God-Worshipers Supporting the Temple

Josephus

Jewish Antiquities 14.110

93–94

And let no one wonder that there was so much wealth in our Temple, since all the Jews throughout the habitable earth, and those who worshiped God, even those from Asia and Europe, had been sending their contributions to it since very ancient times.

Translated by William Whiston, adapted by Aaron Samuels.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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In antiquity, some gentiles attached themselves to Judaism by worshiping in synagogues and observing some laws and traditions, even as they retained a non-Jewish identity. In this passage, Josephus distinguishes Jews from “those who worship God,” or God-worshipers (Greek: theosebeis, sebomenoi). Depending on context, the term God-fearers (Greek: phoboumenoi, Latin: metuentes, or Hebrew: yir’ei shamayim) can be applied to Jews or gentiles. When referring to gentiles, it may connote a gentile who has affiliated to some degree with Jewish observance and tradition. (See also Philo’s definition of the “sojourner” and Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael’s distinction between God-fearers and proselytes.)

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Creator Bio

Josephus

37–100

Flavius Josephus was born into a prominent Jewish priestly family and served as a general stationed in the Galilee during the First Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE). He was captured by the Romans and eventually integrated into the Flavian imperial aristocracy, who commissioned him to compose chronicles of the Jewish–Roman war and the history of the Jews. Josephus’ works, all written in Greek, include The Jewish War, Jewish Antiquities, Against Apion, and his autobiography, Life of Josephus. These writings provide important insights into the Judaisms of the Second Temple period and include one of the few surviving accounts of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

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