Folia Theologica 18. (2007)

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

JOHN AND BANNUS

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Everything points to that this affects the date when John - in his age of 30 - starts his public activity on the other side of the Jordan - in Perea. Let us stick to the age of 30 years. This is of dominant importance when counting back. Apart from 1 to 2 excess years (i.e. "approximately", "about") the age of 30 years as a requirement can be well justified. Or even, in respect of their significant clauses, the legal rules of the Roman Empire at that time were in good coincidence with those of the Qumranian rules of sect. The most important rule is that the age of at least 30 years is required for the act of judging in both cases, equally in case of Roman people's tribunes, the Qumranian supervisors or judges, or even, in case of other outstanding officials. It is especially stressed by Josephus Flavius saying: "I was about thirty at that time"15. In case of both Jesus and John, this date is more definitive than that of the census of Quirinus referred to in general that took an uncertain time or even the star of Bethlehem. It is for this reason that the year 4 B.C. rather than 7 B.C. shall be approached. Therefore, the nearly generally accepted dating of experts of exegesis that John the Baptist was executed in 27/28 A.D. and his public activity can be assumed a little less that one year.

The real problem: the missing seven to ten years

The experience show that one becomes interested if some significant inter space is found in the biography of somebody who keeps it secret for some reason (e.g. imprisoning). In case of John, this is the transition period following that he left Qumran. The real problem is: how left John the Baptist Qumran and what did he during 7 to 10 years until he started his public appearance in the "wilderness"? In fact, the term "wilderness" (in Greek: ereemos) means Qumran and its immediate surroundings in both the gospels and the description of Plinius. Thus, this period shall also be located in an acceptable time frame in the hermeneutic synopsis i.e. overall picture. John had appeared in "the desert" before he went to the Jordan. However, how lived he previously? Is there any intermedi15 The 30 year was necessary at that time for many important official function as

e.g. the office of tribunal in Rome or the judging respectively, the office of

supervisor of education at the Essenians. Cf. Rule of Community, I. 13