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Re: Qumran question (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 3 Mar 1996 21:46:37 EST
From: David Jay Kaufman <djk2@acpub.duke.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <ioudaios-l@lehigh.edu>
Subject: Re: Qumran question
On Sun, 3 Mar 1996, Ian Hutchesson wrote:
> To David Jay Kaufman,
> I wasn't actually asking you to post your entire thesis, I was asking for a
> little bibliography of *ancient sources* that underlay the first post you
> made on the subject. I wouldn't want you to waste much time, just a few
> references from a few sources. That's all!
>
> Ian Hutchesson
My theory is based primarily upon logic. The sources that I might cite,
such as War VII 423ff simply fit into the logical framework. If you were
to take away the logical framework, at this point, the theory would
collapse. The pieces of evidence that I have collected to this point are
not substantial enough to support the theory on their own. I have not
been able to collect all of the supporting evidence from the Mishnah,
Talmud, or even the Dead Sea Scrolls, so I am not able to cite a large
number of specific examples. My theory, rather than concentrating on
anything that identifies the groups by name, merely deals with things
that them. The recent post by Herb Basser is an excellent example. There
are many things that seem to connect the Essenes with the Pharisees in
opposition to the Sadducees. The kind of textual interpretation for
example or perhaps the discussions of ritual purity. The argument that
the Essenes call themselves sons of Zadok is also perfectly
understandable. The Essenes would have been the direct descendants of the
Oniad line and therefore could legitimately call themselves "Sons of
Zadok". The Hasmonean Priests, the Sadducees were not in the direct line
and did not associate themselves with Zadok because of blood relation,
but because of their need to justify their usurpation of the High
Priesthood from the Oniads. Zadok had taken over the High Priesthood from
Abitar. Josephus discusses this in Ant. VIII 11. As I have not done the
legwork required for this topic to be an actual thesis itself, I have
relegated it to the appendix of my Master's Thesis. At this point, it is
primarily based upon logic, on general feelings, and vague remembrances
from past classes. I only include it in my thesis as a topic for further
discussion and I am glad that it has lived up to that hope in this forum.
Thanks,
-David K.