An Amazing Life: Jesus and the Nozerim

Appendix XXXIII After Jesus (First Draft)

Although we cannot know what happed to Jesus following his exit from the tomb, we have some good sources regarding what happened to his mission. While I find it doubtful that Jesus actually issued the reat !ommission", it would seem to offer the essence of what his disciples believed the mission was. #hus, this chapter is about Jesus$ family and followers and how they responded to his loss. It will take us to the final chapter" in the story of Jesus % the advent of !hristianity. While the story of !hristianity is well recorded and often studied, there is an astounding gap which we can hopefully bridge here. What appened to Jesus!

&aving said that we cannot answer this 'uestion with any certainty, it is still a 'uestion worthy of consideration and exploration. As with prior sections where the biblical accounts are largely mystical and supernatural, I re(ect their reality. Jesus did not literally ascend to heaven upon the clouds. And, while he may very well be seated at the right hand of od", this is something we simply don$t know. If we were to merely follow the evidence outside the )ew #estament, we would say that the most likely answer is that Jesus and #homas travelled to India together*. #here, they continued the mission until Jesus died and was buried in +ashmir. While that may be the answer best supported by the evidence, it still seems unlikely. As with the rest of Jesus$ end,of,life stories, I suggest that the best answer arises from the sum of the evidence. -ecause that evidence centers upon the disciples, we should look at their stories and then return at the end to again try to answer this 'uestion. What appened at the "om#!

Jesus recovered. -eyond that, all we can do is speculate. #he best guess is that Joseph and )icodemus discovered that Jesus had not perished, but was merely unconscious. At the first opportunity .before any guards were posted and after the women left/, they took Jesus somewhere hidden and safe. #hey left the burial linens behind and closed the tomb. -ecause it was believed that one of Jesus$ followers had betrayed him, they could not immediately reveal their secret to anyone. When 0ary 0agdalene went to the tomb early on 1unday, someone met her and revealed that Jesus was alive, but cautioned her to
*

1ee Jesus in India" available at http233www.alislam.org3library3books3Jesus,in,India.pdf According to 4usebius and the legend of king Abgar of 4dessa .5rfa/, #homas sent #haddaeus to preach in 4dessa after the Ascension .4usebius, &istoria ecclesiae *.*67 III.*/. &e then travelled to the +odungallur region of India .citing 8rigen/ where he built a number of churches. Accord, 9idascalia Apostolorum and #he Acts of #homas. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II** ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

keep it secret. 0ary was shocked, elated, and doubtful. -ut, she could not keep the secret from Jesus$ mother. What appened $ith the Dis%ip&es!

#he three 0arys and their sisters discussed 0ary$s report and sought verification of Jesus$ state. #hey returned to the tomb and found that others had already discovered the empty tomb. While that commotion went in one direction, they gathered the 4leven" and told them what they had been told and had discovered. #hey were not believed, but as events unfolded and news of the empty tomb spread, the 4leven were in a difficult position2 there was little doubt that they would be suspected of taking the body. 9esperately wanting to confirm the story, find out what happened, and what they should do, they chose #homas .Jesus$ youngest brother/ to make in'uiries while the rest of them acted as innocent as they could. #he women were told to act as though they knew nothing of Jesus$ disappearance and the men decided to divert attention by spreading a claim based upon their 0aster$s teachings and beliefs2 Jesus had been resurrected by 9ivine intervention. 9oubtful, but enthused by hope, #homas tracked down Joseph % who was also acting unaware by keeping the expected public appearances. Joseph trusted his great,nephew with the secret, but advised #homas that Jesus was being moved north % to alilee. #homas trusted his great, uncle, but demanded to see Jesus for himself. 1eeing that #homas could not be refused, Joseph agreed to take him to Jesus that night. Alive, but in terrible shape, Jesus was hidden (ust north of Jerusalem. #homas was stunned by the condition of Jesus and the in(uries he had suffered. -ut it was too risky for him to remain anywhere near Judea. #hus, it was planned to carefully move Jesus through 1amaria to alilee along with the many pilgrims headed north after the festival. It was arranged for #homas and the others to meet with Jesus at 0t. #abor. #homas returned to the disciples and women, telling them of his encounter with Jesus and the plan. #hey understood the risk to Jesus and themselves and decided to stay in Jerusalem for a few days % keeping up the appearance and continuing their story. -ut they were hounded by the many other followers of Jesus and soon word spread that Jesus was alive and had been seen by the Apostles. #hey hastened their departure from Jerusalem and headed to alilee by the easterly route .along the Jordan :iver/. While not revealing their plan, they encouraged followers to gather near !apernaum. 9isappointment met their arrival in !apernaum when they were informed that Jesus had not survived the trip. -ut, at least this time they had their opportunity to properly bury him in secret. #he family of Jesus mourned in accordance with tradition .and law/, and there was plenty of sorrow and regret to go around. -ehind their grief was a singular gnawing 'uestion2 What do we do now;"

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After the week of formal mourning, the 4leven met to discuss their options and their thoughts about what had happened. #here was plenty of guilt to go around, but at least there was one consensus % everyone was committed to carrying on the mission that their master had given them. #hey also understood that without their leader, there was a sudden void that they must try to fill. #he choice was obvious for the group, but not for the one they would choose. James had been second in command" for some time and was always the one Jesus had turned to when an issue re'uired a second opinion<. -ut James was not a full,time disciple like most of the others. &is life was centered upon service within the Jerusalem #emple and it was well understood that he would not and could not give up his obligations and commitments there. #hus, during the three day trip back to Jerusalem, the discussion focused upon continuing the mission and how they would organi=e their effort. #he one thing that James made clear was that they owed Jesus the respect of continuing his work and honoring his message. #he message or teachings of Jesus was one of three matters that drew the most attention during the long walk south2 *. &ow should they present the death of Jesus to the rest of the followers; <. What did Jesus$ death mean; 6. What had they mistook, misunderstood, or simply missed in the 0aster$s teachings; It was 1imon ben Joseph .now James$ oldest brother/ who suggested that all three matters were closely related. &is proposal was that the death of Jesus was un'uestionably the Will of od, that the primary teaching of Jesus had been to honor the Will of od, and that their task was grasp their role in fulfilling both. #hey had relied upon Jesus to guide them in that fulfillment and now it was incumbent upon them to start guiding themselves. >eter thought that they should turn that task over to their new leader, but James corrected him. &e was clear that leadership is important in dealing with many practical matters, but that it is up to each individual to seek od$s Will and to choose how they will honor it. Jesus, he offered, did not ask us (oin him in his work, but to (oin him in doing od$s work. It is each person$s duty to make the best use of their uni'ue opportunities in fulfilling od$s Will. #heir opportunity would not be the same as Jesus$ % if for no other reason, they had Jesus$ sacrifice and teachings to work from. #he notion of Jesus$ sacrifice became a powerful theme among the 4leven and would guide their thinking over the following weeks. When there was conflict over an issue, #homas would routinely ask2 What course would best honor Jesus$ sacrifice;" #his in'uiry resulted in deep
<

-ecause the !atholic !hurch needed a real Apostle .>aul was a self,proclaimed apostle"/ to give it authority, it chose >eter. #hus, when the church assembled the canon, it selected and edited works so that >eter gained undue prominence among the Apostles. -ut they could not overcome history or truth and it is un'uestionable that James became the first leader of the Apostles after the death of Jesus. 4usebius recorded !lement of Alexandria .c. A9 *?@/ as saying that >eter, James, and John knew that Jesus preferred James and consented to his being named -ishop of Jerusalem.A 1ee !hurch &istory -ook II, !h. I" at http233www.newadvent.org3fathers3<B@*@<.htm. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

consideration of both the intent and meaning of Jesus$ choices, especially his choice to be crucified. 8ver time, it was generally agreed that the crucifixion was necessary in fulfillment of Jesus$ promise that the 1on of 0an was coming to bring od$s +ingdom during the lives of this generation and before they completed their mission through the towns of Israel .0att. *@2<67 <C26@,6D/. #he 'uestion raised by the combination of that idea and promise was the relationship between Jesus and the 1on of 0an". Was the 1on of man the same as the 0ashiach .Anointed 8ne/ and was Jesus &im; 8n this 'uestion, there was an ongoing debate between the 4leven, but it had to wait until later because the night before they reached Jerusalem, they knew they had to resolve the manner in which they would present Jesus$ death. It was complicated. Among the followers there was the same division which the 4leven held % whether or not Jesus was the 0ashiach. :umors of his resurrection had most certainly invigorated those who held Jesus to be the !hosen 8ne. #hey would view his death differently than those who viewed Jesus as a prophet. And, of course, Jesus had enemies and the 4leven gave consideration to how those powerful enemies would receive the news. It was this last consideration which drove the discussion. #he truth was dangerous. If the :omans discovered the truth, Joseph .and probably )icodemus/ would need all their power and influence (ust to survive. If the priests discovered the truth, they would almost certainly implicate the 4leven .and other friends, family, and followers of Jesus/ to the :omans. #he truth would undermine the mission, their work, and the perceived meaning of Jesus$ sacrifice. #hus, the truth was not an option and it was deemed essential to divert attention away from it. #he resulting plan was simple and smart2 they would expand the rumor that Jesus had been resurrected and that he had appeared in alilee where many had seen him and heard his instruction2 to continue the mission, expound his teachings, and prepare for the coming kingdom. Afterwards, he had risen into heaven to sit with od. #he 4leven decided to not appear together in public and to tell the followers to avoid gathering in a manner which would draw attention from the authorities. And, although James was reserving his options, everyone was told that he was their new leader. Among his first decisions was that Judas .who had died/ should be replaced and that they should again become the #welve". While several were possible candidates, the list was 'uickly pared down to two2 Joseph bar 1abbas .who was known better as Justus"/ and 0atthias bar )abas. James called together the !ouncil of 4lders .*<@ of the leading followers/ and asked them to vote for their choice. When the vote was tied at C@ each, they chose lots to decide and 0atthias became the newest Apostle of Jesus" .Acts *2<C/. #hus, at that point, the #welve were62
6

James bar Joseph .Alphaeus/, the brother of Jesus

#he brothers of Jesus are named in 0att. *62BB and 0ark C26. As to their being Apostles, see Appendix IE. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

1imon bar Joseph, the Fealot" and brother of Jesus Joses3Gebbaeus bar Joseph, the brother of Jesus Judas3#homas bar Jospeh .aka #haddaeus or 9idymus % the twin/, the brother of Jesus John and James, the sons of Febedee and cousins of Jesus >eter .aka 1imon or !ephas/ and Andrew, the sons of Johan and cousins of John and James >hilip bar #olmei, the cousin of )athaniel )athaniel bar #holomew .aka -artholomew/ 0atthew ben Gevi 0atthias bar )abas .who replaced Judas Iscariot/

8ne of the early changes which James initiated was the establishment of a new hierarchical structureD for the leadershipH the 9odeka .the #welve/ were given the title ApIstIlos .Apostles/ then came the 4piskopoi .-ishops/ and the >resbyteroi .>riests/ then, the 9iakonoi .9eacons/ and &egoumenoi .&eads/ then, the >oimenes .1hepherds/ and 9idaskaloi .#eachers/ and finally, the >rophetai .>rophets/ and the mathetai 9isciples/ >roistamenoi .>resident % one who presides"/ was a temporary title given to whoever was given charge under a given circumstance or for a specific task. It was also clear that the group needed a name and that their teachings and doctrines needed a name. #his was more of a challenge than expected as there were plenty of suggestions and it was difficult to attain consensus. 1ome thought that Jesus$ name should be used. As there were a large number of 4ssenes and most of the leaders were )a=oreans, some wanted to include those names into the new one .)a=essenes;/ -ut it was 0ary 0agdalene who prevailed2 8ne of Jesus$ favorite sayings from scripture was2 JKou shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.$ .9eut. *B2**/. And one of his favorite sayings was2 J-lessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of od.$ .Guke *D2*6/. &e often told us2 od $has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor$. .Guke *D2*L/. And, of course, one of his most basic commandments for us was2 JGove your neighbor as yourself$." I suggest that we continue our practice of Jbeing poor$ and serving the poor, so that we may find the way to (oin Jesus in the +ingdom of od. 1houldn$t we call ourselves % J#he >oor$B;
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#he early structure was later ad(usted and adapted by the !hristians, but the duties and authorities changed. Mor examples of the use .often confused by the )# writers/, see Acts **26@7 *62*, *D2<<7 *B2<, *B2 <@2<L76<7 D, C, <<, <67 *C2D7 <@2*N7 <*2*L7 * !orinthians *<2<L,<?7. * #imothy 62<7 B2*N,*?7 #itus *2B,N7 >hilippians *2*7 #hessalonians B2*<7 :omans *<7 &ebrews *62N7*N2 <D7 4phesians D2**.
B

In &ebrew, this would be " .$eOyPOw/. #hus, the #he 4bionites".

