PHILOCHRISTUS
_Memoirs of a Disciple of the Lord_
[Illustration]
PHILOCHRISTUS
MEMOIRS
OF
A DISCIPLE OF THE LORD
_ἔμαθεν ἀφ’ ὧν ἔπαθεν τὴν ὑπακοήν_
London
MACMILLAN AND CO
1878
_The Right of Translation and Reproduction is Reserved_
LONDON:
R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR,
BREAD STREET HILL, E. C.
_TO_
_THE AUTHOR OF ‘ECCE HOMO’_
_NOT MORE IN ADMIRATION OF HIS WRITINGS_
_THAN IN GRATITUDE_
_FOR THE SUGGESTIVE INFLUENCE_
_OF A LONG AND INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP._
_PHILOCHRISTUS THE ELDER TO THE SAINTS OF THE CHURCH IN LONDINIUM,
GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST._
_Forasmuch as almost all those disciples who with me saw the Lord Jesus in
the flesh, are now fallen asleep, and I myself am well stricken in years
and daily expect the summons of the Lord; it hath therefore seemed good to
me to bequeath unto you some memorial of Christ in writing; which, instead
of my voice, shall testify to you of him for ever._
_All the more need seemeth thereof because the Lord delayeth his coming.
For now these ten years Jerusalem hath been trodden down of the Gentiles,
and the words of the Lord concerning the destruction of the Holy City have
been fulfilled; and yet he cometh not. Yea, and sometimes my mind
presageth that his coming __may be yet longer delayed, even till all they
that knew him in the flesh have fallen asleep._
_For this cause I was long ago moved, even from the second or third year
after the destruction of the Holy City, to leave some record behind me to
testify of the Lord. But when I adventured to write, behold, it was an
hard matter and well‐nigh impossible, to set forth such an image of the
Lord Jesus as should be at once according to the truth, and yet not
altogether too bright for mortal eye to look upon and love. Therefore at
the last, when I perceived that it was not given unto me to portray any
character of the Lord as he was in himself, I determined rather to set
forth an history of mine own life; wherein, as in a mirror, might
perchance be discerned some lineaments of the countenance of Christ, seen
as by reflexion, in the life of one that loved him._
THE TABLE
_Chapter_
1 _Of my childhood in Galilee; and how I gave myself
wholly to the study of the Law._
2 _Of my doubts concerning the Law; and of the Patriots
or Galileans; and of the expectation concerning John
the son of Zachariah._
3 _Concerning the casting out of unclean Spirits; and of
the nature of the Redemption of Israel; and how I first
saw Jesus of Nazareth._
4 _Of the doctrine of John the Prophet, how it suited
with the people of the land; and how I was baptized of
the Prophet._
5 _Of the Greek philosophers in Alexandria; and how I had
discourse with Philo the Alexandrine._
6 _How I found not salvation in the worship of the
Temple; nor in the teachers of Galilee; nor in the
Essenes; and how I first spake with Jesus of Nazareth._
7 _Of the Good News; and concerning the Kingdom of God;
and how we desired of Jesus new laws._
8 _Of the New Law._
9 _How Quartus interpreted the New Law._
10 _How some desired Jesus to mix the New Law with the Old
Law; and concerning the legion of swine; and how Jesus
began to teach in parables._
11 _Concerning the new power of the Forgiveness of Sins._
12 _How the Forgiveness of Sins is the Key that openeth
the New Kingdom; and how the Old Law and the New Law
must not be mixed._
13 _Of the plotting of the Pharisees against Jesus, how
they said he had a devil; and concerning the Holy
Spirit._
14 _How John the Prophet doubted concerning Jesus; and
concerning them that are __“__born of women;__”__ and
of the beheading of John the Prophet._
15 _How Jesus fled from Capernaum, and the Galileans at
first fell away from him; and concerning the levy in
Galilee; and of the visit of Jesus to Nazareth._
16 _How, after the death of John the Prophet, Jesus
foresaw that he also must be slain; and of the Bread of
Life, and the feeding of the five thousand; and
concerning the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees._
17 _How Xanthias the Alexandrine said that the philosophy
of Jesus aimed at the taking in of the Gentiles into
the Kingdom, and at the enfranchisement of slaves; and
how he found fault with Jesus for that he called
himself the Son of man._
18 _Of signs in heaven; and concerning the healing of the
Syrophœnician maiden, how Jesus seemed to gain thereby
some new knowledge._
19 _How Jesus would work no sign in heaven; and concerning
his temptation and wherefore he denied to work signs in
heaven._
20 _How Jesus led us, in our exile, to the Rock of
Salvation; and how he founded the Temple of his
Congregation thereon; and how he gave the Key thereof
to Simon Peter._
21 _How Jesus, having now determined to die, spake of that
which was to come, with Moses and Elias, upon the Mount
Hermon._
22 _Of our going up to Jerusalem; and of the division
between parents and children; and how Jesus testified
of a Day of Judgment._
23 _Of covetousness; and of fleeing from Death into Life;
