Bibliography
| Title: Apologetics in Josephus Type: Thesis Year: 1981 Abstract: "This study analyzes certain aspects of the apologetics of Flavius Josephus, with particular reference to the effects his apologetic thrust had upon his accuracy as a theological historian. Josephus' works are designed in part to counter a pervasive anti-Semitism, along with a culturally based animosity toward Jews, triggered to some extent by certain Jewish customs and by various facets of Jewish religion. Since orthodox Judaism saw itself as the one divinely revealed and eternally valid religion, there was an aura of exclusiveness which antagonized many gentiles. Such complaints appear in virtually all types of Greco-Roman literature, from incidental comments in the papyri to carefully composed attacks by philosophers and historians. In The Antiquities Josephus attempts to paraphase the narrative portions of the Old Testament, but to do so in a way calculated to answer various gentile charges against Jews. In spite of claims to the contrary, he makes numerous alterations in the Old Testament, many of which can be explained by his desire to enhance the image of Jews and Judaism. He attempts to make Jewish heroes more heroic by removing their blemishes and by attributing to them valiant qualities often completely lacking in the Old Testament account. He makes a special effort to counter the charge of exclusiveness by removing all suggestion of Jewish mistreatment of gentiles. He Hellenizes the persons and events of the Old Testament, making them at once more understandable and more attractive to his contemporaries. Most important, though, he alters the central Old Testament figures, Abraham and Moses, in profound ways, and in doing so implicitly denies some of the most fundamental theological concepts of Judaism. Abraham, in Josephus, becomes something of a Greek philosopher, and Moses becomes the charismatic leader of Israel, the giver of the law, who by his own wisdom develops the code which distinguishes the Jewish people. The great theological concepts of covenant and election are neglected to a point which is tantamount to denial. The Jews cease to be the chosen people, bound to God by an eternal covenant; and Judaism ceases to be the one true faith. Judaism becomes merely a respectable religion, one good one among many. It is suggested that even in Against Apion, his most explicit apologetic work, he fails to defend these central tenets of Judaism. Recent studies which have treated Josephan apologetics have often failed to notice the extent to which he abandons such fundamentals. The conclusion of this study is that he ceases to speak for orthodox Judaism in the truest sense, in that he fails to uphold her most sacred doctrines". Keywords: Josephus as Apologist, Ancient anti-Judaism |