Caesar's Messiah: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus:Flavian Signature Edition (19 page)

“Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

“Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.

“But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'

“And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.

“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

“Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 

“And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 

“But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' 

“But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. 

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

“But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

“And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." 

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." 

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from [the] wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and [the one] to whom the Son wills to reveal [Him].”

Luke 10:1-22

15) The good Samaritan

The next story in Luke – 10:25-37 – is that of the Good Samaritan. In the story, the man who had been attacked by bandits symbolizes the Twelfth Legion, that had been left “half dead” by the Jewish “bandits” on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho at the start of the war. In Josephus’ description of the battle, he used the same Greek word Luke used to describe the “robbers”, to depict the rebels that stole the Legions’ belongings – “lestes” (
Wars of the Jews
, 2, 19, 554). The Gospels’ story of the “Good Samaritan” typologically parallels Titus marching in from Samaria and refurbishing the legion that had been “stripped” by the robbers “lestes”.

Now Titus, according to the Roman usage, went in the front of the army after a decent manner, and marched (with the Twelve Legion) through Samaria to Gophna, a city that had been formerly taken by his father, and was then garrisoned by Roman soldiers;

and when he had lodged there one night, he marched on in the morning …

Wars of the Jews
, 5, 2, 50-51

Josephus’ passage also notes how well provisioned the Legion was, “the servants of every Legion came after these, and before these last their baggage”.  Thus, Luke’s parable envisions Titus restoring the Legion that had been left “half dead” and “stripped” of its belongings on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, its mules and provisions.

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  

Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead.  

“Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

“Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 

“So he went to [him] and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

“On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave [them] to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' 

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"  

And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."  

Luke 10:29-37

OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM

The Gospels now record a series of stories on the outskirts of Jerusalem. These stories are full of conflict between Jesus and the Jews, and of martial imagery. The stories parallel the battles between Titus and the Jewish rebels before his “triumphant entrance” into the city.

16) Knocking on the door

Josephus next records the Romans pitching camp outside Jerusalem. He mentions that the Fifth Legion joined the first two at night, giving Titus a total of three Legions. These three  Legions were, in effect, “knocking” on the door of Jerusalem and would soon open it.

But now, as soon as that legion that had been at Emmaus was joined to Caesar at night, he removed thence, when it was day, and came to a place called Scopus; from whence the city began already to be seen, and a plain view might be taken of the great temple. Accordingly, this place, on the north quarter of the city, and joining thereto, was a plain, and very properly named Scopus [the prospect],

and was no more than seven furlongs distant from it. And here it was that Titus ordered a camp to be fortified for two legions that were to be together; but ordered another camp to be fortified, at three furlongs farther distance behind them, for the fifth legion; for he thought that, by marching in the night, they might be tired, and might deserve to be covered from the enemy, and with less fear might fortify themselves;

Wars of the Jews,
5, 2, 67-68

Luke symbolizes the three Legions who are “knocking on the door” of Jerusalem by describing someone needing “three loaves” (the man needed “three” loaves because he had three legions to feed), who comes during the night and tries to get someone who has shut his door to open it.  Jesus commends the persistence of the “knocker” who will not leave, thereby getting the door that was shut to be opened. Note that the question in the last line – "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?”
–
is Flavian humor in the same ironic vein as many of the questions above. The “scorpion” was the name for the Roman artillery piece the
ballista, and it was definitely going to be “given” to the Jewish rebels. The author mentions a catapult here to set up the triumphant entrance where the “stones cry out,” which follows.

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 

“ ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

“and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? 

“I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

“Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 

“Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?” 

Luke 11:5-12

17) The house of Satan divided against itself

Josephus then describes a “house of Satan” that is divided against itself.  In other words, the different groups of Jewish rebels realized when the Romans showed up, that they must join together or their house would “fall”.

Now when hitherto the several parties in the city had been dashing one against another perpetually, this foreign war, now suddenly come upon them after a violent manner, put the first stop to their contentions one against another;

and as the seditious now saw with astonishment the Romans pitching three several camps, they began to think of an awkward sort of concord, and said one to another,

"What do we here, and what do we mean, when we suffer three fortified walls to be built to coop us in, that we shall not be able to breathe freely?”

Wars of the Jews
, 5, 2, 71-73

Luke describes a transparent parallel to the rebels’ plight – the house of Satan divided against itself that will fall.

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house [divided] against a house falls. 

If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  

“And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast [them] out? Therefore they will be your judges. 

“But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” 

Luke 11:17-20

18) Man in armor who will be overcome

Josephus and Luke next cover the subject of a man in armor who will meet someone stronger and be overcome.

“… while the enemy is securely building a kind of city in opposition to us, and while we sit still within our own walls, and become spectators only of what they are doing, with our hands idle, and our armor laid by, as if they were about somewhat that was for our good and advantage.

“We are, it seems, (so did they cry out), only courageous against ourselves, while the Romans are likely to gain the city without bloodshed by our sedition."

Thus did they encourage one another when they were gotten together, and took their armor immediately, and ran out upon the tenth legion, and fell upon the Romans with great eagerness, and with a prodigious shout, as they were fortifying their camp.

Wars of the Jews
, 5, 2, 73-75

“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 

“But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 

“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” 

Luke 11:21-23

19) The crowds increase

Josephus and Luke each record the Jews’ massing around the son of god.

As the crowds were increasing …

Luke 11:29

The Jews became still more and more in number …

Wars of the Jews
, 5, 2, 78

20) Lying in wait

Luke then describes Jesus being assailed by Jews “lying in wait” for him and seeking to “catch him” before his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. These expressions in Luke symbolize the battle Titus experienced with the Jews before his “triumphal entrance” into Jerusalem.