The Dead Sea Scrolls: Why They Matter

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s and early 1950s forever changed the study of ancient Judaism and early Christianity. As additional documents surfaced and archaeological fieldwork continued apace, the understanding of these two religious traditions came into greater focus. The result is a radically new understanding of both Judaism and Christianity—and of the nexus between the two. 

Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Gary Rendsburg describes the discovery of these precious fragments, what we know about their origins, the controversies surrounding them, and their influence on the development of both ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie professor of Jewish history at Rutgers University.

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