Zoroastrian Saviour Imagery and Its Influence on ... - Kaveh Farrokh

<strong>Zoroastrian</strong> <strong>Saviour</strong> <strong>Imagery</strong> I75
If one accepts, with Eichrodt,55) that Iran was a source of influence
in the shaping of Jewish demonology the matter cannot rest here, for,
as Eichrodt again notes, the increase in demonology in late Judaism
is symptomatic of 'a radical change in man's feelings about the
world.' 56). <strong>Influence</strong> at this point, therefore, implies influence at the
heart of a modified or developed theology <strong>and</strong> might be expected to
show itself in other doctrines as well.
The <strong>Saviour</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Resurrection.
The resurrection doctrine is another late <strong>and</strong> important innovation
in the Jewish faith. It may be contained in the Little Apocalypse inserted
in the book of Isaiah, chapters 24-27, variously dated between
the second <strong>and</strong> fourth centuries B.C. 57). The belief does appear in
Daniel 12 but not, interestingly, in association with the Son of Man
in chapter 7.
There is no unity of tradition in the inter-testamental literature. The
author of I Maccabees (c. Ioo B.C.) 58) does not seem to accept the
doctrine, 59) nor do the writers of I Baruch (second century B.C.) 60)
<strong>and</strong> Judith (mid second century B.C.) 61) nor did the Sadducees. The
position of the Qumram sect on this point is not clear. If the resurrection
was part of their faith, then they kept very quiet about it.
Only a few passages can be interpreted as referring to the resurrection,
<strong>and</strong> these are very ambiguous. 62). Among those who held such a belief
55) Theology, II, p. 209 He adds that the Persian belief in 'the eternity of the
evil as well as the good spirit, at no time became proper to the concept of Satan.'
It is not true to say that the evil spirit is eternal in Iran. The texts quoted above
show that the evil spirit has an end, as Eichrodt's source, E. Langton, Essentials
of Demonology, London, I149, p. 63, recognises.
56) p. 227.
57) Eissfeldt, p. 325, Frost, p. 154; Russell, pp. 367 f.; Ringgren, p. 322; R. H.
Charles, Eschatology, The Doctrine of a Future Life, reprinted New York, 1963,
p. 132.
58) Eissfeldt, p. 579; R. H. Pfeiffer, History of New Testament Times,
London, 1949, p. 491; B. M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha, Oxford,
I957, p. I30.
59) So W. Bousset <strong>and</strong> H. Gressman, Die Religion des Judentums, reprinted
Tubingen, 1966, p. 273.
60) Eissfeldt, p. 593; Pfeiffer, pp. 413 ff.
6I) Eissfeldt, p. 587; Metzger, p. 43; Pfeiffer, p. 297.
62) See for example Russell, pp. 373 ff; G. Vermes, The Dead Sea Scrolls in
English, Pelican, 1962, p. 51.