Dead Sea Scrolls Books

The Dead Sea Scrolls - Revised Edition: A New Translation

Michael O. Wise, Martin G. Abegg, Edward M. Cook

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Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It may take me the rest of my life to reflect on and discern the amazing writ! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

"In their great variety and stunning richness, the Dead Sea Scrolls as captured in this groundbreaking translation offer modern readers an unprecedented glimpse of the complex roots of modern Christianity... texts encompass poetry and prose, teaching parables and magical tales, astrology, apocalyptic visions,..., stories of messiahs and antichrists,"



After Three Decades:
I followed the saga of DSS since I read in 1970 Wilson's account of the discovery, two decades later. I strove to get any information, even John allegro's imaginary cults, but not until the siege was overcome, that few years later I could read, all in one compendium, the text of the Scrolls in plain English. It took its place, in my library, next to The Coptic Gnostic texts. It may take me the rest of my life to reflect on and discern the amazing writ!
Three scholars of the second DSS generation offer a new translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, integrated with material never published or translated before. The book includes newly published Psalms (151) attributed to David, non-Biblical texts claiming Moses as their author, previously unknown fables about Abraham and Jacob, and many other writings that shed light on non-Temple Jewish thought, parallels showing the Jewish origins of Christianity and the close relationship between Judaism and early Christianity. Some of its amazing texts are, The Damascus Document (Geniza manuscripts), The vision of the Son of God, Psalm 151 (Chanted in the Coptic Church for 17 centuries), The War of the Messiah, Rule of Initiation, between many amazing poetry and prose.

Recent Developments in DSS:
The Dead Sea Scrolls represent a non-rabbinic type of Judaism enhancing our understanding of Second Temple Judaism and of early Christianity. They DSS provide textual treasures for New Testament scholars, and have been called the evolutionary link between Judaism and Christianity, demonstrating a variety of important parallels to Jesus ministry, showing that the Gospel message to be based on, and rooted in Judaism. The major intact texts, from Caves 1 & 11, now housed in the Shrine of the Book museum in Jerusalem, were published by the late fifties. Since then, mostly fragments from Cave 4, about 40% of the Scrolls remained unpublished and were not accessible until 1991.
Almost half of a century after the initial discoveries of the Dead Sea Scrolls, when the academic pressure for publication mounted, general access was granted through the photographs of the Scrolls. Late 1991 the photos were made available by the Biblical Archaeological Society in a computer reconstruction, based on a concordance. A nonofficial edition was announced, and the Huntington Library microfilm files of the scroll photographs were made accessible. In "The Current State of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Are There More Answers than Questions?" L. Grabbe stresses the need for Qumran scholarship to recognize how uncertain is much of our present knowledge of the Qumran material. Following are some issues which enhance your interest in this collection.

Psalm of thanksgiving: A:
I give Thee thanks, Adonai!
For Thou hast placed my soul in the bundle of life,
and Thou has protected me from all the snares of the pit.
And the violent sought my soul, when I trusted in Thy covenant.

The Damascus Document:
In 1896, in Ezra Karaite Synagogue, built Ca. 882 AD in Old Cairo, near Babylon fortress, the Damascus document was discovered amongst other ancient Hebrew manuscripts. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, half a century later, and the consequent publication of the Cave I first scrolls, marked a turning point in the scholars views on the Damascus Document. The similarity in language between the Qumran material and the Cairo Geniza manuscripts removed all doubt that the Damascus Document was composed during the Second Temple period.

War Scroll and the Essenes:
"The principal defining differences ...are the following: (1) the peace-loving Essenes contrast with the warlike spirit evident in some of the scrolls, especially the War Scroll; (2) the Essenes were mostly celibate, whereas the scrolls include many laws concerning women, children and even sexual intercourse; (3) the Essenes abhorred slavery, while the scrolls legislate the practice; (4) the Essenes took no oaths except when entering the group, whereas the scrolls contain numerous regulations for the taking and voiding of oaths; (5) the Essenes owned no private property, whereas the scroll-writers did; and (6) there are significant differences between the Essenes and the relevant Dead Sea Scrolls regarding entry procedures for new members. Cansdale concludes that the scrolls probably issued from one of the many Jewish sects whose names are not recorded in the meager sources at our disposal, perhaps a sect related to the Sadducees." Michael O Wise

