The Rabbis have 2 opinions-- first that Hasmoneans usurped the high priesthood and were not qualified for it.But they were more critical they usurped the kingship. "wasnt it bad enough you grabbed the highpriesthood-- but you also grabbed the kingship" this seems to be a more original report. second-- in the al hanisim prayer recited on hannuka the hasmoneans are said to be descended from yochanan the high priest. Perhaps the word "high" was interpolated -- I know of no other source for this. or else the claim is made that mattathias began a new dynasty of high priests-- "IN the days of mattathias son of Yochanan the high priest"
Herb basser > > > > As Peter wrote, it does seem certain that the Oniads were considered > > Zadokites, (especially on evidence of ben Sirach), but - siding with Greg > > here - I don't see any evidence that the Hasmoneans weren't also > considered > > to be legitimate Zadokite priests. The assertion that they weren't seems > to > > have first surfaced in conjunction with the theory equating the Wicked > Priest > > with the first of the Hasmonean high priests, i.e. Jonathan. It seems > pure > > supposition to me. Note that the scrolls never level the charge that the > WP > > was not Zadokite. > > It has been suggested (e.g. by George Nickelsburg) that 1 Maccabees was > composed with the purpose of defending the legitimacy of the Hasmonean high > priestly dynasty. Instead of claiming descent through Zadok the author > justifies the Hasmonean claim to the high priesthood by comparing the zeal > of Mattathias with the zeal of Phinehas (1 Macc 2:26, 54). Because the > author nowhere identifies the Hasmoneans as Zadokites one might conclude > that those who opposed them did so because they were not from the > traditional high priestly line. I am curious: did scholars come to this > conclusion before or after the advent of the theory equating the Wicked > Priest with Jonathan? > > David Miller For private reply, e-mail to Herbert Basser <[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 TRAILOR BEFORE REPLYING TO THE MESSAGE)
