Yehoshua ben Gamla

Yehoshua ben Gamla (or Jesus son of Gamalas) was a Jewish high priest who officiated in about 64 C.E. He married the rich widow Martha of the high-priestly family Boethos (Yeb. vi. 4), and she by bribing Jannai secured for him the office of high priest (Yeb. 61a; Yoma 18a; comp. "Ant." xx. 9, § 4). Although Yehoshua himself was not a scholar, he was solicitous for the instruction of the young, and provided schools in every town for children over five years of age, earning thereby the praises of posterity (B. B. 21a). The two lots used on the Day of Atonement, hitherto of boxwood, he made of gold (Yoma iii. 9). Yehoshua did not remain long in office, being forced, after a year, to give way to Matthias ben Theophil ("Ant." xx. 9, § 7).

Although no longer High Priest, Yehoshua remained one of the leaders of Jerusalem. Together with the former high priest Anan and other men of rank, he opposed, without success, the election of Phinehas b. Samuel (68) as high priest ("B. J." iv. 3, § 9). Josephus reports that Yehoshua was an "intimate friend," who reported a plot to replace Josephus as general of Galilee to Josephus' father. Because his father wrote to him of the plot, Josephus was able to resist it ("Life" 204-205).

Yehoshua attempted peaceably to prevent the fanatic and pugnacious Idumeans from entering Jerusalem, then torn by internal dissensions. After they had come into possession of the city, these fanatics took bloody vengeance on him, by executing him, as well as Anan, as traitors to their country (68) ("B. J." iv. 5, § 2).

Bibliography: In addition to the authorities mentioned above, Derenbourg, Histoire de la Palestine, p. 248;Grätz, in Monatsschrift, xxx. 59;Strassburger, Gesch. der Erziehung bei den Israeliten, p. 20;Schürer, Gesch. der Juden, i. 584, 618; ii. 221, 424.

References

*JewishEncyclopedia

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
before=Joshua ben Damneus
title=High Priest of Israel
years=ca.64—65
after=Matthias ben Theophil

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