The Burial Cloth(s)

• The Image of Edessa (Mandylion) was a holy relic consisting of a square or rectangle of cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus Christ had been imprinted
  • the first icon (lit. ’image’). The image is also known as the Mandylion (Greek: μανδύλιον, ‘cloth’ or ‘towel’), in Eastern Orthodoxy, it is also known as an Acheiropoieton (Greek: Εἰκόν’ ἀχειροποίητη, lit. ’icon not made by hand’).
  • The first record of the existence of a physical image in the ancient city of Edessa (now Urfa) was by Evagrius Scholasticus, writing about 593, who reports a portrait of Christ of divine origin (θεότευκτος), which effected the miraculous aid in the defence of Edessa against the Persians in 544
  • The provenance of the Edessa letter between the 1st century and its location in his own time are not reported by Eusebius. The materials, according to the scholar Robert Eisenman, “are very widespread in the Syriac sources with so many multiple developments and divergences that it is hard to believe they could all be based on Eusebius’ poor efforts”.
  • Ancha Icon of the Savior (The Ancha Icon of the Savior, known in Georgia as Anchiskhati (Georgian: ანჩისხატი), is a medieval Georgian encaustic icon, traditionally considered to be the Keramidion, a “holy tile” imprinted with the face of Jesus Christ miraculously transferred by contact with the Image of Edessa (Mandylion). Dated to the 6th-7th century)
  • (Anti-Persian War propaganda from 593ad)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_of_Edessa
• The Sudarium of Oviedo, or Shroud of Oviedo, is 33 by 21 inches, kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Spain.
  • The Sudarium (Latin for sweat cloth) is linked to a legend of a cloth wrapped around the head of Jesus Christ after he died as described in John 20:6–7.
  • The cloth has been dated to around 700 AD by radiocarbon dating, inconsistent with a history purportedly extending back to c. 570 due to a possible reference to the Sudarium by the anonymous pilgrim of Piacenza.
  • (A Pilgrim got scammed in 540AD, and later people insist this scam and that scam are the same & legitimate)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudarium_of_Oviedo
• The Veil of Veronica, or Sudarium (Latin for sweat-cloth), also known as the Vernicle, the Veronica and the Holy Face, is a Christian relic consisting of a piece of cloth said to bear an image of the Holy Face of Jesus produced by other than human means (an acheiropoieton, “made without hand”).
  • The first written account of the Veil of Veronica story is from the Middle Ages, and during the 14th century, the veil became a central icon in the Western Church. In the words of art historian Neil Macgregor, “From [the 14th Century] on, wherever the Roman Church went, the Veronica would go with it.”
  • The act of Saint Veronica wiping the face of Jesus with her veil is celebrated in the sixth Station of the Cross in many Anglican, Catholic, and Western Orthodox churches.
  • Firm records of the Veil begin only in 1199, when two pilgrims, Gerald de Barri (Giraldus Cambrensis) and Gervase of Tilbury, made two accounts at different times of a visit to Rome, making direct reference to the existence of the Veil of Veronica.
  • In 1207, the cloth became more prominent when it was publicly paraded and displayed by Pope Innocent III, who also granted indulgences to anyone praying before it.
  • (2 pilgrims got scammed in 1199ad, and now we’re supposed to believe it)
  • There are at least six images in existence which bear a marked resemblance to each other, one which is traditionally claimed to be the original Veil, others direct copies of the first and, in two cases, the Mandylion.
  • Holy Face of Genoa (dated to 14th century)
  • Holy Face of San Silvestro (Earliest reports from 1517ad, when nuns were forbidden from displaying it while the Veil of Veronica was venerted)
  • Historian Rebecca Rist says that devotion to Saint Veronica was encouraged by Pope Innocent III in part to compete with Constantinople’s Mandylion and increase the prestige of Rome and its pope by claiming a similar acheiropoieta, the Veil of Veronica.
  • it’s all a tourist trap
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_Veronica

Joseph bin Mattathias – Flavius Josephus

• born circa 37ce; Jerusalem, Roman Judea

• died circa 100ce

• Jesus son of Naue (Joshua son of Nun): The biblical successor to Moses (Antiquities 4.7.2, 5.1.1).

• Jesus son of Josedek: The High Priest during the return from the Babylonian exile (Antiquities 11.3.10).

• Jesus son of Sirach: The author of the Wisdom of Ben Sira (Antiquities 12.10.6).

• Jesus son of Phabi: A High Priest deposed by Herod the Great (Antiquities 15.9.3).

• Jesus son of Damneus: A High Priest. Carrier argues that the “James, brother of Jesus” passage in Antiquities 20.200 originally referred to this Jesus, not the biblical Jesus.

• Jesus son of Gamaliel: A High Priest during the mid-1st century (Antiquities 20.9.4).

  • https://ccel.org/ccel/josephus/complete/complete.ii.xxi.ix.html#:~:text=Jesus

• Jesus son of Sapphias: A leader and governor of Tiberias during the Jewish Revolt (Jewish War 2.21.3).

• Jesus son of Ananus: A “madman” who predicted the destruction of Jerusalem for seven years before the siege (Jewish War 6.5.3).

• Jesus son of Gamala: A High Priest who opposed the Zealots (Jewish War 4.3.9).

• Jesus son of Thebuti: A priest who surrendered sacred vessels to the Romans (Jewish War 6.8.3).

• Jesus son of See: A High Priest under Archelaus (Antiquities 17.13.1).

• Jesus the Galilean: A leader mentioned in Josephus’s autobiography (Life 40.200).

