Watch Bible Hunters

Bible Hunters is a fascinating documentary series that takes viewers on a journey through time as it explores the history and discovery of the world's most coveted and valuable ancient manuscripts - the Bible. Produced by Smithsonian Earth in 2014, the show delves into the epic stories of the search for the earliest known Christian texts, their tumultuous journey and discovery, and the people who dedicated their lives to uncovering these priceless treasures.

Each episode is packed with intense drama, twists, and turns as it reveals the fascinating history and intense search for some of the world's most valuable works of literature. The series uncovers and examines the Bible's engaging stories and asks tough questions about the origins, the people who wrote them, and the secrets they contained.

The show begins with a story of one of the world's most sought-after religious manuscripts, the Gospel of Judas, and how it was discovered in a remote Egyptian desert in 1978. The Gospel was discovered in a clay jar by peasants and quickly became one of the most sensational discoveries in the history of Christianity. The story of the discovery, purchase, and eventual publication of the gospel is explored in detail.

The series then moves on to tell the story of the landmark discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the discovery that shook the world of archaeology and biblical studies in the 20th century. Found in the 1940s and 1950s by Bedouin shepherds and Jewish archaeologists on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, these scrolls contained some of the earliest known Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the Old Testament, as well as works that were not part of the Jewish or Christian canons of the time.

The show also gives attention to other notable and lesser-known early biblical manuscripts, like the Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus, and the Nag Hammadi library. It highlights the fascinating, often dangerous journeys taken by the protagonists to locate, learn about, decipher and preserve these ancient texts. The show also explores the changing roles that these texts played with religious authorities and how their interpretations changed over time.

The excitement of the show comes from the fact that these texts were not discovered all at once. The show makes a point of revealing the painstaking, lifelong journeys taken by the "Bible hunters," researchers, and archaeologists to search the world and discover these ancient treasures. The dramatic nature of these pursuits, with their trials and tribulations, adds layers of complexity to this documentary, creating what is an often gripping narrative. These personal accounts are brought to life through dramatic re-enactments of the key moments of discovery, including the search for the gospel of Judas in Egypt and the hunt for the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The historical accuracy and production value of the documentary are impressive, and there is an air of authenticity about the way the show is made. The series features interviews with biblical scholars, archaeologists, professors, and other experts, accompanied with spectacular footage of the landscapes and ancient sites that these Bible hunters visited.

Overall, Bible Hunters is an incredibly engaging and informative documentary series that explores the history and discovery of some of the ancient world's most prized manuscripts. The show's captivating narratives, combined with the sheer magnitude and historical significance of the texts' discovery, make it a must-watch series for anyone interested in religious, biblical, and historical studies.

Bible Hunters is a series that ran for 1 seasons (2 episodes) between April 21, 2014 and on Smithsonian Earth