Affirmative Case: The Historical Jesus is the Samaritan Pilate Slew, as Josephus records.
This being said, the actual name attached to the ‘Samaritan’ Redeemer figure in this period was ‘the Taheb’ or ‘Restorer’ and he, very definitely, was to be a kind of ‘Joshua (‘Jesus’) Redivivus’ or ‘Joshua incarnated’ or ‘reincarnated’ as, of course, ‘Jesus’ was to some degree in Scripture. But more to the point, this ‘Taheb’ (who also has much in common with another ‘Magician’-like figure or ‘Miracle-worker,’ ‘Simon Magus’ and a colleague of his ‘Dositheus,’ both of whom are described in the Pseudoclementine Literature as ‘Disciples of John the Baptist’ and both ‘Samaritans’) was very definitely executed by Pontius Pilate—in fact, ‘crucified,’ as the events of the story set forth in the Gospels would have it and a pivotal theme in Paul, as we shall delineate, in his allegorical and theological transformation of ‘the Lord Jesus’’s death into a World-Saving event.
Eisenman, Robert. The New Testament Code: : The Cup of the Lord, the Damascus Covenant, and the Blood of Christ . Grave Distractions Publications. Kindle Edition.
I remember Reza Aslan saying this in his book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
He only identifies who the real Jesus is but definitely does not even begin to explain why he chose to go with Josephus’s historical character.
I called Reza out on this (sent him an email) but do not recall Bart Ehrman calling Reza out on this and explaining to us why Reza could have been wrong for doing this. If Reza is really basing his claim on Eisenman’s work, maybe Bart cannot refute the book, above.
Jan. 17, 2014, 6:50 a.m.
Steve to Random House (forwarded to Reza)
In the Introduction, page xxiv, Reza Aslan writes: “the Samaritan” was crucified by Pontius Pilate. In the Notes to Chapter 5, page 234, he writes that the Samaritan called himself “messiah.”
Everyone with whom I’ve spoken are aware of the Samaritan Temple problem from Josephus but we are not finding he was crucified by Pilate and that the Samaritan called himself messiah.
Reza to Steve
For a man who made light of mendacity and in all his designs catered to the mob, rallied them, bidding them go in a body with him to Mount Gerizim, which in their belief is the most sacred of mountains. He assured them that on their arrival he would show them the sacred vessels which were buried there, where Moses had deposited them. His hearers, viewing this tale as plausible, appeared in arms. They posted themselves in a certain village named Tirathana, and, as they planned to climb the mountain in a great multitude, they welcomed to their ranks the new arrivals who kept coming. But before they could ascend, Pilate blocked their projected route up the mountain with a detachment of cavalry and heavily armed infantry, who in an encounter with the first comers in the village slew some in a pitched battle and put the others to flight. Many prisoners were taken, of whom Pilate put to death the principal leaders and those who were most influential among the fugitives.
[Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.85-87]
The Samaritan equivalent of “messiah” is Taheb.
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Yes, Pilate killed a messiah but he was known as “the Samaritan.”
For the Mandaeans of Southern Iraq, John the Baptist was their teacher and one of their titles for him was ‘as-Sabic ibn Yusufus,’ ‘the Baptizer the Son of Joseph.’
The second part of this title echoes similar ascriptions related to quote-unquote Jesus’s parentage in Christian tradition, where in John 1:45 and 6:42 he is denoted a ‘son of Joseph’.
‘The Messiah ben Joseph’ or ‘the Messiah the Son of Joseph’ possibly implies an overlap with Samaritan Messianic pretensions: the title ‘Son of Joseph’ dovetails perfectly with Samaritan tradition since the Samaritans generally considered themselves ‘Sons of Joseph,’ that is, descendants of the Biblical ‘Joseph.’
Eisenman, Robert. The New Testament Code: The Cup of the Lord, the Damascus Covenant, and the Blood of Christ . Grave Distractions Publications. Kindle Edition.
Zechariah 1: 18
Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns.
(19)
I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”
(20)
Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.
(21)
I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”
Messiah ben Joseph / Wikipedia
In Jewish eschatology Mashiach ben Yoseph or Messiah ben Joseph (Hebrew: משיח בן־יוסף Mašīaḥ ben Yōsēf), also known as Mashiach bar/ben Ephraim (Aram./Heb.: משיח בר/בן אפרים), is a Jewish messiah from the tribe of Ephraim and a descendant of Joseph.[1] The figure’s origins are much debated. Some regard it as a rabbinic invention, but others defend the view that its origins are in the Torah.[2]
Messianic tradition
Jewish tradition alludes to four messianic figures. Called the Four Craftsmen, each will be involved in ushering in the Messianic age. They are mentioned in the Talmud and the Book of Zechariah. Rashi in his commentary on the Talmud gives more details.
