good god/bad god

One of the less comprehensible claims made by Christians, both ancient and contemporary, is that the god of judeans is "bad" and "punishing," while the god of Christians is good.

If we look at the text, we find that the Judean god was punishing when those who could be presumed to have accepted the contract with him violated that contract.  The "punishment" was not random, nor was it capricious.

In contrast, if we look at both Greco-Roman gods and the Christian construct of God, we find something different:  Greco-Roman gods behaved with more-than-human capriciousness, not limiting behaviour to human jealousies, but going as far as inciting wars.

God as a Christian construct goes further than that: giving his only son to be killed (John 3:16), he engages in act that the Judean god prohibited Abraham from committing.

How is it possible to claim that a God who intervenes in and rejects human sacrifice is "bad" and "punishing" while calling "good" a later construct of that same god, predicated on the same texts, who performs the same act that he had previously repudiated?

judean over-legislation v Roman over-legislation

    It is a truism of Christianity that Judean praxis was bound by rules.  this is contrasted with the claim that Christianity has only one rule:  to love your neighbor as yourself.  Christians fail to note, however, that that rule, which is ascribed to the wisdom of Jesus, appears in Leviticus.  Christians do not present the same argument regarding the Roman empire, which, as we have noted, was so over-legislated that there were legal provisions concerning the age and social status of male intrasexual interaction.

    Why has Christianity focussed on attacking Judean praxis as over-legislated rather than challenging Roman over-legislation?

    Principally, the answer is that the Roman Empire was a dominant force from which early Christians wanted recognition and legitimation from Roman authorities, rather than having any desire to present themselves as an opposing force.  Post bar Cochbah Judeans, on the other hand, were an already demolished force--one that not only did not need to be reckoned with, but which had already been demonized as hostile and rebellious by Roman authorities (most notably Hadrian, who was responsible for the demolition of the Judean populace).

    Christians, both ancient and modern, enjoy representing themselves as oppressed, struggling for justice and recognition against a persecuting majority.  Yet history demonstrates (beginning with Justin Martyr's First Apology) that the early Christians demonized Judeans for the purpose of usurping ownership of Judean texts.  Justin Martyr's First Apology attempts to curry favor with Roman authorities by energetically separating the proto-Christian movement from Judean praxis. 

Irenaeus, Jesus and Bar Cochba

Howls of delight or outrage arise when non-scholars discover that the “historic Jesus” and the “historic Paul” might not be as “historic” as the Church would have them.  The delight (or outrage) comes because those non-scholars believed the catechism they were told, and only when they bothered to check the documents for themselves, they discovered that Church catechism is a collection of conflated narratives that were agreed upon because that conflation created a cohesive “history” out of a collection of disjointed documents which disagree with each other.

One of the prime examples of this is when non-scholars discover that Jesus was not crucified at age 30.  They make this discovery by reading Irenaeus, Against Heresies 2.22.5 (Greek portion from Eusebius, History of the Church 3.23.3):

Illi autem, ut figmentum suum de eo quod est scriptum vocare annum domini acceptum affirment, dicunt uno anno eum praedicasse, et duodecimo mense passum, contra semetipsos obliti sunt, solventes eius omne negotium, et magis necessariam, et magis honorabilem aetatem eius auferentes, illam inquam provectiorem, in qua et docens praeerat universis. quomodo enim habuit discipulos si non docebat? quomodo autem docebat magistri aetatem non habens? ad baptismum enim venit nondum qui triginta annorum; ita enim, qui eius annos significavit Lucas, posuit: Iesus autem erat quasi incipiens triginta annorum, cum veniret ad baptismum; et a baptismate uno tantum anno praedicavit; complens tricesimum annum passus est, adhuc iuvenis exsistens, et qui necdum provectiorem haberet aetatem. quia autem triginta annorum aetas prima indolis est iuvenis, et extenditur usque ad quadragesimum annum, omnis quilibet confitebitur; a quadragesimo autem et quinquagesimo anno declinat iam in aetatem seniorem, quam habens dominus noster docebat, sicut evangelium *et omnes seniores testantur, qui in Asia apud Iohannem discipulum domini convenerunt, id ipsum tradidisse eis Iohannem. permansit autem cum eis usque ad Traiani tempora.* quidam autem eorum non solum Ioannem, sed et alios apostolos viderunt, et haec eadem ab ipsis audierunt, et testantur de huiusmodi relatione.

...και παντες οι πρεσβυτεροι μαρτυρουσιν, οι κατα την Ασιαν Ιωαννη τω του κυριου μαθητη συμβεβληκοτες, παραδεδωκεναι τον Ιωαννην. παρεμεινεν γαρ αυτοις μεχρι των Τραιανου χρονων.

