The Dead Sea Scrolls - The Christian Online Magazine

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The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is one of Israel’s most fascinating stories. A Bedouin shepherd boy had lost some of his sheep in the wilderness near the Dead Sea. He wandered around in this lowest part of the earth more than 1,300 feet below sea level. Desperately searching, the boy threw a stone into a dark cave. Instead of hearing the hooves of sheep, the clinking sound of a clay pot got his attention. He discovered jars filled with ancient scrolls. And as they say, “The rest is history.”

Since this discovery in 1947 eleven caves have been found revealing the content of more than 600 manuscripts. The Scrolls have proven to be the most tremendous textual discovery of our era or any era! These famous caves are located a short distance of 13 miles from Jerusalem near the ancient ruins of Qumran. The site is accessible and well worth the bus ride. I took a recent spring trip to the site and found the treatment of the ancient community to be extremely informative.

Since most of the Scrolls predate the Christian Church, it was feared by many that the discovery could be detrimental to the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. They are not! I have carefully read the Dead Seas Scrolls. Instead of harming our faith, the Dead Sea Scrolls serve to enhance our knowledge of Judaism and the roots of Christianity. Therefore, Christians should be encouraged to review the English versions for themselves.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are at the epicenter of many mysteries and scholarly inquiries. This article is intended to simplify the issues and inform readers about some of the controversial, though interesting concerns about these writings.

As a Jewish believer in Jesus, I want everyone to understand that ancient Judaism has left a rich legacy that transcends itself. Judaism and Christianity remain successful examples of modern religions whose origins grew from the matrix of ancient Judaism. The Dead Sea Scrolls represent one of the earliest forms of non-rabbinic Judaism. As such, they provide a wealth of comparative material for New Testament believers and scholars.

Modern Rabbinic Judaism may be viewed as the surviving evolutionary example of ancient Judaism, whereas Gentile Christianity represents hybridization from first century Jewish messianism. Some scholars suggest that the Essene brand of Judaism evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls represent the evolutionary link between these two worlds. Perhaps after reading this brief introduction and the following questions and answers, you will reach your own conclusions.

Question: When were the Dead Sea Scrolls written?

Answer: We know that the texts were composed on a variety of ancient materials from animal skins to papyrus. One famous example was even authored on copper. The writings cover a period of more than 200 years of Jewish history lasting from at least 150 BCE to 70 CE. Some scholars believe that the writings cover an even longer duration.

Question: Who authored these enigmatic manuscripts?

Answer: It is not totally certain who crafted the Scrolls. Authorship is one of the most heated debates about the Scrolls. They have been attributed to various Jewish sects including: the Pharisees, the Zealots, and even Christian origins have been considered. However, it is generally believed that the Essenes are credited with the authorship and preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Question: Who were the Essenes?

Answer: They were a very ancient sect of Jews living in the desert removed from mainstream Jewish life. Though not discussed in the New Testament, the Essenes were well known among the many sects of 1st century Jews. Having researched these groups extensively in my book, Jewish Sects of the New Testament Era, I suggest we consider the view of an ancient Jewish historian. One such credible witness comes from Philo, a 1st century Jewish contemporary of Jesus and Paul. In his famous work, Every Good Man Is Free, Philo suggests, _There is a portion of those people called Essenes, in number something more than four thousand in my opinion.

Question: What distinguished the Essenes from other Jews of the era?

Answer: I believe the estimated 4,000 Essenes might have successfully lived alongside other Jews of the age had it not been for their extremes. Within their communal establishments they followed rigorous ritualistic asceticism. Unlike most religious Jews, the Essenes are generally believed to have been celibate. Therefore, it was difficult to keep their membership from dying off. Still, a few of their members did marry and raise _little Essenes. According to Josephus, some particular Essene orders made allowances for marriage and families. Another population growth tool employed by them was to adopt children from other people. A great modern scholar, F. F. Bruce, submits that by adopting and bringing up other people's children, the Essenes were able to propagate their species quite successfully.

Question: What were their defining beliefs and practices?

The sect committed to Torah study and observance. Purity, piety, fellowship, and steadfast faith in the God of Israel were their hallmarks. In these regards, they would have been like-minded with other religious Jews. The Essenes were sustained by a strong messianic hope. They believed that God would send the promised Messiah to deliver them in a heroic, and possibly miraculous manner. This also was believed within other segments of Judaism (though certainly not held to within all camps).

They held to an apocalyptic view of their era and were very committed to the practice of baptism. They were led by a priest they called the "Teacher of righteousness" and they viewed themselves as "the children of light." The Essene community was intentionally disconnected from mainstream Jewish society. They chose to live holy lives set apart from what they perceived to be the corrupting influences of normative Jewry.

