Moses versus die Messias : 'n Samaritaanse tradisie

Abstract

Eschatological expectations among Jewish and Samaritan groups offer a vast field of study. One of the intriguing aspects is the way in which the profile of messianic figures is influenced by the expectations of opposing groups. In orthodox Samaritan theology Moses, being revered as the sole medium of God's revelation, is put up against figures like Dositheus. Messianic claims of the Dositheans are countered by the laudation of Moses. The same trend is followed in the controversy against the Christian messiah: Epithets of a polemic nature in the honor of Moses are encountered in abundance. Even theologumena like the pre-existence of the messiah are attributed to Moses. A poem called "The hymn of the birth of Moses" from the Samaritan Liturgy offers a text-book example of this polemical profiling of Moses, the absolute Prophet.