The Scrolls in the Desert
The Dead Sea Scrolls consist of roughly 800 manuscripts and fragments and are of great significance to Bible students, as they include some of the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 AD.
Discovered between 1947 and 1956, the Dead Sea Scrolls consist of manuscripts written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek from about 150 BC to 70 AD.
They were found in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.
Publication of the scrolls has taken many decades, and the delay has been a source of serious academic controversy.
Many of the scrolls are now housed in the "Shrine of the Book", a heavily guarded and high security museum in Jerusalem.
The Oxford Companion to Archeology tells us : "The biblical manuscripts from Qumran, which include at least fragments from every book of the Old Testament, except perhaps for the Book of Esther, provide a far older cross section of scriptural tradition than that available to scholars before. The Qumran biblical manuscripts are nearly identical to the Masoretic, or traditional, Hebrew text of the Old Testament".
So what information do the scrolls contain ?
Who wrote them ?
Do they have value to Christians living in the 21st Century ?
The story of the discovery of the scrolls and thier rescue, is almost as legendary as the scrolls themselves.
The scrolls were found in 11 caves, off the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. None of them were found at the actual settlement of Qumran. A Bedouin goat or sheep-herder by the name of Mazra made the first discovery toward the beginning of 1947.
The shepherd threw a rock into a cave in an attempt to drive out a missing animal under his care. The shattering sound of pottery drew him into the cave, where he discovered several ancient jars containing scrolls wrapped in linen.
The scrolls were first brought to an antiquities dealer named Ibrahim 'Ijha, who returned them after being warned that they may have been stolen from a synagogue. The scrolls then fell into the hands of Khalil Eskander Shahin, "Kando", a cobbler and antiques dealer.
Arrangements were made with the Bedouins who had little interest in the schorarly value of the scrolls but rather in making as much money as possible from their sale.
Some scrolls were broken into tiny pieces and offered for sale in match boxes to dealers and interested parties!
After some time, the Dead Sea Scrolls went up for sale in a June 1, 1954 advertisement in the Wall Street Journal.
“MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
THE FOUR DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Biblical manuscripts dating back to at least 200 B.C.
are for sale. This would be and ideal gift to an educational
or religious institution by an individual or group.
Box F 206 WALL STREET JOURNAL"
On July 1, 1954 after some delicate negotiations, the scrolls, were purchased for US$250,000 by reputable scholars.
Some of the documents were published in a prompt manner: all of the writings found in Cave 1 appeared in print between 1950 and 1956; the finds from 8 other caves were released in a single volume in 1963, and 1965 saw the publication of the Psalms Scroll from Cave 11. Translation of these materials quickly followed.
The exception to this was the documents from Cave 4, which represent 40% of the total finds. The publication of these had been entrusted to an international team led by Father Roland de Vaux, a member of the Dominican Order in Jerusalem. This group published the first volume of the material entrusted to them in 1968, but spent much of their energies defending their theories regarding the materials, instead of publishing them.
As a result, a large part of the finds from Cave 4 were not made public for many years. Access to the scrolls was governed by a "secrecy rule" that allowed only the original International Team or their designates to view the original materials. After de Vaux's death in 1971, his successors repeatedly refused even to allow the publication of photographs of these materials, preventing other scholars from making their own judgments.
Despite certain difficulties concerning prompt publication, the Dead Sea Scrolls still provide dramatic evidence that the sacred scriptures have been protected and preserved down through the millennia by holy spirit.
They give us confidence that the Bible we hold in our hands today is essentially the same text that the inspired penmen wrote centuries ago.
They provide uncontrovertible evidence that the Bible is indeed the inspired word of God and is "beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16)
Would you like to learn more about the fascinating story of the Dead Sea Scrolls ?
Who were the mysterious writers of the dead sea scrolls ?
Were they written by the sect of the Essenes (as suggested by many respected scholars) or could they have been originally written by the Sadducees and later transported to Qumran? ( a modern theory).
How did they end up in the inaccessible caves of the Qumran area ?
Why are the scrolls still surrounded by controversy ... even to the present day ?
