Yeshua is tall, but his height is human
by its nature. He is tall in human
standards. He is a human. There is nothing of the Son of God in him.
M. Dunaev 1
Yeshua and the Master, despite the fact that they take up little space in the novel, are the central characters of the novel. They have a lot in common: one is a wandering philosopher who does not remember his parents and has no one in the world; the other is an unnamed employee of some Moscow museum, also completely alone.
The destinies of both develop tragically, and this they owe to the truth that is open to them: for Yeshua, this is the idea of goodness; for the Master, this is the truth about the events of two thousand years ago, which he "guessed" in his novel.
Yeshua Ha-Nozri. From a religious point of view, the image of Yeshua Ha-Notsri is a deviation from the Christian canons, and the master of theology, candidate of philological sciences M.M. Dunaev writes about this: “On the tree of lost truth, refined delusion, the fruit called “The Master and Margarita” also ripened, with artistic brilliance, voluntarily or involuntarily, distorting the fundamental principle [Gospel. - V.K.], and as a result, an anti-Christian novel came out, “gospel of Satan”, “anti-liturgy”" 2 . However, Bulgakov's Yeshua is an artistic image, multidimensional, its evaluation and analysis are possible from different points of view: religious, historical, psychological, ethical, philosophical, aesthetic... The fundamental multidimensionality of approaches gives rise to a plurality of points of view, gives rise to disputes about the essence of this character in the novel.
For the reader opening the novel for the first time, the name of this character is a mystery. What does it mean? "Yeshua(or Yehoshua) is the Hebrew form of the name Jesus, which in translation means “God is my salvation”, or “Savior”" 3 . Ha-Notsri in accordance with the widespread interpretation of this word, it is translated as "Nazarene; Nazarene; from Nazareth", that is, the native city of Jesus, where he spent his childhood years (Jesus was born, as you know, in Bethlehem). But, since the author has chosen an unconventional form of naming a character, non-traditional from a religious point of view, the bearer of this name must also be non-canonical. Yeshua is an artistic, non-canonical "double" of Jesus Christ (Christ in Greek means "Messiah").
The unconventionality of the image of Yeshua Ha-Nozri in comparison with the gospel Jesus Christ is obvious:
Yeshua at Bulgakov's - "a man of about twenty-seven". Jesus Christ, as you know, was thirty-three years old at the time of his accomplishment of the sacrificial feat. Regarding the date of the birth of Jesus Christ, indeed, there are discrepancies among the church ministers themselves: Archpriest Alexander Men, referring to the works of historians, believes that Christ was born 6-7 years earlier than his official birth, calculated in the VI century by the monk Dionysius the Small 4. This example shows that M. Bulgakov, creating his "fantastic novel" (the author's definition of the genre), was based on real historical facts;
· Bulgakov's Yeshua does not remember his parents. The mother and official father of Jesus Christ are named in all the Gospels;
Yeshua by blood "seems to be a Syrian". The Jewish origin of Jesus is traced back to Abraham (in the Gospel of Matthew);
· Yeshua has only one disciple - Levi Matthew. Jesus, the evangelists say, had twelve apostles;
· Yeshua is betrayed by Judas - some barely known young man, who, however, is not a disciple of Yeshua (as in the Gospel Judas is a disciple of Jesus);
· Bulgakov's Judas is killed on the orders of Pilate, who wants at least this to appease his conscience; the gospel Judas of Carioth hanged himself;
· After the death of Yeshua, his body is stolen and buried by Matthew Levi. In the Gospel - Joseph of Arimathea, "a disciple of Christ, but secret from fear from the Jews";
the nature of the preaching of the gospel Jesus was changed, only one moral provision was left in the novel by M. Bulgakov "All people are kind", however, the Christian teaching is not reduced to this;
The divine origin of the Gospels has been challenged. About the notes on the parchment of the student - Levi Matthew - Yeshua in the novel says: “These kind people… didn’t learn anything and got everything mixed up that I said. In general, I begin to fear that this confusion will continue for a very long time. And all because he incorrectly writes down after me.<...>He walks, walks alone with goat parchment and writes continuously. But once I looked into this parchment and was horrified. Absolutely nothing of what is written there, I did not say. I begged him: burn your parchment for God's sake! But he snatched it out of my hands and ran away";
It does not say about the divine origin of the God-man and crucifixion - an expiatory sacrifice (Bulgakov’s executed "sentenced ... to hang on poles!").
Yeshua in The Master and Margarita is, first of all, a person who finds moral, psychological support in himself and in his truth, to which he remained faithful to the end. Yeshua M. Bulgakov is perfect in spiritual beauty, but not external: "... was dressed in an old and torn blue 4chiton. His head was covered with a white bandage with a strap around his forehead, and his hands were tied behind his back. The man had a large bruise under his left eye, and an abrasion with dried blood in the corner of his mouth. The man brought in looked at the procurator with anxious curiosity.. Everything human is not alien to him, including he feels a sense of fear of the centurion Mark Ratslayer, he is characterized by timidity, shyness. Wed the scene of interrogation of Yeshua by Pilate in the novel and in the Gospel of John and Matthew:
Mark, with one left hand, like an empty bag, lifted the fallen man into the air, put him on his feet and spoke in a nasal voice: ...
The image of a traveling philosopher, whose quotes touch the strings of the soul, is the key in the novel The Master and Margarita. Along with the main characters of the classic work, Yeshua Ha-Nozri teaches the reader wisdom, patience and understanding that there are no evil people, and the devil is not at all the quintessence of vice.
