Remember that feeling when someone tells you something so outrageous, so demonstrably false, that you almost don't want to dignify it with a response? But then you realize, silence might be taken as agreement? That’s kind of where we are with Flavius Josephus and his treatise, Against Apion.
In the previous book, dedicated to the esteemed Epaphroditus, Josephus tells us he established the antiquity of the Jewish people and the truth of their history using sources from the Phoenicians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians, even bringing in Greek writers as witnesses. He also refuted the claims of Manetho and Cheremon, among others, who were critical of the Jews. Now, he turns his attention to the remaining detractors.
But there's one particular critic giving him pause: Apion, the grammarian. Josephus even admits he debated whether or not to even bother responding. Why? Because Apion’s accusations largely echo those that had already been refuted. Some of his additions are, in Josephus's words, "very frigid and contemptible." And frankly, much of what Apion wrote was just plain scurrilous. Josephus doesn't mince words, calling him unlearned, morally bankrupt, and nothing more than a mountebank – a charlatan. Apparently, Tiberius even nicknamed him Cymbalum Mundi, "the drum of the world," a fitting title for someone so loud and full of hot air!
So, why engage at all? Josephus recognizes a frustrating truth: many people are swayed more by sensationalism than by carefully reasoned arguments. They enjoy tearing others down and hate to hear them praised. So, Josephus feels compelled to address Apion's accusations, lest his silence be misinterpreted. He wants to expose the critic's own failings, turning the tables and subjecting him to the same contempt he sought to inflict.
But even diving into Apion’s work is a challenge. Josephus describes it as a confusing mess of falsehoods. Still, he identifies three main areas of attack. First, Apion rehashes familiar criticisms of the Exodus story, the departure of the Jewish people from Egypt. Second, he targets the Jews living in Alexandria. And third, he attacks the sacred purifications and legal rites practiced in the Beit Hamikdash (בית המקדש), the Holy Temple.
It’s interesting, isn't it? How these ancient prejudices continue to resurface, generation after generation, often cloaked in new forms but rooted in the same old biases. Josephus’ decision to confront Apion, even reluctantly, reminds us of the importance of challenging misinformation, even when it seems absurd, and of standing up for truth and justice in the face of baseless attacks. It’s a timeless lesson, isn't it?