Great Darkness and Earthquakes, Early Evidence

George the Syncellus was a Byzantine historian, bishop and the syncellus (literally same-cell) to the patriarch of Constantinople, he died around 810 AD. He is best known for his work "The Chronography" which was an annotated time line of sorts that chronicled world history from creation to the beginning of Diocletian's reign 284 AD.

In his book "The Chronography" George quotes a 3rd century historian Julius Africanus (whose writings are lost to us). It appears there was some debate on how to explain the darkness that came over the Earth during our Lord's crucifixion.

Julius argues that the darkness cannot be explained as a solar eclipse, an explanation that Thallus, a 1st-2nd century Greek historian offers in his work "Histories". Because the crucification happened the day before passover when the moon and sun are in opposition.

from George's "Chronography" quoting Africanus:
"In the third book of his Histories, Thallos dismisses this darkness as a solar eclipse. In my opinion, this is nonsense. For the Hebrews celebrate the Passover on Luna 14, and what happened to the Saviour occurred one day before the Passover. But an eclipse of the sun takes place when the moon passes under the sun. The only time when this can happen is in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the last day of the old moon, when they are in conjunction. How then could one believe an eclipse took place when the moon was almost in opposition to the sun? So be it. Let what had happened beguile the masses, and let this wonderful sign to the world be considered a solar eclipse through an optical (illusion)."

Origen in "Against Celsus" bk2 ch33 also mentions the debate between Christians and pagans on the cause of the "eclipse" during Tiberius' riegn

" And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Cæsar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place, Phlegon too, I think, has written in the thirteenth or fourteenth book of his Chronicles."

It seems that whether Jesus existed or not never entered the debate but rather the debate centered on how to explain the events that were associated with Christ's crucifixion.

That is what we can tell from what little fragments of history we have from that time period. It is an interesting glimpse in to early apologetics. It's also interesting to see how well the ancients understood astronomy.

Swear by the Genius of Ceaser

The original article can be found at Solomon's Portico



The Cave of Letters, located near the Dead Sea, was the last refuge of Bar-Kochba and his followers. Within the cave were found numerous artifacts and scrolls.

more infohttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/scrolls/

Some of these scrolls belonged to a woman named Babtha, a Jewish widow who lived in Nabatea.

Of interest to us is one of the scrolls found, a legal document showing possession of property that was certified by a Roman court. At the end of the document are these words...

"I Babtha daughter of Simon, swear by the genius of our lord Caesar that I have in good faith registered as has been written above."

Christians of this time period and later would die by refusing to say the words "I swear by the genius of our lord Caesar". A phrase that to everyone else was in common usage.

There are several examples of magistrates adjuring accused Christians to say these words. Most notably the account of the Scillitan Martyrs that were put to death around 180AD in the region of Numidia, North Africa.

From the account of the Scillitan Martyrs...

Saturninus the proconsul said: We too are religious, and our religion is simple, and we swear by the genius of our lord the Emperor, and pray for his welfare, as ye also ought to do.

Speratus said: If thou wilt peaceably lend me thine ears, I can tell thee the mystery of simplicity.

Saturninus said: I will not lend mine ears to thee, when thou beginnest to speak evil things of our sacred rites; but rather swear thou by the genius of our lord the Emperor.

Speratus said: The empire of this world I know not; but rather I serve that God, whom no man hath seen, nor with these eyes can see. I have committed no theft; but if I have bought anything I pay the tax; because I know my Lord, the King of kings and Emperor of all nations.

Of course these Christians were not slaughtered solely because they refused to swear by Caesar's genius, but it was their allegiance to Christ that brought them before the proconsul and prevented them from saying that phrase.

The Scillitan Martyrs were a group of Christians (probably a church congregation) that were tried and executed for their faith at around 180AD.

The group was from the town of Scillium near Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. (modern day Tunisia)

The document that tells us their story appears to be a legal document to record the proceedings of the trial.

An interesting exchange between the Roman proconsul and the Pastor deals with the letters the Christians had with them. They were Paul's epistles, giving us evidence (in my view) that they were considered scripture.

