Who Kept The Dead Sea Scrolls

It could be around AD 80 when the Jewish historian Josephus visited Qumran, beside the Dead Sea.

Just a few decades after Christ's ascension, many of his disciples and followers travelled near and far and everywhere to spread the Good News of salvation, first to the Jews and also to the non-Jews.  They were in a hurry because they were expecting Christ's return in a short while.

But the expectation of Christ's return also gave rise to another response - some believers turned to a quiet ascetic lifestyle.

Josephus described the Essene community at Qumran. "After prayers before dawn, each member would set to a task in which he was skilled.  Before noon, they would assemble, washed with cold water to purify themselves to eat a simple meal.  Then they resumed work until the evening meal.  The silence within seems like some dread mystery; it stems from their permanent sobriety and the restriction of their food and drink to the bare necessities."

The study of scriptural law and prayer were among the chief occupations at this Essene community at Qumran.  A common thread of their faith was a sense that the apocalypse was about to strike.  The sect believed that God's vengeance would soon be unleashed on the unfaithful, and that they alone would survive the Day of Judgement.

We need to thank this Essene community for hiding the scriptural scrolls for posterity. 

(Paraphrased and gleaned from the book "Vanished Civilizations")

Those very enigmatic bible verses...

"DO NOT RESIST HIM WHO IS EVIL; BUT WHOEVER SLAPS YOU ON THE RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO.  AND IF ANY ONE WANTS TO SUE YOU, AND TAKE YOUR SHIRT, LET HIM HAVE YOUR COAT ALSO..."  MATT 5:38 to 44

This is an example of Bible verses that is hard to understand and practice. We don't do this when someone does bad to us.  When a robber robs you of your wallet, you don't voluntarily ask him to take your watches as well.  When a bully punches you on the left side, you don't volunteer the right side to be punched too. When Israel lost a city to an invading enemy, Israel did not say "Take my other cities as well." When Jesus was slapped by the soldiers who came to detain Him, the Bible did not mention that He turned the other cheek too.

Sometimes the Bible verses surprise us, some go against common sense and are unnatural for us to follow.

In such incidences, we should not follow the Bible verses literary.  We should mull over the exhortations and the intentions behind those words, and apply those underlying lessons which are consistent with other verses in other parts of the Bible.

So now, if a Christian accidentally took some poison, please seek medical assistance.  Do not just pray and do nothing.  Mark 16:18 does not apply.

Different levels of understanding

When we read the Bible, we can experience different levels of understanding.

We can understand it at the 'textual' level. We can understand at a deeper level after considering the setting and circumstances at the time the verses and stories were written. We can also understand at the intense level, guided by the Spirit.

Today, Numbers 21:4-9 were read in Church:

"The Israelites left Mount Hor...to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience and spoke against God and Moses. They complained 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!' Then the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people and many Israelites were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Now pray to the LORD to take these snakes away.' So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. So Moses made a bronze snake and put on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed."

Well, reading the 'text', we understand a simple story and glean a simple lesson. Naturally the people got tired of eating the stale food that they brought out of Egypt months ago. And so they complained. The LORD found them ungrateful and so punished them with poisonous snakes. They realised that they had been whiny and ungrateful and so they regretted their actions and asked Moses for a solution. God is merciful and provided a solution to those who were willing and humble enough to accept God's cure.

It is enough to understand the Bible at the textual level. God's Word in the Bible is meant for people with 'normal intelligence' to read and understand. It's unnecessary to dig deeper and deeper just to understand the hidden meanings. No need to ask 'Why punish using poisonous snake and not aedes mosquitoes? Why cure using a bronze snake, and not a wooden snake? Why not cure by praying 3 times a day instead! Why not...'

There is no need to analyse God's Word on and on till the cows come home. God will speak to us and teach us even if we interpret the Bible at the superficial textual level.

But when there are contradictions and we do not understand those contradictions, it's all right to delve deeper and seek understanding. This is one of the purpose of this blog.

So read the Bible on your own. It's better than listening to any well-researched and well-delivered sermons.