Dead Sea Scrolls Research Paper
In 1947, three shepherds made what was arguably one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of our modern times: the Dead Sea Scrolls. They had stumbled upon three jars in a cave just inland from the Dead Sea (hence the name) which contained manuscripts of several books of the Bible, as well as records from Jerusalem. After the end of the Second World War, the Arab Legion began searching for the caves near Qurman, Israel where these scrolls had been found (Wikipedia Contributors). Soon, researchers had found eleven caves with fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls were – and continue to be – important as they are the oldest copies of portions of the Bible currently known to exist (Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation). These scrolls contain
similar content to the text of the Hebrew Bible, but the differences also have helped scholars understand certain mistranslations. The scrolls were also important because older sources of Biblical texts help us more closely understand what the original authors’ intents were and what the original text was, since no original manuscripts of the Bible exist (Rabe). Additionally, these scrolls contain Hebrew versions of some of the deuterocanonical books, which gives a theory to the validity of the deuterocanon. The deuterocanonical books were rejected by Jews and most Protestants as not divinely inspired, but since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scientists have theorized that the deuterocanon was written at Jerusalem and then carried the scrolls to Qurman (Wikipedia Contributors). This might explain why the Jews did not view these books as “divinely inspired”, because the manuscripts of the books were at the Essene community of Qurman. Additionally, since many of the scrolls dealt with the Israelite liturgical traditions, we have new insight into how the Jews of the day lived and worshipped. In conclusion, the Dead Sea Scrolls provide a profound insight into the time and composition of the Bible. As contextualist Catholics, the value of the scrolls is priceless, as works closer to the original sources of the Bible (such as the scrolls) are valuable because we can more accurately see what the meaning of the authors of Scripture was.
similar content to the text of the Hebrew Bible, but the differences also have helped scholars understand certain mistranslations. The scrolls were also important because older sources of Biblical texts help us more closely understand what the original authors’ intents were and what the original text was, since no original manuscripts of the Bible exist (Rabe). Additionally, these scrolls contain Hebrew versions of some of the deuterocanonical books, which gives a theory to the validity of the deuterocanon. The deuterocanonical books were rejected by Jews and most Protestants as not divinely inspired, but since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scientists have theorized that the deuterocanon was written at Jerusalem and then carried the scrolls to Qurman (Wikipedia Contributors). This might explain why the Jews did not view these books as “divinely inspired”, because the manuscripts of the books were at the Essene community of Qurman. Additionally, since many of the scrolls dealt with the Israelite liturgical traditions, we have new insight into how the Jews of the day lived and worshipped. In conclusion, the Dead Sea Scrolls provide a profound insight into the time and composition of the Bible. As contextualist Catholics, the value of the scrolls is priceless, as works closer to the original sources of the Bible (such as the scrolls) are valuable because we can more accurately see what the meaning of the authors of Scripture was.