[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
orion Orion Sadducees (MMT)
Dear Yirmiyahu,
Given that there already existed a clear historically documented tripartate
situation in Jerusalem prior to the desecration of the temple under
Antiochus IV, I see no real reason to introduce a hypothetical group such as
Qimron and Strugnell have done in order to explain the situation in MMT. The
leaders of the temple cult (the sons of Zadok and their supporters) can
easily fulfil the "we" voice in MMT: naturally this would be reasonable
given the perceived Saducee influence in MMT. The "you" just as reasonably
can be the people of Israel who would include a number of important people
who could be swayed either way in the hellenizing debate. The "they" in this
scenario would naturally be those known as hellenizers whose exact traits we
haven't seen because they are the historical losers who quite likely have
been totally misrepresented: we know that the Oniad supporters were
religious conservatives; their enemies would have been the "liberals" of the
likes of Menelaus who I think were taking the conciliatory approach to
Antioch; Alcimus came to power in the same current; how far are we here from
what became Pharisaic position?
Many of the circumstances found in MMT (which I have mentioned before) fit
well with that epoch.
What more reasonable, historically related information do Qimron and
Strugnell provide for their hypothesis to justify yet another separation in
the fabric of Judaism of the time?
Ian Hutchesson