The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

ÉMILE PUECH 263
The Non-Biblical Works Recovered at Qumran
Noncanonical books have been identified along with many copies of the
biblical books recovered in the caves at Qumran in the twentieth century. 18
Among these numerous texts figure the books of 1 Enoch (the “Parables”
excepted), in which the conception of the life after death is rooted in both
the biblical and Semitic traditions (see above). The fragments of the
Testament of Qahat ar (4Q542), a composition certainly of pre-Qumranic
date, are not irrelevant to eschatological thought. The patriarch Qahat
exhorts his sons to conduct themselves in such a manner that eternal blessing
might rest upon them, and so as to be delivered from the punishments
reserved for sinners destined to vanish forever at the time of the judgment
of the world (4Q542 1 col. 2). But more than half of the column is lost, and
we are deprived of valuable information. A similar idea is found in a passage
in the Testament of his son, Amram. The Visions of Amram, dating from
circa 200 B.C., contrasts the fate of the just with that of the wicked at the
time of the Last Judgment: darkness, death, and Abaddon are for the sons
of darkness, but light, joy and peace are for the sons of light who will be
delivered this very day from the sons of darkness, and they will be enlightened
(Visions of Amram f ar, 4Q548 1–2, col. 2, lines 12–16). 19 The theology
of the “Two-Ways” in these texts echoes the conception in Isaiah 26 and
precedes the brief formulation of Daniel 12. Their laconic context does not
permit us to say much, however it should be surprising that these two
Aramaic compositions may greatly disagree with the biblical passages and
1 Enoch, which are in favor of resurrection.
The Words of the Lights (4Q504)
The Hebrew composition The Words of the Lights (4Q504 [= 4QDibHam]
twrw)mh yrbd), which is perhaps an Essene composition, refers to: “All
those who are written in the Book of Life […and will stand] for service
to you and give thanks to [your holy name” (4Q504 1–2, col. 6, lines
14–15, and compare 4QInstruction, or Sapiential Work A a [= 4Q418] 81
18. One should take into account, according to ancient witnesses, the rich discoveries
between A.D. 200–800; such discoveries indicate the presence of a great quantity
of biblical and nonbiblical books.
19. Concerning these texts, see La croyance des Esséniens, 531–42, and “4QTestament
de Qahat ar” and “4QVisions de Amram f ar,” in Qumran Grotte 4.XXII: Textes araméens,
Première Partie (4Q529-549) (ed. É. Puech; DJD 31; Oxford: Clarendon, 2001),
257–288, 391–398.