reading about Qumran Community

I'm reading now about the Qumran Community.

All I knew about them, that it was a place where the archeologists found some early manuscripts in 1947, that's all.

Interesting to know, that Qumran was a place where priests who were disappointed with the hypocritic Temple service came around 150 B.C. and decided that they will not compromise with the Torah and their faith and worship, and will not mix it with the Greek ideas from Syria.

That was the foundation of so called Qumran Community. They wanted to remain faithful to God of their fathers.

and the striking fact was that the archeologists found the whole Tanak (or the Old Testament) just except the book of Esther (the manuscript was very damaged)

One of the good doctrines in that so called Old Testament Jewish Community was - that it is impossible to ''obtain forgiveness except through God's 'mercy' ''!

And it is true!

Nice book - The Dead Sea scrolls, Charlesworth. Paul Siebeck, 1994.

Lawyer and Jesus

When a lawyer came to Jesus, asking about the greatest commandment, he himself have had studied the Torah, he was a lawyer, who should know the whole religious Law perfectly.
He must have been digging and diving into the writings for years, trying to figure out, what is God's will, what God wants, why so many rituals, rules, offerings, sacrifices, demands...


'So what would Jesus answer to this?' the lawyer definitely thought.


Jesus' response was short - LOVE God and LOVE People. That's the Law and the Prophets.


Oh no! That's it? So simply???!!
But takes eternity to learn! The one thing what God desires from us - not our long prayers, big churches, happy faces, coolest cars; one thing - LOVE!


If you are wondering, what this Christianity is all about? How many rules should I keep? What should I answer to the question - How're you doing, are you happy?


Remember, LOVE God with all your heart, soul and mind, and strength, and LOVE people. And His Word and His Spirit will lead you to peace and eternal life!