They, however, that they may establish their false opinion regarding that which is written, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, maintain that he preached for one year only, and then suffered in the twelfth month. They are forgetful to their own disadvantage, destroying his whole work and robbing him of that age which is both more necessary and more honorable than any other, that more advanced age, I mean, during which also as a teacher he excelled all others. For how could he have had disciples if he did not teach? And how could he have taught unless he had reached the age of a master? For when he came to be baptized he had not yet completed his thirtieth year, but was beginning to be about thirty years of age; for thus Luke, who has mentioned his years, has expressed it: Now Jesus was, as it were, beginning to be thirty years old when he came to receive baptism); and [they affirm that] he preached only one year reckoning from his baptism; on completing his thirtieth year he suffered, being in fact still a young man, and who had by no means attained to advanced age. But that the age of thirty years is the prime of life for a youth, and it extends up to the fortieth year, everyone will allow it to be confessed; but from the fortieth and fiftieth year it declines already into the senior age, which our Lord had while he was teaching, just as the gospel and all the elders, who had dwelled with John the disciple of the Lord in Asia, testify that John delivered. For he remained with them until the times of Trajan. But some of them saw, not only John, but also other apostles, and heard these same things from them, and testify concerning the previously related matter.

Reference to John remaining until the times of Trajan is also in Against Heresies 3.3.4:

Sed et quae est Ephesi ecclesia a Paulo quidem fundata, Iohanne autem permanente apud eos usque ad Traiani tempora, testis est verus apostolorum traditionis.

Αλλα και η εν Εφεσω εκκλησια υπο Παυλου μεν τεθεμελιωμενη, Ιωαννου δε παραμειναντος αυτοις μεχρι των Τραιανου χρονων, μαρτυς αληθης εστι της των αποστολων παραδοσεως.

But also the church in Ephesus, which was founded by Paul, and having John remaining among them all the way up until the times of Trajan, is a true witness of the tradition of the apostles.

Trajan was emperor from 9-117 CE.  Irenaeus locates the “ministry” of Jesus in the time of the Kitos Revolt, rather than in the era before the Jewish War of 66-73, the dating that has been catechetically accepted.  

Irenaeus ‘ later dating of  Jesus’ ministry still manages to place the “historic” Jesus before Bar Cochba, in an attempt to avoid linking the two.

Contemporary idiocy

There seems to be a presumption among historians that the ancient world was significantly different from the contemporary world:  it seems to be assumed that in the ancient world, people were simpler, more noble, incapable of deceit.  

Following from this, scholars seem to enjoy believing that the Gospels are historical narratives because, of course, a simpler, more noble, guileless people couldn’t possibly write biographical narratives of a person who they knew did not exist.  

 Scholars also seem to enjoy the belief that these simple, more noble, guileless people couldn’t possibly coordinate textual insertions to construct a plausible historical context for this otherwise entirely undocumented hero.

It makes you wonder who the simple people are.

Josephus on Pilate with Jesus, Josephus on Pilate without Jesus

In Antiquities, Josephus recounts the actions of Pilate, and mentions Jesus.  

In The Jewish War, Josephus recounts the same actions of Pilate, with no mention of Jesus.

Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18 chapter 3

1. But now Pilate, the procurator of Judea, removed the army from Cesarea to Jerusalem, to take their winter quarters there, in order to abolish the Jewish laws. So he introduced Caesar's effigies, which were upon the ensigns, and brought them into the city; whereas our law forbids us the very making of images; on which account the former procurators were wont to make their entry into the city with such ensigns as had not those ornaments. Pilate was the first who brought those images to Jerusalem, and set them up there; which was done without the knowledge of the people, because it was done in the night time; but as soon as they knew it, they came in multitudes to Cesarea, and interceded with Pilate many days that he would remove the images; and when he would not grant their requests, because it would tend to the injury of Caesar, while yet they persevered in their request, on the sixth day he ordered his soldiers to have their weapons privately, while he came and sat upon his judgment-seat, which seat was so prepared in the open place of the city, that it concealed the army that lay ready to oppress them; and when the Jews petitioned him again, he gave a signal to the soldiers to encompass them routed, and threatened that their punishment should be no less than immediate death, unless they would leave off disturbing him, and go their ways home. But they threw themselves upon the ground, and laid their necks bare, and said they would take their death very willingly, rather than the wisdom of their laws should be transgressed; upon which Pilate was deeply affected with their firm resolution to keep their laws inviolable, and presently commanded the images to be carried back from Jerusalem to Cesarea. 

