Mark J. Boda, «Freeing the Burden of Prophecy:Mas%s%a4) and the Legitimacy of Prophecy in Zech 9–14», Vol. 87 (2006) 338-357
Prior to the 1980’s the definition of the Hebrew term mas%s%a4) as a reference to
prophetic speech or literature, was largely dominated by etymological
argumentation. However, Richard Weis, in his 1986 Claremont dissertation
leveraged form-critical categories and evidence to argue that this term was a
formal tag defining a particular type of literature, an argument that has been
applied and developed by the subsequent work of Marvin Sweeney (Isaiah,
FOTL; Book of the Twelve, Berit Olam) and Michael Floyd (JBL 12.1 [2002] 401-
422). This paper offers a critical review of this history of research with a view to
its impact on the interpretation of Zechariah 9–14. A new proposal is put forward
for the use of this term in Zechariah 9–14, one that reveals the influence of
Jeremianic tradition and highlights concern over certain prophetic streams in the
community that produced these texts.
354 Mark J. Boda
another key passage in Jeremiah, 14,1–15,4 (41). Lying behind this
passage is the assumption of a prophetic liturgy in which the people
cried out to God in lament and sent the prophet to enquire of God.
There we find that the prophetic process is again curtailed, although
this time the message is for the prophet rather than the people. The
prophet is told not to intercede for the people. Interestingly, the issue
is the same: false prophecy and idolatry related to messages that arise
from their own minds. Just as Jer 23,33-40 prohibits the people from
asking for an oracle from the prophet, so Jer 14,1–15,4 prohibits the
prophet from asking for an oracle for the people. There is no reason
then to identify Jer 23,34-40 as a much later deutero-prophetic
insertion, it echoes themes found within what are considered earlier
Jeremianic and Deuteronomic streams of tradition within the corpus.
Thus, the crisis of false prophecy related to idolatry in the closing
moments of the kingdom of Judah’s history leads to the judgment of
God upon this disobedient generation. The judgment of God is first
one of ceased revelation before it is one of fiery destruction. The
mediation of true prophecy is cut off from the kingdom due to its
penchant to follow idolatry and its attendant false prophecy. In the
Jeremianic tradition this is closely related to the term ma¢¢Ë’, a term
for prophecy. Asking for a prophetic ma¢¢Ë’ is deemed inappropriate.
3. Jeremiah, Prophecy and Zechariah 9–14
On one level there are points of similarity between this Jeremianic
tradition of prophecy and Zechariah 9–14 (42). Many have noted clear
(41) Cf. M.J. BODA, “From Complaint to Contrition: Peering through the
liturgical window of Jer 14,1–15,4â€, ZAW 113 (2001) 186-197. Notice 23,10,
where because of the wickedness of the land related to idolatry and prophecy, the
land is parched…resonates with Jer 14,1–15,4 which is echoed in Zech 10,1-3.
(42) Of all the tradition streams that have had influence on the Zecharian
tradition (Zechariah 1–14), the Jeremianic is clearly the strongest. I have argued
this for Zech 1–8 as well as for Zech 9–14, see M.J. BODA, “From Fasts to Feasts:
The Literary Function of Zechariah 7–8â€, CBQ 65 (2003) 390-407; M.J. BODA,
“Zechariah: Master Mason or Penitential Prophet?â€, Yahwism After the Exile.
Perspectives on Israelite Religion in the Persian Era (eds. B. BECKING – R.
ALBERTZ) (Studies in Theology and Religion; Assen 2003) 49-69; M.J. BODA –
S.E. PORTER, “Literature to the Third Degree: Prophecy in Zechariah 9–14 and
the Passion of Christâ€, Traduire le Bible hébraïque. De la Septante à la Nouvelle
Bible Segond/Translating the Hebrew Bible. From the Septuagint to the Nouvelle
Bible Segond (ed. M. JINBACHIAN – R. DAVID) (Sciences bibliques; Montreal
2005) 215-254; M.J. BODA, “Figuring the Future: The Prophets and the Messiahâ€,
Messiah (ed. S.E. PORTER) (McMaster New Testament Studies; Grand Rapids
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