Bible Word of the Day

Essenes (Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls)

Meaning
The Essenes were a strict sect of Judaism. They had considered the current Jewish culture of the day as being too liberal. Therefore, they set themselves aside to live a more pious and austere lifestyle. The historian Josephus says they were, “a Jewish sect who combined the ascetic virtues of the Pythagoreans and Stoics with a spiritual knowledge of the divine law.” They are first mentioned during the Hasmonean period and disappear shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Hasmonean dynasty began when Judea was governed by the Seleucid kings, who were based in Syria. The Seleucid kings were descendents from one of the four generals of Alexander the Great. When Alexander the Great died, he left his empire to his four generals. They were named Lysimachus, Cassander, Seleucus, and Ptolemy.

Seleucus controlled Syria, Babylon, Persia, and India. Later, through wars with each other, his descendants would control Judah as well. And it’s from the Seleucid kings we get Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was a type of Anti-Christ, or precursor of the future Anti-Christ to come. With the Greek rule came the Helenization of Jewish culture and this in turn lead to the development of the Essene community. They believed in the sovereignty and divine providence of God, as well as eternal life. It was from this community that we received the Dead Sea scrolls. In addition, Daniel chapter eight gives us a prophecy concerning Alexander the Great and his four generals.