A Feature of Qumrân Angelology and the Angels of I Cor. XI. 10

The Qumrân texts have brought to light a feature of Jewish thought about angels which helps us to interpret the meaning of the phrase διά τούς άγγΈλους in I Cor. xi. 10. This phrase has been the subject of many interpretations from the time of Tertullian on. The evidence from Qumrân, however, does not just add another interpretation to the many that have already been given; rather it adds a detail to one interpretation already rather common, thus supporting it and rendering the other interpretations less probable. It is our purpose in this study to indicate the bearing of the new evidence from Qumrân on this Pauline expression.