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The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

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86 THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS<br />

good deeds; to practice [tw#(l] truth, righteousness [hqdc], <strong>and</strong> justice”<br />

(1QS 1.5; cf. 1QS 8.2).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 6:33: “But seek first <strong>the</strong> kingdom of God <strong>and</strong> his<br />

righteousness, <strong>and</strong> all <strong>the</strong>se things will be added to you” (zhtei=te de\<br />

prw= ton th\n basilei/an [tou= qeou= ] kai\ th\n dikaiosu/nhn au0tou=, kai\<br />

tau=ta pa/nta prosteqh/setai u9mi=n). Seeking righteousness recalls <strong>the</strong><br />

beatitude of Matt 5:6. Coupling <strong>the</strong> quest for righteousness to <strong>the</strong> kingdom<br />

brings <strong>the</strong> preaching of Jesus <strong>and</strong> Mat<strong>the</strong>w’s interests toge<strong>the</strong>r. To<br />

seek righteousness is also to seek <strong>the</strong> kingdom.<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 12:37: “For by your words you will be justified, <strong>and</strong> by your<br />

words you will be condemned” (e0k ga_r tw~n lo/gwn sou dikaiwqh//sh|,<br />

kai\ e0k tw= n lo/gwn sou katadikasqh/sh|).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 13:17: “For truly I say to you, many prophets <strong>and</strong> righteous<br />

persons longed to see what you see, but did not see, <strong>and</strong> to hear what<br />

you hear, but did not hear” (a0mh\n ga\r le/gw u9mi=n o3ti polloi\ profh=tai<br />

kai\ di/kaioi e0pequ/mhsan i0dei=n a$ ble/pete kai\ ou0k ei]dan, kai\ a0 kou=sai a4<br />

a0kou/ete kai\ ou0k h1kousan).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 13:43: “<strong>The</strong>n <strong>the</strong> righteous will shine as <strong>the</strong> sun in <strong>the</strong> king-<br />

dom of <strong>the</strong>ir Fa<strong>the</strong>r” (to/te oi9 di/kaioi e0kla/myousin w9 j o9 h4lioj e0n th| =<br />

basilei/a| tou= patro\j au0tw~n).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 13:49: “Thus will it be at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> age; <strong>the</strong> angels will<br />

go forth <strong>and</strong> separate <strong>the</strong> wicked from <strong>the</strong> midst of <strong>the</strong> righteous”<br />

(ou3twj e1stai e0n th| = suntelei/a| tou= ai0w~noj: e0celeu/sontai oi9 a1ggeloi<br />

kai\ a0foriou=sin tou_j ponhrou_j e0k me/sou tw= n dikai/wn).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 21:32: “For John came to you in <strong>the</strong> way of righteousness,<br />

<strong>and</strong> you did not believe him; but <strong>the</strong> toll collectors <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> harlots believed<br />

him. But even when you saw it, you did not later repent <strong>and</strong> believe<br />

him” (h]lqen ga\r 0Iwa/nnhj pro\j u9ma=j e0n o9dw|~ dikaiosu/nhj, kai\ ou0k<br />

e0pisteu/sate au0tw|~, oi9 de\ telw= nai kai\ ai9 po/rnai e0pi/steusan au0tw|~:<br />

u9mei=j de\ i0do/ntej ou0de\ metemelh/qhte u3steron tou= pisteu=sai au0tw|~).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 23:28: “Thus even you on <strong>the</strong> outside appear to people as<br />

righteous, but within you are full of hypocrisy <strong>and</strong> lawlessness” (ou3twj<br />

kai\ u9mei=j e1cwqen me\n fai/nesqe toi=j a0nqrw/ poij di/kaioi, e1swqen de\<br />

e0ste mestoi\ u9pokri/sewj kai\ a0nomi/aj).<br />

Mat<strong>the</strong>w 25:46: “<strong>The</strong>se will depart to eternal punishment, but <strong>the</strong><br />

righteous to eternal life” (kai\ a0peleu/sontai ou[toi ei0j ko/lasin<br />

ai0w/nion, oi9 de\ di/kaioi ei0j zwh\n ai0w/nion).<br />

In 1980 Benno Przybylski addressed quite compellingly <strong>the</strong> question<br />

of Mat<strong>the</strong>w’s use of <strong>the</strong>se words. 14 He criticizes <strong>the</strong> tendency of many<br />

14. Benno Przybylski, Righteousness in Mat<strong>the</strong>w <strong>and</strong> His World of Thought (SNTSMS 41;<br />

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980).

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