THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
The Essenes
A little Background
- In 1947, a young
Bedouin youth named Muhammad adh-Dhib was trying to find his lost goat among
the cliffs on the
- Later ten more caves would be
discovered in Wati Qumran – In one cave alone 40,000 fragments of
parchment scrolls were found.
- Many scrolls were
traced to the Essenes in the
- So far, every book of
the Bible has been found except for the book of Ester. – Interesting, the
book of Ester does not contain the name of God.
The Dead
Sea
- The
Dead Sea
is 1300 feet below sea level and has a depth of 1300 feet beyond that. –
There is no outlet for the water except by evaporation. - The water abounds with salt, bromide,
magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and sulfur. – It’s a gold mine of
minerals.
- In the dead sea caves
they have also found copper scrolls
written in Hebrew describing a treasure of 26 tons of gold and 65 tons of
silver hidden in 64 locations throughout Israel; It is thought that it was
removed from the temple and hidden before the siege.
- Only one quarter of
the manuscripts found are biblical books. – Many are apocalyptic, veiled
with symbolism, understood only by those considered “maskilim “or “they that understand”.
- Scriptorium
- In the ruins of
- Fresh Water: They also found devices for catching and
storing scarce rain water. – The average annual rainfall was only 2
inches. - Close to
The Scribes
- The Essenes wore
white and had their own personal pens made from rushes frayed at the end;
some were pointed with the end split. – They were carried in a case at
their side.
- They produced “Commentaries” verse by
verse on the prophets and psalms scripture.
- They interpreted prophetically
what was written in terms of events that were currently happening and
those expected to happen in the near future.
- The Isaiah Scroll is
one of the best preserved scrolls copied sometime between 150 B.C and 50
B.C. – It’s over 24 feet long. – They have found two of them.
Ezek 9:2 –
Clothed in White with a writing case at their side
2 And I saw six men coming
from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly
weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a
writing kit at his side. NIV
The Essenes
- John the Baptist was living in the
desert preaching repentance and baptism. The question is Why
was John living in the desert?
- Politicians - There was “a
movement” away from the Pharisees “Political Aspirations” and their
teaching which were laden with traditions and additional requirements
to the book of the Law; and to a lesser degree they were moving away
from the Sadducees as well.
- You can draw a
similar comparison considering the Catholic Church during the Protestant
reformation; with the Protestants withdrawal and separation over tradition
and doctrine.
- The
Essenes
were a Jewish sect that was partially
celibate living a strict communal life in the desert. They dedicated themselves to the
studying and copying of God’s word.
- Josephus, the Jewish historian; A.D. 37-98; lived
with the Essenes for three years and provides most of the background
information on the sect.
- John
the baptizer
at some point, most probably lived among the Essenes also; scripture does
not indicate one way or the other.
- Corrupt
Politicians
- The Essenes rejected the polluted priesthood in
- The Essenes day was
spent copying hymns, scrolls, prayers, and The “Manual of Discipline” which was about methods and rules
for living. (Method of
living and worship; Sounds like Methodist)
- Isaiah’s
writings were
followed literally; “Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
– They separated themselves awaiting God’s coming in the desert –
They were the “guardians of mysterious truths” that would govern
the life of
- The
name Essene comes from a Hebrew word that means “pious” or “holy”.
- The sect did not refer to themselves as Essenes, but were given that
name by outsiders. – We really don’t know how they referred to themselves;
there is much debate and speculation.
- Not
all Essenes
lived a communal desert life, but instead, lived in many cities and
mingled with society at all levels, and were well received by the Pharisees,
and Jewish populace.
- Their
missionary outreach founded Essene communes in all the villages
and small towns of
- They observed the
Sabbath;
- Membership
- There
were some 4,000 plus Essenes in
- Formal
Admittance-
There was a one year term for the Novice to manifest the qualities
desired such as; religious purity, a love of virtue , humility and
contentment, deeds of love and charity, frugality and freedom from bondage
to material possessions, then a second year term of testing
before their formal admittance. ( I don’t think I could
ever pass this test)
- Work
Ethic
- They observed a strict
discipline; they begin their work day before dawn with prayer, then went
to their “Secular jobs” as they were best suited – At noon
they washed in cold water and had prayers and a simple meal – At evening; bath,
prayers, and a simple meal.
- There
wages
were held in common possession in a community treasury so that all might
benefit as the need arose. – They took care of the cost of treatment for all
their sick and maintained their aged populace with respect and dignity;
they lived in contentment.