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Mrom then on, the members of the group referred to themselves as the 4byQn or 4bionites. #he teachings and doctrine of Jesus that they taught became known as ( badRdSRre , the Way"/. While James and the Apostles were trying to get organi=ed, there was another matter which dominated their concerns. With the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus, there was a new recognition of the dangers they faced. While they understood that Jesus had chosen his fate, they also understood that it would change their relationship with the authorities and, at least for the time being, would pose a clear risk to them and their families. And, there were two others who had even greater risk2 Joseph and 0ary 0agdalene. Joseph$s risks arose from his having asked >ilate for the body of Jesus and his well,known functioning at the tomb. 4ven with the rumor of Jesus$ divinely caused resurrection being spread, the authorities were likely to seek answers and retribution. Joseph had the wherewithal to combat serious opponents, but even he knew that the combined efforts of >ilate and the &igh >riests would offer serious problems, if not a fatal threat. 0ary had been at the forefront of the resurrection rumors as the one who had first arrived at the tomb. 1he was also well established as a chief disciple and dearest friend of Jesus. #here was little doubt that the &igh >riests would be coming after her. Joseph proposed a solution and it was readily accepted2 they should leave Judea. Joseph could go most anywhere in the :oman 4mpire and be safe since >ilate$s power was local and the Jewish authorities had no ability to extend its influence outside >alestine. -ut where would be best for 0ary; 0ary answered the 'uestion after spending half a day asking Joseph about places he knew, but they decided it was better if no one knew their destination .at least no one the authorities might ask/. In (ust a few days, she was secretly taken from Jerusalem to Acre where she boarded a ship with Joseph and headed out across the reat 1ea. #he Way" became the way for more and more. Interest in Jesus and his teachings took on a new life in the weeks after his crucifixion and resurrection". #emple officials worked to ensure that the blasphemous" and heretical" teachings were not proffered within the #emple precincts, but they had no control over the hundreds of synagogues in and around Jerusalem. It was there that the movement took root and demand for the Apostles was great. At first, the teachings were more basic recollections and explanations as the Apostles attempted to relate what they had heard and how Jesus had explained his righteousness. -ut the 'uestions were focused more upon Jesus and his resurrection than upon his mission of baptism. Indeed, it was a turning point that the Apostles were not prepared for. Additionally, they were not prepared for the sudden influx of followers or the rapid elevation in stature for the former followers of Jesus. #he Way was being transformed from the pressure of its own success. >art of its success stemmed from a very large gift from Joseph. -efore his departure, he had sold one estate and gave most of that money to James for charitable distribution. &e also gave three properties within Jerusalem which the movement used as synagogues. With the influx of
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new followers also came an influx of money and property as it was an informal tradition within the movement that property was shared % and passed along to the needy. :emarkably, only a month after the loss of their leader, the Way was providing more charitable assistance than the Jerusalem #emple. #he word spread 'uickly and it soon became clear that the followers of Jesus presented more than a minor threat to the authoritarian priesthood .see Appendices EIII and EET/. As James and the Apostles struggled to deal with growing pains", #emple authorities struggled to thwart their growth. Mirst, the authorities termed the resurrection stories a hoax. #hat only created more interest and increased the mystery. -esides, in the minds of many, it was clear that the chief priests and elders of the 1anhedrin had blood on their hands" from their involvement. )ext, the authorities labeled Jesus$ teachings as blasphemous and threatened to punish anyone who promulgated them. -ut that merely created more curiosity and drew attention to Jesus$ teachings. As people heard about a loving od, an opportunity for forgiveness and entry into od$s +ingdom, and the idea of loving one$s neighbor, they also heard about a new type of righteousness based upon daily works and service outside the #emple. #he harder and nastier the authorities got, the better #he Way looked and prospered. Mor James, it was paradoxical and ironic. &e was a member of the priesthood and had #emple privileges that could not be taken from him unless he was formally charged and tried. 1o, while he led a movement that undermined #emple prestige and power, he participated in its functions and opportunities. -ut, he strove to separate his priestly functions from his movement functions so that the authorities had no basis to formally attack him. Within the #emple, he exemplified righteousness, (ustice, and religious fundamentalism such that he was above reproach by the chief priests. -ut, in leading #he Way, he was increasingly focused upon reproaching the chief priests through both word and deed. Although the Apostles were overwhelmed and overloaded by the growth of the movement, James strove to ensure that they fre'uently met and discussed the means, methods, message and mission. &e provided a framework and opportunity for issues to be discussed and resolved by consensus7 and when that didn$t work, he would simply state his view and it became a ruling". -ecause James had worked within the largest bureaucracy in Judea for most of his life, he understood the need for structure and clear definition of goals. &e also practiced the greatest skill of leadership % delegating. )ot surprisingly, not everything went smoothly. With 0ary$s departure, the Apostles 'uickly discovered how well she had buffered their differences. )ot only did she often have the last word in discussions regarding Jesus$ teachings, she had always had the ear of the 0aster to ensure that Jesus could cut off dissention or difficulties. )ow, without their original leader and his first mate", dissent was more common and harder to resolve. )one of the Apostles could challenge the authority of James, but James was not the kind of leader who pushed his power or position. And, even though James strove for fairness and balanced administration, nobody can please everybody all the time. #he first big dissention came from >eter. #hat was not a surprise to any of the followers since >eter wanted to be a leader and clearly didn$t like being a follower". -ut the dissent had nothing
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to do with leadership % it was about doctrine and it began as a lie. #he momentum of the resurrection lie" had given it a life of its own and it was clear there was no stopping it. Whereas James thought it best to simply let it go its own way, >eter thought it could be utili=ed to advance the movement. In essence, >eter wanted the Way to expand upon a growing popular belief that Jesus might have been the 0ashiach. James was a bit less than tactful in answering2 9on$t be silly." -ut the silliness" didn$t stop there. 8ne faction of the followers found that the hope and expectation built around the 0ashiach enabled them to attract a certain si=able audience and it took little encouragement to create a belief that Jesus might return as the savior they were looking for. >lus, they found support in scripture prophecies that could be turned .or twisted/ so that Jesus seemed to fulfill them. When the better informed 'uestioned the fact that Jesus had obviously not completed any of the ma(or expectations or prophetic predictions for the 0ashiach, the answer was that those things would be accomplished when he returned % after all, he had been resurrected already. And that wasn$t the only silliness". Another group of followers brought their ideas from nosticism into a similar expansionism of Jesus2 that to have been resurrected, Jesus must have been divinity. -ut, since the divine cannot suffer and Jesus was said to have suffered, his human form must have been a mere illusion. #he 9ivine Jesus had to be a pure spiritual being in the midst of an evil world who brought a special kind of privileged knowledge to share with the chosen ones". #he ones who received and grasped this knowledge were Uknowing onesV . nostics"/C. #o these nostics, Jesus offered salvation through knowledge and experience. Mor James and his brothersN, it seemed strange to hear others talk about Jesus being something more than a special man. #hey had known him as a boy, been with him as he grew and matured, and heard him struggle as a student and young man. #hey knew about his troubling birth and had fought on his behalf against the mam=er" label. As for those who thought he was something other than human, they could only laugh because they had seen his most human characteristics and actions. And, they wondered what 0ary would say to them when they tried to say that Jesus wasn$t human because there had been no one who had treated Jesus more as a normal man than 0ary 0agdalene. 1o, when >eter returned to suggest again that they should make use of the messianic beliefs about Jesus, James retorted2 And what will K85 tell people when they ask if Jesus claimed to be the 0ashiach;" 1itting before those who had been there throughout Jesus$ ministry, >eter couldn$t answer the way he wanted. 4ven Andrew, his brother, wondered if >eter wasn$t too easily misguided by others as Andrew knew exactly where >eter was getting his ideas. Among the followers of the Way, there had long been a small group whose primary interest was political. #hey viewed religion as a tool to reshape people$s political views and, therefore, they viewed Jesus as a means to gain political ends. Although Jesus didn$t have political ambitions
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#his is sometimes related to the Jewish +abbalah and its basic concept that revealed through special knowledge. N 1ee #he 9esposyni", below. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*L

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and didn$t see politics as having much meaning in the larger scheme, he understood Jewish history well enough to know that religion and politics were inseparable. As the politicians saw religion as a means to affect political ends, Jesus saw politics as a means to affect religious ends. James and the Apostles had watched Jesus turn a political discussion into a religious discussion with the ease of turning a new wheel on a freshly greased axle. -ut the messianic group and the political group found themselves moving in the same direction and that posed a threat to the Way. James saw the problem and strove to put an end to it by delegating the assignment to his brother 1imon. It was an interesting choice because he knew that 1imon shared many of the political beliefs of the offshoot group. James also knew that 1imon$s loyalty to him and the Way was far greater. #hus, 1imon was able to participate in the discussions with >eter and the others who saw Jesus as a past and future political ruler % a 9avidic 0essiah. -ut their beliefs were built upon another2 that Jesus was returning. Among the deepest and most disputed issues among the Apostles .and disciples/ were Jesus$ teachings regarding the near future. Whereas Jesus had predicted that the 1on of 0an would return during the lives of that generation and had also made it clear that he told them all things beforehand" so they will be ready .0ark *62<67*626@,6*7 and above/, he had also made it clear the no one % not even the angels % knew the timing of od$s plan .0ark *626<7 Acts *2N/. 8ne group believed that Jesus intended that his followers be ready at any time during their life and that it didn$t matter whether one was dead or alive when the time came for od$s +ingdom to arrive. #he others were so sure the end was immediate and sure to come soon that they acted with abandonL. James took the middle ground and proposed that the coming of od$s +ingdom and the return of Jesus should be viewed much like death % it can come at any time, so you best be ready % or it may not come for a long time and you best plan accordingly. :ighteousness, as taught by Jesus, re'uired that each person do their best to uphold od$s laws and commandments through deeds worthy of favorable divine (udgment. Indeed, the (udge is at the door. #hat discussion began to change with the passing of the first few of those who had heard Jesus say that this generation will certainly not pass away before everyone will see the 1on of 0an coming on the clouds with great power and glory," .0ark *62<CH6@/. !learly, either Jesus was wrong or they had misunderstood. And then, over the course of a single year, two other events dramatically changed the movement. Mirst, the !ouncil of 4lders hired a goon s'uad" to harass, intimidate, persecute, and even murder those who gathered to teach or hear the teachings of Jesus. 8ne of them, 1aul of #arsus, .a student of amaliel I/ was particularly vengeful and violent. -ecause of this, the movement was forced to become more secretive and hidden.

#he end of all things is nearH" .* >eter D2N/. #he coming of the Gord is near. Hthe Judge is standing right at the door." .James B2L, ?/. )ote * !or. N2<N,<?,6*. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

#he other event was the murder of 1tephen. 1tephen .aka +elil/ of +ephar .in amala/ was the son of Abibas .ben amaliel ben &illel?/. 1tephan was a distant relation of Jesus and one of the most popular of his followers. When a dispute arose between the entiles and the Jewish followers over the distribution of alms, 1tephen and six other were appointed as 9eacons" to oversee the tables" .where the alms were passed out. Acts C2B,?/. 1tephen was also a popular advocate of Jesus$ divinity and opponent of the #emple authorities. &e spoke against traditional Jewish resistance to od$s plan and reminded his Jewish comrades that their ancestors had often persecuted or killed the prophets who had told of the coming :ighteous 8ne". At one of his sermons, he encountered a fellow student and adversary % 1aul*@. #hey became engaged in a debate over Jewish law and prophecy regarding the 0ashiach with 1aul arguing that Jesus was clearly un'ualified and a fraud. 1tephen retorted with an admonishment regarding the betrayers and murderers" you work for. &e called 1aul stiff,necked and uncircumcised at heart" and placed him among those who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it." 1aul was infuriated by the wit of the charismatic youngster and could not turn his wrath loose upon such a well,connected opponent**. Instead, he secretly induced men to accuse 1tephen of speaking blasphemous words against 0oses and against od." .We shall deal with 1aul again later/. #he accusation stirred up the elders and the scribes and they arrested 1tephen to try him on the charges. Witnesses claimed that 1tephen speaks constantly against this holy place and the Gaw. &e claims that the )a=orean named Jesus will destroy this place and alter the customs which 0oses handed down to us." In turn, 1tephen lectured the council as he had 1aul and also termed them stiff,necked". &e told them that although 1olomon had built a temple as the house of od, the 0ost &igh does not dwell in houses made by human hands*<." #his was a direct assault upon the very essence of their livelihood and power and they cried out with a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed at him with one impulse." #hey drove 1tephen outside the #emple walls and urged the crowd to begin stoning him. 1aul laid aside his robe and proceeded to stone 1tephen as he called out2 Gord Jesus, receive my spiritW 9o not hold this sin against themW" #hus, 1tephen became martyred. #he murder was a turning point for the movement2 it marked the willingness of the authorities to openly murder its opponents .even those with powerful connections/ and it drove a wedge in the gap forming between the Jewish and the entile followers. It was that gap which would eventually cause the death of the movement.

-ecause it was recorded that &illel was a 9avidic descendant, 1tephen was also. #his incident is not recorded, but 1aul and 1tephen were both students of amaliel and the statements attributed to 1tephen here were said to be part of his speech to the 1anhedrin .Acts N/. 1aul3>aul is not recorded as having turned 1tephen over to the authorities, but the details written in Acts probably came directly from him. ** Mor you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of od and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely =ealous for the traditions of my fathers." alatians *2*6%*D. *< !iting Isaiah CC2*.
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Jesus had made it clear that the +ingdom of &eaven was open to those from all nations, but had operated under the premise that converting to Judaism was part of entering that +ingdom. #hose who converted % the >roselytes % were bapti=ed .according to the Jewish tradition/ and were expected to undergo the 'uintessential re'uirement of all Jewish males % circumcision. #his reflected a permanent commitment to od and to being a Jew, a commitment that was resisted by many. #hen, after conversion, the >roselytes were expected to learn and uphold the #orah. )ot surprisingly, there was a group who found the message and promise of Jesus enticing but who were reluctant to take the leap". #hey found some support among the followers who believed that Jesus had also made it clear that it was individual righteousness and not the tokens of religious practice which guaranteed one$s salvation. If the gist of one$s message is tolerance and openness, it is hard to condemn people to eternal &ell merely because they decline to forfeit their foreskin. !onversely, for those who had made that commitment under the belief that it did make a difference, it was difficult to ignore both tradition and scripture simply to practice loving,kindness". #he matter had been brought before the Apostles and was discussed often, but the consensus was clear2 the commandment to love one$s neighbor re'uired that you encourage them to commit to righteousness and such a commitment re'uired circumcision and adherence to Jewish law. #o them, the reward of 9ivine favor far outweighed the physical price. -efore his death, Jesus had spoken of his desire to send the Apostles*6 to nearby regions so that the mission could be expanded and James made it a priority that this should be accomplished. 0ark 62*6,*D7 John <@2<*7 0att. <L2 *?,<@/. James gave them a mission2 o out among the people and spread the good news, share the teachings of the 0aster, and do his work .good deeds"/. &e let them suggest the places they would go .within range of their pilgrimage plans/ and allowed whoever wished to (oin them to do so. #hus, within a year after the death of JesusH
*6

>eter went to 1amaria .and then Antioch and &ieropolis/*D Andrew and Gebbaeus went to !halcis .and then Antioch/ John went to >hXnicia .and then 4phesus and !yprus/ 1imon went to Alexandria .and then !yrene/ #homas and )athaniel went to 9amascus .met later by >hilip/. )athaniel went to 4dessa. >hilip went to reece .and then to #urkey and 1yria/. 0atthew and 0atthias went to 1outh 4gypt and 4thiopia James F. remained in alilee .d. D*/. James J. remained in Jerusalem
reek7 a derivative from

Jesus gave them the title Apostles" .Guke C2*67 0ark 62*D/ or AapostolosA in the word meaning Ato sendA. *D >eter is deemed the first -ishop of Antioch. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II***

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)age A*

4lsewhere in the world, events took shape that would soon change Judaism, dilute the Way, and advance the off,shoot of Jesus$s followers to be known as !hristians". !aligula . aius !aesar/ became 4mperor of :ome and he appointed 0arullus as >refect of Judea. !aligula made &erod Agrippa governor of -atanaea and #rachonitis .that his cousin >hilip the #etrarch had held/ and then of the tetrarchy of Gysanias .with the title A+ingA/. 1oon, after a dispute arose between Agrippa and his uncle .&erod Antipas/, !aligula intervened to put Antipas into exile and granted Agrippa the rule of alilee and >eraea. In Alexandria .6? !4/, the entiles revolted against the Jews and riots ensued. A delegation .which included >hilo/ went to seek assistance from !aligula who was more than indifferent about the murder of Jews. !aligula raged at them, A1o you are the enemies of the gods, the only people who refuse to recogni=e my divinity*B.A &e ordered a statue of himself .as a deity/ erected in the Jerusalem #emple. #he Jews prepared for war, but !aligula was murdered before the statute was ready. -ut the event marked a turning point for many Jewish leaders who foresaw the potential demise of their #emple and religion under the :omans.

