Dead Sea Scrolls

[Traveler]

Just for fun and discussion and if anyone wishes to pursue a particular subject in greater depth, I thought I would offer some excerpt form the Dead Sea Scrolls. I begin with a poem from the Thanksgiving Hymns:

And I, a creature of clay

kneaded with water,

a heap of dust

a heart of stone,

for what am I reckoned to be worthy of this?

For into an ear of dust; Thou has put a new word

and hast engraved on a heart of stone things everlasting.

Thou hast caused the straying spirit to return

that I may enter into a Covenant with Thee,

and stand before Thee for ever

in the everlasting abode,

illumined with perfect Light for ever,

with no more darkness,

for unending seasons of joy and unnumbered ages of peace.

The Traveler

[Dr T]

Hey Traveler,

These are from the Dead Sea Scrolls. What scroll? From which book is this taken?

Thanks,

Dr. T

[Traveler]

Hey Traveler,

These are from the Dead Sea Scrolls. What scroll? From which book is this taken?

Thanks,

Dr. T

As I posted it is from the Thanksgiving Hymns - Barki Nafshi (4Q434) (1QH) XVIII 25-31.

I wonder if anyone thinks that this kind of stuff was available to Jesus and his apostles and that there is no reflection or possible influence of this in the New Testament.

Another poem from the Thanksgiving Hymns - Barki Nafshi (4Q434) L i 1-4

Bless, O my soul, the L-rd

for all his wonders forever,

and blessed be his name.

For he has delivered the soul of the poor

and the humble he has not despised,

and he has not forgotten the distress of the helpless.

He has opened his eyes to the helpless,

and the cry of the orphans he has heard,

and he has turned his ears to their cry.

In the abundance of his mercy he was gracious to the needy

and he has opened their eyes to see his ways

and their ears to hear his theching.

And he circumcised the foreskin of their heart

and he delivered them because of his grace

and he set their feet to the way.

The Traveler

[Dr T]

Thank you Traveler,

I understood it was the "Thanksgiving Hymns" but I was wondering if it was part/a section from a wider book. Was this scroll full of hymns?

Thanks again

[Traveler]

Thank you Traveler,

I understood it was the "Thanksgiving Hymns" but I was wondering if it was part/a section from a wider book. Was this scroll full of hymns?

Thanks again

Yes, sort of like Psalms.

The Traveler

Who were the people in the settlement by the Dead Sea - what did they call themselves and why were did they go to an area by the Dead See? What were they doing there and what did they expect from G-d while they were there. From the Damascus Document Col III and IV

But G-d, in his wonderful mysteries atoned for their failings and pardoned their sins. And he built for them a safe home in Israel, such as there has not been since ancient times , not even til now. Those who remained steadfast in it will acquire eternal life, and all the glory of Adam is for them As G-d established for them by means of Ezekiel the prophet saying {Ez. 44:15} The priests and the Levites and ths sons of Zadok who maintained the service of my temple when the children of Israel strayed far away from me shall offer the fat and the blood. The priests are the converts of Israel who left the land of Juda; and the Levites are those who joined them ; and the sons of Zadok are the chosen of Israel those called by name who stood up at the end of days.

Col VII

...And the star is the Interpreter of the law who will come to Damascus as is written: {Num 24:13}. A star moves out of Jacob and a scepter arises out of Israel. The scepter is the prince of the whole congregation and when he rises he will destroy all the sons of Seth.

Col IXX and XX

... And thus, all the men who entered the new covenant in the land of Damascus and tuned and betrayed and departed from the well of living waters shall not be counted in the assembly of the people and shall not be inscribed in their lists from the day of the session of him who teaches, of the unique Teacher until there arises the messiah of Aaron and Israel.....

...They shall be judged according to the judgments of their companions who turned around with insolent men, for they spoke falsehood about the holy regulations and despised the covenant of G-d and the pact which they established in the land of Damascus, which is the first covenant.

