The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Historic Discovery

What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? When were they Discovered? Who Wrote them? Why are they so Important?

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of fragments of almost 900 documents Scrolls were gathered by a sect at Qumran The sect lived there from 150 BCE – 68 CE when the Romans destroyed the Temple Qumran was also destroyed at that time

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of fragments of almost 900 documents

Scrolls were gathered by a sect at Qumran

The sect lived there from 150 BCE – 68 CE when the Romans destroyed the Temple

Qumran was also destroyed at that time

How, Where & When were the Scrolls Discovered?

The Discovery In 1947 Bedouin Arabs discovered an untouched cave near the Dead Sea containing ancient scrolls

In 1947 Bedouin Arabs discovered an untouched cave near the Dead Sea containing ancient scrolls

The Key Players Yigal Yadin Eleazar Sukenik

What kinds of Writings are contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls? Biblical, Apocryphal and Sectarian

Contents Subject Matter: Biblical, Apocryphal (non- biblical) & sectarian writings Condition: Thousands of Fragments; Remains of almost 900 manuscripts Only 2 caves produce intact manuscripts; the rest are fragments

Subject Matter: Biblical, Apocryphal (non- biblical) & sectarian writings

Condition: Thousands of Fragments; Remains of almost 900 manuscripts

Only 2 caves produce intact manuscripts; the rest are fragments

More Contents Scope: Fragments of every book of the Tanach except Megillat Esther Language:Hebrew and Aramaic Date: Hasmonean (152-63 BCE) – Early Roman(63 BCE – 68 CE)

Scope: Fragments of every book of the Tanach except Megillat Esther

Language:Hebrew and Aramaic

Date: Hasmonean (152-63 BCE) – Early Roman(63 BCE – 68 CE)

The Isaiah Scroll Dated at 100 BC Oldest copy of Isaiah 21 Isaiah texts were found, only 1 complete The Great Isaiah Scroll is 24 ft. long

Dated at 100 BC

Oldest copy of Isaiah

21 Isaiah texts were found, only 1 complete

The Great Isaiah Scroll is 24 ft. long

Rule of the Community Lists members obligations Basic theological beliefs Initiation rites One of the original scrolls found in 1947

Lists members obligations

Basic theological beliefs

Initiation rites

One of the original scrolls found in 1947

The War Scroll Describes the eschatological last battle between the Sons of Light and Sons of Darkness Describes scenarios for the end of days

Describes the eschatological last battle between the Sons of Light and Sons of Darkness

Describes scenarios for the end of days

The Copper Scroll Discovered by archaeologists it describes vast amounts of buried treasure Some scholars say it refers to Temple treasures hidden before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Mystery of the Copper Scroll

Discovered by archaeologists it describes vast amounts of buried treasure

Some scholars say it refers to Temple treasures hidden before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

MMT: Miqsat Ma’aseh ha-Torah “ Some Rulings Pertaining to the Torah” Author asserts sect broke away due to differences in religious laws Unwilling to accept legal rulings of Hasmonean high priests

“ Some Rulings Pertaining to the Torah”

Author asserts sect broke away due to differences in religious laws

Unwilling to accept legal rulings of Hasmonean high priests

Artifacts at Qumran

Religious Artifacts Found at Qumran What kinds of objects are these?

More Qumran Findings

Who Wrote the Scrolls? Excavations done at Qumran near the caves at the Dead Sea indicate occupation dating 130 BCE to 68 CE Qumran believed to be the Wilderness retreat of the Dead Sea Sect - a separatist Jewish sect of the Second Temple Period

Excavations done at Qumran near the caves at the Dead Sea indicate occupation dating 130 BCE to 68 CE

Qumran believed to be the Wilderness retreat of the Dead Sea Sect - a separatist Jewish sect of the Second Temple Period

Identity of the Sect : Who were they? A Scholars Debate: - Some Christian Scholars say : Essenes pre-cursors to early Christianity - Other scholars say Sadducee opponents of the Pharisees separatists Sectarians Apocalyptics – Focus on the End of Days Messianic Ascetics

A Scholars Debate: - Some Christian Scholars say : Essenes pre-cursors to early Christianity - Other scholars say Sadducee opponents of the Pharisees

separatists

Sectarians

Apocalyptics – Focus on the End of Days

Messianic

Ascetics

Dating the Scrolls: How do we Date the Scrolls? Carbon 14 dating Paleography – the study of shapes, letters and writing Archeology of the Qumran ruins Numismatics

Carbon 14 dating

Paleography – the study of shapes, letters and writing

Archeology of the Qumran ruins

Numismatics

Qumran Findings Mikvaot(Ritual baths) Pottery Question: Why were many of the vessels made of stone?

