Father Geoffrey Graystone S.M. (Servants of Mary) originally wrote these chapters concerning the Dead Sea Scrolls for the Irish Theological Quarterly. Sheed and Ward saw fit to publish them in 1956 as a standalone book on the subject, as Catholics sought reliable information concerning the nature of the discovery. The author's style is scholarly yet insightful, and extremely well referenced, with deep notations. Important parallels and distinctions between the Qumran community of Essenes and the early Christian movement are discussed perceptively. Widely read in libraries, this work has theological significance for Christians seeking an accurate, yet succinct understanding of the subject. It also serves as a snapshot into early scholarship of the Dead Sea Scrolls.