  R.2.7/H.2.22  Simon Magus (5) |    (son of Julia daughter of Augustus) |
Revision 9/30/25
| R.2.7/H.2.22 Simon Magus (5) | (son of Julia daughter of Augustus) |
This book intends to show using the evidence from the Clementine Recognitions and Homilies: "Simon (Magus), the son of Antonius and Rachel"R.2.7; H2.22 that Simon Magus is the son of Iullus Antonius, the son of Mark Antony. Using the fact that Iullus committed suicide when he was implicated in an affair with Julia the Elder, the only daughter of Augustus, one needs to see if the timeframe fits a son of Julia the Elder. Such a son does exist of Julia the Elder and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the main lieutenant of Augustus who defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the sea battle of Actium. This son was born after Marcus' death, he having returned very ill from the East. This son would be known as Agrippa Postumus where "posthumus" means 'born after the death of the father'. When one considers that Julia was banished to an island by Augustus for having illicit affairs, this son could quite probably be from Iullus Antonius.
So what are the difficulties:
1. Agrippa Postumus is supposedly killed by Tiberius when he took the throne: except that an "imposter" appears saying he is Postumus and is also killed by Tiberius. There never was a formal inquiry because Tiberius, being merely a stepson of Augustus, might be accused of treason for killing the natural grandson of Augustus.
2. There is the "Rachel" problem, but perhaps the writer of Clementines, who would soon be Pope Clement, the famous Pope after Peter, cannot mention Julia explicitly to avoid death but metaphorically as Rachel the mother of Israel with Julia the mother of the Julian Empire via her offspring: Caligula and Nero.
3. Another problem is that scholars call the Clementines a pseudo work that uses Christian characters in made-up stories. This is also true of "The Acts of Peter" and "The Acts of Peter and Paul" which tell of Simon falling from the sky. However, all three works talk of Simon the magician using magic to gain followers. Most importantly, the Clementines reveal many mysteries that theologians were never able to answer, for instance, the identity of Matthias who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot: it says it is Barnabas. They also reveal the identity of the twins James and John as illegitimate relatives of Augustus: Niceta and Aquila (married to Priscilla).Acts 18:18-21
Considering that Agrippa Postumus was born in 12 BC just five years before Jesus' birth in 7 BC, his lifetime (if he was not killed by Tiberius) would have spanned Jesus' birth, mission, crucifixion, ascension, and the "Acts" of the apostles during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. This book follows all these events as told from the point of view of Agrippa Postumus (pseudonym: Simon Magus).
With Simon Magus' reputation of being '666' from Revelation and with theologians going out of their way to discredit him, one must ask why is he so famous? Is it because his importance was so great that Nicean bishops had to discredit him to keep their power?
In the New Testament Simon Magus appears as a mere convert of Philip but clearly a powerful magician and the first Pope: And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one, to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, 'This one is the great power of God;' and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.Acts 8:9-11
By using the pesher it can be shown that Simon MagusActs 8:9–11 is the same Simon in the disciple list and the Simon who carried the crossMt 27:32-33, Mk 15:21-22, Lk 23:26,33 and the Simon in the house of Simon the leperMt 26:6-13, Mk 14:3-9 where an unknown woman (also discredited) anoints Jesus (who by simple logic has to be Mary Magdalene since she sees the 'Resurrected Jesus' and by the pesher can be shown to be his wife).
This 'pesher technique' is revealed by Dr. Barbara Thiering in her best-selling book "Jesus the Man" which inspired "The DaVinci Code" and in her website that I created for her (https://www.peshertechnique.infinitesoulutions.com/) and on mine (https://www.pesherofchrist.com/).
The method of the 'pesher' was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls (1946-1956 in the Qumran Caves on the northern shore of the Dead Sea) saying: 'the pesher is' after quoting a previous Biblical passage and expressing a belief that past events are being fulfilled in the present. The New Testament writers used a similar method that presents miracles as metaphors for changes that Jesus made to the early Church. Thus when Jesus turns "water into wine", it is merely symbolic of a new rule that Gentiles, who previously could only be baptized in water, would now be allowed at the Holy Table where wine is served like the Last Supper. When Jesus raises Lazarus (Simon Magus) from the dead (merely excommunicated), this Lazarus lives in the House of SimonJn 12:1-8, thus Simon's Church, and it is Mary Magdalene who anoints Jesus to symbolize a 'son of David' is in her womb. Although more hidden, it can be shown that Jesus speaks to Mary Magdalene from the cross: perceiving the mother (Mary Magdalene) and the disciple standing by, whom Jesus loved (John Mark-Bartholomew: the stand-in for Magdalene at the males-only Last Supper), saying to the mother of him (the mother pregnant with his child), "Woman, Behold the son of you!" (his expected son inside Mary Magdalene's womb: turning out to be a daughter).Jn 19:26
To show how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, the Clementines can be used to uncover the identity of Martha as Joanna at the Resurrection caveLk 24:10 being the only female disciple of John the Baptist and, more importantly, as the Syro-Phoenician womanMk 7:24-26 who matches Postumus' sister: Julia the Younger whom he rescued. She was present with the famous poet Ovid when Augustus demolished her home and banished both to separate locations. Ovid claimed his exile was 'carmen et error' (a poem and an error). Then, by assuming that her daughter born on her exiled island was not smothered at birth as instructed by Augustus, she would be Mary Magdalene!
Also, it will be shown how St. Paul could be both a Roman and a Jew since his father was Herod Antipas, an honorary Jew, and his mother was the daughter of the Magi King of Petra at Jesus' birth, known for frankincense and myrrh. The alliance of Paul to Jesus was accomplished by the marriage of Jesus' daughter Phoebe to Paul yielding two granddaughters, the oldest named Paulina.
The most ground-breaking of all is the story's background which shows how Jesus survived the Crucifixion by using a three-hour time change (darkness), a poison to appear to be dead, and a Jewish rule that 'no man could be on the cross after sundown'. Jesus' survival conforms with the writings of two preeminent Fathers of the Early Church: Irenaeus (c.180 AD), and Eusebius (326 AD) who quotes from Papias of Hierapolis (c.60-135).
Thanks to the guidance and protection of Agrippa Postumus, aka Simon Magus (the Great 666), who could have been the true Emperor after Augustus, but instead became the Pope for Jesus, helping him to succeed in proclaiming the "Good News" of Christianity's agape love that would change the world forever. Jesus, never saying he was "the Son of God", but "the Son of Man", would live in seclusion to affirm his out-of-body 'Resurrection' and live to an old age and be married twice with one daughter and two sons by Mary Magdalene.
Finally, this book posits the question: what if Peter had not sabotaged Simon's famous flying act that prevented Simon Magus from convincing Nero of his heredity as his great uncle and from being in a perfect position to convert him to Christianity and thus to have saved thousands of Christians from being killed on crosses and torn apart by wild animals in the arenas?
To advance the approach that this book is more non-fiction than fiction, great effort has been spent to use carefully researched dates and sources whenever possible directly within the story's text (shown in italics with the reference footnote shown in red). Complete with illustrations.
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To advance the approach that this book is more non-fiction than fiction, great effort has been spent to use direct references whenever possible: shown in italic (with reference footnote in red).: Suetonius(SeutA (Augustus), SeutT (Tiberius), SeutC (Caligula), SeutCL (Claudius), Seut7 (Twelve Caesars, (Tac (Tacitus Annals), Dio (Cassius Dio), Ant (Antiquities of the Jews- Josephus), War (The Jewish War-Josephus), Eus (Eusebius:Ecclesiastical History), Pap (Fragments of Papias, Eus 39:8-10: quotations and references to his lost five-volume work, the Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord), Th, Ph (Gospel of Thomas,Gospel of Philip) Nag Hammadi, Egypt, 1945), Ver (Vercelli Acts of Peter in Rome), R (Clementine Recognitions), H (Clementine Homilies), DSS (Dead Sea Scrolls), Bible: abbr Book Chapter:Verse, GP (Gospel of Peter: This is certainly the original Gospel of Mark, the scribe of Peter),
The Acts of Peter (150-200AD (The Apocryphal New Testament, M.R. James-Translation and Notes Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924)
The Acts of Peter and Paul (5th century) (Translated by Alexander Walker. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, 1886.) declare Simon's Magic flying illusion. The later mentions a visit of Peter and Paul and Simon Magus with Nero. Paul never visited Nero, but Nero knew of him through Seneca the Younger's having shown him the Letters of Paul and Seneca ("The Apocryphal Correspondence Between Seneca and Paul". In Schneemelcher, Wilhelm (ed.). New Testament Apocrypha: Volume Two:). Some drawings copyright to Dr. Barbara Thiering from her site that I built and support for her at https://www.peshertechnique.infinitesoulutions.com/ Link to Photo references numbered within chapters |
| Dedication: In April 2005 I offered my services to build a site for Dr. Barbara Thiering, the author of Jesus the Man (Jesus & The Riddle of The Dead Sea Scroll). This I did faithfully day after day until March 2011 with no remuneration. We had our ups and downs, but this work was inspiring and I learned so much from her. I still support her site even after her death in November 2015 as it is still a valuable tool. I will always be grateful for her guidance in uncovering the hidden story of Jesus and the identities of his disciples. In her site, Dr. Thiering set out to prove scientifically the effectiveness of her 'pesher technique'. It is unfortunate that she felt compelled to stay on this path since her discoveries and understanding have always been impeccable. The most important rule of her 'pesher technique' was the rule of last referent (RLR) which stated that the subject person of a verb when not shown was to be the last occurring person prior to it. As I proceeded in knowledge, I found that these rules were not necessary and, in some cases, gave the wrong answer. Once I was freed from the rules, the truth would always appear effortlessly. The correct meaning could be deciphered logically once all the supporting documents are applied. This book was a combination of my love for history and the knowledge she taught me and I will always be grateful for her guidance. |
I was born as Agrippa Postumus, now the only living grandson of Augustus, but I am also known as Simon Magus. To tell my story, I must tell of two empires that struggled with each other. One was the Empire of Rome and the other was the Empire of the Jews. The Romans would like to call themselves the ones who brought 'Pax Romana' to the world, but this peace was based on military might. Although the Jews were now subjected to Rome, they still believed themselves to be stronger than any empire because God was on their side. However, true peace would also not come from the Jews who were taught by the Pharisees and Sadducees and certainly not from the fourth religion of the Zealots who only knew war. It would be from the Essenes that Christianity would evolve.(Ant 18.1.11-25)
I would not be here if it were not for God. Although history has tried to bury my body and, with religion, also my soul, I still stand proud to be the one who shared the torments of the cross with Jesus and guided him to his 'resurrection' and brought to fruition his vision of the Christian Church. I needed to write this book, not only to correct history, but to show that everything is not just a struggle between the outside forces of good and evil, but rather, as Jesus taught, a struggle of conscience within. It is from this struggle that God is created and emanates from inside yourself, like the halos of the saints.
Jesus performed feats of magic such as healing, raising others from the dead, and surviving the Crucifixion. I did the same, yet I am ridiculed as a 'magus', a magician. A magic trick cannot exist once you see behind the curtain. God does bring miracles, but Jesus' miracles had a purpose that I will show. I am not claiming that I am a better man than Jesus for in his presence you would know that he truly reflected God's image that was given to us in Creation.(Gen 1:27) Jesus declared to us many times that he was not the 'Son of God',(Mt 26:63–64) but only the 'Son of Man'.(Mt 8:20, Mk 2:10, Lk 19:10, Jn 10:36) (The meaning of 'Man' will be clearer later on.) You may prefer to believe that Jesus is God, but all I am asking is that you will read my story and see that I am not Satan.
The Romans, like all great empires, believed that they would last forever, but little did they know that the first great emperor of Rome, my grandfather, Augustus, would cross the time threshold between the centuries BC and AD because of Christ. Modern day scholars like to call this BCE and CE to avoid the Domini of Christ, but these times were not 'Common' at all. This interval of time bore witness to the failure of the Roman Senate and its capitulation to the divine right of emperors in what many describe as Rome's golden age. Yet, this was nothing compared to the birth of Christianity.
The zero point of Domini had been calculated by Dionysius Exiguus 525 years after the fact! Being an expert on the calculation of Easter, which involved complicated rules involving moon cycles, this Byzantine Saint mistakenly based the birthdate of Jesus on that of Jesus' younger brother James instead. With Jesus having been believed to have died on the cross, James the Just was considered the leader of the Jewish Christians and was known as Christ.Ant 20.9.1
But, James was born six years after Jesus due to conformity with Essene conception restrictions that had not been followed with Jesus. Thus, Dionysius should have found the true birthdate of Jesus by using the known date (6 AD) corresponding to "there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed"Lk 2:1 as the date of Jesus' coming of age with his Bar Mitzvah at the age of twelve and subtracted back twelve years to the star of Bethlehem and the Wise men. (This point must now be calculated as 6AD - 12 and, allowing for the missing 0 BC/AD, is now 7 BC.)
In the reign of Augustus, the calendar had been fixed by Julius Caesar and is similar to the modern one with February adjusting for the discrepancy of the extra l/4 day. The different Jewish sects had their own calendars, and there would be a similar fix-up during the Crucifixion that fortunately saved Jesus three hours on the cross.
During the time of Jesus, the Jews were entangled with many different calendars for different sects, and, due to their long history, had an obsession with the Enoch prophesy of World AgesDSS 4Q180 that defined their history and prophesied their future from Age 1 with the birth of Adam and Eve to Age 10 with the Last Judgement. These Ages had a period that was made up of 10 x 'weeks' (7x7 years) equal to 490 years, but the time sped up at Age 8:
| WORLD AGESEnoch 91-93 |
|---|
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Believing that they were in Age 8 with Herod the Great's reconstruction of the temple, the Jewish priests and prophets were struggling to be in power with the arrival of Age 9, when they would have ultimate power from God and be free from Roman rule.
It was the prophecy of Daniel that inspired them most, for it gave a specific formula that pointed to their current time. His prophecy would predict the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Using 'weeks' as seven year periods, it prophesied the rebuilding of the temple, which began with the decree of the Persian king ArtaxerxesEzra 7:11–26 in 457 BC.
| Prophecy of Daniel | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| God has appointed seventy 'weeks' for your people and your holy city from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. After the full 62 weeks, the Messiah will be 'cut off' and seemingly have no legacy or power. Then, the people of a coming ruler will destroy the city and the sanctuaryDan 9:24–27 | |||
| Event | Weeks | 360 day-Years | Date |
| Decree to restore Jerusalem Ezra 7:11–26. | Start | March 14, 457 BC | |
| Rebuilding (troublesome times) | 7 | 48.27 | Autumn 408 BC |
| Messiah appears (John the Baptist) | 62 | 427.51 | Spring 27/28 AD |
| (Actual Mission start with Jesus) | Spring 29 AD | ||
| Crucifixion ("cut off") | 69 | 475.78 | Spring 33 AD |
| End of 70th week | 70 | 482.62 | 34/35 AD |
| Events not part of the prophecy: | |||
| Christian Church 2 weeks (14) from Mission | 2 | 14 | 43 AD |
| Destruction of the Temple by Titus | 70 AD | ||
Although Daniel's prophecy expressed hope about the rebuilding of the temple and the appearance of the Messiah, it also foretold his death. It was not exactly a prophecy that would make a Messiah want to be part of.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it: For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”Mt 26:26-29
Jesus and his disciples were all well aware of the prophecy and yet they were all willing to submit to it with their death. Of course, Judas Iscariot, being a Zealot like Judas the Galilean before him, believed that the Jews had an inalienable right to liberty and a belief that God is their only Ruler and LordAnt 18.1.1, therefore their martyrdom was not passive but rather by violent armed rebellion.
Being of Roman heritage, I was never a believer of this Jewish version of the future, and certainly I was not the disciple who was characterized as 'Simon the Zealot'. However, I was correctly referred to as 'Simon the Canaanite' as you shall find. The other zealot among Jesus' disciples, besides the well-known Judas Iscariot, was Jesus' uncle Thaddeus (Theudas). Jesus had convinced him, when he was in his other persona of Nicodemus, to reject his zealotry. (His taking the seat of Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper is symbolic of this.)(Jn14:22)
The Zealots believed that martyrdom in battle would result in their assured Resurrection in Age 10: the Last Judgement. Yet, Jesus taught that violence was contrary to God's plan and that "turning the other cheek" was the path to God. This was an Essene principle in spite of many of their allegorical writings like the War Scroll (1QM) that appear to condone violence. However, the Christians would not be exempt from martyrdom, but the acceptance of this possible fate did accelerate their connection with God.
Jesus' supposed lost years were because he had enrolled in the peaceful monastic existence of the Essenes in Qumran. It was during this time that he came up with a masterful plan to make the Essene path accessible to ordinary Jews and later to Gentiles by removing its strictness by 'miracles'. (These 'miracles' will be uncovered in greater detail later.) It was not really the Pharisees or the Sadducees who were complaining about his 'healings' but the Essenes because he was loosening their strict rules as the Therapeuts did!
Jesus maintained his Essene monastic existence throughout his life except for the times that he was required to continue the David line by marriage. This interval would vary from three to six years based on whether his offspring was female or male (also explained later). Jesus would rely on me to direct his disciples according to his messages relayed from his monastery. Thus, you can understand how important I was to Jesus' mission and why I was later maligned out of jealousy.
We both were descendants of kings: I from Augustus and Jesus from David. We had both been denied our rightful heredity and assumed to have been murdered by the sword and the cross. Yet, we both survived, and it was our survival that compelled us together to shape the early Church into a religion for Jews and Gentiles that would become the Christian Church in 43 AD in Antioch.(Acts 11:26)
Turning now to the Empire of Rome that flourished throughout my lifetime, I will briefly cover the five emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty from Augustus to Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and to Nero before he slaughtered the Christians and the famous scene of my falling from the sky in front of Nero. After this, I will describe the beginnings of Christianity and my chance meeting in 2 AD with Jesus in Rome.
Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC and became Emperor only to be assassinated on the Ides of March in 44 BC by Brutus. This precipitated a struggle for power between Octavian and Mark Antony. It would end with the death of Antony and his adulterous wife Cleopatra in 30 BC, with Octavian declaring himself as Augustus.
Augustus' long reign of forty years (27 BC-14 AD) would encompass the time of my birth in 12 BC to 4 BC when I was bestowed the title of Agrippa Julius Caesar with TiberiusSuetA as heir to the throne to my disgrace and exile in 7 AD on a remote island at the age of eighteen. For Jesus it would encompass the time of his birth in 7 BC, when he was declared illegitimate, to his acceptance in 6 AD at age twelve to the beginning of his temple schooling at age 20.(Lk 2:40-41)
Rather than demonstrating the moral stature that should be associated with a leader of the world, the debaucheries of the emperors of Rome became the accepted norm. That Augustus was guilty of various acts of adultery, is not denied even by his friends; but they allege in excuse for it, that he engaged in those intrigues not from lewdness, but from policy, to discover more easily the designs of his enemies, through their wives.SeutA:67
To cement his friendship with Mark Antony, Augustus was betrothed to Claudia, the stepdaughter of Antony in 42 BC. The claim that he never consummated his marriage with Claudia is hard to believe, having divorced her two years later to marry Scribonia in 40 BC. Needless to say, Fulvia considered it a stain on the Antonius name and started the Perusine War against Augustus with her brother-in-law Lucius Antonius, raising eight legions against him. Augustus won this skirmish and once he found that his wife Scribonia had a daughter, Julia the Elder, and not a son, being tired of her shrewish waysSeutA 62 divorced her on the next day after two years of marriage. All the while, he continued his affair with Livia Drusilla, yet he did not marry her until 25 BC. I was the fifth child of Julia the Elder.
Augustus never had any children with Livia after her miscarriage and stayed married to her for the rest of his life. This placed the burden of his succession on his only daughter, Julia the Elder whom he kept under strict control. Meanwhile, he enacted laws to prevent promiscuous behavior, much to the chagrin of the aristocracy, and in contradiction to his personal life. Augustus' succession would become a terrible mess when two of Julia Elder's sons died in 2 AD and 4 AD, leaving two daughters and me, the youngest son, Agrippa Postumus, who would be disowned by Augustus and banished to the island of Planasia.
Julia the Elder's marriage to her first cousin Marcellus at the age of fourteen in 25 BC ended with his death when he was sixteen with no child. At the age of eighteen, Julia was forced to marry Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, 25 years older than her. To accomplish this, Marcus Agrippa had to divorce his wife, which would lead later to marital entanglements involving Julia. Marcus Agrippa was Augustus' most trusted general and friend, having won the decisive victory at Antium that led to Antony's defeat, so his choice was obvious.
My mother, Julia the Elder, was born in 39 BC and was married to Marcus Agrippa. Her first son was Gaius, born in 20 BC, and her first daughter was Vipsania Julia Agrippina (Julia the Younger, or merely 'Julilla') born in 19 BC. Next, she gave birth to Lucius in 17 BC, then Agrippina the Elder in 14 BC. Gaius and Lucius were supposed to be in line to be Emperor, but they both died young. Then she gave birth to me Agrippa Postumus in 12 BC. Julia the Younger will figure heavily in my story.
When my father Marcus Agrippa died, Livia saw her chance to move her son, Tiberius, closer to the throne by convincing Augustus to force Julia the Elder and Tiberius to marry and by creating enmity between me and my father. Julia and Tiberius hated each other. His loathing for his wife Julia led him to set out abruptly for Ostia and on to Rhodes.SeutT 10-11 By preventing their divorce, Augustus surely contributed to Julia the Elder's promiscuous behavior.
When Augustus was near death, Livia, fearing that Augustus' visit to Planasia might have resulted in a restoration of my hereditary status, hastened her husband's death with some poisoned figs. She would delay the news of Augustus' death so that Tiberius could return from the nearby island of Capri. Tiberius would secretly have me, the true heir to the throne by blood, assassinated on Planasia Island at the age of 27. There would be no investigation, and Tiberius would later be frightened by guilt when a supposed imposter claiming to be me. But as you can see, Tiberius and the historians were wrong because I did survive!
Emperor Tiberius (14 AD - 37 AD) was generally disliked, whereas his stepson was rising in fame and had been given the name Germanicus for having achieved great acclaim for avenging the Roman defeat in the Teutoburg Forest of Germany and retrieving two of the three legionary eagles that had been lost. He was married to my younger sister, Agrippina the Elder.
To hear the people comparing him to Alexander the Great and Augustus and clamoring for him to be made emperor infuriated and scared Tiberius. Although he had adopted him as his son, he knew that Germanicus' claim to the throne was actually greater than his own, given that his wife Agrippina the Elder was the granddaughter of Augustus and his mother was Antonia Minor, the daughter of Augustus' sister Octavia Minor with Mark Antony. It is this lineage that would later make Claudius emperor. Tiberius was relieved when Piso, the alternate consul with Germanicus, poisoned him with black magic in 19 AD. When Agrippina blamed Tiberius, he had her punished, placed under house arrest in her suburban villa outside Herculaneum, and finally banished to the island of Pandateria where her mother had been banished. Tiberius spent the last ten years of his reign on his pleasure island of Capri. Finally, Tiberius died by being smothered with his bedclothes, with no honorific by the Senate in 37AD.
The next emperor was Caligula (37 AD - 41 AD), the son of Agrippina the Elder, who became emperor mainly because when Tiberius' favorite son Drusus died in 23 AD and Tiberius started accusing others of conspiracy, including Agrippina the Elder's two older sons, the Senate had no one else to choose from. Also, they were relieved to be done with Tiberius' laziness and being absent. Caligula's nickname came from when his mother used to go to the German front with his father Germanicus and dress him up, when two years old, with a soldier outfit including "little boots".
Caligula never really grew up, loving the games and creating useless projects like a floating bridge. His flagrant act of committing incest with his three younger sisters: Agrippina the Younger, Julia Drusilla, and Julia Livilla created quite a scandal especially since Julia Drusilla, his favorite, was married to Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.
After Julia Drusilla died, Agrippina, Julia, and Lepidus were convicted of plotting against him. The two sisters were banished to the Pontine Islands rather than Pandateria where their grandmother Julia the Elder and their mother Agrippina the Elder had been exiled earlier, and Lepidus was executed. Caligula's erratic behavior and his propensity to execute anyone who made fun of him put everyone on edge and made a mockery of the Augustine Dynasty.SeutC:11When he provoked his Praetorian Guard protectors one too many times, they turned on him. One of his executioners was Marcus Arrecinus Clemens, the father of Clement, the second Roman Pope after Peter.
The next emperor was Claudius (41 AD to 54 AD), uncle of Caligula, grandnephew of Augustus, who was brought in by the persuasion of Herod Agrippa, who was prominent in the early Christian Church. Herod Agrippa would later be poisoned on the secret wishes of the Church leaders by me because of his persecution of James and Peter.
After Claudius had gone through three wives, Agrippina the Younger, the mother of Caligula and my niece, saw her chance to marry Claudius as his fourth wife as a way to make her son Nero emperor. Some poisoned mushrooms served to him ended the weak-kneed, head-shaking, stammering womanizer.SeutCl:30,33,44
When Nero (54 AD - 68 AD) ascended the throne in October, being not yet 17 years old, Seneca the Younger, a Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist who had tutored him in youth, was still a stabilizing influence on him as his advisor. Seneca, having heard St. Paul's amazing oration "The "Unknown God" at Athens in 51 AD (Acts 17:23), had become friends with St. Paul, exchanging epistles with him. He had even presented some of St. Paul's Epistles to Nero. By 58 AD, Seneca was out of favor and eventually would be accused of treason.
The high hopes of Nero being a better emperor than Tiberius were soon shattered, for Nero turned out to be so far degenerated from the noble qualities of his ancestors as to only retain their vices.SeutN:1 To understand Nero's slide to insanity, two sides of his heredity must be analyzed. On his mother's side was Agrippina the Younger, the daughter of Agrippina the Elder married to Germanicus, the adored military leader and statesman previously discussed.
On his father's side was Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, who, although commanding an army in Germania, was a man of execrable character in every part of his life: killing and cheating and being dismissed from Caesar's society. A little before the death of Tiberius, he was prosecuted for treason, adultery, and incest with his sisterSeutN:5 for which his trial was pending under Tiberius, but was dropped when Tiberius died. The two twins from this incest would later figure into an amazing story in the Clementine Recognitions and Homilies, to be covered later, that involved two of Jesus' disciples: James and John.
Being trained by Seneca, Nero should have had the potential to become as great as Alexander the Great, being trained by Aristotle. There was also a possibility of Nero converting to Christianity when he became enamored with Poppaea, who was a religious womanWar 4.5.2 with the ability to sway Nero toward favoring the Jews. Such conversions in later history, such as the Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena or the Merovingian King Clovis and Queen Clothilde, had the potential to move the whole world to Christianity. Nero would soon order her husband, Otho, to divorce her so that he could marry Poppaea, which he did after divorcing his current wife Claudia, the daughter of Emperor Claudius.
With his twenty-first birthday approaching in December 58 AD, Nero was faced with the reality that he was no longer a child. He resented the control that Seneca and his mother had over him, and, it is clear in retrospect, that intervention was needed then to prevent his downward spiral to insanity. At this point, he had yet to drown his disapproving mother, Agrippina the Younger. He was yet to play his famous fiddle, which was really a lyre, while taking joy as Rome burned in the fire that occurred on the 18th of July 64 AD. He had yet to devise a plan to use the Christians as scapegoats for causing of the fire and to sacrifice them to his gods. Thousands of martyrs had not yet been thrown to the beasts, crucified, or burned alive, with St. Peter, according to tradition, being crucified upside down. St Paul had not yet been found guilty of the murder of Jonathan and to be given the 'privilege' of being beheaded. Also, he had not kicked his second wife Poppaea to death ,while pregnant with his child.
All these later insane actions of Nero could have been prevented when a strange old man appeared in Nero's palace who, in the next week, would be removed from history, except for a vague reference in Revelation to "666" which ironically would be wrongly attributed to Nero. This old man was me.
An old man of 70 years, dressed in the garb of a Jew wearing a large striped tallit shawl over a long tunic with sandals on his feet, appeared at Nero's palace. The Praetorian Guard had let him in because he claimed to be Nero's great-uncle. After searching him for weapons, they asked Nero if he wanted to see him. Nero laughs and looks over to Poppaea, saying, “Shall we see him?” Poppaea replies, “That would be fun.”
When this stranger was seated, he proceeded to tell Nero that he was Agrippa Postumus, the grandson of Augustus and thus his great-uncle as the brother of his grandmother Agrippina the Elder.
Nero replies, “You see, Poppaea, he must be a ghost since 'postumus' means dead.”
The stranger replies, “Not my death but the Honorary Agrippa, my supposed father, who died before I was born. Your great-grandmother Julia deceived everyone, for my father was Iullus Antonius.”
“Ah”, says Nero, “This is getting interesting.”
Glancing over to his mother, he says, “You never told me this.”
His mother, Agrippina the Younger, was only fourteen when her mother, Agrippina the Elder, was exiled so she was at a loss to offer a reply about her grandmother.
Nero continues, “I see you come from a distinguished line of suicides: first Mark Antony with Cleopatra, then his son Iullus Antonius. And, you were supposedly murdered by accident.”
“That was Tiberius' convenient lie when I disappeared”, says the stranger.
Poppaea says, “Clearly, he is a Jew and not Roman.”
Nero agreeing says, “Neither are Paul nor Peter, so I have not paid much attention to their Jewish babble even though Seneca tried to get me to read some of Paul's epistles.”
The stranger replies, “Actually, Paul is Roman, for he is the son of Herod Antipas and thus an honorary citizen.”
Nero says, I did not know that. I guess that is how he escapes capture from the cities he visits.”
The stranger replies, “Actually, neither Peter nor Paul founded Christianity. It is I! ”
Nero bursts into laughter.
When Nero calms down, he says, “Even I know that Chrestus was crucified by Pilate, so you cannot be him.”
The stranger explains, “Of course, Christ still lives in our hearts, but it is I who organized Christianity and defended it against the Pharisees, the false Messiah James, and Herod Agrippa.”
Nero, becoming annoyed, says, “What you are saying seems too outrageous to be true. Sounds more likely that you murdered them.” He waves to the guard to show the stranger out.
The stranger replies, “Wait! I am not lying. I can prove it to you next week when I fly through the air like the prophet Elijah of the Jews. I invite you and Poppaea to this dramatic event on the Appian Way that would prove not only the veracity of my true identity as Agrippa Postumus, but my prowess as Simon Magus and the power of Christianity.”
Nero says, “Well then, I will be there... Poppaea, will you join me for this spectacle?”
“I would not miss it for the world”, she smiles.
(2)This promised spectacle, a week later, is etched into Francesca Romana Church, which shows the indentation of St. Peter's knees as he prayed for Jesus to cause the evil Simon the Magician to fall from the sky. It is commemorated as the triumph of Christianity, but it would be just the opposite.
The method of the Old Testament Elijah's flight consisted of a gondola basket made of wicker (the chariot) and a balloon-shaped cloth with an opening at the bottom to be heated by fire (horses breathing fire) which creates hot air that causes it to rise. This requires a great amount of cloth to raise a person.
Simon Magus used hydrogen and thus would require a smaller cloth balloon, which was sealed at the bottom after filling. In his case, stabilizing cords were used to keep the gondola steady and prevent it from tipping or flying away.
Thus, Peter's sabotage merely consisted of instructing his followers to cut the ropes part-way to break under pressure.
On the next morning as Nero and his future Empress and the masses of onlookers looked towards the bright sun, I rose above the buildings and could be seen flying in the sky to the cheers of the onlookers below.
St. Peter, who was supposed to be the personification of everything good, could be seen praying on his knees, asking for Jesus' help to strike Simon Magus down. He held a grudge against me for having bested him many years ago in the Clementine debates and recently in Rome with such magic acts as making dogs and statues to talk and making a young boy rise from the dead. Peter tried and failed to match my magic and merely succeeded in bringing a herring back to life. The masses loved me as it was better than a long sermon about some Jew who was resurrected and I gained more converts than he did.
It is obvious that Jesus, who preached love your enemies, would not have condoned Peter's evil sabotage.
Suddenly, there was a loud snap as one of the ropes of my gondola veered back and forth, dumping me on the ground.
Groaning in pain, but amazingly still alive I lay on the ground of the Appian Way in Rome with my leg broken in three pieces.
Looking up I see the apostle Peter gloating down at me and I say to him, “So, it was you ... I should have known. I ask you, Peter, was it worth it? I had the good graces of Nero, ready to believe in Christianity with my flying act and you have turned it into a joke.”
Peter replies, “Finally, the world will know you as a deceiver who uses magic and merely promotes those who pay you with the 'simony' that will be named after you!”
I retort, “Without my magic, you will be unable to gain the powerful connections that are the key to persuading the masses. You may soon gain the attention of Nero, but only for as long as you amuse him. It will not take long for him to look at you as a menace to him personally. My magic trick could have changed the world, but now Christianity will face destruction.”
Peter replies, “You are wrong, for I and Christianity have the son of King Herod Agrippa on my side as the head of the Church. He will persuade Nero once I tell him of your evil doings.”
Laughing, I reply, “Agrippa II is a weakling compared to his father Agrippa the Great and even your deceased wife's connections to the Herods will not save you now. It is Nero's crosses that will triumph over you and all your deluded accomplices as the lions in the Coliseum tear them limb from limb. Until you understand Jesus' teaching of agape love that he tried to explain to you three times at the Sea of Tiberias, you will never be his equal. It will just be a repeat of those three hours before the Crucifixion that you denied Jesus thrice.”
Peter fires back, “Jesus made me the rock upon which he would build his Church.”
“How deluded you still are!” I retort, “Jesus needed to change your name from Simon because I, as Simon, was his mentor. Actually, being a rock, 'petra', fits your impenetrable brain.”
Peter answers, “Do not forget how I excommunicated you as Ananias with your sister, Helena as Sapphira, making you both dead, because you committed 'simony'.”
“Obviously, I did not stay dead since, shortly after this, Jesus relied on me to convert Paul. Now, Paul is your main rival, and you are as jealous of Paul as you are of me.”
“Enough of your heresy!” shouts Peter.
I reply, “Your evil action will soon turn against you because when you try to escape from Nero, you find Jesus holding Church in the catacombs. Once he exposes your cowardice, you will willingly return to Rome.”
Peter replies, “I have no desire to escape. I would rather be crucified than to run away.”
I reply, “Do not be so sure. When I was on the second cross with Jesus, hanging from the two nails that were hammered into my wrists, even though drugged, make no mistake, it is more pain than any man can endure.”
Peter retorts, “I am not afraid of crucifixion! Jesus may have been by your side then, but now as before you will not be remembered even as an apostle, but an apostate. It is Jesus who has entrusted his Church to me.”
As Peter walks away, I say to him, “May, God be with you then!”
One of my friends named Gemellus rushed to my aid, but upon seeing me with my leg broken says, “If Simon, the 'Standing One' can be brought down, shall not your God whose power you are, be proved to be an illusion? It appears that Christ is on the side of Peter today.” He runs to follow Peter as I slump to the ground.
Others come and lift me onto a stretcher. One of them named Castor tries to cheer me up, saying, “While you were in the air, you were a sight to see; as if carried up into the air in front of the blinding sun like an angel! So many spectators from Rome cried out in amazement! You must not be discouraged; your leg will heal and you will succeed next time.”
I reply, “Alas, I think my days as a magician are over. My legs had been broken before on the cross with Jesus. You see, after Jesus fainted from the poison and was taken down, since Pilate thought him to be dead, his legs were not broken. However, for me, being still alive, they snapped the chain around my legs to break them, and they never healed completely. Most importantly, I fear that after the failure of my flying act, Nero will assume that all Christians are deceivers like Peter and that Christ's concept of agape love is merely a weakness that could be exploited.”
Thus ended the life of Simon Magus, the Great Beast 666, at the age of 71, doomed to be 'the author of all heresy'Eccl.Hist. 2.14.6 and forever the legend of Faust who made a deal with the devil. But this is my true story from the beginning that I will tell to you of how I, the grandson of Augustus, built a kingdom not on earth but in heaven by helping Jesus and the apostles to found the Christian Church and become its first Pope.
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The simplistic judgment of this match between Peter and Simon Magus is 'good triumphing over evil'. Public opinion and history are on Peter's side, but when good is accomplished by evil, is it good?
In a later chapter, I will discuss the first chapter of the Genesis Creation in greater detail, but here I will cover the outlines of Genesis Chapters One to Four, which relate to Conscience.
Genesis Chapter One deals with the Active force of God creating the world, culminating in the creation of a human being: man. Although God insists that his Creation in Chapter One is "very good", it is not until Chapter Four that his Creation is actually completed with the definition of good and evil.
Genesis Chapter Two is the recognition that Active force can not be sensed without the existence of Passive force, which is the creation of woman out of man.
In Genesis Chapter Three, God places a tree in the Garden of Eden, which is "the knowledge of good and evil" that is forbidden to be eaten, and you know how that worked out. The "knowledge of procreation" demonstrates the principle that when Active and Passive are combined they create Neutral Force, which brings self-awareness (nakedness) and a new Creation of itself: a child.
In Genesis Chapter Four. Cain kills Abel, exposing the worst evil of all: the taking of another's life. It is in this chapter that the true definition of good and evil is elaborated, and it is important to note that this takes place in the real world immediately after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
God claims that the plant world and the animal world are 'good', but actually these worlds are 'good' only because they are immune to the struggle between 'good and evil'. In their worlds, it is essentially kill or be killed, based on survival. It was not until the creation of the human animal that there gradually occurred an advanced consciousness that possessed the ability to distinguish right from wrong which is known as CONSCIENCE. It is only then that God's existence can be known. Thus, the chicken or the egg conundrum: Chapter Four must precede Chapters One, Two, and Three in order for there to be a Creator which is CONSCIENCE.
The story of Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve. It certainly is strange that murder occurs so soon after God's Creation, and how is it possible that a brother can kill a brother? Surely the story of Cain and Abel must be metaphoric, regardless of whether there were actual persons called Cain and Abel. If it were purely literal, it would be a huge disappointment and would teach nothing except to show that God's Creation is already flawed.
From the start, the Old Testament appears to be establishing a principle that stories are used to illustrate truths, thus the New Testament has followed that same principle. Moses performed miracles and divided the Red Sea to free his people; Jesus performed miracles and was crucified and resurrected. Whether these were miracles or happenstance, the revealed truths are clearly more important than the events.
For Moses, it was the power of belief in one God that was revealed in the Ten Commandments; for Jesus, it was the power of God's forgiveness that was revealed in the Beatitudes. Moses was not allowed to cross over into the Promised Land and Jesus, having survived the crucifixion, was not allowed to appear to his followers except to his disciples; but this is yet to tell.
In this metaphoric story in Chapter Four, Cain kills Abel because God favors the younger brother Abel, a keeper of sheep, over Cain, a tiller of the ground, which can be wrongly assumed that God prefers animal sacrifice. Cain is envious and kills Abel, then God punishes Cain by driving him from his presence and gives him a 'mark' to protect him:
On the surface, Cain would signify our rational nature because farming is our mastery of producing food from seed. Abel would signify our animal nature that merely takes from another's seed. Thus, when Cain overcomes his animal nature (killing Abel), his Essence, which was previously defined by his Body, seems to be adrift in the overpowering energies of the Spirit. It is only by God's 'Mark of Cain', a CONSCIENCE, that one's Essence can direct one's Spirit to be 'good' and even capable of building a Soul.
Paul describes Conscience: For when Gentiles, who do not have the Law, do instinctively the things of the Law… they show that the requirements of the Law are written on their hearts, their Consciences also bearing witness…Rom 2:14–15
Clearly, the Essenes were obsessed with Genesis Chapter Four and thus the Christians in the Book of Revelation further define the 'Mark of Cain' to be equal to Jesus' ultimate directive of agape love: Blessed are the merciful -- because they shall find mercy. To have mercy is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.Mt 5:7
To unravel the meaning of Revelation requires 'the pesher': If anyone has an ear -- let him hear:Rev 13:9
| | |||
| John Aquila | I, John, your brother and companion in tribulation...Rev 1:9 | Rev 1:1-8:5 | 1 AD to 44 AD |
| James Niceta | assumed twin brother of John: trumpets (tribulations) | Rev 8:6-14.5 | 44 AD to 51 AD |
| Tychicus | "I" assumed from Paul: Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus"2 Tim 4:12 | Rev 14:6-19:21 | 54 AD to 74 AD |
| John II, son of John Aquila and Priscilla | I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things... Rev 22.8 | Rev 20:1-22:21 | 100 AD to 114 AD |
To unravel Revelation Chapter 13 and ultimately to exonerate me as the "Beast 666", it must be first noted that it was written by James Niceta: James the brother of John executed with a sword by Agrippa I (excommunicated)Acts 12:1–2 because of his Zealot activities.
In Chapter 13 James describes two beasts using the prophecy of Daniel 7 which describes four Beasts representing four empires: a Lion for Babylon, a Bear for Medo-Persia, a Leopard for Greece, and for Rome a beast with iron teeth and ten horns from which a 'little horn' replaces three of his teeth. The 'little horn' is believed to be the "anti-Christ" yet to come.
It is the first beast in Revelation 13 that possesses all these qualities in order to exalt the Zealot leader Eleazar who caused the destruction of the temple in 70 AD by using it as a fortress. The second beast in Revelation 13 is me: the Pope reporting to Jesus being unfairly compared to the first beast by James.
