The Scepter and the Star: Messianism in Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls, 2nd ed.

by John J. Collins

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2010

Overview

In The Scepter and the Star John J. Collins offers an up-to-date review of Jewish messianic expectations around the time of Jesus, in light of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Collins breaks these expectations into three categories: Davidic, priestly, and prophetic. Based on a small number of prophetic oracles and reflected in the various titles and names assigned to the messiah, the Davidic model holds a clear expectation that the messiah figure would play a militant role. In sectarian circles, the priestly model was far more prominent. Jesus of Nazareth, however, showed more resemblance to the prophetic messiah during his historical career, identified as the Davidic “Son of Man” primarily after his death.

Key Features

• Offers an up-to-date review of Jewish messianic expectations
• Focuses on three main categories: Davidic, priestly, and prophetic

Contents

• Messianism and the Scrolls
• The Fallen Booth of David: Messianism and the Hebrew Bible
• A Shoot from the Stump of Jesse
• The Messiahs of Aaron and Israel
• Teacher, Priest and Prophet
• A Throne in the Heavens
• The Messiah as the Son of God
• The Danielic Son of Man
• Messianic Dreams in Action

Top Highlights

“Ancient Judaism did not have a creed that defined orthodoxy, in the manner of later Christianity. The reason that some notions, such as the expectation of a Davidic messiah, were widely shared, was that by this time (approximately 150 bce to 70 ce) a corpus of scriptures had come to be accepted as authoritative in Judaism. Eventually, these scriptures took the form of the canonical Hebrew Bible that we know today. Whether one may properly speak of a canon in the period before 70 ce, however, is a matter of dispute.” (Page 21)

“For the present, it is sufficient to establish that Balaam’s oracle was widely understood in a messianic sense, and that ‘Prince of the Congregation’ was a messianic title.” (Page 73)

“Both the priestly messiah and the ‘prophet like Moses’ are teacher figures. Teaching and the Law carried enormous importance for the Dead Sea sect. It occupied far more of the sectarians’ attention than preparation for the eschatological war. Authentic teaching would be an essential component of the messianic end of days. Whether the eschatological Teacher was prophet, priest or both, the important thing was that there would be a Teacher of Righteousness in the messianic age.” (Page 141)

“Perhaps the most famous attestation is in the legend of Akiba’s recognition of Bar Kochba: ‘Rabbi Akiba interpreted, ‘A star has come forth out of Jacob’ as ‘[Kosiba] has come forth out of Jacob.’ When Rabbi Akiba saw bar [Kosiba] he said: This is the King Messiah. Rabbi Yohanan ben Torta replied: ‘Akiba, grass will grow out of your cheekbones before the son of David comes.’ ’” (Pages 71–72)

Praise for the Print Edition

A must-read for anyone interested in the early history of Judaism and the development of nascent Christianity.

—Lawrence H. Schiffman, Judge Abraham Lieberman Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, New York University

Product Details

• Title: The Scepter and the Star: Messianism in Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls
• Author: John J. Collins
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2010
• Pages: 320
• Resource Type: Topical
• Topic: Dead Sea Scrolls

About John J. Collins

John J. Collins is Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School. His books include Jewish Wisdom in the Hellenistic Age; Apocalypse, Prophecy, and Pseudepigraphy: On Jewish Apocalyptic Literature; The Invention of Judaism: Torah and Jewish Identity from Deuteronomy to Paul; and, most recently, What Are Biblical Values? What the Bible Says on Key Ethical Issues. Collins serves as general editor of the Anchor Yale Bible and Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library. He is on the editorial board of the Journal for the Study of Judaism and Dead Sea Discoveries. Previously, he has served as President of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Catholic Biblical Association.