Judgment: Wrath of the Lamb
Page 62
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The Copper Scroll as presented here:
“COPPER SCROLL (3Q15 = 3QTreasure). Thinly rolled metal sheets of copper discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls; engraved with a list of directions to hidden treasure across Judaea and Galilee. Also known as “Copper Plaque,” “Copper Rolls,” and occasionally “Bronze Scrolls.”
Justin David Strong, “Copper Scroll,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
“The purpose of the Scroll remains a puzzle. There are three main theories. The first is that it is a record of the Qumran community's possessions which were cached in various places just before the Romans advanced upon their 'monastery' in 68 A.D. Against this, however, it has been objected that the amount of the treasure listed is prodigiously disproportionate to the probable resources of an ascetic brotherhood!
“The second theory is that the treasure is that of the Sec-ond Temple, committed for safekeeping to the desert community when the sacred edifice fell, or was about to fall, to the Roman forces. But this too is not without its diffi. culties. According to Josephus, (War, vi.5, §2) the main treasure of the Temple was still in the building when it fell, and this happened in 70 A.D., whereas, according to the archaeological evidence, the Qumran monastery had already been abandoned two years earlier. Moreover, if the censorious references to the Jerusalemitan priesthood which we find in the Scrolls really represent a contemporary attitude, it is not very likely that those officials would have turned to the Qumran brotherhood for the safekeeping of their sacred vessels!
“A third hypothesis is that the Scroll registers the treasure not of the Second but of the First (Solomonic) Temple, removed from Jerusalem when it fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Opinion is divided, however, as to whether the list is factual or fictitious, seeing that accounts of somewhat similar character indeed appear in later Jewish legend.
“Perhaps there is room for a fourth theory. May not the Scroll represent an unconscionable fraud (or even a cruel practical joke) perpetrated by some cynical outsider upon the naive and innocent minds of the ascetics of Qumran? The fraud (or joke) would have been founded upon time-honored legends about the buried treasure of the First Temple and have been calculated especially to appeal to the hearts and minds of men who were looking to an imminent restoration of the past glories of Israel.”
Theodor H. Gaster, The Dead Sea Scriptures, 3rd Edition (NY: Anchor Books, 1976) Online: https://thebibleisnotholy.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/dead-sea-scriptures.pdf
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CHAPTER 72
The parable of the ten virgins: Mattehw 25:1-13.
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Parable of the Wedding Feast: Matthew 22:1-14.
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The Feast of Tabernacles: See Numbers 29:12-38.
Leviticus 23:33–36
33 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 36 For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.
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Jesus fulfilled Tabernacles:
Revelation 21:3
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt (“tabernacled”) among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus fulfilled all the Jewish feasts: Special thanks to David Curtis of Berean Bible Church for his teaching on this topic. You can get his free teachings on these at: http://www.bereanbiblechurch.org/studies/leviticus.php
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EPILOGUE
Josephus’ statement of the dead and captives: Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 6.9.3-4, §420, 429.
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The story of Masada is told by Josephus in: Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 7.6.1-4, §163-209
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Simon’s death in Rome: (Historically, John of Gischala was also captured and imprisoned in Rome until his death. I used creative license in this story by having Gischala die in the fire of the temple.)
Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 7.5.6, §153-155
“Now the last part of this pompous show was at the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, whither when they were come, they stood still; for it was the Romans’ ancient custom to stay, till somebody brought the news that the general of the enemy was slain. (154) This general was Simon, the son of Gioras, who had then been led in this triumph among the captives; a rope had also been put upon his head, and he had been drawn into a proper place in the forum, and had withal been tormented by those that drew him along, and the law of the Romans required that malefactors condemned to die should be slain there. (155) Accordingly, when it was related that there was an end of him, and all the people had sent up a shout for joy, they then began to offer those sacrifices which they had consecrated, in the prayers used in such solemnities; which when they had finished, they went away to the palace.”
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 758.
