Barbara Leger:
On the Maskil, see 1QS 3.13 (instructs the sons of light), 1QS 9.12-20 (instructs them in mysteries of wonder and truth). The 'I' voice of the Thanksgiving Hymns, which many argue is the voice of the Teacher of Righteousness, calls himself a 'maskil' at 4Q427 H(a) 3 ii 5, 12 and 1QH(a) 20.11-13; compare to almost identical language used of the Teacher of Righteousness at 1QpHab 7.4-8. It certainly appears that many uses of this term 'maskil' in Qumran texts is other language for the Teacher of Righteousness; compare 4Q510-511, Songs of the Maskil (Sage) and 4Q298, Words of the Maskil (Sage). The Maskil is the one delivering the blessings of 1QSb, and this is what caused me to question that a high priest was among the addressees of the Maskil's blessings--because the Maskil of 1QSb is the high priest himself, the Teacher of Righteousness. On messianism in Qumran texts, see J. Collins, _The Scepter and the Star. The Messiahs of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Ancient Literature (Doubleday, 1995); F. Garcia Martinez, 'Two Messianic Figures in the Qumran Texts', pp. 14-40 in Parry and Ricks, _Current Research and Technological Developments on the Dead Sea Scrolls_ (Brill, 1996); M. Knibb, 'Eschatology and Messianism', pp. 379-402, in Flint and VanderKam, _Dead Sea Scrolls after Fifty Years_, vol. II (Brill, 1999); and there is some in Cross, _Ancient Library of Qumran_ (Fortress, 1995); an article also in Fitzmyer, _The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins_ (Eerdmans, 2000); and an excellent discussion in M. Wise, _The First Messiah_ (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999). Wise argues well for distinguishing the notion of messiahs as a scholarly-descriptive, almost anthropological term for saviour figures from the uses of the word 'messiah' (mshiach, anointed) in biblical and Qumran texts. That is, investigation of messianism in Qumran texts has little to do with ocurrences of the word 'messiah' (anointed). If this sounds odd, it is at least honest. There are almost only two honest choices: cease use of the word 'messiah' altogether, or be straight about defining it as a term for a scholarly construct or phenomenon-description term. Since the term is useful and is in the language, the second option seems to be the better one (this second option is the one Wise pursues). Greg Doudna For private reply, e-mail to "Greg Doudna" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from Orion, e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: "unsubscribe Orion." Archives are on the Orion Web site, http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il. (PLEASE REMOVE THIS TRAILER BEFORE REPLYING TO THE MESSAGE)
