1. Sandra Cash
May 10, 2012
ID#: 971382
HIS3116 New Testament Archaeology
A Comparison of Essene and Christian Beliefs
There are some similarities between Essene doctrine and Christian doctrine, but
there are also some differences between these two beliefs. For example, they both
believed in eschatology, the coming of the end times. But a major difference between
these two beliefs is the Essenes were legalistic, which is something Christ taught against
and Christians try their best to stop from happening. In order to fully understand these
similarities, and differences one must first, understand what the Essenes believe in. Then,
one must understand what the Christians believe in.
The Essenes were members of a small group that developed in the Jewish
community during the last two centuries B.C. (Froehlich, Karlfried, Howard Kee, and
Franklin Young 57). The main sources of information about the Essenes are Philo’s
Quod omnius probus liber, Josephus’ Jewish War, and Antiquilties of the Jews, and the
Dead Sea Scrolls (“Essenes”). According to Josephus in Jewish war 2.154-58, the
Essenes promoted the doctrine that was very alluring for many people, that the body is
the fleeting prison of the immortal soul (Stemberger 72). He goes on to say that, the soul
is released by death, and, depending on if the soul was righteous person it would enjoy
eternal reward on the other side of the ocean, but if the soul was of an evil person, the
soul would punished for eternity (Stemberger 72).

2. The Essenes lived together in very organized community, where possessions
where everyone’s (“Essenes”). They had their own community so that they could be pure.
They prohibited luxury, detested untruthfulness, and prohibited trading because it led to
gluttony and cheating (“Essenes”). Purity was an important part of their belief; they wore
white robes to symbolize their purity (Gundry 49). The Essenes rejected to offer animal
sacrifices in the temple at Jerusalem, because they viewed it as contaminated by a corrupt
priesthood (Gundry 49). This being said, Jesus would not have made a good Essene since
he mingled with sinners.
Essene theology is that there is only one God, and that God is the source of all
power and would eventually defeat the Evil One (Charlesworth 9). Only the one God
could give forgiveness who freely offered his grace, love and mercy to all who called
upon him (Charlesworth 9). They also had purification through a ritual of immersion of
water, like baptism (“Essenes”). Second, they read scripture under the guidance of the
Spirit and affirmed that God’s promises were now being fulfilled (Charlesworth 10).
They also stressed Isaiah 40:3, which states that a voice says prepare the way of the Lord
(Charlesworth 11).
Another common aspect of the Essenes was that they were extremely legalistic
(Gundry 49). An important part of their belief was also in prophecy; they continued to
affirm prophecy (Charlesworth 12). Like the Jews, they believed in a Messiah, the only
difference is that the Essenes might have believed in several Messiahs (Gundry 49).
Lastly, they believed the end of time was near and with end time, redemption was now
being offered to the poor (Charlesworth 13). The Essenes figured the moment of the
approaching Last Judgment to be the year 70 B.C. (Stegemann 123).

3. Christianity states that there is only one God, who sent his only son to die on the
cross for our sins (Reardon). If we confess our sins, and accept Christ as our savior we
will be forgiven and will have eternal life. This salvation is for everyone who is willing to
accept Christ as his or her savior. To acknowledge the forgiveness of one’s sins (which is
called being born again), they are baptized (Reardon).
After Christ rose from grave, he told his disciples that he was going to prepare a
place for them in Heaven. Although he was leaving them, he told them that God would
send them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps Christians have a personal relationship
with God by guiding them and teaching them. Christians refer to the Trinity, which are
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are one, but in different forms.
Before Jesus was born, there were prophets who prophesied about a coming
Messiah as seen in Isaiah and other books of the Old Testament. Then there is also
prophesies about a second coming of Jesus when the world will end. When this time
comes, it will be obvious to everyone that God exists and that salvation only comes
through Christ (Milne 314). The purpose of the second coming is to complete the
redemption (Milne 315). It is hard to know when the second coming will happen, but the
whole book of Revelation deals with the second coming.
There are a lot of similarities between these two beliefs. First off, they both
believe in one God whom all life and power comes from. Second, they both believe that
God was fighting against the Evil One, but would/did defeat the Evil One. They also
believe in a spirit that helps guide, and understand the scriptures. Jesus and the Essenes
saw their actions as constituting a new covenant (Charlesworth 12). Third, they both
believe in a Messiah, the only difference is the fact that the Essenes believed in more than

4. one Messiah. Also, they both believed in a new covenant; Jesus is the new covenant by
how he died for the sins of man, where the new covenant to the Essenes was established
by God through the Righteous Teacher (Charlesworth 12). Both of these beliefs in angels
and demons, and an eternal good place like heaven and a place where evil souls go like
hell. They both seem to have practiced baptism and symbolism of water being the “living
water” (Charlesworth 18). Lastly, they both believed in a second coming and this was
important to both of their beliefs.
Although there are many similarities between these beliefs, there are also
differences between them. Christians are more of an open group, where as the Essenes
were a closed community, to the point that their teachings were secret (Charlesworth 23).
Second, the Essenes idea of purity was an extreme for they could not be associated with
commoners, outcasts, and sinners, where Jesus was known for visiting these people
(Charlesworth 25). The Essenes believed in more than one Messiah, where Jesus is the
only Messiah. Lastly, the Essenes were extremely legalistic, to the point where it is said
that they out-performed the Pharisees in their punctilious legalism; where as Jesus
denounced the pharisaical legalism, and calls Christians to stay away from it (Gundry
49).
If one looks at both beliefs one can see the similarities and differences more fully.
A good example of a similarity both of these beliefs believe is that they but believe in one
God and that only God can offer salvation, there are also many differences. An example
of the differences between them is that Christians believe that there was only one
Messiah, who is Jesus, where the Essenes believe in more than just one Messiah. Due to
the similarity between these two beliefs, the Essenes have been compared to Christians.

5. Works Cited
Charlesworth, James H. Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York: Doubleday,
1995-1992. Print.
"Essenes." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. Academic Search
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Froehlich, Karlfried, Howard Kee, and Franklin Young. Understanding The New
Testament. Third Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersery: Prentice Hall, 1973.
Print.
Gundry, Robert. A Survey of the New Testament. Revised Edition. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1981. Print.
Milne, Bruce. Know the Truth: a Handbook of Christian Belief. Rev. ed. Downers Grove,
Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Print.
Stegemann, Hartmut. The Library of Qumran, On the Essenes, Qumran, John the Baptist,
And Jesus. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans , 1998. Print.
Stemberger, Günter. Jewish Contemporaries of Jesus: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes.
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995. Print.
Reardon, JoHannah . "The Nicene and Apostles' Creeds." Christianity Today. Christianity
Today, 2008. Web. 10 May 2012.
<http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/churchhomeleadership/08
0730.html>.