John the Baptizer and Prophet: A Socio-Historical Study

447 Pages·1991·22.895 MB·English

by  Robert L. Webb

l i b r a ry o f n e w t e s ta m e n t s t u d i e s
JOHN THE
BAPTIZER AND
PROPHET
A Socio-Historical Study
ROBERT L. WEBB
I
JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
SUPPLEMENT SERIES
62
Executive Editor
David Hill
JSOT Press
Sheffield

John
the Baptizer
and Prophet
A Socio-HIstorical Study
Robert L. Webb
Journal for the Study of the New Testament
Supplement Series 62
Copyright © 1991 Sheffield Academic Press
Published by JSOT Press
JSOT Press is an imprint of
Sheffield Academic Press Ltd
The University of Sheffield
343 Fulwood Road
Sheffield S10 3BP
England
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Webb, Robert L.
John the Baptizer and Prophet: A Socio-Historical Study.
—(JSNT supplements. ISSN 0143-5108; 62)
I. Title II. Series
232.94
EISBN 9781850753162
CONTENTS
Preface 11
Abbreviations 13
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION 19
1.1 Background and Orientation 19
1.2 Parameters and Approach 26
PART I: THE TRADITIONS CONCERNING JOHN
Chapter 2
THE TRADITIONS CONCERNING JOHN THE BAPTIST
IN JOSEPHUS'ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS
AND OTHER NON-CHRISTIAN LITERATURE 31
2.1 Introduction 31
2.2 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Ant. 18.116-19 31
2.2.1 The Text and Context of Ant. 18.116-19 31
2.2.2 The Description of John in Ant. 18.116-19 34
2.3 The Authenticity of Ant. 18.116-19 39
2.4 Josephus as a Historian 41
2.5 The Traditions Concerning John the Baptist
in the Slavonic Josephus 43
2.6 The Traditions Concerning John the Baptist
in the Mandaean Literature 44
2.7 Conclusion 45
Chapter 3
THE TRADITIONS CONCERNING JOHN THE BAPTIST
IN EARLY CHRISTIAN GOSPELS 47
3.1 Introduction 47
3.2 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Q 47
3.3 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Mark 51
3.4 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Matthew 55
3.5 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Luke/Acts 60
3.6 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in the Fourth Gospel 70
3.7 The Portrayal of John the Baptist in Extra-Canonical Gospels 77
6 John the Baptizer and Prophet
3.7.1 The Gospel of Thomas 78
3.7.2 The Gospel of the Ebionites 81
3.7.3 The Gospel of the Nazareans 83
3.7.4 The Protevangelium of James 83
3.7.5 Summary 84
3.8 The Use of These Traditions in a Historical Investigation 85
3.9 Conclusion 91
PART II: JOHN AS BAPTIZER
Chapter 4
ABLUTIONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
AND SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH LITERATURE 95
4.1 Introduction 95
4.2 Ablutions in the Old Testament 96
4.2.1 Cleanness and Uncleanness 96
4.2.2 Ablutions of Objects 97
4.2.3 Sprinkling Water upon a Person 98
4.2.4 Washing Parts of a Person's Body 100
4.2.5 Bathing a Person's Body 101
4.2.6 Metaphorical Use of Ablution Language 104
4.2.7 Summary 106
4.3 Ablutions in Second Temple Jewish Literature 108
4.3.1 Passing References to Washings and Immersions 108
4.3.2 Immersions Performed by Bannus 112
4.3.3 Immersions Performed by the Essenes 113
4.3.4 Immersions in the Addition to T. Levi 2.3
in Manuscript E 116
4.3.5 Immersions in Sibylline Oracles 4 120
4.3.6 Immersions in the Life of Adam and Eve
{Apocalypse of Moses) 121
4.3.7 The Immersion of a Jewish Proselyte 122
4.4 Conclusion 130
Chapter 5
ABLUTIONS IN THE QUMRAN LITERATURE 133
5.1 Introduction 133
5.2 Purity and Ablutions in Various Qumran Scrolls 134
5.2.1 General References to Purity and Ablutions 134
