The historian Josephus, in his work Against Apion, tackles these accusations head-on. Apion, a Graeco-Egyptian intellectual, throws a real zinger: "If the Jews are citizens of Alexandria, why don't they worship the same gods as everyone else?"
Josephus's response is sharp and insightful. He basically says, "Look who's talking!" He points out the Egyptians themselves were constantly at odds over their own religious beliefs. "If you Egyptians can't agree among yourselves," Josephus asks, "why are you surprised that a group with their own ancient laws and customs wants to maintain them?" It's a fair point. Why should everyone be forced into a single mold?
But Apion doesn't stop there. He accuses the Jews of being troublemakers, instigators of sedition. But Josephus flips the script. He argues that the real source of unrest were people like Apion himself! He claims that before the Egyptians became so numerous and influential, the Jews were left in peace to observe their traditions. It was when Egyptian influence grew, with their "evil manners," that the problems started. According to Josephus, these Egyptians hadn't even been granted citizenship in due time, yet they called those with long-held privileges foreigners.
Then comes another accusation: the Jews don't erect images to honor the emperors. Scandalous! But Josephus defends this practice, too. He argues that the Romans, in their wisdom, don't force people to violate their own laws and customs. They value genuine respect, not coerced obedience. It's about respecting the diversity within the empire.
Josephus explains that Jewish law, given by our legislator, forbids the making of images. It's not a sign of disrespect to the emperor, but a principle rooted in our understanding of God, who transcends any physical representation. As Josephus promises to prove later, this prohibition extended to all animal creations, let alone God.
However, Josephus is emphatic that this doesn't mean Jews don't honor worthy individuals. In fact, they offer sacrifices for the emperors daily, a unique honor reserved only for them. He says, "we willingly testify our respect to our emperors, and to the people of Rome; we also offer perpetual sacrifices for them."
What's fascinating here is the balancing act Josephus is trying to achieve. He's defending Jewish distinctiveness while simultaneously affirming loyalty to the Roman Empire. He is showing that one does not negate the other. You can be true to your own traditions and still be a good citizen.
Josephus's defense resonates even today. How do we navigate a world that often pressures us to conform? How do we maintain our unique identities while contributing to the larger society? Perhaps the answer lies in the same principle Josephus highlights: mutual respect. Acknowledging and valuing differences, rather than demanding uniformity. It's a powerful message, and one that continues to challenge us centuries later.
6. But besides this, Apion objects to us thus: "If the Jews [says he] be citizens of Alexandria, why do they not worship the same gods with the
Alexandrians?" To which I give this answer: Since you are yourselves
Egyptians, why do you fight it out one against another, and have implacable wars about your religion? At this rate we must not call you all Egyptians, nor indeed in general men, because you breed up with great care beasts of a nature quite contrary to that of men, although the nature of all men seems to be one and the same. Now if there be such differences in opinion among you Egyptians, why are you surprised that those who came to Alexandria from another country, and had original laws of their own before, should persevere in the observance of those laws?
But still he charges us with being the authors of sedition; which accusation, if it be a just one, why is it not laid against us all, since we are known to be all of one mind. Moreover, those that search into such matters will soon discover that the authors of sedition have been such citizens of Alexandria as Apion is; for while they were the
Grecians and Macedonians who were ill possession of this city, there was no sedition raised against us, and we were permitted to observe our ancient solemnities; but when the number of the Egyptians therein came to be considerable, the times grew confused, and then these seditions brake out still more and more, while our people continued uncorrupted.
These Egyptians, therefore, were the authors of these troubles, who having not the constancy of Macedonians, nor the prudence of Grecians, indulged all of them the evil manners of the Egyptians, and continued their ancient hatred against us; for what is here so presumptuously charged upon us, is owing to the differences that are amongst themselves; while many of them have not obtained the privileges of citizens in proper times, but style those who are well known to have had that privilege extended to them all no other than foreigners: for it does not appear that any of the kings have ever formerly bestowed those privileges of citizens upon Egyptians, no more than have the emperors done it more lately; while it was Alexander who introduced us into this city at first, the kings augmented our privileges therein, and the
Romans have been pleased to preserve them always inviolable. Moreover,
Apion would lay a blot upon us, because we do not erect images for our emperors; as if those emperors did not know this before, or stood in need of Apion as their defender; whereas he ought rather to have admired the magnanimity and modesty of the Romans, whereby they do not compel those that are subject to them to transgress the laws of their countries, but are willing to receive the honors due to them after such a manner as those who are to pay them esteem consistent with piety and with their own laws; for they do not thank people for conferring honors upon them, When they are compelled by violence so to do. Accordingly, since the Grecians and some other nations think it a right thing to make images, nay, when they have painted the pictures of their parents, and wives, and children, they exult for joy; and some there are who take pictures for themselves of such persons as were no way related to them; nay, some take the pictures of such servants as they were fond of; what wonder is it then if such as these appear willing to pay the same respect to their princes and lords? But then our legislator hath forbidden us to make images, not by way of denunciation beforehand, that the Roman authority was not to be honored, but as despising a thing that was neither necessary nor useful for either God or man; and he forbade them, as we shall prove hereafter, to make these images for any part of the animal creation, and much less for God himself, who is no part of such animal creation. Yet hath our legislator no where forbidden us to pay honors to worthy men, provided they be of another kind, and inferior to those we pay to God; with which honors we willingly testify our respect to our emperors, and to the people of Rome; we also offer perpetual sacrifices for them; nor do we only offer them every day at the common expenses of all the Jews, but although we offer no other such sacrifices out of our common expenses, no, not for our own children, yet do we this as a peculiar honor to the emperors, and to them alone, while we do the same to no other person whomsoever. And let this suffice for an answer in general to Apion, as to what he says with relation to the
Alexandrian Jews.
