SBC Apocryphal writings & the Dead Sea Scrolls

Essay Canon Group:
Apocryphal writing & content: The Prayer of Manasseh was written as a petition for forgiveness. An extension to 2 Chronicles it portrays itself to be written by King Manasseh who is written about in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 who needed forgiveness due to his evil ways. It portrays God as the “God of those who repent”. Authorship unknown, Manasseh asks forgiveness and to be saved by God’s mercy.

Impact on popular culture: Some would say it is one of the most beautiful prayers in humility ever written. I find it reflects God in a discerning nature; it is a plea of an individual who was unaware of Gods loving nature and is focused mainly on God’s wrath coming upon him. It would also indicate that in modern day by reading it you might believe that you could be saved by simply repenting of your sins, 1:7  for you are the Lord Most High, of great compassion,long-suffering, and very merciful, and you relent at human suffering. O Lord, according to your great goodness you have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you, and in the multitude of your mercies you have appointed repentance for sinners, so that they may be saved.

Reason it was excluded from the canon: Manasseh’s Prayer is not included in the canon because it is not of God’s authorship and therefore not the inspired word of God. It is believed to have been written in the first or second century BC long after Manasseh’s death. The author is unknown; it could have been a Christian writing a Jewish prayer but more likely a Jewish author who wrote the text in the Greek language. Note: Apocryphal writings sometimes called a deuterocanonical book (meaning belonging to the second canon) by Catholics.
References: http://bible.crosswalk.com/History/BC/Apocrypha/ApocryphaBookList.html

http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/manasseh.html

http://www.bible.ca/catholic-apocrypha.htm

Essay Canon Group:
Dead Sea Scrolls significant findings: The scrolls were found in late 1946 or early 1947 in a cave near the northwestern edge of the Dead Sea. The scrolls dated from about 250BC to 68AD to include the oldest record of the Hebrew Bible, the old testament of the Christian Bible. Previous text dated to about 900 AD the Dead Sea texts were dated 1000 years earlier. One very significant finding was the entire book of Isaiah found in the scrolls.

Why discoveries are significant: The discovery of the scrolls provokes interest from all areas of expertise believers and non believers alike. The scrolls have meaning for anyone and everyone. The findings of Isaiah confirmed the accuracy of later translations of the bible. The discoveries were important because they help to complete what we today hold in our hands the bible-canon (the current word of God and guide for life).

How discoveries impacted modern Bible translation: The discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls has revolutionized the way we study the text of the Hebrew Bible. The scrolls had impact on the Old and New Testament especially the validity of the gospel of John. There were many revisions made to the Old and New Testament some findings were like missing pieces to a puzzle. Scriptures matching those of previous record, containing the additional parts of a verses that simply fit into place like a puzzle piece that could only match that particular puzzle. These puzzle pieces bring a validity to our modern day minds and our Bible like only God can do. The impact on our modern Bible is that of great magnitude, ever changing the way God speaks to us today.

Dead Sea Scroll References: http://www.bibleandscience.com/archaeology/dss.htm
http://books.google.com/booksid=8DHBr5ShlbgC&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=impact+of+dead+sea+scrolls+on+modern+bible&source=bl&ots=qGlsVQ3qkW&sig=-xHbEbi4mYYbP8mUsp7b0lgmNOI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA122,M1

Interesting Read on all 4 gospels & Dead Sea Scrolls:  http://craigaevans.com/Scrolls_Gospels.pdf

Real Photos of Dead Sea Scrolls- see link:  www.textexcavation.com/dssphotos.html

I enjoyed this study it was very enlightening. I know I will benefit from it my future understanding of God’s word.