"he 'astern (editerranean in the First )entur*

*B

!aligula had declared himself a god and ordered his statue placed in temples throughout the 4mpire. #he Jews had declined. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**< ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

"he First +ishops: 1preading the good news" meant the establishment of churches in other regions. -efore >aul entered the scene, the appointment of -ishops best indicates who was powerful and influential within the movement.
*C *N

Jerusalem2 James .stoned and clubbed to death , CD/ Joppa2 >eter .6L,DB, then to Antioch/ Antioch*C2 >eter .DB,C<, then to :ome/ :ome2 !lement .B@,CB/ .see below/7 >eter*N .C< ,crucified in CN/*L 4phesus*?2 John .B@,?@/ 4dessa2 #homas .6L,B@/7 then to 0u=iris, India in B< -erytus3Gaodicea2 0ark .DB,DL/. Alexandria2 0ark .DL,CL/ -y=antium .later became !onstantinople/2 Andrew .6L, then to #hrace/7 installed 1tachys as -ishop<@. #hrace, 1cythia, and Achaia2 Andrew .transitional/. 1inope2 >hilogos .D@, installed by Andrew/<* >atras . reece/2 Andrew .B@,CB/ !aesaria2 >hilip .the 4vangelist/<< 9amascus2 Ananias .the disciple who >aul met/ .6L, stoned to death B@/<6 !orinth2 A'uila .with his wife >riscilla2 D@,BB/<D Athens2 9ionysius the Areopagite .(udge at the !ourt of Areopagus/ .Appt. by >aul % CL/<B &ierapolis2 >hilip .with his sister 0ariamne/.CC/ !yrene2 0ark<C .established in DC/

#he fourth largest city of the :oman 4mpire .and the largest city of 1yria/. As directed by >aul. *L #he Apostolic !onstitutions states that >aul ordained Ginus as the first bishop of :ome and that he was succeeded by !lement who was ordained by >eter. Anacletus3!letus is given as GinusVs successor by Irenaeus. *? #he second largest :oman city and the capital of proconsular Asia. <@ A legend probably based upon a forged document advanced by the reek 8rthodox !hurch. 1ee Andrew, -rother of 1imon >eter2 &is &istory and &is Gegends" by >eter 0. >eterson, -rill .*?BL/, pp. *L, *?. <* 1upra, p. *L citing >rophetarum Titae Mabulosae2 Indices 9iscipulorum'ue 9omini 9orothea, 4piphanio, &ippolyto aliis'ue vindicata, Gipsiae" by #heodor 1chermann, In aedibus -. .#eubncri .*?@N/, pp. *@L f., *. N ff and the related >rophetenund Apostellegenden nebst Jungerkatalogen des 9orotheus und verwandter >ropbelen" by #heodor 1chermann, #5 6*.6, Geip=ig .*?@N/, p. <D?. << Facchaeus in the Apostolic !onstitutions ,N.DC. <6 #he !atholic 4ncyclopedia. <D Acts *L2* % although not described as -ishop", their actions suggest such. <B It is curious why Andrew is not reported as installing a -ishop earlier. <C 0ark was born in !yrene. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**6 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

!halcis .Gebanon/2 Gebbaeus .6L,DB % beheaded by &erod of !halcis/. Apameia31hepham .1yria/2 Junia .a female -ishopWW/ .DD,?@/<N >annonia .now western &ungary and )4 !roatia/2 Andronicus .a kinsman of >aul/ .DB, L</ Armenia2 4stablished by -artholomew .probably with #homas/ .D@/ 8xyrhynchus .and 4lephantine in 1outh 4gypt/2 0atthew Axum .4thiopia/2 0atthias<L 1alamis3!yprus2 -arnabas .6L,D6/7 again from B@,BL.

#here are three interesting things about this list2 *. When the Apostles were sent out, they not only established churches but clearly intended to establish roots or stay there as the leader indefinitely. >hilip, for example, was specifically said to have never returned to Jerusalem. Muture references to the !ouncil of Jerusalem never indicate who is present, but it appears that the #welve never met again as a group after dispersing. <. In a few of the important churches, the first recorded" -ishop was almost certainly not the first. .1ee the discussion regarding :ome, below/. #he conflict between >aul and the 4bionites was largely focused upon these choices. 6. #he initial cities chosen all had significant Jewish populations at the time % reinforcing the movement$s original focus on Jews. #he >auline additions are heavily entile. It becomes clear from the subse'uent history of the !atholic3>auline !hurch that the -ishops en(oyed autonomy and that the early leadership structure advanced by James was deemed both functional and authoritative enough to be widely adopted by the later churches. #he dispersion of authority was likely based upon the express intent and model of Jesus but was urged by the circumstances in Judea and Jerusalem. >ontius >ilate over,reacted to an uprising" in 1amaria and Titellius, :oman governor of 1yria, sent >ilate to :ome to answer charges of abuse. >ilate ended up in exile (ust before #iberius died. 0arcellus was appointed as interim governor of Jerusalem, but the #emple authorities saw the :omans as weakened and viewed 0arcellus as weak. #hey took advantage of the opportunity to rid themselves of the growing Jesus movement. After Jonathon ben Annas replaced !aiaphas .his brother,in,law/ as &igh >riest, he assembled bands of enforcers to seek out, harass, and arrest followers of the Jesus movement. #he leader of one of these bands was a young priest wannabe named 1aul of #arsus. 1aul was a confused and conflicted aristocrat afflicted with desire for young boys<?. When he first arrived in
<N

1ee Women in the World of the 4arliest !hristians2 Illuminating Ancient Ways of Gife" by Gynn !ohick, -aker Academic .<@@?/, p. <*B et.se'. <L &istoria 4cclesiastica" by )ikephoros +allistos Eanthopoulos .c. *6<@/, Tol. II, p.D@. <? YI suffer fromZ a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of 1atan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure... I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutionsH".< !or. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**D ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

Jerusalem, 1aul was able to attend the teaching sessions of both great Fugots .>airs"/ , 1hammai &a,=aken .the 4lder"/ and &illel &a,=aken. &e attempted to enter the priesthood but was dis'ualified before he could (oin the fraternity of +ohanim .at the age of twenty/ as his prick issue" became known. )evertheless, the priests saw use for a =ealous 1hammaite of the tribe of -en(amin who happened to inherit :oman citi=enship. 1aul could get away with actions that few others could. As a persecutor of the followers of Jesus, 1aul had no e'ual. &e beat, tortured, and killed those who espoused beliefs which differed from his own. &e adopted the 1adducee opposition to and re(ection of any belief in resurrection of the dead. .#he >harisees and Foroastrian reeks and >ersians believed in bodily resurrection which had obvious accord with the still growing resurrection beliefs regarding Jesus/. )ow those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when 1tephen was killed traveled as far as >hoenicia, !yprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 1ome of them, however, men from !yprus and !yrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to reeks Yabout JesusZ." .Acts **2*?,<@/. 8n the way to 9amascus >aul suffered some type of sei=ure and had a vision of Jesus where he converted" to become an advocate of the 0essianic JesusH J)ow 1aul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Gord, went to the high priest YJonathonZ and asked him for letters to the synagogues in 9amascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. &e stayed some days with the disciples in 9amascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the 1on of od. All who heard him were astounded and said, JIs not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests;$ -ut 1aul grew all the stronger and confounded .the/ Jews who lived in 9amascus, proving that this is the 0essiah. After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but their plot became known to 1aul. )ow they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to (oin the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple". .Acts ? 2 *,<C/. 1aul took on the name >aul and, for reasons unknown, travelled to Arabia6@ and remained there for years . al *2*N/. &erod Agrippa began a series of building pro(ects that rivaled those of his grandfather and he was not as unpopular with the masses. -ut, when he travelled to Alexandria in D@ !4, the Jews there rioted. With Agrippa as +ing, there was a general increase in tension between various Fealot .Jewish )ationalist/ movements and the :omans.

*<2N7*<2*@/. #here has been plenty of debate regarding >aul$s affliction" and this supposition is based somewhat upon the broader church history. 1ee :escuing the -ible from Mundamentalism" by 4piscopal -ishop John 1helby 1pong, &arper!ollins .*??*/, pp. **C,*<@.
6@

1aul may have been related to +ing Aretas who died in D@ !4. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**B

After the #welve had been sent on their missions .6N,6? !4/, James .the brother of Jesus/ and James .the cousin of Jesus/ led the movement in Jerusalem. -ecause James was also a priest, he could not publically proclaim or emphasi=e his involvement with the Way. Instead, he sought to provide the perfect example of righteousness and human,kindness which modeled the teachings of Jesus. &is popularity was so great and respect for him was so deep that the #emple authorities were forced to allow him an alternative service which did not involve animal sacrifices. 0eanwhile, !ousin James was the public figurehead of the Jesus movement and its day,to,day manager. All indications point to a rapidly growing movement within Judea % despite the opposing efforts of the #emple authorities. According to Acts, men from !yprus and !yrene" went to Antioch and began preaching the good news" to the reeks" . entiles/. As more entiles turned to the Way, concerns arose regarding adherence to Jewish law by the Jewish disciples there .Acts **2*?,<</. James sent -arnabas6* to Antioch to investigate and he concluded that2 Kou Y>eterZ went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them" .Acts **26/ in violation of the #orah. -ut >eter successfully convinced -arnabas that his actions were consistent with the teachings and deeds of Jesus % as >aul had convinced him. -arnabas decided to talk directly to >aul about this and headed for #arsus. When he had found >aul, he brought him back to Antioch and they spent a year in assembly with the church of Antioch with >aul acting as the subordinate of -arnabas. Around the year D6, >aul returned to Jerusalem where he met James and stayed with 1imon >eter . al. *2*6,<D/. With promises and commitments, he persuaded the Apostles that he was a loyal follower of the movement and that he should be allowed to undertake a mission with their approval. #hey allowed him to return to Antioch as a priest" under the authority of -arnabas, one of the -ishops. -ut >aul$s emphasis upon Jesus as the 0essiah as opposed as Jesus as the 0aster .teacher/ would separate !hristianity" from the Way and lead to a rift between the >aulines and the 4bionites and )a=oreans. .#he disciples were first called !hristians" at Antioch. Acts **2<B,<C/. While disturbed by reports from Antioch, James sent >eter .under the wing of >hilip/ on an extensive missionary tour through 1amaria and into the maritime cities of Gydda, Joppa, and !aesarea. In Gydda and Joppa, >eter reportedly cured the ill .4neas and #abitha39orcas/ and at !aesarea he bapti=ed and received into the Way the first non,Jewish !hristians , the !enturion !ornelius and his kinsmen .Acts ?26*,*@2DL/. 8n >eterVs return to Jerusalem the circumcised believers" critici=ed him, saying Kou went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with themA .violating the kashrut/. >eter replied by telling them about a vision of the &oly 1pirit and defended his action as being consistent with those of John the -aptist6<.

6*

Joseph, a Gevite from !yprus, whom the apostles called -arnabas .which means Ason of encouragementA/. Acts D26C. 6< According to Acts, >eter$s actions were ratified by the Apostles and the faithful in Jerusalem .Acts **2*, *L/H when they heard Y>eter$s storyZ, they 'uieted down and glorified od, saying, Well then, od has granted to the entiles also the repentance that leads to life." #his is incredibly unlikely and inconsistent with the gist of Acts. It is most strange that >eter does not rely upon Jesus as authority for his baptism. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**C ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

#he response by James3James is unrecorded, but it seems clear that >eter was chastised for violating Jewish law and sent back to Antioch with new restrictions which allowed conversion but re'uired adherence to the #orah. >aul was livid over the decision and restrictions. &e accused >eter, -arnabas, and James of hypocrisy .a term >aul used loosely whenever there was a disagreement/. >aul critici=ed >eter .and -arnabas/ for living like a entile while being a Jew and forcing entiles to follow Jewish customs. .Mor before certain men came from James, he was eating with the entiles7 but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision group." al. <2*<,*B/. According to >aul, he then first espoused the key break between his new religion and that of the Way2 +now that a person is not (ustified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus, the !hrist." . al. <2*C/. >aul described his former beliefs .and thus those of his opponents/ as AI consider them YexcrementZ66A .>hilippians. 62L/. James heard of this new teaching and wrote to >aul and the disciples at Antioch6D2 -ut everyone must be 'uick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of od. #herefore, putting aside all fi&thiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. -ut prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselvesH If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and *et does not #rid&e his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man$s religion is worthless. >ure and undefiled religion in the sight of our od and Mather is this2 to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." .James *2*?,<N/. Mor whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of allH 1o speak and so act as those who are to be (udged by the law of liberty. Mor (udgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy7 mercy triumphs over (udgment. What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works; !an that faith save him; If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food and one of you says to them, o in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that; 4ven so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. -ut someone may well say, JKou have faith and I have works7 show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works$H YbutZ (ust as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." .James <2*@,<C/. While the dispute between James and >aul grew, an event in Jerusalem fully distracted James, the 4bionites, and the )a=oreans2 &erod Agrippa captured James .the !ousin/ and had him beheaded. We have no context for this tragedy or explanation for its cause. 8nly the timing is fairly certain since Agrippa died shortly thereafter .later in DD !4/ and famine soon struck all of
66 6D

[\]^_`_ % usually translated as garbage, but commonly meant dung. We don$t know the circumstances of James$ letter, but it certainly seems to fit here. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**N

Judea .DD,DB !4/. 1ome of the followers saw these subse'uent events as 9ivine retribution for the killing of one of the >illars". #he death of &erod Agrippa dramatically changed the political situation in Judea as no Jewish leader was to succeed him. Instead, !laudius appointed !uspius Madus as >rocurator of Judea6B. 9uring his administration, the primary task was to restore peace to the country and he was ruthless in attempting to achieve that task6C. #he peoples of >eraa and >hiladelphia were engaged in open hostilities over boundary disputes and at least one ma(or prophet" emerged to lead what was treated like a revolt .#heudas" per Josephus, supra, and Acts B266,6?/. -ut the real issue for Madus was that he incensed the Jews by demanding control over the sacred vestments of the &igh >riest .which had not been in the hands of the :omans since 6C !4/. Madus had the support of the 1yrian governor !assius Gonginus, but an appeal to !laudius yielded the revocation of the procuratorVs demand. #his points to continued power by the #emple &igh >riests and the 1adducees who supported them. Jonathan had been replaced by #heophilus ben Ananus in 6N !4 and he held the post until D*. #hen came 1imon !antatheras ben -oethus until he was replaced by 0atthias ben Ananus in D6 !4. &e was promptly replaced by 4lioneus ben 1imon !antatheras until &erod of !halcis reinstated Jonathan ben Ananus .DD !4/ and then replaced him with Josephus ben !amydus. &ere we see that two powerful families .Ananus and -oethus/ were engaged in a bidding war for the title and this served to empower James % who wasn$t interested in the title but was viewed as the stable and (ust voice of the people through the entire period6N. -ut, with the death of his cousin, James was forced to assume a greater role as -ishop of Jerusalem and leader of the Way. In that role, he helped to insure the survival of the movement by further diversifying and dispersing it. #he distraction allowed >aul the opportunity to enlarge his new movement % !hristianity". #he idea that Jesus may have been or was the 0essiah certainly did not originate with >aul, but he was the person who made the most of the hope and power aligned with the 0essianic dream. Ironically, >aul$s adaptation of the 0ashiach into the 0essiah3!hrist .more than a change from &ebrew to reek/ may have arisen from #heudas, the prophet" mentioned above. >aul brought together three ideas and built his religion upon them2

6B

After the death of &. Agrippa, his brother &erod of !halcis was given responsibility for the #emple in Jerusalem, as well as the appointment of the #empleVs &igh >riest. &is first appointment was Jonathan ben Ananus .Ananias"/, but shortly thereafter he appointed Josephus ben !amydus .who held the post until DC !4/. 6C )ote Josephus, Ant. <@.?N,?L. 6N In his 9e Tiris Illustribus", Jerome 'uotes the lost !ommentaries of &egesippus .Mifth -ook/2 After the apostles, James the brother of the Gord surnamed the Just was made head of the !hurch at JerusalemH e a&one had the pri,i&ege of entering the o&* of o&ies , since indeed he did not use woolen vestments but linen and went alone into the temple and prayed on behalf of the people, insomuch that his knees were reputed to have ac'uired the hardness of camelsV knees." 1ee also AJames the :elative of Jesus and the 4xpectation of an 4schatological >riestA by 9r. James Julius 1cott, Jr., Journal of the 4vangelical #heological 1ociety, Tol. <B, )o. 6 .1eptember, *?L</, pp. 6<6,66*. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**L ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

*. <. 6.

od cares less about what you do than what you believe .right belief or orthodoxy" over right actions or orthopraxy"/. od offers salvation and entrance to the +ingdom to those who properly believe that Jesus was the !hrist6L, and od views humans as sinners who need redemption2 Aall have sinned and fall short of the glory of od6?A

-uilding upon his three precepts, >aul decided that Jesus was the fulfillment of the 0ashiach30essiah prophecies of the 8ld #estament and was therefore the 9ivine entity sent to replace the covenant of 0osesD@. #hrough Jesus, !hristians en(oy a new covenant" so that they are not bound by the 0osaic Gaws regarding ceremony, diet, and circumcision. .8ne does not have to become a Jew in order to be a !hristian/. 8f course, these ideas put him in direct opposition to the 4bionites, )a=oreans and followers of the Way. .>aul coopted the Way" and made it into his way/. #he other key idea which >aul infused into his religion was that the right of religious leadership arises from the direct infusion or involvement of the &oly 1pirit. &is claim of direct infusion by the &oly 1pirit was the sole source of his authority, so it was only logical that it should be the source of all religious authority. In sum, !hristianity needed three 9ivinities2 the Mather, the 1on, and the &oly 1pirit. After >aulVs confrontation with >eter their relationship changed dramatically and there is no further contact reported between the two menD*. #he scandal is carefully glossed over in the )ew #estament since >eter .as the rock" of the church/ was to be the human source of >aul$s religious power. Instead, it is apparent that >aul never brought >eter, -arnabas, or James around to his view. >aul, -arnabas, and 0ark sail from 1eleucia to !yprus then to >erga in >amphylia. 0ark returns to Jerusalem .Acts *6 b *D/.

