The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

32 - 42 and 64 ff. therefore do not accord with each other; the former has nothing to do with
the latter.
Even more peculiar are the things concerning Gischala. That is to say, in 43 - 45 we are
introduced to John of Gischala who would indeed play such a significant role in the entire
subsequent course of the Life, and with whom Josephus would come into contact immediately
upon setting foot in Gischala (70). And yet there can be no question here either that section 43
- 45 constitutes the preparation for 70 ff.—be it substantive or be it literary—, for even though
according to 43 - 45 (cf. 62) Josephus had been informed long ago about John’s activity, yet
according to 70 he goes there first with his fellow envoys, “in order to determine what he [sc.
John] is planning.” What is this to mean, since he was already fully informed? Had he perhaps
wished to see for himself that the reports were accurate, then of course he would have stressed
this specifically and not used an expression by which any reader must infer [that this was his]
first reconnaissance [Erkundung].
But much more important than these considerations is the observation that the
opinion about John of Gischala in sections 43 to 45 is simply inconsistent with that in the
rest of the Life. The image portrayed there stands so clearly before our [41] eyes that not many
words are necessary; John of Gischala is the embodiment of everything atrocious and shifty.
His actions are motivated exclusively by self-interest, bloodlust, and jealousy of Josephus.
From section 2.585 ff. of the War, which corresponds fully to the rest of the Life in the
evaluation of John, we can learn in addition how Josephus wished to make known his
evaluation of the moral character of this person from the very first moment when he is
introduced to the reader: right at the beginning he is called πανουργότατος καὶ δολιώτατος
τῶν ἐπισήμων ἐν τοῖσδε τοῖς πονηρεύμασιν ἁπάντων. A similar introduction should absolutely
have been given by Josephus in the Life as well, if his intention otherwise was to prepare the
reader for John’s actions described in the Life; instead of this he gives a description of John’s
deeds, which leaves room for no doubt that the author is in perfect agreement with John’s
course of action, indeed he values it most highly: John saw that some of his fellow citizens
were considering deserting the Romans and therefore tried to calm them and keep them loyal.
But despite his intense efforts he was not successful; for the neighbouring tribes attacked
Gischala with a strong force, captured the town, plundered it and burned it down, [only] then
to return home. John, infuriated by this, arms all those men who stood on his side, attacks the
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