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The Triumphal Procession in Rome: Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 7.5.3-6, §121-157
The Temple spoils in the triumph:
Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 7.5.6, §148-152
“and for the other spoils, they were carried in great plenty. But for those that were taken in the temple of Jerusalem, they made the greatest figure of them all; that is, the golden table, of the weight of many talents; the candlestick also, that was made of gold, though its construction were now changed from that which we made use of: (149) for its middle shaft was fixed upon a basis, and the small branches were produced out of it to a great length, having the likeness of a trident in their position, and had every one a socket made of brass for a lamp at the tops of them. These lamps were in number seven, and represented the dignity of the number seven among the Jews; (150) and the last of all the spoils was carried the Law of the Jews. (151) After these spoils passed by a great many men, carrying the images of Victory, whose structure was entirely either of ivory or of gold. (152) After which Vespasian marched in the first place, and Titus followed him.”
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 757–758.
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Vespasian after the war:
“Vespasian diligently promoted his dynastic plans in his speeches and on his coins. Titus was carefully groomed to succeed; and for the greater part of the reign was effectively the deputy-emperor. Some senators disapproved of the dynastic concept, but most accepted that it removed the danger of civil war among rival contenders. Moderation and accessibility were Augustan qualities practiced by Vespasian and much approved after the regal trappings of a Nero. He was able to pursue this policy largely because Titus, as Praetorian Prefect, efficiently crushed any plots and opposition before they could mature. The success of Vespasian’s consolidation of his and his family’s power can be seen in the smooth and undisputed succession of Titus…
“When Vespasian died in 79 A.D., he was immediately deified by the Senate – a genuine mark of its respect and admiration for the man and his work. The coins which he struck during his reign proclaimed “The Augustan Peace,” “Rome Rising Anew,” and “The Happiness of the People.” These were not empty phrases. Even “Liberty Restored” had a certain plausibility. For though Vespasian was no less an autocrat than Nero had been, his modest, down-to-earth manner, his affability, and his acces
sibility at least helped to conceal the realities of power. His shrewd judgement, combined with a quick wit and keen humor, enabled him to avoid or deflect difficult and unpleasant situations. He had deserved well of Rome, for he had ended a calamitous civil war, brought back order and prosperity and, above all, had restored confidence in Rome and its system of government. He has been called “the common-sense emperor”; but in Vespasian it was the common-sense of genius.”
R. D. Milns, “Vespasian (Emperor),” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 852-853.
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Titus after the war:
“On Titus’s return to Rome in June 71, Vespasian granted him powers so extensive that he was almost coruler. But he soon acquired a reputation for ruthlessness, extravagance, and licentiousness. As commander of the praetorian guard, he was “somewhat arrogant and tyrannical” (Suetonius Titus 6.1), crushing any opposition…
“Men feared that on his accession, he would be a second Nero (Suetonius Titus 7.1).
“Their fears proved groundless, according to our sources. On becoming emperor, Titus dismissed Berenice when she returned to Rome (Dio 66.18.1), executed no senators or anyone else (Dio 66.19.1), and declared that a day when he had conferred no favors was a day wasted (Suetonius Titus 8). Clearly, he intended to project an image of moderation, affability, and generosity…
“After a brief reign of twenty-six months, Titus died suddenly on Sept. 13, 81, apparently of natural causes, and was immediately deified. Suggestions that he was murdered by Domitian seem unfounded. For Suetonius, Titus was “the darling of the human race” (Titus 1), a view shared by non-Jewish writers of antiquity. Brave and intellectually capable, he gathered all the accomplishments of a highly educated Roman noble of his time. His bland charm and diplomatic skill served to conceal both his efficiency and his ruthlessness.
Brian W. Jones, “Titus (Emperor),” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 581.
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Berenice in Rome:
Cassius Dio, Roman History, 65.15.3-4
“Berenice was at the very height of her power and consequently came to Rome along with her brother Agrippa. 4 The latter was given the rank of praetor, while she dwelt in the palace, cohabiting with Titus. She expected to marry him and was already behaving in every respect as if she were his wife; but when he perceived that the Romans were displeased with the situation, he sent her away.”
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/65*.html
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Herod Agrippa II after the war:
“When Vespasian had established himself as emperor and the Jewish revolt had been crushed, Agrippa was rewarded for his loyalty with additional territory (details are lacking; see HJP², 478). In Rome in A.D. 75 Agrippa was awarded the symbols of praetorian rank. Thereafter he all but disappears from history. Josephus tells us that Agrippa corresponded with him on the subject of his book on the Jewish War, praising its accuracy and admitting that he owned a copy (Life 65; AgAp 1.9). Agrippa seems to have died in the reign of Vespasian’s younger son, Domitian, about A.D. 93 (HJP², 480–83). His attitude toward the Romans, in part at least, is summed up in the speech which Josephus attributed to him. If Agrippa did not actually deliver this speech in trying to quell the revolt, he apparently later read and approved of it. The main point of the speech seems notably well-reasoned: namely, that the Romans were simply too strong to succumb to any uprising which Jewish revolutionaries could mount (War 2.345ff.).
