Newtons position was the same as Eusebius.Both scholars believed that Josephus designed nothing less than to honestly record the war between the Romans and the Jews.The events that Josephus recorded seemed to be the fulfillment of Jesus prophecy and did not strike them as in any way suspicious.On the contrary, they saw the relationship between the two works as proof of Jesus divinity.They were in no way unusual in holding this view; it was held by the majority of Christian scholars until the end of the 19thcentury.
The belief that Josephus depiction of the destruction of Jerusalem proved that Jesus had seen into the future, was largely forgotten during the 20thcentury.Only one denomination of Christians, the Preterists, still cites the parallels between Wars of the Jewsand the New Testament as proof of Jesus divinity.Currently, most Christians either believe that the apocalypse Jesus envisioned has not yet occurred or they ignore these prophecies altogether.As Christianitys third millennium begins, few of its members are even aware of the parallels that were once of such importance to the religion.
However, I believe that Eusebius was correct in stating that when one compares Wars of the Jewsto the New Testament, one must admit to a relationship that, if not divine, is at the least strange.The parallels between Jesus prophecies and Titus campaign do indeed seem too precise to have been the result of chance.If one accepts the traditional understanding, that the New Testament and Wars of the Jewswere written at different times by different authors, then the only explanation for the parallels would seem to be the one given by Eusebius, that they were caused by something truly divine.Of course, before accepting any phenomenon as miraculous, one should first determine if a nonsupernatural explanation for it exists.
All scholars have faced the same difficulty in trying to understand first-century Judea: a lack of source material.Before the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the important literature describing firsthand the events of first-century Judea were the New Testament and the works of Josephus.For two millennia, only these two works illuminated an era so seminal to Western civilization.[seminal- providing a basis or stimulus for further development]
This absence is unusual.In Greece, thousands of pieces of writing from the same era have been discovered.Jesus constantly complained about scribes, who, one must assume, were writing something.
Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer much cruelty from the Elders and the High Priests and the Scribes.Matt. 16:21
Romes occupation of Judea spanned the entire first century.Josephus records that during this period a movement of Jewish Zealots called the Sicarii continually staged insurrections against the Empire and its surrogate, the family of Herod.The Sicarii, like the Christians, were messianic and looked forward to the arrival of the son of God, who would lead them against Rome.Josephus dates the origin of this messianic movement to the census of Quirinius, curiously also given in the Gospels as the date of the birth of Christ.This movement existed for over 100 years, but until the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, no document that could possibly have been part of its literature has ever been found.
The literature of the Sicarii movement is most likely missing because the Romans destroyed it.A number of the Dead Sea Scrolls (found hidden in caves) describe an uncompromising sect that awaited a Messiah who would be a military leader.Messianic literature of this sort was surely a catalyst for the Sicariis rebellion and would have been targeted for destruction by the Romans, who are known to have destroyed Judaic literature.The Talmud, for example, records the Roman practice of wrapping Jews in their religious scrolls and lighting them afire.Josephus notes that following their war with the Jews, the Romans took the Torah scrolls and other religious literature and locked them up inside the Flavian palace in Rome.
The only works to have survived this century of religious warfare, the Gospels and the histories of Josephus, had a pro-Roman perspective.In the case of Josephus histories this is hardly surprising, as he was an adopted member of the imperial family.It is notable, however, that the New Testament also has a point of view positive to the Romans.The first century was not a time when one would expect that a Judaic cult with a viewpoint favorable to the Empire would have emerged.Yet the New Testament texts never portray Roman soldiers in a negative light, and actually describe them as devout and God-fearing.
The New Testament also presents tax collectors, who would have been working for the Romans, in a favorable light.The Apostle Matthew, for example, is actually described as a publican, or tax collector.
The citizenship espoused in the works of Josephus and the New Testament would have been seen favorably by Rome.Each work proclaims the holiness of subservience.And each takes the position that, as it is God who has given the Romans their power, it is therefore against Gods will to resist them.For example, the Apostle Paul teaches that Roman judges and magistrates were a threat only to evil-doers.
Therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting Gods will; and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves.
For judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers.You desire do you not? to have no reason to fear your ruler.Well, do the thing that is right, and then he will commend you.
For he is Gods servant for your benefit.But if you do what is wrong, be afraid.He does not wear the sword to no purpose: he is Gods servant an administrator to inflict punishment upon evil-doers. (pages 25-27)
We must obey therefore, not only in order to escape punishment, but also for consciences sake.
Why, this is really the reason you pay taxes; for tax-gatherers are ministers of God, devoting their energies to this very work.
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