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Joshua ben Gamaliel (Jesus ben Gamla) was the Jewish High Priest in 63-64 CE, and one of the leaders of the anti-Zealot faction in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt in 66-68 CE.

Biography

Joshua ben Gamaliel was appointed High Priest by Herod Agrippa II, succeeding Joshua ben Damnaeus. Both High Priests served under the Roman Governor Albinus.

Under the tenure of Joshua ben Gamaliel, the work of construction of the Temple, iniziated in 20 BCE by Herod the Great, came to completion. A crisis arose, since the 18,000 workers remained suddenly unemployed. Seeking new job, they petitioned to rebuild the eastern portico. Herod Agrippa II denied their request and instead employed them to pave the city of Jerusalem. The king also removed Joshua ben Gamaliel from office; it is not clear weather the decision was somehow related to the crisis or more likely, to the coming of the new Roman governor, Florus.

Later Rabbinic sources add some interesting details to the biography of Joshua. According to the Mishnah (Yebam. 6:4), before becoming high priest Joshua betrothed Martha the widowed daughter of Boethus, thus becoming part of that powerful family of High Priests. Talmudic sources claim that it was Martha, one of richest women in Jerusalem, who by bribing the king, secured for Joshua the office of the High Priest and a husband for herself (b. Yebam. 61a). On the other hand, the Babylonian Talmud praises Joshua for creating schools for boys over five years of age, "in each district and each town" (b. Bat. 21a).

According to Josephus, Joshua ben Gamaliel played a major role at Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt, where he joined another former High Priest, Ananus ben Ananus, in leading the moderate and anti-Zealot faction of the rebellion. After the defeat of Cestius in 66 CE, members of the Jewish aristocracy (among whom Josephus reckoned himself) "partly by force, partly by persuasion" joined the rebellion. They had immediately to face the challenge by the more radical wing. In his autobiography Josephus refers to Joshua as "an intimate friend of mine" who even revealed Josephus a plot against him. Joshua supported Ananus in the fight against the Zealots and with him shared the same destiny of death at the hands of the Idumeans.

Joshua ben Gamaliel in ancient sources

Josephus, Jewish Antiquities

Ant XX 9:4 -- Jesus, the son of Gamaliel, became the successor of Jesus, the son of Damnaeus, in the high priesthood.

Ant XX 9:7 -- And now it was that the temple was finished... The workmen were unemployed, who were above eighteen thousand, and receiving no wages, were in want... King Agrippa... denied their request about [rebuilding the eastern cloisters]; but he did not obstruct them when they desired the city might be paved with white stone. He also deprived Jesus, the son of Gamaliel, of the high priesthood, and gave it to Matthias, the son of Theophilus.

Josephus, Jewish War

Bel IV 5, 2 -- Jesus was joined with (Ananus ben Ananus); and although he was inferior to him upon the comparison, he was superior to the rest; and I cannot but think that it was because God had doomed this city to destruction, as a polluted city, and was resolved to purge his sanctuary by fire, that he cut off these their great defenders and well-wishers, while those that a little before had worn the sacred garments, and had presided over the public worship; and had been esteemed venerable by those that dwelt on the whole habitable earth when they came into our city, were cast out naked, and seen to be the food of dogs and wild beasts. And I cannot but imagine that virtue itself groaned at these men's case, and lamented that she was here so terribly conquered by wickedness. And this at last was the end of Ananus and Jesus.

Joshua ben Gamaliel in Scholarship

References

High Priests and Politics in Roman Palestine / E. Mary Smallwood / JTS 13 (1962) / pp.14-34
High Priests and the Politics of Roman Palestine / Richard A. Horsley / JSJ 17 (1986) / pp.23-55
The Jewish Leadership in Jerusalem in the First Part of the Great Revolt (66-68 BE) / Uriel Rappaport / The Congregation of Israel (2001 Gafni), edited volume / pp.75-83 <Hebrew>
From Joshua to Caiaphas (2004 VanderKam), book / pp.483-487

Joshua ben Gamaliel in Fiction

Related categories

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Biography==
-''Joshua ben Gamaliel'' was appointed High Priest by [[Herod Agrippa II]], succeeding [[Joshua ben Damnaeus]]. Both High Priest served under the Roman Governor [[Albunus]].
+''Joshua ben Gamaliel'' was appointed High Priest by [[Herod Agrippa II]], succeeding [[Joshua ben Damnaeus]]. Both High Priests served under the Roman Governor [[Albinus]].
 Under the tenure of Joshua ben Gamaliel, the work of construction of the Temple, iniziated in 20 BCE by [[Herod the Great]], came to completion. A crisis arose, since the 18,000 workers remained suddenly unemployed. Seeking new job, they petitioned to rebuild the eastern portico. [[Herod Agrippa II]] denied their request and instead employed them to pave the city of Jerusalem. The king also removed Joshua ben Gamaliel from office; it is not clear weather the decision was somehow related to the crisis or more likely, to the coming of the new Roman governor, [[Florus]].