6.28

Community Rules (Box 6.4)

Compare these guidelines from the Gospel of Matthew and from the Community Rule for the Qumran community (one of the Dead Sea Scrolls):

• “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matt. 18:15–17)
• “[You shall not] address [your] companion with anger, or ill-temper, or obduracy, or with envy prompted by the spirit of wickedness. [You shall] not hate him because of his uncircumcised heart, but [you shall] rebuke him on the very same day lest [you] incur guilt because of him. And, furthermore, let no [one] accuse his companion before the Congregation without having first admonished him in the presence of witnesses.” (Community Rule 5:25–6:1)¹

1. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, 7th ed., trans. Geza Vermes (New York: Penguin, 2012).