There is extant in a number of MSS. a Slavonic or Old
Russian translation of the War. In this version there are no less than
eight pieces referring to John the Baptist (3), Jesus (4) and the first Christians
(1). These remarkable passages, of which the Greek text shows no trace, have
been excerpted and the Slavonic text of them critically established by the
collation of four MSS.
I.
JOHN'S PROCLAMATION AND HIS REBUKE OF THE AUTHORITIES.
(Follows on B.
J. II. vii.
2.)
1. Now at that time a man
went about among the Jews in strange garments; for he had put pelts on his body
everywhere where it was not covered with his own hair; 2. indeed
to look at he was like a wild man.
3. He came to the Jews and
summoned them to freedom, saying: "God hath sent me, that I may show you
the way of the Law, wherein ye may free yourselves from many holders of power.
4. And there will be no mortal ruling over you, only the Highest who hath sent
me." 5. And when the people had heard this, they were joyful. And there
went after him all Judæa, that lies in the region
round
6. And he did nothing else to
them save that he plunged them into the stream of the Jordan and dismissed
them, instructing them that they should cease from evil works, and [promising]
that there would [then] be given them a ruler who would set them free and
subject to them all that is not in submission; but no one of whom we speak (?),1 would himself be subjected. 7. Some
reviled, but others got faith.
8. And when he had been
brought to Archelaus and the doctors of the Law had
assembled, they asked him who he is and where he has been until then. 9. And to
this he made answer and spake: "I am pure; [for]
the Spirit of God hath led me on, and [I live on] cane and roots and tree-food.2 10. But when they threatened to put him to torture if he
would not cease from those words and deeds, he nevertheless said: "It is
meet for you [rather] to cease from your heinous works and cleave unto the Lord
your God."
11. And there rose up in
anger Simon, an Essæan by extraction, a scribe, and
he spake: "We read every day the divine books.
12. But thou, only now come from the forest like a wild animal,—thou darest in sooth to teach us and to mislead the people with
thy reprobate words." 13. And he rushed forward to do him bodily violence.
14. But he, rebuking them, spake:
"I will not disclose to you the mystery which dwelleth
in you, for ye have not desired it. 15. Thereby an untold calamity is come upon
you, and because of yourselves."
16. And when he had thus
spoken, he went forth to the other p. 105 side of the Jordan; and while no
one durst rebuke him, that one did what [he had done] also heretofore.
II.
HIS INTERPRETATION OF PHILIP'S DREAM.
(Follows on B.
J. II. ix.
1.)
1. While Philip was [still]
in possession of his dominion, he saw a dream,—how an eagle tore out both his
eyes. 2. And he summoned all his wise men. 3. But when each interpreted the
dream differently, there came to him suddenly, without being summoned, that man
of whom we have previously written, that he went about in skins of animals and
cleansed the people in the waters of the
III.
HIS PERSISTENT REBUKING OF AGRIPPA AND HIS
EXECUTION.
(Follows
immediately on the preceding.)
1. And Herod, his brother,
took his wife Herodias. 2. And because of her all the
doctors of the Law abhorred him, but durst not accuse him before his face.
3. But only that one whom they called a wild man, came to him in anger and spake: "Why hast thou taken the wife of thy brother?
4. As thy brother hath died a death void of pity, thou too wilt be reaped off
by the heavenly sickle. 5. God's decree will not be silenced, but will destroy
thee through evil affliction in foreign lands. 6. For thou dost not raise up seed for thy brother, but gratifiest
thy fleshly lust and committest adultery, seeing that
four children of him are alive."
7. Now when Herod heard
[this], he was filled with wrath and commanded that they should beat him and
drive him away. 8. But he accused Herod incessantly wherever he found him, and p. 106 right up to the time when he (H.)
put him under arrest and gave orders to slay him.
9. Now his disposition (or
character) was extraordinary and his mode of life not that of a man; indeed
just like a bodiless spirit, thus did this one too continue. 10. His lips knew
no bread; not even at Easter [? orig. Passover] did be taste unleavened bread,
saying that, in remembrance of God who had freed the people from slavery, it
was given for eating in the flight, for the way was in haste. To wine and
intoxicating drink he let himself not even draw near. And every animal he
abhorred [as food], and every wrong he rebuked, and tree-produce served him for
use.
IV.
THE MINISTRY, TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.
(Follows on B.
J. II. ix.
3.)
1. At that time also a man
came forward,—if even it is fitting to call him a man [simply]. 2. His nature
as well as his form were a man's; but his showing
forth was more than [that] of a man. 3. His works, that is to say, were godly,
and he wrought wonder-deeds amazing and full of power. 4. Therefore it is not
possible for me to call him a man [simply]. 5. But again, looking at the
existence he shared with all, I would also not call him an angel.
6. And all that he wrought
through some kind of invisible power, he wrought by word and command.
7. Some said of him, that our
first Lawgiver has risen from the dead and shows forth
many cures and arts. 8. But others supposed [less definitely] that he is sent
by God.
9. Now he opposed himself in
much to the Law and did not observe the Sabbath according to ancestral custom.
10. Yet, on the other hand, he did nothing reprehensible nor any crime; but by
word solely he effected everything.
