stephan huller

And I am not arguing that the Falasha hypothesis is proved. The parallels which exist with the Therapeutae could well have come from Essenes in Palestine or elsewhere. But some sort of a relationship clearly exists. There are just too many parallels.

Sheshbazzar

Wouldn't make much difference what I acknowledged, and I have given you at least a half a dozen back-handed comments that can only be interpreted as an acknowlegement of some Jewish faction being involved in the Theraputae.
Like just above. How in the hell could they trace their linage "all the way back to Menelaus" and not be Jewish?

But I'm not the only person in this thread that disagrees with your ideas, and each of these others have their own reasons for disputing your claims, that have little to nothing in common with my reasons.
Told you flat out before, If you want to claim the Thereaputae (and Falashas) as being your ancient Jewish cronies, it makes not one damn bit of difference to me. You're welcome to 'em. They aren't any relatives of mine. (well 'cept maybe through 'Lucy')

mountainman

165 CE - Claudius Galen of Pergamon (130-200 CE)

"Galen use of the designation "therapeutae" to secure
from Marcus Aurelius exception from military service."


See Voluntary Associations in the Graeco-Roman World edited by John S. Kloppenborg, Stephen G. Wilson.



In his writings - Galen wrote about 500 books - he often
acknowledged his indebtedness to Hippocrates. Galen was
the physician to the great philosopher-emperor, Marcus Aurelius.



Galen also put great stress on the proper and frequent use
of gymnastics (hence the importance and place of gymnasia).
Throughout other ancient Greek medical writings special exercises
are prescribed as cures for specific diseases, showing the extent
to which the Greeks considered health and fitness connected.

A gymnasium was equivalent to our idea of a university. A gathering
place for scholars and their pupils, complete with a library.

stephan huller

Wow! That's convincing.

mountainman

You appear to have missed the point.

Where does it say they sacrificed to idols?

I am now referring to Conybeare's thesis that the therapeutae were a Jewish Sect which I have now had time to have a look at - at least the comments made by Conybeare in an article referred by Andrew Criddle (See below).


SEE De Abstinentia (4. 6) (via Roger)


It was Conybeare who says it presents so many curious points of resemblance with the D. U. C. that I venture to quote it at some length.


Here is the text.


Where does it say they sacrificed to idols?

mountainman

Let me try to draw an analogy other than the game of monopoly. Consider the Big Picture of ancient history and the story of Chrestian origins as a massive jig saw puzzle composed of a thousand pieces on a very large flat surface. One of those thousand pieces is marked "therapeutae". It is classified as "Christian" "Jewish" by you and your peers.


Suppose we take the piece marked therapeutae out of the puzzle and take it to another flat surface and then magnify and examine it so that it too is then perceived to be as large as the big picture and also composed of a thousand pieces. The thousand pieces to this picture are each representative of "therapeutae" and correspond to evidence for the attestation of the term "therapeutae" in the literary and epigraphic sources in antiquity - or from any source of evidence admissible to the field of ancient history.

At this level we find 999 sub-pieces that describe pagan therapeutae and just the one sub-piece of the puzzle described (via the Church preserved "VC") as "Christian" "Jewish".

When you place the small piece of the jigsaw puzzle labelled "therapeutae" back into the original big picture you think of it as a Jewish piece.

FFS why?


Conybeare wrote well before the evidence for the ubiquitous nature of Asclepius (and thus his therapeutae) were collected. Asclepius: Collection and Interpretation of the Testimonies - Emma J. Edelstein, Ludwig Edelstein, Gary B. Ferngren

stephan huller

The way you read material is hilarious. It is apparent that you are just scanning the book Andrew directed you to read to quote mine to uphold your silly theory. Neither Conybeare nor anyone else supports your desires. But you persist. Imagine how productive your life would have been if you an intellect to match your persistence.

mountainman

After the therapeutae of Asclepius were scattered to the four winds by the four gospels and Constantine, they were no more for 1,200 years.

The old healing god of the Roman Empire had been replaced by the new Christian God of healing, and this was not Jesus.

First HEALING SAINTS: Cosmas and Damian
Twins -physicians martyrys death in 287 CE
according to that great dark cloud of church legend.

The sick continued to pray to Saints Cosmas and Damian
in much the same way as supplicants appealed to
Asclepius and Hygieia. The twins became patron saints
of physicians and pharmacologists in the fourth century
CE until the 16th century.

After the reformation, the staff of Asclepius replaced
the icons of Saints Cosmas and Damian.

mountainman

It was productive enough to file a US patent.

mountainman

I found the following quotes entertaining ...

We feel how impenetrable is the darkness
which broods over the origins of Christianity
as soon as we go outside the New Testament.

This one about Epiphanius ....

Alas, that we should depend upon such an author as
this for so much of our knowledge of the early Christian sects.
For as we read his account of the Therapeutae in ch. 29 of his
Panarium, we feel that if such a writer ever told the truth, at least
of his enemies, it must have been by accident.