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44 Is JUDAISM the Religion of Moses?

Josephus goes on to say, speaking of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul: "And in-
deed the Greeks seem to me TO HAVE FOLLOWED THE SAME NOTION" (ibid.).

Notice that Josephus says that these Essenes taught their doctrine as did the Greeks. This
doctrine is certainly of foreign origin, for no such doctrine is found in the Scriptures.

"According to him [Josephus], the Essenes had always professed the PUREST
DOCTRINES OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY concerning THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL"
(Renan, History of the People of Israel, vol. v, p. 56).

This particular teaching IS OF ITSELF PROOF OF THE INFLUENCE OF FOREIGN
PHILOSOPHIES (Schurer, The Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, sec. ii, vol. ii, p. 214).
And further, he says:

"If then only one sentence which he (Josephus) says concerning the anthropology of the
Essenes is true, IT IS CERTAIN THAT THEIR DOCTRINE OF MAN IS DUALISTIC, i.e
NON-JEWISH" (ibid.).

There is absolutely no doubt that the Essenes had accepted the doctrine of the immortality of
the soul directly from Hellenism. This doctrine is completely foreign to Scripture.

Other Heathen Doctrines

The Essenes also adhered to the doctrine of asceticism -- the doctrine of perennial self-de-
nial of even the good things of life. This belief as a continuing custom is entirely alien to the teach-
ings of the Scriptures. However, such practices were common among certain Greek sects and
Egyptian philosophies (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. ii, pp. 717, 720).

Because of this peculiar belief (which was condemned by the Apostle Paul in Colossians
2:23), the Essenes developed themselves into monastic orders and repudiated marriage (Wars of
the Jews, II, 8, 2). In no place does the Scripture command an individual to withdraw into a monas-
tery or nunnery and live a life of celibatic asceticism. In fact, the New Testament commands a per-
son NOT to deliberately withdraw himself from society (I Cor. 5:9-10) and it teaches that marriage
is entirely honorable and holy (Heb. 13:4).

Essenes Worshiped Toward Sun

While the Temple was on earth, the worshipers of God prayed facing the Temple in Jerusa-
lem (I Kings 8:28, 29). Daniel prayed three times a day in this manner (Dan. 6:10). The Temple in
Jerusalem was designed symbolically, from its origin, to be the residence of God, and the people
were to sacrifice at the Temple and pray toward it.

The Essenes, however, omitted two requirements of God which were obvious violations of
Scripture. They refused to sacrifice at the Temple, or anywhere for that matter; and they did not
face the Temple when they prayed. They worshiped and prayed TOWARDS THE SUN! (Wars of

The Berean Voice March-April 2003