Is the 'Firstborn Son' in 4Q369 a Messiah? The Evidence from 4QInstruction

The 'firstborn son' in 4Q369 1 ii line 6 is interpreted by the vast majority of scholars as referring to a Davidic Messiah vis-à-vis an allusion to Psalm 89:27-28. The minority view is that 'firstborn son' in 4Q369 refers to 'Israel', which is supported by multiple attestations to such a tradition in early Jewish literature. However, neither side in this debate have assessed the significance of 'firstborn son' in 4QInstruction to determine what significance, if any, there may be for understanding 4Q369. This study argues that 4QInstruction uses the expression 'firstborn son' in relationship to God and when this conclusion is set in conversation with 4Q369 1 ii it problematizes the identification of an allusion to Psalm 89:27-28 and, therefore, a reference to a Messiah.