The DSS and Hebrew Bible:
The Scrolls and the Scriptures provides much extensive and helpful information on careful studies of the Qumran documents. Proper study underlines that these documents reflect a much larger community and thought pattern than that of the small Qumran community earlier portrayed by DSS scholars. The scrolls may help us to understand and better interpret the OT Scriptures and the various ways in which these record eschatological and messianic ideas.
The basic problems concerned with the historical and literary context of the scrolls.
In an essay is by P. Davies, "Qumran and the Quest for Historical Judaism," records the uncertainties of our knowledge of who wrote the scrolls and the true meanings of the diversity of this collection, warning against reading them in the light of the rigid notions of late antiquity Judaism.

The DSS and Christianity:
"Those few scholars who persist in the view that a direct link can be made between Qumran and the New Testament are probably constructing an approach to the evidence which cannot be sustained. those links between the Qumran and the New Testament are more likely to be indirect." George Brooke
C. Evans reviews the role of the David figure in the scrolls, stressing how the virtues, achievements and promises of David contribute much to the Messianic character of the scrolls and how these provide a background for the understanding of the early Christian belief of Jesus. In " 'Son of God' as 'Son of Man' in the Dead Sea Scrolls? A Response to John Collins on 4Q246," J. D. G. Dunn contends that the figure of the "son of God" in this document refers to the descendant of David in the messianic prophecy of 2 Sam 7:14.


The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Significance For Understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity

The Dead Sea Scrolls: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts With English Translations : Pseudepigraphic and Non-Masoretic Psalms and Prayers (Dead Sea Scrolls)

Editorial Review:

A fully revised and updated edition of our translation of the complete Dead Sea Scrolls, making it the definitive translation of the Scrolls in English.

With new texts, updated introductions, a glossary of terms, and other new additions, this will become the definitive translation of the Scrolls, and the lead companion to our other Dead Sea Scrolls Guides: The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: The Oldest Known Bible Translated for the First Time into English

Martin G. Abegg, Peter Flint, Eugene Ulrich

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Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: The Oldest Known Bible Translated for the First Time into English is the first full English translation of the Hebrew scriptures used by the Essene sect at Qumran. (The Essenes, along with the Pharisees and Saducees, were among the three most influential Jewish groups of their time [150 B.C. to 68 A.D.]). Between 1947 and 1956, in 11 caves overlooking the Dead Sea, more than 800 manuscripts of two types were found. The first are called "biblical"--because they contain material that was later canonized in the Hebrew Bible; the second are called "non-Biblical"--because they contain poetry, rules for holy living, and imaginative, midrashic interpretations that are unique to the community that produced them.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible comprises the biblical manuscripts, including many new Psalms, Apocryphal books, and previously unknown readings of Deuteronomy and Isaiah (which appear to have been among the most important books of the Bible to this group of Essenes). The translation of each book is preceded by an introduction that describes the text's importance to the Essenes, their distinctive interpretations of the text, and suggestions of how historical and political events may have shaped these interpretations. Translators Martin Abegg Jr., Peter Flint, and Eugene Ulrich have loaded this volume with scholarly notes and commentary, but their interpretations are formatted in a way that does not impede the general reader's enjoyment of the book. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible breathes new life into scripture by delving into the earliest source material yet discovered. It is a crucial work to reckon with for anyone interested in Jewish life around the time of Jesus. --Michael Joseph Gross

The Essene Gospel of Peace: Book 1 (Essene Gospel of Peace)

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Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Amazing Stuff! 5 out of 5 stars.
39 of 42 people found this review helpful.

In the actual translated gospel from it make reference to several things one should follow to ensure that one has long prosperous life disease free, making references that anything outside of this lifestyle was the ways of Satan, disease or bad. Although it was not written till 300 years after Christ, one could debate how close it was to the actual words or could possible reflect their believes and philosophies. But why it has never been available to the public for individual interpretation is really unknown. But is probably related to why much of the Dead Sea Scrolls still remain locked away from our eyes by religious authorities. Both contemporary Christian and Jewish scholars, in conjunction with modern religious authorities, feel that the general population "is not competent enough to interpret" what is in the scrolls. I wonder if these contemporary writings are too challenging to the modern religious dogma, with which most people are familiar? What may be in them is a way of life that these religious authorities aren't willing to change.