History of creation
The name of a colorful character, like most of the details of the novel, has a certain meaning. Yeshua is another pronunciation of the name Jesus. Ha-Nozri is translated as "from Nazareth".
All this hints that the reader is facing a recognizable hero of the Bible. But the researchers found evidence that in the person of the philosopher Bulgakov portrayed only partially. It was not the task of the author of the novel to reproduce the events connected with the son of God.
One of the prototypes of Yeshua was Count Myshkin from the novel The Idiot. The characteristic of the hero coincides with the character of Bulgakov. Myshkin is a calm and moral man who seems eccentric to those around him. Researchers of Dostoevsky's work call the hero "the personification of Christian virtue."
Novel "The Master and Margarita" According to Bulgakov's biographers, it was from this vision of Christ that the writer started, creating the image of Ha-Notsri. The Bible portrays Jesus as the son of God capable of performing miracles. In turn, both writers (Bulgakov and) wanted to show in their novels that Jesus existed in the world and brought light to people, without using mystical abilities. To Bulgakov, far from Christianity, such an image seemed closer and more realistic.
A detailed analysis of the biography of Yeshua confirms the idea that if Jesus was used by the writer as a prototype of Ha-Nozri, then only in general milestones of history. The philosophy of the wandering sage differs from the dogmas of Christ.
For example, Yeshua rejects the idea that a person can contain evil in himself. The same attitude towards the neighbor is found in. This is another reason to assert that the image of Yeshua is collective. The biblical character claims that society as a whole (and each person in particular) can be evil or good.
Yeshua did not set himself the goal of spreading his own philosophy, the traveler does not call people to be his disciples. A man is horrified when he finds the scrolls written down by an associate. This behavior is fundamentally different from the behavior of Christ, who tries to spread the doctrine to all people he meets.
Image and plot
Yeshua Ha-Notsri was born in the town of Gamla, located on the western slope of the Golan Upland. Nothing is known about the boy's parents, only a passing mention is made that Yeshua's father arrived in Gamla from Syria.
The man has no relatives. The philosopher has been wandering around the world for many years and tells those who wish about his own outlook on life. A man has no philosophical school or students. The only follower of Yeshua was a former tax collector.
The first in Bulgakov's novel, oddly enough, Yeshua mentions. Talking with new acquaintances at the Patriarch's Ponds, the magician draws a portrait of the enlightened in front of the audience:
“This man was dressed in an old and torn blue chiton. His head was covered with a white bandage with a strap around his forehead, and his hands were tied behind his back. Under the left eye, the man had a large bruise, in the corner of his mouth - an abrasion with dried blood ... "
It was in this form that Yeshua Ha-Nozri appeared before the Roman prefect. In the drafts, Bulgakov mentions the man's long red hair, but this detail was later removed from the novel.
The ingenuous philosopher was seized and declared a criminal because of the sermons that Yeshua read in the markets of Yershalaim. The representative of the law was struck by the insight and kindness of the arrested person. Yeshua intuitively guessed that Pontius Pilate was suffering from pain and dreaming that the torment would end:
“The truth, first of all, is that your head hurts, and it hurts so much that you cowardly think about death.”
The procurator was no less impressed that Yeshua was fluent in Aramaic, Greek and Latin. A passionate interrogation suddenly turned into an intellectual conversation between two educated and out-of-the-box thinkers. Men argued about power and truth, kindness and honor:
“The time will come when there will be no power of Caesars or any other power. Man will pass into the realm of truth and justice, where no power will be needed.”
Realizing that the reason for the arrest was the stupidity and narrow-mindedness of the local population, Pontius Pilate is trying to reverse the judicial investigation. The procurator hints to the philosopher that he needs to reject his own beliefs in order to save his life, but Yeshua is not ready to give up his own view of the future.
In this act, everyone, even the guards, see the courage of a man who remains true to himself until his last breath. But the procurator is not ready to risk his career because of a smart and kind traveler, therefore, despite the sympathy, the execution will take place.
Those sentenced to death are led to Bald Mountain, where the crucifixion will take place. Resigned to his fate and not resisting, Yeshua is nailed to wooden boards. The only thing Pontius Pilate could do was give the order for the philosopher to be quickly stabbed in the heart with a knife. Such an act will save the glorious Ha-Notsri from prolonged torment. In the last moments of his life, Yeshua speaks of cowardice.
“…he was not verbose this time. The only thing he said was that among the human vices, he considers cowardice to be one of the most important.
The body of the teacher is removed from the cross by Matthew Levi. The man curses God and Pontius Pilate for the death of a friend, but what has been done cannot be returned. The prefect of Judea gives the order to bury the body of the philosopher, thus rewarding the wise hermit as he deserves.
But death is not the end for Yeshua. The philosopher visits a new acquaintance in his dreams, where the procurator and Ha-Notsri talk about things that excite them and look for the meaning of life. The last mention of the philosopher is again connected with Woland. Ha-Notsri sends Levi Matvey to the black magician with an order.
“He read the essay and asks you to take the Master with you and reward him with peace ... He asks that the one who loved and suffered because of him be taken too.”
Screen adaptations
In 1972, director from Poland Andrei Vajda presented the audience with a motion picture called Pilate and Others. Inspired by Bulgakov's work, Vajda decided to film a part of the plot dedicated to the relationship between Pontius Pilate and Yeshua. The action of the film is moved to Germany in the 20th century, the role of a wandering philosopher went to Wojciech Pszoniak.
