213 ON JESUS’ LAST WEEK(S) 3. Josephus and the Two “Trials” of Jesus Here is an excerpt of the report on a wonderworker (Jesus) in the Slavonic War (after 2,174, during Pilate’s tenure): At that time there appeared a man, if it is allowed to call him a man 16 [ . . . ]. He was accustomed to stay preferably opposite the city, on the Mount of Olives. It was there that he dispensed cures to the people. And close to him there gathered one hundred and fifty servants, and from among the people a great number. Observing his power, and seeing that he accomplished all that he wished by his word, they asked him to enter the city, to massacre the Roman troops and Pilate, and to reign over them. But he paid no attention to this. Later, the leaders of the Jews became aware of this; they came together with the High Priest and said: “We are powerless and weak to resist the Romans, (who are) like a bent bow. Let us go to tell Pilate what we have heard, and we will have no worries 17. If ever he learns this from others, we will be deprived of our possessions, we will be cut into pieces ourselves and our children dispersed in exile.” They went to tell Pilate. He sent some men, and killed many among the people and brought back this wonderworker. He held an enquiry about him, and knew that he did good and not evil, that he was neither a rebel, nor one aspiring to royalty, and released him, since he had cured his wife who was dying. And, having come to the usual place, he performed the usual works. And again, as a greater number of people gathered round him, he was celebrated for his works over all. The doctors of the Law were upset out of envy, and they gave thirty talents to Pilate so that he would kill him. He took these and gave them autho- rization to carry out themselves their wish 18. They seized him and crucified him, in spite of the law of the ancestors 19. Library contains some evidence that he knew of the Greek source of the Slavonic War. (5) As for the content of this version, some details are supported by external documents; for instance, in the notice on the Essenes in War 2 :128, it adds that they get up by night to pray, as we find in 1QS 6:7-8); in 2:147, it adds that they have a cycle of Pentecosts, as in some Qumran documents. The testimonium flavianum begins with the same sentence (Ant. 18 :63). 16 This was Caiaphas’ proposal according to John 11,48-50. 17 Passover is not mentioned, but the fact that Pilate was in Jerusalem im- 18 plies a pilgrimage period (see War 2 :224). See b.Sanh 43a. 19