Jesus Abstract

Here is the abstract for tomorrow's seminar on the origins of the worship of Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls:

The Dead Sea Scrolls appear to put forward the evidence for an evolution in messianic thought. In comparison with the Hebrew Bible messianic figures have developed in the way they are eschatological and divine. The hope of a Davidic Messiah moved towards the expectation of a divine warrior to tackle Israel’s enemies. There are parallels with the divine figures described in the scrolls and the way Jesus was understood as divine, particularly the use of titles and alluded Old Testament texts. But there is by no means any direct links and there are also disagreements in thought. But the scrolls may provide an understanding of messianic hope in the 1st Century CE among Jews. As these texts are of the Jesus era they may clarify how Jesus came to worshipped as a divine being.

Charles Goodwin