11.07.2005

Jesus in the Dead Sea Scrolls

I've started Hebrews, with my system of highlighting verses that have direct word-connections with the Old Testament. 11 references in the first 6 verses!

Hebrews 1:6 wowed me, once again. "Let all God's angels worship Him." The writer is quoting Scripture. Apart from Psalm 97:7 ("Worship Him, all gods/angels"), the best option for what is quoted is Deuteronomy 32:43. There the phrase "let all the angels worship Him" is only found in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT).

But the context of Deut 32:43 is what gets me. Verse 36: "The Lord will judge His people." Vs 39: "Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no god besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal." Verse 43: "He will provide atonement for His land and His people."

And Hebrews, by quoting a phrase from this passage, shows us that it's all about Jesus. There is no god besides Jesus. HE kills and makes alive, wounds and heals, provides atonement.

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