DESCRIPTION
Respected scholar Gabriele Boccaccini here offers readers a new and challenging view of the ideology of the Qumran sect, the community closely related with the Dead Sea Scrolls. Boccaccini moves beyond the Essene hypothesis and posits a unique relationship between what he terms "Enochic Judaism" and the group traditionally known as the Essenes.
Building his case on what the ancient records tell us about the Essenes and on a systematic analysis of the documents found at Qumran, Boccaccini argues that the literature betrays the core of an ancient and distinct variety of Second Temple Judaism. Tracing the development of this tradition, Boccaccini shows that the Essene community at Qumran was really the offspring of the Enochic party, which in turn contributed to the birth of parties led by John the Baptist and Jesus. Convincingly argued, this work will surely spark fresh debate in the discussion on the Qumran community and their famous writings.
REVIEWS
Dead Sea Discoveries
"Along with the recent revival of interest in the DSS have come renewed questions and theories about the community that owned them. Boccaccini's Beyond the Essene Hypothesis is a model attempt to advance beyond previous hypotheses by combining strong methodology with clear reasoning. . . Though the nature of the evidence prevents his conclusions from being certain, Boccaccini does an admirable job of sifting and sorting historical descriptions and manuscript evidence to construct a persuasive theory of the development of an Enochic/Essene mainstream religious group from which the community at Qumran may have derived. His book will repay careful consideration."
The Jerusalem Post
"Penetrating and lucidly presented analysis."