Josephus on Samaritan OriginsCross-file under New Book.
According to Joachim Jeremias, the Samaritans in Josephus are viewed as a “mixed Judeo-Gentile race,” a position held in some circles even today. Jeremias, however, is wrong. This essay focuses on Josephus’ origin stories for the Samaritans and draws attention to the names he uses for the Samaritans. As we will see, these names have less to do with the Samaritans’ actual origins, but instead, the names Josephus applies to the Samaritans have a social-rhetorical function of categorizing these people as not us, that is, not Jews/Judeans.
See Also: Jesus the Samaritan: Ethnic Labeling in the Gospel of John (Brill 2019).
By Stewart Penwell
Corydon, IN
October 2019
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