List do arcykapłana z czwartej groty w Qumran (4QMMT)

Abstract

The author arranges his reflections on 4QMMT in five sections: 1) the content of MTT; 2) major attemps to establish the nature and the circumstances of composition of the document; 3) arguments indicating that prePharisaic Hasidaeans were the source of the document; 4) the circumstances of composition of the letter, and its addressee; 5) the importance of MMT for the study of ancient judaism. He argues, that when we read the letter in the context of other documents and of the historical situation in the beginning of the Essene movement, we can see that MMT did not come from the Teacher of Righteousness as either its real authór or its implied author, but from one of the other two groupings that made up the Essene movement. Its language, subject matter and ideology, attitude to the people and Temple worship, its concept of Moses’ Torah, hermeneutical assumptions in interpretation of the Torah, and its form of representation of Israel all indicate that the letter was the work of Hasidaeans of a Pharisaic orientation. The author proposed a new interpretation of the character and historical setting of MMT. According to this interpretation, the letter comes from a pre-Pharisaic Hasidaean group. It was written in connection with the reorganization of the Temple after the Maccabaean revolts and with the decree of Demetrius I Soter concerning the autonomy of the Jerusalem Temple. The addressee of the letter was Alcimus, the high priest of the time. On the basis of First Maccabees 7,12-14, which testifies to the existence of two organized groups (Gk. synagogę) in Alcimus’ environment, viz. the scribes and the Hasidaeans, the author concludes that the scribes were responsible for the programme contained in the Temple Scroll, while the pre-Pharisaic Hasidaeans were the writers of the halakhhic letter (MMT), which was intended as a deliberate political provocation. Further He equates Alcimus, the author of Ps 79 (cf. First Maccabees 7,16-17 and the interpretation of this passage given by J. A. Goldstein) with the author of several hymns from Qumran, i.e. with the Teacher of Righteousness.