Early Christian Views of Bar Kokhba
Early Christians remembered Bar Kokhba as a rebel leader who oppressed Christians and as part of the warning about false christs. Justin Martyr says Barchochebas ordered Christians to suffer unless they denied Jesus Christ and blasphemed. Later writers like Hippolytus and Cyprian link this kind of figure to Jesus' warnings in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. The direct historical witness is strong for persecution, while the messiah-warning theme is more indirect.
139 early-church witnesses · 250 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about bar Kokhba?
Early Christian writers remembered Bar Kokhba mainly as a rebel leader who hurt Christians, while also treating him as a false messianic figure in a larger pattern of Jewish revolt and deception. Justin Martyr is the key early witness here, saying Barchochebas ordered Christians to suffer unless they denied Jesus Christ and blasphemed.
Later writers such as Hippolytus and Cyprian connect the topic to Jesus' warnings about false christs and false prophets, but those links are indirect and mostly use Scripture to frame the issue. The evidence is strong for Christian suffering under Bar Kokhba and for a Christian reading of him as a false claimant, but thin on any detailed, direct early Christian discussion of his life or claims.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Justin Martyr gives the clearest early Christian report: Barchochebas targeted Christians who would not deny Jesus.
- Early Christian writers often read Bar Kokhba through Jesus' warnings about false christs and false prophets.
- The evidence is direct for persecution and indirect for theology, so the claim is mixed rather than fully broad.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did Bar Kokhba persecute Christians?
Yes. Justin Martyr says Barchochebas ordered that Christians alone be led to cruel punishments unless they denied Jesus Christ and spoke blasphemy. That makes him the clearest early Christian witness for Bar Kokhba's role against Christians.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
For in the Jewish war which lately raged, Barchochebas, the leader of the revolt of the Jews, gave orders that Christians alone should be led to cruel punishments, unless they would deny Jesus Christ and utter blasphemy.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
... and punish us whenever they have the power, as you can well believe. For in the recent Jewish war, Barchochebas, the leader of the Jewish revolt, ordered that only Christians should be subjected to cruel punishments unless they denied Jesus Christ and shouted blasphemies. In these prophetic books, we found that Jesus our Christ was foretold as coming, being born of a virgin, growing up to adulthood, healing every disease and sickness, raising the dead, being hated and unrecognized, crucified, dying, rising again, ascending into heaven, and being called the Son of God. It is also predicted that certain people would be sent by Him to every nation to announce these things, and that people would believe in Him more among the Gentiles than among the Jews. He was predicted before He appeared, first 5000 years before, then 3000, then 2000, then 1000, and again 800 years before; for through the generations, prophets arose one after another.
Did early Christians see Bar Kokhba as a false messiah?
Early Christians did not leave a long direct debate about Bar Kokhba in these cards, but they often used Jesus' warnings about false christs and false prophets to explain figures like him. Hippolytus and Cyprian tie that warning to people who claim Christ's place and deceive many.
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
Yet all sides alike expect the Messiah, since the Law and the prophets certainly announced beforehand that He was going to be present on earth. However, since the Jews did not know the time of His coming, the idea remains that the statements of Scripture about His coming have not been fulfilled. And so, to this day, they continue to wait for the future coming of the Christ, because they did not recognize Him when He was present in the world. And yet there can be little doubt that, when the Jews see the signs of the times showing that He has already been among us, they are troubled. They are also ashamed to admit that He has come, since they put Him to death with their own hands, because they were stung with anger when He Himself convicted them of not obeying the laws. And they say that the one who was thus sent out by God is not this Christ whom they are expecting. Instead, they admit that another Messiah will come, who as yet does not exist, and that he will bring in some of the signs that the law and the prophets showed beforehand, while they think the rest of those signs have been misunderstood. For they say that his descent will be from the line of David, but not from a virgin
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness
or, Lo, he is there; believe 11 him not: Matthew 24:24 there shall rise then false Messiahs and prophets of lying, and shall do signs and wonders, in order that they may lead astray even the elect also, if they 12 be able.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
believe him not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, to cause error, if it be possible, even to the elect.
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Matthew 24:24 Supporting witness
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
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Mark 13:6 Supporting witness
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, ’ and will deceive many.
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Matthew 24:5 Supporting witness
For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
Common Questions
Did early Christians think Bar Kokhba was the Messiah?
No clear early Christian writer in this set calls him the Messiah. Justin Martyr treats him as a rebel who persecuted Christians, and later writers place that kind of figure under Jesus' warnings about false christs.
Did Bar Kokhba persecute Christians?
Justin Martyr says Barchochebas ordered Christians to be punished unless they denied Jesus Christ and blasphemed.
Which early Christian writer mentions Bar Kokhba by name?
Justin Martyr does, in The First Apology.
Source Index for Bar Kokhba
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 250 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 139
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 111
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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Book 80 1:28