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Re: "Love" in the DSS
In a message dated 96-04-08 01:08:49 EDT, you write:
>Also (a related point) you seem to draw a distinctino between what you call
>the
>"theology of Judaism" and "theology contained within [the DSS]." Since the
>DSS are obviously the product of one or more of the aforesaid Jewish
>sects (and hence include one or more theologies of Judaism), could you
>perhaps
>be more precise about what you had in mind in drawing that distinction?
This is precisely the point I am interested in. It seems to me that there
are varying theologies in Judaism (in the 1st century CE particularly as the
point of focus). Because this is so, I think it important to allow the
scrolls to speak for themselves instead of superimposing another theology on
top of them. To give a biblical illustration- the theology of Leviticus
seems to differ from the theology of Jeremiah (though there are of course
points of contact and continuity). Thus, we cannot so much speak of
"Biblical Theology" as we should speak of "The Theology of Jeremiah", etc.
I think the same is true of the Scrolls. Thus, my desire was (and is) to
discover the theology of love as it is demonstrated by the Scrolls. (Without
always having a sidewards glance at the other "sects" of the period).
Thanks for your help.
Jim West