The Essenes--A New Perception

By:  David Ramsay

The Community Rule

Among other things, the Community Rule document describes the organizational structure of a group calling itself "The Community of God".

The original must have been written sometime prior to about 170 BCE because in it there are references to the High Priest being a Son of Zadoc and Onias III was the last of that line.

Dr. Vermes separated out a section of the original Scroll and called it "The Messianic Rule". I believe this was ill-advised and have treated the Community Rule and the Messianic Rule as one, as it was in the original scroll.

The Organization of "The Community of God"

1. Requirements For Entry

2. The Organization of a Congregation

3. Privileges of Membership

4. The Council of the Community

5. The Council of Holiness

6. The Master

7. The Priests and Levites

8. The Secretariat

9. Courts of Law

10. The Army and the National Assembly

1. Requirements For Entry

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". He was educated in these statutes for 10 years.

At age 20, if sound in mind and body, and approved by the Master, he became a member of the Community--one of the sons of light.

Non-Jews were also welcomed into the Community under the same conditions. They were referred to as "proselytes".

While women were taught the precepts of the Covenant and the Statutes, they could not enter the Community.

2. The Organization of a Congregation

A priest, Son of Aaron, had absolute authority over the congregation.

Under him were ten judges, of which four had to be priests or Levites, and six lay members (elders).

Then came the Levites responsible for the administration duties, followed by the elders, the heads of families, the Israeli-born members, and finally the proselytes.

I believe the place of meeting of the congregation was a synagogue.

3. Privileges of Membership

All members (age 20 or older) could be called upon to "witness judgment and assist at the hearing of judgments."

Members aged 30 or older could:

• Participate in lawsuits and judgments

• be selected as judges and officers of their tribe

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

4. The Council of the Community

Unmarried Israeli-born members, aged 25 or older, who wished to "work in the service of its members" (i.e. become an official) could apply for admission to the Council.

If his application was approved, he was admitted as a probationary member. After 1 years service, if still deemed acceptable, he surrendered all his wealth to the Bursar of the Council, who kept it separate from the general funds for a year. It was merged with the general funds if the candidate was accepted into full membership after another year's probation.

Members lived in small communal groups, under the authority of Guardians in the cities and villages. Here "they study the law continually, day and night" and the group "watched in common for a third of every night of the year, to read the Book and study law and to bless together".

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

Some members opting for a monastic life could join one of the agricultural communes described by Josephus and Pliny.

He might be called to serve as a member of the National Law courts and was automatically a member of the National Assembly.

5. The Council of Holiness

At all times within the Council there were 12 men and 3 priests, exceptional members, who had been selected to undergo a further two years of study and instruction. If found acceptable at the end of the period, they became a member of the Council of Holiness.

Members "separated from the habitation of unjust men and went into the wilderness to prepare the way of Him...the path was the study of the Law, that they might do all that had been revealed from age to age and as the Prophets had revealed by His Holy Spirit."

The Interpreter would "not conceal from them...any of those things hidden from Israel which were discovered by him".

In the Damascus document there is a phrase "a star shall come forth out of Jacob" which was interpreted as "the Interpreter of the Law who came to Damascus". I believe this refers to Ezra, who came out of Babylon in the land of Damascus and in forty days he and his companion wrote two hundred and four books. Of these God instructed him to publish the first openly that the worthy and unworthy may read (I believe these refer to the Books of Moses) but to keep the 70 last that you may deliver them only to such as are wise among the people." I believe the Interpreter referred to in the Scroll was the custodian of these and only members of the Council of Holiness were allow to read them.

At the time the Scroll was written, the place "in the wilderness" was not Qumran because it states that when the Council of Holiness moves into Israel, "the men of the Community shall set apart a House of Holiness and a House of Community for Israel for those who walk in perfection."

The House of Holiness did not contain an altar because members could "obtain loving kindness for the land without the flesh of holocausts and the fat of sacrifice. And prayers rightly offered would be an acceptable fragrance of righteousness and perfection of the way as a delectable free will offering.

I believe the holy place without an altar the men of the Community built when the Council moved to Israel was Qumran.

6. The Master

No one could enter the Community unless approved by the Master.

He was the ultimate authority on what was taught to the members and determining the doctrines of the Community.

7. The Priests and Levites

• Sons of Zadoc--At the time the document was written this referred to the High Priest.

• The Sons of Aaron--These were all the other priests and served in the synagogues and had ultimate authority over rituals and property of the congregation.

• The Levites--They were responsible for all the administrative duties connected with the synagogue. 

Members of these groups were expected to marry.

8. The Secretariat

The members were selected by the High Priest to advise him and carry out his orders, that is, they formed the executive brand of the government.

9. Courts of Law

1. Each congregation had its own panel of 10 judges made up of 4 members with priests or Levites and 6 elders to try transgressors

2. Each tribe had its own judges

3. For a layman if the case was too complicated or too serious for the local courts to handle, it would be referred to a national court (apparently appointed by the High Priest) made up of priests and members of the Council "and every decision concerning doctrine, property and justice was determined by them". (I think this was the court Paul faced).

4. If a priest or member of Council were charged with a transgression of the doctrine he was brought before a court consisting of Council members. If the transgression involved property or justice the judges were priests.

10. The Army and the National Assembly

The Army

"Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of the 1000's, and the commanders of the 100's who had come from service in the war". Saul appointed David commander of the 1000's.

The 1000's, 100's 50's and 10's mentioned in the Scroll refers to the national army. Its officers were appointed by the High Priest.

The National Assembly

An assembly was called by the High Priest whenever he wanted to make a pronouncement of national importance. It consisted of "all the wise men of the congregation, the learned and intelligent whose way is perfect, and men of ability 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 and the Levites."

Conclusions

The organization of the Community of God is exactly the same as the political and religious organization of Israel at the time the Community Rule Scroll was written.

In the Scrolls the Israeli nation is referred to as 'The Community of God' and the men as 'sons of light'.