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Re: orion Orion Sadducees (MMT) et al

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Dale Cannon wrote:

> This discussion of the different "cults" and "factions" leads me to
> what
> I consider to be the obvious question.
>
> Does anyone know how many and under what names these cults and
> factions
> existed?
>
> Can I get a list, please.
>
> It might make the present discussion a bit more clear (?).
>
> Dale M. Cannon
> dale.cannon@bbs.nightowl.net

     The Pharisees consisted of two factions, the Beyt Hillel and the
Beyt Shammai.  The House of Hillel were the "democrats" of the time who
believed education and the study of Torah should be open to all
regardless of financial and social position.  The House of Shammai
(republicans) catered to the elite and well-to-do.   The disputes
between the two factions formed the foundations of the Talmud.  The
teachings and personality traits of Hillel closely resemble that which
we know about Jesus.  The ideological climate and perfectionism shared
by Hillelic Pharisaism and the Essenes make it difficult for me to
envision a sadducaic source for the DSS.  The Sadducees were your
ultra-right "Reagan Republicans" (g).  They controlled the Temple and
its enterprises and were "collaborators" of a sort with Rome.  They
differ from the Pharisees, from the little we know, in eschewing an
afterlife.
The were non-messianic.  The Essenes?  Well, you would think that with
the discovery of the DSS, we would know more about them than any 2nd
Temple period group but as you have seen from the discussions on this
forum, the texts leave us with more questions than answers.  There is no
really hard archaeological evidence that places "Essenes" at the K.
Qumran or establishes that site as the origin of the DSS.  If there were
"Assaya" (Healers) at Qumran, there were only about 200.  Many more
appear to have been quartered in the "Essene Quarter" of the upper city
which, in my opinion, is a more likely origin for the DSS.  The totality
of the DSS corpus seems to show a transition of ideology and thought
spanning a period of 200 years.  I admit, I am still trying to get a
"handle" on these white robed fellers...but I am beginning to see an
emerging pattern of similarity between the "people of the DSS" and the
Enochian-style messianic niche into which the "Jesus Jews" mutually fit.

I was kidding about the comparisons with republicans (g) ....mostly

Jack Kilmon
jpman@accesscomm.net