The criticism of me does not stop there as Tychicus, the apostle of Paul who hates me, kills us off equally: The beast Eleazar was taken, and with him the false prophet (me) that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.Rev 19:20
Let us compare the two beasts to Daniel's 'little horn':
| Theme | Little Horn (Daniel 7) | First Beast Rev 13:1–10 |
Second Beast / False Prophet Rev 13:11–18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | From the 4th Beast (Rome), among 10 horns | From the sea (chaotic nations), 10 horns, 7 heads | From the earth (possibly religious or local authority) |
| Nature | Blasphemous king, political ruler | Composite political empire and blasphemous ruler | Deceptive religious figure; lamb-like but dragon-voiced |
| Speech | Speaks “great things” and blasphemies (Dan 7:8, 25) | Speaks arrogant and blasphemous words (Rev 13:5–6) |
Speaks like a dragon (Rev 13:11) |
| Power | Rules for 3½ years (Dan 7:25), persecutes saints | Given authority for 42 months (3½ years) (Rev 13:5) | Exercises the first beast’s authority (Rev 13:12) |
| Worship | Exalts himself above God (Dan 11:36) | Demands worship from the world (Rev 13:4, 8) | Directs worship toward the first beast (Rev 13:12) |
| Persecution | Makes war on saints and prevails (Dan 7:21) | Overcomes the saints (Rev 13:7) |
Kills those who refuse to worship the image (Rev 13:15) |
| Signs / Miracles | Implied spiritual arrogance and deception | Deceives through false authority and power | Performs great signs, even fire from heaven (Rev 13:13) |
| Mark / Image | Not mentioned | Creates an image to be worshiped (Rev 13:14) | Enforces the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16–17) |
| End | Judged and destroyed by the Ancient of Days (Dan 7:26) |
Cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20) |
Cast into the lake of fire with the first beast (Rev 19:20) |
Now suppose that the second beast does not exercise the first beast’s authorityRev 13:12 as Tychicus implies, but rather the authority of the "beast" Christ the Lamb. Can "Christ the Lamb" be a beast? In Enoch's prediction of the "Coming of a Savior": And I saw that a white sheep was born with a large horn, and all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air feared him and made petition to him continually.Enoch 90:6-7.
And I beheld the second beast (Simon Magus the Pope) (All three stand for "The Mark of Cain": CONSCIENCE.) |
So, now, hopefully, I have now corrected the mistake of history that claims me to be the personification of evil: '666' which is not the mark of Satan, but the ultimate grade at graduation in the Church: the "Mark of Conscience"!
The number '666' is arrived at by adding the important grade letters in Hebrew for each level of education using their Gematria values (labeled at the head of the column):
| Total | Gematria | Hebrew | Glyph | Pictograph | Title | Reference |
| 0 | +400 | Taw | X | Badge, Seal | Michael (Zadok) |
The top position of the hierarchy: Grade 0 |
| 400 | +200 | Resh | ר | Human Head | Sariel (Jairite) |
Top position that an initiate can reach: Grade 2 |
| 600 | +60 | Samekh | ס | Thorn | Initiate | Beginning level of an initiate: Grade 7 |
| 660 | +6 | Waw | ו | Hook | "The hook!" | |
| 666 | ||||||
The inner CONSCIENCE which is shown as the Mark of Cain in Judaism and Chi Rho (P+X) in Christianity is recognized in all religions. It is often represented in the concept of Heaven and Hell such as when the Egyptians believed that upon death one's soul is weighed by Anubis on a balance scale to determine if its soul can be resurrected or suffer eternal torment. In Buddhism, it is the concept of the Middle Path. In Islam, it is submission to the will of Allah, although Allah has been copied from the vengeful Jehovah of the Jews and thus wrongly condones violence against nonbelievers.
Such a determination of good or evil after death is of no use if it is not practiced while living. CONSCIENCE is the balance point between mind and emotion and is timeless. The possibility of CONSCIENCE is within all humans, regardless of religion or common law and it distinguishes man-woman from an animal or a plant. Without CONSCIENCE, there is no eternal SOUL for 'GOD IS CONSCIENCE'.
Now, back to the question: did Peter act with CONSCIENCE on that day? Did he act from envy or hatred or ego? Only he knows the truth, but his remorse of CONSCIENCE is clear in his insistence on being crucified upside down.
| And his disciples asked Jesus, saying, "What might this parable be?" And he said, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those by the Wayside are they that hear; Then comes temptation, which takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the Rock are they, who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among Thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But they on the Good Soil are those with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. |
In this parable Jesus is introducing his mission of 'The Way' and also giving its history in seven year increments.
The concept of 'The Way' (οδος) began with the prophet Isaiah who warned the kings of Israel, saying, A voice of one calling in the wilderness, "Prepare 'The Way' to God; make straight in the desert a thru-Way for our God."Isaiah 40:3. King Hezekiah listened to his warning, and Jerusalem was spared by God from Sennacherib of Assyrians.
John the Baptist was the first to popularize 'The Way' when he said "Repent, the kingdom of heaven has come near. Make straight 'The Way' of the Lord"Mt 3:1-3. Later, Paul would be told: "go on unto 'The Way' that is called straight."Acts 9:11. Thus, 'The Way' was the seed from which the Christian Church would grow. Even after the Pentecost, forty-nine days after the Crucifixion, it would take ten years to grow and mature until the Christian Church was founded at Antioch in 43 AD.(Acts 11:25-26)
When the prophet Jeremiah foretold that God would place a New Covenant in the minds and hearts of his peopleJer 31:33, the Essenes joined together in a desert community to fulfill this prophecy as shown in the 'Ways of Righteousness' (4Q430-21) and 'Community Rule' (1QS).
Living on the west coast of Judea, the Essenes shunned women to avoid carnal lust, handle no money, and led their lives in solitude. Their sect would be perpetually filled with new members who are weary of their miserable lives or bad fortune. Living at a fortress not far from the lake of Sodome Asphaltites (Dead Sea) while below them was Ein Gedi with fertile soil and plentiful date-tree groves, the equal of Jerusalem.Pliny Natural History 5.17 They accepted Jesus in their sect as Jeremiah has prophesied that one from the David line would be raised up by God to be a righteous King who would reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.Jer 23:5
Similar to the Essenes, there existed a lesser strict sect in Alexandria, Egypt called Therapeutae that allowed women in separate areas but would join together at important festivals with antiphonal singing and ritual dancing: chanting hymns made in God’s honor in many meters and melodies, sometimes singing in chorus, sometimes one band beating time to the answering chant of the other, then dancing to its music; then in processional hymns throughout the night.Philo of Alexandria Hypothetica:Every Good Man is Free" 83-90This sect of Essenes was better adapted to 'The Way'.
The famous sage Hillel had codified many rules of the Jews, but more importantly, it was his emphasis on the Golden Rule that would attract many Gentiles to the Jewish faith. Mosaic laws were perceived to be more true to the ideals that humanity should strive for: such as respect for human life, marriage, property, and honesty, rather than the Roman principle of 'might means right' and the justification of slavery. It should be said that one good point about Roman slavery was the possibility that a slave could strive to become a freedman/woman, and many became quite rich. An added attraction was that Jews in the Roman Empire often had the autonomy of self-rule under rabbis and high priests.
King Herod, who was not a Jew, was anxious to be seen as the king who would usher in Age 8 that would bring the Anointed One and began the Restoration of the Jerusalem Temple in 21 BC. Herod was partial to the Essenes because Menahem the Essene had predicted that he would be king, and reign happily for thirty years because God had found him worthy.Ant 15.10.5 Thus, Herod promoted the mission of 'The Way' to collect the tithes that would help restore the Temple and make him the king of the Jews in the homeland and abroad known as the Diaspora. These were Jews who had migrated or had begun as slaves and then even freedmen. Many were just Jewish in name, but now they could have a connection to the Jerusalem Temple! 'The Way' was flexible enough to include them without requiring them to follow the strict Jewish rituals. In Rome, there were over 8,000, and in Asia Minor, 180,000. (Hershel Shanks, ed., Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism, 2nd ed. BAS, 2011)
As early as 20 BC, Heli sent his son Joseph at 23, the age of initiation, to the Jewish community in Trastevere across the Tiber in Rome. With the direction of the 'The Way' being modeled after Abraham's sons: Jacob and Isaac. Heli was the leader of the western faction of 'The Way' and Menahem, the eastern. (This explains Heli's other name "Jacob" in the one of two generations of Jesus.)
At the same time, Herod strove to remain in the good graces of Rome. When my father Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the sea battle at Actium in 31 BC to make Octavius into Augustus, Herod quickly changed his support of Antony to Augustus. Since my father, Marcus Agrippa, was the right-hand man of Augustus and married to Augustus' only daughter Julia, my mother in 21 BC, he cultivated a strong friendship with him.
One of the sons of Herod the Great, known as Antipas would later own a summer house on Tiber Island where he would allow the followers of 'The Way' the use of his basement as a church. By doing so, Antipas would obtain an honorary leadership position.
The eagle was the standard of Rome and also represented the West in Ezekiel's vision of the eagle, lion, bull, and man. Herod, having heard that Marcus Agrippa, the hero of Mark Antony's defeat, was returning to Pannonia in 17 AD, invited him to stop in Jerusalem. To impress him, the king had erected over the great gate of the temple a large golden eagle, of great value, and had dedicated it to the temple.Ant17.6.2 Being the symbol of Rome, it violated the First Commandment and was considered to be an attack on the Jewish faith, and riots broke out.
In 23 BC, Simon ben Boethus had become High Priest by giving his daughter Mariamne II to be the third wife of Herod the Great. In 7 BC, when Herod accused of his sons Aristobulus and Alexander of high treason, Mariamne was accused of knowing about their treason and her son Herod II was disinherited (Ant 17.4.2), thus his name Thomas Didymus (the twin like Esau with Jacob), Jesus' disciple. Glaphyra, the wife of Alexander, returned home to her father Archelaus Sisines XVI, the King of Cappadocia.
In 9 BC, Joseph, fearing Herod's insanity, returned to shelter in the Judean wilderness at Ein Feshkha near Qumran.
In June 8 BC Joseph and Mary were betrothed. Unfortunately, having been influenced by the loose sexual standards of the Romans, Joseph did not follow the Essene rules of betrothal, requiring a wait of six months, and in December, Mary was six months pregnant, giving birth to Jesus in March 7 BC. Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, having followed the rules, was staying with Mary during the final months of her pregnancy. She gave birth to John the Baptist in September 8 BC. These wives, being pregnant, were not allowed to stay at Qumran but had to stay in the wilderness of Mird. The high priest at this time was Boethus, and he insisted that Jesus was illegitimate by strict Essene rules. Thus Jesus, 'the root of David' by heredity and intended leader of "The Way", was constantly struggling for acceptance.
John the Baptist, having been born to Zechariah, a priest of the order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, born six months before Jesus was chosen to be the expected priestly Messiah: He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah.Lk 1:15-17 He would reject his priestly role and go into the desert wearing clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.Mt 3:4
In the autumn of 5 BC, Herod the Great died, having killed three of his sons and threatening many Jewish leaders by locking them in the hippodrome. His son Herod Antipas, by his fourth wife Malthace, was originally going to inherit the kingdom, but Herod changed his will just prior to his death leaving it to his son Archelaus. There was great opposition to Archelaus' rule, which was marked by decadence and unrest. Joseph's brother Theudas was caught up with this, becoming the 'Prodigal Son'.
Joseph, in 1 BC, after the six-year requirement that had to follow a male child, would correct his mistake of not following the required six-month betrothal time for Jesus. In September 1 AD, the hoped-for legitimate male heir named James was born. He would now become the accepted heir of the David line and establish the new millennium. Sadly, James would turn out to be too Jewish, using a palanquin to avoid being contaminated by the ground, and would oppose the relaxed requirements of 'The Way' that Jesus preached. Thus, both James and John the Baptist were two possible leaders of 'The Way' who began initially with high expectations in opposition to Jesus but would flame out from overconfidence.
In 4 BC, Augustus divides Herod's kingdom into three tetrarchies, making Herod Antipas the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. His kingdom of Galilee included the Sea of Galilee and the kingdom of Perea, which was bounded on the east by the Jordan River and the west bank of the Dead Sea, and thus it included Qumran. These two areas (shown in orange) were the predominant locations of the missions of John the Baptist and Jesus.
The thorns represent the priests especially the Sadducees, but also the Pharisees. It was a crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head to make fun of him. The Pharisee priests Boethus and Caiaphas were always attacking Jesus' legitimacy. Even Paul complains, there was given me a thorn in my flesh2Cor12:7 when he complains about the priest Jonathan, who used to be Jesus's disciple.
The year 6 AD was known as the start of the Age of Wrath: Judas the Galilean was killed in the insurrection, and Judas Iscariot took over for him, secretly continuing assassinations using the curved knife called a sicarii. Theudas, Jesus' uncle, also participated, but hid his identity as Saddok, to be later exposed as Barabbas (son of Sabbas). The High Priest Joazar Boethus, who had declared Jesus illegitimate, supported the taxation and was deposed. Then Ananus the Elder would become High Priest (6-15 AD) as Michael.
In 15 AD when he was twelve years old, (dated from James 1 BC) they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.Lk 2:42-43
In 20 AD, Jesus is engaged to Mary Magdalene but continues his studies in monastery until 29 AD when he begins his mission at age 35: now Jesus himself was about thirty years old (dated from birth of James 1 BC) when he began his ministry.Luke 3:23
The "thirty-fold and sixty-fold and a hundredfold" are the triangular numbers 3 (3 sides of two dots = 3), 6 (3 sides of three dots = 6) multiplied by the 10 provinces like the triangular number 153 (3 sides of 17 dots = 153) in the "Catch of 153 Fish" after the Resurrection. A precise calculation of tithes is contained in the two 'Loaves and Fishes' stories and the black horse of Revelation. They represent the three classes of members: wheat, barley, and oil, which would bring many converts to Christianity.
Jesus would follow in the path of his father Joseph, spreading the Word into the world like seeds in the ground, so that when the plants, having grown up and flowered, would produce more good seed. As for the bad seed, God's winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out the threshing floor, and gather the wheat into the barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.Lk 3:17.
It was 2 BC, when I was just 10 years old, that I heard a huge commotion as guards were searching through the rooms of the villa. My late father Agrippa had built this villa at Boscotrecase, Campania, Naples on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. My mother Julia was shaking as she pulled me to her bedroom and shut the door, “I must tell you a secret. Do you promise not to tell anyone?” I answered, “Of course!”
Julia pointed up to the fresco of 'Polyphemus and Galatea', “Do you see that fresco from Ovid's poem Metamorphoses: This is the story of Acis, Polyphemus and Galatea. It has a hidden meaning to me. I have imagined the Cyclops to be Tiberius on his island of Rhodes, and I am the sea-nymph Galatea and the mortal is Aci, my dear Iullus Antonius. You are the child who resulted from their embrace. I warn you to never trust the cyclops. You must make sure no one knows the secret I am about to tell or the Cyclops will kill us all.
Bringing me close to her, she whispers, “Your father is not Marcus Agrippa, but you are the son of Iullus Antonius.”
I looked up to her in disbelief, blurting out, “What? You mean Uncle Iullus, who used to play fight with me in the garden.”
“Shhh!” she said, “Yes, Iullus has always been a comfort to me. I am telling you this because your grandfather Augustus is banishing me to Pandateria Island, and I may never see you again. Sit down and let me tell you the story.”
“You are going away! For how long? ” My voice was quivering.
“Yes, I will explain, but first let me tell you how you were conceived:
In September 11 BC, when my husband Marcus returned sick from the east and was staying in a separate room for fear of spreading his sickness, Iullus shared my bed. Once your father died, Iullus stayed away, and then when you were born in March of 12 BC, I declared you as the 'posthumus son' of Marcus so as not to be caught in adultery.”
“All was fine until Grandfather Augustus forced me to marry Tiberius and, when he abandoned me and left for Rhodes, he would not allow me to divorce. I was lonely and had many suitors visit, including Iullus, but since I was still married, it was adultery. The rumors began that I was involved in all sorts of sexual depravity. You see, Iullus and his other friends often stayed overnight.”
“Yes, you always sent me to bed early.”
Julia says, “The poet Ovid whose poems 'Loves' and 'Advice for Lovers' had become so popular that Grandfather Augustus banned them. In this book on the art of seduction, he gave suggestions on good places to pick up women, such as shady colonnades, shrines and temples, the theater, the Circus Maximus, banquets, and even Diana's woodland shrine outside the city. As jealous people do, they attributed all these activities to me!”
“Is that why Tiberius went away?”
Julia answers, “No, Tiberius went away because he is a despicable human. He wanted to practice all sorts of perverted sexual acts away from prying eyes. I would not trust him near you. Iullus is my true love.”
“Does Iullus know?”
Julia says, “Yes, of course, but you must promise me not to tell anyone the secret about your true father. It will put you and Iullus in danger. If they knew the secret of your true father, they would blame Iullus and others who were staying at my house. It is better that they just think I cheated on Tiberius, not Agrippa. Promise me!”
“Yes, Mother, I promise.”
Julia says, “Grandfather Augustus is banishing me to that remote island because I violated his laws of family and marriage that he recently enacted. These laws require the wife to be banished, and even sent to an island, and the husband or lover to be executed. So now I am to be exiled to Pandateria Island. Gladly, Grandmother Scribonia will be going with me.”
I, trying to hold back my tears, blurt out, “But what will I do without you? Will Iullus visit me?”
Julia answers, “No, he dare not for now. If he is accused of having an affair with me, Augustus will torture and execute him. After all, he pardoned him even though his father, Mark Antony, turned against him with Cleopatra.”
Julia hugs me with consoling words, “Don't worry, you have your two brothers, Gaius and Lucius. As long as you keep the secret, grandfather will protect you, but, as I said, beware of Tiberius. He pretends that he is not wanting the throne, but he will do anything to get it.”
The guards come in, ordering Julia to go with them and that was the last time that I saw my mother until after the death of Augustus. My real father Iullus, who was away, committed suicide rather than to be tortured and then to reveal his paternity. He would be forgotten except for his image on the Ara Pacis monument.
Although Pandateria Island was only half a mile wide, the whole island had been built as a summer home for Augustus. To have shared it with her mother definitely eased her loneliness, and her mother was very helpful. Because Augustus believed her drunkenness was the cause of her promiscuous behavior, she was forbidden to have wine.
When Tiberius learned of his wife Julia's banishment for adultery and immoral behavior, and that a bill of divorce had been issued in his name, on Augustus' authority, he sent letters pretending to try to effect reconciliation between father and daughter. He also asked that, whatever punishment she merited, she be allowed to keep any gifts he may have given her. This did not change Augustus' anger at Tiberius' departure from Rome, which embarrassed his family. When Tiberius asked to return, he rejected his plea.
As for me, I found comfort with my older sister Julilla and her husband Lucius Aemilius Paullus. They were building a large mansion at Herculaneum in Campania for their home.
(2) When I was older I learned more facts about my mother's history:
In 27 BC my grandfather was given the title of Augustus as the leader of the Roman Empire. His divinity and rulership were based on Pax Romana which would allow the conquered lands to govern themselves provided that they paid their taxes and acknowledged their allegiance to Rome. As to his personal life, it was rather strange having turned back a childhood bride, still a virgin, and divorced his next wife Scribonia as soon as she delivered his only child Julia because he was unable to put up with her shrewish dispositionSuetA.
My grandmother Scribonia was a devoted mother who even accompanied my mother Julia in her exile later on Pandateria Island. When Augustus married Livia Drusilla she was pregnant at the time. She brought with her two sons Tiberius and Drusus from her previous marriage. The conception with Augustus resulted in a stillborn birth and they were never able to conceive again. Because Augustus did not produce another child, Julia was under pressure to produce his heirs.
Under the control of Augustus' wife Livia, Julia and her cousins were taught spinning and weaving, like Penelope, the Greek wife of Ulysses, and were forbidden to say or do anything except openly and such as might be recorded in the household day-book and were forbidden to be visited by suitors. Augustus taught his grandsons reading, swimming, and the other elements of education, for the most part himself.SuetA
Julia had a love of literature and great learning and a gentle humanity and not at all the cruel spirit that would have won her great favor, to the amazement of those who knew her vices as well as such a great diversity.Macrobius,Saturnalia 2.5.2
Livia, whom he called the love of his life, was wife to Augustus from 37 BC to his death in 14 AD and was given the title of Julia Augusta when her son Tiberius became Emperor.
At the age of fourteen in 25 BC, my mother Julia was married to her first cousin Marcus Claudius Marcellus, the son of Augustus' sister Octavia. He was three years older than her. He was intended to be Augustus' heir, but he died in 23 BC when Julia was sixteen and childless.
Next Augustus chose Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa his righthand man to marry his daughter Julia. This was an obvious choice because it would assure his loyalty. Julia as a child had been brought up with Marcus Agrippa's daughter Vipsania Agrippina from Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa's previous marriage and now her husband would be 25 years older than her at the age of eighteen. Marcus, being of austere disposition, would suffocate Julia, but she would faithfully produce four children two sons Gaius (20 BC-4 AD) and Lucius Gaius Caesar (17 BC-2AD) and two daughters: Julia the Younger and Agrippina the Elder .
Her two daughters were Julia the Younger (19 BC-29? AD) and Agrippina the Elder (14 BC-AD 33). Agrippina the Elder would give birth the Emperor Caligula and her daughter Agrippina the Younger (15 AD - 59 AD) would give birth to Nero and schemed to make him Emperor by marrying the Emperor Claudius.
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When Marcus Agrippa died, Julia was forced to marry Tiberius. They hated each other and consummated that marriage only briefly. This sham marriage was the crux of the problem that started the rumors of my mother's infidelity. Before that when Augustus forced Marcus Agrippa to marry my mother Julia, he had to divorce his wife Claudia Marcella Major whom he loved deeply. Claudia was the daughter of Octavia the Younger, the sister of Augustus and the sister of Julia's first husband Marcus Claudius Marcellus who died. Iullus was the son of Fulvia and Mark Antony and Claudia's mother, Octavia, was Mark Antony's next wife. Thus Iullus and Claudia shared their childhood together: half-brother and sister. With all three: Julia, Claudia, and Iullus sharing a filial connection, it was easy to see that it could become sexual. In fact, Claudia and Iullus eventually married, but this was after Iullus and Julia conceived me when Marcus Agrippa was sick and almost dying. With Tiberius off in his pleasure island of Capri, it became known that Julia was entertaining many suitors.
Augustus had spared Iullus due to the intercession of his sister Octavia while making sure Mark Antony's other sons were killed. Augustus showed great favoritism to him, supporting him as praetor in 13 BC, consul in 10 BC, and Asian proconsul in 7/6 BC.
As praetor, Iullus was responsible for the administration of justice, organization of public games, and, other occasions. I could imagine my mother joking about how Iullus needed to adjust these schedules to correspond to the times her husband was away or sick. He was also a poet and this would explain the later connection to the famous poet Ovid known for his writings about sexual affairs. Later when many others were accused of having sexual affairs with Julia, my mother was known to remark that passengers were never allowed on board until the hold was full.Macrobius, Saturnalia, Book II, 5:2 Her stillborn baby with Tiberius fulfilled the trick.
In the winter of 13-12 BC in his last military effort in Pannonia, her husband, Marcus Agrippa, contracted an illness abroadDio 54:28.1/2 and died in March of 12 BC at his home in Campania in at the age of 51. Julia gave birth five months later to me and I was named Agrippa Postumus to cover up the truth.
In the Spring of 2 BC, before my brother Gaius left for the east, my brothers Lucius and Gaius were given the authority to consecrate buildings and to manage the games. In the game held to celebrate the dedication of the Temple of Mars Ultor (1 August 2 BC), I was overjoyed to participate in the Trojan Games with the rest of the equestrian youth where 260 lions were slaughtered in the Circus Maximus along with gladiatorial combat, a mock naval battle between the "Persians" and the "Athenians", and in the Circus Flaminius 36 crocodiles were slaughtered.Dio 55:11.6/7
But in that same year, my brother Lucius died in Massilia and eighteen months later my brother Gaius died in Lycia. Thus in 4 BC as the only living son of Julia and thus the only rightful heir by blood, Augustus gave me the title of Agrippa Julius Caesar and publicly adopted me with his stepson Tiberius by a bill passed in the assembly of the curiae.SuetA.
Yet I was only vaguely recognized due to the popularity of my nephew Germanicus who was merely two years older than me.
He would have an accelerated career of quaestor in 7 AD, five years before the legal age. When I complained to Augustus, he chided me for my low tastes and violent temper SuetA. and 'illiberal nature' which would later result in banishing me to Surrentum.
Augustus' wife Livia was anxious for her son Tiberius to be first in line for Augustus' throne, even though he was merely Augustus' stepson. She most likely encouraging Augustus to force Tiberius to divorce Vipsania Agrippina, the daughter of my father Marcus Agrippa, to marry my mother Julia. Again, Augustus would break up another happy marriage right after Marcus Agrippa's death to ensure Tiberius' succession.
To get away from Julia. Tiberius left for Rhodes in 6 BC. He set out immediately for Ostia, leaving his wife, Julia, and his son Drusus the Younger (by Vipsania) behind in Rome, granting the odd kiss as he left but barely saying a word to those who saw him off.SuetT It is said that it was his love for Vipsania and being spurned by my mother with her growing sexual misbehavior that led him to leave.
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Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32)
There was a man who had two sons and the younger of them said, 'Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country and there he squandered his property in loose living. This popular parable of the Prodigal Son which seems merely to be acknowledging a father's love for his wayward son is actually more than this surface story. Like many other parables in Luke, Jesus is giving important information on the need for forgiveness but also telling the unwritten history of the early Church.
Prodigal Son: Theudas-Thaddeus (Jesus' uncle) |
After the birth of James in September 1 AD, the eldest son, Joseph returns again to Rome to continue his mission to the Jewish Diaspora. In June 2 AD, after a voyage of six months, Joseph arrives in Rome with his wife, Mary, Jesus (8 years old), and James (1 year old). His younger brother Theudas, the Prodigal Son has stayed behind to fight with the Zealots of Judas the Galilean.
As they walk across the bridge to Tiber Island located at the western edge of Rome, Jesus is walking ahead of Mary who is holding James with Joseph behind. I am about to pass them on my way to the palace at Rome. I am now thirteen years old, dressed in a short-sleeved tunic of fine linen of Tyrian purple.
I hail them, “I see by your attire that you have come from Jerusalem.”
Joseph replies, “You have correctly identified us. We have come from Judea, having been invited by Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, to his house on Tiber Island.”
I reply, “My father Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a friend of Herod the Great. My mother told me that Herod was so enamored with my father that he twice chased down their ship
Joseph says, “We are pleased to meet the son of such an illustrious father. Let me formally introduce ourselves. I am Joseph and this is my wife Mary and our two sons: Jesus and our newborn James. I am an apostle sent to Rome by my father Jacob-Heli and Simeon the Essene to teach a modified Therapeut religion to the Jewish Diaspora which we call 'The Way'. Am I right to assume we have the good fortune to be meeting Marcus Agrippa Postumus, the grandson of Augustus?”
I answer, “Yes, you are correct. I am called Postumus since I was born five months after my father died having caught a fever in Pannonia at the Danube.”
Mary says, “That must have been hard for you to not know your father.”
I add, “Not as hard as losing my mother.”
Mary says, “Oh, that is right. Your mother Julia was banished to an island two years ago.”
I reply, “Yes, to the island of Pandateria.”
Mary says, “That must be lonely without her.”
I reply, “I am old enough now to be on my own. Fortunately, my mother is not there alone as my grandmother Scribonia is with her. Actually, I am on my way to meet with my grandfather Augustus to plead with him to bring back my mother from her exile.”
Mary says, “Sounds like your mother and grandmother are an exceptionally loving family.”
I reply, “Yes, I hope Augustus has calmed down by now and will forgive his only daughter.
I question, “Seeing the age of your firstborn son, you must tell me how he survived King Herod's Massacre of the Innocents.”
Joseph says, “Oh, that Massacre of the Innocents was constructed from the many episodes that Herod was ill with madness such as killing three of his sons: Alexander and Aristobulus followed by his own firstborn Antipater, but more to do with his jailing of our elders in the hippodrome. He had instructed his soldiers that as soon as he had given up the ghost to not tell them least they rejoice, but rather to shoot darts to slaughter of them, thus to have the honor of a memorable mourning at his funeral.”Ant 17.6.5
I concurred, saying, “That certainly would be a massacre. I can imagine his sporadic madness must have made him most dangerous!”
Joseph says, “Yes, when Jesus was born, I was warned to stay away from Jerusalem by Aretus, the 'wise king' of the Nabataeans of Petra.”
Jesus speaks up, “When he visited us at the Queen's house, he brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor me as the first born of the House of David.”
I smile, looking over to Jesus, “Where is this queen's palace where you were born?”
Jesus laughs, “It is south of Qumran. Mama was queen of the oxen and donkeys. The donkey leant me his crib.”
Mary smiles, explaining, “You see as a pregnant woman, I was excluded from the Temple at Qumran along with my relative Elizabeth, the mother of John, who also was with child. We had to stay at the shed which was just south of Qumran which we renamed the Queen's House.”
I interject, “Sounds pretty ungracious for a Queen.”
Mary sighs, “That is the Essene way to refrain from comforts. At least, I had a roof over my head.”
Ignoring the discussion, Joseph continues, “Actually, now that I think about it the phrase 'Massacre of the Innocents' must come from the plague calendar of the Zealots who used the plagues of Moses to coordinate their attacks to invoke God's help. The tenth plague was 'death of the firstborn' which just happened to occur in the March quarter of the year when Jesus was born.”
I laughingly reply, “Let's see I imagine that would make my grandfather Augustus: Amenhotep and my mother Julia: Nefertari? You did say you are Joseph and not Joshua?”
Joseph says, “I see what you are implying, but I do not hold much power to these predictions. My brother Theudas will lecture me for revealing this because each of the ten plagues defines a military strategy against Rome.”
Turning to Jesus, I ask, “What is the plague now?”
Jesus answers, “Darkness! And the next quarter is Death.”
I say, “I guess that next quarter will be a favorable time for me with my name being 'Postumus' meaning 'after death'.”
Jesus laughing, &ldquo I guess so!”
Joseph says, “You are welcome to visit us whenever you have the time as we will be here for quite a while and all can attend our Sabbath service of 'The Way'.”
I answer, “Thank you, perhaps I will. How is it that Herod Antipas has a house on Tiber Island?”
Joseph answers, “In 3 BC when Herod Antipas came to Rome, my father Heli had advocated for him to Augustus that he should rule in favor of Herod's will that gave Antipas all of Judea. However, after his step-brother Archelaus came, and fell down before Caesar's knees”War 2.2.7, Augustus accepted Archelaus' will but modified it to create tetrarchies. At least, this did give Antipas the tetrarchy of Galilee and Perea. He was only 20 years old at the time and Heli helped him to purchase a home on Tiber Island so that he could attend school in Rome.
Looking up at the sun, I hurriedly reply, “I must be off. Cannot keep Augustus waiting, but I would like to talk to you more about 'The Way'. I will tell my older sister Julilla to get in touch with you as she has often wondered what the interest was in this new religion. Farewell for now.”
Meanwhile, the Zealots suffered a setback when Judas the Galilean was killed. Theudas aligned himself with Archelaus and turned Qumran into a fort for the remaining Zealots. Judas the Galilean was the author of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy who agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kinds of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man lord.Ant 18.1.6 The other three sects are Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Given that Romans ate pigs, when the Zealots took on their methods of war they were reduced to swine.
Theudas began to see the evil of his ways and was anxious to return again to 'The Way' but he did not know if he could be forgiven.
The hired servants are proselytes. Theudas returns, confesses his sins and is forgiven by Father Heli-Jacob and restored as a deacon with his excommunication (death) removed. Meanwhile, Herod Archelaus who became Ethnarch of Judea on the death of his father Herod the Great was removed by Augustus after a delegation was sent to Rome. ('The fatted calf was killed') and Judea became a Roman Provence. Making 'merry' shows the practices of the Therapeuts of 'The Way' who incorporate dancing and singing in their services.
Joseph was angry when he saw his brother forgiven after all his hard work in advancing 'The Way', but he had a lesson to learn also because 'forgiveness' is what Jesus teaches.
| Hierarchy of 'The Way' Lk 14:16-18; 21-24 |
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| "A man once gave a GREAT BANQUET, and invited many (the strict Essenes: classed 0-9). At the time for the banquet, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in
For I tell you, none of those men (the strict Essenes) who were invited shall taste my banquet." |
A month later after Postumus met Joseph on the Tiber Island bridge, his sister Julia the Younger with her husband Lucius Aemilius Paullus and their daughter Aemilia Lepida went to visit Joseph and Mary at Antipas' house on Tiber Island. Antipas, having returned to his kingdom of Perea, was graciously letting them stay at his house.
They were met by Joseph and Mary who welcomed them into the reception room where all sorts of risque paintings of satyrs and nymphs were hung. Apparently, these paintings were the rage in the times of the poets Horace and Ovid.
Lucius Paullus staring at the paintings remarks, “Now, this is a humorous setting for 'The Way' !
Joseph smiles and replies, “It is the inner self that matters, is it not.”
Mary sets out wine goblets, saying, “I apologize for not offering wine for we are only allowed unfermented grape juice.”
Julia answers, “Yes that would be fine. My grandmother Scribonia would only serve us grape juice as she believed that it was the overindulgence of wine that led to my mother Julia the Elder's downfall resulting in her exile to Pandateria island.”
Lucius Paullus adds, “In fact did not Augustus forbid her wine on that island.”
Julia answers, “Yes.”
Mary says,“How are you managing without your mother?”
Julia answers, “Almost worse is the malicious gossip.”
Jesus age seven and Aemilia age five are playing together.
Joseph, speaking to Lucius Paullus, “I am confused by the fact that, in addition to being Julia the Younger's husband, you are her brother-in-law.”
Lucius Paullus answers, “Yes, I know the generations are almost incestuous here in Rome. It is from the elder daughter of Scribonia that I am also the brother-in-law. I recently served as consul with Julia's brother Gaius.”
Joseph smiles, “Our generations are just as complicated because as a descendent of King David, I am actually descended from his son Nathan, but many try to prove it was from his son Solomon. Thus my resulting father is either Heli or Jacob, but they are the same person since Heli is the Jacob of the Western faction of the Church.”
Mary interjects, “Even now the Western Church and the Eastern Church cannot decide if my son Jesus or James is the next head of the Church. My husband can explain this to you.” She looks at Joseph with an annoyed look as he looks down as Mary walks away to nurse James.
Julia gets up and joins Mary and says “I thought I heard that Joseph tried to put you away.”
Mary's eyes tear up as she replies, "It was not that I was unfaithful but from his embarrassment that I conceived early because he did not wait six months.”
Lucius Paullus says, “Jesus is the firstborn so it should be him obviously.”
Joseph answers Lucius, “That is a long story. It depends on the High Priest and whether they enforce the strict Essene rules that require a six-month engagement. For Jesus, this did not happen, but for James it did. Most amazing, given their taboos on sex for their followers, their exception for a dynast is to give their wives a three- year trial (to become pregnant); then, if during this time, they have by three times been pure that is three absences of menstruation (impurity in Jewish thought) and thus given proof of fecundity (having a pregnancy free from miscarriage), they marryWar 2.8.”
Mary and Julia return and there is an uneasy silence.
Then Julia says, “Sorry that we have brought up bad feelings between you both, but I thought the 'The Way' was more flexible?”
Joseph answers, “You are right: 'The Way' is not bound by strict Essene rules. It accepts many sects such as Therapeuts, Nazarites, Gentiles, and Jews, but for the heir of the David line, the strict Essene rules have to apply.”
Then Joseph proceeds to give a long answer to hide his embarrassment, “The name of 'The Way' came about because the Essenes had built a synagogue inside Jerusalem next to the Essene Gate and they, being very factitious, would require their members to use the latrine outside the wall in the Hinnom Valley at 4 am and 4 pm. As they walked on the road to the latrine if they met non-Jews, they would persuade them to become Jewish proselytes. If they requested membership, they would undergo a ritual washing and would be allowed to attend their school and meal room inside the walls. After a time, they would be given the chance to graduate to the next level with further education.”
Lucius and Julia look at each other with confused expressions on their faces until Lucius breaks the silence and says, smiling, “If 'The Way' came about because of a latrine, one would think that the major requirement for spiritual practice would be a strong bladder.”
Mary smiles and says, “As you can see my husband is very literal. These latrine rules are for the higher levels of the Essenes, but 'The Way' is at a lower level. All are given the chance to ascend higher, but the rules are also stricter.”
Lucius Paullus says, “Excuse my humor for as a priest of the Arval Brethren, I understand the personal commitment to a spiritual group. Mine is known as 'Brothers of the Fields', having descended from the Sabine priesthood which began with Romulus, the first king of Rome. Augustus revived this brotherhood and actively supports it.”
Joseph says, “Yes, I would imagine that the Arval Brethren share similar principles to 'The Way'.”
“It would be similar”, says Lucius Paullus, “since we value a return to nature to fill the void in our inner lives that has been eroded by the gods who seem to carry on like a bunch of adolescents with little conscience. The huge pantheon of Roman gods with some recycled Greek ones are used to justify all sorts of atrocities. However, I must be careful not to ridicule them because Augustus now believes himself to be a god. It is Dea Dia, the goddess Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, that we venerate.”
Mary says, “We have a similar metaphor for our mission of sowing the seeds likened to the Word of God to create a full harvest that can fill the churches with devoted followers.”
Joseph adds, “'The Way' offers a God that is different from the vindictive Zeus or even the angry Jewish Jehovah. Members of 'The Way' practice compassion towards others according to Hillel's teaching that 'one must treat each other as you would treat yourself'.”
Julia nods her head in agreement, saying “That is certainly what the world needs in these times.” Looking over to her husband, “What do you think Lucius, we could offer the followers of the 'The Way' the basement of our mansion in Herculaneum in Campania as a church. The walls are not covered with sexualized images as it is here. They are certainly worthy of encouragement and we have enough room in our mansion.”
Lucius Paullus says, “I am not sure how Augustus would react to this. He is certainly not against Jews, but I imagine he assumes that all Jewish males are circumcised. Where do you stand on that issue? It sounds like you do not have that requirement. He might not have the same attitude towards 'The Way' if it allows Gentiles, thus he might consider your church as treasonous.”
Joseph answers, “There is no requirement at the lowest level, but advancement to a higher level would require circumcision according to the current rules.”
Julia says, “Personally, I do not care what my grandfather thinks.”
“Hush Julia, says Lucius, you could end up like your mother!”
Julia, ignoring him, says, “It sounds like women would have an easier chance of advancement since they are not circumcised.”
Mary laughs and says, “That is a shrewd observation, but, because of its Jewish roots, men still can reach a higher level in 'The Way' than females. Hopefully, this will change in the future. In my higher status of David Queen, I am required to retain my virginity for three years after the birth of a female child and six years after the birth of a male child. The justification for three or six is that a woman is only half a man. This is why James is six years older than Jesus. Women are also less valuable.”
Julia says, “Oh, I do not like the idea of being worth half a man or the virginity part. Considering that women are the ones who suffer through pregnancy and birth, it is men who should be worth half.”
Mary says, “Good point, Julia, but there is equality of the sexes for Gentile men because by not being circumcised, they are equal to women. Marriage and sex are also so allowed depending on the level you want to graduate to.
Joseph says, “Please, do not get caught up with these rules. My father Jacob-Heli is already working to make them more flexible. All these issues of circumcision and virginity will be resolved in time. The main purpose is for all followers to express love to each other and the less fortunate. I hope we can prove worthy of your support. ”
“Certainly!”, Julia and Lucius Paullus reply in unison.
Mary says, “Praise be to God. The first Church of 'The Way' in Rome!”
Joseph says, “If you would like to be baptized, you must fast for one day, then tomorrow we can go to the Tiber River and baptize you.”
Lucius Paullus says, “I think I must pass up on that for now as it might not be allowed by the Sabines.”
Julia says, “I would like to be baptized. I will begin my fast now.”
Two days later, after Julia's baptism, Lucius Paullus and Julia with their daughter in one chariot and Joseph and Mary with Jesus and James in another traveled to their mansion in Herculaneum.
Upon arrival, they were shown the expansive underground area that was hidden from prying neighbors. There was also a pool and a fountain next to the steps that led downstairs which would serve for the baptism process.
“This is amazing!” says Mary, “Your home is beautiful.”
“Much more impressive than my grandfather's palace,” says Julia, “I still do not know why Augustus' own palace is not more lavish if only to impress others, but his tastes are disappointingly austere.”
To the surprise of Julia and Lucius, their cloaked underground church began to accrue followers. It attracted many who found the worship of the renamed Greek gods that mirrored all the human failings to be inadequate. Although the ethical system of the Jews was enticing to many, the issue of circumcision was a stopping point for males and females who were unwilling to be forced to have their hair covered by a kerchief and to be treated as insignificant. 'The Way' was a perfect solution.
Their favorite celebration was the reenactment of the escape of the Jews from bondage in Egypt by Moses and his writing of the Ten Commandments. By the year 7 AD, there were some 500 followers.
Inevitably, the popularity and notoriety of their idyllic Church would eventually be their downfall as the gossiping masses would concoct the myth of a conspiracy they would call 'The Circle of Julia'. But there was something far more dangerous than this rumor, for Julia had fallen under the enchantment of Ovid and his poetry.
Having been born in 43 BC, Ovid was 49 years old in 7 AD and had been divorced twice. Julia the Younger, having been born in 19 BC, was 25 years old. Ovid's poetry books were written in elegiac couplets with erotic themes. His earliest work was "Heroides" consisting of letters of mythological heroines to their absent lovers, which was published in 19 BC. A five-book collection of the "Amores" was published in 15 BC consisting of erotic poems addressed to a lover named Corinna. His most notorious "Ars Amatoria" (Art of Love) published in 1 BC was a three-book manual about seduction and intrigue teaching men how to seduce women, how to keep a lover, and how women could seduce men. Augustus had rightfully surmised that Ovid's poetry would have a detrimental effect on society and tried to ban his poetry, but anything pornographic is impossible to ban.
One fateful evening Ovid was the honored guest and it turned out to be like a reenactment of his poem: "Dinner-Party". Whether the participants were knowingly acting out or were caught unawares, the resulting behavior would bond Julia to Ovid.
As was the Roman custom for dinner, Julia waits for her husband Lucius Paulus to lie on the couch, leaning on his left elbow. Knowing that Ovid is observing, she flaunts her beauty longer as she unfurls the coverlet to allow her breast to be seen briefly as she lies down with the back of her head at Lucius' breast. Lucius briefly puts his arm around Julia's neck to caress her, then begins to eat.
Ovid begins to lie down as the third person on the couch, appreciating the chance to have his head at her breast. Taking his time to lie on the couch, being enamored by the thought of her breast beneath her sheet, he reclines next to her. Julia, as if by accident, touches his crouch with her feet. Ovid without utterance gives expression to words with his eyebrows. As the delights of her dalliance cause her cheeks to flush like a blooming rose, Julia presses her finger lightly on her cheek opposite him.
