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Geber of the Qumran Scrolls and the Spirit-Paraclete of the Gospel of John
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2009
Extract
In the Qumran scrolls there are two passages that talk about a future figure called Geber (= Man). In this article we relate this figure with the Spirit-Paraclete promised in the farewell discourses in the Gospel of John (14. 15–17, 25–6, 15. 26–7, 16. 7–15) but before discussing such a relationship we place before the reader the contents of the two passages about Geber, so that he may relate them with our subsequent considerations without having to turn to the scrolls or a translation of them.
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References
1 In the titles of the various Qumran fragments and translation of quotations from them we follow mostly Vermes, G., The Dead Sea Scrolls in English (Penguin Books, 1976).Google Scholar The reference numbers I, II, … refer to columns, into which the Qumran material is arranged in the original scrolls.
2 ‘CR’ stands for ‘the Community Rule’.
3 Op. cit. p. 50.
4 Bernard, J. H., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St John (1928), p. 497.Google Scholar
5 The New Testament uses the words ‘φαραкαλεἰ and ‘φαρ⋯кλησιζ’ in reference to preaching of the Christian gospel (I Thess. 2. 2–4, Acts 2. 40, 13. 15) and to Christian moral (I Thess. 4. 1, I Tim. 2. 1, 6. 2, Tit. 2. 15, Heb. 3. 13), doctrinal (I Pet. 5. 12, I Tim. 4. 13) and prophetic (Acts 15. 32, I Cor. 14. 3) teaching. In a comparable way the word ‘counsel’ is used in the scrolls in reference to various forms of teachings of the Qumran sect. We cite here some passages: ‘For as long as (a man) despises the precepts of God he shall receive no instruction in the Community of His counsel. For it is through the spirit of true counsel concerning the ways of man that…’ (CR III). 'A spirit of humility, patience, abundant charity These are the counsels of the spirit to the sons of truth in this world' (CR IV). (Cf. ‘παρ⋯кλησιζof the Holy Spirit' mentioned in Acts 9. 31.) 'I, the Master, know Thee, O my God, by the spirit which Thou hast given me, and by Thy Holy Spirit I have faithfully hearkened to Thy marvellous counsel. In the mystery of Thy wisdom, Thou hast opened knowledge to me…' (Hymns XII) 'They shall depart from none of the counsels of the Law to walk in the stubbornness of their hearts…' (CR IX). The Community is 'for all those who have freely devoted themselves to the observance of God's precepts that they may be joined to the counsel of God and may live perfectly before Him in accordance with all that has been revealed (to the Qumran sect) concerning their appointed times…' (CR I).
6 Outside the Qumran scrolls and John, Test. Judah 20. 1–5 provides the only instances of the title in our sources for Johannine studies.
7 Geber is not like any person inspired by the Spirit: with his coming it overcomes falsehood in a way which, as CR IV expressly states, was never possible before, so that in Geber the Spirit of truth is manifested in a very special and unique way and thus may be itself said to come in him.
8 For example, Cross, F. M., The Ancient Library at Qumran and Modern Biblical Studies (Doubleday & Co., Garden City, 1958), pp. 153–62.Google Scholar
9 See Bultmann, Rudolf, The Gospel of John: A Commentary (translated by Beasley-Murray, C. R.) (Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 1971), p. 566Google Scholar and references given there. The impression conveyed by John about the Paraclete, as observed rightly by H. Windisch, is that of ‘a person such as a prophet, in whom the Spirit is manifested’ and the scrolls convey the same impression about Geber.
10 Rudolf Bultmann, op. cit. p. 570.
11 See J. H. Bernard, op. cit. p. 497 for examples.
12 For example, Barrett, C. K. in ‘The Holy Spirit in the Fourth Gospel’, J. T. S. n.s. 1 (1950), 1–15.Google Scholar
13 ‘See note 5, p. 264.
14 Johnston, George, The Spirit-Paraclete in the Gospel of John (Cambridge University Press, 1970).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15 Op. cit. pp. 566–72.
16 Op. cit. p. 571.
17 Op. cit. p. 572.
18 See Brown, R. E., ‘The Paraclete in the Fourth Gospel’, N.T.S. 13 (1966–1967), 113–32.Google Scholar
19 For some independent, but late, evidence that Christian tradition borrowed the expectation of Geber from the Qumran tradition see Shafaat, Ahmad, The Gospel according to Islam (Vantage Press, New York, 1979) note I to chap. 3, note to chap. 23.Google Scholar