"JOSEPHUS' DELIBERATE DECEPTION" 06-20-98
(This article is keyed to Whiston's translation of Josephus)

It appears that it cannot be stated enough that Josephus was most deliberate
in his works and that he makes statements all through his works that serve
(at least in his own mind) to absolve or excuse himself for misleading and
making misleading statements and outright lies.

In other words, he makes a practice of placing what amount to 'disclaimers'
throughout his works under the guise of making them when the subject matter
is apparently dealing with some other subject or "non-subject," sometimes,
even as if just 'off the cuff." These things are just "tacked on" here and there
so that he IS saying what he is doing (i.e. making the admission), but he places
these deliberately "out of context" to their true meaning so that he can just
keep right on going full in the knowledge that whether or not the reader
realizes it, he has in fact stated just what he is doing - and therefore, to HIS
mind, he is telling the "TRUTH."

One example is this statement; "and where it must be reproachful to write
lies, when they must be known by the reader to be such." Notice that he
says "READER," not the writer!!! (pg. 428) (Wars of the J., Preface, 5)

Also, "Yet were there fictitious stories added to what was really done..."
(pg. 517) (Wars of the J., B. III, Ch. IX, 5)

Josephus deliberately tries to confuse by (1) Writing about personages out
of their chronological order. Example: Speaking of King Solomon, then
Vespasian (pg. 173) (Ant. of the Jews, B. VIII, Ch. II, 5). (2) Misspelling names.
Example: He even spells his own name in places "Josepos" and to see this,
you will need to find the Loeb Classical Library editions of Josephus which
have the Greek words spelled as they are in the earliest texts. He says;
"Josepos said thus..." (pg. 569) (Wars, B. VII, Ch. II, 1). Also, see page 574
(Wars of the Jews, B. V, Ch. XIII, 3). (3) Deliberately misleads with 'half-truths'.
Example: "He (King Herod) was by birth a Jew." This is a half-truth and
Josephus knew it. (Ref. pg. 422) (Ant. B. XX, Ch. VIII, 7). (4) He deliberately
perpetuates and invents superstitious notions, ideas and beliefs;
(A) He speaks of the "skill" of expelling demons. (pg. 125, 173)
(Ant. B. VI, Ch. II, 1; Ant. B. VIII, Ch. II, 5)
(B) He is the first to speak of a "laser root," which in later mythology becomes
the "mandrake root." (pg. 42, 595-596)
(Ant. B. I, Ch. XIX, 8; Wars of Jews., Book. VII, Ch. VI, 3)
(C) He perpetuates the idea of "signs" and omens. See the omen of the 'owl'.
(pg. 386) (Ant. B. XVIII, Ch. VI, 7) And also; (pg. 412) (Ant. B. XIX, Ch. VIII, 2)
(D) The idea of "Ghosts." (pg. 112, 266)
(Ant. B. V, Ch. II, 8; Ant. B. XII, Ch. XI, 2)
(E) The idea of "Angels." (pg. 119) (Antiquities of the Jews, B. V, Ch. VIII, 3)
(F) "Evil Spirits and Demons." (pg. 136) (Ant. B. VI, Ch. XI, 2)
(G) Fortune Tellers and "Mediums" (pg. 143) (Ant. B. VI, Ch. XIV, 2)
(H) Prophets telling the future and showing "signs", wonders and miracles.
(pg. 184, 429) (Ant. B. VIII, Ch. VIII, 5; Wars of the Jews, Preface, 11)
(I) The idea of "Witches." (pg. 202) (Ant. B. VIII, Ch. VI, 3)
(J) He invented the saying of "Grace." (pg. 250) (Ant. B. XII, Ch. II, 12)
(K) The idea of "Royal Birthright," which we no longer believe in today.
(pg. 348) (Ant. B. XVI, Ch. VIII, 1)
(L) An eclipse of the moon as a "sign," a "sign" that could be predicted with
accuracy by the astronomers and High Priests of the day (pg. 365)
(Ant. B. XVII, Ch. VI, 4)
(M) "Some Supernatural Providence" (pg. 432) Providence (Supernatural),
ordained, divine (pg. 466) (W. of J, B. I, Ch. III, 6; W. B. II, Ch. XXXI, 3)
(N) Promoted the phrase "God Forbid." (pg. 528) (W. B. IV, Ch. III, 10)
(O) Other "signs," such as a star resembling a sword and a comet that
continued a whole year. Check on this! We should be able to tell by what
we know about astronomy today if this is really a true statement. (pg. 582)
Note that he speaks of these 'signs' as appearing before the destruction of
Jerusalem. (Wars, B. VI, Ch. V, 3)
(P) He writes of religion as being (for those who can "see" it) as the most
profitable "business," saying, "... to make the altar every day fat with
sacrifices of great value." (pg. 205) (Ant. B. IX, Ch. VIII, 2)