As the meal progresses, Julia twists her ring about her finger and places her hand on the extremity of her ear to assure Ovid that her thoughts are of him. When Lucius offers her wine from his cup, Julia gently refuses. Then taking wine from her cup, she turns the cup so that Ovid can drink that part that holds her secret kiss. Ovid traces the silent words with his fingers around the wine glass. Julia encourages Lucius to take more wine until he falls asleep. Stealthily, they retire to the other room.
Having been caught in Ovid's web, Julia would become pregnant with his child that night. As her pregnancy began to show, Julia, as her mother had done with Agrippa Postumus, pretended to Lucius Paulus that it was his child that was growing in her womb! For now, all was well.
The year 6 AD would be called the Age of Wrath designating year 1 BC as the new millennium:
| Thus requiring adding 5 years to the years given such as Jesus about 30 years old Lk 3:23(30+5= age 35) or the year Mother Mary became a widow at year 18 Lk 13:10 (18+5=AD 33) |
The people were glad that Augustus had removed and exiled the ethnarch Archelaus, "the fatted calf", but the census and the taxation by the governor Cyrenius was a great indignity.
Joseph and Mary, having returned to Judea from their successful mission in Rome with their family, would be attending the Bar Mitzvah of their son Jesus at twelve years old.
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem (plural=Qumran).Lk 2:22
It is important to note that Qumran, which is located on the shore of the Dead Sea, was considered the mirror image of Jerusalem for the Essenes who had abandoned Jerusalem, so just as Bethlehem was south of Jerusalem, the Queen's House was south of Qumran.
| To the Essenes Qumran is the mirror image of Jerusalem |
|---|
 |
| Birth: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea (Queen's House in Qumran district), during the time of King Herod, the Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (plural=Qumran).Mt 2:1 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem (singular=Jerusalem) with him.Mt 2:3 |
| Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem (singular=Jerusalem) from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.Acts 1:12 Now Bethany (Ein Feshkha) was less than 15 stadia (3 hours) from Jerusalem (plural=Qumran).Jn 11:18 |
| One cannot go to Jerusalem if you are already in Jerusalem |
| Barnabas brings Paul to AntiochActs 11:25-26, prophets come from Jerusalem (plural=Qumran) to AntiochActs 11:27. The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea(Qumran).This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.Acts 11:29-30 |
| then Barnabas and Paul returned to(εις) Jerusalem (singular=Jerusalem).Acts 12:25 |
The Queen's house was primarily the place where the ceremonial donkey was kept, such as the one for Palm Sunday. His manager had been a crib for Jesus as an infant in the Gospel of Matthew, but now would be converted to a small stage for his Bar Mitzvah.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered (to send Jesus out on his own to be born into manhood at his Bar Mitzvah). And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths (loincloth) and put him at the manger (stage) because there was 'no room for them in the inn'.Lk 2:6-7 The 'no room at the inn' was due to Joseph's actions of having skipped the required six-month betrothal with Mary that made Jesus technically illegitimate and would prevent his Bar Mitzvah from being held at Qumran (the inn) and thus would have to be held at the Queen's house instead.
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael (Ananus, the High Priest) and his angels (Sadducees) fought against the dragon (High Priest Boethus) and the dragon and his angels (Pharisees) fought back. But he (the dragon: Boethus) was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down (Ananus was elected High Priest).Rev 12:7-9
Suddenly, just as the simple ceremony of Joseph and Mary was about to begin, many dignitaries began to arrive. As more and more arrived, Joseph asked what the crowd meant.
“Don't you know?&rdquo, a shepherd said, “An amazing event happened: the governor has decreed that the High Priest Boethus is removed and the High Priest is now Ananus, a Sadducee. Your child is now legitimate!”
There were shepherds (Therapeuts who followed pastoral practices) in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night watches over their flock (nightly services), and lo, an angel of the Lord (Ananus) stood over them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.Lk 2:8-9
Then the angel (Ananus ascends the simple stage) saying to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born (into manhood) to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Lk 2:10-11
Mother Mary, the true David Queen, took Jesus' hand as they mounted the platform. It was as if a great sign appeared in heaven as the woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.Rev 12:1 Her twelve jewels were for the twelve tribes of Israel and the moon was as the thirtieth member of the Council of Thirty.
Jesus looked into her eyes and could see that Mary was still troubled as she glanced down at Joazar Boethus. The dragon Boethus was standing in front of the woman (Mary) as she was about 'to give birth' (to let go the hand of Jesus), so that it might devour her child the moment he was born (confirmed). It was traumatizing for Mary to see this person still spitting fire who once had the power over her reputation. Rev 12:4 Then, as she looked up to the new High Priest Ananus on the platform, she felt assured as he smiled at her. Joseph, next to Ananus, was staring at the floor, still ashamed. She squeezed Jesus' hand as she pushed him forward to the front of the platform. The audience is silent and in awe.
Jesus begins to explain the required lesson he had chosen, “I will explain the parable of the Sower and the Weeds: The kingdom of heaven was likened to a man sowing good seed in his field...”
After Jesus finishes the parable, Ananus moves forward and puts his hands on Jesus' shoulders, saying, “You are now 'the son of the commandment'.”
And suddenly there was with the angel (Ananus) a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, “Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace and goodwill to all.”.Lk 2:13-14
The woman (Mary) was given the two wings of a great eagle (having the female equivalent of Sariel) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time (Daniel's two and a half years), out of the serpent’s (Pharisees's) reach Rev 12:14, having just enough time to return to Mird by nightfall.
It is humorous to hear the scholars connect Luke's story with Matthew's nativity and yet they accept that Herod had been long dead, blaming Luke for the six to twelve year error! Thus, they have been unable to figure out the year that Jesus was born. Instead, they are delighted to 'spruce up' the nativity scene in Matthew that merely showed wise men bringing gifts by adding Luke's shepherds and angels and even a manager when it should be obvious that Luke is showing Jesus' Bar Mitzvah as a metaphor for the birth into manhood. This is what we should be celebrating!
This demonstrates an important illustration of the 'Pesher of Christ' that 'metaphor' is a critical component. The New Testament is not like the Quran that needs to be recited; it requires study.
With the new High Priest Ananus in charge, there was much to be rectified. One of the major damages from Herod the Great's execution of his two sons Aristobulus and Alexander was Glaphyra, who had been married to Herod's son Alexander. When Herod had killed Alexander, she returned to her father, King Archelaus of Cappadocia, then she married the King of Juba who died and then Archelaus, another son of Herod's who had inherited Herod's kingdom. Since Archelaus was a half-brother of her previous husband Alexander, it was considered a sin. (This was the same sin that John the Baptist fatally accused Herod Antipas of committing by marrying Herodias, the wife of Herod II, his half-brother Thomas, the disciple.)
In a dream Glaphyra, the daughter of Archelaus, king of Cappadocia ... saw Alexander stand by her, and say to her; "Your marriage with the king of Libya should have been sufficient for you; but you were not contented with him, but have returned again to my family, to a third husband; and him, thou impudent woman, have you chosen for your husband, who is my brother. However, I shall not overlook the injury you have offered me; I shall soon have you again, whether you want it or not." Now Glaphyra hardly survived the narration of this dream of hers for two days.War 2.1.7 (Josephus implies that she died but this was merely a metaphor for her excommunication from the Church.)
Herod had nine wives Ant 17.1.3 and many of his descendants would be prominent in 'The Way'.
| Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law |
|---|
 Glaphyra, wife of Alexander and Archelaus (2)  (3)As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon Peter and Andrew. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus (Joseph) about her. So he went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she was ministering to them.Mk 1:29-31, Mt 8:14,15, Lk 4:38,39 |
This absolution/healing actually occurred in 6 AD, but John Mark had shrewdly moved it forward to March 30 AD, the beginning of Jesus' mission. Having started his Gospel of Mark with John the Baptist in prison and Jesus collecting Peter, Andrew, James and John, John Mark needed his first major healing. Having in front of him the 'Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law', he shrewdly changed its date and embellished it to include all four disciples and changed Jesus' father Joseph to Jesus.
This healing allowed him to show that these first four disciples were not Jews but Gentiles since Peter was married. Thus, the 'house of Peter and Andrew' implies that it is the convent in Cana (southwest of Tyre) where male Gentiles were housed with the nuns (separate quarters) as all these men and women had the lowest Essene status since uncircumcised. It also shows that Glaphyra, having been absolved of the sin of marrying a brother, is now the superior of this convent: ministering to them. Mary Magdalene will stay there after her Bat-Mitzvah.
Glaphyra's connection to the Herod royalty and to Cappadocian royalty follows the tradition of the Herods being given the top positions in the spiritual hierarchy. It implies that Peter must have been a freedman of Herod's court and Andrew a freedman of her father in the Cappadocian court. This is supported by the fact that Peter's first Epistle (1 Peter) was addressed to Cappadocia and is the reason Peter and Andrew are often listed together. Their relationship has been wrongly interpreted as kinship by blood like the twins: James and John.
(2)Augustus' banishment of my mother Julia affected me greatly and I was not pleased to be now under the guidance of my stepmother Livia. With my two older brothers: Lucius dying at Massilia (Marseilles, in 2AD) and Gaius dying in Lycia (in 4AD) Augustus had to adopt me publicly along with Tiberius, his stepson, by means of a bill, a lex curiata, passed in the Forum. However, Augustus had now disowned me because of my brutish and insolent manner, and dispatch me to my home in Surrentum (Sorrento, 6AD).SuetA 20.65
Being a rebellious seventeen-year-old, I often reproached Augustus himself for not giving me the inheritance my father had left me. I would give way to violent anger and would speak ill of my stepmother Livia. Augustus accused me of possessing an illiberal nature, and spending most of my time fishing, by virtue of which I would call myself Neptune.Dio. 55.32
When Augustus could not make me moderate my conduct, he had to banish me to Planasia, the island near Corsica with my property given to the military treasury.Dio. 55.32 I was to be held under armed guard with a Senate decree specifying I was to be confined there indefinitely.SuetA 20.65 My grandfather abdicated me from his affections and gens Julii, returning me to the gens Vipsania. This was all because of me falling into reckless ways and showing an amazing depravity of attitude and intellect.Velleius Paterculus 2.112.7
So there I was not being convicted of any gross offence but devoid of worthy qualities, and having only the brute courage of physical strengthTac1.3 while Livia schemed to make her son Tiberius next in line to the throne. But little did Augustus or Livia know that I had used my few months in Surrentum to consolidate my connection with my sister Julia's Church in Herculeum. Since Joseph had ordained me as deacon before he returned to Jerusalem for Jesus' Bar Mitzvah, I performed baptisms in the Bay of Naples and trained initiates. The bay was especially conducive for baptisms as it contained many grottos that were believed to be the sacred dwellings of nymphs.
Augustus having now decreed my banishment to Planasia Island, I had an opportunity to speak at length with the ship's captain named Clemens, a freedman of the Arrecinian family. His cousin would one day become the second Pope after Peter. Since he was already a member of Julia's Church, we worked out a plan to use his voyages between Naples and the Tuscan Island of Elba to include a stop at my island of Planasia where he would drop off initiates to be baptized and trained by me.
My villa on Planasia Island had black and white mosaic floors with marine-themed mythological decorations. I enjoyed fishing as it centered my irascible nature. There were fish like great pipefishes, lobsters, and groupers in the ocean beds with water plants.
I built a pool that I used as a ritual bath for baptisms. Using the pseudonym of Neptune, I disguised the true purpose of those claiming to go fishing. I arrived at this title to emulate my supposed father Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa who had been given the title of Neptune after his sea victory at Actium against Mark Antony.
The concept of baptism in salt water was used to wash clean the sins of the Gentile initiates and was similar to John the Baptist's conversions of the Jews in the fresh water of the Jordan River which should have been Jesus, but was performed by Jonathan Annas. Jesus would refer to his disciples like Peter as 'fishers of men' who would take the initiates out on a boat and dip them in the salt water of the Dead Sea. Afterwards, Jesus would go out on the jetty and accept them into 'The Way'. The steam rising from the water in the early morning would give the illusion of 'walking on water'. The Dead Sea's extreme buoyancy would add credibility to this popular myth.
One time Peter was lifting the initiates onto the boat with a pulley system attached to a net when he asked Jesus if he could take over the task of blessing the initiates. Jesus beckoned him to approach, but Peter missed his footing and stepped into the water. Jesus reached out his hands and pulled him out. The other disciples never let him forget his rescue from drowning.Mt 14:22-31)
Agrippa's bath, the Theater, 1st cent. A.D. - Planasia Island (5)
So this is how I spent this chapter in my life, forgotten by Rome, as a deacon baptizing and instructing initiates in 'The Way'. I had by then resigned myself to never being the Emperor of Rome, which should have been my birthright, but I had a feeling that one day I would achieve greatness.
In 8AD, Augustus' trusted informants requested an audience with Augustus at his palace.
They begin by saying, “They wished to speak to you about Julia.”
Augustus answers, “Julia, Julia. Would I had never married, and childless had died.SuetA 65 Everyone wants to ask me to pardon her. Send them away!”
The informants reply, “Excuse us, but it is the younger Julia.”
Augustus says, “What trouble has the goddess Venus wrought upon me now!”
“Excuse us for bothering you, but it appears to us that Julia and her husband Lucius Aemilius Paullus are plotting against you.”
“What leads to to this conclusion?”Augustus asks, One of them replies, “At their lavish house in the country, many visitors come and go. Some are poor and some are influential. Sometimes there is singing into the night. It seems that wine is flowing in their Bacchanal revelry. The poet Ovid is there.”
Another says, “I have asked around and the people say that all this excitement has to do with something called 'The Way'”
Augustus asks, “The 'Way' to what?”
The first spy says, “It seems to be connected with the Jews from Qumran. And as Your Excellency knows there is a 'Fourth Sect' calling themselves Zealots that was started by Judas the Galilean that favors the overthrow of Rome.”
Augustus says, “That traitor is dead and I have deposed the Ethnarch Archelaus to Vienna in Gaul and installed Quirinus from Syria to take control of Judea. It sounds more likely that it is Julia acting up like her mother under the licentiousness of Ovid. It any case I need to go there. I will take my chariot tomorrow and investigate the situation.”
The second spy says, "There is also talk of treason against you which surrounds Julia the Younger called the 'Circle of Julia'."
Meanwhile, Lucius, having heard about the reaction of Augustus to this gossip, rushes to Herculaneum and arrives with his voice trembling, “Your grandfather is on the way to our mansion and I am afraid that he will discover our secret Church. Worse than that there is also talk about our involvement in treason that they are calling it the 'Circle of Julia'. The absurd assertion is that you and I with my brother-in-law Asinius Gallus have formed the design of carrying off to the armies Julia Elder and Postumus Agrippa from the islands in which they were confined.SeutA:19 to incite a rebellion against Augustus.”
Julia angrily replies, “Why I would defy my grandfather and contemplate rebellion? Of course, I long to be with my mother Julia and my brother Postumus, but that would be against my grandfather's decrees.”
Lucius replies, “Perhaps Augustus will dismiss this gossip, but it continues to expand, as now it is said that the poet Ovid, who is staying with us, has been assigned the task of retrieving Agrippa Postumus.”
Julia, laughing, says, “Perhaps they think Ovid will incarnate himself from his poem into Daedalus and Icarus brashly mixing floating feathers with the wax into a sleek feathered machineMetamorphoses: The Story of Daedalus and Icarus to fly to the island to bring my brother back!”
So they had a good laugh that allayed their fear for now, but on the next day a cohort banged on the front door of Julia's house. Augustus barges in to assess the situation and sees Ovid sitting arm and arm with Julia reciting his poem. They immediately jumped up looking guilty. When Augustus saw Julia's enlarged belly, he immediately suspected the worst.
In a rage, Augustus shouted at Ovid, “I knew your Ars Amatoria would cause ruin to the empire, but I never expected that it would taint my own Julii bloodline.”
He ransacked the house, throwing the volumes of poems to the ground, saying, “I want this house demolished. Raze it to the ground. I want Julia to be sent away to the furthest island and for her baby to be exposed to die.”
Julia pleaded with her father saying, “You are jumping to conclusions, dear father, I am not an adulteress. Lucius can attest to that.”
Lucius says, “I swear to it.”
But Augustus was having none of this as he had already gone through these issues with the adultery of his daughter.
When he returned, his wife Livia asked, “Why did you destroy Julia's lovely mansion and gardens?”
Augustus being too ashamed of what he thought was the real truth about Julia, muttered under his breath, “I have no use for grand and elaborate country houses.”SeutA:7
Livia replied, “Why must you insist that Julia must live in the simplicity of your own furnishings that are barely fit for a private citizen?”
Augustus replied, “It was supposedly a Jewish Church, but I did not see how it could be a synagogue. It was more like a library. But I am not changing my mind about exiling Julia. She is too much like her namesake. As to Ovid, I am sending him far away to the edge of the Roman Empire where he cannot taint the morals of our citizens.”
Livia, being envious of Julia's lifestyle, having overthrown the prosperity of her step-children by secret machinations, made open display of her compassion to the fallen family and would continue to send Julia money and items for her survivalTac4.71 not knowing the truth about the baby. Augustus did not think it important because the baby was supposed to be killed.
The official reason for Julia's banishment was that she had an affair with Decimus Junius Silanus, a Roman Senator, which reconciled with the 'Circle of Julia' conspiracy.
Julia the Younger was exiled to Tremiti, a small island, on the east side of the boot of Italy, where she gave birth to a female child. Although the newborn was supposed to be exposed and killed, it did not happen as the guard took pity on her. In any case, Augustus had refused to acknowledge or rear his granddaughter Julia the Younger's child, born after her banishment was imposed.SuetA:65
Julia's husband Lucius Aemilius Paulus was charged unfairly with sedition but this might have been due to his abandonment of the Arval Brotherhood while participating in 'The Way'. It does appear that he was not executed because the Arval Brotherhood still showed him as a member much later on. Decimus Junius Silanus, who was believed to be Julia's lover went into self-imposed exile.
As a consequence, Julia the Younger's exile to an island was almost like repeating history. Her mother Julia Elder, having been retrieved two years earlier, was still forced to stay in Rhegium on the mainland. Augustus did grant Julia the Elder property and yearly income, permitting her to walk about the town. Despite these concessions, Augustus never forgave her nor ever allowed the two Julias to return to Rome, leaving orders that the two Julias, his daughter and granddaughter, if anything happened to them, should not be buried in his tomb.SuetA:99 History says that Julia the Younger endured a twenty years' exileTac4.71, but this goes to show that Tiberius apparently forgot about her exile, only discovering her death in 28AD. I knew that I would have to rescue her.
As to Ovid, Augustus banished him, at 50 years of age, to the faraway Tomis on the Black Sea, in an exile that Ovid wrote: What I suffer here is beyond the worst that fate could send: war at the gates, and not a single friend.Epistulae ex Ponto (Book 2, Letter 7. Augustus did not have him convicted before the Senate because of the embarrassment that would follow if the truth were known. Ovid had kept quiet about his paternity and merely kept apologizing for his poetry but not his mistake which he does not reveal: carmen et error (a poem and a mistake)Book Tristia II:207-252, but Augustus was not listening. After he arrived in Tomis he would send his poetry collection entitled Tristia to Augustus, still begging to return to Rome. During the last three years before his death in 17 AD, Ovid may have heard of the location of his daughter, writing: My daughter was far away on the Cyrene shore, and could not be informed of my fate.Book Tristia III:1-46. This would confirm his paternity since Julia and her daughter were with me in Cyrene.
Augustus was so ashamed of his (grand)daughter's misconduct that he had the Senate informed of it by a letter, read aloud by a quaestor; refused to see anyone for a long while; and even considered having her put to death. Indeed, when a freedwoman, named Phoebe, who had been in Julia's confidence, hanged herself, at that time, he cried out: “If only I were Phoebe's father! Would I have never married, and childless had died.”SuetA:65
The rumor about the Phoebe situation was that before Julia was escorted away to Tremiti island, she secretly wrote a letter to her beloved Ovid that she entrusted to her maid Phoebe:
Having heard that Julia had written Ovid, Augustus questioned Julia's maid Phoebe about the letter to determine if Ovid was the father. Having admitted under torture of being a member of 'The Way', she refused to reveal that such a letter existed and instead hanged herself, thus becoming the first Christian martyr. Many years later, Jesus' daughter Tamar would take the name of Phoebe as her baptismal name to honor her bravery.
In the Spring of 14 AD Augustus, sensing his soon demise, began to have second thoughts about leaving his kingdom to Tiberius. The infirmities of Augustus having increased, he went abroad those few months and sailed to Planasia to visit Postumus, with the knowledge of some chosen friends, and with one companion, Paulus Fabius Maximus.Tac1.5
History supports the fact that there was a reconciliation between me and my father because after the visit Fabius Maximus claimed that many tears were shed on both sides, with expressions of affection, so that thus there was a hope of Postumus being restored to the home of his grandfather. Some suspected guilt on his wife Livia's part for it was said, Maximus had divulged this to his wife Marcia and she had foolishly repeated it to Livia. When Maximus died soon afterward, that some thought to be suicide, there were heard at his funeral wailings from Marcia, reproaching herself for having been the cause of her husband's destruction.Tac1.5
To the surprise of my stationed guards, Augustus appeared in the harbor. Having embarked, he immediately hugged me.
Being surprised after so much of his abuse, I hugged him back rather than pulling back. Thanks be to God that at twenty-four years I had abandoned my abusive mannerisms and was now following the precepts of 'The Way'. I patted him on the back, saying, “I am so glad that you have come to visit me.”
Augustus looked into my eyes intently, saying, “My dear grandson, How I wish your father Marcus were here. As my ship sailed into the harbor, I imagined that I was Marcus viewing the ships of Antony and then I saw you waving to me ... Now that I look into your eyes I see that I am definitely growing feeble as I see my once dear friend Antony in them. So, dear grandson, I am not sure why I came here.”
I say, “Your visit is joy enough.”
Augustus recalling his purpose, says, “I suppose it is because of my deteriorating health that I have begun to have deep regrets about my actions to those who should be of my blood. I needed to escape Livia's control constantly promoting her lazy son Tiberius.”
Finding it hard to hold back my tears, I say, “Grandfather, I have longed to hear you say this. Please sit with me and have some wine and broiled fish. The grapes on this island are very flavorful and the fish are the best in the world.”
Augustus, turning to the gentleman beside him, says, “This is my friend and companion, Paullus Fabius Maximus.”
I hold back my surprise because I had met him before and knew he was a benefactor of Ovid.
Augustus says to Paullus, “Would you help the servant get us two glasses of wine so as to let my grandson and I sit in private.”
Helping grandfather to be seated, I say, “I will be right back after I show Paullus the serving area.”
As soon as they are out of hearing, I say to Paullus, "Tell me how my sister Julia is doing on the island Tremiti.
Paullus replies, “She is all right considering ... then in a whisper, but she is glad to be comforted by her child daughter whom Augustus thinks was killed at birth.”
Then I ask, “And how is Ovid doing in his exile?”
Paullus replies, “He is still begging me to intercede with Augustus and blaming a poem for his error.”
I answer, “Typical of a poet to blame a poem for his mistakes putting the blame is on the muse that wrote it.”
Paullus replies, “Sadly, that is too true.”
I answer, “His poetry is masterful but some of it has impassioned too many women to cheat on their husbands that even exile is not enough of a punishment.”
Paullus says, “It appears that the sexual passions that he enflamed were his inspiration and now in exile, his poetry has gone downhill. He wastes a good part of his Ex Ponto collection of poems directly entreating me to persuade Augustus to grant his return.”
Returning back to my grandfather with the wine, I find him in tears.
“Grandfather, are you not well?”
Augustus replies, “That may be true, but sitting here now on your island of exile fills me with great sorrow and regret for exiling you.”
Augustus begins to pour his heart out, “What did I do so wrong to make my daughter Julia disrespect me? After all, I married her to Marcellus when she was fourteen. They were perfectly matched in age and being the son of my sister Octavia, their offspring would be the right match to follow me as Emperor. Julia was angry that I did not return from Spain for her wedding, but I was too ill. Then, when he died, I had no choice but to turn to my old friend Marcus Agrippa to replace him and to convince him to divorce his wife and marry Julia. He was nearly twenty-five years older and I knew that Julia had many suitors, but the succession of the Empire was more important. Fate had different ideas because Gaius and Lucius died. It was then that I made the worst mistake of forcing your mother to marry Tiberius. It seemed like a logical way to create a son who could take over from Tiberius, but I did not take her feelings into consideration. She never forgave me and by her actions she openly mocked me. She gave me no choice, but to exile her.”
I reply, “Perhaps you should not have placed all the blame on my mother. Tiberius' perversions are already well known.”
Augustus replies, “I could not have her eroding the family values that I had tried to promote. I had decreed that marriage needed to be sacred, at least for the wife as family name and descent would become meaningless. Punishment for an adulterous wife was to be banishment even to a deserted island and an adulterous husband was to be executed since it was deemed to be sedition to the state.”
Even after I let her return to the mainland at Rhegium, five years later, I am still afraid that she has not learned her lesson. So I have kept her under guard for her own good.”
Postumus says, “And then, alas, you were faced with a similar situation with my sister Julia.”
Augustus says, “Yes, and it was even worse. Having banned Ovid's poetry because it was advocating sexually depraved acts, clearly, my daughter and granddaughter were being influenced by him. When I arrived at her house they were next to each other and seeing that she was pregnant I assumed the worst. The public would not have condoned Ovid's execution, so I exiled him far away from Rome.”
I question, “If Julia's child was truly from her husband, I cannot understand your reason for destroying Julia's mansion. Was it that you discovered that Julia's basement was being used as the Church of 'The Way'”.
Augustus looks confused, “Do you mean those Jews that Herod Antipas entertains?”
I say, “Yes, the Church of 'The Way' actually accepts Herod Antipas as their nominal leader.”
Augustus gets up, saying angrily, “Sounds like I should have him executed for sedition.”
Postumus says, “Please sit down. Do not jump to conclusions. 'The Way' is non-violent. It advocates love for our fellow men and women. It does not advocate the overthrow of governments.”
Augustus sits, calming down, and says, “I do remember the peaceful and exuberant energy that our family had in constructing the 'Ara Pacis' in 13 BC. Our families were united then. It was supposed to be Pax Romana; but, clearly, many still thought of the Romans as conquerors and continued to fight us.”
I say, “So you see it is similar to 'The Way'. It creates a peaceful energy that comes from the love within us all.”
Augustus,says “Actually, I can remember Iullus Antonius' passion for the building of 'Ara Pacis'. He could not stop saying how indebted he was to me for pardoning him even though he was the son of Antony who turned against me. He believed that acts of love from all people would be the hope for peace in the world. Except that in the end, he betrayed me with his sexual dalliance with your mother.”
I smile, “Yet you must realize by now that your obsession with trying to control Julia for your succession has backfired with Tiberius. Julia once told me she wished she could have married Iullus.”
Augustus, laughs and says, “That would make her son Antonius Caesar instead of that weakling child Tiberillus with Tiberius. That would wake up Caesar's ghost or rather the ghost of Antony! ”
I blatantly hint at the truth, saying, “Perhaps, there could have been another similar scenario: Agrippa Postumus Antonius.”
Augustus stares at Postumus in confusion, then exclaims, “Wait a minute are you implying that Julia tricked me?” He stares into Postumus' eyes. “Perhaps, I do see a resemblance between you and Iullus. No, it cannot be. Has Mark Antony defeated me after all? ”
I reply, “There is a saying in the Church that 'God works in mysterious ways' but you should not burden yourself with that thought. I can assure you that I am Postumus and your blood flows in my veins, not like your son-in-law Tiberius.“
Augustus says, You have touched on the reason I have come here. I am concerned that I will not be able to prevent Livia from making Tiberius the emperor even if I try to rewrite my will. However, I think it would be for the good of Rome for you to be the emperor rather than him. He will most likely die of some sexual disease. Thus, I mostly have come to apologize, but most of all to counsel you to escape from here because Tiberius will most certainly murder you.”
Postumus replies, “Thank you, grandfather, for having such regard for me after I have been a brat. Your advice is well taken for I am sure that Tiberius already wishes that my brother-in-law Germanicus would die. Your rulership should at least be left to your granddaughter Agrippina's children.”
Augustus says, “If you do escape and return to take the throne, remember: there will never be another Augustus.”
I laugh and shout “Hail Augustus!”
On the next day, having reconciled, Augustus and I gave each other tearful goodbyes.
As Augustus hugs Postumus, he whispers to me, “Now, remember what I told you: if you hear of my demise, you better disappear... Wait, I almost forgot. I have brought you my signet ring with the sphinx on it that I once gave to your father when I was ill with no hope of recovery.Dio 53.30.2 He puts it on Postumus' finger. “This will prove my true intention for you to be my heir.”
As soon as Augustus returned home, it was certainly suspicious that Livia immediately summoned her son Tiberius home just as he was entering Illyria by an urgent letter. It has not been thoroughly ascertained whether on arriving at the city of Nola that Tiberius found Augustus still breathing or quite lifeless.Tac1.5 In her fear, Livia must have smeared some figs while they were still on trees, that Augustus was accustomed to picking by hand. Having eaten the good ones, she offered the poisoned ones to him.Dio 56.30
Livia had surrounded the house and its approaches with a strict watch, and favorable bulletins were published from time to time, till, provision having been made for the demands of the crisis. Finally, one report told that Augustus was dead and that Tiberius Nero was master of the State.Tac1.5
Tiberius, feigning reluctance, accepts the emperorship and pretends to know nothing about my rumored death. Despite of not even holding an investigation, history remains convinced that I was murdered.
After the death of Augustus, Germanicus, the husband of my younger sister Agrippina, as proconsul of Germania, commanded eight legions against the Germanic tribes in his campaigns from AD 14 to 16 gaining his honorary title. A year later while Germanicus was serving as governor and general in Gaul in 15 AD, Agrippina would dress her son in a little soldier's outfit complete with boots thus to be known as 'Little Boots'. Caligula would become emperor after Tiberius since his father Germanicus had been fatally poisoned by Piso almost certainly at Tiberius' request with Piso murdered before he could testify.
After Augustus' warning earlier in the year of 14 AD, I made sure that Clemens kept his ship at the nearby Elba Island, to be ready to help me escape from Planasia Island. Clemens was now ordained as my faithful servant in 'The Way'.
Upon the death of Augustus on August 19 AD 14, Tiberius gave to Gaius Sallustius Crispus, a partner in the imperial secrets, a written order to murder Postumus.Tac1.6 This presented to Gaius an internal dilemma. Being the great-nephew of the famous historian Sallust who had instilled in him the awareness that in the political world instead of modesty, temperance, and integrity, there prevailed shamelessness, corruption, and rapacity.Bellum Catilinae. 9, Gaius was reluctant to carry out this order. Realizing that he had no choice, with the risks equally great whether he spoke the truth or liedTac1.6, he immediately embarked on a ship to Planasia Island.
With his ship docking at Elba. Clemens immediately greeted him and invited him to board his ship for a glass of wine. Learning from him of Augustus' death, Clemens got up and quietly spoke to his crew to load provisions on board and prepare to sail.
Gaius appeared to be quite shaken and, after a while, he revealed that he was loath to deliver certain secret instructions from Tiberius. Clemens, guessing what these were, said to him, “I must reveal to you that I am a friend of Postumus and I will not let you deliver these instructions that I believe are to have him murdered. This means that you will have two choices either to stay here for three days and tell Tiberius you have carried this out or I will imprison you below deck.”
Gaius, turning pale but surprisingly relieved, replies, “You have saved me from a guilty conscience.” Gaius, having agreed to wait three days, returns home. He tells Tiberius the story that, although Postumus was off his guard and without weapons, he was dispatched with difficulty by a resolute centurion. Also, fearing that the charge might be fastened on himself, Gaius advised Livia not to publish the mysteries of the palace and not weaken the powers of the throne by referring these things to the senate.Tac1.6
Clemens arrives at Planasia and we easily overpower the two sleepy centurions with our superior strength. With my old identity now dead, I could anonymously leave my island of exile and accomplish the two stops that I had planned to rescue my two Julias, my mother and sister, and then sail south to Cyrene across the Mediterranean.
My mother Julia the Elder was confined to Rhegium so I sailed south to Italy's boot that looks like it is kicking Sicily. The guards, not having heard yet of my supposed death, were easily bribed.
At first, my mother did not recognize me since I was dressed in a priestly vestment around my head and body, but when I said “Mother”, she burst into tears, saying, “Postumus, it is you! I thought for sure that Tiberius would have murdered you as soon as Tiberius returned and Augustus was poisoned.”
As we hug each other, I say, “It has been too long a time to not see you. Surely Tiberius must be gloating at the thought that I am dead, but here I am the 'posthumus' Postumus.”
My mother laughs and says, “That you are! But how will you avoid discovery?”
I reply, “I will be known as 'Simon, the son of Antonius and Rachel'.”
Julia thinks for a while, then says, “That is a good idea not to try to contest Tiberius' succession. I am sure that my sadistic, absent ex-husband Tiberius would hunt you down if he knew you were not dead.” She laughs. “There's that 'posthumus' thing again. It did work wonders before! I still cannot believe that you are alive!”
I smile, saying, “Good does triumph over evil, sometimes. How do you like my new disguise and name?”
Julia says, “Yes, it would fool others and yet reveal your true father for the first time which I am pleased about.”
Julia tears up. “Oh, my dear Iullus. I am so sad that he had to commit suicide to protect me and you.... But why am I now to be Rachel?”
| Genealogy of Jesus | |
|---|---|
| David son of Nathan (2 Sam.5.14)Lk 3:23-38 | David son of Solomon(king line) Mt 1:7-17 |
| (And Jesus himself) being, as was supposed, son of Joseph, which is the son of Heli.Lk 3:23b ('supposed son' resolved by Simeon the Essene in Lk 1:35 with Joseph = Holy Spirit) | And 'Jacob' begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who was called the Christ.Mt 1:16 |
I answer, “Jesus' grandfather Heli who founded the Church of 'The Way' took the name of the famous progenitor Jacob as the leader of the western provinces of the Church. Thus, 'Jacob' appears in the constructed genealogy of Jesus from Solomon in Matthew. Of course, Jacob's favorite wife and most beloved was Rachel; thus Antonius is to Jacob as you are to Rachel.”
“As to my name: Jacob's favored son was Joseph but his first wife Leah named his second son Simon: The Lord has heard that I am unloved Gen 29:33. This seemed to fit me, but also my hope of becoming Jacob-Heli's second in command alongside his son Joseph.”
“Obviously, if I said 'son of Julia', it would expose our secret. The whole world knows about the great Julia.”
I continue, “Remember when you told me your husband Agrippa having twice sailed with Herod the Great being himself of a good disposition, and of great generosity at the inclination of the king was himself ready to do good and make reconciliation between the people of Ilium (Troy)Ant16.2.2”
Julia's memory lights up as she says, “Yes, I remember how I arrived by night at Ilium, the river Scamander was in full spate with torrents of flood-water, and I was in danger of being swept away while crossing it, along with the servants who were escorting me. The inhabitants of Ilium did not notice this, and Agrippa was so angry because they did not help me, that he fined them the huge sum of 100,000 pieces of silver.Niccalaus of Damascus:fragment 134
I say, “They certainly remember you! Also, there is already a city which Herod Philip named Julias which was Bethsaida, situated at the lake of Gennesareth.Ant 18.2,1 Your name is in the major cities of Athens and Ephesus.”
Julia laughs and says, “Almost as famous as Cleopatra.”
I say, “That is true, certainly, more courageous because you did not put up with Tiberius' poisonous nature. More importantly, as the only daughter of Augustus, your progeny may yet become the Julian empire as Rachel's son Joseph defined the tribes of Israel.”
Julia says, “You are right. I did not make it easy for my mother-in-law Livia to achieve her goal of succession to that monster. Perhaps, I did desert Iullus as Cleopatra did to your grandfather Mark Antony at Actium; but worse, by my actions, I was forced to desert you, my favorite son.”
Consoling her, I say, “You did not desert me; you stood by me by never revealing my true father. Iullus died a hero's death like his father by his own blade.”
Tears flow from Julia's eyes, saying, “My poor dear Iullus.”
I hug her again, saying, “But you still have me; Tiberius did not assassinate me and I will remain a thorn in his side as he will never know for sure.”
Julia cheers up, saying, “Yes, you are my true joy: to see you alive this day!”
I say, “But, you must come with me. I will be rescuing my sister Julia next.”
Julia, shaking her head, “No, I am too old and frail to make the journey. It is better that I die here and let the secret of your father remain unrevealed. But, I do hope you can rescue my daughter Julia. From experience, it was not pleasant to be exiled on a remote island.”
Then Julia turns and calls out, “Mother, come and see. It is your grandson!”
Grandmother Scribonia walks with her cane as fast as she can toward them, saying, “Postumus, you are alive! Tell me, it is rumored that my late husband Augustus made you Emperor, is that true?”
I answer, “Livia's poisoned dates prevented that, but his advice to me to escape quickly upon his death saved me.”
Scribonia says, “Poor Augustus, what a horrible legacy to let his empire be destroyed by a shrewish wife ... but he does deserve it! You should have become the true Emperor of Rome!”
Julia says, “Livia was fated to not have a child with Augustus and now his son-in-law rules the Roman Empire. Tiberius will never be of the caliber of Julius Caesar or Mark Antony or Augustus.”
Julia says, “There is still hope that Germanicus as husband to my daughter Agrippina will be hailed as emperor one day or their son Caligula now two years old wearing his little army boots.”
Scribonia says, “Yes, but do not count out Postumus. He may yet return in triumph!”
Julia says, “No, Mother, I think Postumus is best to start a new life with his new identity as 'Simon' to strive for the spiritual leadership of 'The Way' than to take the dangerous path of materialistic leadership.”
Scribonia looks at me and says, “Why the name Simon?”
I answer, “I told Mother, that Simon was the second son of Jacob, but also to emulate Simeon, the Essene angel, who answered Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.Lk 1:35 He had the second highest position in the Essene Hierarchy of 'The Way' with Joseph the third as 'Holy Spirit' and I want to strive for this.”
I elaborate, “You see, during my exile on Planasia Island, Augustus thought I was just fishing, but instead, as a deacon, I was baptizing new proselytes to enter 'The Way'. I did this in conjunction with Julia the Younger's Church that Augustus demolished.
Scribonia nods knowingly, “I thought there was more to it than her affair with Ovid.”
I add, "She was doing great work proselyting for 'The Way' proclaiming that there is a resurrection and a heaven for those who express love for their fellow men and women.”
Scribonia says, “Such a religion sounds as if it is needed in these times. If the God of this religion will keep my daughter and my grandson safe, then I will pray to him.”
Julia says, “Perhaps, you should baptize us into 'The Way' in case this heaven is real!”
Scribonia adds, “Yes, indeed! I will soon be knocking on heaven's door so it would be a good idea to wash away my sins.”
I say, “Surely, it is better to find a place in heaven before death overtakes us. So, if you want to, you must fast, and tomorrow in a sheltered spot by the sea, I will pour water over your heads.”
The next morning I baptize them saying, “You are now washed clean from your sins.”
Clemens, the captain of my ship, “Calls out, I see another ship on the horizon. We should leave now!”
Julia says, “Promise me that you will free my dear daughter Julilla and her daughter if she is still alive and kiss her for me.”
I say, “I will, of course! She will be my Helen of Troy and, perhaps her daughter will marry Jesus, the son of Mary, to continue the David line.”
Julia says, “I know you will succeed. You were born to greatness!”
I hug my mother and grandmother, collect my sword and shield, and say, “May we meet each other in Heaven.”
As I enter my ship, they call out, “Farewell, Simon.”
(2)As we sailed from the boot of Italy towards the Tremiti islands, Clemens and I were busy devising the plan to rescue my sister Julilla.
We discussed the fact that Julia's stone prison was extremely difficult to gain entry into as it was up a steep incline and built like a castle. We knew that we could easily overpower the guards but to do so we needed a ruse to get inside. It was then that Clemens came up with the idea of switching our identities and for him to return to Rome as me.
I was hesitant about the idea because it would put Clemens in extreme danger.
However, we could not resist the chance of driving Tiberius crazy, searching frantically, not knowing if Postumus was dead or alive and dreading the thought that he could be deposed, convicted, and executed.
It was then that Clemens reveals his life story, saying, “I would not fear the loss of my life for such an important cause against the evils of Rome because I am the grandson of the famous gladiator Spartacus.”
Being stunned by this revelation, I say, “No wonder your size and strength are so great! All you told me was that you were a freedman of Marcus Areccinus Clemens and Plautilla.”
Clemens says, “Yes, but I did not also tell you that Plautilla's mother Terulla the Younger was the daughter of Marcus Licinius Crassus (c. 115-53 BC) and Tertulla Elder.”
Intrigued, I ask, “Is this the Crassus who was part of the First Triumvirate with Julius Caesar and Pompey that challenged the power of the Senate?”
Clemens similes and asks, “Did you know how Crassus made his fortune? It was by defeating the slave revolt of Spartacus. On the field of battle where Spartacus lay dying, he asks Crassus to save his son. Crassus honored his wishes and I, as a servant of Terulla, was later made a freedman, taking the name family name of Clemens. So now I look forward to fighting, as my father did, against the injustices of Rome.”
I say, “That is an amazing story. I am lucky we never got into a fight. All right then, now that you have convinced me of your resolve, I must promote you to a deacon of 'The Way'. Kneel now.”
As I put my hands on his shoulder, I consecrate him and take the signet ring that Augustus gave me and put it on Clemens' finger, saying, “You are now the true heir of Augustus. Hail the son of Spartacus!”
Having sailed around the spur of Italy’s boot, we entered between the larger San Domino island of the Tremiti Islands and anchored next to the only beach entrance on San Nicola island and the two of us rowed to shore.
As we walk up the steep incline to the fortification, we are met by two guards with their swords drawn. The guard says, “What is your business? We do not allow strangers on this island.”
(5)Clemens says, “I am Postumus, the new emperor. I am here to pardon Julia the Younger and return her to the mainland.”
The guards “You cannot be him as we heard that Postumus was killed by the tribune of Tiberius. We will escort you to the entrance and you will need to speak to the centurion.”
Inside the domed stone structure, there is a cistern.
The guard calls out, “There are two visitors and one claims to be Postumus, the new emperor. ”
The centurion arrives and so does Julia, immediately hiding her astonishment but remaining silent, understanding the ruse.
