Essays representing ten years of John J. Collins’s expert reflection on Scripture and the Qumran community are here collected in a volume that is sure to be of interest to students and scholars
Essays representing ten years of John J. Collins’s expert reflection on Scripture and the Qumran community are here collected in a volume that is sure to be of interest to students and scholars of Early Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Collins opens with the introductory chapter “What Have We Learned from the Dead Sea Scrolls?” before offering essays on the authority and interpretation of Scripture, historiography and the emergence of the Qumran sect, and specific aspects of the sectarian worldview: covenant and dualism, the angelic world, the afterlife, prayer and ritual, and wisdom. A concluding epilogue considers the account of the Suffering Servant and illustrates the relevance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for early Christianity.
Sidnie White Crawford
—University of Nebraska-Lincoln
"A timely collection, bringing together ten years of John J. Collins's writings on the Dead Sea Scrolls. In these essays Collins displays his meticulous use of primary and secondary sources and his cogent arguments concerning the sectarian community that lived at Qumran, all in clear and readable prose. A must-read for scholars of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity!"
Carol A. Newsom
—Emory University
"In these sharp and no-nonsense essays, as always, John Collins manages to cut through the hype, the shaky theses, and even the complacent consensus opinions in the field of Qumran studies. That's not to say that he is always correct in his conclusions, but if one disagrees, Collins is the one worth arguing with. That's why his work forms the core of our bibliography for training doctoral students in the field of Dead Sea Scrolls."
Martin Abegg Jr.
—Trinity Western University
"This collection of essays—ranging from studies charting the formation of the biblical canon in the late Second Temple period, to the history of the interpretation of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53—touches on virtually every essential aspect of current scrolls research. John Collins is undoubtedly one of the most levelheaded scholars of our generation and can be depended upon to leave no known stone unturned in his perceptive and sensible discussions. To top it off, Collins has done us the favor of gathering an extensive and up-to-date bibliography for further study. Highly recommended!"
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John J. Collins is Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School and a recognized expert in early Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls. His many other works include The Apocalyptic Imagination, Beyond the Qumran Community, The Scepter and the Star, and (with Daniel C. Harlow) The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism.
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