1. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 18.116-18.119 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 18.116. 2. Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: 18.117. for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. 18.118. Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. 18.119. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God’s displeasure to him. |
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2. Josephus Flavius, Life, 11 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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3. Mishnah, Keritot, 2.1 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 2.1. There are four persons who require a ceremony of atonement, and there are four who bring a sacrifice for willful as well as for inadvertent transgression. The following are those who require a ceremony of atonement: the zav, the zavah, the woman who gave birth and the metzora. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob said: also a convert is regarded as a person who still requires a ceremony of atonement until the blood has been sprinkled for him; the same applies to the nazirite with reference to wine, haircutting and uncleanness." |
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4. New Testament, Hebrews, 6.2, 9.10, 10.22 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 6.2. of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 9.10. being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordices, imposed until a time of reformation. 10.22. let's draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water |
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5. New Testament, John, 3.22-3.24 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.22. After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. 3.23. John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. 3.24. For John was not yet thrown into prison. |
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6. New Testament, Luke, 2.22, 3.1-3.6 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.22. When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 3.1. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene 3.2. in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3.3. He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. 3.4. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight. 3.5. Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, And the rough ways smooth. 3.6. All flesh will see God's salvation.' |
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7. New Testament, Mark, 1.2-1.6, 2.17, 7.1-7.23 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.2. As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you. 1.3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!' 1.4. John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 1.5. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 1.6. John was clothed with camel's hair and a leather belt around his loins. He ate locusts and wild honey. 2.17. When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 7.1. Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. 7.2. Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault. 7.3. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, don't eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. 7.4. They don't eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) 7.5. The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands? 7.6. He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7.7. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 7.8. For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things. 7.9. He said to them, "Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 7.10. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 7.11. But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;"' 7.12. then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother 7.13. making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this. 7.14. He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. 7.15. There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. 7.16. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear! 7.17. When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. 7.18. He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Don't you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can't defile him 7.19. because it doesn't go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus making all foods clean? 7.20. He said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 7.21. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts 7.22. covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 7.23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. |
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8. New Testament, Matthew, 3.1-3.6, 11.9-11.14, 15.1-15.20, 23.25-23.26 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.1. In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying 3.2. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! 3.3. For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. 3.4. Now John himself wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 3.5. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 3.6. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 11.9. But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 11.10. For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' 11.11. Most assuredly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. 11.12. From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 11.13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 11.14. If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. 15.1. Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying 15.2. Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread. 15.3. He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15.4. For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 15.5. But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God 15.6. he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 15.7. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying 15.8. 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, And honor me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 15.9. And in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrine rules made by men.' 15.10. He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand. 15.11. That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man. 15.12. Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying? 15.13. But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted. 15.14. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit. 15.15. Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us. 15.16. So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand? 15.17. Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? 15.18. But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 15.19. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 15.20. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn't defile the man. 23.25. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness. 23.26. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of it may become clean also. |
