I. Introductory Remark:
MMT (Miqsat Ma'ase Ha-Torah) is composed of six fragments, taken from Cave 4, containing instructions concerning the Qumran Calendar, Qumran interpretation of law, and instructions for what should be happening in the Jerusalem temple. It seems to be a letter sent from a leader in the Qumran community to a temple leader in Jerusalem.
II. Outline of 4QMMT
A. The Qumran Calendar -- MMT A
B. Regulations Concerning the law of God (4Q394 3-7i conflated with 4Q395)
-- MMT B
1. Regulations for Gentile offerings 1-16
2. Functions and duties of the Priests 17-33
3. Regulations for sacrifices 35-41
4. Eating the sacrificed meat 40-41
5. Those not allowed in the Temple 42-60
6. Purity of Jerusalem 61-63
7. Planting of fruit trees 64-66
8. Lepers 66-71
9. Regulations for handling corpse 72-74
10. Fornication and holiness 75-78
C. Purity of the Priesthood
1. Defilement of the priesthood 79b-82
2. Women's involvement 89-91a
3. Warning against defilement of priesthood 91b-92a
4. A call to segregation 92b-93b
5. Women (4Q397 14-21) 4-6
D. A Call for Repentance -- MMT C
1. Warning against not following the law 8-25
2. Reminder of what the recipient should do 25-28
3. Do what is good for you and Israel 28-32
III. Contents of 4QMMT
The Halakhic letter seems to be a letter written from a leader, or group of leaders, within the Qumran community to a leader of the temple in Jerusalem. The community is expressing strong concern over the lack of adherence to the law. In the original presentation of this text ,by John Strugnell, the letter was assumed to have been written by the leader of the Qumran community, possibly the Teacher of Righteousness, to the leader of Jerusalem. In the portion of the manuscript that was preserved there are no direct statements of who the author is and who the recipient is, but it would not be outside of reason to draw such a conclusion. It should be noted that John Strugnell gives no credence to the idea that it is from the Teacher of Righteousness nor does he consider it a letter.
The concerns of MMT begin with a discussion of a three hundred and sixty four day solar calendar. The community demands the replacement of the current three hundred fifty four day lunar calendar, that was introduced by the Jerusalem high priest Jonathan, with the solar three hundred sixty four day calendar. They considered this a violation of the regulations of God.
The letter also voices some twenty violations of the Torah by the leader in Jerusalem. The letter calls for an adherence to these laws so as not to mislead those who are being lead by this leader. The concern over the this leadership is expressed when the decree is given to not allow blind or deaf people near the temple. If they hear the word of the law how could blind man live what he has heard and how could a deaf man hear the law that is being presented. The senders are deeply concerned about maintaining and reestablishing the purity of the temple and it’s leaders.
In the conclusion of the letter a plea is made to the Jerusalem temple leader to repent and "keep far from you the evil scheming and the counsel of Belial "(29). The senders appeal to his understanding of God’s justice and to do what is good for him and good for Israel.
IV. What Scholars are Saying
The conversation among scholars concerning the Qumran community has under gone much consideration and discussion. The early notions that the Qumran community was strictly an Essene community are now being called into question. The text that was the impetus behind the questioning of the Essene hypothesis is the text of 4QMMT.
Essenes Hypothesis
The traditional understanding of the Qumran Community is that it was an Essene community. The descriptions given by the Roman geographer Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) and the parallel beliefs of the Essenes, as reported by Josephus, Philo and Pliny the Elder contribute strongly to the supposition that Qumran was an Essene community.
Pliny the Elder seems to describe Essenes that lived in or around the Qumran community when he wrote:
"On the west side of the Dead Sea, but out of range of the noxious exhalations off the coast, is a solitary tribe of the Essenes, which is remarkable beyond all the other tribes in the whole world , as it has no women and has renounced all sexual desire, has no money, and has only palm-trees for company. Day by day the throng of refugees is recruited to an equal number by numerous accessions of persons tired of live and driven thither by the waves of fortune to adopt their manners. Thus through thousands of ages (incredible to relate) a race in which no one is born lives on for ever; so prolific for their advantage is other men’s weariness of life!
Lying below the Essenes (literally: these) was formerly the town of Engedi, second only to Jerusalem in the fertility of its land and in its graves of palm- trees, but now like Jerusalem a heap of ashes."
This would place the Essenes either around the Qumran community or within the Qumran community.
The second argument for the Essene hypothesis is the beliefs and practices of the Qumran community matches what we know of the beliefs and practices of the Essenes, as reported by Josephus, Philo and Pliny the Elder .
According to Vanderkam the ideas of determinism or fate and the afterlife, separates the Qumran community from the Sadducean position and the Pharisaic theory. Josephus states that the three groups held differing opinions on this matter. The War Rule and the Hymn Scroll reveal this concept.
By thy wisdom all things exist from eternity,
and before creating them Thou knewest their works for ever and ever
Nothing is done without Thee
and nothing is known unless Thou desire it.
(6.7-8; p. 253
Vanderkam's second argument centers around the practices of the community. The nonuse of oil, possession of property, the common meal, bodily functions and spitting are presented as arguments for the Qumran community being Essene.