2. But Pilate undertook to bring a current of water to Jerusalem, and did it with the sacred money, and derived the origin of the stream from the distance of two hundred furlongs. However, the Jews were not pleased with what had been done about this water; and many ten thousands of the people got together, and made a clamor against him, and insisted that he should leave off that design. Some of them also used reproaches, and abused the man, as crowds of such people usually do. So he habited a great number of his soldiers in their habit, who carried daggers under their garments, and sent them to a place where they might surround them. So he bid the Jews himself go away; but they boldly casting reproaches upon him, he gave the soldiers that signal which had been beforehand agreed on; who laid upon them much greater blows than Pilate had commanded them, and equally punished those that were tumultuous, and those that were not; nor did they spare them in the least: and since the people were unarmed, and were caught by men prepared for what they were about, there were a great number of them slain by this means, and others of them ran away wounded. And thus an end was put to this sedition. 

3. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day…

5. There was a man who was a Jew, but had been driven away from his own country by an accusation laid against him for transgressing their laws, and by the fear he was under of punishment for the same; but in all respects a wicked man. He, then living at Rome, professed to instruct men in the wisdom of the laws of Moses. He procured also three other men, entirely of the same character with himself, to be his partners. These men persuaded Fulvia, a woman of great dignity, and one that had embraced the Jewish religion, to send purple and gold to the temple at Jerusalem; and when they had gotten them, they employed them for their own uses, and spent the money themselves, on which account it was that they at first required it of her. Whereupon Tiberius, who had been informed of the thing by Saturninus, the husband of Fulvia, who desired inquiry might be made about it, ordered all the Jews to be banished out of Rome; at which time the consuls listed four thousand men out of them, and sent them to the island Sardinia; but punished a greater number of them, who were unwilling to become soldiers, on account of keeping the laws of their forefathers. Thus were these Jews banished out of the city by the wickedness of four men. 

Josephus on Pilate:  no Jesus. 

The Jewish War, Book 2, Ch. 9

2. Now Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius, sent by night those images of Caesar that are called ensigns into Jerusalem. This excited a very among great tumult among the Jews when it was day; for those that were near them were astonished at the sight of them, as indications that their laws were trodden under foot; for those laws do not permit any sort of image to be brought into the city. Nay, besides the indignation which the citizens had themselves at this procedure, a vast number of people came running out of the country. These came zealously to Pilate to Cesarea, and besought him to carry those ensigns out of Jerusalem, and to preserve them their ancient laws inviolable; but upon Pilate's denial of their request, they fell down prostrate upon the ground, and continued immovable in that posture for five days and as many nights. 

3. On the next day Pilate sat upon his tribunal, in the open market-place, and called to him the multitude, as desirous to give them an answer; and then gave a signal to the soldiers, that they should all by agreement at once encompass the Jews with their weapons; so the band of soldiers stood round about the Jews in three ranks. The Jews were under the utmost consternation at that unexpected sight. Pilate also said to them that they should be cut in pieces, unless they would admit of Caesar's images, and gave intimation to the soldiers to draw their naked swords. Hereupon the Jews, as it were at one signal, fell down in vast numbers together, and exposed their necks bare, and cried out that they were sooner ready to be slain, than that their law should be transgressed. Hereupon Pilate was greatly surprised at their prodigious superstition, and gave order that the ensigns should be presently carried out of Jerusalem.

4. After this he raised another disturbance, by expending that sacred treasure which is called Corban upon aqueducts, whereby he brought water from the distance of four hundred furlongs. At this the multitude had indignation; and when Pilate was come to Jerusalem, they came about his tribunal, and made a clamor at it. Now when he was apprized aforehand of this disturbance, he mixed his own soldiers in their armor with the multitude, and ordered them to conceal themselves under the habits of private men, and not indeed to use their swords, but with their staves to beat those that made the clamor. He then gave the signal from his tribunal [to do as he had bidden them]. Now the Jews were so sadly beaten, that many of them perished by the stripes they received, and many of them perished as trodden to death by themselves; by which means the multitude was astonished at the calamity of those that were slain, and held their peace.

Josephus as the source of information on Judean sects and Judean relations with Samaritans

Pharisees

 Matthew 23:1

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,  "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their tefillin broad and their tallit long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students."

Luke 14:1 - 14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.... He said to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors; for they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. Then you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

 

Antiquities 18.1.2-3 11-13 (War 2.8.14 162-166 and Ant. 13.171-173) 

The Jews since antiquity have had three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves, that of the Essenes, of the Sadducees, and the third the philosophy of those called the Pharisees; of which sects, although I have already spoken in the second book of the Jewish War, yet will I touch a little upon them now.

