Tag: Joshua

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IV  7   The great revolt

4.7.1.
The great Jewish Revolt of 66 – 70 AD is depicted in the last part of the books of Moses: in the book of Joshua it is shown as the time of Moses’ successor Joshua

Capernaum, Church of the Multiplication
Capernaum, Church of the Multiplication

(= Hebrew form of the name Jesus) and in the books of the Kings as the reign of King Josiah (name not confirmed by archaeological documents).

4.7.2.
The rebels’ aims are discernible in the Biblical accounts of Joshua and King Josiah. Joshua conquers the land of Israel, circumcises the Israelites, celebrates the Passover, makes sacrifices and proclaims the law.

King Josiah does not have to endure foreign rule, finds the law and follows it, purifies the temple from non-Jewish gods and non-Jewish religious symbols and celebrates the Passover in its pure form (2 Kings 22f).

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IV  2   Jesus

4.2.1.
Jesus, Antipas’ governor and opponent, is given a great deal of space in the Old Testament history books. The historical figure of Jesu

Gerizim, Samaritan mosque, congregation
Gerizim, Samaritan mosque, congregation

is behind the following literary figures in the Old Testament: Moses’ brother Aaron with the golden calf; Moses’ successor Joshua (the same name as Jesus); the prophet Elisha whose many miracles recall those of Jesus; the Man of God in 1 Kings 13, where the account features analogies with the story of Jesus’ temptations (Satan = Jeroboam I = Antipas).

The story of Naboth’s vineyard is a literary version of the governor Jesus’ dismissal; in 2 Kings 8 Elisha mourns the future destruction of the holy places, as Jesus does in Mark 13:1-2; the Absalom story is an early version of the Passion narrative (David = Antipas; Joab = Pilate), as is the first part of Joseph‘s story up to Genesis 37:20 where Joseph is thrown into a pit, i.e. a grave.