and concerning the Law of Retribution._
24 _Of the falling away of Judas of Kerioth; and of the
Times and Seasons; and of the Chief Places in the
Kingdom; and how Jesus did and said nothing except it
were prepared for him by the Father._
25 _Concerning the fire of the Lord; and of the parables
of watching; and of the Holy Spirit; and how Quartus
urgeth that Jesus knew not all things beforehand._
26 _How Jesus went down to Jerusalem, as a king, to wage
war against Satan in the Temple; and how he foresaw
that the Temple must be cast down; and of the parable
of the withered fig‐tree._
27 _How Jesus prophesied of troubles, and of a great
battle against Satan; and in the end the victory of the
Son of man; but, first of all, his death._
28 _How Jesus, by his Testament, bequeathed himself to his
disciples for ever; and how he bare the sins of men in
Gethsemane._
29 _Of the crucifixion of Jesus; and of his last words
upon the cross._
30 _How the Holy Spirit, through much sorrow, prepared the
disciples to behold Jesus risen from the dead; and of
the vision of angels, which appeared first of all unto
the women._
31 _How Jesus appeared ofttimes to his disciples; and how,
after many days, he ascended up to heaven._
32 _How Jesus now ruleth the world, sitting on the right
hand of the Father in heaven._
PHILOCHRISTUS
CHAPTER I
My former name was Joseph the son of Simeon, and I was born in Sepphoris,
the metropolis of Galilee, in the twentieth year of the reign of the
Emperor Augustus, about four years before the death of King Herod. In
those days Israel was grievously afflicted, and tribulation befell the
righteous. Satan put it into the heart of the rulers of the land to move
the people to the worship of false gods, and the Lord God had not yet
raised up a Redeemer for Israel.
In my fourth year my father’s brother, the Rabbi Matthias, was burned
alive by Herod for causing his scholars to cast down the golden image of
an eagle which the king had set up over the gate of the temple of the
Lord. Not many months afterwards, the Romans marched through Sepphoris in
order to bring succour to Sabinus, who was hard beset by the men of
Jerusalem in the fortress called Antonia; and we fought against them, and
my father was taken captive and crucified by Varus. Now as concerning my
father and my father’s brother, how they were slain, perchance I remember
their deaths rather from my mother’s often mention of them in after times
than from what I heard then: but this thing can I never forget, for I saw
it with mine own eyes: namely, how, when my mother brought me forth from
the caves of Arbela whither we had been sent for refuge, behold, where
Sepphoris had stood, there was not now one house standing; and I saw also
the bodies of many of my kinsfolk, which lay unburied and crying unto the
Lord for vengeance. Yet the Lord sent no avenger.
After this came tidings that the Parthians, which went with Varus, had
laid waste the country in the south far and wide, and had slain our
brethren with the sword; and that Varus had taken two thousand of my
countrymen in Jerusalem and had crucified them, and among them Eleazar,
the youngest and dearest of my mother’s brethren. Then my mother led me to
a rocky place not far from Sampho. There was a cave there, and only one
path led to it, and that so narrow that no multitude of men could force an
entrance, if one brave man withstood them. When we were come thither, my
mother lifted up her voice and wept, and pointing to the cave she said,
“In former times this cave was held by my mother’s brother, Hezekiah by
name. Six children he had; and he fled from Herod the King with them and
with his wife, and here they took refuge. Now when the king could by no
means drive Hezekiah hence by force, he offered much gold unto him if he
would come forth from the cave quietly. But when Hezekiah refused, the
king began to let down armed men by ropes from the top of the hill, with
firebrands in their hands, to kindle fires at the mouth of the cave. Then
when no hope of safety remained, behold, my mother’s brother brought out
his children, and slew the youngest with his sword in the sight of the
king. Afterwards he laid his hands on his second child. But Herod,
perceiving his intent, stretched out his right hand and besought Hezekiah
to spare his children and to come forth in peace. But he slew the second
also, heaping reproaches on Herod as an usurper and a son of Edom, sitting
on David’s seat; and he slew the third and the rest likewise, even to the
sixth, and last of all his wife; and then he cast himself down the steep
place and perished.” Then spake my mother unto me and said, “The Lord do
so unto thee, my son, and more likewise, if thou avenge not the blood of
thy kinsfolk and of thy father.” So it came to pass that, even from a
child, I hated the very name of a Gentile with an exceeding hatred;
insomuch that I should have accounted him blessed who should have taken
the children of Rome (according as it is written) and dashed them against
the stones.
