Gathers recent research that provides background to the Bible and Christianity.This volume by Joseph Fitzmyer, a pioneer in the field of Dead Sea Scrolls research, collects twelve of his recent studies on the Scrolls, including a new essay on Qumran messianism. Well known for his landmark work in Aramaic studies and on the Semitic background of the New Testament, Fitzmyer explores how the Scrolls have shed light on the interpretation of biblical themes and on the rise of early Christianity. All of the articles in this volume have been updated to take into account current discussions.