96
CHRISTIANITY IN TALMUD
mentioned (b. Keth. 51b, J. Terum. 46b, Ber. r. sec. 76)
to suggest Jesus. Ben Netzer is described as a sort
of robber chieftain, " a robber amongst kings,
a king
amongst robbers," as the Talmud says. The correct
explanation, as it seems beyond question, is that of
Gratz (G. d. J., iv.
295, and n. 28), who shows that
Ben Netzer is Odenathus, the founder of the shortlived
kingdom of Palmyra, A.D. 260
circa.
Jost (G. d. J.,
ii. 145 n. 4) says that this hypothesis is without
evidence to support it ; and if it were not for a re-
ference in the same context to Gratz' work, it would
be hard to believe that Jost had read the long note
(n. 28) in which Gratz
presents the evidence. It
appears to me clear that Gratz is right, and if so,
there can be no question of an allusion to Jesus in the
name Ben Netzer. Even Jost does not allege any
such allusion, though he rejects the proposed identi-
f i cation with Odenathus.
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