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Title: | The Understanding and Significance of the "Remnant" in Qumran Literature: Including a Discussion of the Use of this Concept in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha |
Authors: | Huebsch, William Robert |
Advisor: | Sanders, E. P. |
Department: | Religious Studies |
Keywords: | Religious Studies;Religion;Religion |
Publication Date: | Apr-1981 |
Abstract: | <p>The aim of this dissertation is to examine the Qumran covenanters' understanding of the remnant to test the common scholarly belief that the sectarians considered themselves to be the eschatological remnant. That the sectaries had a remnant understanding is a pre-supposiiion validated by the frequent remnant statements both explicit and implicit. Hence, the question becomes how they understood themselves vis-à-vis the remnant. This question, however, is not the only issue which must be discussed. The pre-Qumranian Palestinian understanding of the remnant must be examined because the sectarians' mindset must be understood against the backdrop of their intellectual heritage.</p> <p>Contrary to the opinion of most scholars, this study concludes that the Qumran sectaries understood themselves not as the eschatological remnant, but rather as its proleptic representatives. Thus the historical sect is not to be equated with the eschatological sect. Membership in the former did not guarantee membership in the latter and membership in the latter was attainable without membership in the former. On the one hand, although one who joined the historical sect and remained steadfast would become a member of the eschatological sect, the determination could not be assured until the end of time. On the other hand, the ranks of the eschatalogical sect would be increased by a final conversion to the sectarian covenant at the eschaton.</p> <p>With respect to significance, this study clearly shows that the concept of the remnant as understood at Qumran formed a major part of the sectarians' self-understanding.</p> <p>In 1QS, CD and 1QH the remnant consciousness is focused upon the historical sect and consists in the realization that, as part of Israel and, therefore, as the children of the historical Israel, the sectarians understood themselves as descen- dants of numerous historical remnants saved by God from various catastrophes. At this time, the sect understood itself as a part of Israel. This is evident both from the fluidity of membership in the historical sect and from the sectarian designation of non-sectarians as Israelites. Although the sect did have a covenant which required that the adult make a conscious decision to join and within which was found salvation, it nonetheless remained true that the title Israel was not appropriated by the historical community.</p> <p>In lQM, lQSa and other predominantly eschatological texts, the vision is of the eschatological sect. All nonsectarian Israelites who did not convert would be destroyed as would the Gentile. Those left would be definable, therefore, as both Israel and the remnant of Israel,--the former because they alone would be those entitled to be called Israel; the latter because they alone had been saved from Israel. The remnant understanding of the Qumran sectarians is shown to be consistent with t he understanding inherited by them. The correct understanding of the Qumran remnant lies, therefore, in a comparison with its Jewish heritage.</p> |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/12993 |
Identifier: | opendissertations/7830 8925 4200489 |
Appears in Collections: | Open Access Dissertations and Theses |
Files in This Item:
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fulltext.pdf | 184.73 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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