Discussion thread started by Stephen Goranson
Thanks for this provocative (mostly Jesus-absent) contribution. For now two piecemeal notes: (1) On the page 112 mention of "even (possibly) Essene leaders" in the revolt, translations of Josephus typically mention one such leader (not more), but this John may not have been an Essene. Abraham Schalit (in Namenwörterbuch zu Flavius Josephus, supplement to the Concordance edited by K.H. Rengstorf, Leiden, 1968, p.34, 46, 66) noted that Essa appears in Josephus as a variant reading for Gerasa, which, Schalit suggests, may indicate that John was not an Essene group member, but merely someone from Gerasa. "Vielleicht ist Essaios in B 2.567 als Ethnikon zu verstehen und mit Gerasenos identisch (vgl. Essa A 13.393 = 1 Gerasa). Dann waere 4 Johannes kein Essener gewesen!" (46) (2) On the page 103 mention of "Essenes martyred" (War 2. 152-153), may I suggest comparing Philo's account, surely written before the (so-called) First Revolt, Every God Man is Free 89-91. There, two sorts of kings have opposed Essenes. Some, ferocious like wild beasts; others, with soft-worded hypocrisy. Philo famously mentioned Essenes, but not Sadducees or Pharisees, at least not explicitly. In "Jannaeus, His Brother Absalom, and Judah the Essene" pages 34-36, I suggest the possibility that the former may include (according to Philo's source, maybe Posidonius or Strabo) Sadducee-influenced rulers (such as the Lion of Wrath, Jannaeus) and the latter, those influenced by Pharisees/seekers of smooth things. http://people.duke.edu/~goranson/jannaeus.pdf
Thanks for this provocative (mostly Jesus-absent) contribution. For now two piecemeal notes: (1) On the page 112 mention of "even (possibly) Essene leaders" in the revolt, translations of Josephus typically mention one such leader (not more), but this John may not have been an Essene. Abraham Schalit (in Namenwörterbuch zu Flavius Josephus, supplement to the Concordance edited by K.H. Rengstorf, Leiden, 1968, p.34, 46, 66) noted that Essa appears in Josephus as a variant reading for Gerasa, which, Schalit suggests, may indicate that John was not an Essene group member, but merely someone from Gerasa. "Vielleicht ist Essaios in B 2.567 als Ethnikon zu verstehen und mit Gerasenos identisch (vgl. Essa A 13.393 = 1 Gerasa). Dann waere 4 Johannes kein Essener gewesen!" (46) (2) On the page 103 mention of "Essenes martyred" (War 2. 152-153), may I suggest comparing Philo's account, surely written before the (so-called) First Revolt, Every God Man is Free 89-91. There, two sorts of kings have opposed Essenes. Some, ferocious like wild beasts; others, with soft-worded hypocrisy. Philo famously mentioned Essenes, but not Sadducees or Pharisees, at least not explicitly. In "Jannaeus, His Brother Absalom, and Judah the Essene" pages 34-36, I suggest the possibility that the former may include (according to Philo's source, maybe Posidonius or Strabo) Sadducee-influenced rulers (such as the Lion of Wrath, Jannaeus) and the latter, those influenced by Pharisees/seekers of smooth things. http://people.duke.edu/~goranson/jannaeus.pdf
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