Jerusalem: The Biography

Herod Antipas and John the Baptist beheading: Mark 6.14–32. John baptizing Jesus: Luke 3.21, Matthew 3.16. Herod Antipas: JA 18.109–19 (story of Herodias, Aretas’ daughter and John the Baptist). JA 18.116–19. Kokkinos 232–7, including identity of Salome. Antipas and Philip’s Tetrarchy and Nabataean war: JA 18.104–42. Salome: Mark 6.17–19. Matthew 14.3–11. Jesus on that fox: Luke 13.32 Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years (henceforth MacCulloch) 83–91.

47 Jesus in Jerusalem. King of Israel entrance: John 12.1–15. Insurrection, Pilate, Siloam: Luke 13.1–4. Prediction of abomination, destruction: Mark 13.14. Hens, vision of desolation: Matthew 23.37–8. In Temple, vision of King of Heaven and Judgement Day: Matthew 24.3–25.46. Jesus in the Temple/not one stone: Mark 13.1–2 and 14.58 and later Stephen quote Isaiah: Acts 7.48. Not one stone: Matthew 24.1–3. Jewish traditions against Temple: Isaiah 66.1. The days in Jersualem: Mark 11–14 and John 12–19. JA 18.63. Early version of cleansing of Temple: John 2.13–24. Portrait of character is based on Geza Vermes, The Changing Faces of Jesus; Geza Vermes, Jesus and the World of Judaism; Geza Vermes, ‘The Truth about the Historical Jesus’, Standpoint, September 2008; MacCulloch; Charles Freeman, A New History of Early Christianity; A. N. Wilson, Jesus; F. E. Peters, Jesus and Muhammad, Parallel tracks, Parallel Lives.

Jerusalem in Jesus’ time. Many nations: Acts 2.9–11. Daniel-Rops, Daily Life in Palestine in the Time of Christ 80–97. MacCulloch 91–6. Palatial Mansion and mikvahs, see Archeological Park. Bahat, Atlas 40–53 and 54–8. Adiabene queen and Jewish kingdom in Iraq: JA 18.310–77. Queen Helena: JA 20.17–96. Goodman 65. Ossuaries: Tabor 10. Son of Man: Daniel 7.13. Upper Room/Last Supper/Pentecost Holy Spirit: Mark 14.15, Acts 1.13–2.2. Patrich, Sacred Esplanade 37–73. For Jesus’ movements in city: see Shimon Gibson, The Final Days of Jesus, especially map facing 115; entry into city 46–9; Last Supper 52–5; Gethsemane 53–5; Gibson’s research and excavations on the pools of Bethesda and Siloam, showing that they may have been mikvah purification pools 59–80; arrest 81–2. Healings at the pools: John 5.1–19 and 9.7–11. Caiaphas in John 11.50. Conversations with Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron on excavations of the first-century Siloam Pool.

48 Pilate: JA 18.55–63; Samaritan disturbances JA 18.85–95. Pilate’s violence: Philo quoting Agrippa I in Sartre 114–15; Goodman 403. See also Daniel R. Schwartz, ‘Josephus, Philo and Pontius Pilate’, in Cathedra 3.26–37. (On Pilate’s actions, Philo says it was shields; Josephus says military standards.) Philo, Works, vol. 10, Embassy to Gaius 37.301–3. Trial: John 18–19 and Mark 14 and 15. Daughters of Jerusalem: Luke 23.28. Powers of Sanhredrin/trial: Goodman 327–31, including Josephus quotation and other examples such as sentencing of James brother of Jesus in AD 62. Barabbas: Mark 15.7. Insurrection, Pilate, Siloam: Luke 13.1–4. Herod and Pilate: Luke 23.12. Arrest and trial: Gibson, Final Days of Jesus 81–106. MacCulloch 83–96.

49 Crucifixion: this account of technique and death is based on Joe Zias, ‘Crucifixion in Antiquity’ on www.joezias.com. Crucifixion, nakedness, burial and new shroud evidence discovered by Shimon Gibson: Final Days of Jesus 107–25 and 141–7; tomb 152–65. This account is based on John 19–20, Mark 15, Matthew 28. JW 7.203 and 5.451. Tabor 246–50. Resurrection: quotation from Luke 24. Matthew 27–8. Mark 16. Caiaphas: Matthew 27.62–6 and 28.11–15. Judas, silver and Potters Field: Matthew 27.5–8 and Acts 1.16–20. Removal of body: Matthew 27.62–4, and 28.11–15 for story of priests offering guards bribes to claim disciples removed the body. Gospel of Peter (probably dating from early second century) 8.29–13.56 in which a crowd surrounds the tomb, then two men remove the body: for analysis, see Freeman, New History of Early Christianity 20–1 and 31–8. Resurrection to Ascension: John 20–1 (including Doubting Thomas).

James the Just as leader, early days of sect: Acts 1–2 and Galatians 1.19, 2.9, 12. Pentecost and tongues: Acts 2. Beautiful Gate healing: Acts 3. Stephen: Acts 6 and 7; stoning 7.47–60. Saul at death of Stephen/persecutor/conversion and acceptance by Church: Acts 7.58–60 and 8.1–9.28.