66-being convinced of its ultimate futility and fearing the consequences for his nation.īeing unable to restrain the rebellion, he reluctantly joined it and assumed a command in Galilee where he fortified a number of cities, stored up provisions, and trained his army in anticipation of the arrival of Vespasian and his forces. As a result of the visit, he returned profoundly impressed by the power of the empire and strongly opposed the Jewish revolt against Rome in a.d. 63) he traveled to Rome and successfully pleaded for the release of some fellow priests who had been sent there to be tried by Nero. After a short association with the Essenes and a somewhat longer period as a disciple of an ascetic hermit named Banus, he decided at the age of nineteen to join the Pharisees. Being of a priestly family and a descendant of the Hasmoneans, he was well educated and rose to a respected position in the Jewish community. Josephus, born the son of a priest, was named Joseph ben Matthias (Joseph, son of Matthias). 73, and therefore, are of incomparable value for determining the setting of late intertestamental and New Testament times. His works are the principal source for the history of the Jews from the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes B.C. 37–c.100) is the author of what has become for Christianity perhaps the most significant extra-biblical writings of the first century. William Whiston, English theologian, historian, and mathematician, writes,įlavius Josephus (A.D.
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