If the library was brought to Qumran, as seems likely, given the variety of scribal hands and the number of documents, there is little doubt that it came from Jerusalem. Jerusalem was obviously the place, a day's walk from Qumran, where a library of this magnitude would be maintained. The most likely date when the scrolls may have been taken to the caves for safekeeping is sometime after 66 A.D., when Jerusalem was threatened by the First Jewish Revolt against Rome.
Norman Golb of the University of Chicago argues that the scrolls were in fact the Temple library. But the documents themselves fairly refute this idea. There is not a single Pharisaic or Sadducean document in the collection, and these were the two most prominanent groups controlling the Temple hierarchy during the period of the scrolls. Indeed, the scrolls express frequent opposition to the Jerusalem Temple.
Some authors believe that the library belonged to another group, perhaps the Essenes of Jerusalem (who lived near the Essene Gate)-or perhaps some other group whom we cannot identify.
That there are other possibilities canot be denied. But none carries much conviction. We are left with mere specualtion. Anyone can play the game. The uncertainties will remain-until perhaps new evidence surfaces.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Undermining the Jewish Bible
With the help of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can determine approximately when the text of the Hebrew Bible became at least relatively fixed.
When the Dead Sea Scrolls surfaced on the antiquities market, professional archaelogics and Arab tribesman began to explore caves in other wadis, including those south of Wadi Qumran. Thus nineteen biblical scrolls were found in two other wadis-
Nahal Hever and Wadi Murabba'at. These manuscripts too, are sometimes considered Dead Sea Scrolls through they date somewhat later than the Qumran materials and were apparently hidden in the caves during the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, also known as the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-35 A.D.). All nineteen of these later biblical Scrolls are closely related to the Masoretic Text, whereas the biblical scrolls from Qumran vary widely; some are closely related to MT (Masoretic Text), others to the Septuagint, still others to the Samaritan Pentateuch, and some to none of the above.
Between 70 A.D., when the Romans destroyed Jeruselam, and 135 A.D., when they suppressed the Bar Kokhba revolt, the text of the Bible became almost completely standardized -a process that seems to have begun even before the Roman destruction of the Temple and was apparently largely completely by the time of the Second Jewish Revolt.
A Greek manuscript of the Twelve Minor Prophets discovered in Nahal Hever displays a systematic revision of the text toward the proto-MT (Masoretic Text). The Scribal corrections analysed in the Qumran scrolls, however, cannot be charactisered this way. Emanuel Tov, who has studied these "scribal interventions" (mostly corrections in an already existing text), tells us that "MT did not yet have such an authorative status that texts would be corrected to it..." To the best of my knowledge we do not know of any convincing example of a Hebrew text (from Qumran) which has been corrected towards MT." To the contrary, in several instances involving speling and language differences, the corrections have "removed that text even more frm MT." Nevertheless, the majority of biblical texts, from Qumran are already proto-Masoretic. The process of standardization appears already to have began, or at least the proto-MT was the preferred text, judging from the comparative number of the exemplars at Quamran.
When the Dead Sea Scrolls surfaced on the antiquities market, professional archaelogics and Arab tribesman began to explore caves in other wadis, including those south of Wadi Qumran. Thus nineteen biblical scrolls were found in two other wadis-
Nahal Hever and Wadi Murabba'at. These manuscripts too, are sometimes considered Dead Sea Scrolls through they date somewhat later than the Qumran materials and were apparently hidden in the caves during the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, also known as the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-35 A.D.). All nineteen of these later biblical Scrolls are closely related to the Masoretic Text, whereas the biblical scrolls from Qumran vary widely; some are closely related to MT (Masoretic Text), others to the Septuagint, still others to the Samaritan Pentateuch, and some to none of the above.
Between 70 A.D., when the Romans destroyed Jeruselam, and 135 A.D., when they suppressed the Bar Kokhba revolt, the text of the Bible became almost completely standardized -a process that seems to have begun even before the Roman destruction of the Temple and was apparently largely completely by the time of the Second Jewish Revolt.
