Freethought & Rationalism Archive

yummyfur · 07-04-2005, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Carr

How is it plausible that Chrestus was stirring up tumults when he was dead?

Of course, Jews revolted against Rome 20 years later, so possibly there may have been Jewish insurrections in Rome.

Whether you consider it plausible or not that Aquila and Priscilla were stirring up tumults, the Romans probably expelled anybody connected with Judaism, as Christianity was.

I don't see why anyone thinks that the Chrestus mentioned in Suetonius, has anything to do with Christ, as Josephus tells use clearly who this man was. It's hard to see any Christian trying to get people to send riches to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Quote:

Jospehus, Antiquities of the Jews Book 18 Ch 3
"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."

Steven Carr · 07-04-2005, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yummyfur

I don't see why anyone thinks that the Chrestus mentioned in Suetonius, has anything to do with Christ, as Josephus tells use clearly who this man was. It's hard to see any Christian trying to get people to send riches to the Temple in Jerusalem.

I wonder why McKechnie never mentioned that........

andrewcriddle · 07-05-2005, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yummyfur

I don't see why anyone thinks that the Chrestus mentioned in Suetonius, has anything to do with Christ, as Josephus tells use clearly who this man was. It's hard to see any Christian trying to get people to send riches to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Josephus is talking about something happening when Tiberius was Emperor.

Suetonius is talking about something that happened when Claudius was Emperor, probably 15-20 years later.

Andrew Criddle

Steven Carr · 07-05-2005, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewcriddle

Josephus is talking about something happening when Tiberius was Emperor.

Suetonius is talking about something that happened when Claudius was Emperor, probably 15-20 years later.

And a good example of why speculation that Jews and Christians were expelled over the claims of 'Chrestus' is just that - unfounded speculation on the part of McKechnie, based on absolutely zero evidence.

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