What do you know about them? What do you think about the way that they lived? Was Jesus studying with these people in his younger years?
2006-08-30 03:20:14 · 7 answers · asked by Metacoma 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jesus was an Essene rabbi.
The Essene Jews developed a Messianic religion, giving birth to the ideas which were to play a dominant role in the ideas of John the Baptist and Jesus. They believed in the divinity of a Messiah who they called the "Teacher of Righteousness", and who had died a violent death at the hands of the sons of darkness. They called themselves the "elect of God", and their religious community the "New Covenant".
The Essenes were initiated through baptism. It's unclear when the group was oringinally formed. Coming out of the time of the Maccabees, many remained true to their Law, earning the name of the pious ones, or Hasidim. Out of this group the origins of the Essenes and Pharisees can be traced.
The Essenes practiced the seventh day sabbath, believed in reincarnation, non-violence to all living creatures (they were vegetarians) and the sharing of all material possesions.
2006-08-30 03:31:45 · answer #1 · answered by Sweetchild Danielle 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essenes
Early Christianity was probably influenced by Essene tradition. It is widely believed that John the Baptist was related to them, so his presence in the Gospel stories is a clue that early Christians were trying to appeal to Essene groups.
But it isn't likely that Christianity grew out of such groups IMHO, because the Essene were truly Jewish, and even the earliest Christianity we have record of was primarily Greek mystery religion.
It's possible that the Essene teacher of righteousness is the prototype for the Jesus legend, but if so, I doubt we'll ever be able to prove it.
2006-08-30 10:22:55 · answer #2 · answered by lenny 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Personally, right now, I do not recall much of the Essences ( a group of the Jews).However, if memory serves me correctly on the point, the Dead Sea Scrolls were from the Essenes.
2006-08-30 11:12:00 · answer #3 · answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is one theory:
The Essences were originally followers of Akhenaten (Ankh (Life) en (of) Aton (God)), the pharaoh who introduced the idea of the One God publicly. After his downfall they fled to Southern Ethiopia, and there is historical evidence that a lot of Essences migrated to Israel at the time of Jesus (book: Copper Scrolls). It can be observed that their tombs resemble the city blue print of Amarna, and were facing towards that direction. Joshua Emmanuel the Christ didn't study with the Essences, they studied with Him. Even has a boy He was teaching, and had a superior grasp of the Torah. Anyway, the Essences believed in the One Loving God (Allaha), although there were, of course, differences among them.
2006-08-30 10:40:22 · answer #4 · answered by merankh 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From Easton's Bible Distionary: "A Jewish mystical sect somewhat resembling the Pharisees. They affected great purity. They originated about B.C. 100, and disappeared from history after the destruction of Jerusalem. They are not directly mentioned in Scripture, although they may be referred to in Mt 19:11,12; Col 2:8,18,23."
2006-08-30 10:23:28 · answer #5 · answered by pilgrimchd 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/essenes this is a free encyclopedia web site
2006-08-30 10:25:45 · answer #6 · answered by Trixie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No that is a misconception....Jesus was not a part of that group. It
is thought that John the Baptist may have been.
2006-08-30 10:23:19 · answer #7 · answered by Cre8ed2worship 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