The very name by which this group was called refers to much of their ideals and lifestyles. The Greek name Essenoi or Essaioi is related to the Aramaic hasya, meaning “pious.” The Essenes were a close-knit group of isolationists that thought of themselves as the “holy ones.” Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the only information we knew about the Essenes came from classical historians. Because of their semi-monastic, separatist ideals, much information regarding them died with this isolationist sect of the Jews.
Background
The Essenes are not mentioned in New Testament or the Talmud, but Philo and Pliny the Elder mentioned them, and Josephus gave a detailed description of them. The community at Qumran was evidently an Essene community, due to the detailed information of Josephus and the information from Qumran. Although they are not mentioned by name in the New Testament, they were evidently active during the life of Jesus.
Beliefs
Their religious beliefs were indeed interesting. The Essenes believed that everything in life was determined by divine providence and that fate determines all things. They stressed the importance of angels, even to the point of possibly worshipping them. This group may have prompted the Spirit to guide Paul’s pen in Colossians 2:18-23. While they revered the Law of Moses, they also added their own interpretations to it. For example, not only would they not cook on the Sabbath, but they would not so much as even move a cooking utensil on Saturday. Also, they would not use the bathroom on the Sabbath either. They would not handle a coin with the image of a man on it because they believed it was idolatry to even look upon such.
They lived in communal type environments, much like the monks of the middle Ages. They were ascetic, that is, living life without any pleasures, such as money, marriage, sex, meat or any such thing that would be considered to make life a bit better. They would not even apply any oil to dry, rough skin, as they thought this would be too extravagant.
Boiling It Down
Some Christians have adopted this lifestyle as well. They only associate with other Christians. While the idea, at first thought, may seem appealing, Jesus never authorized such a lifestyle. We are to be “salt” and “light” to a dark, dismal world (Matthew 5:13-16). The reason we are to be in the world, but not of it, is to attract others to Jesus (Romans 12:1-2). As Christians with a mission to evangelize the world, we must not become isolationists.