The exchange goes like this...
Saturninus the proconsul said: What are the things in your chest?

Speratus said: Books and epistles of Paul, a just man.

The text is located here

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/scillitan-mart.html

Hanged on a Tree

Feature Article from Solomon's Portico



Editor's note: Justin Martyr d. 165AD, was an early Christian apologist and Philosopher. His conversation with an Hellenistic Jew named Trypho is recorded in an ancient book called "Dialogue with Trypho". The book is fascinating in many respects not the least of which appears in the following article.

In "Dialogue with Trypho" Justin mentions Deu 21:23 as evidence that Jesus was the Messiah because he was crucified, therefore being accursed by God and bearing the curse that was due us.

Trypho doesn't argue the translation in this instance, but rather argues that death by crucifixion was an unworthy death for the Messiah. Trypho agrees that the the Messiah must suffer but not by crucifixion and so disagrees with Justin that Deu 21:23 (and Gal 3:13) speak of Jesus.

Trypho does disagree in some places on the differences in translation between the Hebrew text and the Septuagint, but not in this case.

In this way the cross has become a stumbling block for the Jews as mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians.

reference

Dialogue with Trypho ch 32
And when I had ceased, Trypho said, "These and such like Scriptures, sir, compel us to wait for Him who, as Son of man, receives from the Ancient of days the everlasting kingdom. But this so-called Christ of yours was dishonorable and inglorious, so much so that the last curse contained in the law of God fell on him, for he was crucified." (one thing that isn't debated is the existence of Christ)


Deu 21:23
"his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Gal 3:13
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"."

1Cr 1:23
"but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, "

An interesting note, in the prologue to Dialogue with Trypho, the men who were with Trypho did not participate in the debate between Justin and Trypho. Rather they left to discuss the war in Judea at the time, this would have been the Bar-Khokba revolt.

Bar-Khokba in Aramaic "Son of a Star" was hailed as the Messiah by Jews of that period.

The Zumbudu Cartographer

The fertile crescent is neither fertile nor crescent shaped.....discuss

The Zumbudu Reads....

"A Short History of Byzantium" (John Julius Norwich), this is a great comprehensive history covering the Roman Empire from Constantine to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. My interest lies chiefly in the period where the Turks invaded through Asia Minor, the time line and events, also what drove the Turks? In my mind I see this movement of the Turks much like Alexander's drive through Persia. We are all aware of the prophecies telling Daniel of Alexander's war with Persia. It seems to me God used Alexander for His purpose, and in my view was one of the events that leads to the Messiah's arrival. Just look at the chain of events that occurred after Alexander conquered Persia, without Alexander there would have been no Ptolemy II Philadelphus, no Antiochus IV Epiphanes, no Maccabean Revolt and no eventual Roman Rule. It is apparent here that God's sovereignty governs human events.

So where does the Turkish(Muslim) invasion of Christian land fall? I'll let you know when I'm done reading.

On Stinging Reprisals

Excuse my long absence Dear Erasmus.....Yeah, been away a long time. I've been busy, travelling and lastly sick (haven't been that sick since 1997!). I did read a bit more "The Bondage of the Will" while I was traveling. I have to say I wouldn't want to get on Luther's bad side! Though after reading some of his "stinging reprisals" I long for such wit myself. An example...."You ooze Lucian from every pore; you swill Epicurius by the gallon". This he wrote to Erasmus. Look here for an idea who Lucian was and here for an idea of who Epicurius was.

Too harsh of language? Perhaps not, I havent' read Erasmus' treatise. This question comes too mind...who is the Luther of today? Who do you know issues such strong reprisals against those who seek to undermine the Christian faith? I know of none. So let's remember Luther in this way, the next time you come across a Lucian or Epicurian let him have it after the fashion of Martin!

The Zumbudu Reads....

"The Bondage of the Will" by Martin Luther. Just wading through the introduction so far. Apparently a treatise written by Luther in response to Erasmus' letter against Luther's activities. I wonder why no one writes like this anymore. Maybe I'll start using the same kind of language and by example change the way everyone speaks...Wouldn't that be something?

More to follow as I continue wading....