Eusebius claims that Justin Martyr said that Bar Kokhba persecuted Christians. What is the basis for this claim?
3. At the same time also Justin, a genuine lover of the true philosophy, was still continuing to busy himself with Greek literature. He indicates this time in the Apology which he addressed to Antonine, where he writes as follows: We do not think it out of place to mention here Antinoüs also, who lived in our day, and whom all were driven by fear to worship as a god, although they knew who he was and whence he came.
4. The same writer, speaking of the Jewish war which took place at that time, adds the following: For in the late Jewish war Barcocheba, the leader of the Jewish rebellion, commanded that Christians alone should be visited with terrible punishments unless they would deny and blaspheme Jesus Christ.
rgprice wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 8:24 am
Eusebius claims that Justin Martyr said that Bar Kokhba persecuted Christians. What is the basis for this claim?
... 4. The same writer, speaking of the Jewish war which took place at that time, adds the following: For in the late Jewish war Barcocheba, the leader of the Jewish rebellion, commanded that Christians alone should be visited with terrible punishments unless they would deny and blaspheme Jesus Christ.
There may be something in the Mishna or Talmuds about Bar Cochba, who Rabbi Akiba had endorsed as the anointed ruler. Bar Cochba had also claimed Davidic descent.
About the only hard evidence is one of the Bar Cochba letters found in a refuge cave:
From a 2017 post:
In the autographed Bar Kochba letters that have been found in modern times [in a cave 5 mi SW of Ein Gedi] there is the statement
"From Simeon ben Kosiba to Yeshua ben Galgoula and to the men of the fort [at Ein Gedi], peace! I take heaven to witness against me that unless you mobilise [destroy?] the Galileans who are with you every man, I will put fetters upon your feet as I did to ben Aphlul.
The meaning of the word translated "mobilize" is not clear, which is why the alternate translation "destroy?" is bracketed by the translator. Translations of these letters had been found here: http://cojs.org/cojswiki/The_Bar_Kokhba ... the_Revolt , but that link is dead. The cojs organization does link provide a link to another letter, though.
"Galileans" may be a reference to Jesus followers, but it is not certain.
That Bar Kochba could be a vengeful man is clear from the many orders to arrest and send to him men from various villages, including burning down the houses they took refuge in, or face "punishment" for non-compliance.
I am not suggesting that all these folks he ordered to be arrested and sent to him were (Jewish) Christians, but just want to show that he could be very vindictive.
For in the Jewish war which lately raged, Barchochebas, the leader of the revolt of the Jews, gave orders that Christians alone should be led to cruel punishments, unless they would deny Jesus Christ and utter blasphemy.