The answer to these and many more questions can be found in the excellent DVD ROM presentation
(computer use only):
The presentation is in FOUR sections:
1. Reference Works and Articles
- The Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit (US Library of Congress)
- The Cave of Riches - Alan Honour
- Second Thoughts on the Dead Sea Scrolls (F F Bruce)
- The Dead Sea Scrolls & Christian Doctrine (Matthew Black)
- The Teacher of Righteousness (F.F Bruce)
- The Dead Sea Scrolls & The Jewishness of our Gospels (Craig Evans)
- Jewish Apocalyptic Literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls (H.H Rowley)
- Jerusalem's Essene Gateway - Bargh Pixner
- Qumran (J Murphy O Connor)
- Was Qumran an Essene Settlement ? (Alan Crown)
- What was Qumran ?- Edward Cook
- Qumran Scribal Activity (Stephen Goranson)
- Water Systems of Qumran (Patricia Hidiroglou)
- In Search of the Qumran Library - Mireille Belis
- Daily Life at Qumran (Magen Broshi)
- Great Battles over Qumran (Florentino Martinez)
- The Temple Scrolls - Florentino Martinez
- The Dead Sea Scrolls - Anon
- The Story of the Scrolls (Patrick Zukeran)
- The Scrolls from the Judean Desert - A M Habbermann
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and Primitive Christianity - Jean Danielou
- A Day of Life at Qumran - Magen Broshi
- The Sect of the Essenes - Anon
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism - Lawrence Schiffman
- Dead Sea Scrolls (extracts)(1)
- Dead Sea Scrolls (extracts) (2)
- The Book of Jubilees
- Calendars in the Dead Sea Scrolls - James Vanderkam
- Are the Dead Sea Scrolls Christian - Erik Larson
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Formation of the Bible Canon - Francis Anderson
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Doctrine - Matthew Black
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament - William Brownlee
- Recent Discoveries in Biblical Manuscripts - F F Bruce
- Recent Finds in Palestine - F F Bruce
- Reflections Upon the Dead Sea Scrolls - Edward Young
- The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christianity - Edward Young
- Questions of Canon Viewed through the Dead Sea Scrolls - James Vanderkam
- The Identity of the Teacher of Righteousness in the Dead Sea Scrolls - David Pardo
- The Messiah at Qumran - Paul Rainbow
- Moral Purification at Qumran - Casey Toews
- Recent Literature discussing the Dead Sea Scrolls - F F Bruce
- Messianic Expectations at Qumran - F F Bruce
- The Scrolls and the Scribes of the New Testament - Joseph Dampier
- New Testament Fragments at Qumran - C J Hemer
- Holy Spirit in the Qumran Texts - FF Bruce
- The New Testament Cannon - Craig Allert
- The Gospels and Some Recent Discoveries - FF Bruce
- Fragments of Mark at Qumran - Colin J Hemer
- The Dead Sea Habakkuk Scroll - FF Bruce
- Jesus and the Gospels in the Light of the Scrolls - FF Bruce
2. Video Presentations
Five full video documentaries, interviews and lectures - over 3 hours of material.
3. Audio
"The Dead Sea Scrolls Seminar" ... an exhaustive audio discussion featuring
world renowned scholars and academics who specialize in Dead Sea Scroll research.
Over 2 hours of audio material with a full text transcript also included.
4. Pictures
Over 50 full color jpeg images featuring the scrolls and related topics.
An exhaustive collection for anyone interested in the
Dead Sea Scrolls and in the accurate preservation of the word of God.
Researcher John Strugnell in Cave 1
"The Scrolls in the Desert"
Click here to return to Main Index
"The Lost Gospels"
The Story of the Nag Hammadi Codices
In 1945, near the village of Nag Hammadi in Southern Egypt, a farmer discovered a clay jar with 13 ancient books hidden inside.
These writings contained Coptic translations, (dating back to the 2nd century CE) of various religious and philosophical texts.
What were these texts?
Should modern Christians be interested in them?
There has recently been much popular interest in the Nag Hammadi codices, inspired by conspiracy theories and movies that popularize the idea that in the 4th century CE, the Catholic Church covered up the truth about Jesus life and ministry.
Some claim that accounts of Jesus life and his sayings were preserved in secret writings, which remained hidden for centuries.
For example, professor of religion Elaine Pagels , author of the best seller "The Gnostic Gospels" ( Phoenix Press, 1979) says:
"... what we call Christianity and what we identify as the Christian tradition actually only represents a small selection of specific sources chosen from dozens of others".