Agrippa seems not to have married and not to have fathered any children. It was rumored that his relationship with his sister Bernice was incestuous.”
David C. Braund, “Agrippa (Person),” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 100.
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Josephus:
“In Rome Josephus resided in an apartment within the emperor’s house and devoted much of his time to writing. In part his works were addressed to his fellow Jews, justifying to them not only Roman conduct during the Jewish War, but also his own personal conduct in switching loyalties. However, his writings were also designed to justify Jewish culture and religion to an interested and sometimes sympathetic Roman audience. The earliest of his extant writings is the Bellum Judaicarum (or Jewish War), which was apparently drafted initially in Aramaic and then translated into Greek 5 to 10 years after the 70 C.E. destruction of Jerusalem. His second work, Antiquitates Judaicae (or Jewish Antiquities), was published more than a decade later; it was much longer, and recounts Jewish history from creation to the Jewish War, and contains some valuable historical information. His last two works, probably published shortly before his death, include the Vita (or Life), an autobiography intended primarily to defend his conduct during the Jewish War 30 years earlier, and Contra Apionem (or Against Apion), an apologetic defense of Judaism against a wave of anti-Semitism emanating from Alexandria. Josephus probably died ca. 100 C.E., several years after Trajan had become emperor in Rome. His writings, while generally ignored by fellow Jews, were preserved by Christians.”
Louis H. Feldman, “Josephus (Person),” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 982.
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Johannan ben Zakkai:
“Rabbinic Judaism pictures Yohanan as the person most responsible for the survival of Judaism after the Great Roman War of 66 C.E.–73 C.E., and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E. By establishing a school in Jamnia/Yavneh, Yohanan – a legislative innovator, a mystic, and a creative biblical exegete – made it possible for Judaism to survive despite the destruction of its physical and spiritual centers.”
Gary G. Porton, “Yohanan Ben Zakkai,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1024.
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The Dead Sea community of Qumran:
“The identification of the Qumran community as an Essene settlement is well established. See ESSENES. Yet the character of the community as it emerges from the scrolls is very different from that conveyed by Philo and Josephus in their descriptions of the Essenes. The ascetic tendencies of the community arise not from the pursuit of philosophical mysticism or from the dualism of mind and body but from the observance of priestly purity laws, the dualism of light and darkness, and the expectation of divine judgment.
“The priestly character of the community is pervasive and is reflected in its leadership and even in the name “sons of Zadok.” (See Davies 1987: 51–72, on the limitations of what can be inferred from this term.) It is also reflected in the sense of participation in the angelic world…
“We have repeatedly noted the eschatological orientation of the scrolls. Several documents attest a periodization of history, culminating in the penultimate age of wrath, in which the community lived. The settlement in the desert was supposed to prepare the imminent way of the Lord (1Q58), and rule books were prepared for the community of the end of days (1QSa) and for the final war. The scrolls frequently refer to the coming of the messiahs of Aaron and Israel – the eschatological counterparts of the priest and the overseer of the actual community…
“While the War Scroll cannot be simply assigned to the Roman period, the late copies of it show the continued vitality of eschatological hope. Whether that hope led the community to participate in the revolt against Rome in the belief that the day of vengeance had come, remains a tantalizing but unanswerable question…
“The scrolls attest another Jewish community which, like the early Christians, lived in the belief that the end of days was at hand and that its struggle was with principalities and powers, and which reinterpreted the Scriptures in that context.”
John J. Collins, “Dead Sea Scrolls,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 99-100.
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Not one stone left upon another:
/> Matthew 23:36–24:2
36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” 1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
“The disciples were surprised when Jesus told them that the temple was going to be destroyed, with not one stone left on top of another (Matt. 24:2). In response, they asked this multifaceted question: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age” (24:3)? It is crucial that we pay close attention to when Jesus said these events would take place.