“The centurion says, "What proof do you have of such an outrageous claim? Obviously, you are an impostor!”
Clemens holds out his hand, saying, “Be careful who you accuse. Perhaps it would be better for you to kiss my signet ring and express your loyalty to me.” The centurion comes forward and looks at it and immediately recognizes it as that of Augustus. He kneels down and kisses it, saying “Excuse my doubt, great Emperor.”
Clemens says, “As I told the guards, I am here to pardon Julia and return her to the mainland.” Before the centurion could object, Julia goes inside and fetches her daughter and comes over to me.
The centurion says, “No, no, although I might allow you to take Julia, I cannot let you take the daughter. We have a signed decree from Augustus specifically stating that her child was to be exposed and killed. Out of compassion, we let her live, but we cannot let the child off the island.”
Clemens, feigning anger, says, “I am now rescinding this order!”
With the centurion stunned with confusion, I take the opportunity to leave with Julia and her daughter and proceed down the inclined path. Clemens thanks the centurion for his compliance and follows us.
At the beach I am helping Julia and her daughter into the rowboat when the centurion coming to his senses, ran down onto the beach, shouting, “Your actions have raised my suspicions that you are not the true Emperor. I command you to stop!”
The two guards ran to stop me.
Clemens grabs the centurion and puts a knife to his throat, saying, “Then we have a problem!”
I draw my sword against the other two soldiers saying, “Lie on the ground if you want to live.” They comply.
Then I get into the rowboat and help Julia and her daughter to board the ship, instructing the crew to raise the sail.
I call out, “Farewell, dear friend.”
Clemens who is still holding the knife to the captain's neck, calls out “God speed!”
With the ship now safely away, Clemens takes the knife away and steps back, saying, “Clearly, there is no purpose to this struggle now. When the supply ship comes, we can all return to the mainland. I suggest that you keep quiet about this affair. It would be dangerous for you to take sides as the Senate could yet ratify me or Tiberius. To reassure you that you will not be in trouble, I will reward you for your silence.”
The centurion says, “I swear on my mother's life, I will keep the secret.”
The two soldiers get up and promise the same.
On the ship, Julia hugs me, saying, “I always prayed that you would come. And here you are, my precious brother. And how is Mother?”
I say, “She is doing all right now that she is off Pandateria and grandmother is fine also.”
Julia's eyes become sorrowful as she says, “Mother's island was paradise compared to this prison. There were times when I found it unbearable and would go down to my favorite grotto and scream.”
Consoling her I say, “Dearest Julilla, the screaming is probably how you kept your sanity.”
Julia adds, “Good riddance to that place.”
Looking down at her daughter, I say, “I am your Uncle Simon. So what is your name?” She says timidly, “Mary.”
I say, “That is a wonderful name. You are named after the mother of Jesus!”
“Who is Jesus?” she asks. Answering, I say, “I will introduce you one day. You will find him to be a gentile soul.”
“How old are you?”, I ask.
Mary answers, “I am six.”
I say to Julia, “I believe Jesus is twenty so at his marrying age of thirty-six by Essene rules, Mary will be twenty-two. That is a perfect match.”
Julia laughs, “Already a matchmaker. I was thirteen when I was married. Those Essene rules will at least give her a chance to grow her individuality. Tell me who do you think she looks like?”
I say, “Her nose might be a little large, but she has beautiful eyes. Are you sure that Ovid is the father”
Julia whispers in his ear, “Yes!”
Surprisingly, I was dumbfounded. I believed it to be true but Ovid seemed to be denying it. Now her confession confirmed the truth. Amazed at my sister's foolhardiness, I said, “Augustus seems not to have absorbed the real truth or else blocked it out because it was too painful and, instead, vented his anger at your mansion. Did Lucius Paullus know the truth?”
Julia says, “I feel so guilty about it. He was true to me and maintained to Augustus that it was his child, but Augustus accused him of sedition anyway perhaps because of his involvement in my Church and I believe he was executed. That word sedition is overused.”
“That is a sad story and all the more reason to change our names. I do not know if you gathered that Clemens now has my identity.
Julia nods, saying, “That was awfully brave of him as it will certainly be his death sentence.”
“He thinks it is worth it to give Tiberius a scare. So, I have chosen the name "Simon" and I am hoping you could be like Helen of Troy whose beauty launched a thousand ships.”
Julia laughs and says, “I only see one ship here.”
I explain, “I have this theory that Helen of Troy had the essence of Sophia, the goddess who came down to earth and is the feminine principle of the Word God.”
Julia says, “Yes, brother, always, the philosopher! I could be your Helena. After all, I have already been Ovid's muse. I hope this Sophia is not like Venus as I have decided to remain chaste from now on.”
I reply, “Good, you will fit in with those overly strict Essene rules.”
I pick Mary up and place her on the prow of this ship, saying, “Would you like to call your mother Helena, the Queen of Troy? That would make you a princess.”
Mary answers, “Yes.”
Helena says, “So, where do we go now, Simon?”
I answer, “To Cyrene!”
Then Helena stares off into the distance in thought, then says, “Do you think we could rescue Ovid?”
I answer, “He is far off to the east and it is approaching the autumn when it may get stormy, and besides, the Essenes would not approve of his poetry. He is better off forgotten as he will be a liability.”
Helena says, “I rely on your judgment, my dear brother. I was merely getting nostalgic. Cyrene seems to be a good choice to begin our journey as I have heard that there are many followers of 'The Way' in that province.
(1)
(2) Having returned from the Tremiti islands and bribed the soldiers, Clemens visits his foster family. He was greeted at the door by Clement, the seven-year-old son of Marcus and Plautilla Clemens who would one day be anointed Pope by Peter.
Clemens says, “Tell your father that Clemens-Postumus, son of Spartacus is here.”
Clement calls back to his father, “There is a giant at the door!”
Marcus appears and recognizes Clemens, saying, “Come in quickly. Just as I expected: You are the Faux-Postumus! You took a long time to visit.” They hug.
His wife Plautilla and her mother Tertulla, the daughter of Crassus hug him.
Marcus says to Clemens, “It seems that everyone is talking about you and this religion you teach called 'The Way'. You must tell us more about it.”
Plautilla inquires, “First, tell us if the real Postumus is still alive?”
Clemens replies, “Yes, but it is a secret. He is now a bishop of 'The Way' and has changed his name.”
Marcus says, “You must stay with us for a while. Plautilla, have the servants prepare a meal and a bed.”
For many days, they sat around the fireplace as Clemens tells them his story of rescuing Postumus:
And so it was that Clemens, the servant of Postumus Agrippa, in September 14 AD had dared to threaten the ruin of the State by discord and civil war before he was checked. Having ascertained that Augustus was dead, he had formed a design beyond a slave's conception, of going to the island of Planasia and whisking Agrippa away by craft or force and bringing him to safety. The |
He also taught them about 'The Way'. By the end of the month, since they had all wished to be baptized, Clemens took the family and some other proselytes to the ocean at dusk, and baptized them. This was the young Clement's introduction to 'The Way' that would set him on a path to become the second Pope. He said, “Farewell” as they all begged him not to pursue his goal of taunting Tiberius.
The loss of Augustus and the ascendancy of Tiberius had made many people uneasy. In these tumultuous times, many were already showing interest in 'The Way', and Tiberius, having assumed them to be the same as the Diaspora Jews, considered them to be harmless. Thus according to the plan that Clemens and Postumus had devised, Clemens, having assumed Agrippa Postumus' identity, began to convert many followers as deacon of 'The Way''. Then through suitable emissaries who shared his secret, it was rumored that Agrippa was alive, first in whispered gossip, soon, as is usual with forbidden topics, in vague talk which found its way to the credulous ears of the most ignorant people or of restless and revolutionary schemers. He himself went to the towns, as the day grew dark, without letting himself be seen publicly or remaining long in the same places, but, as he knew that truth gains strength by notoriety and time, falsehood by precipitancy and vagueness, he would either withdraw himself from publicity or else forestall it.Tac2.39
Thus the rumors spread throughout Italy and were believed at Rome, that Agrippa had been saved by the blessing of Heaven. Already at Ostia, where he had arrived, he was the center of interest to a vast concourse as well as to secret gatherings in the capital. At the same time, Tiberius was distracted by the doubt whether he should crush this slave of his by military force or allow time to dissipate a silly credulity. Sometimes he thought that he must overlook nothing, sometimes that he need not be afraid of everything, his mind fluctuating between shame and terror.Tac2.40
After two and a half years of mental torture, Tiberius entrusted the Clemens affair to Sallustius Crispus, who chose two of his dependants (some say they were soldiers) and urged them to go to him as pretended accomplices, offering money and promising faithful companionship in danger. They did as they were bidden; then, waiting for an unguarded hour of the night, they took with them a sufficient force, and having bound and gagged him, dragged him to the palace.Tac2.40
When Tiberius asked him how he had become Agrippa, he is said to have replied, "As you became Caesar." He could not be forced to divulge his accomplices. Tiberius did not dare to have a public execution, but ordered him to be slain in a private part of the palace and his body to be secretly removed. Although many of the emperor's household and knights and senators were said to have secretly supported Clemens with their wealth and helped him with their counsels, no inquiry was made.Tac2.40
And so it was that Tiberius' procrastination had allowed Clemens to proselytize for three years until March 17 AD which was the year that Jesus turned 23 and thus twelve years before Jesus' mission in 29 AD. May God grant Clemens a place in Heaven among the angels.
In 34 AD, a year after the Resurrection, the future Pope Clement was 24 years old and owned a large house not far from the Roman Forum. It had a large basement which later would become St Clement's church. He was chaste in body and his mind held him bound as with chains of anxiety and sorrow. What revolved in his mind were such questions as when was the world made and what existed before it was made or whether it has existed from eternity. For it seemed certain, that if it had been made, it must be doomed to dissolution and if it is dissolved, what is to be afterward?R.1.1
One day Clement heard of a person called Barnabas who was preaching near the Forum and became enthralled by his words. Clearly, he perceived that there was nothing of dialectic contrivance in the man for he expounded with simplicity, and without any craft of speech, such things as he had heard or seen from the 'Son of God'.R.1.7
One day when the crowd became unruly, Clement grasped Barnabas right hand and led him away, although reluctantly, to his house; and there he made him stay, in case the rude rabble might lay hands upon him.R.1.10
Barnabas, who also is called Matthias, having been substituted as an apostle in the place of Judas IscariotR.1.6 out-voted over Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus)Acts 1:23(who is James), was actually Jesus' younger brother JosesMk 6:3 who by the apostles was nicknamed BarnabasActs 4:36 from their family name Bar-Sabbas. Barnabas encouraged Clement to go to Caesarea to meet Peter, the leader of the Church. Thus, having cleared up his affairs, Clement took a ship to Caesarea and was introduced to Peter and became his lifelong follower.
Clement was honored to be the scribe who wrote down the debates of Peter and Simon Magus during their debating tour in 38 AD, having sent back copies of their discourses to Jonathan the High Priest. There he was most impressed by Peter's dedication and humility and kindness which was similar to Barnabas. Although Simon Magus did bring up many important arguments in that debate, Clement felt that he was quite dismissive of Peter and remained on Peter's side.
Many years later, he composed a a story using these dialogues that he had compiled and these have survived in two similar versions: The Recognitions of Clement" and the "Clementine Homilies". In them, he also included many secret details related to the early beginning of 'The Way'.
When St, Peter came to Rome in 64 AD, he ordained Clement as bishop and thus he would become the second Pope as Pope Clement after Peter died. (The others like Linus and Cletus are spurious as they overlap his tenure.)
The Clemens family would suffer many executions and exiles due to their Christian leanings; but, fortunately, Clement was immune to these attacks because his mother Plautilla was the sister of Aulus Plautius, who had been granted an ovation as the conqueror of Britain so that when his wife Julia Pomponia Graecina was convicted of a practicing a 'foreign superstition' (Christianity) in 57 AD, she would be be exonerated. More importantly, his father Marcus Arrecinus Clemens was the head of the Praetorian Guard that helped to assassinate the crazed Caligula in 41 AD, facilitating Claudius' ascent.
By the grace of God, Clement lived a long life and would die in the year 99 AD. He would often think kindly about that giant Clemens who had appeared at his door so long ago.
By the spring of 15 AD Helena and I felt safe enough to set up a permanent home in Cyrene. I had just sold my ship at the port of Oea (Tripoli) and was by the dock gathering any news of Julia's escape from Tremiti Island. No one had heard anything.
On the docks, Helena was observing some auctioneers of the notorious pirates who had pursued their 'trade' in this area for generations.
Her daughter Mary exclaims, “Look at those two half-naked boys in dirty loincloths! They look like twins!”
Helena says, “Yes, they do look similar and more mannered than the rest. Perhaps, they are Romans like us. Let's go and find out.”
Helena approaches the auctioneer, “Hey, sir, I might be interested in those two boys.”
He instructs the handler to bring them near.
The auctioneer says, “All right boys, I have heard that you claim to come from Roman aristocratic stock and that there could be a reward. What say you?”
Niceta speaks, “We are twin sons of Domitia Lepida the Elder. Is there any word of her being rescued?
The auctioneer looks over to the handler, “Was any older woman with this group?” He shakes his head.
Helena, pretending that the name means nothing idly chats, “Lepidus was a triumvir with Octavian and Mark Antony. This territory was under his command and his name would be well-known here. I would guess that they are lying. But I would be interested in purchasing them.”
The auctioneer says, “That will cost you plenty to buy them before the auction. How about 2,000 denarii each?”
Helena replies, “I can pay 3,000 denarii for both.”
The auctioneer says, “All right, sold!”
As I approach them, Helena says to me, “Do you have 3,000 denarii?”
“You are costing me my whole ship!” as I hand over the money.
They walk away with the twins.
When they are out of earshot, Helena says, “I am now called Helena, but I am really Julia the Younger and I know your mother. She was part of my church in Campania. Tell me your names and when were you born?”
One boy answers, “I am called Niceta and my twin brother is Aquila and we were born in 3AD and we are twelve now.”
Aquila says, “Didn't Tiberius exile you to some island?”
Helena answers, “Tiberius still thinks I am there”
I say with a grin, “I rescued her. After all a brother must always rescue his sister ... now I am known as Simon.”
Niceta exclaims, “Julia had only one brother left alive so you must be Postumus, but he is dead.”
Helena says, “As you can see he is alive so no more talk of Postumus and Julia. Our names are Simon and Helena and here is my daughter Mary.”
The two boys clasp hands and dance around in a circle, saying, “We are saved; we are saved.” Calming down, Niceta says, “We were so sure that Providence was against us and now it has brought us together.”
Helena says, “Tell me about how you ended up in the slave market and what happened to your mother.”
Then Niceta began to say: “On that night, when the ship was broken up, and we were being tossed upon the sea, supported on a fragment of the wreck, certain men, whose business it was to rob by sea, found us, and placed us in their boat, and overcoming the power of the waves by rowing, by various stretches brought us here.”R.7.32
Aquila adds, “As to our mother she was sadly caught in a wave and disappeared.”
Helena asks, “Your mother, Domitia Lepida Major, was born in the same year as me in 19 BC as the eldest daughter of Antonia Major, but I do not remember your father.”
Niceta answers, That her husband is not our father is the cause of our near-death experience because her older brother Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus committed incestuous rape against her in 2 AD resulting in our twin births and she hid this fact. When we were twelve years old, our father was to be tried for incest. Our mother wanted to avoid the scandal in her important family and saw a vision by which she was warned that, unless she speedily left the city with her twin sons, and was absent for ten years, she and her children should perish by a miserable fate.R.7.8”
I exclaim, “But still you are descendants of Mark Antony with my mother being Fulvia and your grandmother being Octavia the Younger !”
Aquila says, “Is not Marcus Agrippa your father?”
“No”, I answer, "Iullus Antonius is my father!”
The boys gasp.
”Enough of this excitement over Antony”, says Helena, “this is a tragedy. Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus is a horrible person. God help us if he marries the daughter my sister Agrippina.”
Niceta says, “Of what use is heredity if we have lost our mother.”
Helena says, “Do not worry, I will formally adopt you both until she is found.”
“Thank you so much!”, the boys reply.
Helena holds Niceta and Aquila hands and takes them over to Mary, saying, “Here is your new sister, Mary.”
Mary says to them, “We have something in common for we were born out of wedlock.”
The twins look puzzled and Aquila says, “I thought Julia the Younger was married to Lucius Paulus.”
Helena says, “What a tangled mess that lust has created for all of us. Perhaps, one day I shall reveal Mary's father; then you will understand the perils of love and lust when poetry is involved. For now, I am remaining celibate which will also fulfill the strict Essene rules.”
I say, “I also want to educate both of you, my stepsons, in the learning of the Greeks, especially in the atheistic doctrines, so that once acquainted with them, you would be better able to refute any detractors of 'The Way'.”
Helena says, “Since providence has guided you to us, do you wish to be baptized?”
They answer, “Yes, of course!” Niceta says, “I wish that our mother could be baptized also.”
Helena comforts them, saying “I have a strong feeling that she will be saved and that you will have a mother and a father again. Because even if she is stranded on a deserted island, I believe that God will guide us to find her and baptize her. ”
Niceta was baptized as James and Aquila as John. They would be known as the "Sons of Zebedee"Mk 3:17 with Zebedee (being me), but changed to Boanerges, ("Sons of thunder" being Jonathan Annas) when they feared to be led astray by me then Zacchaeus, a friend of our lord Peter, came to them and warned them not to be led astray by the magician Simon.H.13.8
Helena even attempted to ask Jesus to give them special status: Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Helena), with her sons came near to Jesus bowing and asking, "Grant to us that they may sit in your glory: one on your right hand and one on your left?"Mk 10:36-37, but Jesus said that they were not ready yet.
Much later when Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, he met Aquila, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.Acts.18:18-19 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken (his marriage to Phoebe). They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila.Acts.18:26 1-4
| God is threefold: (Passive, Active, and Neutral) | ||
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| "He who stood, | stands, | and will stand" |
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| "In the beginning was the Word, | and the Word was with God, | and the Word was God;" |
| St. Paul: 1Cor 13:12 | ||
| "Now I know in part, | but then I will know fully, | even as I have been fully known." |
Considering that Cyrene (Libya) was part of the south point of the circle of 'The Way' together with Egypt, it is not surprising that Philo Judaeus who lived in Alexandria would write about our sect of Essenes called the Therapeutae. He described us as a community of men and women possessing an excellence in the art of medicine that surpassed that in general use in cities. This was due to seeking a higher medicine that came from God. In fact, our entire focus was on the service to God for which we gave up all material possessions and lived a simple existence of community. We sustained ourselves with a plain meal of bread, some further seasoned with hyssop, and water, but not wine. Every seven weeks we would meet to share a meal with the men sitting on the right hand and the women apart from them on the left.
Each year, a sacred nocturnal festival was celebrated through the whole night to celebrate the wondrous works that had occurred in the past at the crossing of the Red Sea. Two choruses would be formed: one of men and the other of women. The leaders of each would be selected from the the most honorable and most excellent of the group to act as Moses and Miriam respectively. All would sing together hymns that were composed in honor of God in many meters and tunes while moving our hands or dancing in corresponding harmony. There would be songs of thanksgiving and recitations of poems using stanzas of alternating form. Thus, like persons in the bacchanalian revels, drinking the pure wine of the love of God, they joined together as two becoming one chorus.Philo Judaeus: On the Contemplative Life XI
After joining this Essene sect, all of us: myself, Helena, Mary, James Niceta, and John Aquila would stay for five years.
With my personal goal of becoming a major figure in the expansion of 'The Way' under Jesus, the Chosen One of the David line, I was not content with merely participating in the simplicity of this Therapeut organization in Cyrene, but wanted to gain the sophistication of renowned philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, Chrysippos, Epikouros, Antisthenes, and especially Hillel. To achieve this I began to develop my own Philosophy which I would use in future ecclesiastical debates and writings.
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The Essene principle is that God is threefold: Passive, Active, and Neutral, and thus, I expressed this concept in the expression: "He who stood, stands, and will stand." From this, others began calling me 'The Standing One'.
I learned magic from Apsethos the Libyan who showed me the ways that magic could be achieved by simple methods. For example, he captured many parrots and taught them to say, 'Apsethos is a god!' and let them loose, and soon all the people believed it. (Hippolytus of Rome (170 – 235 AD) Book 6
In my studies, I found a flaw with Moses who says, For the Lord your God is a consuming fireDeut 4:24 which demonstrates that he misunderstands fire as being an elemental and thus distorts God. Thus, given that many believe that Moses wrote the Genesis Creation, I dared to correct his mistakes by readjusting the days. Especially, I immediately saw that day six should be devoted only to the creation of man and thus I moved cattle and creeping things to the previous day. Although mankind may look like apes, the possession a conscience gives mankind the ability to emulate God.
Most importantly, I could see that the seven days of Creation were part of the Cosmic Octave that mimics the musical octave 'do', 're', 'mi', 'fa', 'sol', 'la', 'ti' that must complete at the 'do' of the next octave. To rest on the seventh day is a trick of God to prevent us from becoming gods. The day of rest in Genesis 2:1-3 is incorrect because if God rested then, his Creation would stagnate.
Spending the seventh day in church or synagogue praising God distracts us from fulfilling our own god-like function of Creation which is sexual creation! The real seventh day is actually contained in the the so-called alternate version of Creation that begins in Genesis 2:4 and continues with the serpent in the garden of Eden and the tree of the knowledge of "good and evil" that reveals the sexual act ("to know"). Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.Genesis 2:25 , but as the serpent said to the woman, God knows that when you eat from the tree your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God!Genesis 3:5 for it is through the sexual act on the seventh day that man becomes God with the creation of a child.
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Ancient geometry divides a circle into nine points representing the musical octave:  The inner triangle represents the Three Forces of the Universe.
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And the evening and the morning were the first day.Genesis 1:1-5 |
 Day 2 ('re') |
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And the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:6-8 |
 Day 3 ('mi') |
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And the evening and the morning were the third day.Genesis 1:9-13 (And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.Genesis 2:5) |
 Day 4 ('fa') |
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(And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the garden)Genesis 3:8 |
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And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."Genesis 1:14-19
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 Day 5 ('sol') |
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(And Adam gave Names to all the cattle and to the fowl of the air.)Genesis 2:20 The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of All Living.)Genesis 3:20 |
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And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Genesis 1:23 (And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Genesis 2:19) |
 Day 6 ('la') | |
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(then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and Man (having Gnosis) became a living being." Genesis 2:7) |
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And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:27-31 (But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:6,7) |
 (4) Day 7 ('ti') |
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(Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman (Sophia), because she was taken out of Man. Genesis 02:23) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. Genesis 2:16-18,21,22) Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;Genesis 3:1-7) |
 Day 8 ('do') |
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Armed with my powers of magic and knowledge, I left Cyrene in 17 AD with Helena, Mary, James Niceta, and John Aquila and caught a ship to Phoenicia located in the northern part of Judea to establish our new home there.
Helena and I started a division of 'The Way' along the lines of that in Cyrene. It did not take long for its membership to grow. Helena was instrumental in recruiting the female members who were accustomed to being treated as second-class citizens in the Jewish faith. They were attracted to Helena's education and pose and wished to aspire to it. I established study groups in philosophy and magic which were attended by people throughout Judea.
Mary was now age nine. Mary, Peter's wife, James Niceta, and John Aquila, were enclosed in the convent under Glaphyra in Upper Dan and were also enrolled in the synagogue school nearby whose headmaster was Judas Iscariot. Judas Iscariot was a compatriot of Jesus' uncle Theudas and thus a Zealot.
| Homilies 2.19 Justa (Helena), a Proselyte. | Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30 |
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| There is amongst us one Justa, a Syro-Phoenician, by race a Canaanite, whose daughter was oppressed with a grievous disease. And she came to our Lord, crying out, and entreating that He would heal her daughter. But He, being asked also by us, said, "It is not lawful to heal the Gentiles, who are like to dogs on account of their using various assemblies and rituals, while the table in the kingdom has been given to the sons of Israel." |
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out (Mk 07:26 woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by nation) and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon (under the authority of Judas Iscariot)." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." |
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But she, hearing this, and begging to partake like a dog of the crumbs that fall from this table, having changed what she was, by living like the sons of the kingdom, she obtained healing for her daughter, as she asked. For she being a Gentile and remaining in the same course of life, Jesus would not have healed had she remained a Gentile, on account of it not being lawful to heal her as a Gentile." |
But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. |
| Homilies 2.20 -- Divorced for the Faith. | Mt 9:20-25; Mk 5:25-43 |
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She, therefore, having taken up a manner of life according to the law, was, with the daughter who had been healed (saved from being exposed at birth), driven out from her home by her husband (actually her grandfather Augustus), whose sentiments were opposed to ours. But she, being faithful to her engagements, and being in affluent circumstances, remained a widow herself (12 years a virgin), but gave her daughter (Mary Magdalene) in marriage to a certain man who was attached to the true faith (Jesus!!), and who was poor (being a member of the Essene monastery who refer to themselves as 'the poor'). And, abstaining from marriage for the sake of her daughter, she bought two boys [Niceta (James) & Aquila (John)] and educated them, and had them in place of sons. And they, being educated from their boyhood with Simon Magus, have learned all that concerned him. For such was their friendship that they were associated with him in all things in which he wished to teach them. |
And lo, a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, having come to him behind, did touch the fringe of his garments, for she said within herself, "If only I may touch his garment, I shall be saved." And Jesus having turned about, and having seen her, said, "Be of good courage, daughter, your faith has saved you," and the woman was saved from that hour. (12-year issue of blood = 12-year virginity thus her daughter, Mary Magdalene, was twelve at her Bat Mitzvah. |
In 20 AD Joseph and Mary journeyed north from Mird to Mary Magdalene's convent located in the northern tribal area of Dan to attend her Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12. The territory of the tribe of Dan was divided into two sections: north, around Caesarea Philippi, referred to as MagdalaMt 15:39, and south referred to as Joppa.Acts 9:32 Mary Magdalene's name had been formed by the alliteration Mary of Mega-dan (greater Dan). Mother Mary was from lesser Dan in the south.
Having learned the secret of Mary's ancestry as the daughter of my sister Julia the Younger and thus the great-granddaughter of Augustus, Joseph and Mary saw the value of an alliance. For this purpose, they had proposed to become god-parents to Mary at her Bat Mitzvah, and further, they hoped that Mary and Jesus would be willing to commit to a betrothal upon his graduation from monastery nine years later in the year 29 AD.
Jesus had requested permission from his superiors at the monastery to allow him to visit with his parents in order to obtain their blessing in the arrangement of his marriage after graduation. Such a step was of supreme importance to maintain the David line. Although Jesus' education was not yet complete, he was a deacon able to perform religious functions.
| Woman with the Issue of Blood
(Helena remaining a virgin since Mary Magdalene's birth) (Mt 9:20-22, Mk 5:25-34 Lk 8:42-48) |
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Having heard that Jesus was briefly out of monastery, so many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.Mk 5:24 With Mary Magdalene's Bat Mitzvah to begin in a few days, Helena feared that the marriage of her daughter Mary to Jesus would be opposed by many members of 'The Way' because she was not Jewish. Having seen the crowd, Helena saw this as an opportunity for Jesus to declare his views publicly on this matter of Gentile status, so she came behind Jesus and clutched the fringe of his garment.Mk 5:27 (The crowd immediately gasped in horror, and some were even shouting, 'Stone her'. This great uproar was because a woman is forbidden to touch a Jewish rabbi because she might be on her period and defile him.) Jesus turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my garment?”Mk 5:30 The woman (Helena), hearing Jesus questioning, stayed on the ground and then knelt at his feet, trembling.Mk 5:33 Jesus quiets the crowd, saying, “Wait, I will hear this woman out.” Helena says, “Lord, I am not on my period and have not defiled you even though I have had this 'issue of blood' for twelve years.Mk 5:25 Jesus smiles and says, “Your malady is cured.Your faith has made you wholeMk 5:34, and I congratulate you on being a virgin for twelve years.” (The crowds are confused, not realizing that menstruating every month is proof of virginity.) |
| Canaanite Woman’s Daughter (Helena advocating for her Gentile daughter Mary Magdalene) (Mt 15:21-28, Mk 7:24-30) |
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Still kneeling, this woman (Helena), a Syro-Phoenician woman from the district of Tyre and Sidon, cries out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my young daughter is severely possessed by a demon (under the authority of the ruler of my convent). “Would you please set my daughter free.”Mt 15:21-22,25;Mk 7:24-26 Jesus replies, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”Mt 15:24 Helena replies, “Of course, it is right for the children of Israel to be fed at the Holy Table, but afterwards do not the crumbs get fed to the dogs? Therefore, cannot the Gentiles also eat?”Mt 15:26-27;Mk 7:27-28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith (or shall I say intelligent and shrewd). I will remove the demon”.Mt 15:28 Needless to say, all of this went over the heads of the crowd, but it was not forgotten by the followers of John the Baptist who would call Jesus the 'seeker of smooth things'. |
That evening, Mary and Joseph congratulated Helena on her bold action for her daughter's sake and for her entreaty that Gentiles should be allowed to participate at the Holy Table. Then they turned to Jesus and Magdalene to ask if they were agreeable to the promise of engagement.
Jesus begins, “I am honored that you, Mary, would be willing to wait for me to finish my studies within the monastic community until I turn 35 years old in 29 AD. Clearly, I must adhere to the Essene rules that require me to wait until that time in order to take advantage of the exception for marriage as the eldest of the royal line of King David to continue that line. My father has already learned about the danger of violating those rules by not following the required engagement time, and this almost cost me my right to be the Messiah of David. My marriage to you will signify my intent to include Gentiles as equals.
If you do agree, I must warn you that you will be subject to verbal abuse and even threats of stoning as a prostitute. I vow that I will surely protect you from this to my fullest ability.”
Magdalene replies, “I am flattered and honored to be chosen to be your wife. My royal blood, although as a Gentile, makes me want to aspire to the highest position in this Jewish world that is steeped in religious history. I know in my heart that my dear husband Jesus will be even more glorious than my great-grandfather, not by military strength, but manifested in the songs of David and proverbs of Solomon.”
Jesus smiles and replies, “Thank you for agreeing and your faith for my ascension in God's work. I promise that I will hold you in my heart forever.”
Magdalene smiles and replies, “In my heart, always.”
Joseph and Mary hug both of them, and Joseph says, “Your union has our blessing.”
Helena hugs Mary and Joseph hugs Jesus.
| Healing of Jairus' daughter (Mary Magdalene's Bat Mitzvah) (Mt 9:18,23-26, Mk 5:21-24,35-43, Lk 8:40-42,49-56) |
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Upon the next the day, Jairus (Judas Iscariot), the male leader of the convent, being subservient to Jesus, says to him “My young daughter (Mary Magdalene) lies at the point of death and is certainly not eligible to be confirmed as an adult member of 'The Way' and thus to have life even if you place your hands on her.”Mk 5:22-23 Later, when Jesus was about to enter the synagogue, Jairus opposed him more emphatically, “My daughter is effectively dead and thus ineligible for confirmation; therefore, my Teacher Jesus, you would be wasting your time.” He even quotes the Community Rule: 'Whoever is not entered into the covenant; shall be cut off; and counted with those who go down to Hades'.1QS V.10–13 Jesus brushes Jairus aside, saying “Magdalene's confirmation will remove you as guardian.” As Jesus enters the synagogue, the worshippers, having overheard Jairus, began crying and wailing loudly, “She is dead!” Jesus answers, “The child is not dead but is 'mentally uninitiated' (sleeping) for as a child wakens from a dream, she will awake as a woman!”; but they laughed at him. Then he emptied the synagogue except for her god-parents (Joseph and Mother Mary) and the three disciples: Peter and James and his brother John and her natural mother Helena. Mary Magdalene kneels as Jesus pours holy water over Mary's head and gives her to eat the confirmation wafer saying, “Your consecration to God has given you life because to be outside the 'The Way' is death. “Little girl you are raised up as a women!” And immediately the damsel arose and walked out of the synagogue and the people were greatly amazed for she was twelve years old and Jesus charged them much not to tell others.Mk 35-43 |
Jesus and her god-parents Joseph and Mary and her adoptive brothers: James Niceta and John Aquila have tears in their eyes, knowing that this is not only an affirmation of Mary Magdalene's womanhood, but of Jesus' mission as to one day become the mother of his child.
After the festivities, Joseph and Mary return to Mird. James and John and Mary Magdalene stay at the convent. Helena has now replaced Glaphyra as the female leader of the convent and will be known as Martha. Jesus returns to monastery to complete his studies.
Sadly, Joseph was murdered three years later: Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices: one of eighteen being (Joseph) who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them Lk 13:1,4 therefore a women (Mother Mary) became a widow at the eighteen year (18+5)= 23AD.Lk 13:11-17.
Note: how the ruler of the synagogue is again Judas Iscariot (Satan) whom Mary was under as a widow when Jesus releases her by obtaining her widow's allowance by special request (Widow's MiteLk 21:1-4), Judas merely complains that it was on a Sabbath day!(Lk 21:10-14)
Jesus makes the point that Joseph's death was not because he was a worse sinner than the other Galileans, but that fig tree party which Joseph belonged should be cut down as it has not borne any fruit in three years.Lk 13:2-5;14-16.
There is confirmation of Mary Magdalene having been freed from Judas in March 31 AD, prior to the Crucifixion and accompanying Jesus, which also references the women of the convent as follows:
and it came to pass thereafter, that Jesus was going through every city and village,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven,
and the Twelve were with him, and certain women, who were (healed of 'spirits of incompleteness'=virgins) including
Mary Magdalene freed from seven demons (Judas Iscariot: Demon position 7 in the hierarchy),
Joanna (Helena's name as the female of John's Council of Thirty) now under Simon Magus under the patronage of Chuza (Herod Antipas),
and Susanna (daughter of Theudas, brother of Joseph) and
many others, who were acting as deacons from the beginning.Lk 8:1-3
Judas Iscariot will turn up again complaining of the costly perfume that Mary Magdalene uses to anoint Jesus as the she is with child before the Crucifixion.
John the Baptist's father Zechariah belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and his mother Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.Lk 1:5. When his father perished between the altar and the templeLuke 11:51 in 6 AD, John was too young to take over his father's duties as one of the twenty-four priests of Abijah, serving one week that rotated twice a year and on holidays.1Chronicles 24:10, but was given the leadership of the Council of Thirty. With thirty members fulfilling the monthly reckoning of the moon, John could be called a day-baptist compared to Jesus having twelve apostles representing the twelve months of the sun. H.2.23 The thirtieth member was a certain woman called Luna (Mother Mary).R.2.8 Joseph was also a member.
Upon the death of Joseph in March 23 AD, his position in the Baptist's twenty-nine men became open, and I was chosen to replace him. Since Mother Mary resigned, Helena applied to John the Baptist for the only female position in his Council of Thirty. John the Baptist, knowing of Helena's true identity, accepts her. Then he explains to her, “As you know, both the synodic moon cycle and the sun cycle are one-half days longer, thus the need for a woman who is equal to half a man.” H.2.23
Helena nods and holds her tongue, knowing that Essene rules are irrefutable.
John continues, “In the Mishmarot Calendar that skillfully combines the lunar cycle with the solar cycle, there are thirty days each month that are each assigned to one of the thirty men of our group. Every three months, there is a thirty-first day.”
“I assume that would be my day.”, Helena quickly replies.
John says to her, “That is very smart of you. A woman of your intelligence is rare. You shall be called 'Luna' for the moon. R2.8 Some may call you 'Joanna' Lk 8:3 as my subordinate.”
At the outset, as soon as I was reckoned among the thirty disciples, I began to depreciate Dositheus (John the Baptist), saying, “He did not teach purely or perfectly.” And this was the result not of ill intention on my part, but of his ignorance.
Having perceived that I was depreciating him, Dositheus (John), fearing lest his reputation among men might be obscured, was moved with rage. When they met as usual at the school, he seized a rod and began to beat me, but suddenly the rod seemed to pass through my body as if it had been smoke (one of my magic tricks).
Thus (John) gave up his own place as chief to me, ordering all the rank of thirty men to obey me while he himself took the inferior place which I formerly had occupied. Not long after this, he died (referring to John's beheading). This is how I became the head of the sect of Dositheus (John) R.2.11
After these stratagems, Helena and I, having gained control over the Council of Thirty, would model it to be more like our Therapeut Church on Cyrene. Helena would act as Miriam, the sister of Moses, in reenactments of the Exodus that drew many followers.
In the afternoon, during discussion time, I would teach philosophy. In one lesson, I described the concept of Sophia, the female version of the Logos who visited our world and became trapped there. That Sophia, whom they call the barren (a virgin), is the mother of the angels. As is Mary Magdalene, the companion of Jesus. Gospel of Philip I compared my niece, Helena, to Sophia and Helen of Troy. As a demonstration, I placed Helena in a room on the second floor, and by magic mirrors, she could be seen in all the windows at once. R.2.12 This was how I began to be called Simon the Magician or merely Simon Magus.
My feats of magic had gained many followers. I would make statues appear to walk, and roll myself on the fire and not be burnt; make loaves out of stones; become a serpent or transform into a goat; become two-faced; change myself into gold; open lockfast gates; melt iron. At banquets, I could produce images of all manner of forms such that dishes are seen as borne of themselves to wait upon tables with no bearers being seen. I even was able to appear to fly.H.2.32 This last trick would be my downfall one day.
It was becoming clear to me that my magic tricks were much more persuasive than philosophical discussions to the masses. Some doubted when they heard about these feats, but many bore witness that they had been present and had seen such things.H.2.32 Soon everyone was talking about the great magician Simon Magus.
Although skeptical about my methods at first, Jesus began to see that by presenting his proposed reforms of the Jewish and Essene laws, they would be better accepted when performed as miracles, thus when Jesus healed, all the people were astonished and said, “Is not this the son of David?”; but, when they noticed the influence that I had on Jesus, the Pharisees said, “It is only by (Simon Magus) Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that Jesus drives out demons.“Mt 12:23-24
John the Baptist, having been bested by me, rejected the temple elites and lived for many years in an ascetic existence with clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.Mt 3:4 In 29 AD the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness and he went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.Lk 3:1-3 .
Both John the Baptist and Jesus believed that the Restoration of the priests and the David kings predicted in the Book of Enoch was to occur at the same time, but John believed that the priests would be restored first, saying, “I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him”Jn 3:28. John the Baptist was expected to be the religious leader, and Jesus was expected to minister to the common people as the descendant of King David. At first, Jesus was occupied with his wilderness retreat in preparation for his wedding and the consummation of his marriage, but their missions would soon come into conflict.
Upon graduating from monastery, Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Instead of being received with open arms, John, sneering at him, says, “I have need to be baptized by you; why do you come to me?”Mt 3:14 and refuses to baptize Jesus.
Jonathan, who was currently holding the third position in the Fig Tree party as 'Holy Spirit' under John the Baptist, was assisting him with the baptisms.
When Jesus saw Nathanael (now using a similar name to Jonathan) approaching, Jesus says of him, “Here truly is an Israelite who is not easily deceived.”
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asks.
Jesus answers, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree party before Philip called you.”Jn 1:47-48.
Nathaniel answers, “Are you expecting to be 'the Son of God' as the 'King of Israel'?Jn 1:49
Jesus answered and said unto him, “Because I said unto thee under the fig tree, believest thou? If Philip has converted you to the Vineyard Party thou shalt see greater things than these. Truly, I say unto you, Hereafter, ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon me as the Son of Man.”Jn 1:50-51
It is essential to understand the terms 'Son of God' and 'Son of Man' as used by the Essenes as they are often misused even by his disciples. The correct hierarchy is God, Son of God, Son of Man in the same order as Jehovah, Aaron, Moses. Expressed differently: 'Father' (High Priest as God), 'Son' (reporting to the 'Father'), 'Holy Spirit' (reporting to the 'Son'). (These titles get muddied because Jonathan, as a Sadducee, also had the title of 'Father'.)
John makes a distinction between himself and Jesus: “I (John) indeed do baptize you with water to reformation, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to bear the sandals (John pretending to express humility although he is of higher importance as 'Son of God'), he (Jesus) shall baptize you as the Holy Spirit and with fire (Then using a metaphor for the 'Holy Spirit') as being God's winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather his wheat to the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.Matt 03:11-12. Thus, John is saying that his mission offers an easier path. From this statement and the one a the baptism, I warned Jesus not to trust John as he clearly had a personality that was arrogant and snobby.
Returning to the baptism scene, Jesus using my advice had offered a promotion for Jonathan to the the middle position of 'Son of God' with Jesus reporting to him as 'Son of Man' if he is willing to forsake the 'Fig Tree party' of war that John supported.
Jonathan accepts and performs Jesus' baptism: Coming out of the water, Jesus saw the heavens dividing, and the Spirit (his position with John) as a dove coming down upon him and a voice came out of the heavens, 'You are My son'.Mk 1:10-11 (In baptism, we are all sons and daughters of God.)
The schism was complete. Jesus had taken the side of the Vineyard party in opposition to the Fig Tree militaristic party of John. Jesus, having seen a certain fig tree on 'The Way' and having approached it, found nothing in it except leaves only, and he said to it,
Jonathan appears in the disciple list as 'James, son of Alphaeus' (son of the High Priest Ananus). As a Sadducee, Jesus would call him 'Father' in the Garden of Gethsemane. Also joining Jesus were his two younger brothers, sons of Ananus the High Priest: Matthew (in the disciple list) and Ananus the Younger (Zacchaeus) who ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass 'The Way'.Lk 19:4They were humorously portrayed as tax collectors when they were merely priests collecting tithes.
Jesus, having filled two of the elite top six disciples with Jonathan (James son of Alpheaus) (1) and his brother Matthew (2), there was, of course, me, possessing the highest credentials if I might say so myself. However, by needing to keep my heredity secret, I was pushed into obscurity as merely Simon, the Zealot or Canaanite (3) and to disappear in the history of the disciples and never to be associated with the obvious Simon the magician in Acts: Lk 8 9-11, only to appear again in Rome in the apocryphal Acts of Peter.
