The Dead Sea Scrolls--A New Interpretation

By:  David Ramsay

The Community Rule Scroll

The original document must have been written sometime prior to 170 BCE because in it there are references to the High Priest as the "Son of Zadoc", Onias III, the last of the Zadoc line, was murdered CA 170 BCE.

Dr. Vermes, whose translation of the scrolls I am using ("The Dead Sea Scrolls in English", Penguin Books, Fourth Edition, 1995) separates part of the  Scroll from the original and calls it "The Messianic Rule". I believe this was ill-advised and have treated it as part of the Community Rule Scroll.

Membership in the Community of God (aka Israel)

1. The Head of the Family was responsible for insuring that "everyman born in Israel was instructed in the Book of Meditation and taught the precepts of the Covenant" beginning at age 10.

At age 20, if sound in mind and body, and approved by the Master, he entered the Community (i.e. became a 'saint').

He then became eligible to "witness judgement and assist at the hearing of judgements".

2.  At age 30 or older a member might be called to:

1. Participate in lawsuits and judgments

2. Act as judges and officers of their tribe

3. Act as "chiefs of the 1000's, 100's, 50's, and 10's; that is, an officer in the army

4. Be selected to be a member of the Secretariat

3.  Every Israeli male age 20 years or over was a member of the Community of God, an Essene.

Organization of the Community of God (aka Israel)

The High Priest
     Exercised his authority through 4 branches of government:
          1.  Education
          2.  Judicial
          3.  Executive
          4.  Military

1.  Education
          This branch was headed by the Sons of Zadoc (chief priests)...
          Who supervised the Sons of Aaron (priests)...
          Who had authority of the congregation
        The minimum size of congregations was 10 members.  In the larger ones a Levite would be responsible to the priest for the administrative duties of the house of worship (synagogue).       The sons of Aaron's (priests) responsibility was to teach the precepts of the Covenant to their congregations.

2.  Judicial Branch
          This branch was headed by the National Court (the Sanhedrin) made up of Chief Priests and scribes with members appointed by the High Priest. 
            It was the court of last resort and "every decision concerning doctrine, property, and justice was determined by it".  If a charge against a priest was brought before it,
          only the priests heard the case.  If the charge was against a member of the Council of the Community (i.e. a Scribe or a Rabbi) only the scribes heard the case. 
            Cases less complicated or important were heard in the tribal courts with tribal leaders appointing the judges. 
            If it was a relatively minor case then it was heard by a congregational court made up of 10 judges appointed by the priest consisting of 10 judges - 4 of which had to be
          priests or Levites and 6 elders (lay members). 
            If there were differences within the family, the matter was settled by the Head of the Family.

3.  The Executive Branch
          The Secretariat consisted of leading citizens, Sons of Aaron (Priests), and members of the Council of the Community (Scribes).
            It was responsible for implementing the orders of the High Priest.
            It in turn passed on to tribal officers, appointed by the tribal chief, instructions and orders for implementation, which were then passed down to the 1000's, 100's, 50's and
          10's tribal officials.

4.  The Military
          Headed by a Commander appointed by the High Priest. 
            Under him he had captains of the 1000's, 100's, 50's, and 10's. 
            When it came to raising men for an army, the Commander gave each of the tribal leaders a quota of manpower to provide.  The tribal leaders in turn passed quotas down to
          their clans who passed down quotas to the Heads of Families.

Religious Organization

Religion, except for the actual religious teaching, was under the authority of the Master not the High Priest.

1.  The Master 
          How the Master was selected is not known for certain but he was probably selected by his peers in the Community of Israel (Rabbis).
          He was responsible for non-members prior to entry.
          Only he could approve entry into the Community of God (Israeli citizenship), the Council of the Community (Scribes), the Council of Holiness, and the Community of Israel (Rabbis).
          He had ultimate authority over what was taught to the members and determining questions of doctrine and behaviour not covered under existing rulings.

The Sect of the Community of God

Any unmarried Israeli-born member at age 25 or older, who wished to "work in the service of its members" could apply for admission to the Council of the Community (Scribes).

1.  The Council of the Community (Scribes)
          If his application was accepted, he joined the Council on a probationary basis. After a year's service, he surrendered all his wealth to the Council, where it was kept it separate
         from the general funds for a year.  If the candidate was accepted to full membership after another year of probation, his wealth was merged into the general funds of the Council.

          Members lived in small community groups, under the authority of a Guardian (a Priest) in the cities and towns. Here "they study the law continually, day and night" and "watched
         in common for a third of every night of the year, to read the Book and study law and bless together".

          They served the congregations "by answering any questions concerning any counsel or matter coming before it" and "providing counsel in all things to the priest".

          Some members could opt for a monastic life and join an agricultural commune.

          He might be called to serve on The National Law Court (Sanhedrin) and automatically became a member of The National Assembly.

          After a year's experience, he might be selected for a special group limited to 15min - 12 Scribes and 3 Priests for 2 years of further testing and instruction.

          When completed, he became a member of the Council of Holiness and separated from the other Scribes by moving into the House of Holiness so that "he might be united with
         the most holy things".

The Council of Holiness

The most holy things were the 70 Holy books that God had instructed Ezra to show "only to the wise".  Here, under authority of the custodian of these books, the Interpreter, with the Master himself as instructor, they studied the books.  The Scroll does not say how long "this preparation of the way into the wilderness" lasts but at the end of it the member "separated himself from the habitation of unjust men and went into the wilderness" to join the members of the Community in Israel.

The Community in Israel

The members "atone for guilty rebellion and for sins of unfaithfulness that they may obtain loving kindness for the land without the flesh of holocausts and the fat of sacrifice.  And prayers rightly offered shall be as an acceptable fragrance of righteousness and perfection of way as a delectable free will offering".

These members are the authors of the so-called "Dead Sea Scrolls".

Qumran

I believe "the place in the wilderness" the men of the Community in Israel (Rabbis) went to live was on the site currently known as Qumran.

It is located in that part of Israel formerly known as "the Wilderness of Judah" and did not have an altar because the members were so holy that they did not have to make sacrifices.  Their prayers alone were sufficient to obtain God's forgiveness of the people.

As the Scroll was written about 175 BCE or earlier, and the present Qumran was built CA143 BCE the place in the wilderness it refers to was on the same site on which the present structure was built when Israel regained its independence with the appointment of Simon as High Priest and Ethnarch.

The National Assembly

The assembly was called by the High Priest "and when the whole assembly was summoned for judgement, or for a Council of the Community or for war" it was composed of "the wise men of the congregation (Rabbis), the learned and the intelligent, men whose way is perfect (The Council of Holiness) and men of ability (Scribes) together with the tribal chiefs and all the judges and officers and the chiefs of the 1000's, 100's, 50's, and 10's (army officers) and the Levites".

That is, it was called to hear trials before the Sanhedrin, pronouncements, such as the Scroll Commentaries by the Rabbis and announcing a declaration of war.