There stood up at this time divers to lead Israel; but they were no true
leaders of the people, and the Lord had not sent them. Athronges the
shepherd, a man of great stature, and Simon, one of the servants of Herod
the King, rose up in the south of Judah; but they both perished, and their
followers were scattered. Again, about the time of the numbering of the
people, when the decree went forth from the Emperor Augustus that all
Israel should be taxed, there rose up Judas of Gamala. This was about the
thirty‐third year of the Emperor Augustus. The people came to him from all
sides; and Judas taught them that it was not lawful to pay tribute to
Cæsar, nor to call any man Master, save God alone. At that time I was some
thirteen years old; and I saw him when, with a thousand men, he marched
into Capernaum and burned down the house of customs there; and as I looked
upon his face, and the numbers of his followers, I thought within my
heart, “Surely the hand of the Lord is with this man, surely this is the
Redeemer of Israel, even the Messiah to whom all the prophets bear
witness, that he must arise and judge the land.” But five Sabbaths had not
passed away before he also had been cut off; and all the men that were
with him were either scattered to their homes or slain.
Meanwhile, as I grew up, I was being trained by my mother with all care in
the paths of the law of Israel; and according to the custom of my people,
at five years old I had begun to learn the Scripture, and, at ten years,
Mishnah; and I profited more than my companions in the study of the
Traditions. But when I read how great things God had done in times past
for His chosen ones, and how He had redeemed Israel by the hand of His
servants Gideon and David, then did my heart burn within me; and I
besought the Lord that He would repeat His mercies upon His chosen people,
and that He would speedily send that Messiah of whom all the prophets
spake, for the Redemption of Israel. Afterwards I questioned one of my
teachers, by name Abuyah the son of Elishah, and I said unto him, “It is
revealed and known before the All‐seeing (blessed is He) that our will is
to do His will: and what hindereth?” Then he answered and said, “The dough
in the leaven” (meaning Gentile customs, which corrupt the customs of
Israel even as leaven changeth bread) “and servitude to the Kingdom.” Then
I said, “Why therefore do we not rise up against the Gentile Kingdom?” But
he answered, “Joseph, son of Simeon, busy thyself with the Law. Whosoever
is busied in the Law for the Law’s sake deserveth many things; and not
only so, but he is worth the whole world. He is called friend, beloved;
loveth God, loveth mankind; pleaseth God, pleaseth mankind. And it
clotheth him with meekness and fear, and fitteth him to become righteous,
pious, upright, and faithful; and removeth him from sin, and bringeth him
towards the side of merit.” Then said I, “But wherefore doth not the God
of our Salvation bring freedom to Israel?” But he answered, “It is said,
The tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God,
graven upon the tables. Read not _charuth_, graven, but _cheruth_,
freedom; for thou wilt find none free, save only them which be occupied in
the learning of the Law. For whoso is occupied in learning the Law,
behold, it magnifieth him and exalteth him over all things.”
