Help me find something... (recall, Christianity, Christian, Christ, judaism)

[angellous_evangellous]

There is a section in either Philo or Josephus that record the consequenses of (I think) a Gentile converting to either Christianity or Judaism.

I read it several years ago and I can't find the darn section.

Does anyone know where this is?

[Buttercup]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

There is a section in either Philo or Josephus that record the consequenses of (I think) a Gentile converting to either Christianity or Judaism.

I read it several years ago and I can't find the darn section.

Does anyone know where this is?

I recently checked out The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus. (Sorry I don't have it now) My guess is the section you want would be in Antiquity of the Jews, Chapter 18 if I remember correctly.

[Buttercup]

Sorry.....It's BOOK 18, probably chapter 3

[angellous_evangellous]

Chapter 18 of which book in the Antiquities?

[Buttercup]

Book 18, Chapter 3

[Buttercup]

There's only One Antiquities but it's segregated by Books.....here, try this. Read chapter 3. This is where I recall the Christian references.

http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-18.htm

[Buttercup]

So, AE......was that the right book or was it Philo?

[angellous_evangellous]

I have looked at Antiquities, Book 18.3 and that's not what I am looking for...

What I am looking for goes something like:

[after their conversion to Judaism]... "even their own families, the ones who should be their closest allay even unto death treat them like enemies..."

[angellous_evangellous]

Thanks for your help!

[angellous_evangellous]

I finally found it!

It's Philo, Special Laws 4.178. I even found a few comparable texts:

The ancient references for religious ostracization are (1) early Christian persecution in Pliny, Ep. 10.96; Tacitus, Ann. 15.44, and Suetonius, Nero 16 (2) Jewish proselytes in Philo, S. Leg. 4.178; Tacitus, Hist. 5.5.2 (3) Christian alienation from families in Justin Martyr, Trypho 2.2-7.

The infamous text that I had to search for is:

"(178) In the case of the first, because he has made his own kinsmen, whom alone it was natural for him to have as allies and champions, his irreconcileable enemies, by quitting their camp and taking up his abode with the truth, and with the honour of the one Being who is entitled to honour, abandoning all the fabulous inventions and polytheistic notions which his fathers, and grandfathers, and ancestors, and all his kindred, who cleave to the beautiful settlement which he has forsaken, were wont to honour. In the case of the second, because he is deprived of his father and mother, his natural defenders and protectors, and by consequence of the only power which was bound to show itself as his ally. And lastly, in the case of the woman who is a widow because she has been deprived of her husband, who succeeded her parents as her guardian and protector; for a husband is to his wife in point of relationship what her parents are to a virgin."