04-08-2013, 11:52 PM
As we all know, first century Israel spoke Aramaic. Peshitta Tanakh is first century Old Testament written in Aramaic. But Dead Sea scrolls seem to contradict the first century history of Israel, because around 80% of scrolls are written in Hebrew. And others in Aramaic and in Greek.
Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls are usually dated from 250 BC to 135 AD.
Through the testimony of Josephus, we read about the rarity of a Jew speaking Greek in first century AD.
Jewish Historian Josephus wrote ?
"I have also taken a great deal of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and understand the elements of the Greek language, although I have so long accustomed myself to speak our own tongue, that I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness; for our nation does not encourage those that learn the languages of many nations, and so adorn their discourses with the smoothness of their periods; because they look upon this sort of accomplishment as common, not only to all sorts of free-men, but to as many of the servants as please to learn them. But they give him the testimony of being a wise man who is fully acquainted with our laws, and is able to interpret their meaning; on which account, as there have been many who have done their endeavors with great patience to obtain this learning, there have yet hardly been so many as two or three that have succeeded therein, who were immediately well rewarded for their pains." Antiquities of Jews XX, XI
Jewish Wars (Book 1, Preface, Paragraph 1) - "I have proposed to myself, for the sake of such as live under the government of the Romans, to translate those books into the Greek tongue, which I formerly composed in the language of our country, and sent to the Upper Barbarians. Joseph, the son of Matthias, by birth a Hebrew, a priest also, and one who at first fought against the Romans myself, and was forced to be present at what was done afterwards, [am the author of this work]."
Unlike Peshitta Tanakh, I believe Dead Sea Scrolls are not reliable in terms of antiquity, because Essenes are usually given the authorship for Dead Sea Scrolls.
The problem is Essenes were famous for their continuing use of old, worn materials, as shown by Josephus in Jewish Wars Book 2. For Example, Essenes replace neither clothes nor footwear until the old set is ripped all over or worn through with age (Jewish Wars Book 2, 126).
This could mean that Essenes held that an ancient parchment, manufactured many years before, was venerable and suited for the recording of their inspired writings. The date of manufacture could be 100 years or more before the date of composition of the contents. It is quite fallacious to say that the date of composition was the same as the date of manufacture.
The presence of Greek among Dead Sea Scrolls also makes Dead Sead Scrolls less reliable in terms of antiquity since we read about the rarity of a Jew speaking Greek in first century. So Dead Sea Scrolls could have written on ancient scrolls around late 2nd century AD or later since Aramaic was the language spoken in Israel in first century AD and also early second century AD (till 130 AD).
Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls are usually dated from 250 BC to 135 AD.
Through the testimony of Josephus, we read about the rarity of a Jew speaking Greek in first century AD.
Jewish Historian Josephus wrote ?
"I have also taken a great deal of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and understand the elements of the Greek language, although I have so long accustomed myself to speak our own tongue, that I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness; for our nation does not encourage those that learn the languages of many nations, and so adorn their discourses with the smoothness of their periods; because they look upon this sort of accomplishment as common, not only to all sorts of free-men, but to as many of the servants as please to learn them. But they give him the testimony of being a wise man who is fully acquainted with our laws, and is able to interpret their meaning; on which account, as there have been many who have done their endeavors with great patience to obtain this learning, there have yet hardly been so many as two or three that have succeeded therein, who were immediately well rewarded for their pains." Antiquities of Jews XX, XI
Jewish Wars (Book 1, Preface, Paragraph 1) - "I have proposed to myself, for the sake of such as live under the government of the Romans, to translate those books into the Greek tongue, which I formerly composed in the language of our country, and sent to the Upper Barbarians. Joseph, the son of Matthias, by birth a Hebrew, a priest also, and one who at first fought against the Romans myself, and was forced to be present at what was done afterwards, [am the author of this work]."
Unlike Peshitta Tanakh, I believe Dead Sea Scrolls are not reliable in terms of antiquity, because Essenes are usually given the authorship for Dead Sea Scrolls.
The problem is Essenes were famous for their continuing use of old, worn materials, as shown by Josephus in Jewish Wars Book 2. For Example, Essenes replace neither clothes nor footwear until the old set is ripped all over or worn through with age (Jewish Wars Book 2, 126).
This could mean that Essenes held that an ancient parchment, manufactured many years before, was venerable and suited for the recording of their inspired writings. The date of manufacture could be 100 years or more before the date of composition of the contents. It is quite fallacious to say that the date of composition was the same as the date of manufacture.
The presence of Greek among Dead Sea Scrolls also makes Dead Sead Scrolls less reliable in terms of antiquity since we read about the rarity of a Jew speaking Greek in first century. So Dead Sea Scrolls could have written on ancient scrolls around late 2nd century AD or later since Aramaic was the language spoken in Israel in first century AD and also early second century AD (till 130 AD).
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