A Greek manuscript of the Twelve Minor Prophets discovered in Nahal Hever displays a systematic revision of the text toward the proto-MT (Masoretic Text). The Scribal corrections analysed in the Qumran scrolls, however, cannot be charactisered this way. Emanuel Tov, who has studied these "scribal interventions" (mostly corrections in an already existing text), tells us that "MT did not yet have such an authorative status that texts would be corrected to it..." To the best of my knowledge we do not know of any convincing example of a Hebrew text (from Qumran) which has been corrected towards MT." To the contrary, in several instances involving speling and language differences, the corrections have "removed that text even more frm MT." Nevertheless, the majority of biblical texts, from Qumran are already proto-Masoretic. The process of standardization appears already to have began, or at least the proto-MT was the preferred text, judging from the comparative number of the exemplars at Quamran.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Exhibtion at Royal Ontario Museum
A planned Toronto exhibit of ancient Middle Eastern manuscripts is threatening to plunge Canada, along with the Royal Ontario Museum, into the thick of the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
In June the ROM as it is known, was to have 16 of the scrolls, but Palestinian officials objected this month (April) as Hamdan Taha, director general of the archaeological department in the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has argued that the scrolls were acquired illegally by Israel when it annexed East Jerusalem He said allowing artifacts illegally acquired into the country would violate international law and it would be unethical for the museum to display the scrolls.
ROM director William Thorsell issued a statement Thursday saying he would not comment on the controversy.
The ROM is in "consultations" over the issue, but a spokeswoman for the ROM would not say what form those consultations might take.
In June the ROM as it is known, was to have 16 of the scrolls, but Palestinian officials objected this month (April) as Hamdan Taha, director general of the archaeological department in the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has argued that the scrolls were acquired illegally by Israel when it annexed East Jerusalem He said allowing artifacts illegally acquired into the country would violate international law and it would be unethical for the museum to display the scrolls.
ROM director William Thorsell issued a statement Thursday saying he would not comment on the controversy.
The ROM is in "consultations" over the issue, but a spokeswoman for the ROM would not say what form those consultations might take.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Digital Copies
Since 1996, Universities have been trying to upload the scrolls for the wider world to see. Recently the text of nearly all the non-biblical scrolls has been recorded and tagged for morphology (identification, analysis and description of structure of words-lingustics) by Dr Martin Abegg Jr the Ben Zion Wacholder Professor of Dead Sea Scrolls Studies at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC Canada. It is available on hand-held devices through Olive Tree Bible Software-Biblereader, on Macs through Accordance and on Windows through Logos Bible Software and BibleWorks.Last year, scientists had taken digital photographs of the scrolls enabling scholars and the public to have access to the 2000-year-old documents. Using powerful cameras and lights that emit no damaging heat or ultraviolet beams, scientists in Israel have been able to decipher sections and letters in the scrolls invisible to the naked eye.
The scrolls, most of them on parchment, are the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible and include secular text dating from the third century BC to the first century AD.
A team of specialists has taken 4000 pictures of some 9000 fragments that make up the scrolls, which number 900 in total. A few large pieces of scroll are on permanent display at the Israel Museum.
The scrolls, most of them on parchment, are the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible and include secular text dating from the third century BC to the first century AD.
A team of specialists has taken 4000 pictures of some 9000 fragments that make up the scrolls, which number 900 in total. A few large pieces of scroll are on permanent display at the Israel Museum.
Scientists hope the advanced imaging technology will also help them better preserve the scrolls by detecting any deterioration caused by humidity and heat.
Controversy Surrounding the Scrolls
In a new book to be published this month, Rachel Elior of Jerusalem's Hebrew University claims that the authors, the Essenes, a religious group, who wrote the dead sea scrolls did not exist, and that the scrolls are fiction .
Many scholars claim that the Essenes were the first Christians, or were related to John the Baptist and to Jesus Christ. Prof. James Charlesworth, a senior Bible scholar who also specializes in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus and the Gospel of John, believes John the Baptist lived among the Essenes for at least a year and drew some of his central ideas from them. While mainstream scholarship maintains the Essenes or the Qumran sect that lived near the Dead Sea wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, a few scholars believe the scrolls had been written in Jerusalem or elsewhere and were brought to the Dead Sea at a later stage. Last month the controversy over the identity of the scrolls' authors was thrust into the headlines with the arrest of Raphael Golb, son of Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Prof. Norman Golb of the University of Chicago, on suspicion of impersonating a rival scholar. Norman Golb has claimed the Dead Sea Scrolls had not been written by the Essenes and that scholars who oppose him are trying to silence him. He described the senior scrolls' scholars as a united sect or guild, no less fanatic that the Qumran sect they claim has written the scrolls.
