The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

I. Timing and Teaching of Essene Brotherhood

The date of the composition of the principal non-Biblical scrolls, the work of unnamed writers, determined by the aforementioned evidences, may be assigned to the late second and first centuries B.C., and first century A.D. Therefore they fall largely within the inter-Testament period. ⁶ They are evidently from the headquarters library of what would appear to be a quasi-ascetic Essene ⁷ brotherhood at Qumran. And most of them were obviously hidden in the caves for safekeeping when destruction of the center by the Romans under Vespasian was imminent. CFF1 742.1

Picture 1: The Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran Yield Their Witness:
Page 743

1. VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE SCROLLS

In addition to their important contribution in shedding light on the transmission of the Old Testament text, this body of writings represents the views of a pre-Christian Jewish community, or brotherhood, that had given up the world and sought to find God in the desert of Judea. ⁸ Gleams of a highly developed Messianic hope appear, and mention is made of a Teacher of Righteousness, to bring the new age to birth. Signs to be seen in the last generation are listed. ⁹ The tone and concept of the writings are wholly in conflict with those of their contemporaries—Philo of Alexandria and Josephus of Palestine. There were some differences, however, between the people of the Qumran scrolls and the traditional conept of the Essenes, as evidenced by the sources. ¹⁰ This was evidently due to variant views held by the various groups of Essenes. CFF1 743.1

2. LIKE WALDENSES OF MEDIEVAL TIMES

The people of the scrolls considered themselves the “remnant,” the “elect,” the true Israel, the “Sons of Truth,” continuing God’s covenant and seeking to re-emphasize the teachings of their forefathers in the days of Moses. They claimed understanding and vision, and felt themselves opposed by Belial and his forces, by men of corruption and lies, and the “Sons of Darkness.” ¹¹ They sought to escape the political disturbances of the times and the venality of the Jerusalemite priests. To avoid pollution, they shunned contact with other Jews. CFF1 743.2

Above all, they sought to interpret the meaning of the present world order and the new order coming. They believed a great crisis hour to be approaching, when the great “cycle of the ages” was about to “complete its revolution.” ¹² A final war was to be fought—“The War Between the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness”—and there would be a titanic struggle of the two spirits. The people of Qumran represented a revolt against doctrinal departures, and a return to the primitive Hebrew faith. And in this respect they might be likened to the Waldenses of medieval times in the Christian Era, as will shortly become evident. CFF1 743.3

3. APPROACHING END OF PRESENT AGE

Their Manual of Discipline (or Rule of the Community), their Book of Hymns, or Psalms of Thanksgiving, and their War of the Children of Light With the Children of Darkness, together with their descriptions of the “Final Age,” all bear on the nature and destiny of man. The scrolls parallel and incorporate many of the Conditionalist apocryphal and pseudepigraphical teachings of the inter-Testament period that we have just surveyed. And they are distinctly apocalyptic in structure. CFF1 744.1

They believed in a “final conflagration” similar to that set forth in the Sibylline Oracles (of c. 140 B.C.), and held in common some of the teachings of the pseudepigraphs, such as the Conditionalist Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch and The Slavonic Book of Enoch. Their teachings on the approaching renewal of all things were similar to those of the Book of Jubilees. Evidently the Essenes were largely the producers and bearers of the apocalyptic literature of Judaism in this inter-Testament period. ¹³ CFF1 744.2

Their eschatological views dwelt on the culminating events of the ages—the outcome of death, judgment, the end of the present order and establishment of the new. These were obviously among their chief concerns. Josephus calls them “fatalistic.” ¹⁴ It is evident that the brotherhood sought to maintain the “true” faith in an age of manifest apostasy and confusion, before the scenes of final judgment should overtake mankind. They have somewhat of a predestinarian tone. CFF1 744.3

4. MAJOR EMPHASIS IS ON LAST THINGS

In T. H. Gaster’s fifteen-page Analytical Index, four pages are taken up with the “Last Things,” or eschatological doctrines (pp. 337-340) ¹⁵ His documented analysis indicates that the brotherhood divided history into two eras—the “Era of Wrath” or Wickedness, and the “Era of Favor.” ¹⁶ The “Requital” is called the “Final Era,” “Time of Visitation Inquisition,” “Final Judgment,” and “Day of Requital,” when “Spirits and angels also will be judged.” It is also a time of “conflagration” and of “War against Belial.” ¹⁷ CFF1 745.1

Among the “Rewards” are listed “Renewal of the World,” “Eternal Peace,” “Sevenfold Light,” et cetera. ¹⁸ “God records deeds of men for reward or punishment”; when the righteous will acquire a “crown of glory” and a “robe of majesty.” ¹⁹ Cross points out the impressive fact that these Essenes - CFF1 745.2

“search the Scriptures and interpret their prophecies eschatologically as several scholars have pointed out. Essene exegesis has no real parallel either in Rabbinic Judaism, or in Philonic Judaism. Their interpretation is neither legalistic nor allegorical. But it falls precisely into the pattern of the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament. In both, exegesis is ‘historical’ (i.e., eschatological), and pneumatic.” ²⁰ CFF1 745.3

Theirs constitutes a unique contribution in a grave transition hour. CFF1 745.4

5. PROMINENT PLACE GIVEN TO ANGELS

According to the same Analytical Index, their “Angelology” was elaborate. Angels are variously called “divine beings,” “host of heaven,” “host of the holy ones,” “eternal host,” “sons of heaven.” Particular angels are designated as “Prince of Lights,” “Angel of Darkness,” “Angel of Truth,” “Angel(s) of the Presence,” “Angels of Destruction,” and the “Angel of Adversity.” And there are guardian angels, protective angels, and participants in the final eschatological war. ²¹ CFF1 745.5