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New Testament History |
The martyrdom of James the LessJames the Less was martyred several years after James the Greater,[1] in Nero’s year 7,[2] i.e. in the year of 13 October 60 AD/12 October 61 AD. According to A.C.E., it was 7 or 8 years after James the Greater’s martyrdom, which took place in 54 AD, and 5 or 7 years after the death of the Holy Virgin.[3] Yet the year 54 AD relates to the death of the Holy Virgin (rather than to the death of James the Greater). James the Less died 7 years later, in 61 AD. He was martyred at Passover[4] and was tortured before the tribunal for 1 hour during 7 successive days.[5] James was persecuted during the 7 Days of Unleavened Bread (15-21 Nisan) and martyred after the close of the festival, on 22 Nisan = Friday 1 May 61 AD (Parker and Dubberstein).[6] The liturgical feast of James the Less (together with Philip) was formerly 1 May.[7] James was martyred 28 years (= 4 Sabbatical cycles) after the crucifixion (Nisan 33 AD-Nisan 61 AD). Simeon became bishop of Jerusalem 5 years after the martyrdom of James,[8] in 66 AD, in which year the First Jewish-Roman War began in the month of Iyar. He left Jerusalem before Titus destroyed the city (in 70 AD) and did not return until 12 years later,[9] in 82 AD. He returned after Titus had died in September 81 AD.[10] The Christian community left Jerusalem for the Gentile (and therefore undisturbed) city of Pella, in Perea, before the war thanks to a prophecy.[11]
[1] A.C.E., Vie, 6:336. [2] Eusebius, Chron. Ol. 210,2 in GCS 20:215 (though situating the martyrdom during the governorship of Albinus, 62-64 AD); Jerome, Chron. Ol. 210,1 in GCS 47:182 (though situating the martyrdom at the time of Albinus); Jerome, Vir. ill. 2.14. [3] A.C.E., Visionen Juli 1821, 90, 93. [4] Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 2.23.10-11 (citing Hegesippus). James was condemned to death by the Sanhedrin during the high priesthood of Ananus (Josephus, A.J. 20.200). Ananus was high priest for 3 months (A.J. 20.203) and was deposed before the new governor, Albinus, reached Palestine (A.J. 20.203). Albinus (Josephus, B.J. 6.305) was already in function during the Feast of Tabernacles (15-22 Tishri), 4 years before the First Jewish-Roman War (B.J. 6.300) and 7 years and 5 months before the siege of Jerusalem (B.J. 6.308). Since the war began in Iyar 66 AD and the siege of Jerusalem at Passover (B.J. 5.99) of the year 70 AD, Albinus was already in office during the Festival of Tabernacles in the year 62 AD and hence arrived at the latest during the summer of 62 AD (Schürer 1973: 1:468 n. 50). An arrival following Passover 61 AD fits with this reconstruction. [5] A.C.E., Visionen Juli 1821, 90; A.C.E., Vie, 6:336. [6] Reingold and Dershowitz have Tuesday 31 March. [7] Mart. Rom. (Collins 1946: 91). The feast has been celebrated on 3 May since 1969 (Cal. Rom. gen.; see Tylenda 2003: 74). [8] A.C.E., Vie, 6:405. [9] A.C.E., Vie, 6:406. A.C.E., Visionen Februar 1821, 145: “[Simeon] sei nicht lange Bischof gewesen. Auch sei Jerusalem schon zerstört gewesen.” |