A
Sectarian Manifesto
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Part
of the MMT translator’s notes:
In all of
antiquity, only the Manifesto and Paul’s Letters to the Galatians and Romans
discuss the connection
Of course, when one expects to find
something, one usually does, and so it is here. Seen as pregnant with
significance, the Manifesto has given birth to a new theory. Based on legal
arguments in the first section of the Manifesto, this theory suggests that the Yahad
were Sadducees—not, however, the Sadducees as we know them from Josephus or the
New Testament. Rather, the theory holds, these are Sadducees with Essene
theological tendencies. Thus, those who have embraced this new theory have as
yet seen little reason to jettison the Standard Model. Jack’s note: Rather than Sadducees, we would be better to see them as Zadokites, the word from which Sadducee is a poor transliteration. Zadok is as in Zedek or Zadik – the Just Ones or Righteous Ones, followers in spirit of the priest Zadok or even Melchizedek. Update 2011: Might we understand this letter to have been received by the Sect rather than sent? This final exhortation is of great
importance for a fuller understanding of statements the apostle Paul makes
about works and righteousness in his Letter to the Galatians. The author of the
Manifesto, probably thinking of Psalm 106:30—31 (where the works of Phinehas
were reckoned to him as righteousness), is engaged, as it were, in a rhetorical
duel with the ideas of the apostle. Paul appeals to Genesis 15:6 to show that
it was the faith of Abraham that was reckoned to him as righteousness (Gal.
3:6) and goes on to state categorically that by the works of the Torah shall no
flesh be justified (Gal. 2:16). Probably the false brethren (Gal. 2:4) that
Paul opposed held a doctrine on justification much like that of the present
writing. Here
are some New Testament references, perhaps to the MMT:
Romans 3:20. For no human being
will be justified in his sight by works of the Torah, since through the
Torah comes knowledge of sin.
Galatians 2:15. We ourselves, who
are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners,
6. yet who know that a man is not
justified by works of the Torah but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not
by works of the Torah, because by works of the Torah shall no one be
justified. Galatians 3:1. O FOOLISH Galatians! Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2. Let
me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Torah, or by
hearing with faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun with the
Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
4. Did you experience so many
things in vain?--if it really is in vain.
5. Does he who supplies the
Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the Torah, or
by hearing with faith? 6. Thus Abraham “believed God, and it was
reckoned to him as righteousness.” 7. So you see that it is men of faith who are
the sons of Abraham. 8. And the scripture, forseeing that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,
saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9. So
then, those who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith. 10. For
all who rely on works of the Torah are under a curse; for it is written,
“Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of
the Torah, and do them.” Here is reference to some
(people) "going out from among us":
1 John 2:18. Children, this is the final hour; you have heard that the
Antichrist is coming, and now many Antichrists have already come; from this we
know that it is the final hour. 19. They
have gone from among us, but they never really belonged to us; if they had
belonged to us, they would have stayed with us. But this was to prove that not
one of them belonged to us. 20. But you
have been anointed by the Holy One, and have all received knowledge. 21. I have
written to you not because you are ignorant of the truth, but because you are
well aware of it, and because no lie can come from the truth. 22. Who is the liar, if not one who claims
that Jesus is not the Christ? This is
the Antichrist, who denies both the Father and the Son. (NJB)
Revelation 2: 8. Write to the
angel of the church in Smyrna and say, ‘Here is the message of the First and
the Last, who was dead and has come to life again: 9. I know your hardships and
your poverty, and, though you are rich, the slander of the people who
falsely claim to be Jews but are really members of the synagogue of
Satan. Here
is the preamble to the MMT:
These are some of our pronouncements
concerning the Torah of Elohim.
Specifically, some of pronouncements concerning works of the Torah that we
have determined . . . and all of them concern defiling mixtures and the purity
of the sanctuary . . . And
here is the postscript:
Now, we have written to you some of the
works of the Torah, those which we determined would be beneficial for you and your
people, because we have seen that you possess insight and knowledge of the Torah.
Understand all these things and beseech Him to set your counsel straight and so
keep you away from evil thoughts and the counsel of Belial. Then you shall
rejoice at the end time when you find the essence of our words to be true. And it
will be reckoned to you as righteousness, in that you have done what is
right and good before Him, to your own benefit and to that of Israel.
Here’s the rest of it – some of the works of the Torah:
Concerning the offering of Gentile grain
which they are . . . and allowing their . . . to touch it and defile it. No
one should eat from Gentile grain nor bring it into the sanctuary . . .
Concerning the Gentile sacrifice, we have
determined that they are sacrificing to the
. . . which . . . to him. Concerning the cereal offering of the
sacrifice of well being, they are being put aside from one day for the next.
Indeed it is written . . . that the cereal offering is to be eaten with the fat
and the flesh on the day that they are sacrificed. For the priests are
responsible to take care of this matter so as not to bring guilt upon the
people. Concerning the purity of the
heifer of the sin offering, the one who slaughters it, the one who burns it,
the one who gathers its ashes, and the one who sprinkles the water of
purification—for all of these, the sun must set for them to be pure—so that the
pure might sprinkle the water of purification on the unclean. For the sons of
Aaron are responsible to care for this matter . . . Concerning the hides of cattle and sheep
which they are ... and fashioning from their hides vessels ... no one is
allowed to bring them into the sanctuary . . .
Concerning the hides and bones of unclean
animals, no one is allowed to make handles for vessels from the bones or hide .
. . Concerning the hide from the carcass of a
clean animal, the one who carries this carcass must not touch the holy food . .
. Concerning the . . . which are . . . For it
is the responsibility of the priests to care for all these matters so as not to
bring guilt upon the people. (Lev.