11. And many from the folk
followed him and received his teachings. 12. And many souls became wavering,
supposing that thereby the Jewish tribes would set themselves free from the
Roman hands.
13. Now it was his custom
often to stop on the
16. But when they saw his
power, that he accomplished everything that he would by word, they urged him
that he should enter the city and cut down the Roman soldiers and Pilate and
rule over us. 17. But that one scorned it.
18. And thereafter, when knowledge
of it came to the Jewish leaders, they gathered together with the High-priest
and spake: "We are powerless and weak to
withstand the Romans. 19. But as withal the bow is bent, we will go and tell
Pilate what we have heard, and we will be without distress, lest if he hear it from others, we be robbed of our substance and
ourselves be put to the sword and our children ruined." 20. And they went
and told it to Pilate.
21. And he sent and had many
of the people cut down. 22. And he had that wonder-doer brought up. And when he
had instituted a trial concerning him, he perceived that he is a doer of good,
but not an evildoer, nor a revolutionary, nor one who aimed at power, and set
him free. 23. He had, you should know, healed his dying wife.
24. And he went to his
accustomed place and wrought his accustomed works. 25. And as again more folk
gathered themselves together round him, then did he
win glory through his works more than all.
26. The teachers of the Law
were [therefore] envenomed with envy and gave thirty talents to Pilate, in
order that he should put him to death. 27. And he, after he had taken [the
money], gave them consent that they should themselves carry out their purpose.
28. And they took him and
crucified him according to the ancestral law.
V.
THE TREATMENT OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS.
(Follows on B.
J. II. xi. 6, after the notice on the death of Agrippa.)
1. Again Claudius sent his
authorities to those states—Cuspius Fadus and
Tiberius Alexander, both of whom kept the p. 108 people in peace, not allowing them
to depart in anything from the pure laws.
2. But if anyone diverged
from the word of the Law, plaint was brought before the teachers of the Law. 3.
Often they expelled him and sent him to the Emperor's presence.
4. And at the time of these
two many had been discovered as servants of the previously described
wonder-doer; and as they spake to the people about
their teacher,—that he is living, although he is dead, and that he will free
you from your servitude,—many from the folk gave ear to the above-named and
took upon themselves their precept,—5. not because of
their reputation; they were indeed of the humbler sort some just cobblers,
others sandal-makers, others artisans.
6. And [yet] as marvellous signs they accomplished in truth what they
would.
7. But when those noble
governors saw the misleading of the people, they deliberated with the scribes
to seize and put them to death, for fear lest the little be not little if it have ended in the great. 8. But they shrank back and were
alarmed over the signs, saying: "In the plain course such wonders do not
occur. 9. But if they do not issue from the counsel of God, they will quickly
be convicted." 10. And they gave them [the Christians] authority to act as
they would.
11. But afterwards, becoming
pestered by them, they had them sent away, some to the Emperor, but others to
12. But Claudius removed the
two governors, [and] sent Cumanus.
VI.
THE TRILINGUAL INSCRIPTION CONCERNING JESUS.
(Inserted in B.
J. V. v. 2.)
At it (the barrier of the
Temple) were columns . . . and on these inscriptions in Greek and Roman and
Jewish characters, publishing the law of purity and [proclaiming] that no foreigner
should enter the inner [court]; for they called it the Holy [Place] to which
one had to ascend by fourteen steps, and whose upper part was built in a
square.
And over these tablets with
inscriptions hung a fourth tablet with inscription in these [three] characters,
to the effect: Jesus has not reigned as king; he has been crucified by the
Jews, because he proclaimed the destruction of the city and the laying waste of
the temple.
VII.
PORTENTS AT THE DEATH OF JESUS AND RUMOURS OF
HIS RESURRECTION.
(Follows on B.
J. V. v. 4, at the end of the description of the Temple-curtain.)
1. This curtain (katapetasma) was prior to this generation entire,
because the people were pious; but now it was lamentable to look at. 2. It had,
you should know, been suddenly rent from the top to the ground, when they
delivered over to death through bribery the doer of good, the man—yea, him who
through his doing was no man.
3. And of many other signs
they tell which came to pass at that time.
4. And it was said that after
he was put to death, yea after burial in the grave, he was not found.
5. Some
then assert that he is risen; but others, that he has been stolen by his
friends. 6. I, however, do not know which speak more correctly.
7. For a dead man cannot rise
of himself—though possibly with the help of another righteous man; unless it
(lit. he) will be an angel or another of the heavenly authorities, or God
himself appears as a man and accomplishes what he will,—both walks with men and
falls, and lies down and rises up, as it is according to his will.
8. But others said that it
was not possible to steal him, because they had put guards all round his
grave,—thirty Romans, but a thousand Jews.
9. Such [is narrated] as to
that curtain (katapetasma). Moreover [as to]
the cause of its tearing there are [? various statements].
VIII.
A PROPHECY CONCERNING JESUS.
(In B. J. VI. v. 4, where in
our texts the prophecy of the world-ruler is referred to Vespasian
solely.)
Some indeed by this understood
Herod, but others the crucified wonder-doer Jesus, others again Vespasian.
The
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