Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls by John Bergsma
$26.00
A
major new work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest sacred documents
of Judaism, which reveals their surprising connections to early
Christianity.
“A
luminous treatment of a fascinating subject! Highly
recommended!”—Scott Hahn, author of The
Fourth Cup
From
award-winning scholar John Bergsma comes an intriguing book that
reveals new insights on the Essenes, a radical Jewish community
predating Christianity, whose existence, beliefs, and practices are
often overlooked in the annuls of history. Bergsma reveals how this
Jewish sect directly influenced the beliefs, sacraments, and
practices of early Christianity and offers new information on how
Christians lived their lives, worshipped, and eventually went on to
influence the Roman Empire and Western civilization. Looking to
Hebrew scripture and Jewish tradition, Bergsma helps to further
explain how a simple Jewish peasant could go on to inspire a religion
and a philosophy that still resonates 2,000 years later.
In
this enriching and exciting exploration, Bergsma demonstrates how the
Dead Sea Scrolls—the world's greatest modern archaeological
discovery—can shed light on the Church as a sacred society that
offered hope, redemption, and salvation to its member. Ultimately,
these mysterious writings are a time machine that can transport us
back to the ancient world, deepen our appreciation of Scripture, and
strengthen our understanding of the Christian faith.
“An
accessible introduction . . . This is a handy entry point for readers
unfamiliar with Essenes or those interested in the Dead Sea
Scrolls.”—Publishers
Weekly