Mikvaot(Ritual baths)

Pottery

The Scrolls & Christianity Christian scholars believed them to be documents of an early Christian sect and reflect Christian beliefs. These claims, in fact, are without basis. There were no New Testament documents found. Nor is Jesus or John the Baptist mentioned . Most likely, early Christianity evolved from sect like the Eseenes who may have been celibate, used ritual baths (baptism), etc.

Christian scholars believed them to be documents of an early Christian sect and reflect Christian beliefs. These claims, in fact, are without basis.

There were no New Testament documents found. Nor is Jesus or John the Baptist mentioned .

Most likely, early Christianity evolved from sect like the Eseenes who may have been celibate, used ritual baths

(baptism), etc.

Importance of the Scrolls for Judaism Authenticate the accuracy of the Hebrew Tanach Slight variations in the Texts More than 1000 years older than previous oldest copy of Tanach – the Aleppo Codex

Authenticate the accuracy of the Hebrew Tanach

Slight variations in the Texts

More than 1000 years older than previous oldest copy of Tanach – the Aleppo Codex

Importance of the Scrolls Validates the oral law (rabbinic tradition) as seen in the Mishna(200 CE): it was already the norm among the Pharisees Oral Tradition of the Pharisees seen as dominant as early as Hasmonean period Fills in gap between written Torah: Daniel:150 BCE) and Oral Law (Mishna: 200 CE)

Validates the oral law (rabbinic tradition) as seen in the Mishna(200 CE): it was already the norm among the Pharisees

Oral Tradition of the Pharisees seen as dominant as early as Hasmonean period

Fills in gap between written Torah: Daniel:150 BCE) and Oral Law (Mishna: 200 CE)

Validates Earlier Rabbinic Tradition Teachings of rabbis post Temple destruction can be traced much earlier Pharisaic teachings seen from Sect’s Polemics against them Ex. Oppose halachic principle of Tevul Yom(MMT) Sect refers to Pharisee leaders as “Builders of the Wall”

Teachings of rabbis post Temple destruction can be traced much earlier

Pharisaic teachings seen from Sect’s Polemics against them

Ex. Oppose halachic principle of Tevul Yom(MMT)

Sect refers to Pharisee leaders as “Builders of the Wall”

Importance of the Scrolls Oral Tradition seen artifacts found at Qumran: Tefilin Written Law gives no details

Oral Tradition seen artifacts found at Qumran: Tefilin

Written Law gives no details

Importance of the Scrolls Window to 2 nd Temple Judaism Sectarianism : Variety of approaches to Judaism during 2 nd Temple Period Messianism & Apocalyptic Ideas seen in War Scroll “Sons of Light..to attack..the Sons of Darkness”

Window to 2 nd Temple Judaism

Sectarianism : Variety of approaches to Judaism during 2 nd Temple Period

Messianism & Apocalyptic Ideas seen in War Scroll “Sons of Light..to attack..the Sons of Darkness”

The Scrolls Today The Scrolls are housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem Conferences all over the world Pacific Science Center: Seattle 2007 Newscasts

The Scrolls are housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Conferences all over the world

Questions & Discussion Points What were the basic beliefs of the Essenes? Why did they leave Jerusalem? Why did it take so long (from 1947) for the scrolls to be published? Did the Vatican seek to suppress the Scrolls? What was the role of Yigal Yadin? What do textual differences in Biblical texts signify? Lets Hear it !

What were the basic beliefs of the Essenes?

Why did they leave Jerusalem?

Why did it take so long (from 1947) for the scrolls to be published?

Did the Vatican seek to suppress the Scrolls?

What was the role of Yigal Yadin?

What do textual differences in Biblical texts signify?