Essene

Pronunciation: EHS-seen / ehs-SEEN

Occurrences: 12

First Reference: Yeshua 1:5

And there arose against the king and against the temple in Jerusalem John the Baptizer, an Essene of great renown from the city of Khirbet Qumran, and he spoke hotly against the sins of Herod, and against the rulers of the temple did he lay forth strong accusations.

See: Damascus, John the Baptizer, Khirbet Qumran, Paul, Pharisees, Sadducees, Teacher of Righteousness, Yeshua

Summary: The Essenes represented a Jewish religious sect which, according to scripture, was established by John the Baptizer (W:29:9,18). The word ‘Essene’ is Adamic and refers to “those who desire to heal” (AZC — John the Baptizer, para. 7). The Essene community was centered in the village of Khirbet Qumran, located in the desert of Judea near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea.

Adherents ascribed to a form of communitarianism and participated in various methods of purification, including celibacy, fasting, daily baptism, and extended periods of silence.

Yeshua of Nazareth, John’s cousin, studied in Qumran for eleven years, from the age of nineteen to thirty, and was eventually appointed a priest in the Essene community (W:29:11; AZC — Yeshua and Mary). When Yeshua was forty years old, he was called to begin his public ministry (Y:3:5-6; AZC — Yeshua and Mary). At this juncture, John directed his many devotees to follow Yeshua. And while many of John’s disciples did indeed follow the Nazarene (Y:5:51; Y:20:14,36; Y:25:2), a rift formed among the Essenes and many spoke against Yeshua (Y:4:39-41; Y:13:1-9).

The Dead Sea Scrolls, first discovered in Qumran in 1946-’47, were written by the Essenes. According to scripture, the discovery of these scrolls represented one of three signs indicating the return of the Teacher of Righteousness (W:29:9-19).

Notes/References:

9. Yet regardless of all these things, still did God continue faithful to reveal, and in the time appointed there came into the world of men the Teacher of Righteousness, being known among men as John the Baptizer, being in himself alone, the very father of the Essenes and the Gnosis.

10. For in the days of his youth did John turn himself to great and ponderous study regarding the things of God, tracing back with utmost care even all the truths of God which were dispersed throughout the ages; and when he was concluded, John did bind even all the scattered shards of twinkling flame, to make as one a brightly glowing light which, like a star which fell from Heaven, drew forth the very Anointed One of God, even Yeshua.

11. And when he had come to stand before John, to put forth his petition, even John did set Yeshua above all the other Essenes which were gathered in Khirbet Qumran, to appoint him a serving priest within the community of believers.

12. And there in the desert of Judea, did John teach to Yeshua the gnosis which came from God, beginning from the days of Adam and Eve when first they strode upon the world of man, even till the days of John; and to Yeshua alone did John reveal the gnosis which leads to transformation, even while in the mortal flesh.

13. Which gnosis even Yeshua did reveal to those apostles which he did gather secretly around him after the day of his resurrection, both of men and women. And over the gnosis did he place his brothers Thomas and James, and Mary the Beloved also, being herself proclaimed and anointed to be the first Sophia of many mothers.

Wisdom 29:9-13

Eroel

Esther Bat Joseph