Abstract
In this article the Baptist is compared with the upper-class/literate millennialists behind the Psalms of Solomon, the Testament of Moses, the Similitudes of 1 Enoch, and the Qumran scrolls on the one hand, and with the lower-class/illiterate millennialist movements in Josephus on the other hand. The argument is developed in constant dialogue with the analyses of John Dominic Crossan. After an initial statement of historical facts about the Baptist, these are compared with the named groups in terms of each one’s (1) criticism of the social-political and religious status quo, (2) depiction of the imagined mediator through whom God was expected to intervene, (3) portrayal of the violent/non-violent intervention of God and the group respectively, and (4) social ethics. It is concluded that John shows closer resemblance to the literate than illiterate millennialists, and should therefore rather be considered as a dissident retainer.
Highlights
In recent discussions two opposite characterizations of the Baptist’s social class are discernible
The argument is developed in constant dialogue with the analyses of John Dominic Crossan
After an initial statement of historical facts about the Baptist, these are compared with the named groups in terms of each one’s (1) criticism of the social-political and religious status quo, (2) depiction of the imagined mediator through whom God was expected to intervene, (3) portrayal of the violent/non-violent intervention of God and the group respectively, and (4) social ethics
Summary
In recent discussions two opposite characterizations of the Baptist’s social class are discernible. On the other hand are those who classify the Baptist as literate millennialist, comparable to the literate millennialists at Qumran.[2] Exponents of the former view tend to stress similarities between John and peasant millennialists, while emphasizing differences between him and Qumran. On the mesolevel, he proposes to understand this authentic material in relationship to its Greco-Roman and Jewish contexts. The result of his analysis is a Baptist who criticized a corrupt Temple cult and oppressive Herodian-Roman regime. In this article I will, against Crossan’s thesis, argue that John’s baptismal practice and millennialist ideology are closer to comparable structures amongst literate than peasant millennialist groups. My argument will be developed in three steps: first, authentic Baptist complexes relevant to the debate will be identified; second, this material will be compared with. Contemporary ablution practices; third, the identified authentic data will be compared with concurrent literate and peasant millennialist groups
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