- Discipline
– All
labor was done as unto the Lord -”Love of God, Virtue and Man” was the
motivation to work – You don’t
work, you don’t eat – You are banished from the sect. – No food
stamps for the LAZY – Communalism won’t work in the
- Their
beliefs
can be summarized as Love of God, Love of Virtue, and Love
of Men. – They were strictly pacifist by nature and had no weapons of
war. - They esteemed frugality.
- Their
leader
was known only as “The teacher
of Righteousness”; we do not know his name.
- FAR OUT – Consider this;
they had the “War Scroll”
which was plans for the final conflict
at the return of the Messiah between “the
sons of light” and “the sons
of darkness”. – The War Scroll describes an eschatological war in
which God and his angels join forces with the “Sons of light”
to battle against the “sons of darkness” - This plan was to be kept
secret until the Messiah appeared, and then they would instruct the people
in the “understanding”.
- The War
Scroll
is very similar in “concept” to the Apostle John’s writing (Not John the Baptist) of the “Revelation”; the final war between good and evil.
- They also had
elaborate construction details concerning the
- They documented in
detail the last great battle in which the Roman army destroyed the Jewish
state in A.D. 70.
- New
Testament
– “So far” there has NOT been any writings found about Jesus, John the
Baptist or any other of the early Christians.
- They probably possessed
NT writings and understanding as they refer to “Sons of Light” which is the designation for a Christian. – Either
that or the Christians took the term from them. - This term is not found
anywhere in OT scripture.
- They lived the
Matt 3:1-2 – John lived in
the desert
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching
in the Desert of Judea
2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is near.”NIV
Isa 40:3 – Make straight
in the desert a highway
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare
the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
NKJV
Dan 11:33 – They will have the plan and teach it
33 And those of the people who understand shall
instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by
captivity and plundering. NKJV
Dan 12:9-10 – Close it up
– Keep it secret
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the
words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, made white, and
refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall
understand, but the wise shall understand. NKJV
Luke 16:8 – Sons of Light
8 So the master commended the unjust steward
because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in
their generation than the sons of light. NKJV
John 12:36 – Sons of Light
36 While you have the light, believe in the light,
that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and
departed, and was hidden from them. NKJV
1 Thess 5:5 – Sons of Light
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the
day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness NKJV
COMMUNALISM
- Webster: Communalism – A system of government in which
communes sometimes on an ethnic or religious
basis, have virtual autonomy within a federated state – A small group
of people living communally and sharing in work and earnings. –
Everyone owns it all. – God is their source.
- Communism
–
The state owns it all. – God has nothing to do with it.
- Communalism works
when God is involved. – When man puts himself before others, it fails.
- The Essenes lived in
communalism for 200 years. - Everything including their clothes was held
in common. – They all owned it all.
- Note: The early Christian church was communalistic.
– They sold everything they had and brought it to the believing congration.
– They probably got the idea from the Essenes.
- Some were really not communal
material. Ananias
and Sapphira sold their
land to give the proceeds to the commune, but lied about how much they
sold it for. – God struck them dead; it was not because they did not give
all the money, it was because they lied to the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:42 -47 – Christian Communalism
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders
and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had
everything in common.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they
gave to anyone as he had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in
the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with
glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
NIV
Acts 5:1-10 – Ananias
wanted to keep some of his money
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with
his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back
part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the
apostles' feet.
3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that
Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.
And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
6 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his
body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not
knowing what had happened.
8 Peter asked her "Tell me, is this the price
you and Ananias got for the land?" -
"Yes," she said, "that is the price."
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and
died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and
buried her beside her husband. NIV
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses. Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further than I otherwise ever could have.
A Commentary, Critical, Experimental and Practical – Erdman’s
Apocrypha; The – Edgar J. Goodspeed
Baker Commentary on the Bible – Walter A. Elwell
Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenny- White
Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer
Bible Dictionary - Harper
CARM – Christian Apologetics &
Research Ministry
– M .J. Slick
Expositor’s Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Great Doctrines of the Bible Vol 2 – W.
A. Criswell
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Tyndale
Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible – Packer-Tenny
Influence; The – A novel – Matthew John Slick
International Dictionary of the Bible; The new – Douglas-Tenney
Josephus; the Jewish Historian A.D. 37-98
Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Zondervan
Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Hugh J. Schonfield
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible – T.A. Bryant
Victor
Journey through the Bible; The – V. Gilbert Beers
Where to find it in the Bible – Ken Anderson
Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer-Harrison
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