Yesterday I went to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Science. Doug and I were first relieved that we were able to walk right in. Crowds have been quite large on the weekends, and even steady on weekday mornings. If you go I suggest weekday afternoons. You'll enjoy the time.
The exhibit is fabulous. You really get a sense of ancient Mediterranean life. Moreover, you get a feel for the world where the Dead Sea Scrolls lived. Not having traveled to the Middle East, I was drawn by the pictures and video in the context of an arid desert that set high above the sea of salt.
The exhibit presented the Dead Sea Scrolls as living artifacts of a people who lived longed along. The Essenes lived in a fortified community in the area of Qumran. Their community reminded me of the descriptions of monastic life in the ancient world and the early Christian communities. Based on what I saw yesterday I would accept their community being a family community - men, women, children, grandparents - who came to Qumran as a sect of people seeking refuge in the light of those who wanted to shine light into the darkness.
Moving through the exhibit we worked ourselves from community context to community work to the heart and soul of community life. The Dead Sea Scrolls were the holy words of YHWH that provided the guidance of life. They were ancient words even for them that were the rule of life. Just there very act of preserving the Scrolls showed me their desire to keep the Word of the Scrolls safe and avaiable for them and future generations. They surely did not know their work would inspire generations two mellenia later?
While scholars decipher the message and teachings of the Scrolls I'll hold to the inspiration discovered in the practice of this religious community. The Dead Sea Scrolls preservation of the Ancient Words that live in the Spirit of God, the Word of Life.
I had a great opportunity to see the Scrolls at a previous showing in Grand Rapids, MI back in 2003. Like Dennis, I was drawn to the imagery of the caves and grottos where many of these scrolls were discovered. Likewise, the context of the historical period was made ver real by the exhibits and the artifacts.
If you get a chance you really should check it out!
Posted by: ScottPriestley | August 07, 2008 at 10:09 AM