I have elsewhere cautioned against an exaggerated reaction to the previous neglect of halakha in exploring the religious history of the community, a reaction which could result in an equally undesirable failure to take account of doctrinal matters in determining the identity of pre-Christian Jewish sects.(14) Section C, the hortatory epilogue to MMT, with its appeal for a return to the laws of the Torah because this is the end of days, is a good model for the synthesis of law and eschatology which was characteristic of the
Qumran community.
McKay explains the Qumran evidence by appealing to the "priestly" character of the
Qumran community and by noting the absence of explicit requirements that particular prayers be said at Qumran as part of sabbath worship.
Pines, note interprets the phrase golat ham-midbar, "exiled of the desert," in the prologue of the War Scroll (1QM) to reflect the
Qumran community's understanding of itself as the twelve tribes of Israel.
There was, however, a small sect in late Second Temple days that was known for its discomfort with sexuality: the
Qumran community of Dead Sea Scrolls fame, almost certainly a branch of the Essenes.
The topics include concealing and revealing in the ideology of the
Qumran community, the notion of the spirit in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in texts of the early Jesus movement, the divine name in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in New Testament writings, predeterminism and moral agency in the Hodayot, and two creations for one nation: apocalyptic worldviews in Jubilees and Qumran writings.
That book, a systematic study of terminology and exegesis in the Ishmaelian midrashim, claimed that the school of Ishmael used scripture as a guide to interpreting scripture, continuing a tradition from the
Qumran community. The present book examines Sifra, the Akivan midrash on Leviticus.
This volume contains 27 articles divided into four different categories: The Qumran Library (nine articles); The History of the
Qumran Community (one article); Themes in the Qumran Literature (five articles); and Texts from Qumran (twelve articles).
(2010), Beyond the
Qumran Community: The Sectarian Movement of the Dead Sea Scrolls (Grand Rapids: Wm.
The second section of essays turns to issues like whether John the Baptist was a member of the
Qumran community, rhetoric and persuasion in the wisdom of King Solomon, dialectics in its Talmudic and Hellenistic contexts, "ancient science fiction" in ancient stories about journeying into space, prophecy in the Torah, and more.
In many cases, she draws specific contrasts between standard practices in Hellenistic and first-century Judaism and the more restrictive character of the
Qumran community. For example, in discussing pottery vessels, Magness points to the need for multiple sets of dishes at Qumran to deal with purity concerns (pp.
Beyond the
Qumran community. The Sectarian Movement of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Part 4 ("Dead Sea Scrolls") speaks to separateness within and without the
Qumran community. S.
