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46 Is JUDAISM the Religion of Moses?

DEPARTED from the full observance of the Law ... THEY ALSO APPROACHED THE
EGYPTIAN SCHOOL in their allegorical interpretation of many parts of Scripture"
(Conder, Judas Maccabaeus, p. 210).

There is no question that the Essenes were recipients of many pagan doctrines -- and many
of them came from Egyptian Hellenism. Schurer again tells us that Essenism represents "a Judaism
of quite peculiarly blended ultra-Pharisaic and Alexandrian views [and] appears in alliance with
Pythagoreanism [a pagan philosophy] AND WITH MANY RITES OF EGYPTIAN PRIESTS"
(ibid., p. 208).

It is clear that Egyptian Hellenism, the Greek philosophies inherited by Egypt, was the pri-
mary influence upon the Essene doctrines. Their teachings were certainly far from those of Moses.

"So Essenism can be understood ONLY WHEN REGARDED AS A BLENDING OF
JEWISH AND GREEK IDEAS" (Ency. Biblica, col. 2011).

The Truth About the Pharisees

Like the Essenes, many of the Pharisees had adopted the pagan belief in the immortality of
the soul (Wars of the Jews, II, 8, 14). This doctrine is plainly recognized by scholars, as has been
shown above, to have come from heathenism, not from Scripture.

However, it seems as if the Pharisees were not willing to go as far as the Essenes in its com-
plete pagan interpretation. Some of the Pharisees seem to have had certain reservations concerning
the new doctrine. Josephus, himself a Pharisee and thoroughly acquainted with their doctrines,
makes a vague distinction between the Pharisee belief and that of the Essenes. He says the Phari-
sees believed in an "immortal vigour" to be in the body; while the Essenes believed outright in the
"immortality of the soul" (Antiquities of the Jews, xviii, 1, 3 & 4).

There seems to have been doubts in the minds of some Pharisees in regard to this doctrine.
However, it appears certain that most of them believed in it, but with varying degrees of interpreta-
tion.

Of course, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is not taught in the Scripture. In fact,
the Scripture teaches just the opposite. For example, we read in Ezekiel 18:4, "The soul that
sinneth, it shall die." See also verse 21. Clearly, a soul can die! And also, the New Testament
teaches that only Christ has now immortality -- no other man has (I Tim. 6:15, 16).

Who Were the Apocalyptists

In the second installment of this series mention was made of other minor religious sects
which have been called by our modern historians by the name Apocalyptists. The name denotes
those who supposedly reveal "hidden truths" or "secret doctrines."

There are extant several books written by these minor sects, or perhaps only by individuals,
which show their peculiar beliefs or their prophetical expectations. These sects certainly differed

The Berean Voice March-April 2003