{"id":59875,"date":"2019-03-19T05:38:36","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T09:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?p=59875"},"modified":"2019-03-17T18:03:17","modified_gmt":"2019-03-17T22:03:17","slug":"purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html","title":{"rendered":"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim\u2019s intersection with Christian and Roman history<\/a>. Here\u2019s an excerpt:<\/p>\n

An\u00a0unusual bit of the Theodosian Code<\/a>\u00a0(16.8.18) is apparently the first non-Jewish source to document the phenomenon of Purim parties that get out of hand. Specifically, the law prohibited Jews from burning Haman in effigy. For Jews, the practice of symbolically destroying the notorious villain of the book of Esther, the paradigm of anti-Semitism, was considered an aspect of the Purim commandment to \u201cerase the name of Amalek<\/a>,\u201d Haman\u2019s Jew-hating ancestor.<\/p>\n

The Romans weren\u2019t especially discomfited by the idea of vicariously punishing enemies, or even maintaining fire safety. They were, however, concerned that drunken Jewish celebrants might use the opportunity to mock Christians by portraying Haman as a sacrilegious stand-in for Jesus. This is especially true because the favored method of representing Haman\u2019s death in the ancient world wasn\u2019t hanging by the neck \u2013\u00a0he was crucified on a wooden cross.<\/p>\n

The biblical passage that literally describes Haman\u2019s \u201changing on a tree\u201d (Esther 7:10<\/a>) was rendered as \u201ccrucified\u201d in the ancient works of the Jewish historian\u00a0Josephus<\/a>, the early translations of the book of Esther into Greek (Septuagint<\/a>) and Latin (Vulgate<\/a>), and all through the Middle Ages in literary classics like\u00a0Dante\u2019s \u201cPurgatory.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0Artistic representations also depicted Haman on the cross, such as the\u00a015th-century Azor Masters<\/a>\u00a0and even by Michelangelo, who painted a muscular Haman on a cross on the Sistine Chapel.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to imagine how public Purim execrations of Haman, conducted by an inebriated crowd of Jews, could easily be misperceived by Christian observers, especially if the effigy of Haman is bound to a wooden cross\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I had no idea! There is so much in history that is known only to a small number of experts, and not even that.\u00a0Click through<\/a> to read the whole thing and learn more! Jim Davila<\/a> has shared multiple items of seasonal interest, including also the following:<\/p>\n

Queen Esther inspired many midrashim<\/a><\/p>\n

An essay that explores Esther in the Islamic tradition<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim\u2019s intersection with Christian and Roman history. Here\u2019s an excerpt: An\u00a0unusual bit of the Theodosian Code\u00a0(16.8.18) is apparently the first non-Jewish source to document the phenomenon of Purim parties that get out of hand. Specifically, the law prohibited […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":59881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[152],"tags":[2322,15958,5706,15955,10524],"class_list":["post-59875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-judaism-religion","tag-crucifixion","tag-haman","tag-jewish","tag-purim","tag-roman"],"yoast_head":"\nPurim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-03-19T09:38:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-03-17T22:03:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/719\/2019\/03\/azor_dood_haman.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"290\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ReligionProf\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"James F. McGrath\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html\",\"name\":\"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-03-19T09:38:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-03-17T22:03:17+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\"},\"description\":\"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/\",\"name\":\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath\",\"description\":\"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf\",\"name\":\"James F. McGrath\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"James F. McGrath\"},\"description\":\"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5\",\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf\",\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman","description":"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman","og_description":"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html","og_site_name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","article_author":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","article_published_time":"2019-03-19T09:38:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-03-17T22:03:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":440,"height":290,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/719\/2019\/03\/azor_dood_haman.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"James F. McGrath","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ReligionProf","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"James F. McGrath","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html","name":"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-03-19T09:38:36+00:00","dateModified":"2019-03-17T22:03:17+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf"},"description":"With the Jewish holiday of Purim almost here, Dr. Henry Abramson wrote a very interesting article about Purim's intersection with Christian and Roman","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2019\/03\/purim-in-the-theodosian-code-and-the-crucifixion-of-haman.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Purim in the Theodosian Code and the Crucifixion of Haman"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/","name":"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath","description":"The Blog of Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, Indianapolis","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/78342576667b872e3d259c153ce4c5bf","name":"James F. McGrath","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88ca096942acd474313f7ef4227a49da?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"James F. McGrath"},"description":"Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. BD University of London, PhD Durham University. Author of John's Apologetic Christology, The Only True God, Theology and Science Fiction, and The Burial of Jesus, as well as (with Charles Haberl of Rutgers University) the two-volume Mandaean Book of John critical edition, translation, and commentary. Also author of numerous articles (and a few science fiction short stories) and the editor or co-editor of several volumes.","sameAs":["https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Ge8ul5","http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/religionprof\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesfmcgrath\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jfmcgrat\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/ReligionProf","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/religionprof","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_F._McGrath"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/author\/james-f-mcgrath"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59875"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59875\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}