Nathan of Gaza

Nathan Benjamin ben Elisha ha-Levi Ghazzati or Nathan of Gaza (1643–1680) was a theologian, born in Jerusalem, who became famous as a prophet for the false messiah, Shabbetai Tzvi.1

The reference in Gravity's rainbow, which occurs at Beyond the Zero: Episode 22 is significant in that the reference to this false prophet is juxtaposed with John the Baptist, the supposed true prophet of Jesus. Whether this is to be read as a denunciation of Jesus' divinity or as an opposition is ambiguous.

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part and episode listing

Beyond the Zero: [2]

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page numbers

14

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references

  1. ^Wikipedia, Contributors, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_of_Gaza (accessed: 2007-03-20)
  2. ^Pynchon, Thomas, Gravity's Rainbow (London: Vintage, 2000), p. 14

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