The classic film adaptation of the famous novel was released in 1988. The director from Poland, Maciek Wojtyszko, again took up the shooting of such a complex and multifaceted story. Critics noted the talented play of the cast. The role of Yeshua was played by Tadeusz Bradetsky.
The Russian film version of The Master and Margarita was released in 2005. The director of the film, Vladimir Bortko, emphasized the mystical component of the film. But the part of the plot dedicated to Yeshua also occupies a significant place in the film. The role of Ga Notsri went to actor Sergei Bezrukov.
In 2011, the premiere of the adaptation of The Master and Margarita took place, the shooting of which ended in 2004. Due to copyright disputes, the film's premiere was delayed by 6 years. The long-awaited debut was a failure. Actors and roles looked, by modern standards, naive and unnatural. The role of Yeshua in the film went to.
Recently, Hollywood filmmakers have paid attention to the classic work. Most scenes of the American film will be filmed in Russia. The planned budget for the film adaptation is $100 million.
Quotes
"There are no evil people in the world, there are only unhappy people."
"It's easy and pleasant to tell the truth."
"The past doesn't matter, find yourself in the present and rule the future."
“Agree that only the one who hung it up can probably cut the hair?”
"God is one. I believe in him."
"How the Jew Yeshua HaMashiach Became the Russian Jesus Christ"
What is the name of Jesus? What a stupid question all Christians will say, of course Jesus! It is written in the original Greek.
But this is a delusion. The Greek name for Jesus is Jesus, which should be read Yesus. But did he call himself that? He was born into a Jewish family and brought up according to Jewish customs. His parents spoke Hebrew and gave his name in Hebrew. God Himself ordered to be called by his name in Hebrew, and not in Russian. The letter “i” conveys the sound “th”, “s” conveys the letter “sh”. Since there is no “sh” sound in the Greek language, the male name gets the ending “s” in accordance with the norm of the Greek language. Given this, we find that the Russian name Jesus corresponds to the Hebrew name Yeshua.
In the 1st chapter, 21st verse of the Gospel of Matthew we read the following:
she will give birth to a Son, and you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
An interesting thing, from the construction of the phrase it is clear that the name "Jesus" has a meaning, and this meaning is salvation! From what language is this translated as "salvation"? I must say that at that time there was no such Jewish name - Jesus. Simply, we are dealing with the Greek spelling of the Hebrew name, which does not translate from Greek in any way and does not mean anything in Greek. But "Yeshua" is a complex Hebrew name, consisting of two parts, and is translated from Hebrew as "The Salvation of God." Knowing this, it is not difficult to understand why the angel told Yosef to name the Born Miriam by this name. It pointed to the mission that Yeshua would have to fulfill!
The question arises how to correctly translate the name Yeshua into Russian.
Maybe because it is written in Greek? But the Greek name is translated from Hebrew. Maybe then translate from Hebrew? But we do not have a single original text of the New Testament written in Hebrew. All texts that have come down to us are written in Greek. Is it correct to call the Lord by the name Jesus if this name is a translation of the translation? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus or Yeshua? The choice is yours. The history of Christianity tells why Christians choose to avoid everything Jewish and separate themselves from Jews.
Mary the mother of Jesus in the original Greek sounds like Marias in the gospel of Matthew. Luke calls her in the original Mariam, which is closer to the Jewish Miriam. Another Jewish family: Zechariah, Elizabeth and John, in Greek Zacarias, Elizabeth and Joanness. But they called themselves Zakarya, Elisheva and Yohanan.
Moses in the Torah was Moses. How did he become Moses? The answer is found in the history of Christianity. In the Jerusalem church, the first Bible, the Tanakh, was written in Hebrew. With the emergence of churches with a significant number of non-Jews, the Bible in Greek - the Septuagint - becomes widespread. When the denial of Jewish roots began, the Tanakh in Hebrew fell under the ban and destruction through burning and was completely ousted from Christianity and replaced by the Greek Scriptures and the New Testament in Greek.
Knowing this, it is not difficult to understand why the angel told Yosef to name the Born Miriam by this name. It pointed to the mission that Yeshua would have to fulfill!
Is it correct to say "Jesus" knowing all this? In different countries, when addressing Yeshua, His Name is pronounced differently: the Poles - Jesus, the British - Jesus, the French - Jesus, etc. All this is due to the fact that our languages differ from each other.
Miriam's mother Maria), the apostles and other contemporaries, turning to Mashiach, pronounced - Yeshua. They did not speak Greek and would rather be surprised to hear Him called around the world than by the way it is done in Messianic Jewish communities. And, in the end, think about it, is it less correct to address Mashiach, pronouncing exactly the name that He received at birth, than the name that appeared much later, as a product of translations?
The authors of the Old Testament many times call God the Savior (Moshiah - Is. 43:11, 45:15) and Salvation (Yeshua - Ps. 26:1, 61:3, Is. 12:2). The last name (Yeshua) can be found in the book of Nehemiah. This is the name of the Levites Jesus, the son of Azanias (Neh. 10:9) and Jesus, the son of Cadmiel (Neh. 12:24).
When the diseased Philistines realized that it would be better for them to return the ark of the covenant to Israel, the chariot with the ark stopped in the field of Jesus (Jehoshua) the Bethshemite (1 Samuel 6:14). In 2 Kings 23:8 you can read about the gates of the governor Jesus (Jehoshua).
So what, after all, is correct: Yeshua or Yehoshua? This is the same name, which is clearly seen in the example of the high priest Jesus, who returned with his people under the leadership of Zerubbabel from the Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. In the book of Ezra, he is called Yeshua, in the books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah - the full name of Yehoshua.
