Dead Sea Scrolls: A Short History and a Selection of Theories

Dead Sea Scrolls refers to a collection of about 900 manuscripts which were discovered between 1947 and 1956 after 2000 years in eleven caves along the North-West coast of Dead Sea. The scrolls are concerned with the early Christianity which had been developing about the middle of the first century AD around Jerusalem. These documents indicate that besides the belief in Jesus Christ, the followers of early Christianity regarded it as necessary to obey the Old Testament laws. Thus, these scrolls are among the reliable documents which have enabled the scholars to put forward new theories about the origins of Christianity. The present article initially introduces the scrolls, elaborating on their contents. Because of their significance, the scrolls have been immensely examined since their discovery and as a result, different theories have been propounded as regards their originality and content. From among the lists gathered through the process of discovery and discussions on scrolls, Dr. Mahlon H. Smith's list is one of the most comprehensive which will be dealt with in this writing.