6L 6?

#he doctrine of salvation by grace through faith". -aptism was essential for proper belief. :omans 62<6. D@ #he Jewish conception of the role and function of the 0ashiach is almost entirely different than the conception of >aul$s 0essiah. #he original Jewish followers of Jesus could not rationally argue that Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies related to the 0ashiach and either made no such claim or said that Jesus would return in order to fulfill the ma(or prophecies. D* )ote #he Mall of Jerusalem and the !hristian !hurch2 A 1tudy of the 4ffects of the Jewish 8verthrow of A.d. N@ on !hristianity" by 1amuel eorge Mrederick -randon, 1.>.!.+., .*?BN/, p. *6L et se'. and http233paulproblem.faithweb.com3infightingcpaulc(amescpeter.htm An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II**? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

#hen came the great Judean famine of DB,DL !4D<. In DC !4, !uspius Madus was succeeded as >rocurator by #iberius Julius AlexanderD6 and he agreed with &erod of !halcis to replace Josephus ben !amydus with Ananias ben )ebedeus as &igh >riest .who served from DC to B< !4/. 5nder this prefect a great famine happened in Judaea, and 'ueen &elena of Adiabene bought cereals in 4gypt at a great expense, and distributed it to those that needed it. -esides this, the sons of Judas the alilean were executed7 I mean that they were the sons of that Judas who caused the people to revolt when Ythe governor of 1yriaZ duirinius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews. #he names of those sons were James and 1imon, whom Alexander commanded to be crucified." Josephus, Ant. <@.*@@,*@6. >aul recorded the efforts of the Antioch !hurch in assisting those affected in Judea and both he and -arnabas made a famine,relief trip to Jerusalem in DC !4 to delivered funds gathered from the church at Antioch .Acts **2<?,6@/. >aul wrote about his third trip to Jerusalem in his letter to the alatians. A#hen after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with -arnabas, taking #itus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the entiles. -ut I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. -ut not even #itus, who was with me, though he was a reek, was compelled to be circumcised. -ut it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in !hrist Jesus, in order to bring us into bondageA . alatians <2*,B/. 1everal important things are revealed about the trip2 *. #he entile #itus travels with them to Jerusalem and he is not re'uired to be circumcised. <. #he >illars of Jerusalem" are identified as James, >eter, and John. #hat >eter is in Jerusalem in new information and we should assume that John has taken over for his brother. )ormally, there would be two pillars % so >eter was probably a later addition.

D<

#here were several ma(or famines during the reign of !laudius with the Judean famine being one of the last. Its period and duration is derived mostly from Josephus. #he famine of Acts **2<N,6@, was not the same famine of :omans *B2<C. 1ee #he Acts of the Apostles2 A 1ocio,>hetorical !ommentary" by -en Witherington, Wm. -. 4erdmans >ublishing .*??L/, pp. 6N<,6 and A#he 5niversal Mamine under !laudiusA by +enneth 1perber app, &arvard #heological :eview 3 Tolume <L 3 Issue @D 3 8ctober *?6B, pp. <BL,<CB. )ote Josephus, Ant. <@2B*,B6 noting that the famine occurred while #iberius Julius Alexander was >rocurator. D6 #he son of the aristocratic Alexandrian of the same name. &is uncle was the famous philosopher >hilo and his brother, 0arcus .d.DD/, married -erenice, the daughter of &erod Agrippa. .Jewish by birth, he definitely turned :oman and later helped the :oman$s lay siege to Jerusalem. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<@ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

6. >aul claims that the >illars do not change the basic gospel he preaches among the entiles. D. >aul claims that the >illars recogni=e the authority .by grace of -arnabas/ to offer the Way to the entiles. .1ee below/. od/ given to >aul .and

B. >aul agrees to keep on remembering the poor", i.e. the poor brethren in Judea, which he then does in the collection for the saints" that continues to take place over the next *@ years as he preaches the gospel among the entiles. C. AAnd -arnabas and 1aul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was 0ark.A .Acts *<2<B/. Acts also records that John,0ark later went back to Jerusalem .Acts *62*6/. >aul states that the >illars offered the right hand of fellowship to them" and agreed that each should go to their respective fields of labor. #he phrasing of this is odd and the key part is often mistranslated and misread2 In the original reek, the passage reads2 e_ fgh gh i jek, _il m gh ie ngopilfqeR" . al. <2?/. In typical )# translations, this is translated to say #hey agreed that we should go to the entiles, and they to the circumcised" .)IT/. -ut the reek reads differently as these translations indicate2 that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision." .!ambridge 4d./. that we should go to the heathen, and they to the circumcision." .American +JT/. that we should go unto the entiles, and they unto the circumcision7" .A1T/. that we should go unto the entiles, and they unto the circumcision2" .9ouay,:heims/. that we should go to the entiles and they also under circumcision." .:TW/.

)owhere else in the )A1- is _il" translated as they". #he most common translation is same". I suggest this is one of the many examples where carefully chosen words intend misinterpretation and that the real meaning is best indicated by subse'uent events2 #he >illars told >aul that he could preach the Way to the entiles who were circumcised. 8therwise, there is no need for the subse'uent Jerusalem !ouncil" debate and decree. #he better conclusion is that once again the !hurch leaders admonished >aul that he must not continue to preach in the name of Jesus to those who are unwilling to become Jews .those circumcised/DD.#hus, while they approved of his mission to the entiles, they made it clear that
DD

#he re'uirements and options for conversion to Judaism were debated at the time of Jesus. It is known that &illel and 1hammai debated the matter with the &illelites declaring circumcision to be unnecessary. #hat position is also espoused in the -abylonian #almud2 AA male convert who has been immersed but not circumcised, or circumcised but not immersed, is a convert.A .Kevamot DCa and erim *2C/. #he term er toshav" .&ebrew2 / refers to a righteous gentile .&ebrew2 hassid umot ha, olam Apious among the nationsA/as one who officially accepts the seven )oahide Gaws as binding upon himself in the presence of a beth din .Jewish rabbinical court/. Also, ger t=edek" refers to a Arighteous convertA is a proselyte to Judaism. Mor :abbinic Judaism, the gerut .laws governing conversion/ are based upon several codes of law and texts. 9iffering views were expressed by leading first century :abbinic scholars :. Joshua .d. *6* !4/ and :. 4lie=er .d. *BB !4/. :abbi Joshua ben &ananiah argued An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<* ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

>auls$ new gospel was not acceptable. #his is clear in the next trip to Jerusalem, which we will return to shortly. In Jerusalem, the new >rocurator was busy with another uprising % this time by the sons of the former rebel Judas of amala .revolt of C !4/. &e condemned both James and 1imon to crucifixion. 1ince Judea was afflicted by a severe famine and taxes had been raised, there was plenty of fuel for disruption and the execution of James and 1imon only inflamed the FealotsDB. In DL !4, &erod of !halcis, #etrarch of !halcis, died and was replaced by &. Agrippa IIDC. #iberius Alexander was succeeded by Tentidius !umanus. !umanus was forced to deal with a succession of serious public disturbances beginning with >assover massacre of D? !4. !umanus, as had earlier governors, placed a detachment of :oman soldiers on the #emple portico and walls to help maintain order, but one of those soldiers exposed himself to the Jews in the courtyard and called out insults. A riot started and in the ensuing melee thousands of Jews were killedDN. After >aul, -arnabas, and #itus returned to Antioch they apparently ignored the instructions of the >illars regarding their mission" as A1ome men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, A5nless you are circumcised according to the custom of 0oses, you cannot be saved.A And when >aul and -arnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that >aul and -arnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issueA .Acts *B2*,</. In the year B@, another council was formed in Jerusalem to deal with >aul$s persistent proselyti=ing of the uncircumcised. According to the story of this conference given in Acts *B, first Asome believers who belonged to the sect of the >harisees stood up and said, VIt is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of 0osesV A YActs *B2BZ. #his was the conservative3orthodox3>harasitic position. #hen, >eter offered his testimony regarding od$s work among the entiles through the Way. &e rebutted the >harisaic group by asking2 A)ow therefore why are youH placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear;" .Acts *B2*@/. After >aul and -arnabas gave their testimony and Atold of all the signs and wonders that od had done through them among the entilesA .Acts *B2*</, James sums up the arguments and delivers the final verdict on the matter in what is known as the AApostolic 9ecreeA2

that a convert must only accept Jewish beliefs and laws and undergo immersion in a mikveh, whereas :abbi 4lea=ar ben A=ariah would re'uire circumcision. Josephus provides an example of conversion and the issue of circumcision in the story of +ing I=ates of Adiabene. Ant. <@2<. 1ee #he Way of the -oundary !rosser2 An Introduction to Jewish Mlexidoxy", 0.9. Ganham, :owman b Gittlereld .<@@B/, pp. <*D,*? citing -abylonian #almud, 1habbat *6Ba and erim <2<. DB Josephus terms 0enahem, one of the early leaders of the later Jewish :evolt, as JudasV AsonA, but he was more likely JudasV grandson. 0enahemVs cousin, 4lea=ar ben KaVir, was one of the leaders at 0asada. DC Which included the right of superintending the #emple in Jerusalem and appointing its &igh >riest. .J4/. &. Agrippa ruled from !halcis until B6 when he moved to Iturea. DN Josephus claims <@,6@,@@@ were killed, but that seems an exaggeration. War <.<<N7 Ant. <@.***,**<. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<< ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

AI have reached the decision that we should not trouble those entiles who are turning to od, but we should write to them to abstain only from pollution by idols, from fornication, from whatever has been strangled, and from blood. Mor 0oses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every 1abbath day and whatever things you would not have done to yourselves, do not do to another." .Acts *B2*?%<?/. #his Apostolic 9ecree was considered binding on all the other !hristian congregations in other regions .Acts *B2<N,<L/. It is worthy to note that these same stipulations already existed for A od fearers" % those entiles who wished to follow the Jewish religion without taking the step of undergoing circumcision and fully converting to Judaism. #hen it seemed appropriate to write these decrees along with a cover letter" and for the apostles and the elders, within the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with >aul and -arnabas." #hey selected Judas bar 1abbas .-arsabbas"/ and 1ilas to ensure that >aul and -arnabas adhered to the decree. #he cover letter reportedly read2 #o the apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and 1yria and !ilicia who are from the entiles, greetings. 1ince we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved -arnabas and >aul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Gord Jesus !hrist. #herefore we have sent Judas and 1ilas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. Mor it seemed good to the &oly 1pirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials2 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication7 if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Marewell." .Acts *B2<6,<?/. It would seem consistent with the character of James to seek middle ground and one can easily see that the decree is an attempt to appease both sides. It was clever to utili=e the almost Jewish convert" criteria to admit entiles into the Way without the onerous re'uirement of circumcision. #he law was acknowledged without creating in(ustice % by James the Just". &aving secured a victory" in his latest confrontation with the Judai=ers" of Jerusalem, >aul decided to leave Antioch and seek even greater opportunity to freely express his !hristian conceptsDL. Mirst he went to reece30acedonia/ where the Jews reportedly plotted against him .Acts <@2*/. After getting kicked out of one 0acedonian city after another, the three missionaries Y>aul, 1ilas, and #imothyZ go down to A!&AIA7 >aul alone briefly visits Athens, but his preaching is not very successful there .Acts *N2*C,6D/."D? #hen, the missionaries move on to !orinth where they meet >riscillaB@ b A'uila .soon after 4mperor !laudius had expelled Jews
DL

Interestingly, the last mention of >eter in Acts .*B2*,<?7 cf. alatians <2*,*@/ occurs in the report regarding the !ouncil of Jerusalem". D? >auline !hronology2 #he Gife and 0issionary Work of 1t. >aul of #arsus" by Melix Just, 1.J., >h.9., at http233catholic,resources.org3-ible3>aulinec!hronology.htms:evelation. B@ A female leader of the !hurch and possibly the anonymous author of the 4pistle to the &ebrews. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<6 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

from :ome in D? !4B*/ .Acts *L2<7 *L2**,*L/. 1oon, >aul is again in trouble and under arrest by >roconsul allio of Achaia .Acts *L2*<,*N/. -ecause allio was in only in Achaia between B*% B< !4, we get our only rigid historical date in the chronology of >aulVs life .from which we try to make the other dates and events work/. #he trouble in :ome most likely arose from a dispute between followers of the Way and other Jews. !laudius was a good friend of &erod Agrippa .I/ and was not anti,1emitic, so the dispute must have been disruptive enough to (ustify a succession of penalties beginning with a prohibition against meetings and culminating in the expulsion of many .perhaps most/ Jews from :omeB<. #he actions of !laudius make more sense in the context of the Jewish revolt in AlexandriaB6. Gater in B< !4, duadratus, overnor of 1yria, accused the &igh >riest Ananias ben )ebedeus and others of criminal acts of violence and corruption regarding the 1amaritan slaughter of B* !4BD. Ananias was sent to :ome for trial, but was ac'uitted by the 4mperor !laudius. In Jerusalem, &erod Agrippa II .as +ing of !halcis"/ replaced Ananias with the unknown priest Jonathan .either ben #heophilus or ben Ananias/. #he only &igh >riest during the eight,year term of Melix Ytime,lineZ was Jonathan .but see below/. As >aul and friends travelled and established !hristian !hurches, James and the 4bionites continued with their mission. #hey also worked to maintain their churches despite troubles in Judea and Alexandria .including more famine/. 9uring this time, the younger brother of James, 1imon, began to act as his right hand man" and John moved to 4phesus. James came to recogni=e that tensions between Jews and :omans were rising everywhere and that Jerusalem would eventually suffer :ome$s wrath. &e and the !ouncil began a 'uiet move to establish new homes of the movementBB2
B*

the 9ecapolis in the district of >ella, -eroea in !oele,1yria, and +ochaba .or +ohoraba/ of -asanitis . alilee/