The first person on earth who bore the name of our Lord was the successor of Moses, the great general Joshua (Jehoshua bin Nun). Did he get this name from his parents? Not! (And here you can see a parallel with the fact that Christ was also not called Jesus by earthly parents.) Moses himself gives the name to his closest colleague and disciple. Christ called the apostle Simon Peter, and Moses Hosea - Jesus.
Remember the story of how Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan. Among the listed names we read: "From the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea son of Nun" (Numbers 13:9). And just below, at 13:17 it says:
"These are the names of the men that Moses sent to look out for the land. And Moses called Hosea the son of Nun Joshua."
Thus, Hosea (Goshea) became Jesus (Yehoshua). In Hebrew, the only difference is that one letter is added at the beginning of the name, the smallest letter in the alphabet is Yod. What was it for? Yod is a small letter, but it is the first letter of the Divine four-tone, translated in Russian as Jehovah. Therefore, if Goshea means "saved," then Yehoshua means "the Lord saves."
Rabbinic commentators refer to a midrash that tells how Moses, after renaming Joshua, uttered the following prayer: "May the Almighty save you from the evil influence of other spies."
The meaning of the new name is much deeper. The spies were the first people who, centuries after Jacob, set foot on the promised land. And at this moment, it was especially important for Moses to emphasize Who is the Savior of the people, Who gives Israel this land, Who protects and will protect Israel. And now, for two thousand years, with the name Jesus (Jehoshua, Yeshua) on the lips, every person who believes in Him finds salvation. With this name, we wake up from sleep, gain new life and confidently walk the path indicated by God.
(According to the materials of Leonid Banchik, Mikhail Samsonov and others).
Yeshua in The Master and Margarita is described as an infinitely merciful and all-forgiving wandering philosopher. The image of Yeshua in the novel is like the image of Jesus Christ, only in the interpretation of Bulgakov.
Before readers, Yeshua appears as a man in old and torn clothes and worn-out sandals. Despite the misadventures and beatings he has received, he smiles with his bright smile, and is not afraid to raise his eyes to Pontius Pilate.
In a conversation with the procurator of Judea, it turns out that Yeshua is alone, he does not know his parents, he has no family and no children. But he does not complain about his loneliness, but calmly says that "one before the whole world." Yeshua, even during interrogation by the prosecutor's office, tells the truth - he does not know how to lie. In addition, he does not understand violence, and speaks of it as "the kingdom of justice, and goodness, where no power is needed."
Yeshua is able to heal people, but he is not a doctor. He has some special healing powers. He is able to anticipate events and is very perceptive. In addition, Yeshua knows several languages and is literate, which is revealed during a conversation with Pilate. Yeshua considers all people to be kind and does not blame anyone for the fact that they are going to execute him. He even considers Mark Ratslayer to be a "nice person". Before his execution, Yeshua Ha-Nozri forgives in advance all those who pass sentence on him.
Pontius Pilate understands that there is nothing to execute Yeshua for, he cannot understand what decision he should make, and yet sends him to his death. The procurator will then pay for his wrong decision for a very long time.
Yeshua Ha-Notsri is betrayed and slandered by Judas, but he also has a disciple, Matthew Levi. Who is devoted to his teacher, he goes after Yeshua and writes down what he said. It is Matvey Levi who conveys the request to Woland to give the Master and Margarita peace.
It is worth noting that the opposition of Yeshua and Woland in the novel is shown as an endless story of good and evil, which do not try to eliminate each other. Woland even treats Yeshua with respect, saying that: "Each department should mind its own business."
Yeshua is open to the world and kind to all people, but this does not make him weak, on the contrary, his faith and tolerance are his strength. Yeshua in the novel is an image of light, goodness and mercy, he is the opposite of Woland, the prince of darkness.
Essay about Yeshua
Another novel about the times of the ancient city of Yershalaim is built into the novel "The Master and Margarita". A novel written by the master about Pontius Pilate. Yeshua Ga-notsri is the main figure in this novel, along with Pilate.
Yeshua is represented by Jesus Christ. But Yeshua is not the son of God, he is an ordinary person, a wandering philosopher. An ordinary person with unusual kindness to people, who knows no fear; his image in the novel is idealistic.
Having met Levi Matthew, the tax collector, in Bethphage, Yeshua began a conversation with him. At first, Levi treated him with hostility, even tried to insult him, calling him a dog. However, for Yeshua, this is not an insult, he does not accept insults, because he is self-sufficient and strong in spirit, and all these insults are the lot of the weak. Moreover, he influenced Levi so much that he gave up his money and decided to travel with Yeshua.
Yeshua is the source of the forces of Light, which is why he has such a strong influence on people. He was able to heal the procurator from a headache with one of his conversations.
The procurator, unexpectedly for himself, asks Yeshua a serious philosophical question: “What is truth”, to which he immediately receives an answer: “the truth, first of all, is that your head hurts.”
There is nothing complicated about Yeshua, all his words are short and simple, but deep at the same time. He declares that power is violence against people, that there will be a time when it will not be needed. These words led him to his death. But he was not afraid to say this to Judas, he was not afraid to repeat it to the procurator, "it is easy and pleasant to tell the truth."
Yeshua is convinced that all people are kind, but not all are happy. He considers the procurator before whom he is on trial to be kind, considers the Ratslayer good, considers the people who testified against him good.
Yeshua does not wear masks, does not lie, does not prevaricate, is not afraid of anything, he considers cowardice one of the most terrible human vices.
