From Jesus to the Early Christian Communities: Modes of Sectarianism in the Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls

This paper will explore how several aspects of the teaching and ministry of Jesus reflect ideas and practices to be found in the pre-sectarian and non-sectarian Dead Sea Scrolls, whereas those of several of the New Testament writings have their closest parallels in the sectarian compositions. In light of such parallels, the paper will attempt to show how the Scrolls illuminate the progression that seems to be evident in the New Testament writings from the multiple contexts of Jesus himself to the multiple forms of early Christian community. With a few notable exceptions, the social sciences have only recently begun to be applied to the Scrolls. This paper will therefore pay particular attention to how the social scientific reading of the Scrolls in the last decade has enhanced their understanding, and made them all the more pertinent as a control for how the changes that took place from Jesus to his followers in thought and practice might best be construed. In light of the publication of all the manuscripts and of new methodological approaches, the paper seeks to address familiar topics with fresh insight.