the-bible-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls

CHAPTER NINE
THREE SOBRIQUETS, THEIR MEANING AND FUNCTION:
THE WICKED PRIEST, SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN, AND
THE WOMAN JEZEBEL
Håkan Bengtsson
One of the distinctive features of the sectarian literature in the Qumran
texts is the frequently occurring sobriquets. Names such as “The Righteous
Teacher,” “The Wicked Priest,” “The Man of Lie,” and “The Kittim”
appear to have been used in a systematic way, above all in the pesharim.
These names apparently are designations used by the Qumran community
for persons and groups, either friendly or hostile toward the community.
To the outside reader, these sobriquets appear as a conglomerate
of cryptograms, 1 fully discernible only for those who know the original
context. This state of things also occurs in Revelation 2–3. There different
opponents of the churches in Minor Asia are depicted in unfavorable
terms: “synagogue of Satan,” “the woman Jezebel,” and so on.
THE PROBLEM
The sobriquets in the pesharim have mostly been dealt with in order to
identify the historical person behind the cryptogram. Not surprisingly,
the historical identifications differ from scholar to scholar; for example,
Vermes and Jeremias have identified “the Wicked Priest” as Jonathan
Maccabaeus. Cross prefers his brother Simon, while Carmignac suggests
Alexander Jannaeus. 2 Often a specific identification is grounded on a particular
passage in the pesharim describing a characteristic quality or deed
1. By the designation “cryptogram” I understand a much broader concept than with
a “sobriquet.” By the term “sobriquet” I mean a nickname systematically attached to
a specific person or group. A cryptogram is considered to be a designation somewhat
nebulous to the reader, but not elaborately used for specific groups or persons.
2. The summary is taken from Adam S. van der Woude and will be elaborated. See
his “Wicked Priest or Wicked Priests? Reflections on the Identification of the Wicked
Priest in the Habakkuk Commentary,” JJS 33 (1982): 349–59, esp. 349.
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