The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

180 The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
decision of fate (§ 172). The Sadducees hold the opposite view: they
eliminate fate, for everything depends on humanity. We ourselves are
'the authors of the good and receive the lesser because of our own
lack of prudence' (§ 173). This means that the authors of the Qumran
scrolls with their outspoken doctrine of predestination (1QS 3.13-
4.26) could not have been Sadducees, but must belong to the Essenes.
This becomes clear from another subject of Jewish belief. The
Sadducees rejected the 'incorruptibility' of the soul, as Josephus puts it
in his Hellenizing fashion; they could not think of a life after death,
the resurrection of the body (Ant. 18.16; War 2.164, see Mk 12.18),
and of a final judgment with punishment and reward. In contrast to
this conservative attitude, hope for an eschatological future, the expectation
of God's judgment, and a new life in glory was essential for the
Qumran community (1QS 4.2-14) and for the Essenes of Josephus
(War 2.154-58). Such a belief in an eschatological future is clearly
stated in our text 4QMMT ('the end of days' C 15, 17, 22); it also
characterized the piety of the Pharisees (Ant. 18.14) and the message
of Jesus (Mk 12.18-27). In the eyes of the Rabbis, the denial of eschatology
was a kind of atheism (see Targ. Ps.-J. on Gen. 4.7-8); Jesus
reproached the Sadducees because they 'do not know the power of
God' (Mk 12.24).
A third criterion is the study and diligent observance of the law.
The polite author of 4QMMT lauds his addressee, the high priest in
Jerusalem: 'We have seen that with you is prudence and knowledge of
the Torah!' (C 29-30). But an important reason for this letter is to
show that this knowledge of the Torah has to be improved; a better
understanding and deeper insight into the book of Moses are required
(C 10, 30-31). The truth of the Torah is with the sender of this letter;
for the service in the temple must be corrected on several points,
because the regulations of the law are wrongly interpreted. The
Sadducees, as depicted by Josephus and in the New Testament, must
have been less enthusiastic for the study of scriptures than were the
Essenes and the Pharisees; they acknowledged the written law only
(Ant. 13.297; 18.16). Jesus told them: 'You don't know the
Scriptures!' (Mk 12.24). The Pharisees of Josephus differ from the
other two groups because of their diligent observance of the law (Ant.
13.297; 17.41; War 2.162; Life § 38). Such a zeal for the study and
fulfilment of the whole law is true for the Qumran community (1QS
6.6-7; 8.11-12). In their judgment, even, the Pharisees are doreshe