The Traveler

[Dr T]

Thanks. Any speculation on who wrote them?

[Traveler]

Thanks. Any speculation on who wrote them?

I do not think we should call them Essens. They were Jews, if I had to give them some historical title I think I might call them zelots. I think some of these Jews became Christians but I do not believe this community was ever really Christian. I find it interesting that they call their settlement Damascus. I think it is very possible that this is the Damascus associated with the Apostle Paul.

The Traveler

[Dr T]

I thought Essens were zealots (and Jewish).

[BenRaines]

I read a book I enjoyed very much: :Between the Testaments, author Richard P. Holzaphel. Not sure on author's name spelling but a good look at the time between the end of Malachi and the writting of the Gospels.

Ben Raines

[Traveler]

I thought Essens were zealots (and Jewish).

The Essens were anti-war and would not qualify as zealots. The Essens also assepted the domination of the Romans and Harod - Not exactly zealots.

The Traveler

[Traveler]

From the document (The Son of G-d – 4Q246)

….Then Daniel arose and said, “O king, why are you angry; why do you grind your teeth? The Great G-d has revealed to you that which is to come. …..

…Oppression will be upon the earth. Peoples will make war, and battles shall multiply among the nations, until the King of the people of G-d arises. He will become the King of Syria and Egypt. All the peoples will serve him and he shall be come great upon the earth. ….All will make peace, and all will serve him. He will be called son of the Great G-d; by His Name he shall be designated. He will be called the son of G-d; they will call him son of the Most High. Like the shooting stars that you saw, thus will be their Kingdom. They will rule for a given period of years upon the earth …. His Kingdom will be an Eternal Kingdom, and he will be Righteous in all his Ways. He will judge the earth in Righteousness, and everyone will make peace. The sword shall cease from the earth, and every nation will bow down to him.

Some notes about this document. It is an older document (over 100 years before Jesus) Some scholars argue that this document is a copy of an older document – meaning the original document may have been dated as early as 500 + years before Jesus. This is the first and earliest Jewish document to specifically reference “the son of G-d” as opposed to “a son of G-d”. I find it interesting that many think there would be no connection in this document with the Apostolic Christians. That such an important Jewish document in the hands of the first Christians would have no relevance.

The Traveler

[Ray]

I like to look for the roots and similarities between people throughout time.

What group or what people, today, remind you of those people back then?

They had heard the gospel, or at least some of it, but did they have any prophets of God?

If they did, did they claim God’s authority?

I wonder where they think they got it.

[Traveler]

I like to look for the roots and similarities between people throughout time.

What group or what people, today, remind you of those people back then?

They had heard the gospel, or at least some of it, but did they have any prophets of God?

If they did, did they claim God’s authority?

I wonder where they think they got it.

To answer your questions:

What group or what people, today, remind you of those people back then?

Hard to say - in some ways the Catholics and in some way the protistants. The had wondered off a little but there were within a couple hundred years of prophets and they may have had the correct authority.

They had heard the gospel, or at least some of it, but did they have any prophets of God?

Their "Teacher of Righteousness" was considered like a prophet or you could say a prophet but there was a big split that happened about the time of Christ the divided their society and caused a mass excommunication. I have wondered if this split was caused by "Christians" that were kicked out shortly after the resurrection of Jesus.

If they did, did they claim God’s authority? I wonder where they think they got it.

They believed that authority was with the tribe of Levi. They believed that only a Levit could perform sacrifices and ordinances at the temple. It is very likely that Zacharias (father of John the Baptist) was connected and was performing the prescribed duties of a priest according to their documents. They claimed they had the true unbroken authority of the Levit's in Israel. Some believe that they broke of from the main body of Jews under Jonathan Macabee when the Levits of the temple were killed and non Levits were assigned (beginning of the Pharasses). They believed in the authority of the Levits and to be a priest amont them one had to be a Levit.

The Traveler