Matthias (father of Josephus)

Matthias (Greek: Ματθίας; 6–70) was a Jew living in Jerusalem.

Matthias came from a wealthy family and through his father he descended from the priestly order of the Jehoiarib, which was the first of the twenty four-orders of Priests in the Temple in Jerusalem. He was the son born to Josephus and his wife, an unnamed Jewish noblewoman. The parents of Matthias were distant relatives. Matthias’ mother was a descendant of Josephus’ paternal great grandfather, Simon Psellus. His paternal grandparents were Matthias Curtus and his unnamed Jewish wife. Through his paternal grandfather, he was the descendant of the High Priest Jonathon. Jonathon may have been Alexander Jannaeus, the High Priest and Hasmonean ruler who governed Judea from 103 BC-76 BC.

He was a contemporary to the Herodian Dynasty governing Judea and the surrounding territories. Matthias followed his paternal ancestors and served as a Priest in the Temple in Jerusalem. He was an aristocratic priest. One of his duties was to oversee the affairs of the Jewry in Jerusalem and Palestine during the Roman occupation.

Matthias married an unnamed Jewish noblewoman, who had descended from royalty and of the former ruling Hasmonean Dynasty. Matthias with his wife had two sons:

Josephus in his writings highly praises his father and describes him as a distinguished Jew. He describes him that way because not just of his birth alone but he was praised for his sense of justice for being a very eminent man in Jerusalem. Matthias and his family had connections to the Sadducees.

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