Viewing Tip:
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June 29, 2007 - January 6, 2008
Presented by Joan and Irwin Jacobs
The
Dead Sea Scrolls are our bridge to a period that laid the foundation of
western traditions, beliefs and practices throughout the past two
millennia.
The People
Origins
- 2 theories regarding their origins
- Around 150 BCE
shortly after Antiochus Epiphanes (167-164 BCE), as
one reaction to enforced Hellenization which severely
threatened Jewish survival
- Around 60 BCE
when Sadducees (favored by King Alexander
Jannaeus) were replaced by the Pharisees (during the
reign of Queen Salome 76-67 BCE). Intense
persecutions of Sadducees (priests).
The People
- About 100 BC (BCE)
- Led by the Teacher of
Righteousness
- Went into the
wilderness
Why?
- The worst period in all human history.
Society corrupt
- To create a congregation of the righteous
- Thought God would act to create a better
world
- They were preparing for such a world
- "In the wilderness, prepare the way of the
Lord, make straight in the desert a highway
for our God" (Isaiah 40:3)
- They thought they'd live forever
- The community existed for almost 200 years
- In 68 AD (CE), Qumran destroyed, along with
all its inhabitants.
- Prior to the Roman conquest, they deposited
their scrolls in jars and hid them in caves.
- These were discovered in 1947, 1948.
- Over 800 scrolls have been found.
- A group of devout Jews
- Community existed 150/60 BCE - 68 CE
What did they believe?
Expect?
Their Outlook
The End-Time is Near !
Mindset: an apocalyptic eschatological outlook
- World is so evil that God just has to intervene
- Worldwide/cosmic changes anticipated
- All evil-doers would be eradicated
- All foreigners
- All Jews who did not fully follow the law
IN OTHER WORDS, MOST OF HUMANITY !
End Time Specifics
They expected they would live to see the following:
- Restoration of the Davidic monarchy
- Jerusalem will be the pre-eminent city
- Rule of the righteous
- Righteous will triumph - eternal life
- Righteous dead will be resurrected
- The unrighteous will be killed - eternal death
- Universal implications
- God will be worshipped by all humanity
- Universal peace
- Eternal life for the righteous
How would this come
about ?
- Some thought God would do it directly.
ZAP!
- Others thought that a "messiah" would help
God achieve this new state of affairs
So...
What's a messiah?
Jugs and juglets, © IAA |
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The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition is a joint production of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA),
Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation and the San Diego Natural History Museum.
This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
The images on the sdscrolls.org home page Flash™ segment are from a View of the Dead Sea
© N. Folberg, Dead Sea Scrolls pottery and the 11Q5 Psalms scroll, courtesy of IAA.
© San Diego Natural History Museum
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