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Re: orion "damascus"

On Fri, 02 Jan 1998 15:39:08 -0500, jwest@Highland.Net writes:

   [... snip ... already seen and excellent as Jim writes...]

>The whole of Judith's post is excellent- but it is the last sentence which
>interests me at the moment; for if "Damascus" were Qumran, then why would
>the Jerusalem leadership send Paul there with arrest warrants, if, in fact,
>the Qumranites were hostile to or lived in opposition to, the Jerusalem
>priesthood?  Or were Paul's warrants simply general?  If so, why would he
>expect the Qumranites to honor them?

   According to the account (Acts), if Paul went to syrian Damascus, well
   beyond Mount Hermon, he would be in another Governor's territory.  A High
   Priest's warrant in Syria would be of no more use than in Alexandria.  (I
   don't need to give a lecture on the competing ambitions of fellow gover-
   nors.)  Qumran was in Judea.  The warrants would work in Judea, honor or
   not.  To refuse was to invite Roman troops to become instant family guests.
   
   Even the Bible Atlas shows the different jurisdictions at the time.

   The account gives no indication special arrangements were made with the
   governor or between the governors to honor the High Priest's Warrants in
   Syria.

   Since this is a List on the Dead Sea Scrolls, we might speculate who was
   living in the settlement circa 40 CE.  If it was a disorganized group of
   varying Judaic views then perhaps Saul knew what sorts were housed there
   and hoped for a quick arrest.  

   (I'm of the opinion that Jesus survived the crucifixion.  One place where
   he went early on  - as I understand the occupation evidence allows - was
   Qumran.  This makes the Acts account historically believable.  The view
   removes the question about the warrant's validity.)

   (The method I suspect was used in Jerusalem to allow Jesus to survive
   created an epiphany for Saul, now Paul.  The radio these last few days has
   been full of people speaking of personal epiphanies in their own lives ad
   nauseam.  Perhaps this iswhat happened.)

   (The combination of potent psychotropic substances and personal encounters
   with people you saw executed might unhinge completely many people.  Let's
   leave it at that.)  IF the evidence supports this kind of occupation in
   those days then it opens that door I've just closed.  It also would make
   occupation by Qumran scribes even more unlikely, hence argues for an earlu
   date of deposit.

Tom Simms
>
>Jim
>
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Jim West
>
>jwest@highland.net
>