The next elite disciple was Jesus' Uncle Theudas (4), possessing two identities: a Zealot and also part of a known secret to be Nicodemus on the Council. He would be a difficult disciple. Judas Iscariot (5), who was added to appease the Zealots, was designated as the keeper of the money, the tester ('Satan' or Gabriel), and, as we have seen so far, the guardian of Mary Magdalene. Finally, the last of the elite disciples is Thomas Herod II (6), the outcaste who was begging to be part of something important.
| Six Elite Disciples under Simon |
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* nicknames: Jonathan (thunder) and Simon (Lightning) (Isaiah 29:6 "you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with
and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire (lightning) Theudas (earthquake) Mt 28:2 "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone.", Thomas ('the Twin'), compared to Esau who lost his inheritance to Jacob |
The other six disciples were already chosen years before, but the gospels of John and Mark give cute stories of how they joined Jesus:
John the Baptist was there again with two of his disciples, hearing John say, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. (Andrew (1), Simon Peter’s brother, Andrew was one of the two (John Mark (2), the writer does not list himself) who heard what John had said.) Jn 1:35-37,40
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon Peter (3) and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.Jn 1:41-42
The next day, Jesus leaves for Galilee. Finding Philip (4), he said to him, “Follow me”. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.Jn 1:43
Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew putting a net into the sea. They were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me. I will make you fishers of men!” At once, they left their nets and followed Him. As he went a little farther, he saw James (5), son of Zebedee, and his brother John (6), who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately, he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.Mk 1:16-20
| Six Disciples under direct control of Jesus in order of importance | |
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| Peter (his wife was the daughter of the Glaphyra, a Herodian princess)Mk 1:29-31, Mt 8:14,15, Lk 4:38,39 |
John Mark-Bartholomew (freedman of Herod Agrippa)
(adopted by Susanna, daughter of Jesus' uncle Theudas) ('Bartholomew' being a play on the family name Sabbas in this case: Bar-Sabbas to relay the fact that his adoptive grandfather is Theudas connected with the Therapeuts of Egypt (Ptolemy) centurion's (Agrippa) servant/Nobleman's son/ Healing from a Distance Mt 8:5-13,Lk 7:1-10, Jn 4:43-54 'the disciple Jesus' loved' Jn 13:23, Jn 21:7, Jn 20:2 As Eutychus Agrippa's freedman and a charioteer Josephus Ant 18.6.5,6; 19.4.4 and welcomed back by Paul Acts 20:9 |
| Philip (Protos) (freedman of Herod Agrippa's mother Bernice: Ant 18.6.3 (known by the Gospel of Philip and for 'the daughters of Philip'.) | Andrew (freedman of Glaphyra's father, the King of Cappadocia) |
| James Niceta (Faustinus) (illegitimate relation of Augustus)R.7.31 | John Aquila (his twin brother Faustus )R.7.31 |
Now that Jesus had his twelve disciples assembled, the war was on. Sadly, as with all wars, one must look for a way to undermine the enemy, hopefully without bloodshed. I had succeeded previously against John, but now John had strong Pharisee support. Amazingly, John gave me that opportunity, and I got together with Helena and we hatched out a plan.
In 28 AD, when Herod Antipas visited Rome, he fell in love with HerodiasAnt18.5.1, the daughter of Aristobulus who was the son of Herod's wife Marriamme of Hyrcanus. (Aristobulus and his brother Alexander had been murdered by Herod in 7 BC for supposedly conspiring against him.) When considering marriage, it would not be easy as both were married.
Antipas' problem was that he had to divorce his current wife, the daughter of King Aretas IV whom he had married to align with Nabatea and Petra on his border. Herodias' problem was that she was already married to Herod II. He was the son of Marriamme II, the daughter of the High Priest Simon son of Boethus', who had been the wife of Herod the Great. He, having been stripped of Herod's promise to reign after him with his mother Marriamme II having been divorced by Herod because she was accused of being conscious of the conspiracy and had resolved to conceal it.Ant 17.4.2 (Simon had traded his daughter to Herod to become High Priest from 23BC-4BC which was similar to the High Priest Annas (6AD-15AD) trading his daughter to Caiaphas who was High Priest (18AD-36AD) during Jesus' mission, to secure his influence.)
Interestingly, Herod II was agreeable to this because he was homosexual and had been promised a position as a disciple of Jesus to be nicknamed Thomas Didymus the Twin because he had lost his inheritance like Esau with Jacob.
For Antipas, a case could be made that he could divorce his wife because she was not Jewish. Also, his wife Phasaelis had fled home when she discovered the plan. Obviously, her father Aretus IV would not be pleased and might start a war against him, but Antipas thought he could win against him. It appeared that there were no reprisals, and the wedding was planned. (It was not known that in 34 AD, Aretus IV would attack, having assembled fugitives from the tetrarchy of Philip and would almost defeat him without help from Rome.Ant 181.81)
John the Baptist, having just started his mission with a distaste for puppets of Rome, decided to use the Jewish law that forbids one to marry one's own brother's wife Mk 6:18 against Antipas. With Herod Antipas being the son of another one of Herod's wives: Malthace, he and Herod II were technically brothers. Herod II and Herodias already had a daughter Salome, aged twelve.
Since Antipas was the honorary head of 'The Way', it was dangerous for John the Baptist to continue opposing the marriage. Seeing John's fatal misjudgment, Helena and I waited for an opportunity to encourage Herod Antipas to depose him and to put me in his place.
Salome, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas, was at the Asher convent under Helena, and it was time for her Bat Mitzvah. Her mother Herodias and her step-father Antipas decided to have a great feast to celebrate this occasion together with their own marriage and invited many important people.
Having been coached by Helena, Salome goes to her new stepfather Herod Antipas and her mother Herodias, and asks, “May I have Helena, my Mother Superior, dance at this celebration? She is an excellent dancer.”
“Of course ”, they say, “Anything you desire!”
Then Salome asks, “May her companion Simon Magus also perform magic acts there?”
Antipas asks, “Do we know this magician?”
Salome answers, “I am surprised you have not heard him. He is acclaimed everywhere.”
Herodias says, “The audience will love it!”
At the celebration, Helena and I were still apprehensive about our meeting with Antipas for fear of being unmasked, but it needed to occur to have him as an ally. We hoped that he would keep our identities secret.
At the great hall, Herod Antipas, Herodias, and Salome were sitting on thrones watching as I performed my magic act. I stand inside a circle of flame that is lit with saltpeter. The smoke fills the air and I disappear. When the smoke clears, they see me standing rigidly like a pillar, shouting, "I am Moses. I am the Standing One. I am the Pillar of Fire that blocks all evil.”
Antipas takes a great interest in the magician and whispers to Herodias, “Are my eyes deceiving me or does that magician look like Postumus?”
Helena emerges and begins to dance to music played by an oud and a flute. Her dance moves from point to point on a circle starting at 12 o'clock, forming an enneagram within each point on the circle; she twirls around each point saying a phrase from the Beatitudes.
Herodias exclaims, “I am beginning to see a connection between both of them, for this dancer looks like his sister Julia the Younger. How is that possible?”
“This is suspicious”, says Antipas, “they are both supposed to be dead!”
Antipas tells his servant to bring them closer.
“You claim to be the leaders of 'The Way', but I see a resemblance to Augustus,” Antipas says probingly.
I reply, “Honored Tetrarch, you have seen through our disguises. You are very perceptive. Yes, we are brother and sister of Julia the Elder.”
“I thought so. Then you must be Postumus and Julia the Younger. I remembered you from when I was in Rome.”
“Sorry to deceive you,” I say, “We are hoping to remain anonymous, if that would be acceptable to you.”
Antipas says, “Of course, I will not reveal your identities. When that person Clemens claimed to be you, I was suspicious that Tiberius had not executed you and now, here you are! ”
Herodias says, “And Julia, were you not banished to Tremiti island? I heard that you died last year on that island.”
Helena says, “Clearly, Tiberius and the world have forgotten about my exile. Now my sister Agrippina is exiled on Pandateria, not dead yet, but shunned by Tiberius.”
Antipas says in a soft voice, “Tiberius had better not hear me say that I am so pleased that you both survived.”
I reply, “You are very kind. May I request that you continue to use our pseudonyms: Simon and Helena, so we will not be discovered?”
Herodias laughs and says, “No point in raising the dead.”
Antipas says, “Your secret is safe with us. Welcome to my kingdom. And now your presence could be the means to get John the Baptist out of our bedroom.”
Herodias adds, “That is right! You are the Simon who deposed John from the Council of Thirty.”
Antipas says, “I should have known it was you. Being the honorary head of 'The Way', I could have replaced John, but more power to you.”
I answer, “I am at your service. The Zealots have now abandoned John because his predicted date for the Restoration has passed with no result. Recently, he was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.Lk 10:30,33 Even though he is a priest, Jonathan was the Good Samaritan.”
Antipas says, “That gives me an idea. I shall imprison John for his own safety.”
Helena smiles at me and Herodias smiles at Antipas.
Antipas rises and announces to the guests, “On this momentous day, I and Herodias are celebrating our marriage and to prevent further disruptions, I am removing John the Baptist as the head of the Church and placing him in prison for a while for his own safety.”
Bringing me forward, he says, “I introduce to you the magician Simon who will take his place, having been the leader of the Council of Thirty.” The audience is aghast but shouts their agreement.
Once there is silence, Antipas continues, “We are also here to celebrate my step-daughter Salome's Bat-Mitzvah. You can thank her for arranging these performances today.” The audience cheers.
Salome turns to Helena and whispers, “Did I do right? It is almost as if I ordered John the Baptist's head on a platter.”
“What a clever metaphor,” Helena replies, “But I would not wish such a fate for John, as he is still an honorable man.”
This comment was whispered around, and sadly, it did come true much later, but not by Antipas who had affection for him.
And so, the prophecy came true that John came to his own, and his own did not receive him.Jn 1:11
Three years later, when John was in the prison at Machaerus, the sociopath Herod Agrippa beheaded him.
John, in his prison cell, believing that God would rescue him in the coming Restoration, wrote many hymns about staying steadfast in the Lord. He lamented against those in the congregation, such as Jesus, who teach "smooth things" that are a disgrace to God. He gave thanks to the Lord for guarding him from the pit of Gehenna.
It was June 30 AD, the time for the betrothal of Mary Magdalene and Jesus, allowing for three month wait time before sexual relations. The six disciples, Mary Magdalene, and Mother Mary were already there at the convent at Cana (sw. of Tyre). Mother Mary had moved there after Joseph's death.
| Jesus turns water into wine |
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On the third day a wedding took place at Cana. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been called to the wedding.Jn 2:1-2 The men were seated at a long table. Jesus is seated at the head of the table. Peter is on his right, and John Mark is on the left, representing Mary Magdalene. Philip, Andrew, James, and John alternating left and right. Simon Magus acts as the wedding overseer. And when the servants needed the wine, the mother of Jesus came to the table, saying to Jesus, “They have no wine.” Jesus says to her, “Women are not allowed at the sacred table; your hour is not yet come.” His mother is puzzled and says to the servants, “Whatsoever he says unto you, do it.”Jn 2:3-5 There were set there six waterpots of stone, used for baptism, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus says unto them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim And he saith unto them, “Draw it out now into a goblet and bring it to the wedding overseer (Simon Magus).” Then the servants filled each goblet and served them to the table.Jn 2:6-8 Having observed these actions, the disciples were expecting to be served water, but as Jesus broke bread and they took a sip from their goblets, tasting wine, they looked up at Jesus with surprised looks. Jesus smiled and said quietly, “I have modified the Essene rule that forbids Gentiles to be served wine at the Holy Table.” Having not been aware that they had drawn from a secret section in the water pots, the servants were thinking that they had drawn the water that they had put in. The wedding overseer (Simon Magus) now tastes 'the water that was made wine', saying, “Is it not customary for a host to set out good wine first so that when men have well drunk, then to serve the worse. But here, this wine is the best I have ever tasted.” What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.Jn 2:9-11 |
Afterwards, Peter says to John Mark, “I am confused as to why the waterpots that are used for baptism were turned into wine. Would that not be un kosher?
John Mark replies, “That is the beauty of this miracle because, when we were accepted as Gentiles into 'The Way', we were baptized with water, and now we have been promoted to a semi-Jewish status to be allowed to drink wine at the Holy Table.”
Simon Magus takes the hand of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and binds their wrists together with his stole, saying, ”According to the Essene custom, Jesus, having fulfilled his Nazarite vow in the wilderness, is now betrothed to Mary Magdalene. The guests cheer!
Jesus kisses Mary Magdalene on the mouth and says, My virgin wife Magdalene will become the mother of an angel. Then he turns to the disciples and says, “As a perfected teacher, I feed you, my disciples, with the word of God from my mouth to bring you to perfection. It is for this reason that when we kiss one another, we become conceived from the grace which is in each one of us. And although I will kiss Magdalene often on her lips, you should not think that I love her more than you, my disciples.”GosPhilip
It would be hard to know who had more joy: Jesus and Magdalene having been married or the disciples to be given full membership in 'The Way' or me, beaming at the thought of soon becoming an uncle of a child in the heredity of David.
Before their betrothal, Jesus had gone into the wilderness for a spiritual Nazarite retreat, to be tempted by Satan (the official 'tester: Judas Iscariot), to fast forty days and forty nights.Mt 4:1-2 Judas tested Jesus three times: To become Moses who turned stones to breadMt 4:3-4, to become Elijah who took his chariot to heavenMt 4:5-7, to swear allegiance to the fourth philosophy of Judas the Galilean with Judas Iscariot to conquer Rome. Having refused all three, especially the third that tried to recruit him, Jesus was released from Judas' control.Mt 4:8-11
Jesus overhears some of the adolescent boys giggling to each other about his 'withered hand', which had been caused by his celibacy as a Nazarite, saying that it had been healed as if by miracle. Jesus, overhearing, looked around at them, being grieved at the immaturity of their hearts, said, ”If this were a sabbath day, would it be lawful to think good thoughts or evil? Embarrassed, they were quiet.”Mk 3:1-7
Having fulfilled the prescribed waiting period of three months after betrothal, Jesus and Mary Magdalene entered my church in September where Magdalene enacted the marriage ceremony using spikenard as in the Song of Solomon. After the dowry is forgiven, they depart to try to conceive a crown prince of the David line. They would fail to conceive this first time, and the next, but on the third visit she applied spikenard to his head to show that he would soon be a father.
| Wedding of Jesus and Mary when sexual relations are allowed. "While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance."Song of Solomon 1:12 (Third time is disguised as before his 'burial' since before the Crucifixion) Essene rule: betrothal six months prior to sexual relations, only three tries before infertility is declaredWar 2.8) By simply equating Simon with Simon the Leper, Simon as Lazarus, it can be seen as his Church as bishop. | ||||
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| first try | second try | third and last try allowed, succeeds before the Crucifixion | ||
| Sept 30 AD | Sept 31 AD | (married 2 days before Good Friday) 1:12 | ||
| Lk 7:36-50 | Mk 6:6-13 | Mt 26:6-13 | Mk 14:3-9 | Jn 12:1-8 |
| the Pharisee's house (a slur against Simon) (Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you.") | The meeting is not shown | "in the house of Simon the Leper" ("the Leper" = "Lazarus": unclean) | "in the house of Simon the Leper" ("the Leper" = "Lazarus": unclean) | "where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead." Martha is serving. Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Jesus) |
| w/perfume poured on feet | disciples sent out on their own | Woman w/Alabaster jar poured on head | Woman w/Alabaster jar poured on head | Mary w/large amount of nard poured on feet |
| dowry excused (Simon complains) | --- | dowry excused (disciples complain) | dowry excused (some complain) | dowry excused (Judas Iscariot complains) |
| no conception | no conception | conception | conception | conception |
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And Jesus said to them, "Those who have ears -- let them hear." |
By now, it must be clear that it is only by the 'Pesher of Christ' that Jesus' healings and miracles can be deciphered. I could continue to decipher the approximately thirty-seven of them, but it would get tedious with some resembling actual fairy tales. The most ridiculous one is where Jesus tells Peter to catch a fish and find in its mouth a coin and use it to pay the tax collector.Mt 17:24-27
This fish story is deciphered by understanding that the coin is a didrachma, which was equivalent to two drachmas and thus represents the person Marsyas of the order of Ham (Fish 2), who is a freedman of Herod Agrippa, and as his treasurer, will pay the tax. Clearly, it was an inside joke between Jesus and Peter. It is hard to imagine that Jesus would waste his time on performing this 'miracle'. It is more like one of my magic tricks that I am ridiculed for. Surely, it must be clear that the true miracles of Jesus are metaphors that hide important truths.
Thus, the 'Feedings of the Multitudes' is an example of one of the best metaphoric miracles of Jesus that not only feeds the people, but sets out the description of two orders of 'The Way' and their dues. It also references Fish 2.
It may seem strange that there are two versions of the 'Feedings of the Multitudes' that seem to describe the same event with a minor difference of five thousand or four thousand participants. Then, it becomes clear that these use two sides of the Pythagorean Triangle, with the first being Five Thousand under John Aquila and his wife Priscilla (in Acts 18:26) and the second being Four Thousand under James Niceta. Given that John is married, his group of Five Thousand would be the married Gentiles, and James would be the celibate ones. Also, to match the 3, 4, 5 sides of the right triangle, there must be an assumed Three Thousand who must be the monastics.
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Some healings are humorous, such as the one about Jonathan (James of Alpheaus), Jesus' superior, who had baptized Jesus. His religiousness, like Jesus' brother James, required him to be carried in a palanquin to avoid touching the ground of the sinners. This was contrary to what Jesus wanted for the Church, so Jesus embarrassed him, hoping he would give it up.
| Healing of the Paralyzed Man Lowered through the Roof (Mt 9:2-8, Mk 2:1-12, Lk 5:17-26) |
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The early churches were constructed with an upper level where the priests would stand. Access was often through the roof via a trapdoor that would let in the sunlight at the appropriative times to create halos. Four men came carrying a paralyzed man on a palanquin (Jonathan). Since they could not get into the Church, they went up on the roof and removed the tile (trap door) and let the man in his palanquin down to the upper floor next to Jesus. Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting thinking, This is blasphemy to say this to the priest who is the only one allowed to forgive sins. Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven", or to say, "Get up, take your palanquin and walk"? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” He (Jonathan) got up, took his palanquin, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”Mk 2:3-12 |
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Jesus had made his point, for Jonathan stopped using his palanquin, but Jesus would still be reprimanded. |
The problematic disciple of Jesus was his uncle, Theudas-Thaddeus, even more than Judas Iscariot whose disruptive actions could always be predicted. He was a man of multiple personas. He had a huge following, having fought alongside Judas the Galilean as Saddok.Ant 18.1.6. Thus, at one moment, Theudas could be the celebrated Barabbas or the Prodigal Son cavorting with the Roman pigs, and at another, Nicodemus, the honorary member of the Council. Jesus was finally able to convince him to be baptized, although he had a similar deposition to the other disciple, Herod II, the 'Doubting Thomas' of taking things quite literally, .
| Jesus Baptizes Nicodemus |
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 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” “Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again." The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you not a teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” “Most assuredly, I say to you, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen, and you do not receive our witness.” “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” “No one has ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”Jn 3:1-12 |
However, once it seemed to him that things were going too slowly, Theudas aligned himself again with the Roman swine, as he did as the Prodigal Son and Jesus had to de-escalate his psychosis.
| Jesus Casts Demons into a Herd of Pigs as Theudas reverts to Zealot tendencies at Gadara |
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 Gadarene Demoniac (3) |
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When Jesus arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men (Judas Iscariot and Theudas) coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?”, they shouted, “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” Jesus said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.Mt 8:28-32 |
At the Crucifixion, Theudas as Nicodemus with his daughter Susanna would be instrumental in coordinating the rescue and in reviving Jesus, bringing a hundred-pound weight of a mixture of myrrh and aloes.Jn 19:39
Unfortunately, after the Crucifixion and being separated from Jesus' guidance, Theudas attempted a symbolic crossing of the Jordan River, but the Procurator Fadus sent a troop of horsemen out against them who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them and took many of them alive, including Theudas. They cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem."Mk 2:3-12.Acts 5:36; Ant 20.5.1
There is an event shown next after after the healing at Gadara that actually occurs early in Jesus' mission. It is not actually a healing, but it appears to be a clue about my location and that of my sister Helena because significantly the Clementine reference which declares me (Simon Magus) to be 'a Samaritan by race, of the village of Gitthae' (Jit) which is six schoeni (60 stadia or about 10.5 kilometers) distant from the city.H.2.22 (60 stadia or about 10.5 kilometers distance of Jit (Gitthae) to Nablus) and thus confirms my residence to the west of Jacob's well and the major city of Nablus.
Thus, the 'woman' in the story must be assumed to be my sister Helena, Jesus' mother-in-law, the head of the convent north of here, where Jesus' six disciples are housed. Her higher status can be surmised from the casual manner of their conversation as one of equals. Given that Jesus sent his disciples away to buy food, it must be a secret meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is not clear but can be assumed to be that I have sent my sister Helena to get Jesus' approval for my assignment as the leader of the five elite disciples (Jonathan, Matthew, Theudas, Thomas, and Judas Iscariot). They are referred to as 'husbands' with the sixth elite disciple being me, her superior. (It must be noted that 'husband' is used by the translators but ανηρ (aner) can mean merely an adult man.)
The difficulty of deciphering this section probably stems from the fact that Jesus' six disciples, especially the scribe John Mark, were away to buy food and were never told the true details directly, but by second hand.
| Helena talks to Jesus at Jacob's Well |
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 Jesus & Samaritan Woman (Helena) at Jacob's Well (5) |
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So Jesus came to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied from his journey, is sitting there. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria comes to draw water. Since his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” Then the woman of Samaria (Helena pretending to be affronted) says to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” Jesus answers and says to her, “It is you who should ask the same of me, for I would have given you living water.” The woman toying with him, says, “Lord, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then, do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answers and says to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water that I give them will never thirst. Indeed, that water will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman says to him, “Lord, give me this water so that I will not thirst and will not have to keep coming here to draw water.” He tells her, “Go, call your superior and come back.” “I have no superior”, she replies. Jesus says to her, “You are right when you say you have no superior. The fact is, you have had five superiors, and the man you have now is not your superior.” Jesus, (guessing the reason for the secret meeting), says to her, “Do you need to get your superior (Simon Magus) to come back?” “I can talk for him.” she replies. Jesus says to her, “Then, it is agreed.” The woman says, “Since you are a seer. I have a question for you: the Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is the Temple in Qumran (Jerusalem plural).” “Woman”, Jesus replies, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on your mountain nor in Qumran (Jerusalem plural). You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in Truth.” The woman says, “I know that the Messiah will come to his own as Christ. When he does, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declares, “The one speaking to you is 'I am'” Jn 4:6-26 |
Now, having begun the third year of Jesus' mission, Jesus and I were growing frustrated with the inability of the people to prepare for the coming Restoration. Having seen the failure of John the Baptist, many were fully expecting Jesus to fail also. The elite were not going to give up their power. Seeing the vast crowds that surrounded Jesus, they saw him as a threat that needed to be removed. Given this environment, Jesus and I felt the need to push the envelope. Jesus' action almost got him arrested, and my action almost led to my death. In any case, the events were rapidly moving toward Jesus' trial and Crucifixion in March.
| The Transfiguration Day of Atonement, prior to Tabernacles, in September 32 AD (Mt 17:1-9; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36; Jn 7:1-52) |
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And after six days Jesus takes Peter, and James, and John, and brings them up to a high mount (the upper level of the Church) by themselves, where they were all alone.Mk 9:2a The High Priest Caiaphas had not arrived for the Atonement blessing. Jesus quickly dressed in the white priestly vestments of the High Priest. Jonathan and Theudas were already on the upper level. Jonathan was on stage left in the second position as Elijah and Theudas on the right in the position of Moses, waiting for the High Priest to be in the center. Peter, James, and John went to sit in the lower level. Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. Jn 7:14 Jesus walks quickly into the center between Jonathan and Theudas. And there appeared to them Elijah (Jonathan) with Moses (Theudas), and they were talking with JesusMk 9:4. (No doubt Jonathan and Theudas were telling Jesus that he would be committing blasphemy by pretending to be the High Priest. Jesus ignores their warning.) And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his garments became glittering, white exceedingly, as snow, so as a fuller upon the earth is not able to whiten them (dressed in the white vestments of the High Priest).Mk 9:2b-3 Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone does thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” Jn 7:37b and this he said of the Spirit, which those believing in him were about to receive;Jn 7:39a Therefore, many out of the multitude, having heard these words, said, “This is truly the Prophet;” Jn 7:40 , others said, “This is the Christ;” and others said, “Why, out of Galilee does the Christ come?” Jn 7:41 A division, therefore, arose among the multitude because of him.Jn 7:43 And certain of them were willing to seize him, but no one laid hands on him;Jn 7:44-45
And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice out of the cloud, (This was me intervening, having rushed to the upper level and from the side by using ventriloquism, I made it appear that an angel was speaking from the cloud as a messenger from God to assure the congregation that Jesus had the blessing of the High Priest to be there.) and suddenly, having looked around, they saw no one anymore, but Jesus only with themselves.Mk 9:8 As they (Theudas and Jonathan) abandoned Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)Lk 9:33 (With Theudas and Jonathan having exited, Jesus is quickly removing the white vestments as the confused Peter suggests that he and James could substitute for them. Jesus beckons them to leave quickly.) Therefore, the officers went unto the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring him?”Jn 7:45 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.Jn 7:46 “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law for there is a curse on them.”Jn 7:47-49 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”Jn7:50-51 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”Jn 7:52
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The Synoptic Gospels imply that Jesus was actually speaking to the Spirits of Moses and Elijah when actually these these were two of persons in the hierarchy who held these titles. The Gospel of John does not name them but includes the event and the fallout from it.
Clearly, Jesus had acted too soon because the people only knew him from Galilee, and the fallout from this event was to incite the wrath of the High Priest and the Pharisees. Theudas (Nicodemus) was unable to calm them.The writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls would not forgive this action and labeled Jesus as the 'Man of a Lie' and the 'Wicked Priest'.
Next, it was my turn to do a foolish thing. This transgression of Jesus turned out to be minor compared to what occurred when I joined in with the Jews to protest the actions of Pontus Pilate. Ever since Pilate became procurator of Judea in 26 AD, Pontius Pilate always seemed to do things that annoyed the Jews, even when it was not intentional. Either he was too stupid to realize that his actions had consequences or perhaps he did it on purpose. When he decided to use the sacred temple money on a massive project to extend the aqueducts, there was a huge demonstration, which I joined along with Judas and Theudas. Pilate, expecting a large protest, had his soldiers mix in the crowd with their armor concealed under ordinary clothes. When he gave the signal, they began beating the demonstrators who fled for their lives with many beaten to death.War 2.9.4 In the chaos, I was recognized.
Pilate complained to Caiaphas, who, wishing to retain his position, excommunicated me. Normally, among the Essenes, excommunication was called death because only an Essene had life. For a leader, a lesser punishment might be imposed, such as a symbolic stay in a burial cave tomb. However, Pilate insisted on a stronger punishment and imposed my excommunication to be in a closed cave tomb without food or water.
| Raising of Lazarus Lazarus (Eleazar) is Simon Magus (uncle of Mary Magdalene) taking a name derived from Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the Patriarch of the Levites Martha is Helena (mother of Mary Magdalene) Mary Magdalene (wife of Jesus) Bethany, meaning 'house of affliction', is Ain Feshkha at a safe distance from the Essene purity of Qumran. |
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 Raising of Lazarus (Jn 11:1-44) (2) Now a man named Lazarus (Eleazar: Simon Magus) was sick (under excommunication). He was from Bethany (Ain Feshkha), the village of Mary Magdalene and Martha (Helena). This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. (This was the first try for marriage conception which failed.Lk 7:36-50) So they sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." Now Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha, and her sister (nun) Jn 11:1-3,5 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, Jn 11:1-4,6 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jn 11:7-8 (Jesus had been hoping that his superior Jonathan would release Lazarus, but Jonathan was afraid to act. So Jesus had to act at his own risk.) He went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he reposes, he will get better?”Jn 11:11-12 Jesus uses this moment to teach the meaning of 'sleep' in the 'The Way' as being (kath-eúdō) 'spiritually uninitiated'. Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” Jesus had been speaking of Lazarus' death, but his disciples thought he meant 'natural sleep'. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”Jn 11:9,10,13-15 On his arrival at Qumran, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.Jn 11:17 (Four days is the time of real death according to the Jewish faith, where the soul can no longer return.) Now Bethany (Ein Feshkha) was less than 15 stadia (3 hours) from Jerusalem (Qumran).Jn 11:18 “Lord,“Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jn 11:21-24 Jesus (teaching again) said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”Jn 11:25-26 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”Jn 11:25-26 Hearing that Jesus had arrived, Mary Magdalene rushes to greet him. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was (at Cave 4 in Qumran) and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.Jn 11:29,32-34a Jesus, therefore, again groaning in himself, comes to the tomb, and it was a cave, and a stone was lying upon it.Jn 11:38 Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”Jn 11:35-37 Jesus' actions of waiting until Lazarus was dead appeared not to be the actions of one who loved Lazarus, but it was necessary to wait for Jonathan to act. Thus, with Jonathan not acting, this 'miracle of the Resurrection' would become the prelude to his own! And immediately a great sound was heard from the tomb.Secret Gospel of Mk 3.3a,2.26b It was Lazarus saying, “It's about time you came!”  (Cave 4 across from the two caves 8Q & 7Q of the Resurrection) (2) Still, no one expected him to be alive because they did not know that this cave was Qumran's papal tomb, having three windows in the back overlooking the chasm. Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? Take away the stone!” he said.Jn 11:40,39a So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.Jn 11:41-44 (This was part of the excommunication process to be placed in the cave as if dead.) Helena started to hug him and stopped as she exclaimed, “there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.Jn 11:39 You need a bath! ” She brings Lazarus some water to drink, but it would take more than a drink of water even from Jacob's well to remove the stain of excommunication. It would involve baptism and prayers to be raised from the level of outcaste to Pope again. Thus, at the Garden of Gethsemane, I would be metaphorically "the young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment".Mk 14:51-52 A few days later, Jesus performed on me an initiate's baptism since I was like a leper at level 10 as shown by the healing of ten lepersLk 17:12-19. Jesus hugs me, saying, “In defying Caiaphas, we will be forever joined together.” I reply, “I am sorry, Jesus, to have involved you into my problems. I praise God that I have you as my friend.” By then, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, to the court of the chief priest Caiaphas had consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill him. They agreed that it would have to be done after the feast as it might cause a tumult among the people.Mt 26:3-5 |
Hearing that Caiaphas was plotting for a way to eliminate both Jesus and me, Judas Iscariot offers to betray Jesus, asking for my leadership position of The Council of Thirty, thus his thirty silver coins stood for the silver rays of the moon. Caiaphas agrees and they set a plan that would coincide with the summoning of Pilate to Qumran.
The coin myth is perpetuated by the reason Judas left early because "he had the bag", but the silver coins where the positions in John the Baptist's Council of Thirty, representing the silver moon calendar that Judas was promised as leader.
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume.Mt 26:6-7a, Mk 14:3a Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume, and poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.Jn 12:3a Then she poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table.Mt 26:7, Mk 14:3b (Anointing his head indicated that now he was the David king since she was pregnant this time with his assumed son.) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.Jn 12:3b
Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.Jn 12:2
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why was not this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” Other's also complained and rebuking her harshly. Jn 12:4-5, Mt 26:8-9, Mk 14:4-5
(Judas did not complain about this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.Jn 12:6)
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for my burial reenact the Song of Solomon.Cant 1:12 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
Mt 26:10-13,Mk 6-9,Jn12:7a,8
Mary Magdalene, ignoring their criticism, stands with her belly by Jesus' head, and says, “My dearest husband, after this third year of trying, my successful pregnancy will surely bring you a male heir to the throne of David who will be remembered long after me.”
Jesus stands up and kisses her on the lips and says, “I will be eternally thankful for this gift that God has given to us through you. It was intended that you should save this perfume for the day of my burialJn12:7b, but far better to be used on this joyous day. May we all live until the day of our Resurrection.
Simon Magus says, “Amen.” and the rest chime in.
The next day Jesus rides a donkey from the Queen's house up to Qumran thus fulfilling the prophesy of Zechariah "Behold, your king comes to you, triumphant and victorious. He is humble and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass."Zechariah 9:9 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread palm branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”Mk 11:8-9
Remembering the words of King David: "Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel"1 Kings 1:32-34), Jesus hoped one day to do the same for his expected son.
Being elated with the reception, Jesus entered the temple courts at Qumran and overturned the tables of the money changers, driving out all who were buying and selling doves Mt 21:12 for indulgences to the visiting pilgrims.
The combination of these two events showed Jesus to be both a threat to Herod Agrippa's aspirations to be king over Judea, and a threat to the High Priest Caiaphas who assembled the chief priests and the elders of the people in his palace to plot how to put Lazarus to deathJn 12:10 and to arrest Jesus secretly and to kill him.Mt 26:3-4
Wanting to use Qumran for the Passover sacrament, Jesus sent Peter and John (Mark), saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.Lk 22:8 Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.”Mk 14:13a (The vestry was just south of the well that was filled by the aqueduct.) He shows them a large room upstairs, all furnished and they make preparations there.Lk 22:12
It is Thursday, April 2, 33 AD, and the Holy Table has been prepared. Jesus and the disciples are sitting in the raised section of the vestry with the sky above them. At 8 pm, lamps were lit around the wall. The positions were laid out according to an imaginary 'Heavenly Man' that the table rested upon.
Normally, I as Pope would be sitting to the left and east of Jesus at the head of the table, with Judas Iscariot below me as my bishop, but because I had recently been excommunicated as Lazarus and was working my way back up the hierarchy, the priest Jonathan Annas had my place next to Jesus. My position was then in the guest position at the far end of the table on the west side as I was under Jesus' instruction while I moved back up in the hierarchy.
On the west side of the table was Jesus' second younger brother, Joses, the crown prince, as his deputy since Jesus' first brother James had been rejected. (And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And the lot fell upon Matthias (Joses Barnabas).Acts 1:23-26 On the east side of the table was Jonathan's younger brother Matthew as Jonathan's deputy.
On the west side of the table, on Jesus' right was John Mark-Bartholomew who was the stand-in for Mary Magdalene thus the 'beloved disciple'. He was located on the breast of the 'Heavenly Man'. Opposite him was my bishop Judas Iscariot.
Next is Peter who would normally be Jesus' bishop, however, since Jesus was still in the married state, John Mark was his bishop. Opposite him on the east side of the table was Thaddeus (Theudas, Nicodemus), Jesus' uncle.
Philip (a subordinate of John Mark) on the west side had connections with the west, and Andrew on the east side had connections with the east. John Aquila on the west side of the table and his twin brother James Niceta on the east side had their own groups with James being more associated with the East. (The mother of the sons of Zebedee requested of Jesus that her two sons may sit on his right hand and one on his left in His Glory;" Mk 10:37).
There were six loaves of bread that were left after the cleansing and the earlier meal. They would be distributed down the right hand side of the table after they were blessed by Jesus. Each of the six members was to divide their loaf in half and give to their counterparts on the left as if given directly by Jesus.
It is here that the translators, knowing already that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, misinterpreted the word paradidomi as 'betray' when it merely means 'beside give'. In other words to pass across to the one on the opposite side. These translators wanted to give Jesus the power of prognostication, in the same way that they want to claim that Jesus purposely wanted to be crucified.
| Jesus had begun the sacrament by declaring that the bread is symbolic of his body: “Take, eat, this is my body” Mt 26:26 thus 'paradidomi' is 'beside-give' 'of me' not 'to me'. |
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“Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall beside-give of me.” Mt 26:21b “Verily I say unto you, One of you who eateth with me shall beside-give of me.”Mk 14:18b “But, lo, the hand of him beside-give of me across the table,” Lk 22:21 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall beside-give of me;” Jn 13:21 |
Since fermented wine was used, to accommodate those members, like Judas, who did not drink fermented wine, the deputies Joses and Matthew distributed a small bowl of holy water to each of them. Thus when the goblet of wine that was blessed by Jesus and passed down the right line and back up the left, each member would take a sip and dip a fragment of their half a loaf into the goblet to create a sop that they ate. Thus, those who did not drink fermented wine would kiss the goblet and dip a fragment of their half loaf in the water instead.
Although remaining serene, Jesus was troubled in the spiritJn 13:18 because there were many rumors that he would be arrested along with Theudas and Simon Magus and that Pilate might be coming to Qumran.
Judas had convinced Jesus that he should leave early to find out if Pilate was actually coming to Jerusalem because that would put our lives in serious danger. However, Jesus felt that he should wait until all had dipped their fragments so that he would not miss the sacred part that would be followed by discussion time. Jesus did not know that Judas meant to betray him at this point in time.
With the bread distributed, the ceremony proceeds with the wine. Jesus takes the goblet, and gives thanks, saying, “This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then he passed it around, and they all drank of it.Mk 14-23-25 Thus, they all were expecting the promised Restoration of God's kingdom.
Jesus announces that one of them should leave now.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
One seat above Peter was (John Mark-Barthomew) as the stand-in for Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
John Mark asked Jesus, “Lord, who is it?”Jn 13:22-26
Jesus answered, “He it is, to whom I have given the dipping bowl”Jn 13:26
Then Judas answered and said, “Master, is it not me?” Jesus said unto him, “Thou hast said.”Mt 26:25
And supper near completion, Judas Iscariot, having the role of Satan-tester, (beside-give of me) thus would give up his place at the table.Jn 13:2
Jesus says to him, “That thou doest, do quickly.”Jn 13:27
He then, having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night.Jn 13:30
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
For some of them thought, because Judas controlled the money, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of at the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.Jn 13:28-29
The sacred part of the service was over and Jesus hearing this babble, jokes that he has now been glorified because the row on his left side has lost one person. The concept is that he represents 'the kingdom' (as the David king) and Jonathan is 'the power' (as Zadok priest) with initiates those under each of these leaders as 'the glory').
Judas' departure set up a squabble between the disciples as to who would fill Judas' seat. Jesus scolds them as Theudas moves up to take his place (Later on: Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ...Jn 14:22)
Jesus rebukes them, giving a long lesson:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.Jn 13:16
Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves enablers. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the neophyte and the one who rules like the one who serves.”Lk 22:24-26
The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” That is sufficient!" Jesus replied.Lk 22:38
The implication is that Peter and John Mark are the leaders as two swords like the flaming sword used by the angels guarding the Garden of Eden.Genesis 3:24 Peter will draw this metaphoric sword at the arrest of Jesus. John Mark's position as the second sword will be revealed at the traditional last appearance of Jesus at the Sea of Tiberius after he taught Peter about 'agape love', then Peter, turning about, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved and Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, “Lord, and what shall this man do?” And Jesus said, “He would remain till I return”Jn 21:20a-22a (meaning when Jesus returns to renew his marriage).
Next, the reality of their precarious situation overwhelms his mind.
“Simon, Simon ” (repeated to show it is Simon Magus and not Simon Peter), “Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
I replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Lk 22:31-33
Jesus is comparing their situation to the final days when the wheat will be gathered and the chaff will be burned: Whose fan is in God's hand, to thoroughly purge the floor of the chaff, and gather the wheat into the barn, burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.Mt 3:12
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.”
Jesus answered him, “Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Truly, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.”Jn 13:38
Since Peter is in charge of announcing the hours ("the cock crowing"), Jesus is reminding him of the global time change that was going into effect at Passover to adjust the clocks to real-time: three hours would be subtracted from the Essene day at midnight, but the three hours would not be subtracted until noon for the Pharisee day. Peter would call out midnight and immediately say three o'clock, but the Pharisee crier would continue to call out the hours, three hours behind. Jesus is humorously saying that if Peter joined in with the Pharisee crier, he would be denying Jesus. This time change would be used to advantage to reduce the time on the cross by three hours!
The service is over and they all exit the vestry at 10 PM going down the seven steps on the north side.
(Interestingly, this matches the Copper Scroll first treasure location: "at the ruin which is in the valley of Achor, under the steps going up on the east, 40 cubits, a chest of silver, 17 talents."3Q15 1:1-4 , but the only treasure here was the Trial and Crucifixion.
Jesus went forth over the brook Kedron and entered the gardenJn 18:1 called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”Mk 14:32
The garden across from the aqueduct titled the brook Kedron was a poor excuse for a garden needing to be a mirror image of the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives. It had one olive tree in a rectangular room bounded by the southern wall.
It was a quiet place to be while Jesus struggled with the information that Jonathan (whom he called 'Father' as a Sadducee) revealed to him. The rumor was true that Pilate was being summoned to Qumran this night to have Simon Magus and Theudas tried and crucified for their part in the recent insurrection. By assisting Pilate in the capture of these two at Qumran and holding the trial here, it would be easier to manipulate the intended results in Caiaphas' favor. This was because there was a more devious plan and that was to swap Theudas for Jesus at the last minute.
The inner circle knew that Nicodemus was Theudas who had participated in the insurrection of Judas the Galilean many years ago when he was called Saddok. Caiaphas, knowing that he was Jesus' uncle, would call him 'Barabbas' meaning 'son of Sabbas'. (This name paralleled the use of Jesus' family name in Acts 15:22 when Jesus' brother Jude was called 'Judas surnamed Bar-sabbas'.) By pretending to Pilate that it was a Jubilee year: You shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.Lev 25:10, Barabbas could be released. Since Pilate would obviously want a replacement, Jesus could be substituted especially since the followers of John the Baptist believed him to be responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist.
Judas Iscariot having left the Last Supper early, allowed the temple guards to surround Qumran and alert Pilate. It was a three-hour trip by horse from Jerusalem to Qumran which was possible by night because the moon was full. Pilate could easily be there by morning.
While Peter and James and John slept, Jesus was in anguishMt 26:37-43 being crushed by the choice before him either to try to escape or doom his uncle Theudas who in his old age could certainly not survive crucifixion. It was then that I presented Jesus with a 3-part plan to survive the crucifixion. Although it would not eliminate the excruciating pain that could be barely reduced by narcotics, it did have a chance of survival, God willing:
1. The Jewish timekeeping system had fallen behind three hours which was decided to be fixed on Passover. |
2. Jesus was to be given a poison at the appropriate time that would make him appear to be dead. |
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3. With the time moved forward, dusk would occur sooner thus triggering the Jewish rule: |
Jesus did not have much chance to decide, the guards had arrived to arrest Jesus.
