Philo Every Good Man is Free 85

Classical

85 In the first place, then, there is no one who has a house so absolutely his own private property, that it does not in some sense also belong to every one: for besides that they all dwell together in companies, the house is open to all those of the same notions, who come to them from other quarters; 86 then there is one magazine among them all; their expenses are all in common; their garments belong to them all in common; their food is common, since they all eat in messes; for there is no other people among which you can find a common use of the same house, a common adoption of one mode of living, and a common use of the same table more thoroughly established in fact than among this tribe: and is not this very natural? For whatever they, after having been working during the day, receive for their wages, that they do not retain as their own, but bring it into the common stock, and give any advantage that is to be derived from it to all who desire to avail themselves of it;

Acts 4:32

New Testament

30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God courageously. 32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 34 For there was no one needy among them because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales

 Notes and References

"... The Qumran Essenes had to separate themselves from the property of the people outside the community, and this economic separation was linked with their concern to preserve the ritual purity of the community. It has already been noted above that 1QS manifests a powerfully dualistic outlook, especially in the teaching on the two spirits. The world was seen as irredeemably evil, and salvation depends upon complete withdrawal from the sons of darkness. The introversion of the community was manifested in a profound economic isolation from non-members, and from the general world. Josephus too refers to the life of the Essene sect as a community, sharing material goods and prosperity ... A similar terminology, referring to the communal ownership within the Essene sect as well, is found in Philo ..."

Sandt, Hubertus W., and David Flusser The Didache: Its Jewish Sources and Its Place in Early Judaism and Christianity (pp. 184-185) Royal Van Gorcum, 2002

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