Lived in the second century B.C. According to Josephus ("Ant." xiii. 3, § 4), he was the representative of the Jews in their religious dispute with the Samaritans, which was held before King Ptolemy VI. Philometor, about the year 150 B.C. Andronicus proved from the Scriptures the historic continuity of the Jewish high priests; and from the great respect which was accorded the Temple of Jerusalem even by the heathen kings of Asia, he demonstrated how utterly unjustified was the claim of the Samaritans that Mount Gerizim was the sacred place of worship for the Jews. Andronicus is said to have argued his case so successfully that the king ordered the execution of Sabbeus and Theodosius, the two champions of the Samaritans, this being the penalty agreed upon beforehand for the losing party. This latter point in the story, however, is so incredible that it casts a doubt upon the validity of the whole account.
Bibliography:- Grätz, Gesch. der Juden, 2d ed., ii. 44, 45, 446;
- Ewald, History of Israel, v. 354; for the spelling Meshullam, see the codex quoted by Niese in his edition of Josephus.
L. G.
