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I need some clarification regarding ancient Roman law

Jrvan

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Aug 26, 2020
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I've been reviewing Jake Carlson's PDFs in the library, and I came across this mention of ancient Roman law:
Something interesting is that, because of the Christ ["seed/son of David"] myth, in the
Roman law books, the Romans, for 400 years, had a law that demanded the death
penalty for any Jew who might be considered as being the seed of David, whether
they were believed to be Jesus Christ [Messiah ben Yosef in the "first coming" or
Messiah ben David in the "second coming"] or not.

I'm hoping some knowledgeable members can fact check this for me (or give their impressions/opinions), as a lot of false information has been written about Rome through the ages.
 
Jrvan [Library Chief said:
" post_id=433741 time=1680285506 user_id=46372]
I've been reviewing Jake Carlson's PDFs in the library, and I came across this mention of ancient Roman law:
Something interesting is that, because of the Christ ["seed/son of David"] myth, in the
Roman law books, the Romans, for 400 years, had a law that demanded the death
penalty for any Jew who might be considered as being the seed of David, whether
they were believed to be Jesus Christ [Messiah ben Yosef in the "first coming" or
Messiah ben David in the "second coming"] or not.

I'm hoping some knowledgeable members can fact check this for me (or give their impressions/opinions), as a lot of false information has been written about Rome through the ages.

Hi Jrvan
You mean at the time of King Herod?
 
Jrvan [Library Chief said:
" post_id=433741 time=1680285506 user_id=46372]
I've been reviewing Jake Carlson's PDFs in the library, and I came across this mention of ancient Roman law:
Something interesting is that, because of the Christ ["seed/son of David"] myth, in the
Roman law books, the Romans, for 400 years, had a law that demanded the death
penalty for any Jew who might be considered as being the seed of David, whether
they were believed to be Jesus Christ [Messiah ben Yosef in the "first coming" or
Messiah ben David in the "second coming"] or not.

I'm hoping some knowledgeable members can fact check this for me (or give their impressions/opinions), as a lot of false information has been written about Rome through the ages.

Apparently, this is of Domitian. I don't know any pagan sources for this.


This is stated by [the second-century church father] Hegesippus in so many words:

And there still survived of the Lord’s family the grandsons of Jude, who was said to be His brother, humanly speaking. These were informed against as being of David’s line, and brought . . . before Domitian Caesar, who was as afraid of the advent [coming] of Christ as Herod had been. Domitian asked them whether they were descended from David, and they admitted it. Then he asked them what property they owned and what funds they had at their disposal. They replied that they had only 9,000 denarii [a denarius being a day’s wages, thus around $300,000 total in today’s money] between them, half belonging to each; this, they said, was not available in cash, but was the estimated value of only twenty-five acres of land, from which they raised the money to pay their taxes and the wherewithal to support themselves by their own toil.

Then, the writer continues, they showed him their hands, putting forward as proof of their toil the hardness of their bodies and the calluses impressed on their hands by incessant labour. When asked about Christ and His Kingdom—what it was like, and where and when it would appear—they explained that it was not of this world or anywhere on earth but angelic and [now] in heaven, and would be established at the end of the world, when he would come in glory to judge the quick and the dead and give every man payment according to his conduct. On hearing this, Domitian found no fault with them, but despising them as beneath his notice let them go free and issued orders terminating the persecution of the Church [at Jerusalem]. On their release they became leaders of the churches, both because they had borne testimony and because they were of the Lord’s family; and thanks to the establishment of peace they lived on into [Emperor] Trajan’s time.

We can imagine that many of David’s descendants had been killed before the hunt was called off—including many descendants of those in Christ’s immediate family. Yet some may have escaped, finding refuge in outlying areas of the Empire, including faraway Britain.

Eusebius, History of the Church, Book 3 (I don't know what the Hegesippus book is)

In the year 3844 (84), Domitian, the brother of Titus, ascended the Roman throne. He was a wicked, tyrannical ruler, and in especial hated the persecuted the Jews. He endeavoured to destroy all the descendants of David. It was under him that, as just said, Turnus Rufus pulled down the remains of the temple, and passed the plough over its site. He also pronounced sentence of death over Rabban Gamliel, who was of the family of David, though he succeeded in escaping, as is related in Taanith, 29a. This Domitian was at length slain by his own servants, after he had reigned fourteen years.

Rabbi Joseph Schwartz

The severe measures projected at this time against the Jews, which occasioned the journey to Rome of R. Gamaliel and his colleagues, were frustrated probably by Domitian's assassination. During his reign the Jew-tax was collected in a most cruel manner. Characteristic of his distrust of Judaism and Christianity is the fact that he summoned the descendants of David to appear before him, and released them only after he had satisfied himself of their harmlessness.

Jewish Encyclopedia
 

Al Jilwah: Chapter IV

"It is my desire that all my followers unite in a bond of unity, lest those who are without prevail against them." - Satan

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