Wars 2.8.10
Josephus claims that, during the First Jewish Revolt, the Romans had demanded of some the blasphemy of their legislator (Moses) or the eating of food forbidden to them (e.g. pork?), on the pain of torture and death.
As to why this would happen, it might be speculated that any rights of the Jews to their ancestral religion (about which Josephus speaks elsewhere) had been suspended for a time, while instead Vespasian and/or Titus pursued for a while a policy of cultural genocide by demanding, in some cases at least, the disavowal of the Jewish religion.
These persecutions against Jews, including a demand to blaspheme their legislator, may have been a model for later "trials" involving a demand to have "cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do" (Pliny, Letters 10.96). If these people were able to eat all things (Mark 7:19) and disregard the laws of Moses, then a test of their stubborn adherence to their "superstition" would need to be conducted differently than what was done in the case of Jews.
They contemn the miseries of life, and are above pain, by the generosity of their mind. And as for death, if it will be for their glory, they esteem it better than living always; and indeed our war with the Romans gave abundant evidence what great souls they had in their trials, wherein, although they were tortured and distorted, burnt and torn to pieces, and went through all kinds of instruments of torment, that they might be forced either to blaspheme their legislator, or to eat what was forbidden them, yet could they not be made to do either of them, no nor once to flatter their tormentors, or to shed a tear; but they smiled in their very pains, and laughed those to scorn who inflicted the torments upon them, and resigned up their souls, with great alacrity, as expecting to receive them again.
Josephus claims that, during the First Jewish Revolt, the Romans had demanded of some the blasphemy of their legislator (Moses) or the eating of food forbidden to them (e.g. pork?), on the pain of torture and death.
As to why this would happen, it might be speculated that any rights of the Jews to their ancestral religion (about which Josephus speaks elsewhere) had been suspended for a time, while instead Vespasian and/or Titus pursued for a while a policy of cultural genocide by demanding, in some cases at least, the disavowal of the Jewish religion.
These persecutions against Jews, including a demand to blaspheme their legislator, may have been a model for later "trials" involving a demand to have "cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do" (Pliny, Letters 10.96). If these people were able to eat all things (Mark 7:19) and disregard the laws of Moses, then a test of their stubborn adherence to their "superstition" would need to be conducted differently than what was done in the case of Jews.
Statistics: Posted by Peter Kirby — Sat Nov 09, 2024 6:40 pm