Rule of the Congregation

The "Rule of the Congregation" is a significant document within biblical literature, specifically associated with the Essene community who settled at Qumran in the early 2nd century BCE. This community sought to distance themselves from what they perceived as a corrupt religious establishment in Jerusalem.1

The Manual of Discipline, which includes the "Rule of the Congregation," likely served as a guide for the Essene leaders, including priests and guardians responsible for community affairs and the instruction of new members. The document outlines the sect's religious and moral principles, admission ceremonies, mystical doctrines, and organizational statutes. The "Rule of the Congregation" itself provides additional rules and instructions for a messianic feast.1

In a broader sense, a "congregation" refers to an assembly of people, often for religious worship or as habitual attendees of a church. In the Old Testament, it can signify the entire Israelite community or a specific gathering.2