The main advantage of Yeshua is his inner freedom. He is a worthy person, and therefore he talks on an equal footing with the procurator, although he knows how much power is concentrated in his hands. He is not affected by circumstances, even the fact that Judas sold him to the authorities did not arouse anger or hatred in him.
Light, open, free, intelligent - these are the qualities that Yeshua endowed Bulgakov, creating the ideal of a moral person, to which other people should strive.
Some interesting essays
- Heroes of the story Farewell to Matera with a characteristic
The main character of the work is an eighty-year-old elderly woman named Pinigina Daria Vasilievna, presented by the writer in the form of a native inhabitant of the island of Matera.
- Composition based on the painting by Dubovsky Sea, grade 6 (description)
Russian artists have always been able to impress with their skill. Russian creativity is immense, it has its own atmosphere, its own heroes, its own world, and today I want to write about the beautiful painting by Nikolai Nikanorovich Dubovsky, called "The Sea"
- Examples of mother's love from life
There is hardly a stronger, purer and sincere feeling in the world than motherly love. It has received many commendations and accolades in various works of art. It occupies a significant place in people's lives, in human morality and culture.
All the knowledge and skills that people use came to us from the past. Traditions and experience of life are passed down through generations. Without the experience of the past, there will be no civilizational present and future.
2. YESHUA GA-NOZRI AND THE NEW TESTAMENT
The master's novel begins with an interrogation of Yeshua. "Biographical" data are put into the mouth of the accused, and therefore they are especially reliable for the reader. The first difficulty arises in connection with the nickname Ha-Notsri. The most common option is to consider it derived from the name of the city: from Nazareth. The novel does not say anything about the virgin birth, nor about healings and resurrections, nor about the resurrection of Yeshua Ha-Nozri, i.e. Jesus of Nazareth. Bulgakov's Yeshua, introducing himself to Pilate, calls Ha-Nozri a nickname. The first oddity: neither the arrested person nor the “truthful narrator” mention Nazareth anywhere in the future. Second: “Ha-Notzri” cannot be derived from the name of the city, since it means “Nazarite”, which is associated with religious affiliation, and not with a geographical concept. In the Gospels there are two words similar in sound, but different in meaning: Nazarene (Mark 1:24; 14:67; Luke 4:34; 24:19) and Nazarene (Matt. 2:23; Mark 10:47 ; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, 7). Neither word is a nickname in the literal sense of the word, and Christ himself never called himself that. But the word "notzri" - Nazirite literally means "a Jew consecrated to God from childhood." The Nazarite rite is very ancient; for the first time it is mentioned in the Old Testament (Numbers 6:1-21; Is. 11:1). The Nazarenes were obliged not to cut their hair, not to drink wine and to avoid all kinds of filth. The apostles called Jesus a Nazirite (although in the truest sense of the word he was not such), emphasizing His chosenness. In the time of Jesus, the Nazarenes were most commonly referred to as Nazir. In subsequent Jewish tradition, Jesus is referred to not as Nazir, but as Notzri. This word probably comes from the Hebrew “netzer”, a branch, which in the mouths of the early Christians meant the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, which announced that the Messiah would be a branch (“netzer”) from the root of Jesse, the father of David. The Jews, who did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, put a contemptuous meaning into the definition of "notzri" - "budding", "renegade". In short, it is wrong to understand the nickname Ha-Nozri as an indication of the place of residence in Nazareth. The respectful Notzri (a branch of the house of David) cannot be a nickname either. There remains a contemptuous nickname recorded in the Talmud, especially since Yeshua Nazareth himself does not consider his native city: “I have no permanent home ... I travel from city to city” (p. 438).
The nickname Ha-Nozri is assigned to Jesus not only in the Talmudic, but also in fiction. It is mentioned in A. Frans' story "Pontius Pilate" and in S. Chevkin's play "Yeshua Ganotsri" - works well known to Bulgakov.
Yeshua, like Christ, came to Yershalaim from Galilee. In Galilee there was also the city of Gamala, in which, according to Yeshua, he was born (p. 438).
Why did Bulgakov consider it necessary to make the birthplace of Yeshua not Bethlehem, where Christ was born, and not even Nazareth, where Jesus lived for thirty years, but a city completely unknown from the Gospels in northwestern Palestine? It seems that for one reason: a person of unknown origin (and, moreover, not a Jew by blood), who was born in Gamal, in Palestine could in no way claim the role of the Messiah. With his answer to Pilate, Yeshua not only crosses out the Old Testament prophecy about the birthplace of the Messiah, which should be Bethlehem - a small city in South Palestine, near Jerusalem, but also draws a clear line between himself and Jesus: no one ever I would call Christ by virtue of his origin and place of birth.
The city of Gamala was located in Lower Gaulon, near the Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee). Yeshua is called in one place "a beggar from En-Sarid" (p. 735), that is, from the Gennesaret lands located in Galilee.
Gamala was located on a rock that resembled a camel in shape (Gamala means "Camel City"). He is repeatedly mentioned by Josephus Flavius in The Jewish War. The location of the city caused numerous disputes among historians, since it was destroyed by the Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus. According to Josephus Flavius, the reference point for finding Gamala was the town of Tarihe, located opposite the Camel City. Other sources place Gamala northeast of Tiberias. To eliminate difficulties, scientists used the topographic information of Pliny (Natural History, XV, 3).
