Folia Theologica 18. (2007)
László Boda: Whether John the Baptist Could Have Been Educated at Qumran? - Johs and Bannus
56 L. BODA uniform statement of the Qumran researchers. According to the count down, John must have been about 11 at this time. Thus, a significant time difference between Jesus' first visit in the church and the time John joints the Essenians cannot be assumed. This also fits in the scene very well that his mother, Elisabeth, the descendant of Aaron made arrangement to get her son to the Essenians. What is that fits into the synopsis? Although John the Baptist as a teenager joined the Essenians, it does not mean that his education started in Qumran; in fact, the Essenians also had "camps" at other places: it is quite sure that in En-Gedi as well2. Special schools of the sect also belonged to certain "camps", namely, under the leadership of "educational supervisor" (as the "prefect" in the church grammar schools) as specified in the rules of community3. Of course, they were also connected to the centre. John ranked among neither the wealthy Sadducees nor the Pharisees observing the rules of Torah traditionally. Or even, he opposed both of the leader relational lines as did the Qumran community and Jesus of Nazareth. In his teaching, he concentrated on the lead of prophets, especially that of Isaiah. Even in this respect, he relied on those learnt in Qumran; in fact, the complete set of paper rolls written by Isaiah were found in Qumran's caves. By the phrase "a voice cries in the wilderness", John cited the text of Isaiah, as did the rules of Qumranian sect4. In his speeches, he addresses his audience, whether they are Sadducees or Pharisees, with the plain speaking of prophets. The term "brood of vipers" is a strong one [Mt 3,7]. This is not from Isaiah. It definitely reflects to his experiences gained in the "wilderness". He addresses neither the publicans nor the soldiers with strong words of this kind. John the Baptist did not 2 Cf. J. PRYKE, John the Baptist and the Qumran Community, RQ Nr 16. 1964.G. KOMORÓCZY, A voice of one calling in the desert, Budapest, 1998, Osiris ed. 29. - Summary work: E. SCHÜRER, A History of the Jewis People in the Time of Jesus, 1961 3 The Code of Damascus mentions several times the supervisor of education.E.g. A/2 IX, 13 XIII. 8-7. etc. 4 The Scrolls of Qumran cite this text of Isaiah 40, 30 and this is the principalargument because also John the Baptist preaches this words of Isaiah (cf. Mt 3,3, Me 1,2 Lk 3,4 Jn 1, 23).
