Contents

Jonathan (High Priest)

Part of a series of articles on
Priesthood in Judaism
Kohen Presumption of priestly descent Priestly covenant
Roles Priestly Blessing Redemption of the firstborn son Tzaraath (skin disease and mildew) The Torah instruction of the Kohanim Sacrifice Incense offering Beth din shel Kohanim Priestly divisions
High Priests Aaron Eleazar Phinehas Eli Ahimelech Abiathar (First Temple) Zadok Shallum Hilkiah Jehoiada (Second Temple) Joshua the High Priest Simeon the Just Ishmael ben Elisha HaKohen Joshua ben Gamla Phannias ben Samuel
Twenty-four priestly gifts The ten gifts given in the Temple Sin offering Guilt offering Communal peace offering Fowl sin offering Leftovers from the suspensive guilt offering Oil from the offering for the leper Bread from First Fruits Showbread Leftovers of the meal offering Leftovers of the First Sheaf . Four gifts given in Jerusalem Firstborn animal First fruits Burnt offering Parts of the thank offering and Nazirite's offering Ten gifts given (even) outside of Jerusalem Heave offering Heave offering of the Levite's tithe Dough offering First shearing of the sheep Foreleg, cheeks and maw Coins for redemption of the firstborn son Redemption of a donkey Dedication of property to a priest Field not redeemed in a Jubilee year The property of the foreigner with no heir
Priestly garments All Priests Undergarments Tunic Turban Sash High Priest Robe Ephod Frontlet Breastplate Urim and Thummim
Miscellaneous topics The mitzvah of sanctifying the Kohen Kohanic disqualifications Holy anointing oil Kahen Aaron's rod Bat-Kohen (daughter of a kohen) Sons of Zadok Contact by a kohen with a dead body 13 Kohanic cities
v t e

Jonathan (Hebrew: יוֹנָתָן; Imperial Aramaic: יוֹנָתָן; died c. AD 58), also referred to as Jonathan the High Priest, was a first-century Jewish high priest and religious leader. Shortly after he was announced High Priest of Israel, he was killed in AD 58 by Antonius Felix, the Roman procurator of the province Judea. He was stabbed by robbers hired by Felix with daggers at the Temple.^[1]

Enmity with Felix[edit]

Felix disliked Jonathan, because he often got criticized by the latter about governing the Jewish affairs, and threatened to be reported to Caesar if not doing well as the priest was the one who made the recommendation to Caesar to send Felix to be the procurator of Judea. Felix persuaded one of Jonathan's most trusted friends, Doras, a citizen of Jerusalem, to hire robbers to kill Jonathan by promising to give a large sum of money. Doras arranged for some hired men to mingle with the worshippers in the Temple in Jerusalem, while they hid daggers under their garments. These assassins succeeded in killing Jonathan during a Jewish festival and were never caught.^[1] The main source that mentions this high priest is the Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus.

Ossuary[edit]

It is suggested that this Jonathan is the son of Theophilus ben Ananus mentioned on an Aramaic ossuary of the granddaughter of Theophilus, named Johanna. The inscription of the ossuary reads, "Yehoḥanah (Johanna) daughter of Yehoḥanan (Jonathan) son of Thefilus (Theophilus), the High Priest."^[2] Since many male descendants of Ananus ben Seth also became high priests in the 1st century CE, it is possible that this Jonathan is the son of Theophilus. However, the ossuary only refers to Theophilus as a high priest, so it may have been a different person. According to Tal Ilan, Jonathan was the eighth most common male Jewish name in Palestine.^[3]

Another possible identification for him is that he was Jonathan ben Ananus.^[4] It is possible that the title was restored to him for a second time after 14 years. This could explain why Josephus refers to him only by his first name rather than his full name.

Some historians believe that Jonathan's true killers may have been Jewish Sicarii, rebels against Roman rule infamous for assassinating enemies with sicae.

References[edit]