Covenant concept in the Qumran community in the light of the earlier covenantal ideas in Israel

Abstract

The determinative factor which impelled the Qumran community to secede from the main body of Judaism was its concern for the correct and legitimate interpretation of the scriptures. The community's accusations against its contemporaries are indicative of that fact. Behind such indictments, however, there lay a profound idealism of covenant.

The improper use of scripture was a violation of the covenant pledge and resulted in a suspension of the covenant bond through the execution of the impending curse. The community was confronted by a crisis of covenant. The merit and validity of the Sinai covenant had become suspect. The covenant bond and, indeed, the whole history of salvation lay in the balance. The community solved the dilemma by interpreting its own life as a re-expression of the desert existence of ancient Israel. By renewing its obedience and by living under the conditions of the old covenant, the community would "atone" for the failures of that covenant and thus more worthily represent the true people of God. In this setting too, God's electing and redeeming "grace" would inspire and sustain its renewed sensitivity of allegiance to the covenant. The community of Qumran had become the carrier of Israel's hopes, the vehicle through which its covenant and history of salvation continued and proceeded toward their ultimate fulfilment.

There are two distinguishable covenant themes in the texts: the priestly and the apocalyptic.

The priestly theme was a conscious attempt to legitimize the prerogatives of the Qumran cult and priesthood. The Qumran priesthood had been set apart to execute its priestly office in the cultic setting of Qumran which had come to supersede the temple of Jerusalem as the new theophanic centre where the "presence" of God made itself known.

The priestly theme of covenant was also marked by a legalistic understanding of law. Covenant response, in this context, involved the formal enactment of the legal stipulations of the Pentateuch.

The apocalyptic theme of covenant differed radically from the formal and legalistic type. The concept of election was concerned with the destiny of the elect in the eschatological fulfilment of history, their participation in the final war against evil, their victory under the leadership of the Davidic Messiah and their sharing in the messianic kingdom of peace to be established near the new temple on Mount Zion. Covenant response, in this context, was an attitude of faith in and reliance upon this redemptive programme of God, revealed through the study of the scriptures. The covenant turned about the concepts of election, providence, redemption and faith. It arose out of the initiative of God in election, was projected into the future as an expectation of redemption and claimed man's allegiance of faith in and reliance upon the providence of God.

This apocalyptic theme of covenant went hand in hand with a profound esteem for the patriarchs and their covenant. It was the "covenant of the forefathers" which formed the basis for the community's consciousness of election, which gave it a basis of assurance in its destiny of redemption and which became the supreme object of emulation in faithful covenant response.