Folia Theologica 18. (2007)

László Boda: Whether John the Baptist Could Have Been Educated at Qumran? - Johs and Bannus

FOLIA THEOLOGICA 18 (2007)

53

László BODA

WHETHER JOHN THE BAPTIST COULD HAVE BEEN EDUCATED AT QUMRAN?- JOHN AND BANNUS

The dispute between those dealing with Qumran has not been solved so far in the matter whether John the Baptist was educated at Qumran and, if yes, how could he get there; what position could he have in the community and how passed he out from there. Answering this question mostly requires the conditional to be used, taking the probability and chances into consideration while the texts of the New Testament relating to John the Baptist are in this investigation accepted and with the aspects of more Bible-experts enforced. However, searching a more conclusive answer involves the documents of Qumran, primarily the versions of the sects rule as well as the texts attesting the Essenians, especially that written by Josephus Flavius (The Jewish War, Autobiography). Answering the question is attempted by outlining a contiguous picture, by using the research method of historical ridles.* 1

Problem of relationship with Jesus of Nazareth

The New Testament presents John the Baptist as the precursor of Jesus of Nazareth who - especially in the gospel according to Luke - was in relationship with Jesus, by means of the relationship between the two mothers i.e. Maria and Elisabeth. Elisabeth might be the aunt of Maria whose visit, anyway, indicated a close relationship.(see Luke 1, 39-45). The journey from Nazareth took about three days as also indicated by Josephus Flavius. Both of them were

The citâtes of the Holy Bible are from “Compact Bible”. Jerusalem Bible Version. 1969, Darton

1 Cf. L. BODA, From the era of Maccabees to Herodes, in view of Qumran, Budapest, 1998, St Stephen ed. - The second part of this book contains the method and the categories of research of some “historical enigmas” considering the mentioned period and area. I tried to adapt the results of this book for the questioned problem of life of John the Baptist.