• Jesus (Rival of Josephus): A leader of a band of robbers in Tiberias (Life 22).

• Jesus (Brother-in-law of Justus): Mentioned in Josephus’s personal history (Life 35).

Josephus and Paul’s Shipwreck(s)

Life of Josephus:

3. [A.D. 63] But when I was in the twenty sixth year of my age, it happened that I took a voiage to Rome: and this on the occasion which I shall now describe. At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea, there were certain priests of my acquaintance, and very excellent persons they were; whom on a small and trifling occasion he had put into bonds, and sent to Rome, to plead their cause before Cæsar. These I was desirous to procure deliverance for: and that especially because I was informed that they were not unmindful of piety towards God, even under their afflictions: but supported themselves with figs and nuts. (5) Accordingly I came to Rome; though it were through a great number of hazzards by sea. For as our ship was drowned in the Adriatick sea, we that were in it being about six hundred in number, (6) swam for our lives all the night. When upon the first appearance of the day, and upon our sight of a ship of Cyrene, I and some others, eighty in all, by God’s providence prevented the rest, and were taken up into the other ship. And when I had thus escaped, and was come to Dicearchia, which the Italians call Puteoli, I became acquainted with Aliturius, an actor of plays, and much beloved by Nero, but a Jew by birth: and through his interest became known to Poppea, Cæsar’s wife; and took care, as soon as possible, to intreat her to procure that the priests might be set at liberty. And when, besides this favour, I had obtained many presents from Poppea, I returned home again.

Vridar.org reports:

Robert Gnuse listed 12 coincidences of content between the two. His article is “Vita Apologetica: The Lives of Josephus and Paul in Apologetic Historiography” [JSP 13.2 (2002) 151-169]. … A Roman procurator, Felix, is involved in both accounts (cf Acts 24.1-27) Jewish religious leaders are involved in both accounts (priests in Vita and Paul in Acts) Felix causes Jewish religious leaders to be imprisoned (cf Acts 24.1-27) Felix’s actions result in prisoners going to Rome (cf Acts 25.10-11) The Jewish religious leaders are unjustly accused (cf Acts 24-26) Journey to Rome is by ship (cf Acts 27.1-44) The sea journey to Rome seeks to effect justice at the imperial level to undo injustice done at the provincial level (cf Acts 24-27) The ship not only sinks (cf Acts 27.41-44) But chooses to sink in the Adriatic Sea (cf Acts 27.27) The heroes, Josephus or Paul, act with courage and provide leadership (cf Acts 27.31-38) All passengers survive (presumably in Josephus’s account) (cf Acts 27.44)* Both heroes pass through Puteoli (cf Acts 28.13-14)

• Big unnoted difference:
  • in Josephus’s account, 80/600 people survive the shipwreck; but Paul is more miraculous saving everyone;
  • “Puteoli” are some islands off the coast between Naples & Rome, they’re on the way between point A & B, so what?
  • and OFC, more than one shipwreck can happen on the same sea

Achaemenid Empire (aka The Persian Empire)

• 559–530 BCE — Cyrus the Great (Restores Temple: Ezra 1:2-4, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23)
• 530–522 BCE — Cambyses II
• 522–522 BCE — Bardiya
• 522–486 BCE — Darius the Great
• 486–465 BCE — Xerxes I
• 465–424 BCE — Artaxerxes I
• 424–424 BCE — Xerxes II
• 424–423 BCE — Sogdianus
• 423–405 BCE — Darius II
• 405–358 BCE — Artaxerxes II
• 358–338 BCE — Artaxerxes III
• 338–336 BCE — Artaxerxes IV
• 336–330 BCE — Darius III

Macedonian Empire

• Alexander the Great (r. 336–323 BCE): Conquered Palestine in 332 BCE and incorporated it into the Hellenistic world.
  • After Alexander’s Death, the Diadochi (his generals) dividied the Empire amongst themselves…

The Ptolemaic Dynasty (Egypt)

• Ptolemy I Soter (r. 323–283 BCE): One of Alexander’s generals (Diadochi) who took control of Egypt and established a firm hold on Palestine by 301 BCE
• Ptolemy II Philadelphus (r. 283–246 BCE): Managed the country through an extensive bureaucracy; the Zenon papyri provide details of his administration.
• Ptolemy III Euergetes (r. 246–221 BCE): Noted for a dispute over taxation with the high priest Onias II and a reported visit to the Jerusalem Temple.
• Ptolemy IV Philopator (r. 221–203 BCE): His death in 203 BCE opened the way for the Seleucids to invade and seize control.

The Seleucid Dynasty (Syria/Persia)

• Antiochus III (The Great) (r. 223–187 BCE): After several attempts, he successfully conquered Palestine in 201 BCE and affirmed the rights of Jews to live by ancestral laws.
• Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175–164 BCE): The son of Antiochus III, he is mentioned as the monarch who attempted the radical Hellenization of Jerusalem and its people.

Roman Emperors (before Julius, Rome was a Republic)

Popes

• Pontifex Maximus (Supreme High Priest) was a title used for the head of the Roman Pagan Faith, identified with Emperor since the Octavian dynasty.
• The title “Pope” was originally used for all bishops in the Western church, but it became specifically associated with the Bishop of Rome in the 6th century.
• The first person to be recognized as “Pope” in this specific sense is often considered to be Pope Leo I, who served from 440 to 461 AD.
• The term “pope” comes from the Latin word “papa,” which is derived from the Greek “pappas,” meaning “father.”
  • Matthew 23:9 “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” ~ Jesus