Now the Pharisees simplify their way of life and give in to no sort of softness; and they follow the guidance of  what their doctrine has handed down and prescribes as good; and they earnestly strive to observe the commandments it dictates to them. They also show respect to the elders, nor are they so bold as to contradict them in any thing they have introduced.  Although they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since it has pleased God to make a combination of his council-chamber and of the people who wish to approach with their virtue and their vice. They also believe that souls have an immortal power in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments according to whether they showed virtue or vice in this life; the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but the former are allowed an easy passage through and live again. Because of these doctrines they hold great influence among the populace, and all divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices are performed according to their direction. In doing so the cities bear witness to all their virtuous conduct, both in their way of life and in their words. 

Sadducees

 

Luke 20:27/Mark 12:18/Matthew 22:23/Acts 5:17, 23:8

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question.

Antiquities 18.2.4 16-17  (War2.8.14 162-166)

But the doctrine of the Sadducees is that souls die with the bodies. Nor do they perform any observance other than what the Law enjoins them. They think it virtuous to dispute with the teachers of the wisdom they pursue.  This doctrine is accepted but by a few, but those are of the highest standing. But they are able to accomplish almost nothing, for when they hold office they are unwillingly and by force obliged to submit to the teachings of the Pharisees, because the multitude would not otherwise tolerate them.

Essenes

 

    Matt. 10:5-14/Mark 6:11/Luke 9:5

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town." 

    Acts 2:45

 

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

    War 2.7.4  119-127 (Ant.18.2.5 18-22)

 

The Essenes...are despisers of riches, and so very communal as to earn our admiration. There is no one to be found among them who has more than another; for they have a law that those who come to join them must let whatever they have be common to the whole order, so that among them all there is no appearance of either poverty or excessive wealth. Everyone's possessions are intermingled with every other's possessions; as if they were all brothers with a single patrimony... 

They have no one city, but in every city dwell many of them; and if any of the sect arrive from elsewhere, all is made available to them as if it were their own; and they go to those they have never seen before as if long acquaintances. Thus they carry nothing at all with them in their journeys, except weapons for defense against thieves. Accordingly, in every city there is one appointed specifically to take care of strangers and to provide them with garments and other necessities. 

In their clothing and deportment they resemble children in fear of their teachers. They change neither their garments nor their shoes until they are torn to pieces or worn out by time. They neither buy nor sell anything to one another, but each gives what he has to whomever needs it, and receives in exchange what he needs himself; and even if there is nothing given any return, they are allowed to take anything they want from whomever they please.

Samaritans

 Luke 9:51

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem . When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village. 

Ant. 20.6.1 118 (War 2.12.3-4 232-235)

 

It was the custom of the Galileans, when they came to the Holy City at the festivals, to take their journeys through the country of the Samaritans. On their route lay a village called Ginea, which was situated on the border between Samaria and the Great Plain, and at this time certain persons fought with the Galileans, and killed a great many of them. When the leaders of the Galileans were informed of what had been done they came to Cumanus and desired him to avenge the murders; but he was bribed by the Samaritans to do nothing. The Galileans, indignant at this, urged the Jewish populace to resort to arms and to regain their liberty, saying that while slavery was a bitter thing but that, when it was joined with direct injuries it was completely intolerable....they entreated the assistance of Eleazar son of Dineus, a robber who had for many years made his home in the mountains, and with his assistance they set afire and plundered many villages of the Samaritans

Josephus as the source for "render unto Caesar"

Mark 12:13-17/Matt. 22:15-22/Lk 20:19-26)

Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it." And they brought one. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Jesus said to them, "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed at him. 

War 2.8.1 118 (Antiquities 18.1.1 3)

Under his administration a certain Galilean named Judas prevailed upon his countrymen to revolt; and said they were cowards if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans and submit to mortal men as their lords.  This man was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own that was not at all like the others… For there are three philosophical sects among the Jews...

Josephus as the source for Luke's Jesus-as-child-genius narrative

Luke 2:42

And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival [of Passover]....After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 

Josephus' Life 1.2 8

 

I made mighty proficiency in the improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both a great memory and understanding. Moreover, when I was a child, and about fourteen years of age, I was commended by all for the love I had to learning; on which account the high priests and principal men of the city came then frequently to me together, in order to know my opinion about the accurate understanding of points of the law.

Ancient souces disagree on which emperor expelled the Jews from Rome, and on why they were expelled

Ancient sources disagree with the grounds for the expulsion of the Jews from Rome and disagree on which Emperor expelled them:

Acts 18:1-2

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he fund a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. 

Suetonius refers to the expulsion of Jews by Claudius in Claudius, 25:

Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.

Josephus, Antiquities 18.3.5 81-84

Tiberius...ordered the whole Jewish community to leave Rome. The consuls drafted four thousand of these Jews for military service and sent them to the island of Sardinia; but they penalized a good many of them, who refused to serve for fear of breaking the Jewish law. Thus the Jews were banished from the city for the wickedness of four men.