The Second Messiah

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As always, there are people to thank. In Israel, archaeologist, author, and scholar Hanan Eshel.

In the United States, John Wood, in Knoxville, who patiently answered my many questions and always pointed me in the right directions. Aramaist and author Douglas Stuart. Jeff Fisher for kindly sharing his memories of his time at Qumran. Author Bart Ehrman. Claudia Cross, my agent at Sterling Lord Literistic in New York. And not to forget Elizabeth Lacy and Marion McDonald—a promise kept.

In Italy, the Vatican Press Office. And a list too long to set down here of experts who gave of their time and help. My sincere thanks.

I’d love to be able to continue that great authorial tradition of buck-passing by saying that all errors that may appear are theirs, not mine, but that’s not so. However, I’ll try to cover myself by saying that some may be theirs, and some mine.

Ancient Rome’s remains and underground passageways mentioned in this book exist, as do the biblical settlement at Qumran and the town of Maloula. The Atbash code is a real cipher. It was discovered in a number of the Dead Sea scrolls by one of their most eminent translators, who believed from the coded evidence he had unearthed that the material would one day bring to light a prophecy or revelation of immense significance to humankind.

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