Re: Was Mattathias of the line of Aaron?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 7:45 am
David was long believed to have a special relationship with God. He took upon himself some privileges reserved to priests (eating the shew-bread, praying in close proximity to the ark, etc.), without repercussions. Ps 110 may just be trying to "expain" how he got away with it.
Now it is pretty clear from the DSS that a common conception was that there should always be a royal leader and a priestly leader (two anointed figures) much like Zerubbabel and Jesus son of Jehozadek in the time of the second attempt to re-establish the temple.
Many others, at least as Josephus tells it, felt that it was acceptable to combine the offices. Of course, Josephus had Hasmonean lineage himself, so perhaps his portrayal was biased. Those who kept plugging for two distinct offices may certainly have objected to the appointment of Simon as dual Prince/HP, on some basis like the performance of duties in war could disqualify the person from the degree of purity that would be required to officiate as High Priest.
Then again Aristobolus II, a quite war-like man, was exceedingly popular among Judahites, and I think that he was exercising both offices, and after the Romans unseated him continued to want to again resume, his dual office. Hyrcanus II was content to be HP and let someone else rule as Prince, even Herod the Great.
Now it is pretty clear from the DSS that a common conception was that there should always be a royal leader and a priestly leader (two anointed figures) much like Zerubbabel and Jesus son of Jehozadek in the time of the second attempt to re-establish the temple.
Many others, at least as Josephus tells it, felt that it was acceptable to combine the offices. Of course, Josephus had Hasmonean lineage himself, so perhaps his portrayal was biased. Those who kept plugging for two distinct offices may certainly have objected to the appointment of Simon as dual Prince/HP, on some basis like the performance of duties in war could disqualify the person from the degree of purity that would be required to officiate as High Priest.
Then again Aristobolus II, a quite war-like man, was exceedingly popular among Judahites, and I think that he was exercising both offices, and after the Romans unseated him continued to want to again resume, his dual office. Hyrcanus II was content to be HP and let someone else rule as Prince, even Herod the Great.