The Gospel of Mark and the Roman-Jewish War of 66-70: Jesus’ Story as a Contrast to the Events of the War
by Stephen Simon Kimondo
A number of associations that Mark’s hearers may have made with the events of the war can be highlighted here. However, before I proceed, I first introduce what I believe to have been the most significant and impressive item related to the war that Mark’s audeince may have associated with when they heard Mark’s story of Jesus.
This item relates to Mark’s reference to Caesarea Philippi.
Mark’s Jesus visited the villages of Caesarea Philippi during his Galilean campaign. There his life-giving Galilean campaign culminates, his messiahship is declared, and his journey to Jerusalem starts (8:27-30).
The Roman generals Vespasian and Titus also visited Caesarea Philippi. Vespasian rested at Casarea with his troops being hosted by King Agrippa II and gave thanksgiving to a god there for his Galilean military achievements (J.W. 3: 443-444). Titus, too, rested at Caesarea shortly after the war.
Thus Mark’s audience may not have avoided associating Mark’s story of Jesus at Caesarea with Vespasian and Titus at Caesarea.
ps 5-6
Steve Campbell, author of Historical Accuracy
Mark’s audience would have also known there was a Jesus of Galilee defeated by Rome at the Battle of Galilee. Mark’s audience in Galilee would have lived through that also.
Robert said
Steefen said
… Mark’s audience in Galilee would have lived through that also.
Do you think Mark was writing specifically for a Galilean audience?
David Rhoads (a professor emeritus of New Testament) who wrote one of the two Forewords
Imagine briefly a hypothetical biographer of Gandhi writing just after the Indian-Pakistani War of 1965, not having the account of Gandhi profoundly colored by the violent deaths and massive displacement of both Hindus and Muslims as a result of the war, a tragedy that flew in the face of everything Gandhi believed, did, and taught.
In like manner, it is difficult to imagine the composer of Mark proclaiming the Jesus story in and around Galilee shortly after the Roman-Jewish War without the composing and hearing of the story being profoundly shaped by the war and its devastation, which flew in the face of everything Jesus believed and did and taught. Kimondo lays out what such an approach might look like.
Jonathan Draper (a New Testament professor), who wrote one of the two Forewords
Kimondo places the date of the composition of Mark in Galilee after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and subsequent to the acclamation of Vespasian as emperor. Kimondo does not view the relationship between Mark and Josephus as one of literary dependence, he mines Josephus for the social and historical context of Mark as it would have shaped the reception of Mark’s narrative in Galilee…
Back Cover
Locating the authorship of Mark’s gospel in rural Galilee or southern Syria after the fall of Jerusalem … Kimondo argues that Mark’s first hearers … may have interpreted the story of Jesus’ liberative campaign in Galilee as a direct contrast to Vespasian’s destructive military campaigns in the area.
Steve Campbell, author of Historical Accuracy
I do not recall Bart Ehrman or any one else saying Mark wrote specifically for a Galilean audience.
If Kimondo wants to take that approach, I will see if he can pull it off. He received his PhD from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
The book ends on page 232.
This book is not slanted toward being endorsed by historians but by theologians.
Still, my personal theology will not shun historical accuracy.
I am simply reading a book for my edification, not arguing with you. Do you understand?
If forum members want to have a constructive discussion with me as I read this book, that is welcomed.
You are not satisfied with my replies. Fine.
I will try putting up with the flawed blocking feature here and block you.
Wikipedia entry on Gospel of Mark with links to footnotes:
The Gospel of Mark is anonymous.** you do not have permission to see this link **
It was written in Greek, for a gentile audience, and probably in Rome, although Galilee, Antioch (third-largest city in the Roman Empire, located in northern Syria), and southern Syria have also been suggested.** you do not have permission to see this link **
Robert said
Steefen said
I am simply reading a book for my edification, not arguing with you. Do you understand?
You are not satisfied with my replies. Fine.
What argument? I was simply asking about your opinion, an opinion which seemed to have been implied by your statement.
Now, now. Steefen is, I seem to recall hearing, an argumentation specialist; I’d expect him to know an argument when he sees one.
Kimondo
Mark Chapter 1, Verse 3
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’
This links the gospel to the war. The announcement to prepare the way and to make it straight parallels Vespasian’s entrances during the war. According to Josephus, before the Romans entered Jotapata to destroy the city and the Jews who took refuge there, Vespasian ordered his troops to level the road for easy passage to the city.
J.W. 3:141
Steve Campbell, Tenor
and ev’ry mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain.
Isaiah 40:4
“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people…”
Handel’s Messiah Lyrics
** you do not have permission to see this link **
Steve Campbell, author of Historical Accuracy
Troops did not level the road for Jesus for easy passage to a city.
Taking the authority of Vespasian and attributing it to Jesus by way of Isaiah.
