The Essenes were a Jewish sect whose beginnings date back to at least the 2nd century BC. Unlike other more well known groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Essenes are not directly mentioned in the Bible. What we do know about them comes from sources outside of the Bible, such as Jewish historian Josephus and the geographer Pliny. Pliny believes the Essenes to have existed for thousands of years.
Was John The Baptist One of The Essenes?
Likenesses between the Essenes and John the Baptist have led some to say that John the Baptist was an Essene. Their shared similarities included desert life and being described as a voice in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3). The baptism practiced by both had similarities as well. Even with these shared traits, there is no hard evidence to indicate John the Baptist was an Essene.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
According to Josephus, the Essenes lived not in just one city, but resided in large numbers in every town. Many scholars believe Qumran, located near the Dead Sea, to be one of the communities the group inhabited.
Josephus noted that the Essenes were bound by oath to preserve the sacred books of their sect, as well as the names of the angels. It is because of this commitment, some think they are responsible for placing the Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves of this city when they were in fear of being overrun by the Romans.
No Marriage Or Children
The Essenes were a group of men who chose to live in voluntary poverty. Although more recent excavations of the areas they resided in revealed the skeletons of a few woman and children, it is recorded that they mostly avoided marriage and preferred no children in their communities. This sect vanished from history around AD 70, after the destruction of Jerusalem.
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