The Last Days according to Dead Sea Scroll

by greek 4 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  greek

  According to Dead Sea Scrolls 4QMMT (4Q397 - 399) the last days transpired during centuries I BC/I AD. Here there is a excerp of the dead Sea Sroll:

  "(5) For by reason of these . . . because of] violence and fornication [some] (6) places have been destroyed. [Further,] it is writt[en in the Book of Moses,] 'You [are no]t to bring the abomination t[o your house, because] (7) the abomination is despised (by God).'

  [Now, you know that] we broke with the majority of the peo[ple and refused] (8) to mix or go along wi[th them] on these matters. You also k[now that] (9) no rebellion or Lying or Evil [should be] found in His Temple. It is because of [these things w]e present [these words] (10) [and (earlier) wrot]e to you, so that you will understand the Book of Moses [and the words of the Pr]ophets and of Davi[d, along with the (11) chronicles of every] generation.

  In the Book (of Moses) it is written, . . s[o] that not . . . (12) It is also written, '[(If) you turn] from the W[a]y, then Evil will meet [you.'] Again, it is written, (13) 'It shall come to pass when [al]l [t]hese thing[s com]e upon you in the End of Days, the blessing (14) [and] the curse [that I have set before you, and you ca]ll them to m[in]d, and return to me with all your heart (15) and with [a]ll [your] soul' [. . . at the En]d [Time,] then you will l[i]v[e . . . Once again, (16) it is written in the Book] of Moses and in [the words of the Prophe]ts that [blessings and curses] will come [upon you . . . (21) the ble]ssin[gs that] cam[e upon i]t (Israel) in [his d]ays [and] in the days of Solomon the son of David, as well as the curses (22) [that] came upon it from the d[ays of Jer.] (23) [For] he may bri[n]g them upon . . . And we recognize that some of the blessings and curses have come, (24) those written in the Bo[ok of Mo]ses; therefore this is the End of Days, when (those) in Isra[e]l are the return (25) to the La[w of God with all their heart,] never to turn bac[k] (again).

  Meanwhile, the wicked will increase in wick[ed]ness and . . . (26) Remember the kings of Israe[l], and understand their works. Whoever of them (27) feared [the L]aw was saved from sufferings; when they so[ug]ht the Law, (28) [then] their sins [were forgiven] them. Remember David. He was a man of pious works, and he, also, (29) was [sa]ved from many sufferings and forgiven. And finally, we (earlier) wrote you about (30) some of the works of the Law, which we reckoned for your own Good and for that of your people, for we see (31) that you possess discernment and Knowledge of the Torah. Consider all these things, and beseech Him to grant you (32) proper counsel, and to keep you far from evil thoughts and the counsel of Belial.

  (33) Then you will rejoice at the End Time, when you find some of our words were true. Thus, 'It will be reckoned to you as Righteousness', your having done what is Upright and Good before Him, for your own Good and for that of Israel."

  This short epistle is clearly eschatological. This is in conextion to Mathew chapter 24 ( this generation not pass away...) And now here we have to the JW´s preaching the Last days twice. What is you opinion about this Dead Sea Scroll?
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  Elsewhere

  Jebus said that "this generation would by no means pass away until all of these things occurred". Last I checked that generation died about 2000 years ago.

  It is painfully obvious that he was wrong.
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  Narkissos

  4QMMT is an interesting witness to the eschatological interpretation of the frequent OT phrase be 'acharith ha-yamim, which in context generally means little more than "in future days" but canbe read (eschatologically) as "in the last days". Another key phrase you didn't highlight is "the wicked will increase in wick[ed]ness," cf. Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2; 2 Timothy 3; Revelation 22:11 (also Daniel 12:10). Of course there are a lot of more developed parallels to, and possible sources for, NT eschatology, e.g. Daniel, 1 Enoch, 2 Baruch, 4 Esdras, the Apocalypse of Isaiah, the Sibylline Oracles, as well as other Dead Sea Scrolls such as the Rule, the War Scroll, etc. Eschatology was widespread, although by no means universal, let alone unified, in 1st-century Judaism.
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  Steve J

  The thing that struck me the most about the Dead Sea Scrolls is that they show Jesus' teachings were by no means unique and it has certainly made me wonder if he wasn't an Essene, or at least a member of a similar community. Josephs writes in detail about the Essene's and the similarities with the New Testament and the members of "the Way" are striking.

  Steve J
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  Narkissos

  What is usually labeled "early Christianity" covers a variety of different and sometimes antagonistic movements, and the Essene connection can only work for some of them -- John the Baptist and James the Just seem to be among the closest to Essenism, but their relationship with (other) "Christian" movements (in Galilee, Syria, Egypt, Asia Minor, etc.) is rather problematic.

  However it's interesting that certain verbal and thematic similarities can be noted even in segments of "Christianity" which are ideologically remote from Essenism. For instance, the phrase "works of the Law" in 4QMMT (miqçat ma`aseh ha torah) offers the best formal parallel to the Pauline erga tou nomou, even though their stance on the subject is quite opposite. So the quasi-technical use of ha-rabbim with hoi polloi, "the many," i.e. the congregation of the faithful. Also, the well-known "dualistic" formula like "sons of light" / "sons of darkness," "spirit of truth / spirit of error" are practically the same in the DSS (notably the Rule) and Johannine writings (which otherwise reflect a very different, proto-gnostic, theology).