There are many that try to discredit Edmond Szekely, but anytime something challenges are way of think religiously or scientifically, people always do! If you read all 4 books you will be amazed at some of the profound information that was written. If only most of this is the truth, it is truly amazing that this could have been written 1700 years ago and even if this Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, Ph.D. added some twist of his for some reason upon interpretation, it still is pretty profound in the 1930's. It has only been in the last 70 years that science has been coming to the same conclusions about raw foods, enzymes, nutrition and foods being heated above 118 F. Once you try raw foodism for a year you'll see why this book in particular is so important.

Another profound things the Dead Sea Scrolls teach is order the law. First law is raw food, once that law is broken, you have the 10 commandments, once these laws have been broken you have the law of 5000. Then you have the mess we have today. Believe it or not, the food you eat effects you more than any other outside influence and if you want proof of it start looking at nature and see how the foods of wild animals influences them. Grass grassing animals always have a calm about them, flesh eating animals are aggressive and sugar loving animals like apes are neurotic. Are you or your friend so different? Our domestic pets and we are the only species that do not eat raw food. Why do our domestic pets have the same physical aliments we do, but these problems really do not occur in true wild nature? Simple, when you get away from man made toxins and eat true organic wild raw foods & drink fresh water, disease does not exist.

Last it gives us a clue about what foods are most important to us and it states that God sleeps in stone, breathes in plants, dreams in animals, and awakens in man. (Minerals)

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ: The Philosophic and Practical Basis of the Religion of the Aquarian Age of the World and of the Church Universal

Levi H. Dowling

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Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The ideal way to explore the Eastern influence on the spirituality of Jesus 3 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

The Aquarian Gospel is a book that I have read around three times, because many of the nuances of this book (particularly the metaphysical riddles) require second reading. This book is a MUST READ for those who plan to watch the movie based upon this book that is presently under production by William Sees Keenan and Drew Heriot. The Aquarian Gospel primarily tries to fill in the gaps and explain the "missing years" of Jesus that have been dismissed rather casually in the Bible by simply stating "And the boy grew in wisdom and stature." How much you eventually like this book will depend upon your objective. If the objective is to read a mystery novel, The Aquarian Gospel will disappoint (you will probably enjoy The Rozabal Line much more as a fast-paced thriller covering the Jesus in India story). If the aim is to read about the "Jesus in India" theory itself, again there are better books out there such as Jesus Lived in India: His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion or The Unknown Life of Jesus: The Original Text of Nicolas Notovich's 1887 Discovery If, however, the aim is to understand the influences of the Eastern traditions upon the spirituality and teachings of Jesus, then this is an ideal read. Throughout the 1960's, The Aquarian Gospel was a big hit with the hippie movement. To that extent, this book acquired a "negative" and "anti-establishment" connotation. However, with today's significantly more liberal attitude towards questioning the origins of Christianity, this book needs to be looked at in a new positive light.

Jesus and the Essenes

Dolores Cannon

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Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

INCREDIBLE & BREATH TAKING!! 5 out of 5 stars.
21 of 21 people found this review helpful.

I can not endorse or recommend this book any more than to say it is 10 stars on a 5 star scale! I have studied Jesus and the Essenes for over 30 years and I found this information enlightening. There are many mysteries explained about the Dead Sea scrolls, Moses, Ezekiel, creation, the Magi, and other Bible characters and stories. The information on the education and youth of Jesus is amazing. The revelations about Mary and her uncle Joeseph of Arimathea confirm information only now being written and speculated about. There are astonishing disclosures about the miracles in the Bible and the life of Jesus! Plan enough time to read this in one sitting or two at most. This book has the potential to change your life.

Editorial Review:

UFO Sightings and Abductions by aliens were the beginning, the tip of the iceberg. Dolores Cannon's work in hypnosis has taken the study beyond abduction. This accumulation of 12 years of cases includes: * Cases of missing time * Spacecraft from other dimensions and planes of existence * Condensed or distorted time * The differences and functions of various alien races * And much more Dolores traces the phenomenon from the simple to the complex. Exploring areas untouched by other investigators, she makes the unbelievable become acceptable and understandable.

Jung and the Lost Gospels

Stephan Hoeller

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Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Full of good insight, very helpful for beginners. 4 out of 5 stars.
63 of 68 people found this review helpful.

