Among the public, confusion and misinformation abound. Rumors have circulated about a massive cover-up, prompted by fear that the scrolls reveal facts that would undermine the faith of Christians and Jews alike.
What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish manuscripts, most of them written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and a few in Greek. Many of these scrolls and fragments are over 2,000 years old, dating to before the birth of Jesus. Among the first scrolls obtained from the Bedouins were seven lengthy manuscripts in various stages of deterioration. As more caves were searched, other scrolls and thousands of scroll fragments were found. Between the years of 1947 and 1956, a total of 11 caves containing scrolls were discovered near Qumran, by the Dead Sea.
When all the scrolls and fragments are sorted out, they account for about 800 manuscripts. About one quarter, or just over 200 manuscripts, are copies of portions of the Hebrew Bible text. Additional manuscripts represent ancient non-Biblical Jewish writings, both Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha.
Some of the scrolls that most excited scholars were previously unknown writings. These include interpretations on matters of Jewish law, specific rules for the community of the sect that lived in Qumran, liturgical poems and prayers, as well as eschatological works that reveal views about the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and the last days. There are also unique Bible commentaries, the most ancient antecedents of modern running commentary on Bible texts.
Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Various methods of dating ancient documents indicate that the scrolls were either copied or composed between the third century B.C.E. and the first century C.E. Some scholars have proposed that the scrolls were hidden in the caves by Jews from Jerusalem before the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E. However, the majority of scholars researching the scrolls find this view out of harmony with the content of the scrolls themselves. Many scrolls reflect views and customs that stood in opposition to the religious authorities in Jerusalem. These scrolls reveal a community that believed that God had rejected the priests and the temple service in Jerusalem and that he viewed their group’s worship in the desert as a kind of substitute temple service. It seems unlikely that Jerusalem’s temple authorities would hide a collection that included such scrolls.
Although there likely was a school of copyists at Qumran, probably many of the scrolls were collected elsewhere and brought there by the believers. In a sense, the Dead Sea Scrolls are an extensive library collection. As with any library, the collection may include a wide range of thought, not all necessarily reflecting the religious viewpoints of its readers. However, those texts that exist in multiple copies more likely reflect the special interests and beliefs of the group.
A real breakthrough came unexpectedly in 1991. First, A Preliminary Edition of the Unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls was published. This was put together with computer assistance based on a copy of the team’s concordance. Next, the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, announced that they would make available for any scholar their complete set of photographs of the scrolls. Before long, with the publication of A Facsimile Edition of the Dead Sea Scrolls, photographs of the previously unpublished scrolls became easily accessible.
So for the last decade, all the Dead Sea Scrolls have been available for examination. The research reveals that there was no cover-up; there were no hidden scrolls
2006-07-31 01:09:00
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answer #1
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answered by BJ 7
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Good Question.
One would think that just as we update technical information, that updating theological information would be of the utmost importance.
When you say Bible, are you aware that there are several different versions of the collection of books called the bible. The first Bible was voted on at the Council of Nicea 325 A.C.E. some books were not included.
Prior to this the collection of the books today called as old Testament, were written by the Septaguint aprox by 70 Jewish scholars for the king of Greece in about 420 B.C.E.
Before that those books were corrupted by rewrites and the dominant tribe of the time. One can see where there is one tribe that is favored and at another time the tribe is not.
Read Thomas Paines, "Age of Reason." He makes some good points.
2006-07-30 19:25:29
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answer #2
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answered by LeBlanc 6
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sometime in previous due 1946 or early 1947, Bedouins got here upon some historical leather-based manuscripts in a cave on the northwestern shore of the lifeless Sea. Over the subsequent decade ten extra caves interior the final element of Wadi Qumran have been additionally chanced directly to incorporate historical manuscripts. those Hebrew and Aramaic information, now stated as the lifeless Sea Scrolls, are the literary continues to be of an historical Jewish sect that when lived at Qumran. maximum pupils now become conscious of this sect with the Essenes. Archeologists have desperate that Qumran became into inhabited extra or less between a hundred thirty b.c. and a.d. sixty 8. this implies that the lifeless Sea Scrolls have been being written interior the era in simple terms earlier, and doubtless even in the time of, the life of Christ. certainly, the scrolls upload a great deal to our wisdom of the “theological climate” of the time. the two biblical and nonbiblical writings are chanced on between the lifeless Sea Scrolls. Fragments of each e book of the old testomony different than Esther have been chanced on at Qumran, alongside with extra or much less complete copies of Isaiah, Psalms, and an Aramaic textual content textile of interest. the importance of those biblical manuscripts is they're some thousand years older than the oldest in the previous known manuscripts of the old testomony. as a results of fact the biblical manuscripts between the scrolls prepare fairly little substitute from the old testomony that has come all the way down to us, the lifeless Sea Scrolls verify the hassle-free reliability of the old testomony as all of us comprehend it, a minimum of as a techniques decrease back as a results of fact the commencing up of the Christian era.
2016-10-08 12:40:25
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answer #3
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answered by sather 4
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What they found in dead sea scrolls are not much different.
They actuall comfirm one basic fact, that the Bible stays the same from the first century till today.
Error, yes they have. But restricted to very minor commer, full stop that kind. Or minor typo error which did not change the entire message at all.
Yes, they have edition, but no addition to the bible.
2006-07-30 19:31:59
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answer #4
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answered by Melvin C 5
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Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls ARE the Old Testament, Talmud, etc., all of which are found in the "Jewish bible." The others are things like inventories.
2006-07-30 19:12:33
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answer #5
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answered by me41987 4
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Most of the dead sea scrolls are just copies of Talmud (old testament) text and commentaries on them
2006-07-30 19:09:09
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answer #6
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answered by October 7
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Because Dead Sea Scrolls prove that Jesus was a human prophet of God, not a god, that's why! They wanna hide the truth!
2006-07-30 19:10:31
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Do you actually know what is contained in the DSS?
The OT sections don't need to be added since they are already in the Bible, as for the rest... well, read up on it, and it will become clearer than mud
2006-07-30 19:08:54
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answer #8
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answered by atreadia 4
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Cos it contains stuff that may shock the world and the people who believe in Christ
2006-07-30 19:09:43
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answer #9
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answered by blackgold 2
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