And it was a very profitable business! (and still IS!) It was huge. The tithes
and sacrifices were "divvied up" by percent to the High Priests who in turn
sent the majority of it to the King of the locale (in Judea, King Herod, etc.),
who in turn, sent tribute to the emperor of Rome. They knew by records
just about how much to expect to come in to them in the form of tithes.

They had this down to a 'science'. They asked for 10% in tithes, and also
received revenue of like amount from all citizens from taxes. They were
milking the populace of great wealth on a constant and ongoing basis. And
when the "zealots" (Pharisees) had disrupted this system, they (the rulers and
aristocrats) felt as if "they" were being 'robbed' of the loot that 'they' had
been robbing the citizens of!!! And so, they called the sicarii or zealots
"robbers" to make them appear to be the "bad guys." The royals and
aristocrats were mad with greed. Even to the point of really pushing the idea
of "Daily Sacrifices." (pg. 574) (Wars of the J., B. VI, Ch. II, 1)

The works of Josephus, step by step, shows us just how "they" accomplished
the "grand facade" ("they" meaning Josephus and his fellow writers of the
day, as well as the royals and aristocrats). There is usually only one or two
examples of each little part of the items that they used to pull it all off with.

Another thing that we discovered was the use of words in both their "male"
and "female" forms for the purpose of hiding true meanings. More and
better examples of this are available elsewhere, but for our purpose here, we
use this one which is found only as an example in the works of Josephus.
(pg. 449) (Wars, B. I, Ch. XVIII, 2)

This is shows an example of calling a male by a female name. But that is
sufficient to show that they had this as a general idea of interpolating or
using names and words in either male or female forms in order to give
hidden meanings and/or to mislead.

Here we have some "Fantastic Statements" by Josephus;

"... a great deal of fictitious blood was shed," (pg. 400) (Ant. B. XIX, Ch. I, 13)

"Oh, Josephus, art thou still fond of life; and canst thou bear to see "the light"
(i.e. "Jesus" as the representative in the story of "royalty", who saw themselves
as 'the light' - in other words, those being in possession of wisdom and great
knowledge as opposed to the common person), in a state of slavery?" (pg. 515,
Wars, B. III, Ch. VIII, 4) What is being said in a disguised way is "Josephus
(aka Arrius Piso), you are fond of life (the 'good life') and you cannot bear to
see this turned around so that the Royals are in a state of slavery - as that is
what it would be like for the royals if slavery were abolished." It would be as
if the royals were slaves to the common person, as they would lose their
power over them and become subject to the masses. In effect, royalty, for all
intents and purposes would cease to exist excepting for family lineage. And so,
this is why it was of the utmost importance to Josephus (Arrius Piso) and the
royals that he accomplish his 'task' with Jesus and the New Testament, as
well as with his other works and that of the rest of his family and relatives.

"Yet were there fictitious stories added to what was really done." (pg. 517)
(Wars of the Jews, B. III, Ch. IX, 5)

He deliberately misspells the word "stone" as "son" to infer "the Son (of God),"
i.e. "Jesus" is coming!!! You will need to see this in Greek in the Loeb Classical
Library edition. But the place in Whiston's is given here. (pg. 557)
(Wars of the Jews, B. V, Ch. VI, 3)

It is Josephus who is saying to take his blood (like "Jesus") as your preservation
or 'salvation'! (pg. 564) (Wars of the Jews, B. V, Ch. IX, 4)

"The Divine Spirit" ("Holy Ghost," as spoken of in the NT) (pg. 127)

"Some of them betook themselves to the writing of fabulous narrations." (pg. 608)
(Against Apion, B. I, 5) For him to say this is absolutely amazing, especially when
you read the things that HE had written. See HIS story of the "Laser Root"! In
other words the "mandrake root." (pg. 595-596)

And this should be quite enough for anyone to take pause at and to think upon.

-----------

Copyright 1999, 2000, The Roman Piso Homepage. All Rights Reserved.

( =)=

(tm)