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9. Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot, 47b, 47a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 47a. אין לי אלא בארץ בח"ל מנין תלמוד לומר אתך בכל מקום שאתך אם כן מה ת"ל בארץ בארץ צריך להביא ראיה בח"ל אין צריך להביא ראיה דברי ר' יהודה וחכמים אומרים בין בארץ בין בחוצה לארץ צריך להביא ראיה,בא הוא ועדיו עמו קרא למה לי אמר רב ששת דאמרי שמענו שנתגייר בב"ד של פלוני סד"א לא ליהמנייהו קמ"ל,בארץ אין לי אלא בארץ בח"ל מנין ת"ל אתך בכל מקום שאתך והא אפיקתיה חדא מאתך וחדא מעמך,וחכ"א בין בארץ בין בח"ל צריך להביא ראיה ואלא הא כתיב בארץ,ההוא מיבעי ליה דאפילו בארץ מקבלים גרים דסד"א משום טיבותא דארץ ישראל קמגיירי והשתא נמי דליכא טיבותא איכא לקט שכחה ופאה ומעשר עני קמ"ל,א"ר חייא בר אבא אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה בין בארץ בין בח"ל צריך להביא ראיה פשיטא יחיד ורבים הלכה כרבים מהו דתימא מסתבר טעמא דרבי יהודה דקמסייעי ליה קראי קמ"ל,ת"ר (דברים א, טז) ושפטתם צדק בין איש ובין אחיו ובין גרו מכאן א"ר יהודה גר שנתגייר בב"ד הרי זה גר בינו לבין עצמו אינו גר,מעשה באחד שבא לפני רבי יהודה ואמר לו נתגיירתי ביני לבין עצמי א"ל רבי יהודה יש לך עדים אמר ליה לאו יש לך בנים א"ל הן א"ל נאמן אתה לפסול את עצמך ואי אתה נאמן לפסול את בניך,[ומי] א"ר יהודה אבנים לא מהימן והתניא (דברים כא, יז) יכיר יכירנו לאחרים מכאן א"ר יהודה נאמן אדם לומר זה בני בכור וכשם שנאמן לומר זה בני בכור כך נאמן לומר בני זה בן גרושה הוא או בן חלוצה הוא וחכ"א אינו נאמן,א"ר נחמן בר יצחק ה"ק ליה לדבריך עובד כוכבים אתה ואין עדות לעובד כוכבים רבינא אמר הכי קאמר ליה יש לך בנים הן יש לך בני בנים הן א"ל נאמן אתה לפסול בניך ואי אתה נאמן לפסול בני בניך,תניא נמי הכי ר' יהודה אומר נאמן אדם לומר על בנו קטן ואין נאמן על בנו גדול ואמר ר' חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן לא קטן קטן ממש ולא גדול גדול ממש אלא קטן ויש לו בנים זהו גדול גדול ואין לו בנים זהו קטן,והלכתא כוותיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק והתניא כוותיה דרבינא ההוא לענין יכיר איתמר,תנו רבנן גר שבא להתגייר בזמן הזה אומרים לו מה ראית שבאת להתגייר אי אתה יודע שישראל בזמן הזה דוויים דחופים סחופים ומטורפין ויסורין באין עליהם אם אומר יודע אני ואיני כדאי מקבלין אותו מיד,ומודיעין אותו מקצת מצות קלות ומקצת מצות חמורות ומודיעין אותו עון לקט שכחה ופאה ומעשר עני ומודיעין אותו ענשן של מצות אומרים לו הוי יודע שעד שלא באת למדה זו אכלת חלב אי אתה ענוש כרת חללת שבת אי אתה ענוש סקילה ועכשיו אכלת חלב ענוש כרת חללת שבת ענוש סקילה,וכשם שמודיעין אותו ענשן של מצות כך מודיעין אותו מתן שכרן אומרים לו הוי יודע שהעולם הבא אינו עשוי אלא לצדיקים וישראל בזמן הזה אינם יכולים לקבל | 47a. bI havederived bonlythat a convert is accepted bin EretzYisrael; bfrom wheredo I derive that also boutsideof bEretzYisrael he is to be accepted? bThe verse states “with you,”which indicates that bin any place that he is with you,you should accept him. bIf so, whatis the meaning when bthe verse states: In the land?This indicates that bin EretzYisrael bhe needs to bring evidencethat he is a convert, bbut outsideof bEretzYisrael bhe does not need to bring evidencethat he is a convert; rather, his claim is accepted. This is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: Whetherhe is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutsideof bEretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence. /b,The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: In the case when bhe came andbrought bwitnessesto his conversion bwith him, why do Ineed ba verseto teach that he is accepted? In all cases, the testimony of witnesses is fully relied upon. bRav Sheshet said:The case is bwhere they say: We heard that he converted inthe bcourtof bso-and-so,but they did not witness the actual conversion. And it is necessary to teach this because it could benter your mind to saythat bthey should not be relied upon;therefore, the verse bteaches usthat they are relied upon.,As cited above, the latter clause of the ibaraitastates: “With you binyour bland”(Leviticus 19:33). bI havederived bonlythat a convert is accepted bin EretzYisrael; bfrom wheredo I derive that also boutsideof bEretzYisrael he is to be accepted? bThe verse states: “With you,”which indicates that bin any place that he is with you,you should accept him. The Gemara asks: bBut didn’t youalready bexpound thatphrase in the first clause of the ibaraitato teach that one doesn’t accept the claims of an individual that he is a valid convert? The Gemara explains: bOneof these ihalakhotis derived from the phrase b“with you”in the verse cited, bandthe other boneis derived from the phrase b“with you”in a subsequent verse (Leviticus 25:35).,The ibaraitastates: bAnd the Rabbis say: Whetherhe is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutsideof bEretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t “inyour bland” writtenin the verse? How can the Rabbis deny any distinction between the ihalakhainside and outside of Eretz Yisrael?,The Gemara explains: bThatphrase bis necessaryto teach bthat even in EretzYisrael, the Jewish people should baccept converts, as it could enter your mind to saythat it is only bfor the sake ofbenefiting from bthe goodness of Eretz Yisrael,and not for the sake of Heaven, that bthey are converting,and therefore they should not be accepted. bAndit could also enter your mind to say that even bnowadays, whenGod’s blessing has ceased and bthere is nolonger btheoriginal bgoodnessfrom which to benefit, one should still suspect their purity of motives because bthere arethe bgleanings,the bforgotten sheaves, andthe bcornersof fields, band the poor man’s tithefrom which they would benefit by converting. Therefore, the verse bteaches usthat they are accepted even in Eretz Yisrael., bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:The ihalakha /iis