Another fortress with the same name was located above Gebast in Carmel (Karmel). In Flavius, it is called the "City of Horsemen" (Hamala), since Herod brought the Roman legions here. O. Grubber notes that the New Testament character Judas the Galilean (Judas the Gavlonite), mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 5:37), was born in this Gamala. Judas the Galilean was the head of a rebel party (long before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ) that opposed the Romans in Galilee. Flavius Josephus narrates about him (Jude. war, II, 17), noting that the rebellious Judas received the nickname Galilean at the place of action, and he was called Gavlonite at the place of birth.
In the Acts of the Apostles, Judas the Galilean from Gamala is characterized as a rebel: “... during the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and carried away enough people with him; but he perished, and all who obeyed him were scattered” (Acts 5:37). The reason for the revolt of Judas was the taxation introduced by the Roman authorities in 6 AD. e. in connection with the national inventory of lands and the population census. Judas the Galilean and his adherents organized a party of militant messianism that did not recognize any authority other than Divine, that is, they were, in essence, anarchists of a religious persuasion. Roman troops brutally suppressed the uprising of Gaulonite, but Judas himself managed to escape.
In Bulgakov's characterization of Yeshua, there are many features of Judas Gavlonite, mentioned by Josephus Flavius: religiosity and denial of state power, Gamala as a place of birth and Galilee as an arena of social activity. The city of Gamala did not enter the wanderings of Christ in Palestine, there is no evidence of this in the New Testament, so from the very first words of the “under investigation from Galilee” it is clear that Yeshua is only situationally close to Christ, but he cannot be.
Yeshua does not remember his parents, only rumors about a Syrian father reached him. This statement denies not only the immaculate conception, but also the presence of a living mother. “I am alone in the world,” says the prisoner (p. 438). Moreover, Yeshua is a “foundling” (p. 735), but it remains unknown when and to whom he was thrown. His appearance into the world is similar to the appearance of nowhere, his life before the trial by Pilate is a mystery.
Most likely, Yeshua is a proselyte, that is, not a Jew by blood, who converted to Judaism, which can be assumed from the Syrian blood from his father and the confession of monotheism. Many pagans lived in Galilee, but Yeshua says to Pilate: “There is only one God... I believe in him” (p. 448), thus affirming the monotheistic nature of his faith, but without specifically defining who this one God is.
In all these differences from the New Testament texts, Yeshua's testimonies about himself can be considered denials of the Gospels, as long as the main idea comes through in them: Yeshua Ha-Nozri was not He did not pretend to be the Messiah, and by virtue of his birth and origin he could not do this, which Pilate and Afranius are well aware of. Pilate, complaining to Aphranius about the hardships of the service, says: “What was this Messiah alone worth, whom they suddenly began to expect this year!” (p. 719). Aphranius also commemorates the Messiah, ironically remarking that the slain Judas will rise only when “when the trumpet of the Messiah, whom expect will sound over him” (p. 741). Both references have nothing to do with the person of Yeshua; moreover, even in a conversation with Kaifa, Yeshua appears only as a "philosopher" (p. 454).
During the interrogation, Pilate asks Yeshua about his arrival in Yershalaim, repeating the gospel description of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem: “By the way, tell me: is it true that you came to Yershalaim through the Susa gate on a donkey, accompanied by a crowd of mob shouting greetings to you as if to a certain prophet ? – here the procurator pointed to a scroll of parchment” (p. 443). But Yeshua denies the solemnity of the entry, citing the absence of a donkey. Christ did not have a donkey either, he was specially taken with the permission of the owner for the Entrance to Jerusalem. But Yeshua also claims that in Yershalaim he is absolutely unknown to anyone and, therefore, no one could greet him. Pilate's question is provocative and again connected with the prophecy about the Messiah (Is. 62:11; Zech. 9:9): according to the prophecy, the Messiah should appear on a donkey. But who was listed on the parchment? Yeshua's answer is unequivocal: false information was used in the report (they, according to this version, will later be included in the records of the evangelists), but the “truth” is only what Yeshua says.
The master’s novel is entirely built in such a way as to, first of all, refute the prophecies of the Old Testament about Jesus Christ. The chapters "Execution" and "Burial" continue these refutations. The executioners refused Yeshua's clothes: “The rat-slayer, squeamishly looking at the dirty rags lying on the ground near the poles, the rags that were recently the clothes of criminals, which the executioners refused, recalled two of them and ordered: “Follow me!” (pp. 596–597). Parallel in the New Testament: “When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four parts, each soldier in a part, and a tunic; the tunic was not sewn, but all woven from above. So they said to each other: Let us not tear him apart, but let us cast lots for him, whose will it be, so that what was said in the Scripture will come true: They divided My garments among themselves and cast lots for My clothes. This is what the soldiers did” (John 19:23-24).
The broken legs of Yeshua are also a “negative” of the prophecy of the Psalmist: “Let not his bone be broken” (Ps. 33:21). Unlike Yeshua, killed with the executioner's spear in the heart, Jesus died himself, which is why they didn't break his shins, they only pierced his ribs.
The last cry of Jesus Christ on the Cross “Either, Or! Lama Savahfani?” (“My God, my God! why did you leave me?”) is a Psalm verse (Psalm 21:2), which is usually interpreted as messianic. Yeshua does not address God at all and, of course, does not say any prayers. His last word is addressed to Pilate: "Hegemon..." (p. 598).
The very fact of being buried in a pit outside the city along with the robbers is a refutation of Isaiah's prophecy about the burial of the Messiah "with the rich" (Is. 53:9), which, of course, is in conflict with the Gospels.
