Ancient and ArchaeologyΒ permalink
The Essenes
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Message 1.Β
Posted by fimbar (U14054219) on Saturday, 5th September 2009
Through out the history of the Jews a number of breakaway sects have arisen and vanished beginning from the moment when Aaron elected to introduce a bull cult in Moses absence.
The Essenes comprised a community of extreme, radical ascetics who become deeply opposed to mainstream Jewish teaching and lifestyle and "splintered" away from the Pharisaic government that came to power in 76ad.
Interest in these peoples resurfaced in modern times as a consequence of the discovery of the "dead sea scrolls"
Can anyone tell me what these scrolls were all about ? and what implications they have {if any } in relation to present day Judea teachings.?
Do these scrolls {found hidden in Wadi Qumran in modern day israel}, as a friend has told me, hold the key to the door of the Jewish peoples best kept secrets...?
And has any evidence been found to suggest that this "group" arose, just like the christian movement, in a remote area of Syrio Palastine..
Cheers
Fimber -
Message 2
Posted by LairigGhru (U5452625) on Saturday, 5th September 2009
I gather that it is considered likely that John the Baptist was connected with the Essenes.
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Message 3
Posted by fimbar (U14054219) on Saturday, 5th September 2009
LairigGhru
Thanks for your post.
My interest here is in the fact that these Essene dudes dressed in white robes.
In my research , i have come across these "Men in white" many times, the last time being some south American "god", who came floating from the east wearing a white robe and sporting a goatee beard.Myth declears him as white skinned.
And now i am curious about them.
We often hear about the exploits of the men in Black, well how about "The Men in White...?"
Is there , i wonder, anyone in the business of history who has been on a dig or expedition where evidence other than that found at Qumran, has been found that could give testimony to the possible existence of these "elusive Men in white..
Who were they.?
And where are they now.? -
Message 4
Posted by fimbar (U14054219) on Saturday, 5th September 2009
May i add
The provenance of the dead sea scrolls has long been subject to academic debate.{so no hiding under your beds}
One of the more important ones {from my present perspective} is a strategy of War and suggests that in the final conflict they [THE SONS OF LIGHT} will do battle against the sons of darkness.. {very Zen , i know.}
The text tells of campaigns and stuff like that but what gets my attention is the following text..
"In the abode of light are the origins of truth and from the source of darkness are the origins of error. In the hand of the prince of lights is dominion over all the sons of righteousness....And in the hand of the Angel of darkness is all dominion over the sons of error...."
Kind of reminds me of one or two conversations I've had on this board.
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Message 5
Posted by fimbar (U14054219) on Monday, 7th September 2009
The Essene community also believed implicitly in the existence and significance of Angels in thier struggle as champions of light. The Essene site at Qumran was, history states, abandoned at around 70ad but it is thought that they continued practicing until as late as AD200.
[And beyond...?}
It makes me wonder why they {the scrolls} were hidden in those "caves.?
Why would any community want to hide its most important Asset.?
Were the scrolls hidden to protect them from a visable threat.?
Or did the vision of posterity play a part.?
History shows us that after the council of Nicaea the catholic church made its declaration known as the Nicene creed and in its original form the statement ended with an official condemnation of what it termed "fringe cults", asserting that..."These the catholic and apostolic church of god anathematises..."
Later we find the Hammadi library....
Why does it seem that everything that challenges orthodoxy/convention/tradition has to be hidden away.?
And what does this tell us about freedom of speech and expression in these days of old..
I wonder why it is that history, as written, always gives me a chill...
Fimbar.. -
Message 6
Posted by TwinProbe (U4077936) on Monday, 7th September 2009
Hi Fimbar,
"Were the scrolls hidden to protect them from a visable threat.?" Β
I've always understood that the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden to protect them from the Roman legions of Titus, who were busy sacking the Temple in AD 70.
Regards,
TP -
Message 7
Posted by Poldertijger (U11154078) on Monday, 7th September 2009
Hello fimbar,
The importance of the Essenes is the influence that theyβve had on the teachings of Jesus. Flavius has made clear that at the time the Jews were divided into Sadducees, Pharisees and Essenes. The Pharisees had begun writing that corpus of Jewish law, viz. the Talmud, already. Rabbis were expected to stay three years at each of the groups for their education, so it took a rabbi nine years to get educated.
The Essenes put up a resistance to the Pharisee way of limiting Judaism to sticking to a set of religious laws. The Essenes gathered in monasteries in which they tried to behave to each other as one would to his own brother. Jesus, who was obviously a rabbi, tried to extend the Essenesβ teachings to all Jews. After his effort had failed, Peter and Paul began to convert the Greek world to the teachings of Jesus.
We know that Jesus was heavily influenced by the teachings of the Essenes from the expressions he uses. The expression βChildren of the lightβ, for instance, has its origin in the Essenesβ teachings.
I feel that there is no other Essene secret than is hidden in the words βbrotherβ or βsister.β
Regards,
Poldertijger -
Message 8
Posted by TonyG (U1830405) on Friday, 11th September 2009
I recall reading a book some years ago which claimed that the research into the Dead Sea Scrolls is ultimately funded by the Catholic Church and that the output from those scrolls which haave been transalted is strictly controlled. Was there not a British scholar who, as far back as the 70's claimed that the releases were being censored?
I may have got this wrong, but it would not surprise me. Anything which might go against traditioanl Catholic dogma is not likely to be popular and would almost certainly be suppressed. Of course, this may be just another conspiracy theory. -
Message 9
Posted by LairigGhru (U5452625) on Friday, 11th September 2009
I think your recollection about the British scholar is correct; he was excluded from the French-led scholastic group studying the Dead Sea Scrolls because he revealed too much to the media.
I often wonder what ancient secrets might be hidden away in the Vatican archives and which are intended never to see the light of day. -
Message 10
Posted by elevenses81 (U6285569) on Monday, 19th October 2009
The importance of the Essenes is the influence that theyβve had on the teachings of JesusΒ
...but not the exclusivity of heaven to the chosen few. -
Message 11
Posted by Mike Alexander (U1706714) on Monday, 19th October 2009
It was archaeologist and biblical scholar Robert Eisenman who was allegedly told: "You will not see the scrolls in your lifetime" - which of course made him determined to do so. Eisenman published "The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered" (with Michael Wise) in 1992. His theory was that they were the texts of a radical early Christian cult known as Nazoreans or Zaddikim, headed by James the Just (brother of Jesus) whose execution may have led to the Jewish revolt of 66AD. As with all other theories of early Christianity, it's tentative.
As to why the texts (like the Gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi) were hidden, let's just say the Christian canon was not formed without doctrinal disputes and brutal punishment of "heretics" - including exile, torture and even death sentences. It was not until the 4th century that the Bible, as we know it, was firmly established. -
Message 12
Posted by delrick53 (U13797078) on Tuesday, 20th October 2009
TonyG,
You're thinking of John Marco Allegro.
See his website at :
Judith A Brown's book is well worth a read - it looks in detail at Allegro's involvement with the scrolls - and the way he was treated by the church (and the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ) as a result.
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