The first-century Jewish sects, including Pharisees and Sadducees, influenced early Christianity through varied beliefs and practices.
How Did Distinct Jewish Sects Shape Religious Discourse in the Days of Early Christianity?
Who Were the Essenes?
The Essenes was a Jewish sect or community in Palestine in the last century BC and the 1st century AD.
Why Should the Dead Sea Scrolls be of Interest to Us?
The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, provide evidence that the Hebrew Old Testament has remained relatively unchanged over the past 1,400 years. They also reveal variant readings in Hebrew Bible texts used during the Second Temple period. The scrolls offer valuable insights into the historical setting of Jesus' life and times. This discovery continues to inspire scholars and Bible students in the 21st century.
The Qumran Residents: Were they Essenes?
We have determined that, the Dead Sea Scrolls were the library of the Qumran community, who were its people? Early on, in 1947 Professor Eleazar Sukenik obtained three scrolls from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; thereafter, suggesting that these scrolls had belonged to the Essene Community.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: Who Wrote Them?
After carefully dating these fragile documents, it has been determined that they were copied or composed sometime between the third-century B.C.E and the first-century C.E. (See PALEOGRAPHY: Dating Ancient Manuscripts) A handful of scholars has suggested that these scrolls were hidden in the caves by Jews that fled just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.... Continue Reading →
The Dead Sea Scrolls: What are They?
In the spring of 1947, a Bedouin shepherd threw a stone into a cave, marking an event that would be heard around the world, making the name “Dead Sea Scrolls” more known than any other associated with archaeology.