While there is a void of historical data regarding this expulsion, the date of allio$s reign can be determined with a Afair degree of accuracy" allowing us to back,date >aul$s arrival in !orinth to late B@ !4. 1ee !hristianity 5nder !laudius" by M.M. -ruce, -ulletin of the John :ylands Gibrary DD .0arch *?C</, pp. 6@?,6<C. B< !laudius did not distinguish between the followers of Jesus and other Jews. 1ee -ruce, supra, citing 9io !assius t 6*6, ff. It is certain that !laudius did not expel all Jews from :ome"2 1ee http233www.ancientworlds.net3aw3>ost3*<ND<6@. B6 1ee http233www.(ewishvirtuallibrary.org3(source3(udaica3e(udc@@@<c@@@Dc@c@D66?.html and http233www.csun.edu3uhcfll@@D3claualex.html. BD 1ee #he Jews 5nder :oman :ule2 Mrom >ompey to 9iocletian 2 a 1tudy in >olitical :elations" by 4. 0ary 1mallwood, -:IGG .<@@*/, pp. <C6,<CN. BB 1ee http233www.preteristarchive.com31tudyArchive3p3pella,flight.html. Julius Africanus adds )a=areth to this list, but such was likely based upon the prophetic implications of the name. 1ee #he 1ecret Gegacy of Jesus2 #he Judaic #eachings #hat >assed from James the Just to the Mounding Mathers" by Jeffrey J. -vt=, Inner #raditions 3 -ear b !o. .<@@?/, p. *CL citing b 'uoting Jewish !hristianity2 Mactional 9isputes in the 4arly !hurch" by &ans Joachim 1choeps, >hiladelphia2 Mortress .*?C?/. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<D ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

As the 1eventyBC were sent out and the followers were dispersed, the power of the Jerusalem church declined. When )ero became 4mperor at the age of *N in BD !4, a new age of :oman degradation began. After departing !orinth, >aul went to >hilippi where his party was (oined by Guke, the physician and historian". #hen he planned to return to Jerusalem for reasons unknown, but with some trepidation .Acts <@2<<,<6/. Instead, >aul ended up in 4phesus. #here, he was accused of starting riots and was forced to say some sad farewells and sailed for >tolemais. After staying with >hilip, the 9eacon of !aesarea, he was (oined by friends and allies for the trip to Jerusalem. #hen, >aul made his final trip to Jerusalem around the year BN !4. #he story appears in the book of ActsH AAfter this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 1ome of the disciples from !aesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of 0nason, where we were to stay. &e was a man from !yprus and one of the early disciples. When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. #he next day >aul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. >aul greeted them and reported in detail what od had done among the entiles through his ministryA .Acts <*2*B,*?/. YJews in JerusalemZ, they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the entiles to forsake 0oses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What, then, is to be done; #hey will certainly hear that you have come. #herefore do this that we tell youBNH$" James has >aul take a )a=arite vow and pay the vow fee for four others. After purifying himself and the other four, he went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification. When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, J0en of Israel, come to our aidW #his is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Gaw and this place7 and besides he has even brought reeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.$ .Mor they had previously seen #rophimus, the 4phesian, in the city with him, and they supposed that >aul had brought him into the temple/. #hen all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of >aul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. .Acts <*2<N,6@/. !laudius Gysias, the local commander .!hiliarch"/ of the :oman$s, arrived to hear the shouts of the crowd seeking >aul$s blood and he allowed >aul to address the crowd. &is &ebrew 'uieted them briefly, but after >aul explained his imaginary episodes and 9ivine appointment, the crowd was even more incensed. #he commander took >aul to the barracks to scourge him but was
BC BN

)ote Guke *@2*,<D. 1ee http233en.wikipedia.org3wiki31eventycdisciples Acts <*2<*,<6 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<B

stopped when >aul claimed to be a :oman citi=en .and entitled to a trial before such punishment/. Wanting to know more about the charges against >aul, Gysias ordered a session of the 1anhedrin and took >aul before itH Mirst, >aul insulted the &igh >riest BL and was struck for his insolence. #hen he attempted to play the >harisees against the 1adducees and started such a commotion that the commander had to intervene again and remove >aul. When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed >aul. #here were more than forty who formed this plot. #hey came to the chief priests and the elders and said, JWe have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed >aul. )ow therefore, you and the !ouncil notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation7 and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.$" .Acts <62*<,*B/. &earing .oddly, from >aul$s nephew/ about a plot to kill >aul, Gysias ordered >aul taken to !aesarea to appear before .0arcus Antonius/ Melix, the :oman procurator who had replaced Tentidius !umanus in B< !4. Melix was in no hurry to try >aul, so he remained in prison at !aesarea for at least two yearsB?. Melix also bore ill will for the &igh >riest Jonathan because he fre'uently admonished him about governing Jewish affairs .Ant. <@.L2B/C@. In proceedings before Melix, >aul$s accusers offer some interesting asidesH AMor we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the )a=arenes .w_xyo_zye"/H .Acts <D2B/. >aul replies, in partH -ut this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the od of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Gaw and that is writtenH" .Acts <D2*D/. Gater, >aul appears before &. Agrippa II with his sister .and wife/ -erenice to explain himself. 8ddly, he makes no mention of Jesus. Mestus thinks >aul is insane and notes that he would have been set free him except for his seeking a :oman trial. Acts <C2<D,6<. >aul remains
BL

1ome say the priest was Ananias .ben )ebedeus/, but that conflicts with the historical record. #here is an unexplained vagueness regarding the holder of the &igh >riesthood after Ananias was sent to :ome in chains by the 1yrian overnor duadratus in B< !4. It is likely that Ananias, as former &igh >riest, was delegated as Judge in the matter by his son3grandson Jonathan. #hus, >aul$s comment at Acts <62B2 I did not know he was &igh >riest". B? According to Acts, after two years had passed, Melix was succeeded by >orcius Mestus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Melix left >aul imprisoned." .Acts <D2<N/. C@ Melix had secured his position through the influence of young +ing Agrippa II in :ome .in a compact with the &igh >riest Jonathan/. 1ee !ommentary on the )ew #estament", Tol. 6, by 9aniel 9enison Whedon, &unt b 4aton .*L??/, p. <6D. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<C ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

imprisoned at !aesarea for two years and is then moved to :ome .which took over six months/. In :ome, >aul waited for trial. 1oon thereafter .BL !4/, Agrippa II built a new palace with a dining room over,looking the templeC*. #he priests .led by Jonathan/ opposed this by building a wall to obstruct his view. Melix conspired with the 1icarii to have the &igh >riest Jonathan assassinated. &. Agrippa II named as his replacement Ishmael ben Mabus3>hiabi who was then called to :ome with Melix to address the wall dispute .and perhaps the killing of Jonathan/. )ero ruled in favor of the priests after >oppea, the wife of )ero, interceded on their behalf .Ant. <@.L.**/. Melix, although not otherwise punished, was replaced by )ero and Ismael was held hostage in :ome .Ant. <@.L.L./. )ero appointed >orcius Mestus to replace Melix .which may have been a subtle way to punish the Jews/. #he office of &igh >riest remained vacant for months since Agrippa was off to war under the service of )eroC< .the Jewish 4ncyclopedia names >hinehas as the interim &igh >riest/. Agrippa, on his return, nominated Joseph ben 1imon .the former &igh >riest and who was known as !abi"/ as the new &igh >riest. &owever, when )ero heard about the death of Mestus, he sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. Agrippa .perhaps by some coercion/ then deprived Joseph of the &igh >riesthood and bestowed the succession to Ananus ben Ananus .also a former &igh >riest/. Ananus held the office for only three months and was displaced (ust after the arrival of Albinus. #his was a result of corruption noted by Josephus2 #he high priest Ananias YZ had servants of bad character, who associated with overbearing men, and went to the Y#emple$sZ threshing floors and took tithes that were due to the priests by violence and did not refrain from beating those who would not pay them. And the high priests behaved in the same way as their servants, since no one had the power to prevent it7 and some of the YlesserZ priests, who used to be supported from the tithes, died from lack of food" .Ant. <@.?.</. Ananus was a 1adducees and was typically harsh in (udging offenders. 9uring the period between >rocurators .C< !4/, Ananus assembled a 1anhedrin and felt empowered to charge and try anyone who stood in their way or opposed their views. Among those was James, the brother of Jesus .Ant. <@2?/. #hey came, therefore, in a body to James, and said2 JWe entreat you to restrain the people2 for they have gone astray in their opinions about Jesus, as if he were the 0ashiach. We entreat thee to persuade all who have come hither for the day of the >assover, concerning Jesus. Mor we all listen to your persuasion7 since we, as well as all the people, bear testimony that you are (ust, and show partiality to noneH #ake the stand upon the summit of the temple so that from that elevated spot you may be clearly seen and your words may be plainly heard by all the people$"H 1o they had James taken to the top of the temple .wall/, and they shouted to him
C*

1ee #he life and epistles of 1aint >aul" by William John !onybeare b John 1aul &owson, 1. 1. 1cranton .*?@B/, p. ?@@. C< In >arthia with naeus 9omitius !orbulo to fight off the invasion of Armenia by Tologases I. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<N ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

from below2 A8h, righteous one, in whom we are able to place great confidence7 the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one. 1o declare to us, what is this way";A James replied2 9o you ask me about Jesus, the 1on of 0an; &e sits in heaven at the right hand of the great >ower, and he will soon come on the clouds of heavenW" #his clearly is not what the authorities expected and the people began shouting, A&osanna to the 1on of 9avidW" &aving done worse than failing to gain the desired denial from James, they decided to go up and throw him down, that they may be afraid, and not believe him.A Accordingly, they threw down the (ust man... YandZ began to stone him2 for he was not killed by the fall. Instead, he turned and knelt down and said2 AI beseech #hee, Gord od our Mather, forgive them7 for they know not what they do.A And, while they were there stoning him to death, one of the priests, the sons of :echab, the son of :echabim, to whom testimony is borne by Jeremiah the prophet, began to cry aloud, saying2 !ease, what you are doingW #he (ust man is praying for us.A -ut one among them, one of the fullers, took the staff with which he was accustomed to wring out the garments he dyed, and hurled it at the head of the (ust man. And so he suffered martyrdom7 and they buried him on the spot, and the pillar erected to his memory still remains, close by the #empleC6". Josephus reports that &ananVs act was widely viewed as little more than (udicial murder. AY#Zhose who were considered the most fair,minded people in the !ity and strict in their observance of the Gaw,A went as far as meeting Albinus as he entered the province to petition him about the matter. In response, +ing Agrippa deposed Ananus on the grounds that he had exceeded his authority and replaced him with Jesus son of 9amneus. .!ertainly and irony of names/. It seems likely that the killing of James occurred within a context of several 0essianic" claimants as Josephus describes a few and speaks of many pretenders to Inspiration or 0essiahship" who led followers numbering into the hundredsCD. As Josephus wrote2 AAnother body of wicked men also sprung up, cleaner in their hands, but more wicked in their intentions, who destroyed the peace of the city no less than did these murderers Ythe 1icariiZ. Mor they were deceivers and deluders of the people, and, under pretense of divine illumination, were for innovations and changes, and prevailed on the multitude to act like madmen, and went before

C6

4usebius, 'uoting JosephusVs account and referencing lost passages from &egesippus and !lement of Alexandria .&istoria 4cclesiae, <.<6/. Includes fragments from -ook Mive of #he Acts of the !hurch7 !oncerning the 0artyrdom of James, the -rother of the Gord". 1ee James the -rother of Jesus2 #he +ey to 5nlocking the 1ecrets of 4arly !hristianity and the 9ead 1ea 1crolls" by :obert 4isenman, Maber b Maber .*??N/, >art IT, http233www.earlychristianwritings.com3text3hegesippus.html and http233www.christian,history.org3death,of,(ames.htmlssthash.uob-mm* .dpbs. CD 1ee Ant.*L.LB,LN .#he 1amaritan #aheb"/7 Ant. <@.?N,?L and Acts B.6C .#heudas"/7 War <.<B?,<C6, Ant. <@.*C?,*N*, and Acts <*.6L .#he 4gyptian"/7 Ant. <@.*LL .unnamed/7 War <.D66,DB@ .0enahem or 4lea=ar/7 1imon 0agus of itta, 9ositheos the 1amaritan, and Judah of alilee are mentioned elsewhere. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<L ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

them in the wilderness, pretending that od would there show them signs of libertyA .Josephus, A-. J.A ii. *6, {7 D7 idem, AAnt.A xx. L, {7 C/YJ4ZCB. 0eanwhile, the situation in Jerusalem continued to decline. 9uring the administration of Mestus .BL to C@/, Jewish hostility to the :omans festered. #he big issues were civic privileges" . / and a #emple wall. In the first case, Jews argued that they had .or should have/ an e'ual right as citi=ens compared to entiles .a privilege they had been denied/. #he entiles didn$t want to lose their superior position and argued their case with )ero. )ero ruled in favor of the entiles .largely because of arguments by Melix$s brother >allas/ and re(ected the Jewish claim to e'ual civic rights |isopolitcia/. :ioting broke out in !aesarea .Ant. <@.*L</. Jewish hostility to :ome was greatly inflamed by the sum of events and feelings were aroused which played an important part in the outbreak of the Jewish War of CC !4. After the murder of James it was said that the apostles and disciples of Jesus that were still living .excluding >aul/ came together with those related to Jesus .for the ma(ority of them were still alive/ to determine who would succeed James. #hey pronounced 1ymeon bar !lopas3Joseph .a brother of Jesus mentioned in 0atthew as 1imon"/ as successor to the episcopal throne" of JerusalemCC .with an otherwise unknown person named #hebutis as the runner,up/. We know little about 1imon or his actions, but it was during his leadership that Judaism would undergo its most profound, sweeping, and durable changes as a result of the Jewish revolt and war .which some attribute directly to the slaying of James/. In turn, the 4bionites, )a=oreans, and !hristians would also change dramatically. What is easy to deduce is that the followers and family of Jesus foresaw the war and split up. #hey were also aware that their chief defender and public hero was gone and irreplaceable % James the Just had both power and popularity sufficient to permit his open opposition to the authorities, but no one else did. #heir conclusion and choice was clear % move on. Mor whatever was to follow would eventually change Jerusalem dramatically and there were only three main possibilities .in order of probability/2 *. #he :omans would act decisively in suppressing the revolt and Jerusalem would be taken from the Jews. Judaism would be suppressed in the 4mpire. <. #he Jewish authorities would gain control, align with the :omans and become their puppets. Judaism would become even more corrupted, #emple centered, and un, righteous.

