The Dead Sea Scrolls And The Personages Of Earliest Christianity

Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls? Paleographical dating has tended to downplay the Scrolls'' importance and to distance them from the personages of earliest Christianity, but a carefully worked out theory based on radiocarbon dating and other tests connects

By the author of the best-selling Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered and the James the Brother of Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls series, fascinating to beginner and scholar alike, this book provides further delineation of the relationship between the Dead Sea Scrolls and Christianity's formative years in Palestine. Included in this volume are Prof. Eisenman's first two ground-breaking works: Maccabees, Zadokites, Christians and Qumran and James the Just in Habakkuk Pesher. The foundation pieces of his new approach to the Scrolls and "Palestinian Christianity," they triggered the debate over their relationship to Christian Origins generally ultimately leading to the freeing of the Scrolls early in the 1990's - a struggle in which he played a pivotal role. Also included in this volume are unpublished papers and essays, written and presented by him at international conferences in the past. These include "Paul as Herodian," "Rain Imagery at Qumran," and "The Final Proof that James and the Righteous Teacher are the Same" altogether providing a thorough and even more challenging presentation of the link of the Scrolls to early First-Century Christianity in Palestine. This volume also contains new translations of three key Qumran Documents: the Habakkuk Pesher, the Damascus Document, and the Community Rule, all almost only available in the sometimes inaccurate and often inconsistent renderings of Consensus 'Scholars' missing the electric brilliance of the writers of the Scrolls. Now, for the first time, the reader will have a chance to see the difference between these and a translation that grasps the apocalyptic mindset of the authors of the Scrolls. Subjecting the archaeology, paleography, and other external dating tools of Qumran research to rigorous criticism, Prof. Eisenman presents a fascinating and compelling picture of a nationalistic, xenophobic, and militant "Messianism" very different from the way we currently view Christianity - in fact, the literature of "the Messianic Movement in Palestine" itself. Not only does this book challenge preconceptions, it sets forth the detailed arguments necessary to connect "the Righteous Teacher" at Qumran to "the First Christians" and even the family of Jesus itself. In so doing, it connects the ideological adversary of this Teacher, "the Spouter of Lying" - in some cases even denoted "the Joker" - with Paul.

A major new work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest sacred documents of Judaism, which reveals their surprising connections to early Christianity. “A luminous treatment of a fascinating subject! Highly recommended!”—Scott Hahn, author of The Fourth Cup From award-winning scholar John Bergsma comes an intriguing book that reveals new insights on the Essenes, a radical Jewish community predating Christianity, whose existence, beliefs, and practices are often overlooked in the annuls of history. Bergsma reveals how this Jewish sect directly influenced the beliefs, sacraments, and practices of early Christianity and offers new information on how Christians lived their lives, worshipped, and eventually went on to influence the Roman Empire and Western civilization. Looking to Hebrew scripture and Jewish tradition, Bergsma helps to further explain how a simple Jewish peasant could go on to inspire a religion and a philosophy that still resonates 2,000 years later. In this enriching and exciting exploration, Bergsma demonstrates how the Dead Sea Scrolls—the world's greatest modern archaeological discovery—can shed light on the Church as a sacred society that offered hope, redemption, and salvation to its member. Ultimately, these mysterious writings are a time machine that can transport us back to the ancient world, deepen our appreciation of Scripture, and strengthen our understanding of the Christian faith. “An accessible introduction . . . This is a handy entry point for readers unfamiliar with Essenes or those interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls.”—Publishers Weekly

Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls? Paleographical dating has tended to downplay the Scrolls' importance and to distance them from the personages of earliest Christianity, but a carefully worked out theory based on radiocarbon dating and other tests connects Scroll allusions to personages and events in the period from 37 BC to AD 71 and suggests a new view on how and why the Romans crucified Jesus. Part I of this study is an attempt to deal more realistically with the evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls; very few scholars have ever examined the period from 37 BC to AD 71 as the possible setting for the scrolls. Nevertheless, everyone would admit the existence of scroll allusions that only have real relevance in this time period. Part II takes up Jesus and the beginnings of Christianity.

Unravels the intricate and mysterious history of the Dead Sea scrolls and claims that the scrolls establish links between Judaism and Christianity.

This book, written jointly by two distinguished Qumran scholars, attempts to provide answers to some important questions that have been discussed recently in media reports on the Dead Sea Scrolls, such as: have certain manuscripts been suppressed?; do the manuscripts question substantial aspects of the Jewish and Christian traditions?; do the roots of Early Christianity derive from the Essene movement?; and more. This volume offers solid and up-to-date information on the literary heritage, the social organization and the religious beliefs of the Qumran community and its links with Early Christianity. It gives the reader an opportunity to look behind the scenes of the research of the Dead Sea texts and the ongoing scholarly debate on the origins of the Essene movement and the Qumran sect.

This authoritative volume provides reliable, up-to-date information on the literary heritage and social organization of the Qumran community, its religious beliefs, and its links with early Christianity. The reader is given an opportunity to look behind the scenes, to gain an insight into the state of current research on the Dead Sea texts and to experience first-hand the ongoing scholarly debate on the origins of the Essene movement and the Qumran sect.