5.2.2 Issues Related to the Practice of Immersions
at Qumran 138
5.3 Immersions in 1QS 140
Contents 7
5.3.1 1QS 2.25-3.9 140
5.3.2 1QS 5.7-15 152
5.3.3 1QS 4.19-22 156
5.4 The Ideology and Function of Immersions 157
5.4.1 Ideological Concepts Relating to Immersions
at Qumran 157
5.4.2 The Function of Immersions at Qumran 159
5.5 Conclusion 161
Chapter 6
THE ADMINISTRATION AND FUNCTIONS
OF JOHN'S BAPTISM 163
6.1 Introduction 163
6.2 The Evidence for John's Baptism 163
6.2.1 Ant 18.117 165
6.2.2 Mt. 3.1-6 = Mk 1.2-6 = Lk. 3.2b-6 168
6.2.3 Mt. 3.7-10 = Lk. 3.7-9 173
6.2.4 Mt. 3.11-12 = Mk 1.7-8 = Lk. 3.15-18 179
6.2.5 Summary 179
6.3 The Administration of John's Baptism 179
6.4 The Functions of John's Baptism 183
6.4.1 An Expression of Conversionary Repentance 184
6.4.2 A Mediation of Divine Forgiveness 190
6.4.3 A Purification from Uncleanness 194
6.4.4 A Foreshadowing of the Expected Figure's Ministry 196
6.4.5 An Initiation into the True Israel' 197
6.4.6 A Protest against the Temple Establishment 203
6.5 The Jewish Context of John's Baptism 206
6.5.1 The Context of the Old Testament 206
6.5.2 The Context of the Second Temple Jewish Literature 207
6.5.3 The Context of the Qumran Literature 209
6.6 Conclusion 213
PART III: JOHN AS PROPHET
Chapter 7
JUDGMENT/RESTORATION FIGURES IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT AND
SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH LITERATURE 219
7.1 Introduction 219
7.2 Yahweh 222
7.3 The Expected Davidic King/Davidic Messiah 228
John the Baptizer and Prophet
1A The Aaronic Messiah (with the Davidic Messiah) 235
7.5 The Angelic Prince Michael/Melchizedek 239
7.6 The Human-like Figure/the Son of Man 242
7.7 Elijah-redivivus 250
7.8 The Relationship between Yahweh and the Other Figures 254
7.9 Conclusion 259
Chapter 8
JOHN'S PROCLAMATION OF AN EXPECTED FIGURE 261
8.1 Introduction 261
8.2 The Evidence for John's Proclamation
of an Expected Figure 261
8.2.1 Mt. 3.11-12 = Mk 1.7-8 = Lk. 3.15-18 262
8.2.2 Mt. 11.2-6 = Lk. 7.18-23 278
8.3 The Identity of John's Expected Figure 282
8.4 The Activities of John's Expected Figure 289
8.4.1 Baptizing with a Holy Spirit and Fire 289
8.4.2 Cleaning the Threshing Floor 295
8.5 John's Perception of the Judgment and Restoration 300
8.6 Conclusion 304
Chapter 9
PROPHETIC FIGURES IN LATE SECOND TEMPLE
JUDAISM 307
9.1 Introduction 307
9.2 The Sources and Categories for Analysis 310
9.2.1 The Character of the Sources 310
9.2.2 The Categories for Analysis 312
9.3 Clerical Prophets 317
9.4 Sapiential Prophets 322
9.4.1 Essene Sapiential Prophets 322
9.4.2 Pharisaic Sapiential Prophets 326
9.5 Popular Prophets 333
9.5.1 Leadership Popular Prophets 333
9.5.2 Solitary Popular Prophets 339
9.5.3 Summary 342
9.6 Conclusion 346
Chapter 10
THE SOCIO-POLITICAL ORIENTATION
OF JOHN'S PROPHETIC MINISTRY 349
10.1 Introduction 349
10.2 John's Identity as a Leadership Popular Prophet 350
Contents
10.3 The Interests of John and his Movement 355
10.4 The Tactics of John and his Movement 359
10.5 The Symbolic Event of John and his Movement 360
10.6 The Opposition to John and his Movement 366
10.6.1 Herod Antipas 366
10.6.2 The Temple Establishment 370
10.6.3 The Romans 372
10.7 The Arrest and Execution of John 373
10.8 Conclusion 377
Chapter 11
CONCLUSION 379
11.1 Contributions to Research 379
11.1.1 Methodological Contributions 379
11.1.2 Contextual Contributions 380
11.1.3 Historical Contributions 381
11.1.4 Exegetical Contributions 382
11.2 Areas for Further Research 383
Bibliography 385
Index of Ancient Literature 417
Index of Modern Authors 441