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1QSa

Rule of the Congregation

About this book

Column 2

1 and of fifties and of tens, and the Levites, each within the [division] of his service. These are 2 the men of renown, those summoned to the assembly, who are appointed to the council of the community in Israel 3 before the sons of Zadok, the priests. And any man afflicted with any one of all the impurities of 4 a human shall not enter the assembly of these. And any man afflicted with these, so as not 5 to hold a position in the midst of the congregation; and anyone afflicted in his flesh, crippled in feet or 6 hands, lame or blind or deaf or mute, or afflicted in his flesh with a blemish 7 visible to the eyes; or a stumbling old man who cannot hold himself up in the midst of the congregation: 8 these shall not enter to take their place in the midst of the congregation of the men of renown, for holy⁠ 9 angels are [in] their [congregation]. And if [one of] these has something to say to the holy council, 10 they shall inquire of him from his own mouth, but into the midst [of the congregation] the man shall [not] enter, for he is 11 afflicted. [This is the] sitting of the men of renown, [summoned] to the assembly for the council of the community, when [God] 12 fathers the Messiah with them. [The priest] shall enter at the head of all the congregation of Israel, and all 13 [the fathers of the sons of] Aaron, the priests, [summoned] to the assembly, the men of renown. And they shall sit 14 [before him, each] according to his honor. And afterward the Messiah of Israel [shall sit],⁠ and before him shall sit the heads of 15 [the thousands of Israel, each] according to his honor, according to [his position] in their camps and on their marches. And all 16 the heads of the [fathers of the] congregation, with the wise men [of the holy congregation], shall sit before them, each according to 17 his honor. And [if] they gather [at the] table of the community [or to drink the] new wine, and the table of the community is set⁠ 18 [and the] new wine [is mixed] for drinking, no one [shall stretch out] his hand to the first portion of 19 the bread and [the new wine] before the priest, for [he] blesses the first portion of the bread 20 and the new wine, [and stretches out] his hand to the bread first. And afterward the Messiah of Israel stretches out his hands 21 to the bread. [And afterward] all the congregation of the community [shall bless], each [according to] his honor. And by this statute they shall act 22 at every meal [when] at least ten men are gathered.

Texts in conversation

Compare 1QSa 2:17 and John 2:2

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · New Testament

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Summary

The wedding scene in John 2 echoes the Dead Sea Scroll 1QSa, which describes a future messianic feast with new wine, led by a priest and the Messiah. John uses similar language for the wedding that also focuses on new wine.

Passages

1QSa 2:17

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · Rule of the Congregation
16 the heads of the [fathers of the] congregation, with the wise men [of the holy congregation], shall sit before them, each according to 17 his honor. And [if] they gather [at the] table of the community [or to drink the] new wine, and the table of the community is set 18 [and the] new wine [is mixed] for drinking, no one [shall stretch out] his hand to the first portion of 19 the bread and [the new wine] before the priest, for [he] blesses the first portion of the bread 20 and the new wine, [and stretches out] his hand to the bread first. And afterward the Messiah of Israel stretches out his hands 21 to the bread. [And afterward] all the congregation of the community [shall bless], each [according to] his honor. And by this statute they shall act 22 at every meal [when] at least ten men are gathered.
160–100 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1QSa

John 2:2

New Testament
1 Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” 4 Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding 20 or 30 gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did. 9 When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
90–110 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in John

References

"... The Johannine wedding banquet contains several intriguing points of conceptual comparison with the communal meal illustrated in 1QSa 2:11-22. First, in John 2:2, Jesus and his disciples are invited (or ‘called’) to a wedding banquet, while in 1QSa 2:11, 13, ‘the men of the name’ and ‘the priests’ are invited (or ‘called’) to the eschatological banquet. Secondly, ‘new wine’ plays a central role in both texts as a symbol of the coming messianic age (John 2:3, 9-10; compare 1QSa 2:17-20). Thirdly, 1QSa 2 says four times that members of the community sit before the Priest ‘each one according to his own glory’ while in John 2:11 it is Jesus who reveals his own glory ..."
Wally V. Cirafesi, “The Priestly Portrait of Jesus in the Gospel of John in the Light of 1QS, 1QSa and 1QSb,” JGRChJ 8 (2011–2012): 83–105.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1QSa 2:17 and John 2:2

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