A very good book for those just beginning to study Gnostic Christianity ("Elements of Gnosticism" by Stuart Holroyd and "The Gnostic Gospels" by Elaine Pagels are also very good).

I especially liked the chapter "The Secret Sayings of Jesus". In that chapter, the author provided a very helpful analysis of selected sayings from "The Gospel of Thomas". That analysis gave me a good basic understanding of the Gnostic Jesus.

The chapter "Means of Transformation", equally good, basically puts Gnostic Christians in a good light. It accomplishes that by refuting some of the negative stereotypes against Gnostic Christians (for example the erroneous ideas that they hate God and the physical world and have no regard for virtue).

The chapter "Redemption and Ecstasy" is also interesting to me, personally, because it drew some parallels between Gnostic Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism's Kabbalah. Students of comparative religion, I believe, would find that chapter of interest.

As for the Jungian content of the book, I unfortunately can't really comment on it. The reason is that I admit that I have never read any of Jung's works only Gnostic interpretations of it. Let's just say I'm learning about Jung little by little as a side benefit of reading Gnostic writings.

Editorial Review:

Insights into the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi Library. Companion video.

The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Significance For Understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity

James Vanderkam, Peter Flint

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Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An introduction that does a great job 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

This book is part introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, and part overview of the texts and the work done by scholars since their discovery. It is not a detailed academic work, but it doesn't set out to be. It is intended for the intelligent reader to gain a good insight into the scrolls, their history, the significance of the texts, and the work that is being done. In this respect, it achieves its objective.

I like this book because it is possible to pick it up without any great knowledge of paleography or patristics, yet still be able to make sense of it, and gain some perspective at the same time.

If you are interested in finding out about these fascinating texts, and if you want an intelligent yet readable work, this is the book for you.

Editorial Review:

The story of the discovery of the first Dead Sea Scrolls has become a part of Western lore. Who has not heard about the Bedouin shepherd who threw a rock into a cave, heard a crash, went in to explore, and found the scrolls? The story in that form may be accurate, but it turns out to be something of a simplification. As a matter of fact, much remains unknown about the exact circumstances under which those scrolls were discovered. The story of the discovery at first deals with just one cave; the other ten were located at later times.

Dead Sea Scrolls Deception

Michael Baigent

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Total reviews: 50 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The oldest Biblical manuscripts in existence, the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in caves near Jerusalem in 1947, only to be kept a tightly held secret for nearly fifty more years, until the Huntington Library unleashed a storm of controversy in 1991 by releasing copies of the Scrolls. In this gripping investigation authors Baigent and Leigh set out to discover how a small coterie of orthodox biblical scholars gained control over the Scrolls, allowing access to no outsiders and issuing a strict "consensus" interpretation. The authors' questions begin in Israel, then lead them to the corridors of the Vatican and into the offices of the Inquisition. With the help of independent scholars, historical research, and careful analysis of available texts, the authors reveal what was at stake for these orthodox guardians: The Scrolls present startling insights into early Christianity -- insights that challenge the Church's version of the "facts." More than just a dramatic exposé of the intrigues surrounding these priceless documents, The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception presents nothing less than a new, highly significant perspective on Christianity.

Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies (For Dummies (Religion & Spirituality))

Daniel L. Smith-Christopher, Stephen Spignesi

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

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Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies is your one-stop guide to once-hidden works that add a new dimension to Biblical teachings. Most people have heard about the discovery of strange ancient religious writings that are not part the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament, such as the Gnostic Gospels. Now, you will find new insights and a fresh perspective on long-lost works that may have once been in the running for Biblical inclusion, but didn't make the final cut.

This easy-to-understand guide examines the sometimes weird, provocative, and profoundly moving texts that have been "lost" as well as those hotly debated works that are in some Bibles and not others. You will come away with a clearer understanding of the Judeo-Christian religion and the development of the Biblical canon. You’ll learn about the origins of the Bible, explore early scriptures, and understand why translations affect the meanings of texts. You’ll even learn how the Greek influenced early Biblical writing. Find out how to:

• Explain what the term “lost books” means
• Understand the definition of “canon”
• Take translation differences into consideration
• Divide early writings into style categories
• Take another look at scripture with the Dead Sea Scrolls
• See how the Greeks influenced early scripture
• Decode apocalyptic visions

Complete with a list of ten of the weirdest Jewish lost books, ten of the weirdest Christian lost books, ten sayings of Jesus NOT in the Bible, and ten “lost books that every student of the Bible should read, Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies is your one-stop guide to understanding and reading the Biblical lost books.