CB

It is worthy to note that Josephus strongly opposed the 0essianic concepts and refused to use the term. #his is more evidence that the reference to Jesus .#estimonium Mlavianum"/ inserted at Ant. *L2626 was re,written or forged. CC 4usebius2 !hurch &istory, -ook III, ch. ** and &istoria 4cclesiastica, III, xxxii. 4usebius also says that &egesippus reported that 1imeon prevailed against #hebutis and led most of the 4bionites to >ella before the outbreak of war. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*<? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

6. #he Jewish Fealots would prevail to achieve some agreement with the :omans which allowed them some autonomy and independence. Judaism would change because its new leadership would be orthodox" and less priest,centered. In preparing for these outcomes, 1imon and his followers took three approaches2 *. #hey separated themselves from the Jewish mainstream as an independent sect following Jesus % the >rophet. #heir Judaism had a different focus and method, so they were sufficiently distinguishable from both the authorities and =ealots as to be dealt with separately. <. #hey expanded their dispersion into areas less dominated by the :omans. #his meant adoption of the new rabbinical movement .not centered in #emple worship/ and in even greater dilution of their centrali=ed leadership. If od allowed the #emple to be taken or destroyed, it showed that it was never what it claimed to be. 6. #hey secretly or 'uietly supported their =ealot" friends and associates who were part of the revolt. #he followers of Jesus, especially the )a=oreans, had long,time ties to =ealotryCN and some would certainly have wanted to (oin in restoring Judaism to its proper" position. In CD !4, a fire caught hold of large partsCL of :ome and it became historically famous because of a reference by the :oman historian #acitus .below/. 4mperor )ero had been blamed for the fire by many because he promptly rebuilt a home .the olden &ouse"/ in the middle of :ome. And, there was a persistent rumor that he had sang the A1ack of IliumA in stage costume as the city burnedC?. As a conse'uence, to get rid of the report, )ero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most ex'uisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called !hristians Yor !hrestiansZ by the populace. !hristus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of #iberius at the hands of one of our procurators, >ontius >ilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but, even in :ome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. In accordance, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty N@7 then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not as much of the crime of firing the city as of hatred against mankind. 0ockery of every sort was added to their deaths. !overed with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were
CN

Get us not make the mistake of assuming that there was but one Fealot" group % we know that there were several. CL 8nly four of the fourteen districts of :ome escaped the fire7 three districts were completely destroyed and the other seven suffered serious damage. #acitus, Annals, ET.D@. C? #acitus says that )ero was in Antium at the time of the fire. Annals, ET.6?. N@ 5nder torture. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6@ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. .#acitus, Annals ET.DD/. #his is one of the most reliable early references to !hristus .presumptively Jesus/ and !hristians" .although some even refute that/. It is certainly odd that #acitus refers to them as being guilty of hatred against mankind. #hus, while things were not going well for Jews, they were also going poorly for !hrestians". According to 4usebius, )ero was also responsible for the deaths of >eter and >aul in :ome .4cclesiastical &istory II.<B.B/. 1ince the information we have is, at best, sketchy, I will make a best guess" regarding the events and dates. >aul arrived in :ome for his first trial in C* !4 .after being shipwrecked in 0alta/. >aul tells us that #he first time I was brought before the (udge, no one came with me. 4veryone abandoned me" .< #im. D2*C/. )evertheless, his trial was short and the charges were dropped. >aul says that he was Awas delivered out of the mouth of the lionA .< #im. D2*N/ probably meaning that he was not fed to the lions as a sentence. Mrom the statement that no one was with >aul, I suggest that we can date the trial after the fire of CD !4 when Jews .and !hristians/ were purged from :ome and appearing at >aul$s trial would have been near stupid. >aul, being a :oman citi=en, was unlikely to be convicted regardless. 4usebius states that Aafter defending himself successfully it is currently reported that Y>aulZ again went forth to proclaim the ospel, and afterwards came to :ome a second time, and was martyred under )eroA .&ist. 4ccl. ii. <*/. :eportedly, after >aul arrived in :ome he preached two whole years unmolested .Acts <L26@,6*/. With the fire in July CD and the subse'uent persecution of !hristians", we can say that >aul must have arrived in :ome later than C< !4. .Melix was probably recalled early in C*/. 1ince )ero was dead before mid,year in CL !4, we presume that >aul died before that. !hoosing CN !4 as the date of >aul$s execution is logical, but without other support. #he best guess as to his chronology in :ome goes like thisH C6 , .early/2 >aul arrives in :ome and is put under guard but allowed to live by himself. >aul is tried and released. .Acts <L2**,*C/. C6,CD , >aul (ourneys to >hrygia and >hilippi .>hil. <2<<,<D/ CB,CC , >aul visits 1pain .< #im. D2*@/ and 9almatia .< #im. D2*@/. CN , .early/ >aul revisits >hrygia .< #im. *2*B et se'./ and 4phesus .* #im. *26 , placing #imothy in charge/. CN , .1ummer/ &e then revisits >hilippi, Achaia .Athens and !orinth/ .* #im. *26H/, and !rete .placing #itus in charge , #itus *2B/. CN , .Mall/ >aul is arrested .probably at !orinth/ and taken to :ome where #itus (oins him .< #im./ and #imothy is also imprisoned .&eb. *62<6/ CN % .Winter/ >aul is executed. .Jerome de vir. illustr. B in the fourteenth year of )ero"/.
An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6* ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

CL % .June/ )ero died. 9ionysius .d. *N*/, -ishop of !orinth, states in his epistle to the :omans, Kou have thus by such an admonition bound together the planting of >eter and of >aul at :ome and !orinth. Mor both of them planted and likewise taught us in our !orinth. And they taught together in like manner in Italy, and suffered martyrdom at the same time." -ut it is very odd that the scriptures of the !hristian !hurch include no information about the death of either >eter or >aul. #he earliest reference to the fate of >aul comes from !lement of :ome .writing at the end of the first century/ saying that both men Y>eter and >aulZ struggled in the contest even to death" .* !lement B/N*. It certainly appears that the entire refocus towards :oman !hristianity was a late invention .1ee An Ama=ing Gife2 After Jesus" by this author/N<. >eter$s fate is e'ually vague. #he last mention of >eter in Acts occurs in the report of the Jerusalem !ouncil .*B2*,<?7 cf. alatians <2*,*@/. #he 4pistle Mirst >eter implies the author is in A-abylonA but the reference is unclear and the time is uncertain .* >eter B2*6/N6. While the !atholic !hurch argues that -abylon" is a reference to :ome, such is doubtful and unlikely. #he fact" that >eter died in :ome constitutes the historical foundation of the claim of the -ishops of :ome to the Apostolic >rimacy of >eter" .!4/, but that fact is uncertain, and can be solved only on hypotheses more or less well,founded" .!4 % >eter"/. #he fact is that we possess no precise information regarding the details of his :oman so(ourn" and that such a (ourney cannot be established with certainty" .ibid/. It is simply striking that the !atholic !hurch must acknowledge that the sole basis for their religious authority" rests upon such tenuous grounds. "he War-. a/a 0"he First Je$ish12oman War3: We will not give the Jewish War the attention it probably deserves in this history. In part, that is because we have little information regarding the Way" during the war and, in part, that is because the war ended up undermining the Way. It is easy to suggest that the winners" of the war were the !hristians since history has proven that true. -ecause Josephus had such direct involvement in the war and because it was contemporaneous for him, his histories .Jewish War" and Jewish Anti'uities"/ tend to be more thorough and accurate regarding its details .while still strongly reflecting both his personal

N*

1ee #he 0aking of >aul2 !onstructions of the Apostle in 4arly !hristianity" by :ichard I. >ervo, Mortress >ress .<@*@/, p. *6@2 #he narrator docs not claim that both died at :ome, or at the same time. >erhaps these data can be assumed, but their absence deserves attention." N< #he biggest problem for the :oman !atholic !hurch is the conflict in claims2 if the Apostle John was still alive after >eter and >aul died .http233www.newadvent.org3cathen3@LD?<a.htm , *@@ !4/, then clearly he would have been the proper leader of the !hristian !hurch over anybody in :ome. N6 #he church that is at -abylon, elected together with you, salutes you7 and so does 0arcus my son."
ND

#his war from CB,N6 !4 was followed by the +itos War .**B%**N !4/ and the -ar +okhba revolt .*6<% *6B !4/. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6< ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

biases and his need to placate his :oman benefactors/. Mor our purposes, those details are largely irrelevant other than the results, but here is a 'uick overviewNB2 Josephus describes the primary causes of the war, includingNC2 the involvement of governor Albinus with criminal gangs the removal of rights of Jews in !aesarea the pollution of the synagogue of !aesarea the murder of &igh >riest Jonathan the murder of &igh >riest Ananias the refusal to sacrifice to the 4mperor the Mourth >hilosophy that held divine assistance would come to a rebellion .0essianic -eliefs/ the criminal acts and abuse of authority on the part of governor essius Mlorus a conspiracy on the part of Mlorus a certain ambiguous oracle .War C.B.D/

Mor three decades .6C,CB !4/, the Jews suffered increasing depredations, insults, and extortions from the :omans. &. Agrippa II expended large sums of Judean funds in beautifying -erytus. #his partiality rendered him unpopular amongst his Jerusalem sub(ects and made his capricious handling of the &igh >riests even less tolerable. Agrippa was fre'uently positioned to urge tolerance for the outrageous and corrupt behavior of essius Mlorus .the last :oman who would serve as >rocurator of Judea"/. -ut after Mlorus stole vast 'uantities of silver from the #emple in CC !4, the &igh >riest 4lea=ar ben Ananius refused to give sacrifice to the :oman 4mperor. 8utraged Jewish masses rioted and wiped out the entire :oman garrison of Jerusalem .and forced &. Agrippa to flee/. #he :oman ruler of the region .based in 1yria/, !estius allus, responded by sending in his .larger force/ of soldiers. When the Jewish insurgents routed them .and took their a'uila or standard/, war was onNN. #he :omans, with their normal alacrity for war, responded with C@,@@@ heavily armed professional troops who wanted to redeem their cohorts. -eginning with alilee, the most radicali=ed area, the :omans slaughtered and enslaved Jews by the tens of thousands. Gacking a centrali=ed army or military command, the Jews were able to conduct guerrilla attacks, but not sustain a military campaign. &ope 'uickly changed to panic and as thousands of Jews fled to Jerusalem, civil war broke out thereNL. 4very moderate Jewish leader either fled in time or was
NB NC

1ee the well,written article at http233en.wikipedia.org3wiki3MirstcJewish}4<}L@}?6:omancWar. Mrom http233www.(osephus.org3causes8fWar.htm.

NN

#he :oman EII Mulminata, reinforced by auxiliary troops, was ambushed and defeated by 4lea=ar ben 1imon and half their number of the Jewish rebels at the -attle of -eth &oron. #his defeat and insult inspired great hope among the Jews and great hatred among the :omans. NL 4lea=ar ben 1imon, John of ischala, and 1imon bar iora were the principle leaders of the =ealots. When 4lea=ar returned to Jerusalem after his victory at -eth,&oron, the former &igh >riest Ananus ben Ananus deposed him from power. -ut he retained loyalists and as the situation worsened, he regained power until he was able to depose the &igh >riest and appoint a puppet" replacement .>hinehas/. 0ore details are available at http233en.wikipedia.org3wiki34lea=arcbenc1imon. It is confusing that there are An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*66 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

eventually killed and the factional leaders failed to agree on strategy or leadership. -y CN !4, the :omans had the city under siege, but had to do little fighting as the Jews were so busy killing each otherN?. -y C?, they had control of most of the city, and after the change in power in :omeL@, #itus finished off the siege by totally destroying the #empleL*2 H one of the soldiers, without awaiting any orders and with no dread of so momentous a deed, but urged on by some supernatural force, snatched a bla=ing piece of wood and, climbing on another soldierVs back, hurled the flaming brand through a low golden window that gave access, on the north side, to the rooms that surrounded the sanctuary. As the flames shot up, the Jews let out a shout of dismay that matched the tragedy... While the #emple was abla=e, the attackers plundered it, and countless people who were caught by them were slaughtered. #here was no pity for age and no regard was accorded rank7 children and old men, laymen and priests, alike were butchered."L< 1ome .surprisingly reasonable/ estimates place the toll at over * million dead Jews and hundreds of thousands reduced to slavery. At least an e'ual number of Jews were permanently displaced. 0eanwhile, another calamity struck Judea as the last Fealots desperately plundered and looted villages surrounding 0asada in preparation for a last stand" within the fortress. #errorism and plunder overtook Judaea and few Jews remained. Judea and JerusalemL6 were lost and Judaism was changed forever. #he ma(ority of the followers of Jesus .along with the Jewish nation generally/ went to war against the :omans .whether by choice or compulsion/, and lost. #hat was a much larger blow to them and their organi=ations than to the mostly entile !hristians. #he other truth was that many of the followers of Jesus began to see that Jesus was not going to return during that

several figures named 4lea=ar" in this history2 one was the bandit3=ealot chief, one was the son of Jairus , an autocrat with the 1icarii at 0asada, one was the son of Ananias ,captain of the #emple, and one was the son of 1imon % a younger leader of the Fealots. N? #o exemplify the radicalism which prevailed, one =ealot burned the entire food supply the Jews had stored up within the #emple .in expectation of the :oman siege/ hoping that such would compel everyone to participate in the fight. L@ In the middle of CL !4, the emperor )eroVs increasingly erratic behavior finally lost him all support within the :oman 1enate and they declared )ero an 4nemy of the people. )ero fled :ome and committed suicide while alba became 4mperor. &e was murdered after a few months by 8tho who then committed suicide .or not/ and was replaced by the usurper Titellius. When Tespasian arrived in :ome, Titellius tried to hide, but was beheaded by the eneral and new ruler. L* #he last Fealot stronghold at 0asada was finally taken in N6 !4 % the official" end of the war. -y then, Jerusalem was so thoroughly ra=ed to the ground by those that demolished it to its foundations, that nothing was left that could ever persuade visitors that it had once been a place of habitation.A Wars, N.N.*. L< Mrom A#he :omans 9estroy the #emple at Jerusalem, N@ A9,A from www.eyewitnesstohistory.com .<@@B/ citing JosephusV account as it appeared in2 !ornfield, aalya ed., Josephus, #he Jewish War" .*?L</7 9uruy, Tictor, &istory of :ome", Tol. T .*LL6/. L6 8f course, there is a modern city with the name in the ancient location, but it shows very little of the city that Jesus knew. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6D ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

generation and establish od$s +ingdom on earth. !ombined with od$s failure to intervene in the destruction of Jerusalem, many adherents grew discouraged and dissatisfied. #he actual level of involvement of the 4bionites and )a=oreans in the war is unclear, but the result was a growing distance from traditional Judaism. !hristian historians recorded that that the Jewish followers of Jesus often followed the advice recorded by 0ark and fled to alilee .or >ella/ to reorgani=e. #hat positioned them to be viewed as traitors or cowards by some other JewsLD. Ironically, the war undercut the movement and its momentum while forcing Judaism away from the #emple based religion it was and bringing it towards the Way. -y CD !4, vast numbers of Jews of all political and sectarian persuasions had left Judaea for other areas in the :oman 4mpire .Wars <.*D.</. It appears that >eter remained in Jerusalem LB until the >entecost sign.s/ of CC !4LC. 1ome of the early !hristian writers say that >eter (ourneyed .via >ella/ to :ome to meet with >aul in the summer of CC !4 .others dispute this/. If true, that would reflect the final break between the 4bionites3Apostles and the original !hristian leadership. #hat sign" .later reported by >eter/ was probably the final signal for the last of the leadership to flee Jerusalem. In some regions east of the Jordan, such as >ella, the entiles escorted to the frontiers any who chose to emigrate" or those Jews who showed no revolutionary designs" .Wars <.*.LB/. It most assuredly would have been a tough time to be a Jew anywhere near :oman control and such is most apparent in the efforts of the !hristians to distance themselves from the Jews. &owever, the often advocated idea that the :omans attempted to stamp out YJudaismZ", is plainly incorrect. A well,known alilean >harisee named :abbi Kochanan ben Fakkai apparently foresaw the coming disaster and arranged for his disciples to smuggle him out of Jerusalem .disguised as a corpse/ so that he and his followers could surrender to Tespasian. In return, :abbi Fakkai received a concession from Tespasian that allowed Jewish communal life to continue2 A :abbinical school, 1anhedrin, and Jewish community was allowed at Kavne .Jamnia/ and its teachers .including the descendants of :abbi amaliel of the 9avidic dynasty and :abbi #=adok/ were allowed to institute a new Judaism built from a passage in the -ook of &osea2 AI desired mercy, and not sacrifice.A Animal sacrifice was replaced with prayer and study of the #orah became a primary ritual" of righteousness. Josephus .the turncoat" who had helped and negotiated on behalf of #itus/ ended up in :ome where he was granted :oman citi=enship, a pension, and residence within TespasianVs private residence.

