Folia Theologica 18. (2007)
László Boda: Whether John the Baptist Could Have Been Educated at Qumran? - Johs and Bannus
JOHN AND BANNUS 67 son that the existence, the hermit way of life and teaching in the close surroundings of Qumran of John the Baptists was accepted. According to his hermit's manner of living, he lived in celibacy, in connection with the renewed Essenian version of "nazirean vow" of the old times. He conducted the "ceremony" of washing and bathing even during his cave-dwelling hermit's life. Presumably, his clots was similar to that of Bannus: palm-leafs over a frayed linen towel. The camel's hair cloth, however, already reflects to his public activity over the Jordan, near the camel caravan route of Rabba. His public activity started there suggests the conclusion that he separated completely in respect of both his teaching and the place of activity, in fact, he went from Judea to Perea over the Jordan. This also means that the vital problem of water supply either for drinking or for the ceremony of initiation the so-called "baptism" was also solved near the Jordan. Thus, the separation from Qumran became complete trough the new area of Perea, too. References to Qumran following the public appearance Some people give vent to their imagination when they speak about the opposition between John the Baptist and Qumran. (e.g. the Hungarian Antal Ijjas in his book written about Jesus's life). The texts, however, certify that neither John the Baptist nor John the Apostle speak about their time spent at Qumran. The reason might be the oath of secrecy. In essential matter, however, John used the theses of the "Sons of Light", he retuned its summons for penance that incites for conversion and, based on its purifications bath, he developed his own ceremony of initiation, i.e. the "baptism" by means of dipping into the Jordan. There is no one researcher who could pass over the most remarkable connection of ideas already referred to. It is the message of Isaiah, however, sounded in the spirit of John the Baptist own mission: "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in." (Cf. Lk 3,4). The comparison is easy to understand even in our times. It seems to be in relation to the text of the Essenians of Qumran "the men of valley". The "valley" corresponds to the term "pit" in the Qumranian rolls, that means the sons of darkness and damnation (cf.: the ex-