James the Brother of Jesus: The Key to Unlocking the Secrets of Early Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Robert H. Eisenman

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Total reviews: 74 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Mere Conjecture, Little Sunstance 2 out of 5 stars.
7 of 12 people found this review helpful.

I found Robert Eisenman's book "James the Brother of Jesus" to be a very lengthy and redundant work that makes big assumptions but proves very little. It is a study that raises many questions (over and over and over), but never does the author (in this reviewer's opinion) really satisfactorily prove any of his claims.

The narrative is a bear to get through. I try to completely read every book that I begin to read. Very rarely in my life have I put down a book and simply stopped reading to the end. I had to put this dull and lethargic work down several times out of sheer boredom and the author's tendency to repeat himself ad nauseum. When Eisenman feels he has a point to make, he insists on beating it into your brain again and again.

But that's about this author does in this thick book: he merely makes bold assumptions and then repeats the assumption numerous times. He never cross-examines himself, or states a question, but actually claims things which I have never heard anywhere else before in any other study of early Christianity before this.

I gave this book a chance because it was published by Penguin (whom I usually respect quite a lot for the books they publish). But this time Penguin miss the mark and back a hack writer who really doesn't prove anything and tries to discredit orthodox belief that's been established for well over two-thousand years.

Is the true story of James the actual cover-up that Eisenman claims that it is? I doubt it. We have no real way of knowing just who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls and when and for what purpose. Using the Dead Sea Scrolls as evidence is dangerous to any argument. We simply don't know enough about the Dead Sea Scrolls to use them for or against any proclamation.

I found the author's insistence that St Paul and the early diaspora Jews as being "pro Roman" and antisemitic as being a bit belligerent and intolerant. The author attempts to discredit the Christian faith and I found that distasteful and arrogant on his part. It's a free country and he is allowed the freedom of speech and the press, but we are also free to call him out in return. I found the author's entire thesis as being very much based on agenda, rather than merely a detached observation which began its life as a mere questioning.

There is no proof that the Righteous Teacher of the Dead Sea Scrolls is in fact the same James named in the writings of the New Testament and other early Christian texts. The author makes this claim many times, and I assume his strategy is that repetition will make the wary reader start to release all thoughts of skepticism and just start to assume that the allegation must be true. It's mere conjecture, not proof.

Other than the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are highly dubious writings that are very inconclusive, even today, there hasn't been any recent archeological discoveries that would back any of the arguments made in Eisenman's book. We simply don't know any more about the true identity of the so-named "James" than Eisenman does, or the authors of the early Church histories seem to.

I doubt this was an overwrite. More likely, the numbers of Jewish converts probably was never that numerous after Jesus' Crucifixion. The heavily Hellenized overtones of Jesus' thoughts and beliefs is most likely the explanation why there were so many diaspora Jews and gentile early Christian converts as opposed to purely Jewish ones in Palestine. Thus, it seems most probable that, like St Paul's and St Peter's travels according to Christian legend, Christian belief and conversion soon centered in the Mediterranean world of Alexander the Great and his successors rather than in the middle east. I doubt James was "written out" as much as the absence of mention of him and his role would indicate what it seems to indicate: and that is that whomever "James" truly was historically, he probably wasn't that important or significant a personage. The dominance of the Church in Rome was neither a political nor a racial plot, but most likely just a natural progression as tradition holds to this day.

Read Eisenman's book with an open mind, but always keep in mind that the author never fully backs his claims and most are unfounded. I cannot disprove his theories any more than he is able to prove them. They shall remain what they are: questions to ponder and little more.

Editorial Review:

Robert Eisenman, one of the most eminent researchers of early Christianity working today, has produced an exhaustive study of the historical milieu at the time of Jesus and come to the conclusion that James, rather than Peter, was heir to his teachings. Because the historical material regarding James is actually quite plentiful, a clear picture arises not only in regard to who James was, but by extension, who Jesus was also. Controversy is assured; still, given a patient reading, one will discover that Eisenman's research is meticulous, his arguments cogent, and his conclusions persuasive. This should prove to be a popular and influential book.