Isn't it amazing to consider the different ways people organize their societies, and how those structures reflect their deepest beliefs? Think about it: what could be a more sacred form of government than one where the entire community is steeped in religious practice? Where the priests are held to an incredibly high standard, and the whole structure of society feels like one continuous, sacred ritual?
That's the picture Josephus paints in his Against Apion. He's talking about the Jewish people, of course, and contrasting their way of life with that of the surrounding cultures. He’s essentially saying: what other nations might experience as fleeting moments of religious fervor—their "Mysteries and Sacred Ceremonies," as he puts it—we live every single day. It's a pretty powerful claim!
So, what are these commands and prohibitions that shape this all-encompassing way of life? Well, according to Josephus, they are surprisingly straightforward.
First and foremost, there's the fundamental understanding of God. He describes a God who is all-encompassing, perfect, self-sufficient, the source of everything – "the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things." This God is revealed through His works, visible in the blessings and wonders all around us. We see God in the light, the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon.
But here's the thing: while God's presence is undeniable, God's essence remains beyond our grasp. Josephus emphasizes that no material, no matter how precious, is worthy of representing God. No human artistry can truly capture the divine. We can't truly see or even imagine what God is like, and to try to create an image would be, frankly, impious.
Instead, we see God’s creations: the light, the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, the waters, the animals, the fruits of the earth. God made these things "not with hands, nor with labor, nor as wanting the assistance of any." God simply willed them into existence, and they were good.
And the proper response to this divine generosity? To emulate God through virtuous living. Josephus tells us that that is the holiest form of worship: "All men ought to follow this Being, and to worship him in the exercise of virtue; for this way of worship of God is the most holy of all others."
It makes you think, doesn't it? Is true devotion found in grand gestures and elaborate rituals, or in the quiet, consistent effort to live a life of goodness and integrity? What does it mean to see God in the everyday world? And how does that vision shape the way we live?