The above is enough to make it clear: in the master's novel, the messianism of Jesus is a lie and fiction. This puts it in the category of “anti-gospels”, because not one or another scientific evidence is used or new interpretations are given, but the gospel events themselves are simply crossed out (or rather, served with a minus sign). It is clear why Pilate and Aphranius mention the Messiah in their conversation: yes, the Jews were waiting for Him this year, but only a certain philosopher appeared, who can only be passed off as the Messiah “after the fact”, thereby fooling the gullible. The master’s novel reveals the “kitchen” of how, with the help of Pilate and Aphranius, the facts were “selected”, which later became Holy History, but “in fact” everything is simple: there was no Christ, but there was Yeshua - the same as Judas the Galilean, the overthrower of Roman power, coupled with the power of the Jewish clergy.
The central theme of the interrogation of Yeshua was whether the person under investigation was inciting to destroy the Yershalaim temple. Three times, in three languages, Aramaic, Greek and Latin, the procurator asks about this and three times he receives a negative answer, and Yeshua is verbose and tries in every possible way to win the favor of Pilate: “... I, hegemon, never in my life intended to destroy the building of the temple and anyone did not incite to this senseless action” (p. 439). And about the temple “in the bazaar” they said one thing: “... the temple of the old faith will collapse and a new temple of truth will be created. He said it in such a way that it was clearer” (p. 441).
The accusation brought against Yeshua coincides with the one presented during the interrogation to Jesus Christ, but Jesus was asked about this not by Pilate, but by the high priest Caiaphas. Two false witnesses came to the Sanhedrin and declared that Jesus said: “I can destroy the temple of God and build it in three days” (Matt. 26:61). Jesus did not respond to accusations or questions. He did not try to explain to the assembly the meaning of his words, which the false witnesses literally conveyed, giving them a magically miraculous character. The Sanhedrin did not suspect Christ's rebelliousness, explaining these words as fantasy, and therefore considered the accusation insufficient. The Sanhedrin sentenced Him to death, which Pontius Pilate had to approve, because of Christ's affirmative answer to the question of messianism: "Are you the Christ, the Son of God?" (All four evangelists testify to this.) The high priest accused Jesus of imposture and blasphemy - enough to demand the death penalty. Thus, during the interrogation by the historical Pilate, the question of the “destruction of the temple” fell away as unimportant, but “imposture” (the Messiah was also understood as an earthly king) caused Pilate new questions.
Jesus is very restrained in his answers to both the clergy and Pilate. When the high priest asked Him what His Teaching was and who His disciples were, He answered very succinctly and definitely: “I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always converge, and secretly did not say anything. What are you asking me? ask those who heard what I said to them” (John 18:20-21).
In the master's novel we observe the opposite. The only accusation is in inciting to destroy the temple. Yeshua is in a hurry to take him away from himself and sets out his philosophical position in some detail. He delivered his speeches in the bazaar, that is, they do not have the character of sermons, but rather have a social orientation. It seemed to Pilate that he would be able to help the arrested person, because the incitement in the market needed more weighty evidence than a report, but Yeshua readily confirmed Judas’ denunciation about anarchist statements about the essence of power and developed this topic in the presence of a witness-secretary, which secured himself death sentence. The word "king" in either the Jewish (Messianic) or Roman (political) meanings was not uttered during the interrogation of Yeshua by Pontius Pilate.
But quite often another word sounded, superficially bringing the master's work closer to the New Testament - "truth". Christ tells Pilate about the essence of his Incarnation: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth; everyone who is from the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37), after which Pilate asks Him the famous question, which remained unanswered: “What is truth?”
Yeshua, talking about the coming times, opposes old faith to "truth": "... the temple of the old faith will collapse and a new temple of truth will be created" (p. 441). Therefore, the old faith - faith in one God - is not true? And what is the "new temple of truth"? The answer is rather vague, but for some reason Yeshua believes that the Jews do not have the true faith, he breaks the concepts of "truth" and "faith". This is not an anti-clerical attack, but a statement of the falsity of the Jewish faith as such. It should be noted here that Christ, who often denounced the Pharisees, the keepers of the religious traditions of Judaism, for their narrowness of views, for hypocrisy, for following the letter to the detriment of the essence, and for other sins, could not reproach them for the “untruth” of faith, for they confessed the One God, although they are called hypocrites in the gospels.
To the philosophical reasoning of Yeshua Pilate objected in the same way as his gospel namesake: “What is truth?” And then the unexpected happened: Yeshua avoided answering such a seemingly global question and jokingly shifted the concepts: “The truth is, first of all, that your head hurts” (p. 441). Having demonstrated his ability to move from serious problems to a light, almost secular tone, Yeshua did not stop there. It seemed that he was waiting for Pilate's question in order to prove to him his originality: leaving aside philosophy, he discovered the ability of clairvoyance, extraordinary observation and possession of a suggestive method of treatment or some other method of healing. He acted in complete opposition to Jesus Christ, who, being delivered to the tetrarch Herod Antipas, categorically refused, despite the requests of the ruler of Galilee, to demonstrate miracles: and hoped to see some miracle from Him, and asked Him many questions, but He answered him nothing” (Luke 23:8-9).