I tried to slip away as a young man, wearing nothing but a linen garmentMk 14:51-52, having been contaminated spiritually in the tomb as Lazarus, but they would have nothing of it and seized me also.
Judas who had to put on a good show to earn his position to become the new leader of John the Baptist's Council of Thirty gives Jesus a kiss but Jesus now knows that he has betrayed him.
The fact that Jesus would be subjected to two preliminary trials suggested that the intent was indeed to have Jesus crucified, but there was still hope that someone would intervene. First Jesus had to appear before the aging Ananus (Jn 18:13) and then his son-in law-Caiaphas (Jn 18:24).
Jesus knew he was doomed when Ananus, who had supported his position as the rightful heir to the David line, did not come to his rescue, but instead, just deferred to Caiaphas. Still, there was hope that Pilate might refuse the prisoner swap or, if he did accept it to decide that Jesus had not committed any capital crimes.
Peter is nearby waiting by the fire pit probably trying to figure out how he will betray Jesus three times, having misunderstood Jesus' time change analogy. The Gospel writers, also being confused, will invent three persons for him to deny to complete with a cock crowing (Mark even as two) that should reveal its relation to a clock. What is almost lost within this conundrum, Simon Peter with another disciple (Jonathan), known to the High Priest, had followed Jesus to the High Priest's courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door (by the fire pit while Jesus was being interrogated) until this disciple (Jonathan) came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there (stoking the fire ), and brought Peter in.Jn 18:15–16 It can be assumed that Jonathan has interceded on Peter's behalf after the confrontation during Jesus' arrest when he threatened Jesus' brother James who declared himself to be the new David king meaning 'Melek' thus undermining Peter's position as 'the ear' (spokesman of Jesus).Jn 18:10 After interrogating him, the High Priest kept him prisoner during the Crucifixion while he wept bitterlyLk 22:62 and released him later. This explains why Peter was not present at the Crucifixion, but was with John Mark when Mary Magdalene woke them.
As Pilate ascended the platform of the praetorium in front of a large crowd, the soldiers brought up Theudas and me in chains. Caiaphas announces that these two prisoners are being tried for insurrection. Witnesses declared that they had been seen in the riot in Jerusalem and Pilate declared: “The punishment for insurrection is crucifixion.” Being anxious to get it over quickly, he decrees, “Guards! prepare them for crucifixion.”
Caiaphas says, “Wait! your Excellency, This man who calls himself Theudas, is actually Barabbas who has fought in the previous insurrection with Judas the Galilean. Since it is the custom at the Jubilee to release a prisoner whom the people request, I propose that the people decide whether this Barabbas be released and be replaced by Jesus who declares himself King of the Jews.Mt 27:15-16
Jesus is brought up in chains to stand beside Barabbas.
Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him, nonetheless announces, “Do you want me to release to you Barabbas or the king of the Jews?”Mt 27:17-18
Although the chief priests and the elders, attempted to persuade the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed, they were too stunned to answer; so Pilate asks again, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
Again, after some coaching, they answered, “Barabbas!”Mt 27:20-21
“Why? What crime has this Jesus committed?”asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”Mt 27:23
Pilate, seeing that no one could come up with an answer and that an uproar was starting, took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood,”Mt 27:24
Then he released Barabbas to them.Mt 27:26a
Caiaphas, seeing the urgency of convincing Pilate of Jesus' criminally, says, “He does stir up the people, teaching throughout the whole of Judea, having begun from Galilee unto this place.”Lk 23:5
Upon hearing this and assuming that Jesus was a Galilean and thus under Herod Agrippa's jurisdiction, Pilate requested Herod Agrippa, who was also in Jerusalem (plural=Qumran) at that time, to pass judgment on Jesus.Lk 23:6-7
And Herod Agrippa having seen Jesus did rejoice exceedingly, for he was wishing for a long time to see Jesus, because of hearing many things about him, and he was hoping some miracle would be performed by Jesus and was questioning him in many words, and Jesus answered him nothing.Lk 23:8-9
And Herod Agrippa with his soldiers getting no reaction from Jesus, began mocking him and dressing him in rich apparel.Lk 23:11a
They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him and began to bow down before him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.”Mk 15:17-18
And both Pilate and Herod became friends on that day with one another, for they were before at enmity between themselves.Lk 23:12
The absurdity of Agrippa's involvement came about because Pilate jumped at the chance to avoid taking the blame for condemning Jesus to death. Actually, Agrippa was a mere magistrate in the city of Tiberius in Galilee because having suicidal thoughts his wife Cypros sent a letter to his sister Herodias, the wife of Herod Antipas, to allot him this for his upkeep. Ant 18.6.2
Herod Agrippa had been named after my supposed father Marcus Agrippa. He was the son of Aristobulus, Herod the Great's son, whom Herod had killed. While living in Rome, he was friends with Tiberias' son Drusus, but when Drusus died in 23 AD, he was burdened with huge debts and returned to Judea in 26 AD in a deep depression. He hated that job, but this was a fortuitous chance to be in the middle of the Crucifixion trial and become a best friend of Pilate at Jesus' expense.
Herod Agrippa's part in Jesus' trial was the degrading show, having the soldiers twist together a crown of thorns and put it on his head (the symbol of the Sadducees) and cloth him in his own purple robe and put a staff in his right hand (as a shepherd) and kneeling in front of him and mocking him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!”Jn 19:2-3; Matt27:29 By mocking Jesus, Agrippa gained favor with Pilate which would be invaluable in his goal to become King of Judea.
I was able to see this disgusting spectacle, as I had been left standing there in chains. Many years later when Herod Agrippa became ruler of all of Judea like Herod the Great, I saw to it that he was poisoned when he showed the same mental derangement as his grandfather. You may ask how I was still alive, but you will soon see how my 3-part plan worked like the greatest miracle of all.
When Judas, having betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left and hanged himself, Mt 27 1-5 but not by his own hand because he was tried and sent to be crucified as the levite of Simon Magus, as will be shown in the 'field of blood'.
Caiaphas' evil plan had succeeded and soon the three men would be marched out to be crucified, but being that it was Passover would the angel of death pass them over when it finds their blood on the sides and tops of of their crosses as Moses had promised long ago?Exodus 12:7,13 Certainly, the 'Lamb of God' would survive, but would he pass over me, a sinner, and even the traitor?
According to the Essene calendar Passover was supposed to be in the Spring quarter on Wednesday the 15th but, because it was out of sync with the Jewish calendar by 2 days + 3 hours, this was moved up to Friday with the time moving forward 3 hours on Good Friday, the day of the Crucifixion.
| Christus, the founder of the name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus.Tac15.44 | |
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| Proof that Simon Magus was also on the cross "Yes, they saw me; they punished me. It was another, their father, who drank the gall and the vinegar; it was not I, they struck me with the reed; it was another, Simon, who bore the cross on his shoulder. It was another upon whom they placed the crown of thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height over all the wealth of the rulers and the offspring of their error, of their empty glory. And I was laughing at their ignorance." Nag Hammadi Library: The Second Treatise of the Great Seth |
Proof that Judas Iscariot was also on the cross The soldiers took Judas and bound him, not without derision. For he truthfully denied that he was Jesus; Judas answered: 'I have told you that I am Judas Iscariot, who promised to give into your hands Jesus the Nazarene; I am Judas Iscariot, and not Jesus, who is a magician, and by his art hath so transformed me But God (High Priest), who had decreed the issue , reserved Judas for the cross, in order that he might suffer that horrible death to which he had sold another. So they led him to Mount Calvary, where they used to hang malefactors, and there they crucified him naked, for the greater ignominy. Gospel of Barnabas v217 |
| (8:15AM) Carrying the Cross (Simon Magus is carrying a cross) | ||||
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| Gospel of John | Gospel of Matthew | Gospel of Mark | Gospel of Luke | |
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Jesus is bearing his cross: Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took him away. Carrying his own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. Jn 19:16-17 | Jesus or Simon is bearing the cross And coming forth, they found a man, a * Cyrenian, by name Simon* him they impressed that he might bear the cross of him; and having come to a place called Golgotha, that is called 'Place of a Skull', Mt 27:32-33 | Jesus or Simon is bearing the cross And they impress a certain one passing by *Simon, a Cyrenian*, coming from the field, the *father of Alexander and Rufus*, that he may bear the cross of him, they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, 'Place of a Skull' Mk 15:21-22 | Simon Magus is bearing cross behind Jesus: And as they led him away, having taken hold on *Simon, a certain Cyrenian*. coming from the field, they put on him the cross, to bear it behind Jesus ... and when they came to the place that is called 'Skull' Lk 23:26,33 | |
| This is purposely obscure because the writers want to hide the fact that Simon is also on the cross. Simon from Cyrene is the father (superior) of Theudas-Thaddeus-Barabbas from the (Alexandrian) Therapeuts and Rufus is clearly Thomas the Twin with his red hair (Rufus) | ||||
The soldiers bring Judas, Jesus, and me out of the building. First, the soldiers tie the crossbar to the back of Judas Iscariot, pushing him forward, then Jesus with his crossbar, and then I with my crossbar. Our path is a short journey, traveling south of the praetorium, just beyond the skull on the ground, marking the toilet area called the Salt.
An onlooker says, “Isn't that first person Judas, who betrayed Jesus?”
Another says, “I hear this second person, Jesus, was traded for the criminal Theudas Barabbas, the leader of the Therapeuts of Alexandria in Egypt.”
"Isn't that last man his leader, Simon Magus, who took John the Baptist's place?”
"I heard he was from the far reaches of Cyrene. He calls himself the 'Standing One'.”
"He befriended Thomas, the deposed Herod called the twin having lost his inheritance like the red-haired Esau to Jacob.”
Another says, “Amazingly, they do not stumble with that great weight on their backs.”
(3)Three holes have been dug in the Place of the Skull ready for the upright timbers to be placed inside them. As the three are lying on the ground with their crossbars on their backs still tied to the wrists on their out-stretched arms awaiting the spikes to be driven into their wrists; Theudas, who had been trained by the Therapeuts of Alexandria, gives each of them an all-powerful analgesic to ease their pain.
As he administers it to Jesus, Theudas says, “Dear nephew, I will forever be in your debt for graciously taking my place.”
Jesus says, “It was not in my control, but I would have taken your place. You have been my father since the death of Joseph.”
Theudas whispers, “Do you want to take the poison now that will make you appear to be dead and thus to avoid crucifixion?”
Jesus whispers back, “No, I will take the poison at the ninth hour after the time change as is planned by singing Psalm 22 which seems fitting.” He begins to sing:
Pilate and Herod Agrippa are seated in comfortable chairs to watch the show. They are located just above the place of the skull.
(4) Pilate shouts to the soldiers, “You have the order of the crosses all wrong. Jesus as the King of the Jews must be in the center and put a sign on the top of his cross to read 'King of the Jews'.”
A centurion approaches Pilate saying, “James, brother of Jesus, is protesting that Simon as the Pope should have been placed on the center cross. ”
Pilate says, “He is his brother! Then ask him if he would like to change places with Jesus.”
Agrippa says, “He is just quoting the Essene rule that Jesus as the prophet is supposed to be on the right.”
Pilate replies, “The people proclaimed him as 'King of the Jews' and that is what must be. Let the onlookers see how they humiliate and kill their own kings.”
The soldiers place the sign on the middle post as they guide the posts into the holes and raise them up, securing them with rocks. They drag Jesus to the center post and switch me to the position on the right.
Next, it is time for the spikes to be driven into the center of our wrists. The pain is excruciating as we cry in pain. The crossbars are then raised up by pulleys and fitted into the slots in the posts.
Jesus is in the center facing Pilate (to the north). I am on the cross on the right (on the west) . Judas on the left cross (on the east) facing Pilate. A chain is wrapped around our ankles the post and pulled tight. Otherwise, if our bodies just hung down, our lungs would burst and we would die too quickly.
The two criminals were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”
In the same way, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him, “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, "I am the Son of God."” The criminals were reproaching themselves.Mt 27:38-44
Pilate takes out a small bottle of perfume and puts it to his nose, then says, “What a smelly place these Essenes live in.”
Herod Agrippa laughs and says, “That is because it is their toilet!”
The three of us are silent now as the drugs are working, but drops of blood drip from our wrists.
Pilate asks, “Why are they not screaming in pain?”
Agrippa says, “Their bodies are in shock, they will wake up soon.”
After watching for an hour, Pilate gets bored and says, “I was half expecting Jesus to walk off the cross; but, clearly, he is just a man and not a God.”
Agrippa says, “Pilate, shall we ride our horses down to the Dead Sea? The Dead Sea gets its name from the huge quantity of salt in it that makes it impossible to drink. The salt does make it so buoyant that Jesus performed a miracle there by walking on water.”
Agrippa and Pilate with some of his soldiers ride down to the Dead Sea along the wadi Qumran.
(5)Pilate laughs, saying, “Another miracle debunked!”
At around the eleventh hour, with Pilate still gone. The drugs have almost worn off and the three men groan in pain.
Judas Iscariot who was one of the criminals who was crucified, railed on him, saying, “If you be the Christ, save yourself and us.”
But the other criminal (Simon Magus) answering rebuked him, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? We indeed receive the just reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing wrong;”
Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me, when you may come in your kingdom.”
Jesus said to him, “Verily I say to you, Today with me you shall be in paradise.”Lk 23:39-43
I say, “And to you Judas, the fires of Gehenna will be your reward.”
For Jesus and me, 'paradise' was a code word for the burial caves at the far end of the esplanade that they hoped to be carried to while still alive. The thought of reaching it together, if the plan succeeded, filled our hearts, allowing us to sustain the physical pain.
| The Four Marys at the Cross | |||||
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| Mother Mary | Mary Magdalene | Helena my sister | Susanna with Magdalene (Lk 8.3) | ||
| Matt 27:56 | Mary the mother of James and of Joses(1) | Mary the Magdalene | the mother of the sons of Zebedee(3) | ||
| Mk 15:40 | Mary of James (1) the less, and of Joses | Mary Magdalene | Salome (3) | ||
| Lk 23:49 | the women who did follow him from Galilee | ||||
| Jn 19:25 | his mother(1) | Mary the Magdalene | his mother's sister(3) | Mary of Cleopas(2) | |
| The Four Marys at the cave before the Resurrection | |||||
| Mt 27:61 | Mary the Magdalene | the other Mary | |||
| Mk 15:47 | Mary of Joses(1) | Mary the Magdalene | |||
| Luke 23:55 | And the women also who have come with him out of Galilee having followed after | ||||
| The Four Marys at the cave after the Resurrection | |||||
| Matt 28:01 | Mary the Magdalene | the other Mary | |||
| Mk 16:01 | Mary of James(1) | Mary the Magdalene | Salome(3) | ||
| Luke 24:10 | Mary of James(1) | Mary Magdalene | Joanna(3) | the other women with them | |
| Jn 20:11 | Mary Magdalene | ||||
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(1) Mother Mary =his mother = Mother of "James (James the less" meaning younger 'Joseph', his father) (Joses is James' brother so interchangeable) (2) Susanna: daughter of Cleopas, Jesus' uncle Theudas: (Road to Emmaus) (3) Helena is adoptive mother of James and John schooled by Zebedee (Simon Magus) (Clementines) also sister-in-law to Mother Mary through the marriage of her daughter Mary Magdalene; dancing for Salome at 'the Beheading of John the Baptist'; Joanna, female member of John the Baptist as the 30th of his group; Lk 8:3 Joanna of the administrator of Chuza (sister of me as Pope under Antipas Herod) | |||||
James' cousin Susanna goes over to James who is sitting alone, whispering, “James, have you no remorse to have caused this crucifixion of your own brother?”
James answers, “I definitely regret all this, I never believed that Jesus would be crucified. You must be relieved that your father, Theudas, was saved.”
Susanna whispers, “Of course, but I need to know if you can be trusted to save Jesus, now?”
James says, “Why do you ask? Upon my mother's life, I promise.”
Susanna whispers, “Here is the plan: Jesus will take poison to make him appear to be dead. You must ask Pilate for his body and inform him of the rule that hanged men cannot stay on the cross after dusk. If you act quickly, Jesus can be revived in the cave.”
James whispers, “If there is a chance to save my brother, I will do it.”
Jesus, then perceiving the mother (Mary Magdalene)
and the disciple standing by, whom Jesus loved (John Mark-Bartholomew), is saying to the mother of him (the mother pregnant with his child), “Woman, Behold the son of you!” (the expected son inside Mary Magdalene's belly).
From that hour, the disciple took her to his own (the Asher convent under Helena overseen by him).John 19:26
Jesus looks down and sees the three Marys crying and says, “Do not cry my dearest mother of me and of James and Joses. I will yet conquer death.”
Mother Mary replies, “May you at least go to a better place.”
Jesus says “Helena, mother of my beloved wife, I have also saved a place in Paradise for your brother Simon.”
Helena says, “You have a good heart. May you embrace each other in Paradise.”
Jesus says, “Magdalene, my beloved, the mother of him inside your belly, behold our son! I will yet meet you in the garden of James ... And dearest John Mark, please take care of this mother and child.”
Magdalene sobs loudly.
Susanna comes over to three Marys and pulls them into a huddle, whispering, “All is in place. James is sorry, he has promised to help. We must be ready to take Jesus to the cave right away to be revived and the two others to be tended to.”
(Pharisee time moves 3 hrs to 3 pm (9th hour/9th hour) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
And from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land unto the ninth hour,Mt 27:45 |
And the sixth hour having come, darkness came over the whole land till the ninth hour,Mk 15:33 |
And it was, as it were, the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land till the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened, and the veil of the sanctuary was rent in the midst, Lk 23:44,45 |
And it was noon, and darkness came over all Judaea:GP 15a And many went about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and fell downGP 18 Then the sun shone, and it was found the ninth hour:GP 22 |
The crier calls out, “Sixth Hour” and immediately after, “Ninth Hour” to account for the missing three hours: (darkness). Now both the Essene time and the Pharisee are the same.
Fortuitously, Pilate and Agrippa returned at noon time, but they missed the crier saying Sixth Hour, and all they heard was the Ninth hour.
Pilate remarked, “How could that be, is it that late already?”
As they sit down, Agrippa says, “It appears that the men on the cross have been up there for six hours since the third hour, from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Their end could be near.”
Pilate replies, “I don't know. I have heard some stay alive for days.”
Jesus seeing that Pilate has arrived back, Jesus gives the pre-arranged signal for the poison that will make him appear to be dead.
 (6) |
Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, |
Pilate stands up, saying, “How is this possible? He cannot be dead already! Centurion, check if this is true.”
Cornelius, the physician, attaches a lancet to the stalk and pierced Jesus' side, and immediately there came forth blood and water and he says, “This man is dead and I assure you that my testimony is true.” Jn 19:34
Cornelius, who was the first Gentile to be accepted by Peter at the holy table ten years later, may not have known that a buildup of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura around the lungs is a symptom of heart failure (which in this case was the effect of the poison). However, Cornelius, having previously exclaimed, “certainly this man was righteous unto God!”Lk 23:47 thought perhaps God had not accepted his diagnosis.
Pilate sits down, discouraged at the outcome. James approaches him, saying, “Esteemed Prefect, as the brother of Jesus, may I take Jesus down now to bury him?”
Pilate nods. Then James says, “Since it is almost dusk, our religion in Deuteronomy 21:23 says, 'If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because it is an offense to God'; therefore can the other two be brought down now also?”
Pilate replies, “You Jews have too many rules. The other two are of little interest to me.”; then he shouts out, “Soldiers, make sure you pull the chains taut on the other two to break their legs in case they are still alive.”
Pilate gets up to leave, muttering to Agrippa, “The Dead Sea was more lively than these crucifixions. If I hurry, maybe I can be back to my lodging before dark.”
The race to save Jesus and Simon Magus begins.
Meanwhile, Cornelius having carefully unwrapped the chains around Jesus' legs, uses the pulley to lower Jesus still nailed and roped to the crossbar with the help of Zacchaeus. They place Jesus gently on the ground. He takes a crowbar and yanks the two spikes from his wrists.
A soldier says, “Why are you being so careful; he is already dead.”
Cornelius replies, “We do not want the body to be defiled further. He is after all the Son of God.”Mk 15:39;
The soldier mutters, “This Jewish God is not very powerful to let his son die.”
Theudas, using his Jewish council name Nicodemus, arrives with huge quantities of myrrh and aloe used for traumatic injuries in a palanquin belonging to James who used it to avoid touching the defiled ground. James and Theudas lift Jesus onto the palanquin as the women apply the lotions and wrap his wrists. They drape his whole body with linen so as not to reveal his faint breath and to reinforce the illusion that he is being prepared for burial.
Then James and Theudas carefully carry Jesus along the walkway that goes over the pinnacle of rock to the two adjacent caves that are blocked by a rolling stone that serves to block either cave #7 or cave #8. Theudas rolls the stone to the right to reveal the opening to the left hand cave #7, the tomb of the prince James. Then he squats and carries Jesus through the opening and sits him down on a blanket on a raised ledge inside. He induces Jesus to vomit and then to drink the antidote. After binding his wrists, he gives him a sedative.
Meanwhile, the soldiers following Pilate's instructions, break my legs and Judas' by yanking the chains around our legs, causing Judas and myself to faint from the pain.
“What do we do next?” the soldiers ask.
Cornelius says, “I will lower these down by myself.”
He carefully lowers me down and removes the spikes from my wrist.
As Helena has brought the palanquin back from the caves, James and Cornelius place me on it and carry me down to tomb #8, adjacent to Jesus on the right, laying me on a blanket on the floor of cave #8.
Susanna brings the palanquin back for Judas. Since James has refused to carry him, she gets Cornelius and Zacchaeus. They place Judas in the same cave as me.
The chief priests and the Pharisees remembering that Jesus had said while yet living, "After three days is the Resurrection", feared that his disciples would come at night and steal his body away, and say, "He rose from the dead" and this last deceit shall be worse than the first. Thus a messenger from Pilate comes to the centurion Cornelius, “You are instructed to guard the tombs for three days.”Mt 27:63-65
Cornelius, as instructed, verifies that the stone as been rolled to block Jesus' cave. He remarks, “It appears that the Jews are believing, as the Egyptians, that the dead can rise to the afterlife? It would be a miracle for any to survive the night.” He leaves to direct the soldiers to camp on the other side of the peak of the rock.
It is almost sundown so the women return to the Queen's house, just across the Wadi Qumran. James escorts them.
Theudas begins binding my broken legs and wrists and does the same for Judas.
Having finished tending to me and Judas, Theudas rolls the stone forward to the right to return to Jesus' cave, but it crashes down and breaks in two.
When the soldiers hear the crash, they are afraid to move, thinking that maybe the Resurrection has actually come. Cornelius goes to the peak and calls out, “What has happened down there?”
Theudas appears from the tomb, where Jesus has been placed, and waves for him to come down. He places gold coins that had been hidden in Jesus cave since it was also one of Qumran treasury hiding places listed in the Copper Scroll. He puts them in Cornelius' hand, saying with a wink, “The dead have no need of these.”
Looking at the broken door stone, Cornelius says, “Your name should be "Earthquake" to break such a large stone. You certainly scared us!” Going back to the soldiers, he hands each a gold coin, saying, “No need for alarm.”
Jesus' sleep was far from peaceful and as he dreamed that his soul had descended into Hades where the righteous had been held pending the Restoration. There he found 'Lazarus and the Rich Man' of his parable'.
 The Harrowing of Hell (3) (Lk 16:19-31) making merry sumptuously every day, and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores, and desiring to be filled from the crumbs that are falling from the table of the rich man; yea, also the dogs, coming, were licking his sores.
away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham -- and the rich man also died, and was buried and in Hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torment, he does see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, and having cried, the rich man said, 'Father Abraham, deal kindly with me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and may cool my tongue because I am distressed in this flame.'
your good things in your life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and you are distressed; and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through.' And rich man said, I pray you, then, 'Father, that you may send him to the house of my father, for I have five brothers, so that he may thoroughly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment.'
let them hear them;' and the rich man said, 'No, Father Abraham, in believe that if anyone from the dead may go unto them, they will reform.' And Abraham said to him, 'If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.
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Theudas comforts him, “You are not in Hades, you are alive in this cave. All is well.” He helps Jesus to stand up and to walk around then lights an oil lamp and places it in the window to announce that Jesus has recovered.
It was the first of the Sabbaths that Mary the Magdalene came early to the tomb while it is still dark having seen a light at the cave and goes up to see if Jesus had been revived and she sees the stone having been taken away from the tomb. Therefore, she runs to Simon Peter, and John Mark and says to them, “They took away the Lord out of the tomb, and we have not known where they laid him.”
Thus, Peter and John Mark set out for the tomb; the two were running together, and John Mark ran faster and came first to the tomb and, having stooped down, sees the linen clothes lying. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally John Mark also went inside.Jn 20:1-8a
Meanwhile, in the night as the Lord's day was almost here, while the soldiers were keeping guard two by two in a watch, there was a great crash. With the sky lit up, they see two men descend from thence with candles, so they approach the tomb. They see that the stone which was put at the door had been rolled partway to allow entrance to the tomb. They see two men enter in. When they see this, they awaken the centurion (Cornelius) and the elders who were also nearby keeping guard.Gospel of Peter (GP) 35-3
Inside the tomb, John Mark says, “Wait, the fact that these are neatly folded means that his body was not been stolen.”
Jesus overhears them, “My disciples, Uncle Theudas is just helping me to wash. I have all the conveniences at hand in this priest's toilet.”
Shortly, Jesus appears to them, wearing only a loincloth, and in the dark flickering lamp light, it appears that he is unscarred with only his wrists wrapped; both embrace him and help him to put his linen gown on.
The pregnant Mary Magdalene is almost out of breath as she arrives back at the tombs. No one is there. She is standing outside the tomb weeping, in the darkness she has confused Jesus' tomb for the one with Simon and Judas Iscariot.As she was weeping, she stooped down to the tomb, and beholds two angels in white garb (having been cleaned and dressed by Theudas, but also having the status of Essene angels), sitting, one at the head (Simon Magus) and one at the feet (Judas Iscariot), where the body of Jesus had been laid.
And they (Simon Magus) says to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”
She says to them, “Because they took away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
I answer, “We are angels, yes, I, Simon Magus, am an angel but the other one, Judas, is more like the devil. Why are you weeping? Jesus is alive but in the other cave.”
At this point, she turned backward, and sees Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus says to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek?”
She, supposing that he is the Gardener (James), said to him, “Sir, if you did carry him away, tell me where you did lay him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” and she having turned, suddenly realizing the miracle that her husband is alive, says to him, “Teacher!”
Jesus says to her, “You must not touch me for I will be returning to monastery and need to be purified and raised in status and thus to ascend to my Father's service.Jn 20:11-17 Besides, I do not want to contaminate your pregnancy.“Mary is smiling now as she puts her hand on her womb.
Jesus says, “Go home and relax. In the morning you should bring the other women to the caves because Simon will be out of his tomb by then. His broken legs were reset by Theudas, but he will need at least a day before he can be helped back. As for me, my legs were not broken so Peter and John Mark will help me back to the Queen's House shortly. Amazingly, I am able to walk, only still a little dizzy.”
And, as they (the soldiers) declared what things they had seen, again they see three men coming forth from the tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross following them. And of the two, the head reached unto the heaven, but the head of him that was led by them overpassed the heavens. And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying,'Hast thou preached to them that sleep?' And a response was heard from the cross, 'Yea.'Gospel of Peter (GP) 39-42
Peter and John Mark support Jesus between them as Mary follows. They cross the Wadi to the Queen's house where Jesus was born. Mary Magdalene continues on to Ein Feshkha to tell the disciples “I have seen the Lord!” And tells them that he had said to her.Jn 20:18
(1)Just after sunrise, the Sabbath having past, Mary the Magdalene, and Mother Mary (of James), and Helena (superior of Salome/Joanna) and Susanna (of Cleopas: the other Mary) came to the tomb bringing spices to anoint JesusMk 16:1-2,Mt 28:1,Lk 23:55/24:10
Mother Mary says to Magdalene, “Did you really stand next to Jesus in the flesh? That is a miracle indeed!”
They asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
Magdalene says, “Do not worry, Theudas, is there and he is not called 'Earthquake' for nothing. It was like a violent earthquake, when he being like 'an angel of the Lord' coming down from heaven', having approached the tomb, rolled back the stoneMt 28:2a to Simon Magus' tomb when it crashed to the ground.
(2)When the women arrived they found Simon Magus sitting upon the stone and his countenance was as lightning (his nickname), and his countenance was white as snowMt 28:2b-3, dressed in a white robe and they were amazedMk 16:5b (Theudas had cleaned and dressed me in white which was reflecting in the morning sun.)
Their amazement turned to alarm when they did not see Jesus.
I tell them, “Be not affrighted, You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”Mk16:6-7
Helena runs over to him and caressing his head and face, kisses him, saying, “The Standing One still lives, sitting on a throne of stone. How are you?”
I answer, “Not standing quite yet.”
Susanna asks, “What of the other angel?”
Theudas walks his daughter over to the cave, “Oh you mean Satan, he seems to be still alive.”
Susanna says, “But we must help him.”
Theudas says, “Let Providence decide if he lives or dies. Let him sleep now.”
I call the women together and say to them, “Please all be seated. You must listen carefully. Let us thank God that Jesus survived and, with his help, my own survival.”
They hold each other's hands and say, “Thank you, God with all our heart.”
I continue, “With a different outcome, our mission could have ended forever. This miracle rivals Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's survival from the fire of Nebuchadnezzar or Daniel from that lion's den and stands as a proof that our mission is supported by God. But some may ask why God allowed the crucifixion in the first place. That is a question that even I cannot answer. Does God intervene in the physical world or, as Jesus taught, does he set up ways for us to individually grow in Spirit and Soul to one day enter his Kingdom?”
Mary Magdalene speaks up, “Yes, I remember Jesus saying:
My brothers and sisters, long have I wished to make known to you the deeper truths which you must know if your souls are to find salvation. Your ears have prevented you from hearing the words and your minds from comprehending them. I have shown how your hearts can reach a higher state through agape love and your minds with attention to the words of God. Watch out that no one lead you astray, saying, 'Lo, here!' or 'Lo, there!' For God is within you! Follow in his path! Whoever seeks; will find his Kingdom.”Gospel of Mary.
“Magdalene, you have remembered this well,” I continue, “Clearly, the Zealots like the traitor Judas and even our dear Theudas know that God does not intervene in the affairs of his people unless we act. Though we have faced down death today and survived, we did so by cunning and the Magian arts. Like a magician who performs a vanishing act, it is more powerful if one does not know the secret behind it and even more powerful if the magician does not appear again. Thus I am proposing that we do not reveal the 3-part plan that saved Jesus and me, but rather to emphasize Jesus' Resurrection. Thus by invisible power Jesus and I will be stronger and more protected.”
Helena says, “But Simon, won't you and Jesus be recognized?”
I answer, “The mind does not see what it believes it cannot see. If people believe that Jesus is dead, he might be standing in front of them and they will not see him. It is his Resurrection rather than his survival that will inspire people to believe that Spirit is eternal. Jesus' suffering will give hope to everyone that one's own individual suffering strengthens one's own Spirit that one day it can cross over from the physical self to eternal Self. As for me, I have used so many disguises that people will believe that someone other than me was on the cross. In the end, people will say that I and Judas were just two common criminals on the cross.”
Helena says, “I see the logic. Even, if Caiaphas suspects the truth, he cannot admit to it because that would make him look foolish. The soldiers heard the stone break and already believe that Jesus was resurrected.”
Mother Mary says, “I believe Jesus will agree to go into hiding because he never wished to be a leader, but only a prophet. Let it be the symbol of the cross that guides us.”
Helena says, “Yes that is the perfect symbol of 'The Way'.”
I reiterate, “So we are all agreed to the Resurrection Story. You all must tell everyone the good news that Jesus was Resurrected.”
They all say, “Praise be to Living God!”
After the women have left, Theudas throws Judas who is barely alive over the cliff where his body is split into pieces. Judas, indeed, had purchased a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, and falling headlong, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed forth, and it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, insomuch that that place is called, the field of bloodActs 1:18-19 , having bought himself a field of blood for thirty pieces of silver.
Only two disciples: Barthomew (John Mark) and Thaddaeus (Theudas) had dared to be present at the Crucifixion. Peter heard it from John Mark and had run with him up to the tombs. Jonathan and his brother Matthew heard it from their younger brother Zacchaeus (Ananus) who helped to take Jesus from the cross, and the others had heard it from the women. Jesus' survival and rescue from the cross was such an amazing miracle that even though the eleven disciples knew the truth, they and the other followers were as if in a trance even when Jesus was in their presence. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.They failed to recognize Jesus on 'The Road to Emmaus' and the 'Sea of Tiberius' and Thomas doubted that he was alive even when be touched him.
After this, he was taken up before their very eyes,and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men (Jesus and Simon Magus) dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee”, they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heavenmonastery, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”Acts 1:9-11
Forty days had passed since this 'Resurrection" and it was Pentecost on May 22, 33AD and all gathered in the upper room of the Cenacle building in Jerusalem.
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both
1. Peter, and 2. James (Niceta), and 3. John (Aquila), and 4. Andrew, 5. Philip,
6.Thomas, 7. Bartholomew (John Mark), and 8. Matthew (brother of Jonathan),
9.James of Alphaeus (Jonathan son of Ananus), 10. Simon the Zealot (me), and
11.Judas of James ('Judas' not IscariotJn 14:22, Theudas, the brother of Jesus' father Joseph ('James'). These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.Acts: 1:12-14
The eleven of the disciples (minus Judas Iscariot) were there with Mother Mary and the other women excluding Mary Magdalene who was pregnant (therefore unclean).
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about 120) and Peter said “It is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his Resurrection.“
So they nominated two men: (1) Joseph called Barsabbas also known as Justus (James the Just with family name Sabbas), and (2) Matthias (the Clementines deciphers it as Joses Barnabas/Barsabas)
Then they prayed... Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.Acts 1:21-26
Joses name is given as Mathias since he was being schooled by the priest Matthew, one of the twelve. His real name was Joseph Barsabas (son of Sabbas, the family name), but his name was corrupted to Barnabas. This is similar to John Mark's name Bartholomew (adopted son of Sabbas, Joseph's family name) except in this case adding Ptolemy (to represent Egypt with Theudas being attached to the Therapeuts there) and being adopted by Susanna, daughter of Theudas.
In September, 33AD, Jesus' daughter Tamar is born. Her birth and her sex are revealed when Peter implies that Jesus 'in Spirit' will return from monastery to fulfill the predicted Restoration in 36 AD. Since this date is three years from the Crucifixion, it shows the birth of a daughter which allows Jesus to try for another child by Essene rules. If it had been a boy, the waiting time would be six years. In the future I could keep track of when Jesus was out of monastery by the required Essene wait times of three years after a girl and six years after a boy (with a girl worth half a man, the half time the wait time was necessary. He would be out during the conceiving times and for a few months after the birth. There was only one exception: the Canonizing of the Gospels in 48 AD.
| Times when Jesus is out of monastery are the conceiving time up to the birth | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| child | sex | wait time | conceive start | birth | appearances |
| Tamar/Phoebe | female | 3 | Sept 32 | Sept 33 | Road to Emmaus |
| Jesus Justus | male | 6 | Sept 36 | June 37 | High Priest Jonathan's trial (Acts 7);Autumn 37 Paul's blindness (Acts 8-9) |
| Joseph | male | 6 | June 43 | June 44 | Cornelius-cloth animals;Founding Christian Church;Mary=Rhoda (Acts 10-12) |
| son of Lydia | male | 6 | June 50 | March 51 | Canonizing the Gospels, Marriage to Lydia of Thyatira; Phoebe's engagement to Paul |
| no child | - | - | March 57 | - | Death of Magdalene, Jesus with Peter and Simon in Rome |
With Jesus in monastery, I continued to keep a low profile which was easy because few knew that I was on the cross with Jesus. At the most, people thought I helped Jesus carry his cross. My legs and wrists needed at least a year to heal and I was still on crutches.
When I visited Jesus, we would discuss how the Crucifixion had changed our lives. It was similar to the experience that Peter described when he helped Jesus down the hill after he was revived. It was like our Spirit inside our body was connected to heaven and with our mind forever connected to a higher force.
The mortal world had become a mere shadow of my existence. When I heard that my sister Agrippina the Elder had died on the year of Jesus' Crucifixion at the age of 46 on the island of Pandateria. I was clearly too numb to feel any grief. With her death on the same island as my late mother, my mind would play tricks on me dreaming that I had rescued Agrippina also. She had managed to starve herself even though Tiberius had her force-fed. Her daughter Agrippina the Younger wrote three memoirs that recorded the misfortunes of her family but they were lost, probably destroyed on purpose.
Clearly, for me, the concept of returning to Rome to assert my claim to be Emperor faded with my sister's death aside from Tiberius being still in power. I had counseled Jesus to hide away and now I had no choice but to give up my past life in Rome. Jesus was counting on me to organize the twelve and encourage them to spread his teachings to the East and West to establish God's kingdom on earth.
The author of Acts, Cornelius-Luke who was the physician at the Crucifixion, was a follower of Peter and matter-of-factly writes about me:
And a certain man, by the name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one, to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, 'This one is the great power of God;' and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.Acts 8:9-11
Luke goes on to try to cover up my position by making it appear that Philip baptized me, but to call me the 'Great Power of God' means that I am Pope again. Having been already baptized by Jesus, my amazement is not from my conversion, but rather from the huge followers I have converted!
My greatest adversary would soon be Agrippa who had ironically been named after my assumed father Marcus Agrippa, but Agrippa was currently in prison! Although Agrippa's misfortune was well-deserved after his disgusting ridicule of Jesus at his trial, it later turn out to be the key to his rise in power that would rival Herod the Great.
After the Crucifixion, Agrippa grew tired of his insignificant job as a magistrate and began making his way back to Rome by defrauding Philip.Ant 18.6.3 Once in Rome, he visited Tiberius who was now absent from Rome in Capri. Tiberius welcomed him back until he received a letter about the huge debt that Agrippa owed and he was furious. Agrippa, fearing that he must flee from Rome again like he had done before, begged Antonia for the money to pay off his debts and she agreed to do it out of her previous friendship with Agrippa's mother Bernice, now deceased.
Antonia, the mother of Claudius, was also the grandmother of Caligula from her son Germanicus who was married to my sister Agrippina, now both dead. Then, with the blessing of Tiberius, Agrippa became best friends with Caligula. Many expected that Caligula would become the next emperor and with Tiberius' health failing, so Agrippa was in a perfect position.
Knowing this, I persuaded John Mark to return to Rome with his old name Eutychus as a freedman and charioteer of Agrippa to spy on him29.2.
(3)Eutychus was soon put in a difficult situation one day when Caligula and Agrippa were out riding in their chariot with Eutychus at the front with the reins when he overheard a treasonous remark:
| Caligula asks, “How was Tiberius when you visited him in Capri?” Agrippa answers, “Not much different than I remembered him except for his obsession with little boys who run around naked. Once I did catch a glimpse of him naked in his pool when little boys he called his small fry would swim between his thighs to nibble and lick him'”SeutTTib 44 Caligula says, “Ugh! I am not against sexual pleasures with slave boys and girls, but that is sick.” Agrippa says, “Gaius, soon the day will come that this doddering old Emperor will die and you will, as Augustus' great-grandson, rule over all of the habitable earth. Then, it would be a happy place again.” |
Eutychus ignored this traitorous remark at first. However, he was most interested when
he overheard Agrippa tell Caligula the story about his purple cloak:
| “You won't believe this cloak of mine. It grows more valuable each day with the rumors of Jesus' Resurrection. It is the one I dressed up Jesus with at his trial before Pilate that made everyone laugh.” |
From that day, Eutychus had his eyes on it, believing that Jesus would want it. And so, one evening he stole it. The next time Agrippa looked for it and found it gone, he suspected that it was Eutychus who took it. Sure enough, he found it below his mattress and had him arrested.
After being in prison for a long time awaiting the well-known procrastination of Tiberius, Antonia insisted that Tiberius needed to hear Eutychus' story. Once Tiberius heard it, he was furious with Agrippa and especially for ignoring his adopted grandson Drusus. He had Agrippa imprisoned and Eutychus released.
With Agrippa out of the picture for now, John Mark had returned and I was able to consolidate my power. My wrists had healed and my legs just had a little limp. No one knew that I had been on the cross next to Jesus. It would have been foolish to reveal this fact because it would detract from the Resurrection message. Jesus was still in hiding, but he would visit me from time to time. I rewarded John Mark by making him Cardinal.
At Caesarea under the Great Power (Simon Magus as Pope) and the Great Grace (John Mark Cardinal) the apostles were giving the testimony to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Many followers of 'The Way', having abundance as possessors of fields or houses, were selling these possessions and laying the proceeds at the feet of the apostles who would distribute to each according to their need.Acts 4:33-35
Joses, being the levite from Cypress (under Simon Magus' new center in Cypress) called Barnabas meaning Son of Encouragement 'Sabbas' (Joseph family name as younger brother of Jesus) sold a field he owned (as treasurer of the Qumran money that Judas Iscariot had controlled) and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.Acts 4:36-37
In 35 AD Lucius Vitellius, the governor of Syria, had to clear up the the messes in Judea. He deposed Pilate for the massacre that killed by Jesus' uncle at Mount Gerizim, and in the next year he repelled King Aretus' retaliation for Herod Antipas' divorce of his daughter, having replaced the High Priest Caiaphas with Jonathan, the third son of Ananus, previously Jesus' disciple.
I have already mentioned Jonathan excommunication. The new procurator Felix made his next younger brother Theophilus High Priest. It was to him that Cornelius-Luke dedicated his Gospel and Acts.
In his hearing before the Sanhedrin, Jonathan tried to convince them that 'The Way' was the correct progression of the Jewish religion. Believing him to be a martyr, he became popular in the Christian Church with "The Feast of Stephen" being celebrated the day after Christmas.
Helena and I decided to do some missionary work in Adiabene and Edessa soliciting Queen Helena and Abgar V and were instrumental in obtaining an alliance with them. We felt it would be helpful to have their help against the impending threat of Agrippa I who had been released from prison by Caligula and given the kingdom of Philip.