Question: What was different about their theology?

Answer: Their theology was irrevocably intertwined with their eschatological viewpoints. In other words, their view of the endtimes caused them to modify their religious and social lives. They perceived themselves as members of a select group chosen to be saved by God in the Last Days. They were fully convinced that the Jews of Jerusalem were not living up to God_s acceptable standards, and, in fact, normative Judaism was off the track. They saw themselves as the only remaining faithful Jews left to carry on correct traditions. They expected the Messiah to free them from Rome_s oppressive arm and to usher in the new order. Their election and chosenness went beyond mere exclusivity, it was isolationist and I am convinced that their interpretation of prophecy led to their demise! (I believe it worthwhile to point out that the Essene Jews were not alone in their apocalyptic religious, social, and political views. If one reads the Revelation of Saint John the Divine, it becomes apparent that the Jewish Christians of the late 1st century also held to similar beliefs about the end of the age).

Question: Did the Essenes influence Christianity?

Answer: I guess it depends on who you ask. Personally, I do not believe that sufficient evidence exists to convince me that they did. However, I have read many of the arguments to the contrary. Therefore, permit me to present some of the facts for your reviewuation. Many obvious comparisons can be made between the Essenes and the life of John the Baptist. It is in the realm of possibility that John the Baptist could have been influenced by the writers of the Scrolls. A few points in the argument could be as follows:

*John lived near the Qumran compound believed to be the home of the Essene sect.

*John lived during their era of influence. It is certain that at least one generation of the Qumran writers were his contemporaries.

*As I like to remind people, John the Baptist wasn’t a Baptist, he was a Jew. John was known for his commitment to the ancient Jewish practice of ritual cleansing through water baptism. One of the more intriguing arguments is that daily water baptism was a defining practice mandated in the Qumran community. John could have comfortably complied.

*Additionally, he might have held to their restrictive dietary regulations. It is known that John “ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6b). An Essene document called the Damascus Rule was found in the Cairo Genizah proving that the Essenes ate the same kind of bugs—various species of locusts!

Question: Does a connection exist between Jesus and the Essenes?

Answer: Some scholars pose the theory that Jesus might have been the “Teacher of Righteousness” made famous in the Dead Sea Scrolls. This, of course, is the stuff that both invigorates and infuriates discussions about 1st century Jewish sectarianism. To address this theory, permit me to quote a small section from my book, Jewish Sects of the New Testament Era.

Recently, some writers have suggested that Jesus was an Essene, or that the Qumran community was responsible for his teaching and influence. Since several generations of Essenes lived before Jesus, it is not plausible that those earlier Essenes could have followed Jesus. . . It is also doubtful that the later Essenes embraced Jesus, because Jesus was not known to have embraced or affirmed the Essene way of life. . . . The binding effect of Essene legalism would have probably been unwelcome by Jesus.

One particularly fascinating aspect of the Essene belief system does explain the possibility of a connection between Jesus and the Essene Jews. The Essene believers had a pronounced view of the violent confrontation that would precede the coming of the Messiah. Their eschatological beliefs placed them at the edge of darkness. They anticipated the fulfillment of Bible prophecies which included their redemption, both spiritually and politically.

The ancient Jewish writers of the “Son of God” texts from the Pseudo-Danielic Writings (4Qps Dan and 4Q246), did expect a promised Messiah and alluded to the son of God.

The messianic imagery is profound and the Christian implications are dramatic. This ancient sect of Jews anticipated a Messiah and called him the Son of God. He was specifically designated as the son of the Most High! Apparently, this was not a foreign concept to them. This fact is just one reason why believing Jews and Christians have been greatly blessed and challenged by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The find revolutionized textual criticism of the Old Testament. It has validated our Holy Scriptures and proven the accuracy of our accepted versions. The Isaiah scroll is approximately 1000 years older than any previously known copy of Isaiah, and yet, it nearly perfectly mirrors the Masoretic text used today! The scrolls contain fragments of every book from the Old Testament with the exception of the book of Esther.

In conclusion, we must realize that it may never be known who really wrote the literature. Yet as a result of the discovery, the Jewish origins of the Church are better understood. It may never be known if John or Jesus visited Qumran, yet perhaps someday, you will visit this fascinating site. It will link you to the Jewish people who once lived at Qumran and I know that it will enhance your faith in the God of Israel.

To the followers of Jesus, one fact of faith is non–negotiable. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised by the God of Israel. He came at the end of one age with a promise for another. The Essenes are dead and gone, yet Jesus is alive and living in the hearts of His followers. I am one!

Copyright Randy Weiss
Published by The Christian Online Magazine