DEAD SEA SCROLLS

The popular name for about 800 scrolls and fragments of scrolls that were found in 11 caves near Khirbet ("ruin of") Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea in 1947 and shortly thereafter. Taken together, these leather and PAPYRUS (primitive paper) manuscripts were a find without precedent in the history of modern archaeology. The Dead Sea Scrolls have helped scholars to: (1) establish the date of a Hebrew Bible no later than A.D. 70; (2) reconstruct various details of the history of the Holy Land from the fourth century B.C. to A.D. 135; and (3) clarify the relationship between Jewish religious traditions and early Christianity.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered when a Bedouin shepherd, who was looking for a stray goat, discovered several large clay pots containing ancient scrolls on the floor of a cave above Wadi Qumran. After some delay, several scholars were shown the manuscripts by dealers in antiquities. When it was determined that these manuscripts were extremely old, scholars began their search in earnest. Slowly other valuable scrolls were found, gathered, carefully unrolled, and published. It took 20 years (1947-1967) to bring together the various texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because the Scrolls were written between 250 B.C. and A.D. 68, they offer an invaluable source for understanding the beliefs, community life, and use of the Bible of one group of Jews, probably the Essenes, who were active during the time Jesus lived. Jericho, a town Jesus visited, is only 13 kilometers (8 miles) north of Khirbet Qumran. Some scholars believe that some of the early followers of Jesus or John the Baptist may have come from the Qumran Community. Some of the writings of this community remind the reader of the themes of "repentance" and the "coming of the new age" that were preached by John the Baptist and Jesus. However, there is no evidence that the followers of John or Jesus joined the Qumran group.

Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary

Visit the exhibition
"THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
&
THE ANCIENT WORLD"

27 Aug-20 Sept
The Art House