22:10-16) Concerning that which it is written: anyone
who slaughters in the camp or outside the camp an ox, a lamb, or a goat, that
... to the north of the camp. We have determined that the sanctuary is the
tabernacle of the tent of meeting, that Jerusalem is the camp, and that outside
the camp is outside of Jerusalem, in other words the camp of their cities.
Outside the camp ... the sin offering, and they take out the ashes of the altar
and burn the sin offering there. For Jerusalem is the place which He chose from
all the tribes of Israel to make His name to dwell. . . which they are not
sacrificing in the sanctuary. Concerning pregnant animals, we have determined
that one must not sacrifice the mother and the fetus on the same day . . . (Lev. 22:27-28) Concerning one who eats of the fetus, we
have determined that a person might eat the fetus which is found in the womb of
its mother after it has been sacrificed as well. You know that this is correct,
for the matter is written concerning the pregnant animal. (Lev. 22:7-2) Concerning the Ammonite, the Moabite, the
bastard, the one whose testicles are crushed, or whose penis is cut off who
enter the congregation . . . and take wives, that they might become one flesh
and entering the sanctuary . . . unclean. We have also determined that there is
not... one must not have intercourse with them . . . one must not unite with
them so as to make them one bone . . . one must not bring them into the
sanctuary. And you know that some of the people and ... are uniting. For all
the sons of Israel are responsible to guard themselves against any defiling
union and to show reverence for the sanctuary. (Deut. 23:1-4) Concerning the blind, who
since they cannot see, are not able to guard themselves from any defiling
mixture. They cannot see the defilement of the guilt offering. (Lev. 21:17-23) Concerning the deaf, who have
not heard the statute, the judgment, and the purity ruling, who have not heard
the commandments belonging to Israel. For the one who has not seen or has not
heard does not know how to perform according to the Torah. They may, however,
participate in the pure food
of the sanctuary. (Lev. 21:17-23) Concerning streams of liquid, we have
determined that they are not intrinsically pure. Indeed, streams of
liquid do not form a barrier between the impure and the pure. For the liquid of
the stream and that in its receptacle become as one liquid. Concerning dogs, one may not
bring dogs into the holy camp because they may eat some of the bones from the
sanctuary and the meat which is still on them. For Jerusalem is the holy camp.
It is the place which He chose from all the tribes of Israel, for Jerusalem is
the foremost of the camps of Israel. Concerning the planting of fruit trees which
are planted in the land of Israel, their produce is to be considered as first
fruits belonging to the priests. Also the tithe of the cattle and sheep belong
to the priest. Concerning lepers, we have
determined that they may not enter any place containing the sacred pure food,
for they shall be kept apart, outside the camp (?). Indeed it is written that
from the time that he shaves and washes he must dwell outside the camp for
seven days. But now, while they are still unclean, lepers must not enter inside
any place with sacred pure food. And you know that the one who unknowingly
breaks a command because the matter escaped his notice, he must bring a sin
offering. But as for the one who intentionally sins, it is writ ten that he is
a despiser and a blasphemer. Indeed, while they are yet leprous, they may not
eat from the holy food until sunset on the eighth day. (Lev. 14:2-9; Num.
15:30) Concerning the uncleanness of the dead, we
have determined that every bone, whether a piece or whole, is considered
according to the commandment of the dead or the slain. (Num. 19:16-19) Concerning the fornication which has been
done in the midst of the people, their children are holy. As it is written,
Israel is holy. (Num. 36:6) Concerning a clean animal of an Israelite,
it is written that it is not Torah to breed it with another species. (Lev.
19:19) Concerning the clothes of an Israelite, it
is written that they must not be of mixed substances. Nor is it Torah for him
to sow his field or his orchard with two species of plants. Because they are holy and the sons of Aaron
are most holy. But you know that some of
the priests and the people are intermarrying. They are uniting and defiling the
holy seed as well as their own with forbidden marriage partners. For the sons
of Aaron must . . . (Lev. 19:19; 21:7;
Num. 36:6). Concerning the women ... the violence and
the unfaithfulness . . . (Deut. 17:17;
21:15-16) Thus we have separated
ourselves from the violators.
But you know that we have separated from the majority of the people (or
council of the congregation) and from all their uncleanness and from being
party to or going along with them in these matters. And you know that no
unfaithfulness, deception, or evil are found in our hands, for we have given
some thought (?) to these issues. Indeed, we have written to you so that you
might understand the book of Moses, the books of the Prophets, and David ......
all the generations. In the book of Moses it is written . . . not to you and
days of old... It is also written that
you will turn from the path and evil will befall you (Deut. 31:29). And it is
written that when all these things happen to you in the Last Days, the blessing
and the curse, that you call them to mind and return to Him with all your heart
and with all your soul (Deut. 30:1-2) . . . at the end of the age, then you
shall live . . . etc. It is also written in the book of Moses and
in the books of the prophets that the blessings and curses shall come upon you
. . . some of the blessings came on ... and in the days of Solomon the son of
David. Indeed the curses which came in the days of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat until the exile of Jerusalem and Zedekiah the king of
Judah when He sent them to Babylon . . . And so we see that some of the
blessings and curses have already come that are written in the book of Moses. Now this is the Last Days: when those of
lsrael shall return to the Torah of Moses with all their heart and will never
turn away again. But the wicked will increase in wickedness and . . . And the .
. . Now remember the kings of Israel and
consider their works carefully. For he
who feared the Torah was delivered from his troubles. These were the seekers of
the Torah, those whose sins were forgiven.
Remember David, he was a pious man, and indeed he was delivered from
many troubles and forgiven.
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