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Christian and Essene Common Features 2

A List of Common Features

Abstract

The Essenes held assemblies and congregations, words translated as “church”. Jesus says, “tell it to the church” (Matthew 18:17) before there was a Christian church. We infer that Jesus was an Essene. Essenes also had bishops, deacons, elders, priests, disciples, scriptures, gospels, epistles, psalms, hymns, mystery, allegory, and so on, long before Christianity. Both communities used the same phraseology. Christ and his apostles had nothing to originate with respect to doctrines, precepts, church polity, or ecclesiastical terms. The Essenes and Christians could not have existed at the same time as separate institutions, they were too similar. The latter must have emerged from the former. There are differences, particularly those indicated in Christian documents, though some were later changes by the gentile Church. Others are genuine because Nazarenes were a variety of Essenes. Notes on the common features between Essenes and Christians

A List of Common Features

1. The Essenes believed and taught it was their first duty to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, according to Philo.

Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all else shall be added.
Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31

2. They abjured all amusements, all elegances, and all pleasures of the senses, according to Philo.

Love not the world and the things thereof.
1 John 2:15

3. They lay up nothing on earth, but fix their minds solely on heaven (the kingdom of God).

Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth.
Matthew 6:19

4. They, having laid aside all the anxieties of life and leaving society, make their residence in solitary wilds and in gardens, according to Philo.

They wander in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth.
Hebrews 11:38

5. They neither buy nor sell among themselves, but give of what they have to him that wanteth, according to Josephus.

And parted them (their goods) to all men as every man had need.
Acts 2:45

6. They were wont to sell their possessions and their substance, and divide among all according as any one had need so that there was not one among them in want, even as it is related in the Acts of the Apostles, according to Eusebius.

For whoever, of Christ’s disciples, were owners of estates or houses, sold them, and brought the price thereof, and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made as every one had need. So Philo relates things exactly similar of the Essenes.
Eusebius

Neither was their any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold.
Acts 4:34

7. They forsook father, mother, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, for their religion, according to Eusebius, quoting Philo.

Who has left houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands, will have eternal life.
Mark 10:29

8. They being sometimes called monks was owing to their abstraction from the world (Eusebius).

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:16

9. They were called Ascetics because of their rigid discipline, their prayers, fasting, self-mortification, as they made themselves eunuchs (that is, remained chaste).

There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
Matthew 19:12

10. They maintained a perfect community of goods, and an equality of external rank.

Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.
Matthew 20:27

11. They had all things in common and appointed one of their number to manage the common bag.

And had all things in common.
Acts 2:44; 4:32

12. They detested all ornamental dress.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel.
1 Peter 3:3

13. They would call no man master.

Be not called Rabbi, for one is your Master.
Matthew 23:8

14. They said the Creator made all mankind equal.

God hath made of one blood all them that dwell upon the earth.
Acts 17:26

15. They renounced oaths, saying, He who cannot be believed with out swearing is condemned already.

Swear not at all.
Matthew 5:34

16. They would not eat anything which had blood in it, or meat which had been offered to idols. Their food was hyssop, and bread, and salt, and water their only drink.

That ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and from blood.
Acts 15:29

17. They took nothing with them, neither meat or drink, nor anything necessary for the wants of the body.

Take nothing for your journey, neither staves nor scrip, neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece.

18. They expounded the literal sense of the Holy Scriptures by allegory.

Which things are an allegory.
Galatians 4:24

19. They abjured the pleasures of the body, not desiring mortal offspring, and they renounced marriage, believing it to be detrimental to a holy life.

It will be recollected that neither Jesus nor Paul ever married, and that they discouraged the marriage relation. Christ says, They that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage. And Paul says, The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:32

20. They strove to disengage their minds entirely from the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

21. They provide not for future subsistence, devoting themselves to the Lord.

Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat and drink, etc.

