Category:Jesus ben Ananias (subject)

Jesus ben Ananias (Yeshua ben Hananiah) was a first-century Jewish preacher.

Overview

The "trial" of Jesus ben Ananias offers some striking parallels with the "trial" of Jesus of Nazareth. In 62 CE Jesus ben Ananias also was arrested in Jerusalem as he preached against the Temple. It was enough that some of the more prominent citizens [were] very annoyed at [his] ominous words, to have him taken by the "Jewish authorities" before the Roman procurator, Albinus. Jesus ben Ananias was brutally scourged by the Romans but then released as Albinus decided that he is was a "madman." What made the destiny of Jesus of Ananias different from that of Jesus of Nazareth was probably the fact that the Roman procurator judged him to be an isolated individual without a dangerous following.

According to Josephus, Jesus ben Ananias continued to utter his prophecy of doom against the Temple and the city of Jerusalem in the years before the Jewish War, until he died during the siege of Jerusalem, struck by a stone.

Sources on Jesus ben Ananias

Josephus, War 6:300-305 -- As he stood in the Temple, he suddenly began to shout: “…A voice against the Jerusalem and the sanctuary…” Day and night he uttered this cry as he went through all the streets. Some of the more prominent citizens [were] very annoyed at these ominous words…The Jewish authorities… took him before the Roman procurator. There, though scourged till his flesh hung in ribbons, he neither begged for mercy nor shed a tear but lowering his voice to the most mournful of tones answered every blow with “Woe to Jerusalem!” When Albinus – for that was the procurator’s name – demanded to know who he was, where he came from and why he uttered such cries, he made no reply whatever to the questions but endlessly repeated his lament over the city, till Albinus decided that he was a madman and released him.

Now, during all the time that passed before the war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!" Nor did he give ill words to any of those that beat him every day, nor good words to those that gave him food; but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a melancholy presage of what was to come. This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, "Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!" And just as he added at the last, "Woe, woe to myself also!" there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost.

External links

• Wikipedia