The first and only book to explore the concept of the Messiah in light of the radical new evidence just discovered in the recently released Dead Sea Scrolls. Recent figures in the news, such as the self-proclaimed messiah David Koresh of the Branch Davidians, and the prophetic Orthodox Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, are confounding reminders of the forceful vitality of messianism in the modern world. They are also sobering indicators that contemporary society needs to take seriously and understand the messianic mind set. In The Scepter And The Star, biblical scholar John J. Collins unearths the seeds of messianic thought in the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other ancient literature.Many of Collins's conclusions hinge on his recent discovery of profoundly important material in the Dead Sea Scrolls. In 1991, nearly fifty years after they were originally folind, the entire collection of the Dead Sea Scrolls was finally released to the public. Collins was one of the first scholars to examine the scrolls and realized that they contained enormously significant messianic texts. The Scepter And The Star Will be the first scholarly work to explore fully the impact this new evidence has on our understanding of Jewish apocalypticism and messianism. In addition, Collins examines the crucial links and similarities between Jewish and Christian models of the messiah. How did Jewish communities, living in the turbulent century before the birth of Christ, envision the end of time? Did Jewish messianic figures influence the development of the Christian Messiah? Here, in careful detail and cogerit, accessible analysis, Collins explains the birth of messianic thought and its repercussions for Jews and Christians alike in ancient--as well as modern-times.
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From Publishers Weekly
In this fascinating survey, Collins traces the history and development of the idea of messiah from its earliest appearances in the Hebrew Bible to its culmination in the Judaism and Christianity of the first century c.e. Collins examines biblical and extrabiblical texts to explore the great variety of mantles, from eschatological prophet to Son of Man to Son of God, that messianic figures have worn. In his readings of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Collins discovers, contrary to traditional readings, that the messiah of that community is identified more with a teacher of righteousness than with an apocalyptic prophet who will lead the forces of light in the final battle against the forces of darkness. In addition, the Judaic belief in both a priestly messiah and a kingly (Davidic) messiah in the first century c.e. militates, Collins believes, against any easy identification of Jesus solely as Davidic. Finally, the author argues that careful study of the Scrolls may yet yield the common ground out of which the messianic ideas of Judaism and Christianity developed. Marked by judicious and accessible readings of primary texts, Collins's work is a significant contribution to Doubleday's outstanding biblical reference series.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
With the flurry of publications about the Dead Sea Scrolls over the past few years, much has been made of the significance of the scrolls for the study of Judaism and early Christianity. Collins's book is one of the first to examine a major theological subject in light of the newly released Qumran materials. Drawing on the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), the apocrypha, the pseudepigrapha, and especially the Dead Sea Scrolls, Collins explores messianic expectations in Judaism during the century prior to the Christian era. He identifies four messianic paradigms-king, prophet, priest, and heavenly messiah or Son of Man-rather than a single, all-encompassing concept. In the final chapter, Collins draws attention to the ways Jesus was seen to fit these messianic paradigms as well as the ways he would seem to deviate from or further develop them. Recommended for all academic religious studies collections, as well as larger public libraries.
Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By benjamin
Format:Hardcover
The Scepter and the Star by John Joseph Collins is an in-depth study of the complex problem of messianism and the varied messianic expectation(s) and speculation(s) during the time of Second Temple Judaism. The subtitle of the book, "The Messiahs of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Ancient Literature" is important because Collins does not restrict his study to the Dead Sea Scrolls. He goes through the Pseudepigrapha (a large, open-ended collection of biblically-related and biblically-dependant literature that is not a part of the Bible), the Apocrypha, the Hebrew Bible/Tanak/Old Testament and the messianic ideas contained within those works. Collins also deals with Jesus and the New Testament in this work, although it is on the side that these discussions take place.
Collins' knowledge of the Hebrew Bible is extensive on both theological and historical levels. His knowledge is also useful because in the Hebrew Bible are the roots of the problems with messianic interpretation - the scriptures themselves. Once Collins places particular scriptures in their historical context, he then goes on to show their influence(s) and interpretation(s) in various post- and extra-biblical works of literature. We find a pre-existent, heavenly messiah, a priestly messiah, a kingly messiah, and a militant messiah in the works Collins analyzes. At least one messiah was expected and possibly and two, depending on who wrote the work. Collins also deals with the history of the word "messiah" and its various uses in the Hebrew Bible.
In reading the book, the reader will gain some insights as to how and why the writers of the New Testament understood Jesus the way that they did, but the goal of the book is not to connect these works to Jesus. The book is, in many ways, a survey of the messianic thought during and before Jesus' time.
This book is not an introduction by any means. It is an in-depth study; some previous knowledge of the Scrolls, the Pseudepigrapha, and Second Temple history will be useful to the reader. A glossary would have been nice and helpful and would have opened the doors for less knowledgeable readers to read and understand the book. Overall, this is an excellect read. However, previous knowledge will enable - and perhaps even be necessary - for reader to grasp the many insights in Collins' work.
