[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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