22. They were ashamed to give the body sustenance, Regarding it as a prison.

Who shall change our vile bodies?
Philippians 3:21

23. They spent nearly all their time in silent meditation and inward prayer.

Men ought always to pray.
Luke 18:1

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

24. They vowed perpetual chastity and poverty, believing the poor were the Lord’s favorites.

Blessed be ye poor.
Luke 6:20

Hath not God chosen the poor?
James 2:5

25. They devoted themselves entirely to contemplation in divine things.

Mediate upon these (divine) things. Give thyself wholly to them
1 Timothy 4:15

26. They fasted often, sometimes tasting food but once in three or even six days.

Christ’s disciples were in fastings often.
2 Corinthians 11:27; 5:34

27. They offered no sacrifices, believing that a serious and devout soul was most acceptable.

There is no more offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:18

28. They believed in and practiced baptizing the dead.

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:29

29. They gave a mystical sense to the Scriptures, disregarding the letter.

The letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive.
1 Corinthians 3:6

30. They taught by metaphors, symbols, and parables.

Without a parable spake he not unto them.
Matthew 13:34

31. They had many mysteries in their religion which they were sworn to keep secret.

To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom. To them it is not given.
Matthew 13:11
Great is the mystery of godliness.

32. They had in their churches, bishops, elders, deacons, and priests.

Ordain elders in every church.
Acts 14:23
Deacons.
1 Timothy 3:1

33. They would often sing psalms when assembled together.

Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms.
Colossians 3:16

34. They healed and cured the minds and bodies of those who joined them.

Healing all manner of sickness.
Matthew 4:23

35. They practiced certain ceremonial purifications by water.

The accomplishment of the days of purification.
Acts 21:26

36. They assembled at the Sabbath festivals clothed in white garments.

Shall be clothed in white garments.
Revelation 3:4

37. They disbelieved in the resurrection of the external body.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44

38. They were the only sort of men who lived without money and without women, according to Pliny.

The love of money is the root of all evil.
1 Timothy 6:10
Christ’s disciples travelled without money or scrip and eschew the lusts of the flesh.

39. They practiced the extremist charity to the poor.

Bestow all thy goods to feed the poor.
1 Corinthians 13:3

40. They were skillful in interpreting dreams, and in foretelling future events.

Your sons and daughters shall prophesy and your old men shall dream dreams.
Acts 2:17

41. They believed in a paradise, and in a place of never-ending lamentations.

Life everlasting.
Gal 8:8
Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:42

42. They affirmed, says Josephus, that God foreordained all the events of human life.

Foreordained before the foundation of the world.
1 Peter

43. They believed in Mediators between God and the souls of men.

One Mediator between God and men.1
Timothy 2:5

44. They practiced the pantomimic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of God —Christ the Spirit.

With respect to the death, burial, resurrection of Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:4

45. They inculcated the forgiveness of injuries.

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
Luke 23:34

46. They disapproved of war between brothers.

If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.
John 18:36

47. They inculcated obedience to magistrates, and to the civil authorities.

Obey them which have the rule over you.
Hebrews 13:17; 26:65

48. They retired within themselves to receive interior revelations of divine truth.

Every one of you hath a revelation.
1 Corinthians 14:26

49. They were scrupulous in speaking the truth.

Speaking all things in truth.
2 Corinthians 7:14

50. They perform many wonderful miracles.

Many texts teach us that Christ and his apostles did the same.

51. They put all members on the same level, forbidding the exercise of authority of one over another.

Christ did the same.
Matthew 20:25; Mk 9:35

52. They laid the greatest stress on being meek and lowly in spirit.

Matthew 5:5; 9:28

53. They commended the poor in spirit, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and the merciful, and the pure in heart.

For proof that Christ did the same, see Matthew.

54. They commended the peacemakers.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

55. They performed cures, as signs and proof of their faith.

Christ’s disciples were to cast out devils, heal the sick, and raise the dead as signs and proof of their faith.
Mark 16:17

56. They sacrificed the lusts of the flesh to gain spiritual happiness.

You abstain from fleshly lusts.
1 Peter 2:11

57. They broke bread as a ritual.

He (Jesus) took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it.
Luke 22:19

58. They enjoined the loving of enemies, according to Philo.

So did Christ say, Love your enemies.

59. They enjoined, Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The Confucian Golden Rule, as taught by Christ.

Page Tags: Christians, Essenes, Proto-Christians, Scroll Language, Early Christian Documents, Zadokite, Gentiles, Jesus, Common Features, Christianity, Christians, Qumran, Messiah, Apocalypticism, Kingdom, Scrolls, Righteous, Righteousness, Teacher, Righteous One

Last uploaded: 19 April, 2008.