Sunday School Lesson on the Dead Sea Scrolls

Just finished a two week lesson series on the Dead Sea Scrolls at my church, FBC Parker, to give them an introduction to the scrolls and other extra-biblical literature. All in all, they seemed to find it useful. Here’s what I basically covered, if you’re looking for ideas.

Day 1:

1. Short history of the scrolls and their discovery.
2. Discussion on the types of literature in the scrolls.
3. The DSS naming system.
4. Reading from the Rule of the Community.
5. Reading of 4Q525 (4QBeatitudes).
6. Short discussion of who wrote them (i.e., Essene or not).

Day 2:

1. Reading of part of a pesher, 1Q14.
2. Discussion of how the DSS have affected OT textual criticism.
3. Discussion of what significance the DSS and the pseudepigrapha have on NT interpretation, with special focus on John the Baptist, Jude, and Revelation.
4. Reading of 4Q521, the "Messianic Apocalypse."
5. Readings of selections of 1 Enoch (chapters 1 (for the discussion of Jude), 24 and 25 (for the discussion of Revelation)).