that bwhethera convert is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutside of EretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence.The Gemara asks: bIsn’tthis bobvious;in all disputes between ban individualSage band manySages the ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of the bmanySages. The Gemara explains: It is necessary to state this blest you saythat bRabbi Yehuda’s reasonis more blogical, being that the verse supports himwhen it states: “In your land.” Therefore, it is necessary for Rabbi Yoḥa to bteach usthat the ihalakhais not in accordance with his opinion., bThe Sages taught:The verse states that Moses charged the judges of a court: b“And judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the convert with him”(Deuteronomy 1:16). bFrom here,based on the mention of a convert in the context of judgment in a court, bRabbi Yehuda said:A potential bconvert who converts in a court is avalid bconvert.However, if he converts bin private, he is not a convert. /b,The Gemara relates: There was ban incident involving onewho was presumed to be Jewish bwho came before Rabbi Yehuda and said to him: I converted in private,and therefore I am not actually Jewish. bRabbi Yehuda said to him:Do byou have witnessesto support your claim? bHe said to him: No.Rabbi Yehuda asked: Do byou have children? He said to him: Yes.Rabbi Yehuda bsaid to him: You are deemed crediblein order bto render yourself unfitto marry a Jewish woman by claiming that you are a gentile, bbut you are not deemed crediblein order bto render your children unfit. /b,The Gemara asks: bBut did Rabbi Yehudaactually bsaythat bwith regard tohis bchildren he is not deemed credible? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“He shall acknowledge [ iyakir /i]the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has” (Deuteronomy 21:17). The phrase “he shall acknowledge” is apparently superfluous. It is therefore expounded to teach that the father is deemed credible so that bhe can identify him [ iyakirenu /i] to others. From here Rabbi Yehuda said: A man is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, and just as he is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, sotoo, a priest bis deemed credible to say: This son of mine is a son of a divorced womanand myself, borto say: He is ba son of a iḥalutza /iand myself, and therefore he is disqualified due to flawed lineage [ iḥalal /i]. bAnd the Rabbis say: He is not deemed credible.If Rabbi Yehuda holds that a father is deemed credible to render his children unfit, why did he rule otherwise in the case of the convert?, bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak saidthat bthis is whatRabbi Yehuda bsaid to him: According to your statement you are a gentile, and there is no testimony for a gentile,as a gentile is a disqualified witness. Consequently, you cannot testify about the status of your children and render them unfit. bRavina saidthat bthis is whatRabbi Yehuda bsaid to him:Do byou have children? He said: Yes. He said to him:Do byou have grandchildren?He said: bYes. He said to him: You are deemed crediblein order bto render your children unfit,based on the phrase “he shall acknowledge,” bbut you are not deemed crediblein order bto render your grandchildren unfit,as the verse affords a father credibility only with respect to his children., bThisopinion of Ravina bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yehuda says: A man is deemed credible to say about his minor sonthat he is unfit, bbut he is not deemed credible to say about his adult sonthat he is unfit. bAndin explanation of the ibaraita /i, bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:The reference to ba minorson does bnotmean one who is bliterally a minor,who has not yet reached majority, bandthe reference to ban adultson does bnotmean one who is bliterally an adult,who has reached majority; brather, a minor who has children, this iswhat the ibaraitais referring to as ban adult,and ban adult who does not have children, this iswhat the ibaraitais referring to as ba minor. /b,The Gemara concludes: bAnd the ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin the ibaraita bin accordance withthe opinion bof Ravina?If there is a ibaraitathat supports his opinion, the ihalakhashould be in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara explains: bThat ibaraita bwas stated concerning the matter of “he shall acknowledge,”that a father is deemed credible to render his son unfit; however, if one claims he is a gentile, he is not deemed credible to say the same about his son.,§ bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to a potential bconvert who comes toa court in order to bconvert, at the present time,when the Jews are in exile, the judges of the court bsay to him: What did you see thatmotivated byouto bcome to convert? Don’t you know that the Jewish people at the present time are anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships arefrequently bvisited upon them? If he says: I know, andalthough bI am unworthyof joining the Jewish people and sharing in their sorrow, I nevertheless desire to do so, then the court baccepts him immediatelyto begin the conversion process., bAndthe judges of the court binform himof bsome of the lenient mitzvot and some of the stringent mitzvot, and they inform himof bthe sinof neglecting the mitzva to allow the poor to take bgleanings, forgotten sheaves, andproduce in the bcornerof one’s field, bandabout the bpoor man’s tithe. And they inform himof bthe punishment fortransgressing bthe mitzvot,as follows: bThey say to him: Be aware that before you came to this statusand converted, bhad you eaten forbidden fat, you would not be punished by ikaret /i,and bhad you profaned Shabbat, you would not be punished by stoning,since these prohibitions do not apply to gentiles. bBut now,once converted, if byou have eaten forbidden fat you are punished by ikaret /i,and if byou have profaned Shabbat, you are punished by stoning. /b, bAnd just as they inform himabout the bpunishment fortransgressing the bmitzvot, sotoo, bthey inform himabout the breward granted forfulfilling bthem. They say to him: Be aware that the World-to-Come is made only for the righteous,and if you observe the mitzvot you will merit it, bandbe aware that bthe Jewish people, at the present time, are unable to receivetheir full reward in this world; |
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