“Hi. I just surfed in search for interesting blogs on spirituality. You have a cool blog. Do keep up the good work. I’ll be back even though I live far from where you live. It’s nice to be able to see what people from across the world think.
Warm Regards from the Other Side of the Moon.
On a related note, perhaps you might find the following link interesting. It’s proposing a theory, and I’d like to hear your take on the subject via comments. See ya.
Was Jesus an Essene?"
Bibby (Kerala, India)
Dear Bibby,
The entire life of Jesus the Christ is recorded in the Bible; although there are those that say that for eighteen years the Bible is silent about what happened to Jesus, this misconception is due to their ignorance in the understanding of the Scriptures. There was never any chance of Jesus joining the Essenic community. Let me prove this to you: historically, scientifically, and biblically.
Consideration #1: There were various religious groups or factions during the time of Jesus Christ: the Pharisees, the Scribes, and the Sadducees.
(Acts 23:6-8) “But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, in the four Gospels, criticized all these groups.
(Matthew 23:15) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”
The Scribes and Pharisees hated the Lord Jesus Christ.
He was also very vocal in his criticism about the Sadducees.
(Matthew 22:23, 29) “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.”
These groups were never in good terms.
(Acts 23:6-8) “But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.”
Logic and the ordinary promptings of man dictate that if the Lord Jesus were a member of the Essenic community, the critical Jesus, would have invited the ire of these groups to attack or retaliate against the group of Jesus. Never in the gospels written by four different evangelists, with the addition of a latecomer, Paul, was there any mention of Essenoi, which was only mentioned outside of the Bible by the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus.
Consideration #2: The entire life of Jesus was known to the Jews. They knew Him from boyhood to adulthood, until the time He started to preach the Gospel. When he preached, they marveled at Him asking —
(John 7:15) “And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”
For the Jews to categorically assert that Jesus Christ had never studied, it means that they have seen the entire life of Jesus. In fact, they even knew His family background and His lowly profession of being a carpenter.
(Mark 6:2-3) “And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”
Jesus, being the first born of Mary, helped His foster father Joseph in his carpentry work. The teenage years of Jesus up to age 30 were spent being a carpenter. There is no such thing as “eighteen lost years of Jesus”
Had Jesus been a member of the Essenic Jewish religious sect, it would have been mentioned by His detractors, and would not have said, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”
Consideration #3: Jesus said that His teachings came directly from the Father.
(John 12:49) “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”
He did not learn it from any religious group or affiliation. He was sent by the Father, and His authority as the original teacher of Christianity is affirmed by His predecessor John the Baptist.
(Matthew 3:11) “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire…”
His heavenly Father confirmed and affirmed His election, with three reliable living witnesses then, and with two spirit beings in a vision.
(Matthew 17:1-5) “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”
Nobody, no religious faction or group, taught Jesus, but His Father in heaven.
(John 7:16) “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.”
Consideration #4: The teachings of the Essenic community such as: Celibacy and purification by water rituals (among others) are contrary to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even His Apostles were not forbidden by Jesus to marry.
(I Corinthians 9:5) “Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? RSV
Purification rituals by water were criticized by the Lord Jesus in the Gospel.
(Mark 7:7-8) “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.”
I am not against the Essenic community as portrayed by Flavius Josephus; but my point is, that Jesus was not an Essene. His teachings are original, irrefutable, and absolute truth — which came directly from the Father.
God bless,
EFS