We called ourselves Ananias and Sapphira with me having the name of the High Priest and Sapphira being symbolic of the sapphire, as my queen, being in the second position of the new Jerusalem: The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was of jasper, the second sapphire.Rev 21:19 Thomas (Herod II) accompanied us.
We gave Abgar V a piece of cloth with the image of Jesus on it and returned with many valuable gifts in return for a leadership position for Queen Helena in our Church becoming a Nazarite for seven years. In 45-46 AD, she would relieve the famine in Jerusalem.
And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession (a position in the Church) and kept the money -- his wife also knowing -- and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid it.
And Peter said, 'Ananias, therefore did Satan fill your heart, and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire. They buried him.
And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in, and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much you sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.'
And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? And she fell down presently at his feet, and expired. They buried her by her husband.Acts5:1-11
Peter's excommunications were merely a symbolic death and it was debatable that Peter even possessed this power as he was still married and not eligible to be a bishop. It did make my name famous with the concept of 'simony' which is defined as offering positions in the Church for large donations.
This was the beginning of the fragmentation within 'The Way' into two groups. My group had concentrated on proselytizing to the rich and selling positions in the Church, whereas Peter was more interested in the poor and reward by merit. Jesus favored Peter's group because he felt that his message of love would resonate in the simple consciousness of these "children" from his prayer: "Blessed are the meek". Paul would later call them "babes in Christ". There is also another group led by Jesus' brother James called the Hebrews, but they required circumcision.
It was the spring of 37 AD that Peter and I debated each other on important subjects in order to better define 'The Way' as distinct from the Jewish and Essene beliefs. We held these debates in different towns along the coast from Caesarea to Laodicea. These debates had been set up by the High Priest Jonathan (misinterpreted as Jesus' brother James) who replaced the corrupt Caiaphas in 36 AD. Unfortunately, Jonathan (who was called Stephen) was accused of speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.Acts 6:11 He was excommunicated (not martyred) in that same year.
Clement, who became the Pope after Peter, recorded our debates and sent them to Jonathan saying that according to your command I send to you ten volumes covering several subjects which were discoursed at Caesarea.R.3.75 However, with Jonathan gone from power, these languished for many years until an unknown author added a romance story around them. They became known as the 'Clementines' with one called 'Homilies' in Greek and the other 'Recognitions' in Latin from a lost Greek version, both somewhat identical.
Due to my major presence in the 'Clementines' as an equal to Peter and my autobiography, scholars have given this work the prefix of "pseudo" meaning 'fake with real characters'. This has also been applied to the 'Acts of Peter' or the 'Acts of Peter and Paul'. The question is whether they are anymore "pseudo" than Acts itself.
Regardless of the bias, the internal content of this work can be easily dated to 37 AD firstly, by the High Priest Jonathan's tenure (36-37AD) and secondly by Peter's Jewishness which will not be changed until 43 AD. An example that shows how 'The Way' was still connected to Jewish customs in 37 AD is Peter saying, “we do not take our food from the same table as Gentiles, inasmuch as we cannot eat along with them, because they live impurely unless when they believe, receive the truth, and are baptized.” H.13.4;R.7.29
The greatest support for the accuracy of the 'Clementines' is the secret knowledge revealed in them, such as the revelation that the unknown Matthias is Barnabas, also called Matthias, who had been substituted as an apostle in the place of Judas.R.1.60 Also, that the twins Niceta and Aquila are easily compared to James and John and their stepfather to Zebedee: Niceta and Aquila adhered, for friendship's sake and boyish companionship, to one Simon, a magician.R.7.33
The most amazing revelation is the connection of the Syrophoenician women's daughter to Mary Magdalene which when compared to actual events in the Gospels: Justa, a Syro-Phoenician, by race a Canaanite, whose daughter was oppressed with a grievous disease and she, being faithful to her engagements, and being in affluent circumstances, remained a widow herself, but gave her daughter in marriage to a certain man who was attached to the true faith.H.2.19-20
In terms of the accuracy of its historical basis, the validity of Niceta and Aquila's mother's incest can be traced to her brother, the son of Antonia Major, the daughter of Mark Antony. Of course, the most important revelation is that my father is Iullus Antonius, the son of Mark Antony: Simon's father was Antonius and his mother Rachel.R.2.7
Having issued a challenge for my first debate with Peter to be in Caesarea, then after a few false starts, Peter rouses the disciples at dawn. He begins the debate wishing for it to be in peace. Of course, always ready to be contrary, I quote Jesus 'I have not come to send peace on earth, but a sword' and give a brief lecture on the importance of war to create peace. We both emphasize the falsehoods of Scripture but descend into sophistries and verbal sword-play.
I pose the problem of the different personalities of the Jewish God which seems to point at an unknown God as the real God. Peter believes that Jesus' God is not the same as the Jewish God, but is a God of righteousness which proves the immortality of the soul.
I assert that Jesus' teaching differs from that of Peter, but the argument reverts to the shape and figure of God. The evidence of the senses is urged against fancied revelations, which are attributed to demons.
Clement, James Niceta, and John Aquila are introduced to Bernice who is shown as the daughter of Justa which shows she is part of Helena's convent of which she is Mother Superior. Bernice is the daughter of Agrippa who had an affair with Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian before Titus destroyed the Temple and thus becoming the 'Whore of Babylon' in Revelation: I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.Rev 17:3.
(Bernice as the sister of the ineffective Agrippa II, the honorary head of the Seven Churches, in unwedded sexual union to Titus the horned (uncircumsized) king (of the greatest kingdom of the world #10) thus wearing the scarlet of a whore and a queen.)
The existence of the evil one becomes the prominent topic: the existence of sin is elaborated, and the discussion closes with a justification of the inequalities of human life. Peter ends by judging me.
The question of God the Framer of the world is introduced and His moral character. This would later become the Archons of the Gnostic gospels. Peter explains the nature of revelation, with some sharp personal thrusts at me, but soon reverts to the usual explanation of Scripture. An earthquake occurs which I humorously blame on Peter.
Peter warns the people that although the serpent lurking within you occupies your senses with a thousand arts of corruption, and throws in your way a thousand obstacles, by which he may turn you away from the hearing of saving instruction, all the more ought you to resist him, and despising his suggestions, to come together the more frequently to hear the word and receive instruction from us, because nobody can learn anything who is not taught.R.5.36a
Peter leads Clement to the seaside and baptizes him in an ever-flowing spring.
Peter takes a boat trip to the neighboring island called Aradus to see a certain wonderful work there, namely vine-wood columns of immense sizeR.7.12. Actually, its fame is from the mystery of its immense stone blocks measuring up to six meters long and two meters high forming a wall built in the third millennium BC.
There he meets a beggar woman who turns out to be Domitia Lepida Major: being born of noble parents, and having become the wife of a suitably powerful man, I had two twin sons, and after them one other (Clement was added). But my husband's brother was vehemently enflamed with unlawful love towards me and, not wishing to disclose, I left my country with my two twins so as not to bring the whole race of a noble family into disgrace.R.7.15
The similarity with Julia the Elder's exile to Pandateria Island is striking as the 'beggar woman' could correspond to Julia the Elder, but especially the 'poor woman' who assists her corresponds to her mother Scribonia who accompanied her: And when many desired to receive me hospitably, a certain poor woman who dwells here constrained me to enter into her hut, saying that she had had a husband who was a sailor and that he had died at sea while a young man, and that, although many afterward asked her in marriage, she preferred widowhood through the love of her husbandR.7.17(i.e. Augustus). Since the banishment of female descendants of Augustus to an island was almost a tradition, the author had many to choose from; but the details of James Niceta and John Aquila's mother are true.
Next, the twins are met by her new husband Faustus Cornelius Sulla (suffect consul 31) whom their mother did marry in 20 AD and probably would have formally adopted the twins Niceta and Aquila being renamed as Faustinus and Faustus when they were in Rome. Of course, the timeline does not match but is further confirmation that the twin's mother was Domitia Lepida Major.
Peter's wife joins him in Balaneae.
passing through Paltos and Gabala;The justification of the inequalities of human life is discussed, then the existence of sin is investigated, and the power of the evil one. By this time, Niceta and Aquila have joined against me. Becoming extremely frustrated with the debates, I started to use my hypnotic skills on the audience using the usual process of requesting a volunteer who could be mocked. Niceta and Aquila volunteered in the hope to prove me powerless. Once hypnotized they believed me to be their future adoptive father Faustus. It was said that I used a magic potion to do it, but it was my hypnotic ability. Of course, Clement would say that Peter saw through it.
Towards the end of the Clementine story, Cornelius will try to arrest Faustus, believing that it is me as I have supposedly changed into Faustus, the father of Niceta and Aquila, by hypnotism. By using him, the story writer has made the connection of Cornelius being central to a change in customs as will be shown many years later.
This whole part of this story about my disguise and, with Peter constantly comparing me to Satan, the legend of Faustus as me was born. The Clementine homilies were widely used by empty-headed preachers to appear to be intelligent. What better device to keep the flock in line than the tale of a person who made a deal with the devil and was destroyed.
Caligula was made Emperor in March 37 AD. Now after having been confined in prison by Tiberius, Herod Agrippa's fortunes would steadily rise according to the owl that had visited him. Agrippa was freed and given the kingdom of Philip. When in 39 AD Herodias, being envious of her brother Agrippa, had gone to Rome to beg for greater respect for her husband Antipas, Agrippa was able to show that Antipas had acquired a great number of armaments that he could use as sedition against Caligula. Of course, these armaments had been acquired to fight Aretas. Still, Caligula used this excuse to take away his kingdom and money and gave it to Agrippa. Herod Antipas was then exiled to Lugdunum Convenarum on the outskirts of Spain.
When I heard from those connected with Caligula back at Rome that there was not much chance of Caligula remaining Emperor for long given his child-like behavior at the age of 25, I was faced with a major decision: should I return to Rome and work with the opposition against him.
Jesus was out of monastery for the expected birth of his first child and suspecting that I might return to Rome, called me to a private meeting.
Jesus says, “In reading Clement's notes on these debates, I can see that Clement has a bias towards Peter. Although I am sure of Peter's dedication to me, it was clear that he lacks the education to appeal to the intellectual classes. Although I do agree with Peter on his opposition to simony - pardon the term;” Jesus smiles, “I fear that our mission will fail if we do not get the support of Saul. I do not believe any of my disciples other than you possess the ability to persuade him to join 'The Way'.”
I am dumbfounded and reply, “Talk about bringing the wolf into the sheep pen! He is our greatest enemy. He was silent when Jonathan was on trial. I do not understand his motives and this is part of the danger of involving him. And besides Peter cursed me to death and I am excommunicated!”
Jesus laughs, “That is a good excuse, but you know that it carries no weight without my approval. You have been excommunicated before and then you almost died without my help.”
I smile and say, “And look where it got me: the privilege of being on the cross next to you.”
Jesus presses his entreaty to me, “Given that the Resurrection is the most important enticement to getting converts, as you suggested, it is still clear that I have no choice but to remain in hiding. I trust Peter, but I believe that Saul will be the one vessel to bear my name before all nations, kings and queens, and sons and daughters of Israel and suffer much in my name.Acts 9:15-16 His strength of character and intellect will prove invaluable for the mission. His knowledge and debating skills have no equal other than yours.
I reply, “After that entreaty, how can I refuse? It is a worthy challenge. I guess it is safer than for me to go back to Rome to oppose my nephew.” then smiling I add, “I do not need to be crucified again!”
Jesus says, “You are a dear friend to me. Bonded by the Crucifixion forever.”
In September 37 AD Mary Magdalene gave birth to a son named Jesus after his father. As the crown prince, he would be taking the 'Justus' title, replacing Joses Barnabas his second youngest brother, but most importantly it would stop his brother James from calling himself James 'the Just'.
It was a joyous time for Jesus, but then the joy turned to sadness when he heard the news concerning Uncle Theudas that it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, having been associated with Judas the Galilean, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river. (This was ceremonial) but Fadus (foolishly believing that it was an insurrection) did not permit them to take any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive including Theudas. They cut off his head and carried it to Jerusalem.Ant 20.5.1 Thus ended the life of Theudas, who as Barabbas, had escaped his crucifixion and now would join John the Baptist as the victim of Roman injustice.
Caligula's reign only lasted until 41 AD. It turned out that his murder had been assisted by the younger brother of Clement: M. Arrecinus Clemens, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard: Clement openly commended Cherea's intentionsAnt 29.1.7 to murder Caligula. The worst news of all is that in the chaos while Claudius could not recover himself out of his fright, he was encouraged partly by the boldness of the soldiers (forces who had fought with his brother Germanicus19.3.2) by the persuasion of King Agrippa, who exhorted him not to let such a dominion slip out of his hands.19.4.1 Clearly, Herod Agrippa will now be unstoppable.
| Timeline of Paul | |
|---|---|
 Paul's First Journey 44-46 AD |
 Paul's Second Journey 47-54 AD |
 Paul's Third Journey 54-58 AD |
 Paul's Fourth Journey 60-61 AD (2) |
To understand the enigma of how Saul became Paul is to listen to his own words: I indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel having been trained as a child according to the exactitude of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all you are today.Acts 22:3 Having been born in November 16AD, Saul at the early age of 14 began his studies under the sponsorship of Gamaliel, the grandson of Hillel. Hillel was a legend in his interpretation of the Talmud known as Mishnah and is also credited with the Golden Rule and the organization of the Pharisees.
Saul at the age 20, having demonstrated by holding the garmentsActs 22:20 during the deposing of the Sadducee High Priest Jonathan, that he was influenced by the enemies of Jonathan. And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being poured forth, I (Paul) also was standing by and assenting to his death (excommunication).Acts 22:20 He says later, For you have heard of my former life in Judaism how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.Gal 1:13-14 Since Jonathan had been a disciple of Jesus, Saul was opposed to "The Way" and agreeing with the pesher at Qumran that called them "the seekers of smooth things".Pesher on Nahum 4Q169 Saul was determined to take it upon himself to remove these corrupters of the Jewish Faith.
In 36 AD Saul began his preliminary entry to Qumran and Ein Feshkha as an acolyte. Due to Herod Antipas' divorce of King Aretas IV's daughter, it was time to pay the price and the war had begun with Herod Antipas in desperate need of the Romans to protect him. Governor Vitellius came to his aid and his troops had amassed outside of Qumran with two legions of heavy-armed infantry and such light-armed infantry and cavalry.Ant18.5.3a It was a scary time for the Essene community as it was not clear whether the Romans would decide to destroy Qumran since it had been used previously by the Zealots as a fortress. Fortunately, Vitellius chose to respect their religious presence.
In this atmosphere Saul writes the Pesher of Habakkuk: [Its pesher] refers to the Kittim (Romans) who trample the earth with their horses and beasts. [Its pesher] refers to the House of Absalom (the traitor son of David: i.e Jesus) and the men of its Council who kept silent when the Teacher of Righteousness was punished and did not help him against the Man of a Lie who flouted the Law in the midst of their whole Council. [Its pesher] concerns the Wicked Priest (Jesus) who was called by the name of truth when he first arose.1QpHab
In Autumn 37 AD, Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the High Priest, asking from them letters to Damascus, unto the synagogues, that if he found any of "The Way", whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.Acts 9:1-2
Jesus was out of monastery for the birth of Jesus Justus so we met in Damascus to plan our strategy to recruit Saul.
I said to Jesus, “With my familiarity with magic especially with attention and misdirection, I believe that we can use his rage to blind him. Rage and fear are good motivators for illusion and we have the best illusion of all which is you 'alive in the flesh'. Once he becomes frightened and his inner defenses are down, his mind will be easily molded. Then if you send Paul to me, his expectations of divine enlightenment will move him to our side.”
Jesus, agreeing with my plan says, “I will put out the word that I will return in 'Spirit' at a special service at the Church in Damascus and use its architecture to create a powerful illusion.”
It is important to note that the early Christian churches were built with an upper floor where bishops, presbyters, and deacons would sit. This concept was used in the vestry at Qumran where stairs led to the upper level. The roof had a skylight that is opened at the appropriate time to allow sunlight to enter, thus causing the halos that are seen in so many drawings. An example of this was shown in Jesus' early mission with the priest Jonathan jokingly called a 'cripple' lowered through the trapdoor of the roof to sit on the honored higher level.
At the outskirts of Damascus, Saul still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciplesActs 9:1 enters the Church to disrupt the service in progress. As he enters, the skylight is opened, and the sunlight shines through the open trap door and suddenly a light from heaven flashes around him. He falls to the ground and hears a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”Acts 9:3b-4
Jesus was standing on the upper level and the light there shone round about Jesus' head like a halo as if from heaven.
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”Acts 9:5-6
Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.Acts 9:8
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said to him, “Arise, and go into 'The Way' which is called Straight”Acts 9:6 for straight is the gate, and narrow is 'The Way' that is leading to the life, and few are those finding it!Mt 7:14
The men traveling with Saul guide him to the house and in a vision he sees a man named Ananias (which is me using my previous disguise with Sapphira now miraculously still alive!) who comes and places his hands on him to restore his sight.Acts 9:12 I reveal to him the inner mysteries of 'The Way'.
A month later, Sail fasts and I baptize him as 'Paul' and I tell him of a school in Tarsus from which he can graduate as a deacon in three years.
In his new entity, Paul felt the chains of his rage dissolve and was so elated that he ran through the streets of Damascus shouting to everyone, “The true path is 'The Way'. 'Jesus is the son of God'Acts 9:20 and the anointed one.”Acts 9:22
All who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on the name of Jesus in Jerusalem?”Acts 9:21
The people go to the governor, who goes to King Aretas IV, now an old man. King Aretas says, “I know of this man, he is my grandson! I want him arrested. How dare he come to my city to stir up trouble.”
The governor under King Aretas had the city guarded in order to arrest him. But he was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through their hands.2Cor 11:32-33
Paul quickly takes off for Tarsus for three years of study.
Luke, the writer of Acts is certainly covering up Paul's heredity. He does not mention that King Aretas is his grandfather and merely blames the 'Jews'. Paul himself denies his heredity many times:
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Although I had been instrumental in the conversion of Paul, I did not have much to do with him after this except to frustrate his desire to became the major spokesman of Jesus. As I had cautioned Jesus, Paul's strong will would be hard to control and it soon become evident that Paul would use his debating ability and his epistles to fashion Church dogma.
His opposition to me came to a head when I poisoned Herod Agrippa in 44 AD which coincided to Paul's first missionary journey. Herod Agrippa was his first cousin (Paul's grandmother was Malthace and Agrippa's grandmother was Mariamme of Hyrcanus), which will be made clear shortly, and he viewed my attack on Agrippa to be personal and exposed my culpability in the poisoning to Agrippa's son. It cost me my position as Pope.
Still, his importance to the Church was invaluable as Clement's tribute to Paul shows:
Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained an illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.1Clem 5b: Ep. to Corinthians
In 57 AD, upon completion of his third missionary journey, Paul arrived in Jerusalem and was arrested. Due to his stubbornness, he would end up in prison in Caesarea and Rome for the rest of his life which was cut short. It was during this arrest that the mystery of Paul's heredity of claiming to be both a Pharisee Jew and a Roman citizen is finally revealed as follows:
The background is that Simon-Silas, the youngest brother of Jesus is under a Nazarite vow to be married and the three sons of Aristobulus and Salome: Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus have similar vows. Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.Acts 21:26-30.
Having rescued Saul from the mob, the commander of the Roman troops ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks, directing that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not even been found guilty?”Acts 22:24-25.
The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul... But when the son of Paul’s sister (Trophimus) heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.Acts 23:12,16.
From the context of the story, it can then be surmised from the events that Trophimus is the son of Salome, the daughter of Herodias who is the wife of Herod Antipas. Her sons are Timothy, Trophimus, and Tychicus who were traveling with Paul in Jerusalem. (They are called 'Greeks' because Nero bestowed Lesser Armenia upon Aristobulus,War 2.13.2) their husband.
This would mean that Salome must be Paul's step-sister. Now Salome is the daughter of Herodias and Thomas Didymus; but, after Herod Antipas marries Herodias, Salome is his step-daughter. We all know about Salome who was fabled to have asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter.
Thus, we are left with only one solution: that Paul is the son of Herod Antipas' first wife: Phasaelis who was the daughter of King Aretas IV of the Nabataeans and his queen Huldu. (Perhaps the basket upon which he was let down in the territory of King Aretas is hint for the stork's delivery of Paul!)
(4)
For Paul's safety a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen go to Caesarea, taking Paul on horseback to Governor Felix.Acts 23:23b. When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Festus, but Felix left Paul in prison.Acts 24:27. When Paul appealed to Caesar, Festus declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar, you will go!”Acts 25:12 Since Felix is also under arrest, Felix, Luke, Paul, and Jesus depart for Rome.
| Paul writes his family while in prison in Rome |
Greet Rufus (Thomas), eminent in the Lord, also his mother (Mariamne II) and mine (Herodias, stepmother).Rom 16:10b-11 "Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman the Herodian Aristobulus (Paul's brother-in-law)."Rom 16:13 "To Timothy my true son in the faith" (nephew)1 Tim 2 "To Timothy, my beloved child" (nephew)2 Tim 2 Timothy is the son of Herodias and Thomas thus he was Paul's grand-nephew who had been adopted by Agrippa II as his heir. The baptismal name of Herodias was Lois and Salome was Eunice (your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice2Tim 1:5). Paul envisioned that Timothy would become the new leader of the Christian Church replacing Agrippa II especially since Agrippa had adopted him. |
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In 43 AD Barnabas went forth to Tarsus, to seek for Saul, and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called Christians first in Antioch.Acts 11:25,26(Coincidentally, the traditional Christmas Eve which we celebrate on December 24 would have been the day when Mary went into labor!)
There were many tasks that needed to be accomplished first. Herod Agrippa was getting more powerful because, by his shrewd action of being king-maker to Claudius in 41 AD, he had been given the important area of Judea which, when added to the rest of his territory, would give him a kingdom equal to that of his grandfather Herod the Great. More importantly, the Senate had given him the title of 'ally and friend of the Roman people' and thus the autonomy to self-rule his kingdom like his grandfather Herod the Great.
Since by tradition, all the Herod kings would be offered nominal leadership of the Church, Herod Agrippa's growing egomania had begun to frighten the different factions of the Church. Seeing the need to align against him, the major Church leaders met secretly in Joppa in the summer of 43 AD. There they planned for a major gathering in December at Antioch, the neutral area north of Jerusalem, to formally declare themselves as 'Christians'.
The most important question to deal with was the inequality of Gentiles. At the Clementine debates in 37 AD, it was sad that even after four years had passed since Jesus' Resurrection that Peter did not allow Clement as a Gentile to share the Communion with him. Eight of Jesus' disciples were Gentiles and they already had equal standing with his Jewish disciples, so it was clear that Jesus' intention was to give Gentiles full rights. Unfortunately, having to remain hidden, Jesus did not have enough influence to get his disciples to act on this issue. Now that it was planned to formally establish the Christian Church by the end of the year, Jesus knew that he had to act personally to give Gentiles equal rights. It also coincided with the time that he was out of monastery to try for a third child.
Jesus decided to inaugurate the change with Cornelius the centurion who was a righteous and God-fearing man, who was respected by all the Jewish people.Acts 10:22 But more than that Cornelius had testified that Jesus was dead on the cross when he suspected that he was alive and covered up Jesus' resurrection. Once he was baptized as Luke, he could be trusted to write Acts and co-author the Gospel of Luke with Jesus.
Jesus sent Peter to visit Cornelius who fell to his feet and bowed before Peter. Peter raised him, saying, “Stand up; I also myself am a man.”Acts 10:25-26
When Cornelius was in his house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon, suddenly a man in shining clothes (Jesus)stood before him telling him to go to Joppa for Peter who is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner (Simon Magus), who lives by the sea.Acts 10:30,32 Jesus was preparing a spectacular plan to announce this change using a profound symbol.
(2) And on the morrow, as these are proceeding on 'The Way', and are drawing near to the Joppa, Peter went up upon the house-top (on the 2nd level of the church) to pray, about the sixth hour .... there fell upon him a trance.Acts 10:9-10 At the Communion service which is presented metaphorically as a meal where unclean animals are being eaten Peter sees heaven opened up, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a tablecloth knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. (Jesus who hands this sheet down from the third higher platform) calls out to Peter, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”Acts 10:11-13 The embroidered animals, reptiles, and birds were from Noah's ark which symbolized all races of people rather than the Jews alone.
But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spoke to him What God hath cleansed, cannot be called common.”Acts 10:14-15
It is important to note in this metaphoric event: Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named SimonActs 9:43., thus I am his superior and the one who performed Cornelius' confirmation and gave him the baptismal name of Luke with full membership in the Church.
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And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
And there he found a certain man named Aeneas (James, brother of Jesus), which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
And Peter said unto him, Aeneas (James, brother of Jesus), Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas (Mother Mary) this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid [her] in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows (members of her convent) stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas (Mother Mary) made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body said, Tabitha (Mother Mary), arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord (Jesus). And it came to pass, that he (Jesus) tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.Acts 9:32-43 |
Amazingly, earlier in this same year 43 AD, Peter, the one who wants to portray Jesus as an ordinary man in his original Gospel of Peter, performs two miracles in a row in Lydda and Joppa after his only other miracle having the healing of a lame man after the Pentecost which was nothing more than consoling James at being not chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Now, not only would he heal a paralytic Aeneas, named after a Roman mythological leader, but even perform a huge miracle, rivaling Jesus' healing of Lazarus, by raising from the dead an aging female disciple known for always doing good and helping the poor.
Let us first expose the metaphor of ' paralytic'. It was already used by Jesus as a joke for Jonathan's overly strict religiousness in needing a palanquin to avoid the contaminated ground of the peasants. Obviously, this 'healing' is nothing more than taking away the palanquin, but it does require a mental attitude change towards 'strict religiousness'.
There was another 'paralytic' that Jesus healed and he was Jesus' brother James. It was his obsessed religiousness that lost him the replacement for Judas Iscariot to his younger brother Joses. Jesus 'heals' James at the Pool of Bethesda: And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” The paralytic replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”Jn 5:1-18 (The discussion that followed about the Sabbath disguises the fact that James' strict beliefs were holding him back in waiting for the Restoration.)
Let us compare this to Peter's supposed healing:
Peter at Lydda, found there a certain man, Aeneas (James, brother of Jesus) by name -- for eight years laid upon a couch -- who was paralytic, Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, heal you does Jesus the Christ; immediately he rose, and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to "the Lord".Acts 9:32-35 From this, it can be concluded that these healings are not only not 'healings of a 'paralytic' by Jesus or Peter but an attitude change with the Restoration now being already eight years late and to the same person: James! What it does establish here is that James is present at Lydda. Now on to Peter's amazing healing:
And in Joppa, there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, which interpreted, is called Dorcas, this woman was full of good works and kind acts that she was doing; and it came to pass in those days she, having got sick, died, and having bathed her, they laid her in an upper chamber, and Lydda being near to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter is in that place. And Peter having risen, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them. And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, “Tabitha, arise;” and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up, and he presented her alive, and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on "the Lord"Acts 9:36-42
and it came to pass, that ("he = "the Lord"") remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.Acts 9:43
Now suppose that it is not a coincidence that James appears with this woman whose real name is Tabitha-Dorcas and that she is not just a "disciple" but Mother Mary and that James was helping to move his mother from the convent of Lydda to the one in Joppa. Of course, Tabitha is supposedly dead, but perhaps Luke is merely following the miracle protocol that presents major changes in doctrine as healings and that these two healings are to announce the amazing reunion with James and his mother having been converted from the Jewish Christian party of James (thus 'dead') to the Christian party of Peter, and JESUS IS ALSO PRESENT!
Since it has been six years since the birth of Jesus' first son Jesus Justus, Jesus would be out of monastery to try for another child with Mary Magdalene who is also in the convent of Joppa. This would require Jesus to undergo his Nazarite vow under my auspices as Simon the tanner, called a "tanner" to assist Jesus in the appropriate self-immolation to be ready for marriage.
(5) 
Is Jesus actually there? Luke cannot resist leaving a hint by associating the last word "Lord: κύ(ριος), Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: kurios)" in Acts 9:35 and Acts 9:42 with an "αὐτό" in Acts 9:43 now rubbed out, but implied as 'he'; which is often wrongly attributed to Peter by many translators.
This was the first time that James was willing to cooperate with Peter, and with Paul having graduated and become a deacon, the stage was set for the inauguration of the Christian Church. This momentous event was especially joyous for me because now I would be the first official Pope of the Christian Church by connecting all the dots! But this would not last long as you will see.
By this time, there existed two small gospels called the Gospel of John written by Jesus and me, scribed by the beloved disciple John Mark, and the Gospel of Peter written by Peter which would be later revised by another Mark. Both these Gospels covered the three years of Jesus' ministry but very sparsely with much of their narration on the Crucifixion. It was clear that a more complete Gospel needed to be written that would include the history of the Church. This would be accomplished by the ingenious method of parables.
The High Priest Ananus who had replaced the High Priest Boethus at Jesus' Bar Mitzvah had five sons and a daughter. The daughter was married to High Priest Caiaphas who sent Jesus to be crucified. The second son Jonathan Annas, the disciple of Jesus, was High Priest in 36 AD after the removal of Caiaphas. He was soon deposed under the name "Stephen" in 37 AD. The next younger brothers were Theophilus Annas who was the High Priest from 37-41 AD and Matthias Annas, the disciple of Jesus, who was High Priest in 43 AD. These two recognized the need to write a full history of Jesus' mission. This is shown in the dedication of Luke and Acts to Theophilus and the name of the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew began working on a new version named after him that he envisioned would be the final and only version. It would begin with Jesus' birth in a manager worshipped by kings and end with his Ascension. He viewed Jesus' mission as a fulfillment of Jewish prophecy related to the twelve tribes of Israel. Being a Sadducee, he was not completely open to the inclusion of Gentiles and would probably not be able to resist criticizing their opposing Pharisees.
With Cornelius now the baptized Luke as his scribe, Jesus would begin his Gospel of Luke with John the Baptist's father Zechariah and his mother Elizabeth. He would leave out the made-up story of the wise men based on Herod the Great's madness but rather would choose the more important event of his Bar Mitzvah in 6 AD. His gospel like Matthew ended with Jesus' Ascension which left with an encouraging note rather than Peter's: And the women departed quickly from the tomb, they fled from the sepulchre, and trembling and amazement had seized them, and to no one said anything, for they were afraid. Mk 16:08
With the joining of all groups into the umbrella of Christianity, it was clear that all versions would need to be considered for canonizing. These would be the four major gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and perhaps others like the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Philip. There would still be five more years before the completion of these Gospels and their Canonization and thus giving plenty of time to work out the different issues. For now, a reorganization was necessary that would include all the factions in the establishment of a unified Christian Church by the end of this year.
The publication of these Gospels would bring up a whole set of serious issues. The important them was the 'sin of lying'. The rule of Leviticus 19:11 "Thou shall not lie to one another" and the eighth Commandment "to bear false witness" could not be broken or to incur God's wrath. It was bad enough that the Orthodox Jews already viewed the whole Christian Church which gave Jewish status to Gentiles to be contrary to God's Law. The 'sin of lying' could be bypassed while the gospel stories were mostly word of mouth. As example of thus is in the Resurrection story which could be considered merely as gossip spread by the women at the tomb. However, to publish and canonize these Gospels would encounter the breaking of God's laws.
All along, I emphasized the need to hide the truth by using metaphors. Thus, Jesus' survival from the Crucifixion could be called 'Resurrection' and, similarly, his return to monastery which was higher in status than the outside world could be called 'Ascension'. Once the precedent of metaphor was established, every time Jesus revised the Essene religious rules to raise the status of the Gentiles, it could be described as 'healings'. Certain hints to this process were the stories that would be so impossible like 'Water into Wine' or a "Camel going through the Eye of a Needle" or "The Raising of Lazarus". These would alert the reader to their obvious metaphoric meaning for those who were willing to look deeper to find the truth. This is the 'Pesher of Christ'.
This method had already been used in the Old Testament in the description of the miracles of Moses, but more recently in New Testament times in the Dead Sea Scrolls where 'pesher' was used to describe previous Biblical events to explain the present. To alert the reader they used the expression: 'the pesher is'. A similar statement is made inMt 11:15"He that has ears to hear, let him hear". This method of expression which I would call the 'Pesher of Christ' would require the dedicated reader to look deeper to find the truth. For those whom Paul referred to as "Babes in Christ" 1Cor 3:1, the surface meaning would be a miracle that could inspire them.
As to Jesus' divinity, it can be seen that Jesus only referred to himself as the "Son of Man" and yet others around him called him the "Son of God". This trick has still fooled many Church leaders and so-called scholars to this day. You might ask what is the difference? But it is extremely important in the Essene religion where the three leaders are representatives of "God", the "Son of God", and the "Son of Man". The man representing "God" reports to God, the man representing the "Son of God" reports to him and the man representing the "Son of Man" reports to the "son of God". For Jesus, the "Son of God' was the Priest Jonathan, James son of Alphaeus (Ananus) who reported to the High Priest Caiaphas that was appointed by the Romans and approved by the Council. Jesus as "the Son of Man" reported to Jonathan. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jonathan was the 'Father' that Jesus prayed to. This was also Jonathan's title as a Sadducee. Caiaphas accuses Jesus of being the "Son of God", but he is lying since that would mean that Jesus would report to him!
Eventually, my detractors would bring up what they considered a major problem especially with the Gospel of John, saying it was necessary to remove what they called 'the bitterness':
And the voice that I heard out of the heaven is again speaking with me, and saying, 'Go, take the little scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who has been standing upon the sea, and upon the land:' and I went away unto the angel, saying to him, 'Give me the little scroll;' and he said to me, 'Take, and eat it up, and it shall make your belly bitter, but in your mouth it shall be sweet -- as honey.'Rev 10:8-9
This 'bitterness' was, of course, all references to me in the gospels. The Gospel of John was to those haters of me the worst offence especially since Jesus had included my philosophy in the preface. Imagine if it was discovered that the pivotable story of the 'Raising of Lazarus' was of Jesus loving me and raising me from the dead! This was easily fixed by using the name I disguised myself with. But, these changes were not implemented meticulously; for instance, my ritual uncleanliness from my excommunication as Lazarus would be exposed when in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus is in the house of Simon the leper (my Church) where leper is substituted for Lazarus but exposed in the Gospel of John when Lazarus lives there and reclines with them.
A similar dilemma would present itself concerning who carried the cross in the Crucifixion in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In the Gospel of John, it is clear that Jesus is carrying his own cross, but in Matthew and Mark 'the stranger from a field' called Simon (that is me) is only assumed to be carrying Jesus' cross and in Luke, I could be carrying my own and thus on the cross with Jesus. So, one must assume that the one assigned to remove the 'bitterness' did a sloppy job or left traces because he wanted the reader to discover the truth.
By ignoring all references to me and merely mentioning me in Acts 8:9-11 as Simon, a magician, wishing to be the "great power of God" where I am implied to be an insignificant convert under Philip, I became the only disciple in the disciple lists having no background and being called Simon the Zealot or Simon the Canaanite leading to the ridiculous statement that I was the one who was 'zealous for the faith'! You might say that Bartholomew is also not described but is actually John Mark, the beloved disciple, not named until Acts 12:12 with Rhoda (Mary Magdalene). Since John Mark is the author of John's gospel and Luke is the author of Acts, their names are hidden by their humility.
One must assume that Peter was too stubborn to fix the 'bitterness' from his 'Gospel of Peter' and Theophilus had to give it to a certain Mark to fix it. Peter's goal was to portray Jesus as an ordinary man thus on the day after the Crucifixion he revealed that Jesus walked down the hill being helped on either side by him and John Mark. Also, he revealed that Lazarus spoke from the tomb which is shown in the 'Secret Gospel of Mark'.
Now, in the month of December we were all to become Christmas. All members of 'The Way' would be united as followers of the Anointed One. The origin of the name Christian is derived from Jesus' lineage to King David and thus to be the anointed King from the verb chrió: to anoint. The advantage to Jesus remaining hidden in his physical form would allow Jesus to command an army of angels!
Inevitably, the Herod hereditary madness was beginning to show in Herod Agrippa. He has a vast amount of prisoners totaling 700 which he feeds to the gladiators; while patting himself on the back for giving amusement to the crowds.
Having decided to gain more control over the Church, Herod Agrippa had an altercation with James, the brother of John, and put him to death with the sword.Acts 12:2 meaning that he excommunicated him. When he hears that Peter is talking against him, he summons Peter. When Peter comes to Caesarea and apologizesAnt 19.7.4, he throws him in prison.
To diffuse this apparent attack of the 'The Way', I suggest to Herod Agrippa that Peter's release from prison could be used to complete Peter's required preparation for the position of bishop under my direction. Since his wife had died, Peter would now be eligible, since celibacy is required for that position. If Peter became bishop, he would be the superior of James and John who were presbyters and thus Peter could require them to comply with Agrippa's wishes. Herod agrees to release him in three days. Although this is presented as a miracle that describes an angel that loosed the gates, it was, in reality, me as "the Angel of the Lord":Acts 12:5-10
| Church position | (Promotions of Peter to be read from bottom to top) | ||||
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| Kohath (bishop) (emblem: Dove) | they came unto the iron gate (Kohath) that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them (thus opened for him) and having gone forth, they had walked the length of One Street '(The Way)', and immediately the angel (Simon Magus) departed from him.Acts 12:5-10 | ||||
| Gershon (Presbyter) (emblem: Raven) | the second door (Gershon-Presbyter) | ||||
| Merari (Deacon) (emblem: Cock) | The angel also said to him, 'Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals;' (as Elijah) and he did so; and he said to him, 'Put your garment round and be following me;' and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the angel, and was thinking he saw a vision, and having passed through a first ward (Peter's Position at the Crucifixion: Cock crowing) | ||||
| Celibate | lo, an 'Angel of the Lord' (Simon Magus) stood by, and a light shone (Jacob's angel) in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side: to be renamed like Jacob to 'Israel' in this case renamed to 'Aristarchus'Acts 27:2, Col 4:10 | ||||
| Married | Peter is mentally uninitiated (sleeping) between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains (married), guards also before the door were keeping the prison, and he (Simon Magus) raised him up, saying, 'Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off his hands: (death of his wife, daughter of Glaphyra) | ||||
Having been released from prison and promoted to bishop, Peter excitedly traveled down to the Mary Magdalene's convent at Lydda. So, having come to the house of Mary (Magdalene), the mother (superior)and of John Mark (whose name is first revealed here), assumes that many thronged people gathered together praying means a church service was in process. And Peter, having knocked at the door of the porch, Rhoda (Magdalene with status lowered by pregnancy) answers the door and, having known the voice of Peter, from joy (pregnancy), she did not open the door.Acts 12:12-14a
Magdalene says, “I believe you are not allowed to enter since I am pregnant. Only John Mark can let you in.”
Perplexed by her attitude, Peter proudly replies, “I am a bishop now; thus I would be allowed to enter!”
Magdalene replies, “I gather that your wife must have freed you with her death. Although I am sympathetic to your loss”, pointing to her baby bump, “It can often be a great burden.”
Peter says, “What are you implying? ... Is Bartholomew here?”
Magdalene runs back without opening the door and exclaims “Peter is at the door!”
They say to her, “Are you a sibyl who can see into the future? But she was confidently affirming it to be Peter, then they said, “It must be his angel-spirit”, believing that Agrippa had executed him. But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonishedActs 12:14b-16 especially when Peter tells of his promotion to bishop.
John Mark pulls Peter aside, saying, “You must excuse Magdalene's rudeness, she is nine months pregnant; and already planning to move away to Rhodes.”
Peter asks, “Why Rhodes?”
John Mark answers, “Many are fleeing from Herod Agrippa like John Aquila to Patmos, but this is also because I believe she wants a divorce.”
Peter says, “That is not good.”
On April 10, 44 AD, when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea, he came to the city Caesarea, which was formerly called Strato's Tower. There at a certain festival, a great multitude of principal persons of dignity from throughout his province were attending. On the second day of the festival he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good,) that he was a god;
But as he presently afterward looked up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, as it had once been the messenger of good tidings to him (when he was imprisoned by Tiberius); and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain also arose in his belly and began in a most violent manner.Ant 9.8.2 Falling to the ground, he is carried up to his palace. In five days he is dead at the age of 54, in the 7th year of his reign.
On the side of the platform, the eunuch Blastus-Nicolaus speaks to me, “I feel remorse for giving him the poison.”
I try to mollify his conscience, “Nicolaus, is it not our duty to put a mad dog down? After all, madness is almost a tradition for the Emperors of Rome and Jerusalem with Herod the Great and Caligula. Inbreeding is the sin, not ours.”
Blastus says, “I understand what you are saying, but he once was great. It is such a tribute to him that he succeeded in restoring his grandfather Herod the Great's kingdom piece by piece.”
I explain further, “Although this was an amazing achievement, the insanity of his grandfather Herod the Great was clearly evident in him. Insanity is a dangerous disease for a king who has the power to kill his own family and his subjects. As you may know, Herod the Great killed three of his sons and locked up all the important citizens in the hippodrome to protect his legacy”Ant 27.6.5
I continue, “You should not feel guilty because Herod did not give praise to God.Acts 12:23 You did well to trick him into taking the snake poison I gave you. All of the Churches will rejoice with the news of his death for you have saved countless lives and relieved him from his madness with an act of mercy. As your reward, you will have the privilege of becoming bishop of Laodicea as I promised. It is one of the seven great churches that you will preside over.”
In June, Jesus arrives at the convent in Lydda. Magdalene opens the door to present to him the bundled baby boy.
She says, “Now I have given you an heir and a spare.”
Jesus says, “Another boy; he is beautiful! I shall name him after my father Joseph. One day he will bring Christianity to Britain as Joseph of Arimathea.”
As Jesus holds the baby, Magdalene beckons Jesus to sit in the vestibule, saying, “I fear that I have something important to say to you that will not please you.”
Once they are seated, Magdalene says, “I am concerned that the rift between my uncle Simon and Peter will continue to widen especially now that he is a bishop. Peter tried to excommunicate Simon for selling positions in the Church once before, but now his 'simony' is egregious to have bribed Blastus to kill King Agrippa. This mere king's servant will be controlling one of our seven churches that is under attack by Bernice.”