Yeshua did not limit himself to healing Pilate’s headache and went on to a prophetic description of the nature of the procurator, predicted a thunderstorm that should break out in the evening, determined the role of his beloved dog in Pilate’s life, explaining, however, quite logically, how he guessed about the existence of Bunga: “... you moved your hand through the air... as if you wanted to stroke it, and your lips...” (p. 442). But it must be assumed that Pilate's affection for the dog Yeshua was known even without observing the procurator's gestures. Pays attention, how exactly Yeshua spoke during the interrogation about dogs. Speaking about Levi, who, while still a tax collector, insulted Yeshua, calling him a “dog”, he emphatically commented on his attitude to the insult in a non-Jewish way: “... I personally do not see anything wrong in this beast to be offended by this word” (p. 440). The Jews considered the dog to be an unclean animal, and therefore Yeshua’s reaction aroused the astonishment of Pilate’s secretary: “The secretary stopped taking notes and surreptitiously cast a surprised look, but not at the arrested person, but at the procurator” (p. 440), as if testing his reaction. In general, it seems that the reasoning about dogs was delivered by Yeshua specifically for Pilate, and this played a role in the fact that Pilate was imbued with sympathy for the “philosopher”. But no amount of observation can explain the words of Yeshua about the loneliness of Pilate: “... you are too closed off and have completely lost faith in people. After all, it’s impossible, you must agree, to place all your affection in a dog ”(p. 442).
Of course, there were not so many miracles, but they were enough to bring Pilate out of his indifferently detached state: as soon as the headache subsided, the procurator ordered, as a sign of special trust, to untie the arrested man's hands. Pilate's interest grew: it turned out that Yeshua, who had already discovered a knowledge of the Greek language, could also speak Latin. The arrested person behaves very directly and naturally: he easily switches from one language to another, puts his predictions in such a form that it becomes clear - this is familiar and easy for him. The healing of the procurator's hemicrania is devoid of demonstrativeness, and one would think that the headache would stop by itself, if Yeshua had not hinted to Pilate that this would not happen without his participation. Pilate, presumably, is impressed by the modesty of the “tramp”, who denies that he is a “great doctor” (p. 442), he also likes the fact that he knows how to unobtrusively reveal his originality. It is obvious that the arrested person also likes the procurator, and he consciously seeks to interest him in himself, which is why he does not hide his amazing abilities.
This is another difference between Yeshua and Christ, who performed miracles only at the request, according to the faith of the one who asked, and not for the sake of winning sympathy or a miracle as such. The silence of Jesus before the accusers, His unwillingness to make excuses is connected with the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah: “He was tortured, but suffered voluntarily and did not open His mouth; like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). As you can see, this prediction is refuted by the behavior of Yeshua.
Knowing the sacred essence of the oath, Pilate wants Yeshua to prove his innocence by swearing this. Yeshua willingly goes to meet him: “What do you want me to swear to?” (p. 443). It should be noted that Jesus Christ imposed a ban on swearing: “But I say to you: do not swear at all: not by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; swear not by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black” (Matthew 5:34-36).
But, despite his complete readiness, Yeshua does not have to swear, because the conversation moves to a different plane and Pilate no longer returns to his request. This small digression from the main topic of the interrogation testifies to Yeshua's faith in the Higher Providence and is an allusion to three gospel provisions at once. We have just quoted the first one ("Do not swear by your head..."). The second is also from the Gospel of Matthew: “Are not two sparrows sold for an assarium? And not one of them will fall to the ground without the will of your Father; but the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29-30). The third we find in the Gospel of Luke: "... and you will be hated by all for My name's sake, but even a hair from your head will not be lost" (Luke 21:17-18). Pilate perceives the prisoner's objection to his, Pilate's, remark about the possibility of disposing of the life of a tramp at his own discretion as a clever move that allows Yeshua to avoid the oath. Yeshua is sure that only the one who hung him can cut the hair on which his life now hangs (p. 443), and with this answer he really escapes from the oath, although he was just ready for it. This is perhaps the darkest place for comments in the dialogue between Yeshua and Pilate. At this point, he is closest to the New Testament prototype, and at the same time, is not his reasoning a trick to get away from the need for an oath? And if so, why? After all, not in order to fulfill the prohibition of Christ by our behavior: we have already noted too many oppositions to Him. Perhaps he did not want to falsely swear? Does that mean the reports were true? But most likely, the clairvoyant Yeshua knows how the interrogation will end, and he hints at Pilate to understand this, although after a short time he brilliantly plays out naive bewilderment about the intentions of the guards. One way or another, the religious reasoning of Yeshua during interrogation by Pilate becomes the only moment of a positive, albeit free, "quoting" of the New Testament. It is aphoristic, very capacious, and therefore immediately attracts the reader's attention, evoking associations with the New Testament - a wonderful addition to the "make-up" under Christ! In the reader's mind, this moment is fixed as one of the "realities" that brings the master's novel closer to the Passion of Christ.
Pilate is very pleased with Yeshua's remark. “So, so,” Pilate said with a smile, “now I have no doubt that idle onlookers in Yershalaim followed you on your heels. I don’t know who hung your tongue, but it is hung well” (p. 443).
In general, the interrogation in Yershalaim echoes the trial of the Franciscan monk Fra Giovanni in Anatole France's Tragedy of Man. Fra Giovanni says like Yeshua: "I stood for justice and Truth," and the judge answers the reasoning of the condemned monk in exactly the same way as Pilate: "Your tongue is well suspended." Fra Giovanni is accused of plotting to overthrow the existing order in the city of Viterboro, but he himself denies this. The socio-political moment, as we see, is present in both Frans and Bulgakov, the philosophical positions of Fra Giovanni and Yeshua are also close, however, the hero of The Tragedy of Man, unlike Yeshua, does not insist on the original kindness of people: “Among people there is not good or bad. But they are all unhappy."
