Back to Theology BooksRevised:09/03 (please note that some books are new to this site though not newly published)
This page provides links to general Biblical texts which I've found to be helpful for research.
Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English Geza Vermes (Editor) A new volume offering texts of the non-biblical DSS. Updated in 1997.
Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls : The History of Judaism, the Background of Christianity, and the Lost Library of Qumran (Anchor Bible Reference Library), Lawrence H. Schiffman (paperback) From the card catalog description: "Schiffman shows us that the Scrolls library in the Dead Sea caves was gathered by a breakaway priestly sect that left Jerusalem in the aftermath of the Maccabean revolt." Certain to give food for thought.
Of Particular Interest
Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions, Roland de Vaux (paperback) An excellent overview of the life and practices of the people of the Old Testament. Reprinted from a 1961 English edition.
Galilee: History, Politics, People, Richard A. Horsley (hardcover) an introduction to Galilee and Galileans of two thousand years ago.
Archaeology of the Land of the Bible : 10,000-586 B.C.E. (The Anchor Bible Reference Library), Amihai Mazar (paperback).
Introduction to Rabbinic Literature (The Anchor Bible Reference Library) Jacob Neusner (hardcover). An introduction to the writings and thoughts of rabbinic teachers. Not for the beginner!
The Scepter and the Star : The Messiahs of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Ancient Literature (The Anchor Bible Reference Library) John J. Collins (hardcover). Still another fascinating book from the ABRL. An intensive study of the development of the concept of messiah in the Biblical world.
The Ancient Near East : A New Anthology of Texts and Pictures (vol 1) James Bennett Pritchard, Editor (paper) A collection of texts and images from the ancient world which illuminate the background of the Bible.
The Ancient Near East : A New Anthology of Texts and Pictures (vol 2) James Bennett Pritchard, Editor (paper) see above.
The Gnostic Scriptures : A New Translation With Annotations and Introductions (The Anchor Bible Reference Library) Bentley Layton (paperback). Provides a fascinating insight into the background of Christianity and Hellenistic Judaism.
References
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary: A must for anyone who is serious about Bible study. This volume is a major work by respected Catholic Biblical scholars and includes chapters on each book of the Bible along with extensive articles on associated topics. Indispensable for anyone serious about scripture study. A great gift too for a parish library!
The Anchor Bible Dictionary David Noel Freedman (Editor) A six-volume up to date reference library on Biblical items. A good replacement for the now-dated Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible.
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (complete) (TDNT) Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich (eds) a ten volume classic for the serious scripture library. Provides insight into every key Greek text of the New Testament
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (abridged) Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich (eds) also known as the Little Kittel, a handy one-volume summary of the above work.
Dictionary of the Bible, McKenzie, ed., © 1965, MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., N.Y. This work is recently back in print and worthwhile as a resource.
The Collegeville Bible Commentary, Based on the New American Bible: Old Testament/New Testament, Dianne Bergant (Editor) A good beginner’s text. Consists of a collection of smaller booklets on each of the books of the Bible. This edition has them bound together in one volume.
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