Jesus agrees, “We did not have many choices, Herod the Great executed two of his sons when they were caught poisoning him. It could have been all our deaths whether he was dead or alive. Of course, I do not condone murder of any kind; but, now that it has occurred, the Church leaders will never admit their culpability and sadly will merely blame Simon. However, now there are high hopes of working with his son Agrippa II, who is coming of age.”
Magdalene says, “All plots need a scapegoat and I must stand with my uncle. In my opinion, the hope of manipulating the pliable young Agrippa II, who is a mere flicker of a man next to his sister Bernice, is doomed to failure. Concerning Bernice, I would not be surprised if she becomes as famous or infamous as Cleopatra. It is her goal.
But returning to my current dilemma, in six years, I will be 40 years old and you will be 50, so it would be unlikely that we would have a child again. I fear that this chasm between Simon and Peter will become too wide to cross and I will fall in it. For all these reasons, I would like to step away, that is, if you are willing to divorce me.”
Jesus with a surprised look on his face, says, “That saddens me, but I do see where you are coming from. I have always loved you and Simon. We have had a good relationship throughout these years, but I am also concerned that divorce will not be allowed. I will, of course, do as you wish.”
Magdalene replies, “I, too, have great affection for you.” Then, smiling smugly she says, “Surely, Paul can justify it with logic. Perhaps, since I am a pagan Syro-Phoenician woman, you might not be bound by the laws of the Jews as long as you do not remarry. ”
Paul justifies the divorce |
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To the married, I give this command (not I, but the Lord): |
The schism that Magdalene had predicted occurred soon after in Paphos, Cyprus. In late Autumn 44 AD, the seventeen-year-old Agrippa II, the son of Agrippa, was being apprenticed to the pro-consul on the island of Cyprus since Claudius seeing that Agrippa II was left a very young child, made the Agrippa's kingdom a Roman province.War 2.11. 6
Paul had begun his first missionary journey from Antioch with Barnabas and John Mark and was traveling through Cypress. Since Paul was the cousin of Agrippa II, he had been assigned to tutor him, but the tutoring would have to wait until his journey was completed. Seeing my large following on the island, Paul schemed that it would be easy to take away my leadership by revealing to Agrippa that I was responsible for killing his father.
And when Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark having gone through the island Cyprus to Paphos, found a certain Magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus (Simon Magus: the Pope) who was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. (Agrippa apprenticed under the consul and being trained by Paul). He called for Barnabas and Saul because he desired to hear the word of God.Acts 13:6-7
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) (Simon Magus using another one of his disguises) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.Acts 13:8
Then Saul, (who also called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost (having been elected provincial bishop), set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil (Simon's dark magic), thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?Acts 13:9-10
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind (mimicking the blindness that I used to convert him), not seeing the sun for a season (Agrippa would not be 18 until next year). And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand (my excommunication and removal as Pope).Acts 13:11
Then the proconsul (Agrippa II) having seen what has come to pass, did believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.Acts 13:12 (Not astonishment at the teaching, but the fact that a leader of the Church would stoop to assassinate a king and his own father!)
Paul exhorted the Church to have me removed as Pope, declaring, “Deception will not be removed until there comes first a falling away and that man of sin be revealed who exalts himself above God and is worshipped as he sits in the temple of God, claiming Himself to be God.“2Thess 2:4
From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John (Mark) left them to return to Jerusalem.Acts 13:13 John Mark was furious with Paul and refused to continue on the missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas and would not speak to him for many years.
On the whole, Paul's first missionary journey was a failure: the synagogues were antagonistic and the Gentiles thought that they were gods. It also highlighted the problem of circumcision because it became clear that the Gentiles, although open to the teachings of Barnabas and Paul, did not see why they had to be like the Jews in that respect.
Thus in 46 AD the Council was called on the issue of relaxing certain Jewish customs, especially of circumcision. Finally, Jesus' brother James, who was then on our side, was able to convince the Council that a glass half full would be better than nothing and would also be in line with Jesus' teachings of forgiveness. So it was decided that as long as the proselytes abstain from three major restrictions: idol worship (the situation that Barnabas and Paul had related), extramarital sex that was often common at Roman festivals, and the slaughtering and cutting of animals in blood sacrifices (the Essenes had stopped this practice), they did not need circumcision.
In September 45 AD at Antioch of Pisidia, I am officiating at Tamar's Bat Mitzvah, and, as I give her the communion bread, I announce, “This year is now forty years from the date that the High Priest Ananus declared your father Jesus to be the legitimate David heir on his Bar Mitzvah. Today we are celebrating the Bat Mitzvah of his daughter Tamar's coming of age at twelve. She has taken the name Phoebe as her religious name to honor the first Gentile martyr of 'The Way' who kept quiet the truths to Augustus that would have incriminated her grandmother, my sister Helena, who passed away last month.”
After this ceremony, I called Jesus over to speak in private about the rift between Paul and myself, hoping to be reinstated as Pope. I say, “I have concerns about Paul's influence over our Church. Already, he is a powerful force. I am not saying that Paul's teachings are wrong for he inspires many, but what I fear is that your message of 'agape love' is being diluted with his insistence on the Holy Spirit and the Resurrection. Since he was not present at the Crucifixion or the Resurrection, he lacks the firsthand knowledge that would support the sincerity of his statements.”
Jesus replies, “Paul does the best he can and adores me. I trust Paul as much as I do Peter. I believe he would never betray me. The fight between you and Paul must be resolved between both of you. You are the true "The Angel of the Lord" for freeing Peter and helping to make him bishop. I cannot imagine my mission without Peter's guidance.”
I answer, “So I assume you are implying that there is no hope for me to be Pope again and that this honor will be Peter's one day. Although I am disappointed, yet, as much as I often disagree with Peter, I am pleased that your intention is for Paul to never be Pope.
But here is my advice to you. Let us suppose that Paul remains true to you and does not let his egotism cloud his judgment, which I hope is true. Yet, even so, it would be prudent to do what all emperors and kings have done in order to consolidate their power and that is to give their daughter in marriage to their adversaries. Thus, I would advise you to encourage Phoebe to marry Paul.”
Jesus has a surprised expression and then thinks for a while, answering, “That is sage advice, but I do not think Paul wants to marry as he favors celibacy. In fact, I have heard that he was recently teaching in Iconium about the importance of virginity.”
Jesus continues, “Yet, it is interesting that Phoebe was enthralled by the story of Thecla who was a young virgin of a noble family engaged to be married in Seleucia, the seaport of Antioch. She, having listened to Paul's sermons from the window adjacent to the Church of Onesiphorus, was so enraptured with Paul that she refused to be married.”
Jesus continues, “Phoebe especially liked Thecla's description of Paul as 'small of stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and nose somewhat hooked, full of friendliness. That at times he appears like a man, and other times with the face of an angel'.Paul and Thecla:3 Thus, I imagine it is possible that Phoebe could be enamored with Paul. Their common wish for celibacy would keep them safely within the Essene rules.”
I reply, “As a bishop following the requirements of the Essene marriage rules they could contribute to the continuation of the David lineage. Thus Paul would need to follow the same requirements as you with the required desert retreat prior to the specified periods of conception.”
Jesus answers, “That would be possible, but it must be my daughter's decision on whom she marries. I will not be like Herod Agrippa who used his sisters Bernice and Drusilla for his own gain.”
I reply, “We shall see how it turns out when Paul gathers many new disciples with their allegiance to Paul. The old ones like us will be forgotten and ignored.”
Jesus replies, “Ah, but now the Gospels are soon to be canonized with some last-minute changes and thus we will certainly be remembered to the Millennium and beyond.”
Simon adds, “Yes for you, but I doubt for me. I am honored that you have prefixed my philosophy to the Gospel of John.”
Jesus smiles and says, “Not only prefixed but also presenting it at the ceremony!”
Amazed by his statement, I ask, “How did you manage that?”
Jesus smiles,“I insisted on this over the objections of many, but, with me being the honored guest, they could not refuse!”
I smile, too, saying, “I will enjoy standing proud before my enemies.”
It is planned to have “Matthew the High Priest present his Gospel and then Peter with the Gospel of Mark containing Peter's Gospel rewritten by the other Mark. And then John Mark will present my collaboration with Luke. Then last but not least will be my original Gospel of John, presented by you, the first Pope Simon Magus.”
I, speaking like a herald, “The Canonizing of the Four Gospels in Ephesus on the day of Atonement is the 14th year of the Ninth Age prophesied to bring 'The Restoration of the Priests and the David King' when the Seventh Angel in Heaven will sound his trumpet and say loudly, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever'.Rev 11:15
Jesus says, “May God bless us on that day.”
Jesus kisses Simon and leaves, saying, “I am off to Patmos where I will dictate to John Aquila my letters to the Seven Churches inviting them to attend the Canonizing ceremony.”
I say, “I will see you there.”
The reality of my decline was apparent to me now. I had taken the choice to protect the Church and now it would be my downfall. Just as the owl had appeared at Herod Agrippa's imprisonment to give him hope only to return on the day of his death, I realized that my owl portent must have been present in my life when I escaped my assassination on Planasia Island at the death of Augustus so many years ago. And, now, after my extraordinary life, this owl will soon be visiting as I am overshadowed by Peter and Paul and left with decline, condemnation, and even death.
With all parties having agreed to the final revisions, the Canonizing ceremony was ready to begin. The theme of the ceremony was from the prophet Zechariah who described four chariots pulled by different colored horses.
The prophet Ezekiel also described a similar scene but in more detail:
In Zechariah's prophecy the four major Gospel books were intended to be brought to the four corners of the world by four different colored horses ridden by priests. In Ezekiel's prophesy, the contents of the Gospels were shown as Matthew: the man, Mark: the lion, Luke: the ox, and John: the eagle. Their canonization is fully described in the Book of Revelation. The recorders John Aquila and his brother James Niceta used powerful metaphors to emphasize the importance of this ceremony both before and after. These images have frightened priests and congregations for centuries, being unable to unravel their true meaning as mere history.
The order of the presentations was the High Priest Matthew presenting the book of Matthew, Peter as a Cardinal presenting the book of Mark, and John Mark, the Beloved Disciple, presenting the book of Luke. As to the book of John, I was pleased that Jesus insisted that it be me. (John Aquila presents me as the most menacing only because I was the Pope with the power to excommunicate.)
In the order of composition:
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The puffed-up weakling Agrippa II, as the honorary leader, having been given by Claudius the right of superintending the Temple in Jerusalem and appointing its High Priest sits on the throne on the third level of the abbey in Ephesus at the highest level. The recorder John is seated at the edge of the second level where the rest of the ministers are located. The podium is at the center towards the front.
Agrippa II from the upper third level calls out, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”Rev 5:2
Seven ministers walk out to the second level forming a a semi-circle around the podium. They are Atomus (my replacement, teacher of Paul, cardinal who persuaded Drusilla to marry FelixAnt 20.7.2 Loeb), Aristobulus and his wife Salome (daughter of Herodias), Jesus Justus (first son of Jesus), Timothy (son of Aristobulus and Salome and designated heir to Agrippa II), Apollos (replacement for Theudas as 'Prophet'), and Theophilus (High priest in 37- 41 AD)
They call out in unison,
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to receive these seven symbols:”
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Agrippa II calls out again, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
There is silence.......
Agrippa II, “'Is no one in heaven or on earth, able to open the scrolls, or to behold them?”
The congregation is almost in tears as no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.
A voice from behind the seven is Jesus who calls out, “Weep not:
Behold, I am the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, that has prevailed to open the book,
and is worthy to loose the seven seals thereof.
I am the Lamb who shed his blood for all our sins here on this Day of Atonement.”Rev 5:5-6
The seven open up the semi-circle as Jesus, in white, walks forward to the podium
as the trap door above opens to illuminate him. His hair glows in the light like a halo.
Since many believed that Jesus was a resurrected spirit, the congregation, in awe
began to call out, “Hallelujah, Alleluia.”
Jesus opens the seal of the first book.
 (3) |
And I saw, and behold, a white horse, |
| and its rider had a bow | and its rider had a sickle |
| and a crown was given to him, | and the authority of the Sadducee priest was given to him, |
| and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. | and he rode out to plant in order to reap.Rev 6:1 |
Matthew, dressed in the white chasuble of a High Priest, comes forward.
Matthew reads selections from his Gospel of Matthew:
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And Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, lo, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (Qumran), saying, "Where is he who was born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and we came to bow to him."Mt 2:1-2 Then having let away the multitudes, Jesus came to the house, and his disciples came near to him, saying, 'Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.' And he answering said to them, 'He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom, and the weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is at the end of the Age, and the reapers are angels'.Mt 13:36-39 |
The Book of Matthew is associated with the Winged Man (angel) of Ezekiel. White is symbolic of the white robe that was worn by the Sadducee Priest acting as God. Thus the horse, representing the priest who carries the Gospel of Matthew is white because it was ridden by the Sadducee Priest Matthew Annas. The crown is from his older brother Jonathan Annas who called himself Stephen ('stephanos' is Greek for crown). The bow is not a bow, but a sickle, and conquering is the harvest at the end of the Age at 100 AD.
The canonizing of the Book of Matthew is complete.
Jesus opens the seal of the second book.
 (3) |
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" And out came another horse, bright red; |
| Its rider was given the power to take peace from the earth | Its rider was given the power to oppose the false peace of Pax Romana |
| and to make people sacrifice each other | and to encourage people to follow the teaching of the "suffering servant, Jesus"Rev 6:3 |
| To him was given a great sword. | As the representative of Jesus, Peter was given a great sword like the flaming sword at the Garden of Eden For Jesus saith," I am "The Way", the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (Jn 14:6). |
Peter, dressed in the red chasuble of a cardinal, comes forward and reads selections from his Gospel Mark:
Peter reads selections from the Gospel of Mark:
| At the Beginning And, walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a drag into the sea, for they were fishers, and Jesus said to them, "Come you after me, and I shall make you become fishers of men;" and immediately, having left their nets, they followed him. And, walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, casting a drag into the sea, for they were fishers, and Jesus said to them, "Come you after me, and I shall make you become fishers of men;" and immediately, having left their nets, they followed him. And having gone on thence a little, he saw James of Zebedee, and John his brother, and they were in the boat refitting the nets, and immediately he called them, and, having left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, they went away after him.Mk 01:16-20 At the Resurrection And the Sabbath having passed, Mary the Magdalene, and Mary of James, and Salome, bought spices, that having come, they may anoint him, and early in the morning of the first of the Sabbaths, they come unto the sepulcher, at the rising of the sun, And having looked, they see that the stone has been rolled away -- for it was very great, and having entered the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right hand, arrayed in a long white garment, and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Be not amazed, you seek Jesus the Nazarene, the crucified: he did rise -- he is not here; lo, the place where they laid him! and go, say to his disciples, and Peter, that he does go before you to Galilee; there you shall see him, as he said to you."Mk 16:1-7 |
The Book of Mark is associated with the Lion of Ezekiel, the symbol of kingship. Red is symbolic of the red robes that were worn by a Cardinal who acts for Jesus. The 'peace' mentioned is the 'Pax Romana' which is subjection. Inner struggle is essential for 'separating the chaff from the wheat, in order to return to the innocence of the Garden of Eden and to be let in by the Angel guarding with a sword. Peter had used this sword to defend his position as the "Ear" of Jesus against James in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The canonizing of the Book of Mark is complete.
Jesus opens the seal of the third book.
 (3) |
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I saw, and behold, a black horse, |
| and its rider had a balance in his hand; | and its rider had a balance in his hand to measure the allotted tithes |
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| "A choenix (quart) of wheat for a denarius | in the Five Thousand (the Gentile members) the tithe is one denarius every 6 months (5000/200=25 weekly tithes) |
| and three quarts (choenices) of barley for a denarius | in the Four Thousand (the Celibate ministers) the tithe is one denarius every year and a half (3 times longer) |
| but do not harm oil and wine! | in the Three Thousand (monastics who use oil and wine): there is less tithe."Rev 6:5 |
John Mark reads a selection from the Gospel of Luke:
And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" |
The meaning of Jesus' statement is revealed by knowing that the letter of Qof is symbolized as the eye of a needle which is also the symbol for the fourth position of cardinal, making it impossible for the letter Gimel being symbolized by a camel, two levels below, to reach that level without further training. This is also the explanation for 666 which I will describe later.
The canonizing of the Book of Luke is complete. It is associated with the Bull of Ezekiel, the symbol of bearing the yoke of the monastic or Nazarite. Black is symbolic of the black robes that were worn by the leaders of the monastics like John Mark. Thus the horse, representing the priest who carries the Gospel of Luke, is black because it was written by Jesus, a monastic, except when out in the world to produce an heir. The three groups are "wheat" for the 4000 celibate followers, "barley" for the 5000 married followers (Miracle of the Feeding the 4000 and the 5000), and oil and wine for the monastics who do use oil or and unfermented wine (contrary to the strict Essenes (tending to be treated unjustly by the others).
The canonizing of the Book of Luke was complete.
Jesus opens the seal of the fourth book.
 (3) |
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I saw, and behold, a green horse, |
| and its rider's name was Death | and the rider had the power of excommunication |
| and Hades followed him | Simon Magus had escaped the crucifixion as Jesus also did |
| and they were given the power over a fourth of the earth | and they were given power over Rome, the fourth great power |
| "to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence" | taken from Jeremiah 14:11 (As the Lord would do to the enemy) |
| and by wild beasts of the earth. | and by the Zealots.Rev 6:7 |
I in a white chasuble with a green sash come forward
I read from the Gospel of John:
| Chapter 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with God; all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that has happened. In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.Jn 1:1-5 Chapter 11: Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb of Lazarus. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," Jesus said. "Lord, by now he stinks," said Martha, the sister of the dead man. "It has already been four days." Jesus replied, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted his eyes upward and said "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that you sent me." After Jesus had said this, he called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. "Unwrap him and let him go," Jesus told them. And he that was dead came forth, Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.Jn 11:38-44 |
The Book of John is associated with the Eagle of Ezekiel, also the zodiacal sign Scorpio, the symbol of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Green is symbolic of the tradition of Sower to the Diaspora that began with Jesus' grandfather Heli and was continued by Jesus, who wrote his book with my help. Thus the horse, representing the priest who carries the Gospel of John, is green (changed to pale since no horse is green). Green is also representative of the time Jesus was out of the monastery for the conception of an heir with Mary Magdalene to continue the dynasty of David. This was when he taught the disciples many parables that would lead to inner growth like "The Grain of Mustard Seed".
The indication of joint authorship of the Book of John is the symbols of "Death" (Simon Magus who had the power to excommunicate) and of "Hades" (Jesus and Simon being revived from that state between life and death in their Caves after the Crucifixion). The powers are: the Sword (angels at the Garden of Eden), "Hunger" is the Nazarite practice that Jesus followed when out of monastery (Jesus tempted by Satan in the Wilderness), Death (excommunication), and "Wild Beasts" (Zealots that Simon Magus was still aligned with.)
The canonizing of the Book of John is complete. At the end of the service for all members, Theophilus calls out, “Salvation is to Him who is sitting upon the throne -- to our God, and to the Lamb!” The congregation says, “Amen.”
Matthew announces the service for the monastics is to begin.
Jesus calls Thomas to the podium.
The slain ones were monks wearing white in the monastery believing that they needed to pray constantly for repentance. They were urged to be patient that the day of Restoration would come.
Thomas, wearing a white robe, is holding the icon of Jesus which was requested by King Abgar V of Adiabene in a letter to Jesus. His consort Queen Helena of Adiabene was converted by me as Ananius with Sapphira.
Thomas reads the sayings of Jesus from the Gospel of Thomas:
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"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. |
Jesus calls Philip to the podium.
These were the monks wearing black sackcloth made of goat hair, they also accepted females, and those like James the brother of Jesus, and the outcastes of the fig tree party that had been cursed by Jesus who was part of the vineyard party.
Philip, wearing a blue robe is shown defeating a dragon while converting the people of Scythia with the backdrop of Hierapolis where he was buried.
Philip reads from the Gospel of Philip:
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A Hebrew makes a Hebrew, and such a person is called 'proselyte'. But a proselyte does not make a proselyte..... When we were Hebrews we were orphans and had our mother, but when we became Christians we had both father and mother"Ph 51.29-86 As for the Wisdom who is called "the barren," she is the mother of the angels. And the companion of the [...] Mary Magdalene. [...] loved her more than all the disciples, and used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples [...]. They said to him "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Savior answered and said to them,"Why do I not love you like her? When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness."Ph 63.30-35-64 1-10; |
The implication of the first reading is that the writer had recently been a "Hebrew", but now was a Christian. One of the activities of Hebrews was proselytizing, persuading Gentiles to become Jews. But converted Gentiles had limited powers, not having been born with a Jewish identity, so were not permitted to make proselytes of other Gentiles. Moreover, Gentiles had been instructed by a Mother, but not by a Father. The reason was that a woman, a female teacher, being uncircumcised, could make close contact with uncircumcised Gentiles, such as was necessary during the rite of baptism. Both were "unclean".
Mary Magdalene is Sophia (wisdom). She is barren because she is a nun practicing celibacy, but during the prescribed times she also is the wife of Jesus and the mother of one daughter and two sons. She stayed at Philip's monastery:
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... We came to Caesarea, and having entered into the house of Philip the evangelist -- who is of the seven -- we remained with him, and this one had four daughters, virgins, prophesying.Acts 21:8-9 The daughters of Philip tell "that in his time a man rose from the dead, and again he gives another wonderful story about Justus who was surnamed Barsabbas, how that he drank a deadly poison, and yet, by the grace of the Lord, suffered no inconvenience."Pap |
Jesus closes the ceremony.
And every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, (deleted: nor under the earth), and the things that are upon the sea, and all things in them, heard I saying, 'To Him who is sitting upon the throne, and to the Lamb, is the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, of the Almighty to the ages of the ages!' and the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' and the twenty-four elders fell down and they bow before Him who is living to the ages of the ages.Rev 5:13-14
Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed."Rev 7:2-4
And I saw, and lo, a Lamb (the Resurrected Jesus, now more powerful than Simon, his superior) having stood upon the mount Zion, and with his hundred forty-four thousand followers, having the name of his Father (ten provinces with a Jewish phylactery and two with the Gentile symbol of the cross X, soon to be the Chi Rho (P+X) written upon their foreheads.Rev 14:01
Amen.
In 50 AD, six years after the birth of his second son and his divorce of Magdalene, Jesus was eligible to try for another child and chooses to marry Lydia. She was the bishop in the city of Thyatira (one of the Seven Churches) said to be 'a seller of purple' meaning that she sells tithes for positions in the church. (Ironically, this is the sin that Peter excommunicated me for, namely 'simony' - rather than freely given offerings).
On the sabbath-day also we (Jesus and St. Paul) went forth outside of the city, by a river, where prayer was was being customarily conducted, and having sat down, were speaking to the women there on the subject of the 'coming together of women' (Essene rules of sexual relations). A certain woman, by the name Lydia, a seller of purple (a bishop) of the city of Thyatira, worshipping God, was hearing the discussion and 'her heart Jesus did open' (agreeing to be betrothed to Jesus) and to follow the rules explained by Paul. When she was baptized, and her household, she declares, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the lord Jesus, having entered into this union, then let us abide by the rules.Acts 16:13-15
Many frowned on this union, especially with their love for Mary Magdalene and not being satisfied with Paul's justification for the divorce. However, Jesus was merely following the imperative to maintain the David dynasty. His father Joseph had five sons which the Church chooses to deny with doctrine of Immaculate Conception.
After Lydia gave Jesus a son in 51 AD, no more is told about her and it is unknown what became of the son who was the third son of Jesus after Jesus Justus and Joseph who were from Mary Magdalene. Lydia would be Phoebe's step-mother.
More important to the legacy of the Christian Church was the marriage of Jesus' daughter Phoebe to St Paul as this would cement Paul's teachings with those of Jesus. It came about in December AD 51, five years after her Bat Mitzvah when Phoebe was 18 years old and Paul was 35. Being born, the first child of Jesus with the name Tamar, she had taken the baptismal Phoebe. She had the good fortune to hear Paul give the best speech of his lifetime at the rock of Areopagus, the famous speaker's corner in Athens near the Acropolis and she fell in love with him
After Paul's speech certain men having attached to Paul did believe, (among whom is also Dionysius the Areopagite (misplaced reference to the rock that Paul stood on and an anachronism for a philosopher by that name in 532 AD), and a woman, by name Damaris (Greek form of Tamar thus Tamar-Phoebe) and others with them (Seneca the Younger).Acts 17:34
Phoebe was enthralled by his speech and, seeing Seneca the Younger, the famous philosopher, who was the teacher of Nero, congratulate him increased her admiration for Paul. She began to follow him wherever he went.
A few months later, Phoebe requested her father's permission to marry Paul, and Jesus, remembering my advice, convinced Paul who joyfully proclaims, “the Lord had opened a door for me.”2Cor. 12 In March 52 AD Phoebe and Paul were in agreement to consummate their marriage in the autumn of the next year.
To begin the betrothal in March 53 AD, Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth and found a certain Jew (Christian) named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Since he was also a tentmaker (establishing churches), he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue (church) and persuaded both Jews and Greeks to join.Acts.18:1-4
And Paul, having remained many months, took leave of the brethren and sailed to Syria (symbolic for a wilderness area) with Priscilla and (John) Aquila. He had shorn his head in Cenchera (since Phoebe was a deacon of the church in CenchreaeRom 16:1) to fulfill his vow.Acts 18:18 This vow consisted of performing a three-month Nazarite training in the desert under John Aquila like Jesus did with Judas Iscariot, 'the tempter' in the wilderness.
Simon-Silas (Jesus' younger brother) and Timothy had come from Macedonia.Acts 18:4They were bringing Jesus' first son who had reached his sixteenth birthday to be officially declared crown prince with the title of 'Jesus Justus'. (His age can be calculated because Jesus and Mary had to wait three years after the birth of Phoebe which was shortly after the Crucifixion (33+3+16)).
At the midnight service Jesus spoke to Paul
Phoebe reaches the three-month trial completion of pregnancy, so Paul came down to Ephesus, and did leave them there (Phoebe to continue to term with Mary Magdalene). When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not, but bade them farewell, saying, I must, by all means, keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem; but I will return again unto you, God willing and he sailed from Ephesus.Acts 18:19-21 While in Galatia and Phrygia 'strengthening all the disciples' (Paul's first daughter is born).Acts 18:23 Clearly, Paul tends to get wrapped up in his work, but he does love Phoebe, calling her his "yokefellow".Phil 4:3
It would be three years after the birth of his daughter and after Phoebe returns home from Rome with Jesus in September 57 AD that Paul sends out Timothy and Erastus as deacons into Macedonia and stays in Asia for a season (chronos: celebrating his 40th birthday).Acts 18:22 Phoebe would conceive his second daughter.
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In 57 AD one of my last described acts, for which I was violently opposed by Paul, was selling silver statuettes of Mary Magdalene to honor her death. I called myself Demetrius, a silver worker, as a humorous reference to the collecting of silver tithes that I accepted for positions in the Church. The populace thought the statuettes were of Artemis, the Greek goddess, and Paul, of course, took issue with the comparison of Mary Magdalene to a Greek goddess and that I was defying Peter as in the 'Ananias and Sapphira's excommunication.
And there came, at that time, not a little stir about "The Way", for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis who was bringing to the artificers great gain, saying, “Men, you know that by this work we have our wealth; not only at Ephesus but almost in all Asia”.Acts 19:24-25
Peter (Aristarchus) quoting Paul was turning away a great multitude of buyers by saying, “Are not gods which are made by hands that people worship, as the first commandment condemns, about to be discarded in all Asia and the world?”Acts 19:26
When Apollos (Alexander) tries to intervene, the people, having heard, became full of passion and were crying out, “Great is the Artemis of the Ephesians!”Acts 19:33-34
This whole event was blown out of proportion. People always want to believe in miracles and this is why my magic is so powerful. To them Mary Magdalene was Artemis. I did not dissuade them. My niece was certainly a god as great as her and surely greater than Lydia. I also believe that faith in idols creates true "Faith." It is too abstract for many to have "Faith in Christ". This is why I encouraged donations of silver coins to the Church because it serves two purposes: supporting the Church and the donor's life because it gives of themselves to God.
Being of my usual iconoclastic mind, I would also venture to say that the prevention of idol worship in the Ten Commandments seems to indicate that Jehovah Himself is corrupted by jealousy which He even admits: Thou shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.Exodus 20:5
If idols can create Faith then how could they be wrong? It was in these actions and thoughts that I was able to ease the sadness of my niece Magdalene's passing.
Then abruptly, my sadness ended when I heard that Jesus and Peter and Phoebe were planning to go to Rome in March 57 AD. After the uproar of the statues of Mary Magdalene, it would be a relief to find a more educated audience. Also, it would be a wonderful a chance to be with Jesus and my grand-niece Phoebe. It was especially fortuitous that Paul was staying behind because his promotion to Archbishop had made him intolerable. So I asked to join them on their ship to Rome. They agreed, of course.
Paul was sending Phoebe with a copy of his Epistle to the Romans and the Epistle to the Corinthians and Jesus had decided to go his daughter as a chaperone.
The Church in Rome had expanded greatly since the early days of Joseph and Mary's mission and there was great enthusiasm towards moving its headquarters to Rome from Jerusalem. There were already many followers in Rome, but, sadly, after Nero's insanity, so many would end up martyred.
In March 57 AD We sailed for Rome from Cenchreae in Corinth. With Jesus there, Peter was on best behavior. Both Peter and Jesus were amused that I had got in trouble again for 'simony', but this time with Paul! On the trip, Jesus had chance to read Paul's epistle to the Corinthians and was disappointed with its tone which seemed to be too much like Leviticus. He took this opportunity the following section 13to it that would describe agape love:
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If I speak in the tongues (languages) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.1Cor 13 |
Almost as soon as we arrived in Rome, Paul sent a coded plea in Aramaic: Maranatha' for 'Come' Lord 1Cor 16:22 - where Paul was asking Jesus to come back with Phoebe, fearing his implication in the murder of Jonathan. With it he had enclosed his second Epistles to the Corinthians:
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Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn (indicated a Sadducee as they wore a crown with a thorn i.e. Jonathan Annas as "stephanos" meaning crown) was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.2Cor 12:7-10 |
Even though Paul as the tutor of Felix would have been in a position to influence him, Procurator Felix had killed the once High Priest Jonathan using the Sicarii that Judas had belonged. Previous to this, Paul and Jonathan had developed a mutual hatred between each other once Paul found out that Caiaphas at the Crucifixion had made a deal with Jonathan to swap Barabbas for Jesus. Jesus had tried to explain to Paul that he would have agreed to swap with his uncle Theudas anyway because he was too old. Still, Paul held Jonathan responsible. After Jonathan's early removal as High Priest under the title of 'Stephen', Paul's silence at the trial made him a good scapegoat for Felix.
At the harbor, Jesus spoke to Peter encouraging him to proselytize and to not be intimated by me, and promised to be with Peter in spirit:
Now when the night fell, Peter, while yet waking, beheld Jesus clad in a vesture of brightness, smiling and saying unto him, “Already many people of the brotherhood will return through me and through the signs which thou hast wrought in my name. But thou shalt have a contest of the faith upon the sabbath that cometh, and many more of the Gentiles and Jews shall be converted in my name unto me who was once reproached and mocked and spat upon. For I will be present with thee when thou ask for signs and wonders, and thou shalt convert many: but thou shalt have Simon opposing thee by the works of his Father; yet all his works shall be shown to be charms and contrivances of sorcery. But now do not slack and whomsoever I shall send unto thee thou shalt establish in my name.”Ver 16.
These words of Jesus foreshadowed the dangerous rivalries between Peter and myself.
Thus, leaving Peter and me to battle it out in Rome, Jesus and Phoebe arrived in Ephesus. Paul had resigned as archbishop. And, after getting permission from Jesus, he and Phoebe left for Troas to try for a second child.
Early in 58 AD without Jesus' supervision, Peter and I very quickly became frustrated with the lack of interest in our talks at the street corners of Rome. Of course, I soon resorted to magical deceptions such as using ventriloquism to make a dog appear to talk. Peter countered with the same trick.
But the brethren besought Peter to join battle with Simon and not suffer him any longer to vex the people And without delay Peter went quickly out of the synagogue and went unto the house of Marcellus, where Simon lodged: and much people followed him. And Peter seeing a great dog bound with a strong chain, went to him and loosed him, and when he was loosed the dog received a man's voice and said unto Peter: What dost thou bid me to do? Peter said unto him: Go in and say unto Simon in the midst of his company: "Peter saith unto thee, thou art a wicked one and deceiver of simple souls." And immediately the dog ran and entered in, and rushed into the midst of them that were with Simon, and lifted up his forefeet and in a loud voice (said these words) and all of them were amazed.Ver 9
These tricks quickly got out of hand with each trying to outdo the other. When Peter brought a herring hanging in a shop back to life, I countered by bringing a person back to life having used the same poison that was used on Jesus at the cross to make him appear to be dead.
And Peter turned and saw a herring hung in a window, and took it and said to the people: If ye now see this swimming in the water like a fish, will ye be able to believe in him whom I preach?
Ver 13
Simon cried out, saying: Ye men of Rome, if ye behold the dead man arise, will ye cast Peter out of the city? And all the people said: We will not only cast him out, but on the very instant will we burn him with fire. Then Simon went to the head of the dead man and stooped down and said thrice: "Raise thyself", and the dead man lifted his head and moved it, and opened his eyes and bowed himself a little unto Simon.Ver 28
All these 'tit for tat' miracles were taking a toll on me and I realized that all I was doing was procrastinating. What I really needed to do was to reveal my true identity to Nero. I did not need to have Peter bad-mouthing me to Nero, that is, if he would even bother to see him. I knew that I alone would have to gain his trust. If I succeeded, the whole Roman Empire could possibly be converted to Christianity so I began to work out a strategy to achieve this.
I asked around and was introduced to a person called Otho. Otho was a good friend of Nero and married to Poppaea.
Seeing that Poppaea was beautiful, I suspected that she had married him with the goal of becoming Nero's wife. I could not imagine that she would marry such a man seven years younger than her especially since he was of medium height, bandy-legged and splay-footed, though as fastidious as a woman in personal matters. He had his body-hair plucked, and wore a toupee to cover his scanty locks, so well-made and so close-fitting that its presence was not apparent. They say also that he shaved every morning. Seut7 Like Poppaea, I saw my chance to meet Nero through him.
I had a chance to discuss Christianity with Poppaea and found that she was quite open to its concepts. Within a month an opportunity presented itself. Nero was holding a contest for 'oration and verse' in which he was presenting. Otho brought me.
Recalling my oration with Peter in the Clementines I gave an oration about how peace stagnates growth:
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(Simon Refuses Peace:R.2.23) "We have no need of your peace; for if there be peace and concord, we shall not be able to make any advance towards the discovery of truth. Wherefore, do not invoke peace, but rather battle, which is the mother of peace; and if you can, exterminate errors. When two fight with each other, then there will be peace when one has been defeated and has fallen. And therefore fight as best you can, and do not expect peace without war, which is impossible; or if it can be attained, show us how." |
Nero, of course, won first prize, but I was second. At the banquet that followed Poppaea and I were on couches together as Otho had left. Apparently, Nero had ordered him to leave immediately to the province of Lusitania. I discerned that he would soon order him to divorce Poppaea as he clearly wanted her for himself. Nero had his couch placed to the right side of Poppaea and I am on her other side. Nero's mother Agrippina and his wife Octavia were lying on the couch to Nero's left.
His wife Octavia says to Poppaea, “It seems that your husband was unable to attend. Who is it that accompanies you?”
Poppaea answers, “He says he is a follower of the new religion of Christianity.”
Nero says, “Oh, one of those instigators of Chrestus!”
As he looked over at me, I say, “I am honored to be in your presence, great Emperor. Chrestus is not an accurate name as they used to call it 'The Way', but it is better known now as Christian using Jesus on the cross as its symbol.”
Nero says, “I cannot imagine how being crucified under that idiot Pilate would make him famous.”
I say, “It is not his crucifixion, but his resurrection that is important.”
Nero says, “So is he supposed to be still walking around eating and drinking like any other person?”
I reply, “I am the proof of that since I was crucified with him.”
Nero laughs and says, “Show me the holes in your hands.”
I turn my hands that still show the scars on my wrists.
Nero says, “You must be some sort of magician then.”
I say, “That is what I am. I am known as Simon Magus.”
Nero says, “You must show me some magic sometime.”
I say, “Actually, I intend to put on an exhibition in the Appian Way soon, but I can perform a magic trick of an identity switch as I did many years ago when I turned into Faustus Cornelius Sulla. So now right in front of you, I will become Agrippa Postumus, your grand-uncle.”
Nero and his mother Agrippina the Younger are stunned into silence, trying to think whether this is possible.
Agrippina says, “There is a family resemblance, but that is impossible! Postumus was murdered by Tiberius the year before my birth”.
Nero says, “Wasn't there a person Clemens who said he was Postumus, but he was caught and killed? Sounds like you must have escaped death three times. You must be a god then.”
I take off the royal signet ring that Clemens had returned to me that had been given to me by Augustus and hand it to Nero. He hands it to Agrippina the Younger who looks at it, saying, “It seems real. It has Augustus' image on it mounted in gold. It would be death to wear it if you were not who he says he is. Are you really my uncle!”
I say, “Pleased to meet you, dear niece. It was Clemens who rescued me and I have been living in Cyrene and then in Phoenicia where I became associated with Jesus.”
Poppaea says, “All right, I might believe that you survived Tiberius' assassination, but who can survive the cross? No one survives that!”.
I say, “Yes, but I had a plan and good fortune was on our side. There was a three-hour time change in our favor and with a drop of poison in Jesus' mouth that made him appear to be dead, we were taken down before Passover because it would be an affront to God to leave a dead man hanging after sundown”.
Poppaea says, “Praise be to Nero and to Christ!”
Nero remarks,“So it is not much of a magic trick then; just luck.”
I reply, “A good magician does not rely on luck. But greater magic awaits. I invite you to come and see me fly. Perhaps, once you see this magic you will know that I am truly not only the greatest magician and truthfully your grand-uncle Postumus come back from the dead.”
Nero says, “Let me know the day and the place and I will be there.”
“Me, too! So it shall it be a date then!”, says Poppaea with her eyes giving Nero a come hither look.
Nero gets up and puts his arm around her and pulls her up, saying, “Grand Uncle you must excuse us.” She smiles coyly as they walk out to the garden together.
Agrippina the Younger says, “Not again!”
Octavia, looking disgusted, says, “I am not giving him a divorce” and walks out.
I turn to my niece saying, “I am so sorry about your mother. I wish I could have saved her. I did save your other sister Julia the Younger and her child. I imagine you do not know that.”
Agrippina the Younger showing her surprise, answers, “Now, you must be a magician to have done that. That sounds like another piece of your imaginary life.”
“No more than yours”, I reply, “For as one of the three sisters of Caligula, you had the honors of the vestal virgins, then having unfortunately exiled by him to the Pontine Islands, you were rescued by your uncle Claudius, and then you married him and helped your son Nero to the throne.”
Agrippina the Younger retorts, “Not the charmed tale that you think. If you knew my real life, you would know the hell I have known since that lecherous Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus took my virginity to give me an ungrateful son. Now my son dreams of building a floating boat that will collapse into the lake to drown me. I would have been better off to have aborted him in the very beginning.”
“I am sorry,” I reply, “I did not realize that your life has been so hard. At least you survived it. Perhaps, I can be in a position to help you.”
She whispers, “Surely, my son needs more stability as I fear that his father's insanity will take hold of him soon.”
“Let us hope, dear niece.” I get ready to leave.
She says, “It would be nice to have you back in our family.” Then she smiles. “But first, dear uncle, you must be able to fly!”
As I leave, I answer, “That is easy.”
In two weeks, I invited Nero to my greatest miracle near the Colosseum and he came, taking Poppaea with him.
Poppaea says to Nero, “If this miracle succeeds, we must all become Christians.”
The last part of this story has already been told. Simon the magician falls to the ground and I am lost to history, not resurrected but confined to hell.
On January 61 AD, Jesus, Paul, and Felix would land in Malta before entering Rome, too late to stop Peter.
In 62 AD Paul is freed and writes to Timothy: "The Lord stood by to give me strength ... So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion" ... Salute Priscilla and Aquila ... Linus sends greetings"2 Tim 4:17,19,21
And after Paul had fasted three days and asked of the Lord that which should be profitable for him, he saw a vision, even the Lord saying unto him: “Arise, Paul, and become a physician in thy body (i.e. by going thither in person) to them that are in Spain.”Vercelli Acts of Peter 3:1
Thus Paul says: "I will go to Spain and visit you on the way."Rom 15:28
This is significant because in 39 AD Herod Antipas having been accused by his nephew Agrippa and found guilty by Caligula, was banished to Gaul (near Spain) and Herodias voluntarily followed him.Ant18.7.2 This would be the logical location of Paul's wife Phoebe with her father-in-law and her daughter Paulina and most likely of Jesus, too.
Shortly after the Great Fire at Rome in 64 AD, Paul was beheaded in Rome itself and Peter likewise was crucified under Nero.Eus 2.25:5
The Jerusalem Temple falls in 70 AD.
In 71 AD Jesus (at age 77) advocates for peace with the Emperor Vespasian and steps down as Cardinal: These (Bernice) shall make war with the Lamb (Jesus), and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords, and (stepping down to) King of Kings and they that are with him are the "Called".Rev 17:14 (Jesus elects Linus to replace Clement as Pope.). Jesus dies a year later at the age of 78.
Jesus Justus (Jesus II) would succeed Jesus when he died in Rome at the age of 78 near the end of June, 72 AD.
In 74 AD Masada falls.
Jesus Justus' son Jesus III would be born in 77 AD.
In AD 79 Felix had had a son by Drusilla named Agrippa who perished with with her at the conflagration of the Vesuvius volcano.Ant 20.7.2
In June 114 AD (120 years after Jesus' birth in 7 BC where 120 were the years to the Restoration of King David), the great grandson of Jesus is christened: I Jesus (Jesus III the son of Jesus Justus) have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches: “I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star”. And the Spirit (abbot) and the bride say, “Come.” And let him that hears it (Jesus III) say, “Come” and let him (the baby: Jesus IV) who is thirsty come and let him take the water of life freely.Rev 22:16-17
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