Holman QuickSource™

GUIDE TO

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

Craig Evans

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Holman QuickSource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls

© 2010 by Craig Evans

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-0-8054-4852-8

A Holman Reference Book

published by

B&H Publishing Group

127 Ninth Avenue, North

Nashville, Tennessee 37234

http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com

Dewey Decimal Classification: 296.155

Subject Heading: DEAD SEA SCROLLS \ QUMRAN COMMUNITY \ SACRED BOOKS

Cover Design by Greg Pope

Acquisitions Editor: Dr. Terry Wilder

Editor: Dr. Jeremy R. Howard

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture passages are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, © copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 by Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. © The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version.

Dedicated to

…

My cousin, Ron Eoff

Contents

Preface

Part I:

Discovery and Importance:

Basic Facts About the Scrolls

1 Lost

2 Found

3 Why the Scrolls Matter

4 The Dead Sea Region

Part II:

The Science of the Scrolls

5 The Science of Dating the Scrolls

6 Restoring and Preserving the Scrolls

Part III:

Historical Context of the Scrolls

7 History Between the Testaments

8 Historical Groups and the Dead Sea Scrolls

9 Historical Figures Mentioned in the Scrolls

10 Historical Nicknames and Veiled References in the Scrolls

Part IV:

From Cave to Publication:

Bringing History to Light

11 The Scrolls, Cave by Cave

12 The First Scrolls to Be Published

13 The Second Round of Scrolls

Part V:

Who Were the Essenes?

14 The Essenes According to Philo

15 The Essenes According to Josephus

16 The Essenes According to Pagan Writers

17 The Essene Identity: Archaeological Evidence from Qumran

Part VI:

Faith and Practice According to the Scrolls

18 How the Essenes Interpreted Scripture

19 How the Essenes Worshipped God

20 How the Essenes Related to the Priests of Jerusalem

21 The Essenes and the End Times

Part VII:

The Scrolls and the Old Testament

22 How Well Is the Bible Preserved in the Scrolls?

23 The Scrolls and the Canon of Scripture

24 The Scrolls and Popular Bible Figures

Part VIII:

The Scrolls and Jesus

25 The Scrolls and John the Baptist

26 The Scrolls and the Coming Messiah

27 The Scrolls and the Teaching of Messiah

Part IX:

The Scrolls and the New Testament

28 The Scrolls and Paul

29 The Scrolls and Hebrews, James, and Jude

30 The Scrolls and Revelation

31 Are Some of the Scrolls from the New Testament?

Part X: Conclusion...