4qmmt And Paul: Justification, 'works,' And - N... May 2026

, "reckoned as righteousness" is the result of performing specific sectarian rituals that keep the community pure.

The parallel between 4QMMT and Paul’s use of Genesis 15:6 (Abraham’s faith reckoned as righteousness) is striking. 4QMMT and Paul: Justification, 'Works,' and - N...

In Galatians and Romans, Paul argues vehemently that "no human being will be justified... by works of the law" (Gal 2:16). Historically, scholars like Martin Luther interpreted this as a rejection of "good works" in general. However, 4QMMT supports the "New Perspective on Paul" (NPP), which argues that Paul was specifically targeting "boundary markers"—rituals like circumcision, dietary laws, and Sabbath keeping—that separated Jews from Gentiles. , "reckoned as righteousness" is the result of