The Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls, has the following law:- “Let not a man make himself abominable with any living creature or creeping thing by eating of them, from the larvae of bees to any living creature that creeps in the water (Burrows 1978, p. 361).
Scholars, e.g., Prof. James Tabor (2022) (note 1), widely concede that the Damascus was written by or for a Jewish sect, most probably the Essenes, who were based in the Qumran community near the Dead Sea. There are notable parallels between Essene teachings and Jesus’ teachings in terms of seeking the Kingdom of God (note 2), detachment from worldly pleasures (note 3), sharing of properties (note 4), and utilization of water purification in place of animal sacrifice (note 5). This is deemed to indicate that Jesus was trained in standard Essene philosophy (cf. Matt Kelly n.d.) (note 6).
Source: Burrows, Millar (1978). Burrows on the Dead Sea Scrolls: an omnibus of two famous volumes: The Dead Sea Scrolls, More Light on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Grand Rapids, Mi.: Baker Book House. https://archive.org/details/burrowsondeadsea0000burr/page/n386/mode/1up?q=abominable
Notes
2. Essene: It’s their primary obligation to seek God and His righteousness
(Josephus, The Jewish War, 2.8.7, Section 137; Dead Sea Scrolls, Community Rule, 1QS 1:1-5); Jesus: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all else shall be added" (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31).
3. Essene: Abstinence from all pleasures of the senses" (Josephus, The Jewish War, 2.8.2, Sections 120-121; Philo, Every Good Man is Free, 75-87; Damascus Document, CD 6:15-17). Jesus: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15-17).
4. Sharing of all properties: Essene: Josephus, The Jewish War, Book II, Section 122, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, Section 20. Jesus’ disciples: "And parted them (their goods) to all men as every man had need" (Acts 2:45).
5. Water purification/baptism in place of animal sacrifice: Essene: They utilized baptism, not animal sacrifice, as a mode of repentance for the remission of sins (Josephus, The Jewish War, 2.129-137, Antiquities of the Jews, 18.18-22, The Jewish War, 2.8.9; Philo, Every Good Man is Free, 75-87; Dead Sea Scrolls, Community Rule, 1QS 3:4-9, 9:4-5; Damascus Document, CD-A 11.17-18). John, Jesus’ cousin cum baptist: "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3); Jesus: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"(John 3:5).
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