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nigh unto death , having endangered his life by supplying the deficiency of your bounty towards
me . * Soon after the apostle Paul was put to death , the providence of God brought to Rome , and even to the court of Cassar , a man distinguished beyond most others ty his rank and talents , and whose great mind was in perfect
unison with Paul and Epaphroditus in regard to Christianity . This was Josephus , a rnan celebrated for his skill as a general , his attainments as a scholar , and
his zeal in supporting that spiritual system of Judaism to which Epaphrbditus had become a convert , and in support of which the apostle had lately died . Between twosuch men no common
friendship was likely to be formed ; and after twenty years' intimacy and co-operation in the same great cause , the Jewish historian thus speaks of his friend 2 cc There were some who from their partiality for this history encouraged me to engage in it , and especially
Epaphkoditus , a man versed in every branch of literature , but more particularly in the knowledge
of history ; as having been himself engaged in important affairs , and experienced many vicissitudes of
fortune ; in . all which he has displayed a mind wonderfully powerful , and an inflexible attach * ment to the cause of virtue . , By the admonition of this man , whose instruction and example invite all who have the means to engage in whatever is honourable and
useful , 1 proceeded in this subject with more alacrity and decision ;
being not besides unmindful of my ancestors who cheerfully imparted to all the knowledge of these
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things , nor of those Greek * ^ are eager to know the customs established among us . ' Intro * duction to the Jewish Anti quities On this passage I shall content
myself with two observations , First , Josephus here insinuate ! that he was encouraged to write his Antiquities of the Jews , by many who had a partiality for their writings , and that in under .
taking this great work , he had regard to those Greeks or hia . thens who were eager to know the Jewish institutions . By these Josephus must mean those pagans who had embraced the Jewish
scriptures , as interpreted by Jesus and his followers ; for all those who resisted this refined religion , so far from having any wish to know the writings of the Jews , treated that nation and their writ . ings with the utmost contempt
nor can a single gentile , from the resurrection of Christ for a century afterwards , be pointed out who had any predilection for Judaism but as it was proclaimed to the world by the apostles . It is implied , moreover , in the words of
Josephus , that Epaphroditus was in the number of those Greeki who were eager for the Jewish institutions ; and thus does Josephus , as well as Suetonius and Dio , connect him with Clement and others who had embraced the
Gospel . Secondly , the words of Josephus in a remarkable manner characterize Epaphroditus as tho minister of Nero , as tl c onvert to Christianity , and as having risen
to great eminence by his talenti and virtue . As the minister ol Nero , and , as it appears , of D ° - mitian , he had been personal !/ engaged in great affairs , or in a - fairs of state . He disp layed »»
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424 On the Character of Epaphroditus .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1811, page 424, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2418/page/40/
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