Then I applied myself more diligently to the study of the Law, and I
observed Sabbaths and festivals, and practised ablutions with all scruple;
and I became known among my companions as a sin‐fearer, instructed in the
wisdom of the Law, avoiding those lesser faults which are called the
“Descendants,” as well as those which are called the “Fathers”; insomuch
that I would not even curdle milk on the Sabbath, because that had been
declared by the decisions of the Wise to be a lesser kind of building;
neither would I walk upon grass during the Sabbath, because that also had
been pronounced by the Rabbis to be a lesser kind of threshing. Also in
the matter of fringes and phylacteries, and in smaller matters, even to
the burning of nail‐parings, I walked diligently according to the
decisions of the Ancients. Thus in all things I strove to bear in mind the
saying that “While in the written Law there are light as well as weighty
precepts, the precepts of the Scribes are all weighty.” I took little
sleep, little merriment; I associated myself ever with the wise, and
abstained from the company of the people of the land (for by this name the
Pharisees were wont to call them that gave not themselves to the study of
the Law); I settled my heart to study; I asked, and answered, and
whatsoever I received I strove to add thereto. And it came to pass that,
because I had a strength of memory more than was usual among my fellow‐
students, my teacher said to me, “Joseph, son of Simeon, thou art a
plastered cistern, which loseth no drop of water”; and by this name of
“plastered cistern” I became known among my fellows. And when I perceived
that the Traditions said little concerning a Messiah; and that my teachers
also said little, and had no hope, nor so much as a desire (for the most
part) that a Messiah should ever come, but were wholly given up to the
study of the Law; then I endeavoured myself also to do the same, and to
put away the thought of a Redeemer.
Nevertheless at times the question would arise within me, “Wherefore do I
serve God for naught?” For all around I saw the wicked and the scornful
seated, as kings, in high places, and the poor and the humble trampled
under foot. There was the name of peace among us, but it was no peace; for
Satan was making war upon us under the semblance of peace. Everywhere
defilement was taking the land by force or by stealth. Many Greek cities,
called by the names of the great ones among the Gentiles, were built in
the midst of us, such as Tiberias, and Julias, and Cæsarea Stratonis, and
Cæsarea Philippi; and even in our city of Sepphoris, now rebuilt, we were
constrained to admit Greeks to be our fellow‐citizens. Theatres and
amphitheatres, and games, and alien rites in honour of false gods, had
been brought in among us. Images of living things began to be seen on
every side, and even our coinage was defiled with the uncleanness of the
Gentiles; so that, in place of the vine‐clusters and wheat‐sheaf and star
of Israel, we were forced to handle the semblances of Thracian shields and
helmets, and the winged rod of enchantments, called by the Gentiles the
caduceus. Moreover, as each year passed, our fears waxed greater and
greater, lest at last the eagles of the Gentiles should be brought from
Cæsarea into the streets of the Holy City itself, and lest the image of
the Emperor should be set up therein. For the former Emperor, even Cæsar
Augustus, was now dead, and a new Emperor reigned in his stead, whose name
was Tiberius. But he attained not unto the former Emperor in wisdom;
wherefore the minds of many were unsettled, the common people fearing lest
the Romans should take away their religion, and the Scribes fearing lest
the common people should incense the Romans by fresh revolt, and so bring
destruction on the nation.
So it came to pass that by reason of my continual sorrow for the burdens
of Sion, my heart was pressed down with care, and my trouble became too
heavy for me to bear; and I found no peace, no, not even in the study of
the Law. In vain I repeated to myself the saying of the Wise, “Whoso
studieth the Law, he becometh modest and long‐suffering and forgiving of
insult”; and again, “The Law is acquired by long‐suffering, by a good
heart, by faith in the Wise, by acceptance of chastisements.” I looked
upon my countrymen in their servitude, and I could not feel long‐
suffering; neither could I attain to the wisdom of the acceptance of
chastisements.
When I mentioned my trouble to my teacher, Abuyah the son of Elishah, he
rebuked me for presumption; for he said that such doubts came of evil,
neither would he hearken unto me. Therefore I turned to another of the
Scribes, whose name was Jonathan the son of Ezra. Now Jonathan was older
than Abuyah the son of Elishah, but not so learned. Howbeit he was of a
more gentle and loving disposition. He said to me, “Beware lest thou
follow the path of Elishah the son of Solomon.” “What path?” I asked. Then
Jonathan answered as follows: “It is reported that Elishah the son of
Solomon was once studying the Scriptures, and he saw two men taking birds’
nests. The one obeyed not the Law, but took the mother with the young; yet
he went his way in peace. The other obeyed the Law and took the young
only, but let the mother go free; yet as he descended from the tree a
serpent stung him and he died. Then said Elishah the son of Solomon, ‘Is
it not written, The young thou mayest take to thyself, but the mother thou
shalt surely let go, that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest
live many days? Verily the promises of God are naught, for the man that
obeyed hath not lived many days, but the man that disobeyed is unhurt.’”
Then said I, “And what answer was made to Elishah the son of Solomon?” And
my teacher replied, “Whosoever obeyeth the Law, his days will be long in
the world to come.” Then was my heart comforted for a while, and I devoted
myself even more diligently than before to the study of the Law.