"I don't believe they ever existed," Elior told ABC News in a telephone interview last month. "They are not mentioned anywhere in any Jewish texts written at the time. There is absolutely no historic evidence to support their existence."
The Essenes are only mentioned by the ancient writers Pliny the Elder, Philo of Alexandria and the early Jewish historian Josephus -- and then only briefly. The accounts of all three writers differ in significant details.
Elior, a professor of Jewish philosophy and mysticism, says that shortly after the scrolls were discovered, an Israeli academic was given brief access to them. The writings reminded him of the Essenes mentioned by Josephus and so, according to Elior, the academic world set off down the wrong track and has been on it ever since.
Published initially in Hebrew only, Elior's work,"Memory and Oblivion" will likely further inflame the argument. She vehemently denies she is trying to add fuel to the fire and claims her theory is based on nothing more than common sense.
Many scholars claim that the Essenes were the first Christians, or were related to John the Baptist and to Jesus Christ. Prof. James Charlesworth, a senior Bible scholar who also specializes in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus and the Gospel of John, believes John the Baptist lived among the Essenes for at least a year and drew some of his central ideas from them. While mainstream scholarship maintains the Essenes or the Qumran sect that lived near the Dead Sea wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, a few scholars believe the scrolls had been written in Jerusalem or elsewhere and were brought to the Dead Sea at a later stage. Last month the controversy over the identity of the scrolls' authors was thrust into the headlines with the arrest of Raphael Golb, son of Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Prof. Norman Golb of the University of Chicago, on suspicion of impersonating a rival scholar. Norman Golb has claimed the Dead Sea Scrolls had not been written by the Essenes and that scholars who oppose him are trying to silence him. He described the senior scrolls' scholars as a united sect or guild, no less fanatic that the Qumran sect they claim has written the scrolls.
"I don't believe they ever existed," Elior told ABC News in a telephone interview last month. "They are not mentioned anywhere in any Jewish texts written at the time. There is absolutely no historic evidence to support their existence."
The Essenes are only mentioned by the ancient writers Pliny the Elder, Philo of Alexandria and the early Jewish historian Josephus -- and then only briefly. The accounts of all three writers differ in significant details.
Elior, a professor of Jewish philosophy and mysticism, says that shortly after the scrolls were discovered, an Israeli academic was given brief access to them. The writings reminded him of the Essenes mentioned by Josephus and so, according to Elior, the academic world set off down the wrong track and has been on it ever since.
Published initially in Hebrew only, Elior's work,"Memory and Oblivion" will likely further inflame the argument. She vehemently denies she is trying to add fuel to the fire and claims her theory is based on nothing more than common sense.
History of the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in 11 caves along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran) between the years 1947 and 1956. The area is 13 miles east of Jerusalem and is 1300 feet below sea level.
The Scrolls appear to be the library of a Jewish sect called the Essenes. The library was hidden away in caves around the outbreak of the 1st Jewish Revolt (AD 66-70) as the Roman army advanced against the rebel Jews.
The Dead sea scrolls enhance our knowledge of both Judiasm and Christianity. They represent a non-rabbinic form of Judiasm and provide a wealth of comparative material for New Testament scholars, including many important parallels to the Jesus Movement. They show Christianity to be rooted in Judiasm and have been called the evolutionary link between the two.
The Scrolls appear to be the library of a Jewish sect called the Essenes. The library was hidden away in caves around the outbreak of the 1st Jewish Revolt (AD 66-70) as the Roman army advanced against the rebel Jews.
The Dead sea scrolls enhance our knowledge of both Judiasm and Christianity. They represent a non-rabbinic form of Judiasm and provide a wealth of comparative material for New Testament scholars, including many important parallels to the Jesus Movement. They show Christianity to be rooted in Judiasm and have been called the evolutionary link between the two.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)