The Unsorted BBS Collection/thegreatunsorted.tar/thegreatunsorted/texts/txtfiles_misc/judaism.txt

Text File | 1993-07-27 | 2KB | 36 lines

        JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

     The Dead Sea Scrolls include a range of contemporary documents
that serve as a window on a turbulent and critical period in the
history of Judaism.  In addition to the three groups identified by
Josephus (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes), Judaism was further
divided into numerous religious sects and political parties.  With
the destruction of the Temple and the commonwealth in 70 C.E., all
that came to an end.  Only the Judaism of the Pharisees--Rabbinic
Judaism--survived.  Reflected in Qumran literature is a Judaism in
transition: moving from the religion of Israel as described in the
Bible to the Judaism of the rabbis as expounded in the Mishnah (a
third-century compilation of Jewish laws and customs which forms
the basis of modern Jewish practice).

     The Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to the events described
in the New Testament, have added to our understanding of the Jewish
background of Christianity.  Scholars have pointed to similarities
between beliefs and practices outlined in the Qumran literature and
those of early Christians.  These parallels include comparable
rituals of baptism, communal meals, and property.  Most interesting
is the parallel organizational structures: the sectarians divided
themselves into twelve tribes led by twelve chiefs, similar to the
structure of the early Church, with twelve apostles who, according
to Jesus, would to sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes
of Israel.  Many scholars believe that both the literature of
Qumran and the early Christian teachings stem from a common stream
within Judaism and do not reflect a direct link between the Qumran
community and the early Christians.

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deadsea.scrolls.exhibit                        rev. 6/18/93 (kde)