CLASS NOTES: Josephus on the Definition of Jew and Christian in the Ancient World (Letters of the Apostle Paul)

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Notes on video lecture:

Josephus on the Definition of Jew and Christian in the Ancient World

Letters of the Apostle Paul

Laura Nasrallah, Harvard University

Notes taken by Edward Tanguay on February 17, 2014 (go to class or lectures)

Choose from these words to fill the blanks below:

monolithic, cowards, Romans, Judaism, bodies, Ioudaios, Galilee, gospel, tax, Protestants, Pharisees, reformed, crossable, Lord, philosophies

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a study of Paul's letters leads us to a better understanding of in the ancient world

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Jews fall into three categories: orthodox, , conservative

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but this is true of other religious identities as well, e.g. within Christianity you have Orthodox, Roman Catholic and , and within each of these there are many branches

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in antiquity it was also hard to say exactly what a Jew was

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they erected a boundary between themselves and non-Jews, or Gentiles, but the boundary was always and not always clearly marked

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e.g. if a Gentile were to convert to Judaism in 80 CE, it is unclear who would accept this:

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local Jewish community?

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the city's government, thus granting rights and privileges such as certain categories?

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the word "Jew" in Greek is " " and means "from Judea"

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this is the primary word that Paul uses in his letters, instead of "Hebrew" or "Israelite"

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later it came to mean Jews who were outside this area, e.g. from Egypt

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so "Ioudaios" is an ethic-geographical definition that came to mean more

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Josephus [joh-SEE-fuss]

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learned about the diversity of Judaism

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he frames them in terms of

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just as Greeks have many kinds of philosophies, so do Jews

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live simply, respect reason, respect the old, believe the soul is immortal and free will reigns

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2. Sadducees [sad-JOO-seez]

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souls die with their bodies

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very few accept their documents

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3. Essenes

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immortality of the soul

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do not participate in temple sacrifice

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have rights of their own

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have no wives, no slaves

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Josephus gives them a glowing description

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like Greeks: are corruptible but souls are immortal

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share all things in common

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4. "the fourth sect"

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Josephus doesn't like them

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Judas of was its author

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attached to liberty

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God is the only rule and Lord

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Josephus reminds us that, to be accurate, we can't talk about Judaism or Christianity in antiquity as if it were

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there were many groups, interpretations, and conflicting interests among the members of each religion

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Christians refused to call any human " "

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in Galatians, we see a hint of multiple kinds of "Jews in Christ", Paul insists that Galatians shouldn't be following "another "

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Paul was competing with others who were taking the message out and explaining how Gentiles, or non-Jews- may become God's people

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Josephus also mentions the "spiral of violence" that was ongoing at the time when Jesus was born and coming of age, at the beginning of the Jesus movement

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e.g. Judas of Galilee who said that people were if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans and submit to mortals as their Lord

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many Jews who called themselves prophets and who led Jews into rebellions against the

Vocabulary:

alacrity, adj. cheerful willingness, eagerness, liveliness, enthusiasm ⇒ "They resigned up their souls with great alacrity."

People:

######################### (37-100 AD)

[]

A first-century Romano-Jewish scholar and historian

born in Jerusalem, then part of Roman Judea
known as Josephus
initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee
Josephus claims the Jewish Messianic prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome. In response Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a hostage and interpreter.
After Vespasian did become Emperor in 69, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius.
Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship.
became an adviser and friend of Vespasian's son Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the Siege of Jerusalem
Josephus recorded Jewish history which provided valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity

######################### (9-79 AD)

Founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Roman Empire from 69-96

dynasty included two sons Titus and Domitian
from an equestrian family that rose into the senatorial rank under the Julio–Claudian emperors
renown came from his military success: he led the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 and subjugated Judea during the Jewish rebellion of 66