The nonuse of oil was for the purpose of avoiding contamination. The Qumran community believed that liquid could carry contamination (4QMMT) and thus they felt that oily skin could make you more open to becoming unclean. Josephus wrote of the Essenes: "Oil they consider defiling, and anyone who accidentally comes in contact with scours his person; for they make a point of keeping a dry skin and of always being dressed in white" (Jewish War 2.123).
When a person became a member of the Essene community he sold all his property and it became a part of the common stock of the community. In the Manual of Discipline a member of Qumran caught lying about property was to be expelled from the "pure meal" for a year. The Qumran community also shares the idea of a common merger of assets and property.
In the Qumran community the common meal was an important part of the daily life. The exclusion of the common meal was used as a form of punishment for those who did not follow the rules of the community. The Rule of the Congregation (1QSa) describes a type of common community meal. Josephus describes such a practice among the Essenes.
Even the toilet habits of the Essenes and the Qumran community are similar. Both communities went to great lengths to assure purity and avoidance of becoming unclean. The War Rule and the Temple Scroll offer legislation on the purity of the community and the location of the latrines.
A final, almost antidotal, connection is that of spitting. Both Josephus and the Manual of discipline mention the abolition of spitting.
Sadducean Hypothesis
Lawrence Schiffman, after reading the MMT text, states the following:
"MMT revolutionizes the question of Qumran origins and requires us to reconsider the entire Essene hypothesis. It shows beyond question that either the sect was not Essene, but was Sadducean, or that the Essene movement must be totally redefined as having emerged out of Sadducean beginnings."
The MMT texts were found in 1952 but were not published until 1984. Before the publication of this document little question was give to weather the Qumran community was Essene or not, but since its publication the Essene hypothesis has come under fire. Most of the current writing prior to 1984 mention the Qumran sect as Essene but since 1984 the language of Qumran community is used. Scholars are no longer convinced of the Essene only explanation.
Schiffman thinks that the Qumran group is a group of original Sadducean priests, who are lead by the Teacher of Righteousness, who have become sectarian and separatist. They came about after the Maccabean revolt during the time of Hasmonean Jewish rulers controlled the temple. The Hasmonean rulers made partners with the Pharisees but many of the Sadducees would not yield to the change and demanded adherence to their exegetical principles. So, MMT is a letter sent to the Hasmonean rulers in Jerusalem and the compromising Sadducees to convince them to follow Gods ways.
In addition to the historical context of the letter, Schiffman argues that there are at least twenty two common laws shown in MMT that exist between the Qumran community and the Sadducees. He also claims a close connection to the sectarian laws of the Sadducees. Other scholars contest this saying that many of the Jewish laws were similar.
Hartmust Stegemann in his book "The Library of Qumran" makes a compelling argument for the connection of the community to the Essenes. He says that the MMT letter is a letter written to Jonathan the Maccabbee by the directive of the Teacher of Righteousness. Jonathan had taken the wealth and property of the Gentiles and put it into the Temple treasury. The Copper Scroll and the Commentary on the Psalms then make statements concerning these particular wrongs by Jonathan. He concludes that the community must have been Essene to have made these statements.
V. Importance of the Document
1. Importance for the study of Judaism
One benefit of the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls is the confirmation of the accuracy of the Hebrew Bible. "There are relatively few discrepancies between the Qumran biblical texts and later ones." In addition to this affirmation, the Qumran texts give insight to how the Jewish community was understanding scripture and how they were interpreting scripture. The New Testament contains similarities of this understanding and interpretation of scripture by the apostles and church leaders.
2. Importance for the study of Christianity
The common meal, eschatology, and interpretation of scripture are three similarities of the Christian community and the Qumran community. This similar use of language and understanding gives us insight into the New Testament writings of scripture.
3. Why Christians today should read this document
I think the most compelling argument for a Christian reading the Dead Sea Scrolls ,MMT in particular, is the context it provides for understanding the culture of the Jews during the time of Christ. The deterministic language, apocalyptic literature, discussion of what Messiah will be, and interpretation of the law are important found in the Scrolls helps a person understand where and what the language was while Christ walked on earth. The Dead Sea Scrolls illuminate and affirm that Jesus ideas of Messiahship, Teacher of the law, and leader of the Kingdom of God did not just appear out of the air. These ideas and concepts were being discussed and written about a hundred years before he walked the earth.
4. Personal Reflection: This study has been long in coming together. This course was my first introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls so I always had a feeling of being behind the learning curve. However, this study of the Scrolls has deepened my faith in the faith of Christ. It has introduced me to the language of the Jewish community around the time of Christ. It has sparked my interest in Josephus, Philo and other historical writers. I have been fascinated by the connection of the writings of Qumran and the words of Jesus and the apostles. The concepts of light and darkness, eschatology, and the interpretation of scripture have been particularly enlightening. I hope to continue this study and look forward to being stirred even deeper.
For Further Reading
Shanks, Hershel. The Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: Random House, 1998.
Shanks, Hershel Ed. Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: Random House, 1992.
Stegemann, Hartmut. The Library of Qumran: On the Essenes, Qumran, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998.
Ulrich, Eugene and James Vanderkam ed. The Community of the Renewed Covenant: The Notre Dame Symposium on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1993.
Vanderkam, James C. The Dead Sea Scrolls Today. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994.
Vermes, Geza. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English. New York: The Penguin Press, 1997.
