| Jesus Community | Trait | Qumran Community |
| It is here (Mt 24:34) if you follow Jesus; understanding comes through Jesus | Basileia tou Theou | Last days have come, but still waiting for climax (= battle, e.g., The War of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness) |
| Jesus has come = victory over Satan (not Rome), thus his power must be more than merely human; proleptic experience of the messianic banquet in the common meal | Messianic Expectations | two: Davidic & Aaronic messiahs plus Teacher of Righteousness; all
three figures could be humans; proleptic experience of the messianic banquet in the common meal |
| not strict law adherence; Humans greater than Sabbath; love > law; inner motive for worship; association with sinners; more freedom | Attitude toward the Law/Torah | strict followers of the Law; Sabbath very important; legal purity/impurity very significant; abstain from association with sinners |
| free will; good and evil are relative | Human Choice | predestination; absolute good & evil; inherent |
| God is very close (Aßßa); eventually, Jesus as God-Human | Relationship to God | God is distant, transcendent; God-Human idea would be abhorrent |
| body-and-soul; whole person; look forward to it, but Jesus already experienced it | Resurrection | not of the body; waiting for it |
| disagreed; Jesus said to have withdrawn to the desert for "40 days" | Relation to Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem | disagreed; contempt; desert withdrawal |
| Jesus community = true Israel; accepting of good/bad (but give up sin now) | Relation to Israel | true nation of Israel; dichotomy of good/bad |
| work of salvation not sinner proximity to "Father" object of faith (kyrios) |
Central Idea | message penitence (thus, sinner) separation from God support of faith |
| Jesus messiah; layman; peasant persecuted by high priests "son of David" popular preacher welcomes sinners freedom |
Leader | Teacher of Righteousness prophet, priest; retainer class persecuted by high priests esoteric teacher strict adherence to Law scrupulous legalism |
| drank wine eschatological promise values this world common purse, meals, prayer living sacrifice itinerance is necessary for full membership (celibacy implied) marriage is divine institution |
Lifestyle | no fermented beverages eschatological message down on this world common funds, meals, prayer living sacrifice to be member celibacy necessary for full membership some were married |
| community in the world 12 "apostles", 3 elite Jesus takes anyone must leave everything behind baptismal initiation total commitment initiation into the family of God notion of suffering as vicarious atonement for sins of world |
Type of Community | ascetic, apart from world 12 leaders, 3 priests choosy about members must leave family, etc. baptismal initiation total commitment initiation into the family of God notion of suffering as vicarious atonement for sins of world |
| conglomerate of itinerant preacher-healers | Modus operandi | monastic, priestly, covenant community |
| Jesus himself as Lord Master-disciples Jesus' death/resurrection |
Central value | Study of Law Rabbi-pupil |