LD LB

1ee http233www.religion.ucsb.edu3faculty3thomas3classes3rgst**Cb3Jewish&istory<.html. After probably haven written the first epistle attributed to him from -abylon" around CD !4 .* >eter B2*6/. LC Among other signs", during >entecost, the <D priests serving the inner court of the Jerusalem #emple reported hearing a voice as of an army2 We are departing hence Yfrom hereZ." Wars C2<??%6@@. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6B ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

#he Arch of #itus in :ome showing the 0enorah from the Jerusalem #emple. >hoto by

. J.

oldberg.

Mor his :oman overlords, benefactors, and landlords, he wrote histories .and other works/ which always favored the :omans and usually reflected his own biases and preconceptions. With Jerusalem reduced to a mere village .lacking any particular attraction to draw Jews back/ and its Jewish residents widely dispersed, it is somewhat surprising to find archeological evidence that Jews did return and rebuild. 1ince there would be no #emple, the Jews who returned were largely those who weren$t focused upon #emple worship in the first place % and this included the followers of Jesus. #hey built a synagogue and re,established their former service,based practices which included healing, charity, and advocating adherence to a more orthodox Judaism .based upon honoring od$s Will more than some human created theology/. #hus, we find a historical recordLN which identifies the Jerusalem leadership into the fifth century, although we know very little about them2 *. James the Just, brother of Jesus .until C</

LN

!4 citing 4usebius, A&ist., 4ccl.A, IT, v .A4usebius 4cclesiastical &istorical2 complete and 5nabridged. )ew updated editionA, translated by by !.M. !ruse, b published by &endrickson >ublishers, reprinted *??L, pp. ??,*@@. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6C ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

<. 1imeon ben !lopas, brother of Jesus .C<%*@N/ crucified as a 9avidic heir" under #ra(an by >roconsul #iberius !laudius Atticus &erodes in JerusalemLL. 6. Judas3Justus3Jude A aisoA .*@N%**6/ D. Faccheus3Facharias .**6%;;;/ % probably the same as Foker", a grandson of Judas3#homas" per &egesippusL?. B. #obias .;;;%;;;/ C. -en(amin bar Jude .;;;%**N/ N. John bar Jude .**N%**?/ disputed with !hristians until he became convinced of the coming of Jesus as Gord and 0essiah. It is likely that the subse'uent -ishops accepted similar views. L. 0atthias I .**?%*<@/ ?. >hilip .*<@%*<D/ *@. 1eneca .*<D%;;;/ **. Justus II .;;;%;;;/ *<. Gevi bar Jude.;;;%;;;/ *6. 4phraim .;;;%;;;/ *D. Joseph I .;;;%*6</ *B. Judas bar Jude duiriacus3+yriakos?@ .*66%*6B/ the great grandson of Jude and the last of the 9esposynoi to hold this office. #his continuity points to three unexpected outcomes2 *. #he period of 1imeon bar !lopas$ leadership .C<,*@N !4/ included the Mirst Jewish War" and this continuation strongly indicates that the 4bionites and )a=oreans returned to Jerusalem following the war .as below/. <. #he family of Jesus .calling themselves the +yriakon"/ led the &oly and lorious 1ion, mother of all churches?*" and the original followers of Jesus for at least a century after the death of Jesus .through the -ar,+ochba revolt in *6B !4/. 6. #he !hristian church that >eter .via >aul/ built in :ome was relatively insignificant until the revolt during the reign of &adrian .*6D !4/. &adrian$s suppression of Judaism strongly favored the entile church. #hat the early Jerusalem church was led by blood descendants of Jesus offers a glimpse of the family2 James had at least three sons by his first wife .name unknown/2 Judas, John, and Jose .0ar"/ .)ote Guke C2*C/. &e had at least two sons by his second wife2 +oresh and 4l,+asai .4l=asus34lchasia/. Judas .the elder son of James/ had at least four sons2 -en(amin, John, Gevi,
LL

:ecorded by &egesippus and preserved by 4usebius. 1ee http233morewhoiswho.tripod.com3history.html. L? 1ee Jude and the :elatives of Jesus in the 4arly !hurch" by :ichard -auckham, !ontinuum .<@@D/, pp. ??,*@@. ?@ After John I, the AkindredA of Jesus took the surname A+yriakonA meaning, Athe GordVs &ouseA. #he title A9esposynoiA .or A#he 0aster$s +inA/ also continued for other family members. ?* !atholic 4ncyclopedia2 Jerusalem .A.9. N*%*@??/A,www.)ewadvent.org, An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6N ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

and Jude. Aside from the brief reference to Jude and Foker by &egesippus .as above/, we are limited to a few vague references to the Des !s"#$% We can only conclude that the !hristian churches chose to avoid their story. What history does hint at is interesting % at the very least. &aving dispersed during the Mirst Jewish War, followers of the Way we among the first to return to Jerusalem after the war. #here, they found the !enacle .from Gatin cenaculum, also known as the A5pper :oomA and the site of #he Gast 1upper"/ had survived. Indeed, archeological evidence shows that it remained at least until &adrianVs visit in *6@ !4. According to 4piphanius of 1alamis, the !enacle continued as a base of operations for the followers between the Mirst and #hird Wars. When considered with the list of -ishops of Jerusalem and knowing that those -ishops were 9esposyni, we should deuce that the followers of Jesus who remained loyal to his mission continued strongly in Jerusalem and Judea. Deaths of the Apost&es: We have already reached the point where half of the #welve had passed. 6C2 Judas2 !ommitted suicide by hanging .0att. <N2B/ or fell down and burst open .Acts *2*L/. DD2 James .Acts *<2</2 -eheaded in Jerusalem. BD2 >hilip .>hilip evangeli=ed in >hrygia where hostile Jews at &ierapolis had him tortured and then crucified/. C<2 0atthew .death by beheading at )ad,9avar/. CD2 James the Just2 .#ried in Jerusalem, cast down from the temple, and beaten to death with fuller$s club after surviving the fall. CD2 >eter .as above/ 1oon after the war, most of the other half were goneH N@2 Andrew .&ippolytus tells us, Andrew was hanged on an olive tree at >atrae, a town in Achaia/. N@2 )athanael .-artholomew/2 5nwilling to recant his proclamation of a risen Jesus, he was flayed and then crucified. N<2 Judas #haddeus .the brother of Jesus3"Jude"/2 -eaten to death with sticks .or killed with arrows/ in 0esopotamia in the midst of pagan priests. N<2 0atthias .who replaced Judas/2 4usebius says he was stoned while hanging upon a cross in 4thiopia. ND2 1imon the Fealot2 !rucified by a governor in 1yria.
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NC2 #homas2 >reached in >arthia3>ersia where he was killed by lance and was buried at 4dessa or he continued to India and was killed there by spear. #he sole remaining Apostle chosen by Jesus was John. #hat he is not given the dignity and stature that such position would seem to warrant .as leader of the Way/ is another oddity of the early !hristian church. Mollowing the trend, this is likely to mean that John also re(ected >aul and his new religion. -ut John .and his followers/ followed a different course than the other Apostles % they tilted toward eschatological nosticism, wrote extensively, and could not be easily ignored by the early church. #hus, for almost twenty years .app. NB,?B !4/ the natural leader of the Way taught a new and different meaning to the life of Jesus and bridged the growing gap between what people though Jesus had taught and the reality they experienced .the +ingdom didn$t come/. 0any of John$s teachings .deemed proto,orthodox !hristianity"/ would become essential elements in the religion of the !atholic !hurch. After leaving Jerusalem around 6L !4, John travelled to 4phesus in central Asia. &e would remain there for the rest of his life?< where he established one of the most prolific churches and messianic communities. #he original community was led by Apollo .* !orinthians *2*</ who was likely a follower of John the -aptist. A#he brethrenA .Acts *L2<N/ were led by >riscilla and A'uila who trained >olycarp .-ishop of 1myrna/ and >rochorus. >olycarp taught Irenaeus, whose histories and apologies are the sources of much of our knowledge of the church and the teachings of John. Mrom this, we might view John as teacher and sage who allowed others to deal with the details. -ecause there was another follower of Jesus in 4phesus at the time, we gain an insight into the debate which ultimately split the followers and the Way. We know little about !erinthus .~qopejlh/ other than his ideas that were refuted by John$s group. !ontrary to John$s school, !erinthusVs school followed the Jewish law and used the ospel of the &ebrews?6 as a history of Jesus and his teachings. !erinthus honored Jewish scripture and the od of the &ebrews. In his teachings, Jesus was a man .not divinity/ who was inspired by the &oly 1pirit upon baptism and was guided by that spirit during his ministry. !erinthus taught that Jesus would establish a thousand,year reign after the return of Jesus as the 0essiah but before the :esurrection .a view that was declared heretical by the !atholic !hurch/. Gike his fellow 4bionites, !erinthus denied the supernatural birth of Jesus and deemed him the natural son of Joseph and 0ary. -y describing Jesus as a natural,born man who taught obedience to Jewish law, !erinthus agreed with the Jewish followers of the Way?D. -y advocating the resurrected Jesus as !hrist", returning from heaven to undertake a divine task
?<

#he stories of his appearance in the !oliseum in :ome and exile to >atmos are clearly fictional.

?6

>erhaps the earliest gospel and a source of the ospel of 0atthew. 1ee http233www.earlychristianwritings.com3gospelhebrews.html. ?D >olycarp told a story of John, the disciple of the Gord, going to bathe at 4phesus, and perceiving !erinthus within, rushed out of the bath,house without bathing, exclaiming, JGet us fly, lest even the bath, house fall down, because !erinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within.$" .Irenaeus, Against &eresies, III.6.D/. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*6? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

of salvation in the material world, he agreed with the developing !hristian eventually influence the !hristian !hurch.

nosticism that would

!erinthus was one of a significant group who brought gnostic ideas together with Jesus$s teachings, James$ advocacy for adherence to Jewish law, and Jewish eschatological beliefs to create a new religious conception. entile followers of the Way also brought gnostic ideas into their theology and thus evolved the Word" as a theological conception along with the eschatological ideas recorded within the -ook of :evelation. .#hese matters are discussed fully in the book % After Jesus"/. "he Loss of the '#ionites: Although 4bionite communities continued to exist .and still exist/, they soon disappeared from history. 8ur list of Mirst -ishops .above/ demonstrates that the 4bionites established and held churches in all the ma(or cities with significant Jewish populations well beyond the life of >aul. &owever, the list of successive -ishops reveals the changing tide .compare with the first list, above/2
?B

Jerusalem2 1imon, the brother .CD,N@?B/ and Jesus$ relatives until *6B !4. #hen entiles. Antioch2 4vodius .CN,C?/ and then Ignatius of Antioch?C .N@,*@B/ :ome .see below/2 Ginus .&'('&) 4phesus2 #imothy .?@,*@@/ Alexandria2 Annianus3 &ananiah .CL,L</ followed by !erdon .unknown/?N !aesaria2 Facchaeus the >ublican.BB,;/ Appollos 9amascus2 .B@,;/ ;; !orinth2 A'uila .with his wife >riscilla/.BB/ 1ilas .Appt. by >aul/ Athens2 9ionysius the Areopagite .(udge at the !ourt of Areopagus/ .Appt. by >aul % CL/ &ierapolis2 >hilip .with his sister 0ariamne/.CC/ >apias .student of John/ !yrene2 0ark?L .established in DC/ Gucius .from Antioch , DL/ 4dessa3Armenia2 4stablished by -artholomew and #haddeus .D@/ regory .;/ 1alamis3!yprus2 -arnabas .B@/ 1myrna2 Apollos >olycarp .Appt. by John/ 1inope2 >hilogogus .Appt. by Andrew/ >hilipopolis2 &ermes &yrcania2 Asyncritus -y=antium2 1tachys .Appt. by Andrew/ 0acedonia2 5rban !halcedon2 !rispus 1alonika2 Guke .the gospel writer/

Jerusalem was captured and largely destroyed by the :omans in N@ !4. #he 4bionites fled earlier, as above. ?C http233www.newadvent.org3cathen3@NCDDa.htm ?N http233www.dacb.org3stories3egypt3annianusc.html ?L 0ark was born in !yrene. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D@ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

#ralia .Asian/2 >hilip .the 9eacon/ )icomedia .-ithynia/2 >rochorus Arabia2 #imon .the 9eacon/ 1amaria2 )icolas .the 9eacon/ -erytus3-yblos .-eirut, ebal/??2 4vangelist 0ark is considered to have been the first -ishop of -yblos and 1t. 1ilas .1ilouan/ the first -ishop of -otris 0ilan2 -arnabas .Appt. by >aul/

#he picture which emerges is clear2 the rift between the >auline !hristians" and the 4bionites grew and where >aul dominated, the -ishops were his appointees. 1ubse'uent to the death of James and following the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jesus movement further divided and diversified .as did Judaism/. #he >aulines were (oined by, the nostics, the Johanites .followers of John the -aptist*@@/, the )aassenes .who claimed to follow the doctrines of James the Just taught to his disciple 0ariamne/, and others who branched away from what became the 0essianic,Jesus .4bionite/ core. 5ltimately, that core either faded or (oined the new church of >aul % :oman !atholicism. &owever, it took at least four centuries .and plenty of in,fighting/ for the various factions to consolidate beliefs and that consolidation was never completed. 1ome chose to battle the >auline corruption of their beliefs about Jesus and some went into hiding to escape !hristian persecution .e.g. the !optics/. And thus, our well of information regarding the 4bionites and )a=oreans runs dry. What few snippets of information remain are largely doubtful or speculative. In that light, there is an area of speculation which seems to deserve more attentionH Julius Africanus offers the name +okhaba as one of the two villages from which the desposynoi travelled throughout >alestine. +okhaba in -atanea .aka 4piphanius*@*, 4ast of the Jordan/ was a center of Jewish !hristianity" at a later date and may also be the home town of 1imon % the man known as -ar +okhaba3+ochba of alilee. #hat he was a 9avidic heir would make him a relative of Jesus. &e was most assuredly a Fealot along with several of the followers of Jesus. &e was deemed a 0essiah by prominent :abbis and he claimed the throne of Israel as )asi". 1hould we not consider the possibility that he was a follower of Jesus .or was associated with them/; >erhaps his failure was assigned to the 4bionites and that explains their disappearance following the revolt After the -ar, +ochba revolt .which ended in *6B !4/, Jews were expelled from Jerusalem which was then renamed lia !apitolina. #he -ishops from that period onward would not be Jewish and were appointed by the 0etropolitan of !aesarea. !learly, the separation of Jewish followers of Jesus and entile followers was complete % at least in Jerusalem. #he list of entile -ishops includesH
??

Gaodicea in >hoenicia. 9uring the reign of &erod the reat, -erytus was named !olonia Iulia Augusta Melix -erytus. *@@ 0andaeans recogni=e Kahya ibn Fakariyya .known by !hristians as John the -aptist/ as being supreme to Jesus. *@* 4piphanius, >an. <?2N2N7 6@2*L2*7 6@2<2L,?7 D@2*2B An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D* ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

*. 0arcus .*6B%*DB/ <. !assianus .;;;%;;;/ 6. >oplius .;;;%;;;/ D. 0aximus I .;;;%;;;/ B. Julian I .;;;%;;;/ C. aius I .;;;%;;;/ N. 1ymmachus .;;;/ L. aius II .;;;%*C</ ?. Julian II .*CL%;;;/ *@. !apion .;;;%*NB/ **. 0aximus II .;;;%;;;/ *<. Antoninus .;;;%;;;/ *6. Talens .;;;%;;;/ *D. 9olichianus .;;;%*LB/ *B. )arcissus .*LB%;;;/ *C. 9ius .;;;%;;;/ *N. ermanion .;;;%;;;/ *L. ordius .;;;%<**/ *?. )arcissus .restored/ .;;;%<6*/ <@. Alexander .<6*%<D?/ <*. 0a=abanis .<D?%<C@/ <<. Imeneus .<C@%<NC/ <6. Famudas .<NC%<L6/ <D. 4rmon .<L6%6*D/ .lia !apitolina was renamed Jerusalem again under !onstantine in 6*< !4/. <B. 0acarius I .6*D%666/ -ishop of Jerusalem".

