About this course

This course is free because of the generosity of our Vision Partners.

There has been much scholarly investigation into the historical and cultural events which shaped Second Temple Judaism – namely, the world in which Jesus lived and in which the New Testament was written. The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran community depict elements of Judaism that existed before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. which aid in understanding the Second Temple period. In this course, Dr. Dominick S. Hernández engages in a fascinating conversation with Dr. Craig A. Evans, leading New Testament scholar and authority on the Dead Sea Scrolls, to examine the writings, doctrines, and practices of the Qumran community as portrayed in the Dead Sea Scrolls in an attempt to conceptualize the Jewish world into which Jesus came. Together, they survey the cultural, theological, and historical relationships between the Qumran community and the Dead Sea Scrolls with the New Testament.

Course objectives

After completing this course, you'll be able to:

  • Explain who the Qumran sectarians were, what they believed, how they lived, and their administrative structure.

  • Describe the Qumran sectarians and their influence on Second Temple Judaism.

  • Outline similarities and differences between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament.

  • Responsibly use the Dead Sea Scrolls in the study of the New Testament.

Course outline

    1. About this course

    2. What you will learn

    3. What you need

    4. Instructor

    1. Lesson 1: What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls?

    2. Lesson 2: Archaeology of Qumran, Dating of Manuscripts, and the Historical Setting of the Dead Sea Scrolls

    3. Lesson 3: Theories of Qumran Origins

    4. Unit 1 Quiz

    1. Lesson 1: Who Were the Qumran Sectarians?

    2. Lesson 2: Sectarian Characteristics

    3. Lesson 3: How Did the Sectarians Relate to One Another? Daily Routine and Worship

    4. Lesson 4: The Messiah(s) at Qumran and Second Temple Messianism

    5. Unit 2 Quiz

    1. Lesson 1: Purpose of Studying the Dead Sea Scrolls in Relation to the New Testament and Some Controversial Texts

    2. Lesson 2: Bible and Biblical Commentaries in Qumran

    3. Lesson 3: What Did the Sectarians Write?

    4. Unit 3 Quiz

    1. Lesson 1: Shared Phrases and Motifs between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospels

    2. Lesson 2: The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Revelation

    3. Lesson 3: Pauline Literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls - Christological Titles and Terms, and the “Works of the Law”

    4. Lesson 4: The Dead Sea Scroll and the Book of Hebrews

    5. Unit 4 Quiz

The Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament

  • Free
  • 3.5 hours of video content
  • 14 Lessons

Additional course details:

  • Difficulty level: 4

    The learning difficulty for this course is 4 out of 5. It is recommended for advanced students and above.

  • Unlimited access

    You receive unlimited access to the course once you enroll.

  • Certificate of completion

    You automatically receive a certificate of completion once you finish the course.

Instructors

Certificate program

Earn credit towards the Certificate of Biblical History when you complete this course.

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