The Rule of the Congregation

Summary

The Rule of the Congregation (1QSa) is so called because of the frequency with which it refers to the group with which it is concerned as ‘the congregation’ (contrast the single reference to ‘the congregation of holiness’ in the Community Rule (1QS v.20b)). It is concerned with the education and career of the members of the congregation and with the administration of certain aspects of its life. As such the Rule of the Congregation may be compared with the Community Rule and the Damascus Document. But whereas these two latter documents reflect the actual life of the Essene movement in the various different forms which it assumed, the Rule of the Congregation is said to be for ‘the end of days’ (1.1). It is, that is to say, concerned with the life of the community in the new age, the messianic age, and indeed a major concern of this document is with the positions to be occupied by the priest-messiah and the messiah of Israel in the messianic age; for this reason this documents is also known as the Messianic Rule. Because of its future concerns the Rule of the Congregation may be seen to have close affinities with the War Scroll (1QM, not translated here), which lays down the rules of conduct and the tactics to be followed in the last great battle against the forces of evil.