Kimondo,PhD
The Zealots made the Temple their headquarters and stronghold.
It was from there that they expressed their tyranny.
Steefen
That’s an abomination.
Kimondo,PhD
With the help of the Idumeans…
Steefen
the tyranny of the Jewish Zealots continued–everything that cannot be blamed on the Romans: oh, it was Nero come back to life that was the abomination of desolation. The Temple was desolate because the Jewish Zealots made the Temple their stronghold and the center of tyranny. That was not the purpose of the Temple. How bad was the tyranny. 8500 guards of High Priest Ananus became corpses in the Temple, then Ananus and Jesus of Gamala, Galilee became corpses that were stepped on. Rome (General Titus and the Roman military) did not do that: Jewish Zealots did that.
Kimondo quoting Josephus
The murder of Ananus [his 8500 guards, and Jesus of Galilee] marked the beginning of the fall of Jerusalem.
Steefen
The fall of Jerusalem was not precipitated by Rome.
It was precipitated by Jewish Zealots attacking the legion Fulminata XII, it was precipitated by killing Jesus! Killing 8500 guards (Jewish civil war), killing Ananus.
Kimondo quoting Josephus
the overthrow of the walls and the downfall of the Jewish state dated from the day on which the Jews beheld their high priest, the captain of their salvation, butchered in the heart of Jerusalem. (J.W 4.318)
Steefen
captain (singular) of their salvation: Ananus–Jesus the Galilean was a standby of the captain of salvation
High priest Jesus of Gamala, Galilee did not once reference the Biblical Jesus of his home region (Galilee) during his speech to the Idumeans, but Jesus of Galilee (circa 27-33) was such a character of importance to be written about as soon as the Temple was destroyed.
And when Josephus gave his speech for surrender to Rome, Josephus quoted nothing from Jesus of Galilee (circa 27-33).
And when Paul wrote his letters, his major verbatim quote is Jesus misleading people from Yom Kippur, separating worshipers from the God of Leviticus/Torah, an atheistic stance, and separating worshipers from the community of the God of Leviticus/Torah.
Kimondo
John of Gischala assumed leadership of the Zealots. He took control of Jerusalem and started his own Sanhedrin. One of the victims of this kangaroo court was Zacharias [not Zachariah] ben Baris.
Being accused of betraying the nation by keeping contact with Vespasian, Zacharias appeared before this new Sanhedrin and was murdered at the center of the Temple (J.W. 4.334-343).
Steefen
That also is an abomination.
desolation? >
Did the Roman military with Titus do this? No. Zealous rebels did this.
Do not asks us to come back to the Temple. Let the Temple be a place of desolation.
Where was the Son of Man of Jewish Apocalypticism?
Epilogue:
The unity between the Zealots (under the leadership of John) did not last long. Due to John’s terror and tyranny, the Idumeans withdrew their support (J.W. 4: 566).
Apart from the war against the provisional government, the Zealots also fought a Jesus figure, named Simon from the countryside. Simon, a messiah figure, entered Jerusalem as if the people were shouting Hosanna. This messiah figure had a social program that proclaimed liberty for slaves. Followers of this messiah were to be obedient to Simon’s kingship. Ride on King Jesus. When Simon (not Jesus of Gamala) entered Jerusalem to liberate the city from John of Gischala’s terror in the early Spring of 69 CE, Simon was savior and protector.
Both John and Simon terrorized the populace, plundered possessions, and killed the rich and anyone suspected of treason.
Eleazar deserted from John of Gischala.
= = =
pick up at page 100
The Gospel of Mark and the Roman Jewish War, 66-70 by Kimondo, PhD
and do not forget The First New Testament, Marcion’s Scriptural Canon by Jason D. BeDuhn, PhD
Steefen
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants probably was written after AD 70–just as the gospels were written after AD 69 because scholars are not assigning the power of prophecy to Jesus as it pertains to Jesus foretelling Tribulation in Jerusalem. (One would think he would have foretold the Battle of Galilee lost by his namesake, Jesus of Galilee.)
Remember, the landowner leased it to Gentiles–history says the Roman Empire, directly. The Jews lost the land not only when the Biblical Jesus was killed in 30 or 33 C.E. They lost the land at the end of the Jewish Revolt.
The Jewish God, in the parable, the Land Owner, took it away from the Jews and gave it to the Gentiles?
The Land Owner became Emperor Vespasian.
Stephen Simon Kimondo, PhD
[Vespasian] founded no city [in Judea], reserving the country as his private property.
Steve Campbell, Author of Historical Accuracy
And who were some of the tenants there?
Stephen Simon Kimondo, PhD
[Vespasian] did assign 800 veterans to the land. … He also gave some land to Josephus [and other friends].
Steve Campbell, Author of Historical Accuracy
That is how, partly, that parable played out in real life.
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert