Was Jesus An Essene?

[Ron Beron]

Jesus was a Christian. The founder of the one and only true and living gospel.

While I understand and agree somewhat with your sentiment I would have to say that having been circumcised, became a man at thirteen and thereafter was expected to know the Law, Jesus was a practicing Jew who was very familiar with not only the religious sects of the times, but also the political problems facing his people.

[Robert F. Smith]

I don't disagree with this at all.

It was just that the posters were trying to pin him in different Jewish sects.

Jesus was a Jew, and so were all his disciples in the NT. The NT is a document written by Jews, frequently quoting and interpreting the OT. It is not difficult to understand Jesus in light of Judaism. What is truly difficult is to attempt to understand Jesus apart from his own culture and religion -- a culture and religion he had a dominant hand in creating and cultivating as Jehovah. More importantly, Jesus himself declared that he was spoken of by all the prophets, and his disciples declared that he fulfilled many OT prophecies.

There was no single form of Judaism in Jesus' day. There were several Judaisms, and scholars generally agree that both modern rabbinic Judaism and modern Christianity had a great deal in common at the outset. The other major sects virtually disappeared. Two millennia later, they look very different only because they each made a strong effort to distinguish themselves from one another. I think it unlikely that we can well understand the Bible or Book of Mormon without understanding Israelite religion and culture. EVen so simple an ordinance as the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is much deeper than we suppose, and is actually the latest form of the Mosaic Passover meal.

It was no accident that Paul declared himself a Pharisee, nor that he had been trained by one of Judaism's greatest rabbis (Gamaliel) before his conversion to Christianity. I like to think that a twelve-year-old Jesus may have met Rab Hillel at the temple on that famous occasion when his parents came rushing back to Jerusalem to retrieve him. Why, because, for whatever reason, Jesus preached the moral and ethical rules championed by Hillel, and by his successors among the Pharisees. Jesus can only be understood in proper context.

[Robert F. Smith]

I found this note interesting, in light of the recent controversy over a paper, written and attempted to be promulgated by Mormons, designed to be a hard-hitting criticism of the teachings and actions of another Mormon.

Clearly, it's possible to be part of a tradition - even if on the margins - and still come under the ire of more traditional adherents of that tradition.

This isn't supposed to support that Jesus was a pharisee, just a note that I don't find this particular argument as particularly persuasive.

Your points are well taken, and it is a good idea to reflect on the very backward and rural Galilean culture from which Jesus came, and the ultra-modern, Romanized culture of Jerusalem.¹ There would naturally be strong suspicion and jealousy of a northern Wunderrebbe coming to the big city and preaching with great self-assurance -- even without the powerful Messianic claims which Jesus made. Despite his normative Pharisaic Judaism, Jesus was considered a blasphemer of the highest order. That he would be killed in short order goes without saying. That was the whole purpose of his coming to Jerusalem.

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¹ This distinction and contrast was very forcefully made recently by Prof. Matthew J. Grey on Aug 13, 2012, during his BYU Edication Week lecture on "Archeology and Jesus' Final Days in Jerusalem," He advised that we have a look at the very modern Jerusalem of that time at

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[volgadon]

Not so much a backwater, when you consider Sepphoris within walking distance.

[Robert F. Smith]

Not so much a backwater, when you consider Sepphoris within walking distance.

I have often heard that suggestion, including the idea that Joseph and his son were contractors hired to help build Sepphoris, and even that Jesus learned to speak Greek, and that his hair was coiffed in Roman fashion (Garner Ted Armstrong particularly liked that). I doubt it since we have no evidence to indicate such a cosmopolitan behavior by Jesus. People even commented, "Is this the carpenter's son?" Those who knew him were surprised by his "coming out" as it were.

[ERayR]

I agree with you as we often do. It is difficult to attempt to associate Jesus' thoughts with any sect; it assumes he was just a man without the benefit of being a member of the Godhead. I think it is better to remember that he personifies truth and all truth is but a reflection of him and his thoughts; not the other way around.

To me it is more like they are casting him as a Jewish revolutionary trying to reform his favorite group. Of course he functioned within the existing structure.

Edited August 24, 2012 by ERayR

[volgadon]

I have often heard that suggestion, including the idea that Joseph and his son were contractors hired to help build Sepphoris, and even that Jesus learned to speak Greek, and that his hair was coiffed in Roman fashion (Garner Ted Armstrong particularly liked that). I doubt it since we have no evidence to indicate such a cosmopolitan behavior by Jesus. People even commented, "Is this the carpenter's son?" Those who knew him were surprised by his "coming out" as it were.

Look at it this way, if he were a tekton, why wouldn't he find work during a building boom in the area? As for Greek, he may have known some, or at least a patois of sorts. There is also no reason to suppose that he didn't follow fashion of the day. John didn't, which is pointed out explicitly. The people of Nazareth heard Christ teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath and were surprised, indeed, startled by his wisdom, perhaps by his originality as well. People were surprised because they were not expecting one of the regular guys, a carpenter whose family everybody knows, to be able to expound scriptures like that. Had nothing to do with cosmopolitan behaviour.

[Ron Beron]

I have often heard that suggestion, including the idea that Joseph and his son were contractors hired to help build Sepphoris, and even that Jesus learned to speak Greek, and that his hair was coiffed in Roman fashion (Garner Ted Armstrong particularly liked that). I doubt it since we have no evidence to indicate such a cosmopolitan behavior by Jesus. People even commented, "Is this the carpenter's son?" Those who knew him were surprised by his "coming out" as it were.

Along these lines was Jesus really of Nazareth or a Nazarene? I understand that it can be rendered "Jesus of Nazareth" or "Jesus the Nazarene", but it could have religious significance as well as a common locator. If religious it could refer to His messianic calling.

[mercyngrace]

Along these lines was Jesus really of Nazareth or a Nazarene? I understand that it can be rendered "Jesus of Nazareth" or "Jesus the Nazarene", but it could have religious significance as well as a common locator. If religious it could refer to His messianic calling.

I think "of Nazareth" because of the play on the word ne-ser* (shoot or branch) and Isaiah 11:1.

*Not sure how to spell this, maybe Volgadon can fix it if my phonetic spelling is bad

[volgadon]

I think "of Nazareth" because of the play on the word ne-ser* (shoot or branch) and Isaiah 11:1.

*Not sure how to spell this, maybe Volgadon can fix it if my phonetic spelling is bad

You could use "ts" or "tz," doesn't make much of a difference. I think you are right about the wordplay.

[Mudcat]

I am liking Storm Rider and ERay's thoughts on the subject.

I understand the idea in one respect, that we might say Jesus was a practicing Jew of some stripe.

But in an entirely different respect, I don't know if it make such observations. I don't see him one who practiced Jewish laws. Rather I see him as the living and fully tangible expression of the law. The living Word of God among us.

[ERayR]

I am liking Storm Rider and ERay's thoughts on the subject.

I understand the idea in one respect, that we might say Jesus was a practicing Jew of some stripe.

But in an entirely different respect, I don't know if it make such observations. I don't see him one who practiced Jewish laws. Rather I see him as the living and fully tangible expression of the law. The living Word of God among us.

That is exactly what I meant.

[Ron Beron]

Some similarities I found interesting is that both early Christianity and Essene Judaism:

• believed in a powerful enemy of God, the Evil One (Prior to the Babylonia Diaspora the Jews did not believe in a personalized satanic person)
  
• believed in the importance of Isaiah 40:3
  
• believed in the institution of a New Covenant
  
• called themselves the Poor
  
• held their property in common
  
• believed in a cosmic battle between good and evil
  
• expected a apocalyptic end
  
• regarded God as a king ruling a kingdom
  
• expected an earthly messiah
  
• revered the Holy City of Jerusalem but despised the priests of its temple
  
• considered sacrifice in the temple of no importance
  
• emphasized the purifying power of water
  
• condemned divorce
  
• used the terms “Sons of Light”—no one else did in Palestine at the time
  
• Both had a connection to John the Baptist.
  
• Both believed in the priesthood of the Zadokites or Melchizedek.
  

And some contradictions...

• Jesus’ group was open while the Essenes were exclusive
  
• Jesus was not concerned with ritual purity and taboos but Essenes were
  
• Jesus associated with the unclean but for Essenes it was anathema
  
• Jesus associated with gentiles but for Essenes it was anathema
  
• Jesus mixed with women but for Essenes it was anathema
  
• Essenes were not interested in missionary work but Jesus was
  
• Jesus spoke simply but the Scrolls are abstruse and sometimes in code
  
• Jesus, not the Essenes, was famous for healing miracles
  
• Jesus did not require any prolonged initiation but the Essenes needed three years
  
• Jesus had twelve apostles with three special ones but did not have a clear cut hierarchy
  
• Jesus did not follow the solar calendar but the Essenes did
  
• Jesus possessed no formal training but Essenes devoted their lives to biblical study and interpretation
  
• Jesus honored the prophets but the Essenes re-interpreted what they wrote implying they thought them ignorant
  
• Jesus taught in parables but the Essenes just set down endless laws
  
• Jesus believed in the resurrection of the dead at the End Time but there is no clear evidence that Essenes did
  
• Jesus never mentioned the names of the angels but Essenes had to remember them and had an extensive angelology
  
• Jesus was liberal about observance of the sabbath while Essenes were sticklers for it
  
• Jesus taught about the coming kingdom of God but the Essenes never used the expression.
  

Or should we consider the notion mentioned by David Larson ( http://www.heavenlyascents.com/2009/03/17/dead-sea-scrolls-not-written-by-essenes/ ) that the Essenes never did exist, consisted of disenchanted temple priests?

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Edited August 25, 2012 by Ron Beron