In this highly anticipated interview with Professor Lawrence H. Schiffman, an esteemed expert in Dead Sea Scrolls studies, we explore the profound significance of these ancient manuscripts in understanding ancient Judaism and Christianity. Dr. Schiffman provides a comprehensive overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls offer invaluable insights into the religious, social, and political dynamics of the Second Temple period, shedding light on the beliefs, practices, and historical context of this pivotal era. We discuss how the discovery of the scrolls in the mid-20th century transformed our understanding of Jewish history and Second Temple Judaism. He shares what got him interested in this topic and how it had a positive effect on his religious beliefs and observance. He explains how the scrolls inform our understanding of sectarianism within Jewish society in the Second Temple period, where the Halakhic texts within the scrolls align with or diverge from Rabbinic Judaism as we know it today, how the variants in these texts compare and contrast with the Masoretic Text, and what it tells us about the development of the biblical canon. Lastly, he delves into the apocalyptic and messianic texts that seem to reflect the beliefs and expectations of the Qumran community and how these beliefs compare with other Jewish and early Christian messianic expectations of the time.

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