggested by Philo. i.e. the application of the number 7 to the years between 14 and 37 c.e. This gospel is nothing more than a pocket gospel; a gospel designed for a quick look, a basic summary of what has gone before. Designed in part to give no problems re birth or crucifixion narratives, no age for its Jesus figure; a please everyone gospel for those who are content with the basic Jesus and Pilate story. Handy of course for the mission to the gentiles.
A Number 7 gospel template
The material outlined above suggests that six gospels have followed the template set down by Philo for the Logos/Word. They have utilized the number seven in their design framework for their Jesus and Pilate stories. The seventh gospel, that of Mark, has not utilized the number seven in any specific dating. However, it is nevertheless indebted to the earlier gospels for its Jesus and Pilate story. - thereby acknowledging the place the number seven has played in those earlier Jesus and Pilate stories.
The gospel order:
1. The gospel of John
2. The nativity story now found in the Slavonic Josephus.
3. The crucifixion story, re Eusebius, found in the Acts of Pilate.
4. The gospel of Matthew.
5. The gospel attributed to Marcoin.
6. The gospel of Luke.
7. The gospel of Mark.
This is the order of Jesus and Pilate stories arrived at by following the seven years movement cycle that Philo attributes to the Logos/Word.
Josephus and Antiquities.
The connection between the Lukan writer and Josephus has often been remarked on. Luke’s Emmaus road story being viewed as indication of a connection to the Josephan TF. However, Luke does not need Josephus for this story about disciples, that they had ‘’trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel'’. This is part of the Slavonic Josephus wonder doer story: ‘’….they urged him that he should enter the city and cut down the Roman soldiers and Pilate and rule over us’’.
In the past I’ve often thought that without Antiquities the Lukan writer could not have his 6 c.e. (Quirinius) birth narrative - a narrative that requires a late date in the time of Tiberius for a crucifixion story. In other words, the thought was that, by making the dating of Pilate ambiguous, Josephus, in Antiquities, had enabled the Lukan writer to move away from the 7th year of Tiberius, Acts of Pilate, crucifixion story of 21 c.e. The dating of Pilate within a context of around 18/19 c.e. is now considered by some Josephan scholars as the date Pilate arrived in Judaea - a date that allows the Acts of Pilate story some support.
However, now, after considering the role of Philo regarding how the number 7 is involved in the movement of the Logos - and therefore, that the gospel of John’s ‘not yet 50 years’, can be applied to various gospel nativity and crucifixion stories within the 23 years of Tiberius, a different perspective is possible. The applications of John’s ‘not yet 50 years’ to these various gospel stories had no need to wait until Antiquities (94/95 c.e.) to place, to date, their Jesus stories under Pilate and Tiberius. The role of Josephus, in Antiquities, is therefore, not one of enabling the Lukan writer, but one of supporting, rubber stamping, Luke and all the previous gospel stories with his ambiguous dating of Pilate.
(The ambiguity regarding the dating of Pilate in Antiquities: The TF context is 19 c.e. and Pilate arriving in Judaea in 26 c.e. - a 7 years period. A 7 year period in which Acts of Pilate dates it’s crucifixion story, 21 c.e. One way to view the 3 year difference between 19 c.e and 21 c.e is to consider Daniel’s final 7 years (his 69th week) - the anointed one is cut off in the middle of the week. Interestingly, the gospel of John has it’s 3 year ministry prior to it’s crucifixion under Pilate crucifixion story. The one Passover of the other gospels - a 1 year ministry x 7. (Daniel and his final week of years).
Philo and Josephus
Both Philo and Josephus have, in their various ways, shown support for the gospel Jesus and Pilate story with their dating Pilate to the time of Tiberius. As can be observed from the above material, all six gospel stories - John, Slavonic Josephus, Acts of Pilate, Matthew, Marcoin, Luke - can all be viewed as being written prior to Antiquities in 94/95 c.e. Josephus provided the rubber stamp - supporting all six gospel stories to be dated during the 23 years of Tiberius. The gospel of Mark - the 7th gospel - has no dating structure re nativity or crucifixion. It most probably followed Luke. The Jesus story had been finalized with Luke’s recap or summing up gospel. Mark, having all the six Jesus stories before him was able to condense them all to a simple pocket gospel, a no offence gospel not standing on anyone’s sensitive toes.
It would be doubtful that Philo and Josephus worked on their own. More likely, as Thomas Brodie has suggested, a school or circle of writers would surround them. Scribes and editors, redactors and translators - the seven Jesus and Pilate gospels required a coordinated effort to keep the series updated with movements of that illusive number seven.
In conclusion: What is the point of it all ?
Philo ‘’…the perfect Logos, which moves according to the number seven and is the beginning of the creation both of the mind ordering itself according to the Ideas and of mental sense perception, if it is possible to say so, which also orders itself according to the Ideas’’. For John - ‘ ..the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’’. Both descriptions relate to human intellectual capacity. The power to create not only ideas in our minds but to transform these ideas into ‘flesh’, to transform our ideas into concrete, historical, reality. In other words - intellectual evolution provides the power that can transform our physical, material, environment. There is no need to interpret Philo or John as referencing some cosmic spirit, some extra-terrestrial, taking on flesh and walking among us. Far better to credit Philo and those early gospel writers with an intellectual insight that may have been well in advance of a popular belief in celestial beings. In out modern age of intellectual progress there is not need to read the gospel Jesus and Pilate stories as being the stories of a historical Jesus of Nazareth. To do so is to discredit the work of those Jewish writers; writers who transformed their physical defeat at the hands of Rome into a victory for the human spirit.
If this is the fundamental point being made by Philo and John, what to make of Luke’s gospel with its linking his chronology to historical dates re Hasmonean history? Basically, we don’t just live in our minds. To have value our ideas need to demonstrate their value within our physical reality. Likewise, our physical reality, our place within a historical context, contributes to pushing along, as it were, our thinking. We see sickness and evil - we think about how to deal with them. The Hasmoneans, since 63 b.c. lived under Roman occupation. Their kingdom was lost (albeit for 3 short years under Antigonus). The power of Rome could not be overcome. A spiritual, a heavenly, an intellectual philosophical kingdom could be a road forward. For the Lukan writer that road was taken - as he traces back his storyline to Hasmonean history.
Eventually, of course, Rome crumpled, and the Jesus spiritual kingdom was victorious. However, the inherent danger in the Jesus and Pilate story was that it’s Philo based philosophy would be converted into a social morality via reading the Jesus story literally rather than philosophically. The number seven was, albeit metaphorically, captured by the ‘church fathers’ - resulting in their historical Jesus figure continually walking the sands of Roman Palestine. By so doing, the ‘church fathers’ have been hoist upon their own petard. Ideas can’t be captured - their inherent nature might lie low for a while but eventually old ideas have to give way to the new. The number 7 - the movement of the Logos - continues to force intellectual change.
That I would suggest is the point of the gospel Jesus and Pilate story. The life, death and renewal of ideas. Or to put it in more gospel ‘speak’…..birth, crucifixion and resurrection of the Word. A philosophical story that drew upon the lived experience of Hasmonean history during Roman occupation of Judea. A spiritual messiah, an intellectual or philosophical messiah, a non-Jewish messiah that was additional to not a rejection of either ethnicity nor borders. Without Law there is no notion of Freedom.
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