Why are we so fascinated by the Dead Sea Scrolls? In the mid-twentieth century, several Bedouin shepherds happened upon ancient scrolls housed in a cave. These documents, called the Dead Sea Scrolls, are often considered the most important manuscript discovery of the modern era. A veil of mystery, however, shrouds these ancient scrolls. In this 12-lecture series, you will join one of the world's leading experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls in a fascinating journey through the history and significance of these astounding documents. You will gain a solid understanding of what the scrolls actually are and of the community associated with them. You will begin with the discovery of the manuscripts in eleven caves near the remains of Khirbet Qumran, a place where the people who possessed the scrolls attempted to live by the teachings in them. You will survey the physical layout and the archaeology of Qumran while learning about its history and the identity of the people who used it. Next, you will explore the hundreds of scrolls, examining their meaning and implications for the texts of the books now in the Old Testament. Learning about the scrolls will also aid in understanding the New Testament; as they were written during the time of Jesus, they allow you to appreciate more fully the world in which He and His first followers lived. This is a must-have course for anyone wishing to learn more about the Old Testament, the historical Jesus, and biblical history.
"Prof. James VanderKam is one of the world's leading experts in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the wider field of Second Temple Judaism... I have profited tremendously in my own work from my ability to consult Prof. VanderKam on a regular basis. I dare say, I could not have completed volume four of my series A Marginal Jew without the wise advice of Prof. VanderKam."
Prof. John P. Meier, University of Notre Dame
"James VanderKam has been at the forefront of the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls for more than twenty years. He is universally respected for his dispassionate, scholarly approach. There is no better guide to the Scrolls than VanderKam."
John Collins, Yale University
"James VanderKam is one of the most prominent scholars of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Second Temple Judaism. His scholarship is on the highest level, yet he presents it clearly and interestingly. Throughout he shows the clarity of his judgment as well as his wide-ranging knowledge."
Lawrence H. Schiffman, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, Yeshiva University
