Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered - The Preterist Archive

them (27) feared [the L]aw was saved from sufferings; when they so[ug]ht the Law, (28) [then] their
sins [were forgiven] them. Remember David. He was a man of Pious works, and he, also, (29) was
[salved from many sufferings and forgiven. And finally, we (earlier) wrote you about (30) some of the
works of the Law (see the First Letter above), which we reckoned for your own Good and for that of
your people, for we see (31) that you possess discernment and Knowledge of the Torah. Consider all
these things, and beseech Him to grant you (32) proper counsel, and to keep you far from evil
thoughts and the counsel of Belial. (33) Then you will rejoice at the End Time, when you find some of
our words were true. Thus, 'It will be reckoned to you as Righteousness' (or in Paul's language,
'reckoned as justifying you'), your having done what is Upright and Good before Him, for your own
Good and for that of Israel.
37 . A Pleasing Fragrance (Halakhah A - 4Q251) (Plate 17)
This text is typical of the kind of legal minutiae found at Qumran. It further fleshes out our view of
the basic legal approach there. In it, there are parallels to both the Community Rule and the Damascus
Document. For instance, the enumerations contained in Fragment 1 parallel many in the Community
Rule. Those in Fragment 2 parallel similar materials in the Damascus Document. In both cases the
parallels are precise, though the language varies. For instance, the penalty for 'knowingly Lying' in
Line 7 of Fragment 1 and in the Community Rule are exactly the same, though the offence is
described slightly differently (1QS, vii. 3).
The same applies to pulling a beast out of a pit or cistern on the sabbath in the Damascus Document
(xi.13-14) and pulling a beast out of the water on the sabbath in this document (2.5-6). It is also true
for wearing soiled garments on the sabbath (2.3 and xi .3). Since, in fact, there are overlaps in legal
issues between the Damascus Document in the Cairo recensions and the Community Rule (e.g. the
matter of loud guffaws in meetings of the Community), it is possible that the legal Chapters of both,
which are more or less rationalized in the present document, originally constituted a single whole.
The reference to 'tent' in 2.4 is interesting too. This is one of the first direct references to living in a
'tent' at Qumran. It may actually give evidence of the style of living in the area of settlements or
'camps' (i.e. the wilderness 'camps') including perhaps Qumran - always somewhat of a puzzle. On the
other hand, the reference may simply be a casual one.
Even more interesting in this text are the descriptions of the Council of the Community. The language
of 'making atonement for the land' and the reconstructed material about being 'founded on Truth for an
Eternal Planting' in 3.8-9 is exactly that of the Community Rule,viii.5-6. If the reconstruction 'fifteen
men' in Line 3.7 is correct, then another puzzling problem in Qumran studies is solved - whether the
'twelve men and three priests' mentioned in the Community Rule, viii. 1 as 'a Holy of Holies' and 'a
House (i.e. a Temple) for Israel' should be exclusive or inclusive: that is, should they be three within
the twelve, paralleling Christian reckonings of twelve apostles and a central triad, or three in addition
to twelve?
The allusions to 'making atonement for the land' and being a 'pleasing fragrance' (3.9) also directly
parallel material in 1QS, viii.5-12, where the imagery of the Community Council as a spiritualized
Temple is found, which introduces the exegesis of Isa. 40:3 that this is 'the time of the preparation of