However, such statements raise important questions.
Are certain apocryphal writings a legitimate source of Christian faith?
When these texts clearly contradict Bible teachings, which source should we believe?
This DVD ROM attempts to present exhaustive background and historical research material regarding the Nag Hammadi texts.
It is divided into FOUR SECTIONS:
1. The Complete Nag Hammadi Library:
(all books in PDF format)
- 001 The Prayer of the Apostle Paul
- 002 The Apocryphon of James
- 003 The Gospel of Truth
- 004 The Treatise on the Resurrection
- 005 The Tripartite Tractate
- 006 The Apocryphon of John
- 007 Gospel of Thomas
- 008 Gospel of Phillip
- 009 The Hypostasis of the Archons
- 010 On the Origin of the World
- 011 The Exegesis on the Soul
- 012 The Book of Thomas the Contender
- 013 The Gospel of the Egyptians
- 014 Eugnostos the Blessed
- 015 The Sophia of Jesus Christ
- 016 The Dialogue of the Savior
- 017 The Apocalypse of Paul
- 018 The First Apocalypse of James
- 019 The Second Apocalypse of James
- 020 The Apocalypse of Adam
- 021 The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles
- 022 The Thunder, Perfect Mind
- 023 Authoritative Teaching
- 024 The Concept of Our Great Power
- 025 The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth
- 026 The Prayer of Thanksgiving
- 027 Asclepius
- 028 The Paraphrase Of Shem
- 029 The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
- 030 The Apocalypse of Peter
- 031 The Teachings of Silvanus
- 032 The Three Steles of Seth
- 033 Zostrianos
- 034 The Letter of Peter to Philip
- 035 Melchizedek
- 036 The Thought of Norea
- 037 The Testimony of Truth
- 038 Marsanes
- 039 The Interpretation of Knowledge
- 040 A Valentinian Exposition
- 041 Allogenes
- 042 The Sentences of Sextus
- 043 Trimorphic Protennoia
- 044 Gospel According To Peter
- 045 The Secret Gospel of Mark (fragment)
2. Other Apocryphal Collections and Works
(all books in PDF format)
- 001 Apocryphal Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible
- 002 Lost and Forgotten Books
- 003 The Secrets of Enoch
- 004 Book Of Jubilees
3. Discussion of Apocryphal Texts
- 001 The Apocryphal and Legendary Life of Christ - James De Quincey Donehoo
- 002 The Apocryphal Gospels - B Harris Cowper
- 003 The Unwritten Sayings of Christ - Charles Griffinhoofe
- 004 Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature - William Wright
- 005 Coptic Apocryphal Gospels - Forbes Robinson
- 006 Diatessaron - Tation
- 007 The Apocryphal New Testament - William Hone
- 008 Forbidden Gospels and Epistles (Archbishop Wake)
- 009 Strange New Gospels (E.J Goodspeed)
- 010 The Lost and Hostile Gospels - S Baring Gould
- 011 The Oxyrhynchus Logia - Charles Taylor
- 012 Apocryphal Gospels, Acts and Revelations - Alexander Walker
- 013 Fragments of a Faith Forgotten - G R S Mead
- 014 The Gnostics - Charles William King
- 015 The Nag Hammadi Codices (anon)
4. Video
A 60 minute video presentation : "The Nag Hammadi Library"
Paul wrote to Timothy:
"O'Timothy guard what is laid up in trust with you, turning away from empty speech's that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called
"knowledge" (Greek : "G'nosis"). For making a show of such knowledge some have deviated from the faith". (1 Timothy 6: 20,21).
Paul recognized this alarming deviation from true, pure Christianity as far back as
64CE.
After the death of the apostles, esp from the beginning of the second century, "the falsely called knowledge" was unrestrained and uncontrolled as this collection illustrates.
A testimony to the importance of never deviating from the "healthful teachings" of
Gods word. (2 Tim 4:3)
Nag Hammadi in Southern Egypt where 13 Gnostic codices were found in 1945.
The Gnostic "Gospel of Peter"
Mohammed Ali Samman, discoverer of the Nag Hammadi library.
The Coptic Musuem, Cairo where the Nag Hammadi collection is currently located
"The Apocalypse of Paul"
"The Gospel of Phillip"
