Any questions or comments on this week's material

Amy comments?

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Musings on week 8

It's interesting to me that right after the angel announced to Miriam she would give birth to Jesus, she sang a song to God, and Zacharias responds similarly on the birth of his son John.
I am thinking too of the distinction made between holiness and righteousness by the author.
As I understood it, Holiness comes from God and is of God, whereas righteousness ? is our response to uphold the covenant God has made with us.
Most evangelicals tend to put "righteousness" in a negative light often referring to human righteousness as a filthy rag before God, there are none righteous no not one.
Can you perhaps say more about righteousness as a trait for the believer in the future?
Regarding the sects and the Essenes, is there a remnant of Essene scholars today, or a Modern day Judaism sect that would be similar in practice to this sect?
Great study, thanks.