[B-Greek] Dead Sea Scrolls and Influence on Understanding the NT text

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Sat Aug 28 19:48:20 EDT 2004


On Aug 28, 2004, at 8:05 AM, Alexis Sherwood wrote:

> Thanks for the responses.  I will pursue the "happy reading" :-)

Hi Alexis:

Personally, I think you will ultimately be disappointed in the 
purported parallels/links between the DSS and GNT, if you begin with 
the presupposition that the DSS provide some truly *revolutionary* 
matrix within which the GNT is to be viewed. I think any honest 
observer will admit that the inflated promises that accompanied the 
original discovery of the DSS have pretty much fizzled out or have been 
shown to be overblown at best. Only those who believe in conspiracy 
theories have continued to maintain truly radical parallels between the 
DSS and the GNT. Articles that have appeared on page 1 of the NY Times 
heralding meaningful parallels have ultimately appeared on page 32 as 
retractions or corrections. It is important to distinguish between the 
original fanciful hopes of the left wing of debunking the NT documents 
and the facts that have ultimately emerged. You may as well follow the 
National Enquirer's coverage of the DSS as to read some of the 
so-called "scholarly" treatments, which have been more politically or 
socially motivated as not.

This does not mean that a study of the DSS is a waste of time. At times 
they may be helpful. For example, there may be a link between some of 
the things we read in the DSS and the Melchisedek material in Hebrews. 
I think a very critical reading is the key here. But any radical 
rereading of the GNT in light of the DSS seems to me to be wishful 
thinking.
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




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