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FRANCO MANZI, Melchisedek e l'angelologia nell'Epistola agli Ebrei e a Qumran (AnBib 136; Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1997). Pp. xvii + 433. Paper Lit 52.000, $37.
This book is the author's doctoral dissertation submitted to the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1996. It is a rigorous piece of work. The problem which Manzi addresses is the relationship between the Qumran scrolls and the Letter to the Hebrews. M. aligns himself with those who argue that there is no need to suppose any kind of literary dependence of Hebrews on any Qumran texts. Most Qumranologists and NT scholars have been similarly wary of drawing the scrolls and Hebrews too closely together, but most have been unwilling to deny any connection whatsoever. M.'s basic thesis is that any link lies not in the figure of Melchizedek, who features both in the scrolls and in Hebrews, but only in the general angelological background of the epistle, which may also be found in some scrolls, including some of those which mention Melchizedek. Thus, certain general views of angels are put in their place in Hebrews 1. The only other connection may be in the minor overlap in thought between I 11QMelch and Heb 12:22-24. In this way M. puts his cards on the table at the outset: for him the burden of proof rests with those who suggest that there is some kind of literary dependence of...