Theos-Talk Archives (August 1996 Message tl00197)

In this e-mail another argument that show that we can not say that Jesus
lived one century before, because at time of romam emperor Domitian (reigned
during 81-96), two grandsons of St Jude (the brother of Jesus) were
presented before emperor, and so it is impossible to admit that Jesus lived
1 B.C.

Gibbon vol I, chapter XVI page 214
[It is somewhat remarkable that the flames of the war consumed almost at the
same time the Temple of Jerusalem and the Capitol of Rome (the capitol was
burnt during the civil war beteween Vitellius and Vespasian 19 december AD 69,
On 10 august AD 70 was destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem, by the hands of
the jews themselves rather than by those of romans), and it appears no less
singular that the tribute which devotion had destined to the former should
have been converted by the power of an assaulting victor to restore and
adorn the splendor of the latter. The emperor levied a general capitation tax
on the jewish people and although the sum assessed on the hand of each
individual was inconsiderable, the use for which it was designed, and the
severity with which it was exacted, were considered as an intolerable
grievance since the officers of the revenue extended their unjust claim to
many persons who were strangers to the blood or religion of the jews. It was
impossible that christians who had so often sheltered themselves under the
shade of the synagogue, should now escape this rapacious persecution. Anxious
as they were to avoid the slighest infection of idolatry, their conscience
forbade them to contribute to the honour of that daemon who had assumed
the character of the capitoline jupiter...Among the christians, who were
brought before the tribunal of the emperor (Domitian), or as it seems more
probable, before that of the procurator of Judaea, two persons are said to
have appeared, distinguished by their extraction, which was more truly noble
than of the greatest monarchs. These were the GRANDSONS OF ST JUDE THE
APOSTLE, who himself was THE BROTHER OF JESUS... They finally confess their
royal origin, and their near relation to the Messiah, but they disclaimed any
temporal views and professed that his kingdom which they devoutly expected
was purely of a spiritual and angelic nature...The grandsons of St Jude were
dismissed with compassion and contempt (Eusebius iii,20; the story is taken
from Hegesippus)]

Abrantes