Format:Hardcover
The Scepter and the Star is an excellent and indepth study of the controversy between Judaism and Christianity. In this book we find substantial support for the reasons that many Jews did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. The Jews were looking for two Messiahs- not one. There is scriptural support, which is well documented by John Collins that points to two Messiah figures of the Apocalypse. Collins also references Dead Sea Scroll material that specifically points out two figures- a Davidic and a Priestly Messiah . This book explains how two diverse religions came and stayed- Judaism and Christianity- over these differences. It shows how the Bible was more than a religious book, but a history book as well. This is an excellent, well written book that should get people to look again at the Bible and perhaps read it with insight instead of letting others TELL you what it says!!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars
4 reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
an in-depth study of a complex problem
Dec 28 2000
By benjamin
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
The Scepter and the Star by John Joseph Collins is an in-depth study of the complex problem of messianism and the varied messianic expectation(s) and speculation(s) during the time of Second Temple Judaism. The subtitle of the book, "The Messiahs of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Ancient Literature" is important because Collins does not restrict his study to the Dead Sea Scrolls. He goes through the Pseudepigrapha (a large, open-ended collection of biblically-related and biblically-dependant literature that is not a part of the Bible), the Apocrypha, the Hebrew Bible/Tanak/Old Testament and the messianic ideas contained within those works. Collins also deals with Jesus and the New Testament in this work, although it is on the side that these discussions take place.
Collins' knowledge of the Hebrew Bible is extensive on both theological and historical levels. His knowledge is also useful because in the Hebrew Bible are the roots of the problems with messianic interpretation - the scriptures themselves. Once Collins places particular scriptures in their historical context, he then goes on to show their influence(s) and interpretation(s) in various post- and extra-biblical works of literature. We find a pre-existent, heavenly messiah, a priestly messiah, a kingly messiah, and a militant messiah in the works Collins analyzes. At least one messiah was expected and possibly and two, depending on who wrote the work. Collins also deals with the history of the word "messiah" and its various uses in the Hebrew Bible.
In reading the book, the reader will gain some insights as to how and why the writers of the New Testament understood Jesus the way that they did, but the goal of the book is not to connect these works to Jesus. The book is, in many ways, a survey of the messianic thought during and before Jesus' time.
This book is not an introduction by any means. It is an in-depth study; some previous knowledge of the Scrolls, the Pseudepigrapha, and Second Temple history will be useful to the reader. A glossary would have been nice and helpful and would have opened the doors for less knowledgeable readers to read and understand the book. Overall, this is an excellect read. However, previous knowledge will enable - and perhaps even be necessary - for reader to grasp the many insights in Collins' work.
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book!!!
Aug 20 2000
By Susan L Alfson
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
The Scepter and the Star is an excellent and indepth study of the controversy between Judaism and Christianity. In this book we find substantial support for the reasons that many Jews did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. The Jews were looking for two Messiahs- not one. There is scriptural support, which is well documented by John Collins that points to two Messiah figures of the Apocalypse. Collins also references Dead Sea Scroll material that specifically points out two figures- a Davidic and a Priestly Messiah . This book explains how two diverse religions came and stayed- Judaism and Christianity- over these differences. It shows how the Bible was more than a religious book, but a history book as well. This is an excellent, well written book that should get people to look again at the Bible and perhaps read it with insight instead of letting others TELL you what it says!!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Second Temple Messianism
Jun 11 2005
By A. J. Valasek
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
This is a well researched, scholarly book that examines the messianic movements of the second temple period. It basically examines the various phrases (e.g. son of man) associated with the messiah(s) that were expected throughout this period. It certainly was written from a research standpoint to be used for research and not intented as a casual reading.
This book gives a fair review of the various expectations such as a warrior type messiah, a suffering servant, as well as some lesser known movements such as the two messiah movement and even the Christianized returning messiah dogma.
For the most part, the author is not identifying the messiah as any particular individual, but is trying to provide a broad scope look at the many movements and possible reasons as to how they developed and evolved from one type to another.
Drawing heavily upon the Dead Sea Scrolls, the author examines the various Bible texts that imply messianism and attempts to place these messiahs in their proper context. I believe that any serious student of this period would do well to have a copy of this book handy as it should prove to be a well used and well cited text as the research and debate about messianism thrives and grows.
This book gives a fair review of the various expectations such as a warrior type messiah, a suffering servant, as well as some lesser known movements such as the two messiah movement and even the Christianized returning messiah dogma.
For the most part, the author is not identifying the messiah as any particular individual, but is trying to provide a broad scope look at the many movements and possible reasons as to how they developed and evolved from one type to another.
Drawing heavily upon the Dead Sea Scrolls, the author examines the various Bible texts that imply messianism and attempts to place these messiahs in their proper context. I believe that any serious student of this period would do well to have a copy of this book handy as it should prove to be a well used and well cited text as the research and debate about messianism thrives and grows.
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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