Sunday, October 10, 2004

So, I'm reading this book (The Face of New Testament Studies by McKnight & Osborne). The essay on interpretation of parables (“Modern Approaches to the Parables” by Klyne Snodgrass) starts off with a brief historical survey of the allegorization of parables. It mentions that allegorization was done in Qumran, and then gives a reference: “see 1QpHab XII.2-10”. (p. 178).

I think, “Hey, I've got access to an English translation of the non-Bible scrolls in The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition. I wonder if I can find that reference?”

See, when you run across a reference like 1QpHab, even though it is referring to Habakkuk, the lower-case 'p' indicates that it is referring to the pesher on Habakkuk, this one found in Qumran cave 1. A pesher is like a commentary, at least from what I remember. This one is referring column 12, lines 2-10. So I knew I should have this in the DSSSE.

And I found it! Way cool. Here's the text:

2 The interpretation of the word concerns the Wicked Priest, to pay him the
3 reward for what he did to the poor. Because Lebanon is
4 the Council of the Community and the animals are the simple folk of Judah, those who observe
5 the Law. God will sentence him to destruction,
6 exactly as he intended to destroy the poor. And as for what he says: Hab 2:17 « Owing to the blood
7 of the city and the violence (done to) the country ». Its interpretation: the city is Jerusalem
8 in which the /Wicked/ Priest performed repulsive acts and defiled
9 the Sanctuary of God. The violence (done to) the country are the cities of Judah which
10 he plundered of the possessions of the poor.

García Martínez, F., & Tigchelaar, E. J. C. (1997-1998). The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Translations). Vol. 2 published: Leiden ; Boston.; "This book offers a fresh English translation of all the relevant non-biblical texts found at Qumran, arranged by serial number from Cave 1 to Cave 11"--Pref. (Vol. 1, Page 21). Leiden; New York: Brill.

This is apparently an interpretation of Hab 2.17-18. And it is a good example of allegorical interpretation of the Scripture.

Fun stuff, no?


Update: Cheers to Vince for his comment clarifying pesher.

Post Author: Rico
Sunday, October 10, 2004 8:47:21 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00) 

#     |  Disclaimer  |  Comments [1]
Monday, October 11, 2004 10:34:26 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
'Pesher' refers to an interpretation that is based on the charisma, or inspiration, of the interpreter. The idea being that if the text of scripture is divine, then the interpretation need also be divine, and so the interpretation can be quite divorced from the plain meaning of the text. This distance from the literal interpretation can look allegorical at times, but the focus is on the spiritual authority of the interpreter to give the correct meaning to the text.
Vincent
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