Jude .in the )# 4pistle by that name/ put the situation into perspective telling us that the followers were nowH denying Jesus !hrist" .verse D/, are defiling the flesh," .verse L/, are disregarding high offices," .verse L/, are blaspheming the ones of glory" .verse L/, are blaspheming things that they know not" .v. *@/, are unreasoning animals" .verse *@/, are corrupting themselves" .verse *@/,
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An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D<

are also the ones who are in your love feasts." .verse *</, are shepherds who are feeding themselves without fear" .verse *</, are murmurers, complainers about their lot in life" .verse *C/, and are admiring people for their own gain" .verse *C/.

When the prophecies given by John contained in the earlier version of the -ook of :evelation failed to materiali=e in the manner the early !hristians thought they would, there was a widespread defection. )hrono&og* of the Jesus (o,ement456: 6D2 >hilip the tetrarch dies without leaving an heir. #iberius annexes Iturea and #rachonitis to the :oman province of 1yria. 6C2 Jesus crucified, James became leader of the movement, 0atthias named to the #welve. 6C2 >ilate sent troops to 1amaria to suppress an uprising" .or to merely harass a group gathered to seek religious artifacts/. 1amaritans protest to Titellius, :oman governor of 1yria, who sends >ilate to :ome to answer charges of abuse. .>ilate sent into exile/. 6N2 9eath of #iberius .0arch *C/. 0arcellus becomes interim governor of Jerusalem. 1tephen the A9eaconA is martyred. #he followers scatter. Jonathon ben Annas replaces !aiaphas .AnnasV son,in,law/ as &igh >riest. 6L2 !aligula . aius !aesar/ becomes 4mperor. &e appoints 0arullus as >refect of Judea. >aul receives letter from &igh >riest authori=ing arrest of Jesus$ followers. >aul$s conversion" in 9amascus. 6?2 >aul #ravels to Arabia and remains there . al *2*N/. &erod Antipas tried to take AgrippaVs royal title, but !aligula intervened and exiled AgrippaVs uncle to aul. Iturea, #rachonitis .previously ruled by >hilip/, alilee, >eraea, and Abilene .previously ruled by Gysanias/ were transferred to Agrippa$s control. 9eath of 1eneca the 4lder. D@2 Agrippa to Alexandria % the Jews there riot7 >aul escapes 9amascus. +ing Aretas of 1yria died. D*2 !aligula is determined to turn the temple at Jerusalem into a :oman shrine to include a statue of himself .posing as Jupiter/. #he Jews are e'ually determined to accept no such thing and prepare to revolt. #he 1yrian overnor .Gegate/ >ublius >etronius attempted to negotiate a settlement, but with the statue being constructed in 1idon and two legions of :oman troops waiting on the border of alilee to enforce the imperial order, war seemed imminent. 8nly the intervention of Agrippa I with !aligula avoided the conflict. 1oon afterwards !aligula was assassinated and AgrippaVs advice helped to secure !laudiusV accession as emperor. As a
*@<

Mor discussion regarding the difficulty and uncertainty of dates, see Appendix E. Mor an excellent general discussion regarding ancient calendars and dates, see !alendar and !hronology, Jewish and !hristian2 -iblical, Intertestamental and >atristic 1tudies" by :oger #. -eckwith, -:IGG .<@@*/, !hapter ?. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D6 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

reward for his assistance, !laudius gave Agrippa dominion over Judea and 1amaria, while the kingdom of !halcis in Gebanon was at his re'uest given to his brother &erod. &e took the appellation of Aking.A D<2 Agrippa spends lavishly on building pro(ects. In -erytus .a ApaganA city in Gebannon/ he constructed a modern reek style theater. In Jerusalem he repaired numerous buildings .including some within the #emple/ and finished an a'ueduct that his father had started. >aul escapes Jerusalem .Acts ?26@/. D62 Agrippa begins his campaign against the alilean revolutionaries % the Jesus movement.

DD2 James bar Febedee, the brother of John, was killed by &erod Agrippa I. >eter imprisoned on the orders of +ing &erod Agrippa I .Acts *<2*,6/. &erod Agrippa I died. !uspius Madus became >rocurator of Judaea. DB2 Mamine strikes Judea. >aul and -arnabas (ourneyed to Jerusalem to support from Antioch. DC2 #iberius Julius Alexander became >rocurator of Judaea. DN2 Ananias is appointed &igh >riest in Jerusalem. In Antioch, apparently at >aul$s suggestion, Jews and entiles share meals and >eter (oined the practice. When James heard about this he sent people to investigate and ruled the practice unlawful for the Jews .violating the #orah$s kosher food laws/ . >eter and -arnabas .>aul$s friend/ discontinue the practice which infuriates >aul .see alatians <2**,*D/. DL2 Tentidius !umanus became >rocurator of Judaea. #he name A!hristianA . reek opip_eh/ was first applied to the disciples in Antioch .Acts **2<C/*@6. D?2 0eeting of the !ouncil of Jerusalem where James decides the circumcision and kosher food 'uestions. B@2 !laudius expels !hristians" from :ome. >aul spent *L months in !orinth. &erod Agrippa II is appointed king of !halcis by 4mperor !laudius. B*2 >aul was brought before allio*@D.

B<2 >aul, A'uila, and >riscilla voyage to !enchrea and then across the Aegean 1ea to 4phesus. A'uila and >riscilla later meet Apollos there .Acts *L2*? and <C/. Antonius Melix became >rocurator of Judaea.
*@6

Among themselves, they were called disciples" and brethren", and by the Jews, men Aof the WayA .Acts ?2</ or A)a=arenesA .Acts <D2B/, 4piphanius .>anarion <?/ says they were called Jessaeans before they took the name of !hristians. John of Antioch said2 A4vodus, the first after the Apostle >eter, being chosen bishop of Antioch, the great city of 1yria, became a patriarch, and under him they were called !hristians2 for this same bishop, 4vodus, conferring with them, put this name upon them, whereas before the !hristians were called )a=arenes and alilaeans.VV ill$s 4xposition citing Apud regoryVs )otes, bc. p. *BB, from &istoria !hronike" .CD@ !4/. *@D 1ee http233www.xenos.org3classes3chronop.htm. Acts *L2*<. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*DD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

B62 &erod Agrippa II, exchanges !halcis for parts of Iturea and #rachonitis,

alilee and >erea.

BD2 !laudius poisoned so )ero becomes 4mperor of :ome. In 4phesus, >aul meets disciples of John the -aptist .Acts <@26*/. A1icariiA terrorists kill &igh >riest Jonathan. Ismael replaces him. BB2 #he ospel of the &ebrews" written .best guess/. BC2 #he original letter of James written .)ote James *2*7 Jude */. BN2 >aul arrived in Jerusalem on his fifth and final visit to Jerusalem .Acts <*/. >aul reports to James about his efforts to gain followers among the non,Jews. While visiting the #emple he is accused of defiling the holy place and gets arrested. BL2 >aul is taken to !aesarea and is imprisoned by Melix for Amany yearsA .Acts <D2*@ , < years before end MelixVs reign/. >orcius Mestus became >rocurator of Judaea. B?2 &igh priest Ismael and others are imprisoned in :ome by )ero after a dispute with Agrippa II. C@2 Mestus, >rocurator in Judaea, is succeeded by Gucceius Albinus. >aul voyages to :ome. C*2 >aul imprisoned in :ome. C< , &igh >riest Ananus .aka Ananias"/ arrests and executes AJames, the brother of Jesus called the !hrist.A >rominent Jews are angered and denounce Ananus to Agrippa II, who subse'uently deposes Ananus after three months as &igh >riest. 1imon ben Joseph, the brother, takes over as leader of the Jesus movement. C62 #emple of Jerusalem completed". .Widespread unemployment and high taxes yield unrest/. >aul released from prison. CD2 essius Mlorus became >rocurator of Judaea. )ear the end of the year a comet is visible in the near east which was viewed as a portent by an increasingly discontent populace .#acitus, Annals, *B.DN/. .July/, the -urning of :ome and )eroVs >ersecution of !hristians. >eter 0artyred in :ome .traditional/. CB2 Anticipating war, the Jesus movement moved to >ella. CC2 )ero ordered Mlorus to confiscate funds from the #emple treasure. In August, 0enahem ben Judas .the alilean who revolted in C !4/ raided the fortress of 0asada and sei=ed its weapons. #hey attacked and annihilated the :oman garrisons in Jerusalem. #he :omans who surrendered were lynched. WarW In 1amaria, the Jews attacked and defeated the pro,:oman Jews there and took 1ebaste. #hen they ra=ed it and the #emple at 0t. eri=im*@B.
*@B

#he Judeans and 1amaritans had been antagonistic for a long time and the :omans used two military units from 1amaria to police Jerusalem. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*DB ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

.June/ , >aul beheaded in :ome. CC2 .1eptember/ In !aesarea, the reek and :oman inhabitants attacked their Jewish neighbors and the Jews counter,attack. 0any reeks are expelled from Judaea and alilee. essius Mlorus was replaced .by Antonius Julianus. aius !estius allus, the governor of 1yria .and >alestine/ led his army .EII Gegion reinforced with units of III allica, IIII 1cythica and TI Merrata/ to liberate 1epphoris .!apital of alilee/. &e then continued to Jerusalem, but was forced to return to 9amascus and during the return they were attacked and defeated by the Fealots led by 4leaser ben 1imon .and the legion was disgraced by losing its standard/. CN2 :eali=ing that a full war with the :omans was coming, the Jewish authorities elected generals .including Joseph son of 0atthias, the future historian Mlavius Josephus"/ and sought to sei=e the port cities along the reat 1ea. )ero appointed #itus Mlavius Tespasianus .Tespasian"/ to lead the war against the Jews. Jude", the letter by the brother of James and Jesus written .best guess/. CN2 #he Jews attempted to recapture 1epphoris, but disputes between Josephus and John of ischala, .who controlled the alilean Fealots/ led to failure. -y spring, Tespasian had reinforced the city and soon took the port of >tolemais .Acre/. #here, he gathered troops2 his Bth Gegion, the *@th Gegion .taken over after !estius, the 1yrian governor, committed suicide/, and the *Bth Gegion .under his son #itus/. Tespasian promptly dispatched John of ischala from adara and Josephus from Jotapata*@C, which was defended by Joseph son of 0atthias. John and his six thousand men went to Jerusalem and took control of the city .being opposed by the authorities there/ and the #emple .appointing >hannias as &igh >riest/. CL2 Tespasian gained control of the coast, the Jordan valley, and >eraea .area east side of the Jordan :iver/. Jericho was garrisoned and the settlement at dumran was destroyed. Tespasian was poised to to attack Jerusalem from three sides, but then a messenger informed him that )ero had committed suicide and alba, the 1enator, had become the new 4mperor. Tespasian sent #itus to congratulate the new ruler, but before he had reached :omeH C?2 .January/ #itus learned that alba had been lynched by his own guard. #he enerals Titellius and 8tho battled to become 4mperor with Titellius winning .but he is very unpopular/. Tespasian aligned rulers and armies against Titellius, captured 4gypt .cutting off :ome$s food/, and defeated Titellius in 1eptember. As the new 4mperor, Tespasian rewarded Joseph ben 0atthias with :oman citi=enship and a new name2 Mlavius Josephus. #itus took over the campaign in Judea with the critical assistance of #iberius Julius Alexander .>rocurator of Judaea from DC,DL/. #heir strategy was simply % let the Jews battle each other until they were easy prey. In Jerusalem, the Fealots 4leaser ben 1imon and John of ischala
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Josephus tells a strange tale about his murder3sucicide pact leading to his being brought before Tespasian and #itus. &e then told Tespasian that he was the 0essiah .based upon the ambiguous oracle of )umbers <D.*N,*?/ and that he was destined to rule :ome. >erhaps because the civil war had broken out in :ome everybody had observed the portentous comet, Tespasian kept Josephus alive to act as a translator. #he former Jewish commander became friends with #itus and the rest is history". 1ee Jewish War" by Mlavius Josephus. An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*DC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

aligned against 1imon bar iora .an Idumean/ and the 1adducees. 1imon$s approach was less nationalistic and was based upon a messianic claim or movement. N@2 9uring >assover .April/, #itus laid siege to Jerusalem. After initial success, the defenders warded off the :omans as they retreated deeper into the city and #emple. #itus changed plans and decided to let hunger take over. -y July, the defenders were weakened and demorali=ed*@N. After the :omans built a new ramp towards the #emple terrace to get over the #emple wall and set fire to the #emple, John of ischala surrendered .and was sentenced to life imprisonment/. It took three more months to take the rest of the city and in 1eptember, 1imon was captured. &e was paraded through :ome and executed. N@,ND2 Jews held several strongholds, including the fortress at 0asada .the 1icarri" there being led by 4lea=er ben Kair/. 8ne,by,one, the :omans attacked, sieged, and took them until no further resistance was possible. 0any of the Jewish rebels were scattered or sold into slavery. -efore TespasianVs departure, the >harisaic sage and :abbi Kohanan ben Fakkai, a former leading >harisee, was appointed the first >atriarch .)asi"/ to lead the Jews in >alestine. &e reestablished the 1anhedrin at Javneh under >harisee control. Without their #emple and priesthood .&igh >riest/, Judaism was forced to undergo dramatic change and Jews were only allowed to practice their religion if they paid the Jewish tax .the Miscus Iudaicus"/. Judaism became :abbinical and study based .in local 1ynagogues/ where :abbinic discourse began to be recorded in writing. Gater2 &adrian changed the name of Iudaea to 1yria >alaestina and Jerusalem became Aelia !apitolina. After *6B !4, Jews were barred from Jerusalem except for the day of #isha -VAv. With the adoption of !hristianity as the state religion of :ome, Jews were expelled from :ome and persecuted generally. !onstantine .6*< !4/ issued a decree forbidding marriage between Jews and !hristians .punishable by death/. #he edicts issued by him termed Jews a AshamefulA or AbestialA sect, Acontemptible and perverse.A As for >aul and the !hristian !hurch, you$ll want to read After Jesus", the se'uel to An Ama=ing Gife".

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As Jews fled the city and were captured, the :omans crucified them by the hundreds. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e )age A*

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7ther 8our%es: http233www.the,romans.co.uk3timelines3empire.htm http233www.(osephus.org3(oschron.htm Agrippa Mirst2 #he Gast +ing of Judaea" by 9aniel :. 1chwart=, 0ohr 1iebeck .*??@/, generally. John, the 1on of Febedee2 #he Gife of a Gegend" by :. Alan !ulpepper, !ontinuum .<@@@/ )a=arene !ommentary .Tolume * % )a=arene #eachings/"7 )a=arene !ommentary .Tolume #wo2 :omans to &ebrews/"7 and )a=arene !ommentary .Tolume #hree2 James to :evelation/" by 0ark &eber 0iller, Elibris !orp, .<@*@/. 1ee notes and library.

An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*DL

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 #hebutis .not chosen to lead Jerusalem !hurch instead of James/ Advancement of John 0ark 4arly nosticism2 1imon 0agus, )icolaus of Antioch, 0enander, -asilides, 1aturninus.

An Amazing Life: Jesus & the Nozerim +++II*D?

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! !!" #$ Ri%h Van &in'(e

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