Rashi explains that Messiah ben Joseph is called a craftsman because he will help rebuild the temple.[3] Nahmanides also commented on Messiah ben Joseph’s rebuilding of the temple.[4][5]
The roles of the Four Craftsmen are as follows. Elijah will be the herald of the eschaton.[6] If necessary, Messiah ben Joseph will wage war against the evil forces and die in combat with the enemies of God and Israel.[7] According to Saadia Gaon the need for his appearance will depend on the spiritual condition of the Jewish people.[8] In the Sefer Zerubbabel and later writings, after his death a period of great calamities will befall Israel.[7] God will then resurrect the dead and usher in the Messianic Era of universal peace. Messiah ben David will reign as a Jewish king during the period when God will resurrect the dead. With the ascendancy of Rabbinic Judaism the Righteous Priest has largely not been the subject of Jewish messianic speculation.[9]: 87–89
Sources in chronological order
The Dead Sea Scrolls
While the Dead Sea scrolls do not explicitly refer to a Messiah ben Joseph, a plethora of messianic figures are displayed.
The poly-messianic Testimonia text 4Q175 presents a prophet like Moses, a messianic figure and a priestly teacher.[9]: 89 The Text contains four testimonia.[10] The fourth testimonium is about Joshua and is generally viewed as non-messianic. However Alan Avery-Peck suggests that given its placement the text concerning Joshua should be read as referencing a war messiah from Ephraim. It is dated to the early 1st century BCE.[9]: 89
4Q372 (c. 200 BCE) features a suffering, righteous ‘Joseph’ king-figure, who cries out to God in his death-throes as ‘My father’, citing the suffering-messiah Psalms 89 and 22, and predicts that he will arise again to do justice and righteousness.[11]
1QS lists a Messiah of Israel, a prophet and a priestly Messiah of Aaron.[12] 1QS dates from around 100 BCE.[13]
Traditional Christians do not believe that Jesus was a clear candidate for the Messiah ben Joseph. They believe rather that he was Messiah ben David and that he was of the tribe of Judah and a descendant of David. Some[who?] assert that the passages associated with Messiah ben Joseph have no power of redemption. Many modern Christians however follow the belief of the Messianic Jews that Jesus may have fulfilled these prophecies due to his adoptive father being named Joseph.
Four Horns and Four Craftsmen / Wikipedia
The Four horns and Four carpenters are a vision found in Book of Zechariah, in Zechariah 1:21 in traditional English texts. In Hebrew texts 1:18-21 is numbered 2:1-4. The vision precedes the vision of A Man With a Measuring Line.
The four craftsmen are discussed in Babylonian Talmud Suk. 52b. Rav Hana bar Bizna attributed to Rav Simeon Hasida the identification of these four craftsmen as
Messiah ben David
Messiah ben Joseph
Elijah and
the Righteous Priest[1]
Joseph Raymond in his book Herodian Messiah, wrote (he passed away), there are also the messiahs of Aaron and Israel.
In Jubilees, Judah’s descendants sat on a throne but Levi’s descendants held all of the real power. The Rule of of the Community and the Damascus Document reference the coming of the messiahs of Aaron and Israel (see Qumran Messianishm: Studies on the Messianic Expectations in the Dead Sea Scrolls by James H. Charlesworth).
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James H. Charlesworth, Born 1940; Lady Davis Professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem; Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Universitat Tubingen; Professor at Duke University; Fulbright Fellow at the University of Edinburgh; Annual Professor of the American Schools of Oriental Research in Jerusalem; McCarthy Professor in the Gregorianum; currently George L. Collord Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Princeton Theological Seminary; Director and Editor of the Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project.Hermann Lichtenberger, Geboren 1943; Studium der Evangelischen Theologie und der Semitischen Sprachen in Erlangen und Heidelberg; 1976 Promotion; 1986 Habilitation; 1993-2010 Professor fur Neues Testament und antikes Judentum in Tubingen.Gerbern S. Oegema, Born 1958; 1985 Drs. theol.; 1989 Dr. phil.; 1997 Habilitation; since 1997 Privatdozent for New Testament and Jewish Studies and Adjunct Director of the Institut fur antikes Judentum und hellenistische Religionsgeschichte at the University of Tubingen.
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Aaron was a descendant of Levi. The term “israel” is thought to refer to Judah. Note that Aaron (Levi) was listed ahead of Israel (Judah) in each instance where these phrases were used in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Hasmoneans, as descendants of Levi, claimed they fulfilled hte prophecies found in these messianic texts. The primacy of Levi in these scriptures formed the foundation for legitimatization of Hasmonean rule yet did not go so far as proclaiming Levi king.
In the two messiah formula, Levi stands above Judah (David’s tribe). Aramaic Levi Document elevates Levi’s descendants to the Jewish throne as the lone messiah. Although a sectarian view outside of the mainstream, the concept of two messiahs [as opposed to four, above] with one coming from the tribe of Levi clearly existed in the Jewish world during the time of the Biblical Jesus.
Jesus even says he is not a son of David despite what Paul says at Romans 1: 3 and 2 Timothy 2: 8.
Careful examination reveals Jesus, in his own words, rebukes the suggestion that he is a son of David.
What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?
