Who was the author of the War Scroll? Were there multiple authors? The answer to these questions are not easily figured out and some would question if the answer will ever be known. There are theories that attempt to explain who the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls were and many of these theories are inconclusive. This section will discuss the “best” theories about who wrote the scrolls and who wrote the War Scroll.
First, the Qumran-Essene theory is the most accepted theory by scholars today. Originally produced by Roland de Vaux in 1950s, the Qumran-Essene theory still shows a lot of promise today. There are three main reasons why the Essenes could have been the group that wrote the War Scroll; apocalyptic visions, dualism, and the writings of ancient authors. The War Scroll represents the Essene’s apocalyptic
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During this time period apocalyptic thought was not uncommon but for a sect, like the Essenes, who were essentially outcasts from their own people, apocalyptic thought could have potentially been much greater than normal. The sections of dualism in the scroll also point to a possibility that the Essenes wrote it. Dualism was not extremely popular during the time period, especially with Judaism, but the Essenes differed in views from that of mainstream Judaism so it possible that they were dualistic. Finally, there are writings of ancient authors that describe the Essenes and compare them to other groups. Josephus is one author, in particular, who sheds great light on the Essenes. Josephus describes the Essenes as a people who believe in angels, fate, divine reward and punishment, immortality of the soul. He also says they have prophetic abilities. The War Scroll includes almost all of these aspects.
Until we can learn from our mistakes we are doomed to repeat history. Many historians feel that without knowledge of the past can prevent future conflicts and events from taking the same course of events. This statement is true for the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War occurred before in the form of the American Revolution. In order to understand the validity of that statement one must understand the French and foreign influences, the might of the British and United States, how the wars were fought, geography, and politics used in both wars. By understanding these one can come up with a working definition of revolution and the similarities between the two conflicts which span over 150 years between the two.
...ht and the damnation of the Children of Darkness. Much like the eschatological traits found in John, this message is one of hope and perseverance. Where John emphasizes the role of hope for the near future in which salvation was within reach, the War Scroll focuses on perseverance in the hope for the dawning of the battle between the Sons of Light and Sons of Darkness culminating in the abolition of evil and dualism. These thematic parallels are of significant value to the understanding of the influence of the community at Qumran on the author of the Fourth Gospel; so impressive are these parallels that they can not simply be attributed to the concept of a common Jewish milieu of late Second Temple Judaism. In eschatological terms, the corresponding ideals of the two communities are suggestive of a Johannine author who was influenced by the society at Qumran.
Among Jewish peasantry at the time of Jesus were two distinct types of prophets: the action prophets, who "led sizable movements of peasants from the villages of Judea in anticipation of God's new, eschatological act of liberation," and the oracular prophets, who delivered oracles of either judgment or deliverance (185). The former, as illustrated by the case of Theudas, appea...
Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran caves, the lives of a now deceased society has been placed under the microscope. With the amount of work archaeologists and manuscript scholars have committed themselves to accomplish, more information on these Qumranites has been learned. Scholars have been able to determine that they were a Jewish sect, while also learning that they were a Jewish sect and obtaining their Biblical canon. The majority of scholars have associated the sect of Qumran with the Essenes due to their similarities. Though much was not found at the beginning of the excavations concerning women, it has become a matter in which many scholars are seeking more to know. Further archaeological findings have led to knowing more information about the Qumranite women.
Hindson, E. E., & Yates, G. E. (2012). The Essence of the Old Testament: A survey. Nashville, Tenn: B & H Academic.
The settlement, known as Qumran, located along the West Bank, South of Jericho, from which the discoveries were made, existed during the Hellenistic Period under the reign of John Hyrcanus from 134 -104 B.C.E., up until its destruction by the Roman Empire approximately 68 C.E. These scrolls, totaling nine hundred found within eleven excavated sites, give insight to the beliefs, cultural practices and communal traditions of this monastic community.
Roth, Cecil. (1965). The Dead Sea Scrolls. A New Historical Approach. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Since the beginning of time, societies have created stories to explain the mystery of the origin of man and the universe. In the Babylonian text, Enuma Elish and the book of Genesis-which originated in the same part of the world-one finds two very different stories about the creation of man. These two creation stories contrast the two societies that created them: the chaotic lives of servitude of the Babylonians and the lives of the recently freed Jewish people.
Ancient world literature and early civilization stories are mostly centered on human’s relationship with higher beings. Ancient civilizations were extremely religious, holding the belief that their very lives were in the hands of their almighty god or goddess. This holds true for both the people of biblical times as well as those of the epic era. However, their stories have some differences according to cultural variation but the main structure, ideas, and themes are generally found correlative. It is hard to believe that one work did not affect the others. The first great heroic epic poem of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament are parts of two cultures that are hundreds of years apart. Whereas Gilgamesh is a myth and the book of Genesis is the basis of many religions, they both have notably similar accounts of symbols, motifs, meaningful events according to the relationship between the divine and humans in literature.
The questions about the existence of life and the creation of the world are always mind-boggling and fascinating, however, the real answer to these questions may never surface. All there is to rely on are the myths, stories and legends passed on from generation to generation by ancestors and the clues they have left. This essay will try to uncover the ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew views on existence and creation by looking at sources like the Genesis and other ancient Mesopotamian texts and poems. Mesopotamians and Hebrews had contrasting views on how they explained the events in their lives, and through analysis of ancient sources, those differences will be outlined. In such populated and booming areas, human conflict was inevitable and some of the law codes that were placed in effect to establish order within the society will be examined. Throughout it all, god and religion played a central role in these ancient civilizations.
This shepherd boy had been clambering around the clefts and gullies of a rock face on Wadi Qumran, north of the Dead Sea hoping to find one of his lost lambs. Thinking that it could have taken refuge in a cave he threw stones at the opening. He heard a jar break, became fearful and ran to fetch his fellow tribesmen. What they discovered were written scrolls of ancient papyrus, stuffed in jars and wrapped in linen. The Bedouins thought that they could make money on the black market in Bethlehem so sold them for a few shekels. A bundle of four of these scrolls was purchased by “the Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem, Yeshue Samuel who then stored them in St. Marks Monastery”. (Albright, 1954, 403)
It is true and held by most reputable scholars and historians the New Testament is the best proven book in ancient history, both in terms of the number of manuscripts and the nearness o...
Vermès, Géza. The complete Dead Sea scrolls in English . New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Allen Lane/Penguin Press, 1997.
The scrolls are a collection of biblical and non-biblical documents comprising of the Hebrew Bible, (every book except Esther); the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha; rules for community life; biblical commentaries; a Testimonia, (a collection of verses from the Bible about the Messiah); a War Scroll; Temple Scroll; poetic and liturgical pieces; Thanksgiving Hymns; wisdom instructions; legal rulings; horoscopes and even a treasure map.1
Documentary hypothesis says that there were several authors who wrote first five books of the Bible. In my essay I will try to discuss J, P, and E - authors of Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. I must admit that all these authors had lived after the division of the kingdom.