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Before I get to Antigonus, I need to do a bit on Chanukah.My daughter came over to me last night and asked me a question. She asked if we know Antiochus, who is uncle-ochus? The apple doesn't fall far!
(Onward Christmas soldiers...)
I was discussing with my dad the third Mishnah in Aboth which continues the list of through whom the oral tradition was transmitted. It says, "Antigonus of Sokho received from Simeon the Righteous." Although there were others in the third and fourth century BCE that had the same name, this Antigonus was the first Pharisee (Rabbinic Judaism) on record to have a Greek name. My father considered the importance of names in Judaism, an example, Yaakov was so named because he held onto Akev (heel) of Esau. Other Biblical names have meaning as well. Perhaps Antigonus is Anti-gnos. Maybe he represents an anti gnosis. Gnosis being the philosophy that one can have direct knowledge of God if he has the proper tools or knowledge. Antigonus represents the politically correct approach to religion (as the mishnah sees it), that knowledge of God can be achieved through the proper vehicles; ie. those who received the tradition and passed it on. Follow the Torah, its rules, its priests and prophets not the gnosis approach. At the time of Antigonus there was a major debate among philosophers as to the proper means to have knowledge of God.
It is peripherally interesting that Simeon the Righteous is a cohen gadol of the Zadokite line. There was also a major conflict during the emergence of Rabbinic religion as to who has the authority to determine the course of Jewish teaching and law. The Zadokite line of priests who had ruled the temple for hundreds of years claimed that Sinaitic tradition is meant to be passed through the priestly line. The rabbis contested this and developed the mishnah in Aboth specifically to legitimize their rule. They also needed validity from a recognized power in a similar manner that a famous actor would be used for an infomercial. They used a Zadokite priest who adheres to the Rabbinic modality.
Gabrielle Boccaccini's, The Roots of Rabbinic Judaism, describes this as follows. By focusing on Moses and Joshua the rabbis bypass the hereditary line of priesthood (cutting off Aaron and descendants). Interestingly, The sages included Zadokite high priest Simon the Righteous (described as receiving his Torah based on being a survivor of the men of the great synagogue NOT because he was a priest). He then passed Torah on to disciple Antigonus rather than his sons as would be expected of a priest.
For more on Antigonus because you just can't sleep without it see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonus_of_Sokho
