The tandem Messiahs of the Scroll community designated community clans. The Priestly Messiah was the flag of the Qumran avant-garde that was contesting Temple teachings while the David Messiah was the traditionalist's banner. The more adventurous and scheming avant-garde attained a dominant position, as shown by the scroll "Messianic fragment". The pie-chart of their local assembly shows that the Priest has more importance than the subaltern David Messiah.
Mark's Gospel also comprises two Messiahs in opposition. A winning Messiah Jesus and a losing Messiah John the Baptiste. An avant-garde against Temple teachings. The Baptist is an allegory of Elijah, an ascetic prophet dressed in camel clothes.
Both emblematic actors that were no more than party labels within a quarreling community,will take part in the baptism controversy that opens the Gospel and the Messiah controversy. IN both cases, tenants of Elijah are eliminated.
The Gospels are neither the word of God, nor the stories of a man Jesus, but an intra-community Punch and Judy show where the evangelist Mark is setting scores with his opponents.
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