David’s, they answered.
Jesus said to them, “how then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord? The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”
Matthew 22: 41 – 45, Mark: 12: 35 – 37, Luke 20: 41 – 44
These verses imply that in the two-messiah system, Jesus is NOT the Messiah of Judah (son of David), but the Messiah of Levi.
Austrokiwi said
Its an interesting possibility. However, I wouldn’t call it a resolution just a Hypothesis worth consideration.
The “hypothesis” was considered.
I called it a resolution because I’ve started to build its case for the sake of debate and final judgment (and book publication).
Basically, what we have is
1) a Samaritan messiah executed by Pontius Pilate
2) a messiah attempting to redeem religious items and ways of Moses
3) a Samaritan would be a son of Joseph/Ephraim, not a son of David
4) the Biblical Jesus who is non-Samaritan because Jews were anti-Samaritan: The historical Jesus was changed from Samaritan to non-Samaritan because a non-Samaritan, Jewish Jesus was more sympathetic than the disliked Samaritans.
We have a nod to the Samaritans here and there in the fictitious gospels
5) Oral Tradition went astray from the truth that early and everything else is made up: a fiction, a myth, a superstition.
6) Josephus and Tactitus were correct. Josephus called it a sad calamity. Tacitus called it the pernicious superstition.
So, no, it is not just a hypothesis.
It was cooked up to fuel Jews against Rome. Jews would not have cared as much if Pilate killed a Samaritan messiah wannabe, so they fueled up the Zealots against one of their own, a Jewish, son of David innocent man killed by Rome, but “the Samartian” was the real victim. That is probably why his disciples did not recognize him when he resurrected as a Jewish son of David.
7) Then Paul and the author-editors of the gospels corrupted the core oral history of the execution of the Samaritan, son of Joseph, executed by Pilate even further.
In my upcoming book, I show that Josephus admits the story was made up.
8) The Search of/for the Historical Jesus was right there but people didn’t want to believe so much of it was not historical and the only historical part was Pontius Pilate assassinated a messiah, Samaritan (son of Joseph).
We don’t get Christmas, we don’t get Easter, we don’t get Sermon on the Mount or the Lord’s Prayer (which isn’t in Mark), we don’t get the Beatitudes (which isn’t in Mark), we don’t get Way of the Cross, we don’t get Empty Grave, the Resurrection and Ascension, Holy Spirit and Pentecost, we don’t get Jesus or his disciples at the Temple because the Samaritan did not recognize Jerusalem or the Temple of Jerusalem as holy. The Samaritans focused on their own religious traditions. We don’t get Pilate just executing one person but multiple people. We don’t get “he died for our sins,” we get he died for his demonstration attended by an armed crowd.
It’s an interesting theory. I’m not sold on it because I have too many questions about the Old Testaments lack of historical credibility.
If there is no evidence of the exodus, why should we look for a historical Jesus to have a connection with the Samaritans.
However, the Samaritan Pentateuch is one of the oldest versions of the Old Testament. There is still a group who call themselves Samaritans in Israel who claim to have descended from Ephraim and another tribe that I can’t remember.
It has more support historically because of this, but still. If there is no evidence of an exodus, there is no reason to make a connection between a historical Christ and the Old Testament.
scarletra said
It’s an interesting theory. I’m not sold on it because I have too many questions about the Old Testaments lack of historical credibility.If there is no evidence of the exodus, why should we look for a historical Jesus to have a connection with the Samaritans.
However, the Samaritan Pentateuch is one of the oldest versions of the Old Testament. There is still a group who call themselves Samaritans in Israel who claim to have descended from Ephraim and another tribe that I can’t remember.
It has more support historically because of this, but still. If there is no evidence of an exodus, there is no reason to make a connection between a historical Christ and the Old Testament.
Scarletra, thank you for your reply but you are ill-informed about the Exodus.
I’ll post two books you may want to consult. You will be unable to discredit them.
Steefen said
The search of the historical Jesus ends and the resolution passes.One word replies with no rationale is the reason why you are on the adversary list for not adding value to discussions.
Why are you presenting your case here? Why not in peer-reviewed journals, where people whose opinions actually matter and who have studied this far more than most people on this forum have could read it? I mean, I could go on an Internet forum and present any bizarre case and then declare victory but it wouldn’t really matter.
AstaKask is an adversary. He adds nothing of value, topical to the original post.
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No one is coming forward suggesting Pilate executed a Samaritan messiah AND a non-Samaritan messiah.
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“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can you ask for a drink from me,
a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
“I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Anointed;
when he comes, he will tell us everything.”
Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.”
…we [Samaritans] have heard for ourselves, and we know that [Jesus] is truly the savior of the world.
John 4: 9, 25 – 26, 42
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The Jews answered Jesus, “Are we not right to say that you are a Samaritan
and you have a demon?
John 8: 48
Wait for it: Jesus will say, I am not a Samaritan and I do not have a demon–
but no, oh, he only denies the second accusation.
“I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.”
John 8: 49
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