QUMRAN CAVES: Bedouins and Essenes

A Bedouin shepherd found the first Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave at Qumran (1946/47). Qumran National Park is 28 miles east of Jerusalem.

There are over 980 different manuscripts from 15,000 scrolls and fragments. These scrolls are dated from 250 B.C. to A.D. 68 and were found in 11 caves. The majority of manuscripts are written in Hebrew.

Every book in the Old Testament Bible is represented except Esther. The oldest Septuagint (200-150 B.C.) or Greek copy is A.D. 400. The Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint are consistent with the Hebrew Masoretic Text (A.D. 1524).

The Book of Isaiah is complete including Isaiah 53. Without a New Testament Bible there is proof of the existence of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.”

The Essenes are credited with the hiding of the Scrolls. The Essenes were looked on fondly by the ancient Jews. Some considered them prophets and saints.

Other prominent political/theological parties were the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were a political elite and priests, who didn’t believe in Heaven or Hell, and collaborated with the Romans.

The Pharisees were conservative zealots who with the help of the Scribes developed religious laws exploiting the people.

“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

JIM PEARL

Hayden