MORE than twenty thousand sermons are preached in the Christian pulpits,
on every recurring Sabbath, to convince the people that the religion and
morality taught and practiced by Jesus Christ was of divine emanation,
and was never before taught in the world,--that his system of
morality was without a parallel, and his practical life without a
precedent,--that the doctrine of self-denial, humility, unselfishness,
benevolence, and charity,--also devout piety, kind treatment of enemies,
and love for the human race, which he preached and practiced, had never
before been exemplified in the life and teachings of any individual or
nation. But a thorough acquaintance with the history and moral systems
of some of the oriental nations, and the practical lives of piety and
self-denial exemplified in their leading men long anterior to the birth
of Christ, and long before the name of Christianity was anywhere
known, must convince any unprejudiced mind that such a claim is
without foundation. And to prove it, we will here institute a critical
comparison between Christianity and some of the older systems with
respect to the essential spirit of their teachings, and observe how
utterly untenable and groundless is the dogmatic assumption which claims
for the Christian religion either any originality or any superiority. Of
course if their is nothing new or original, there is nothing superior.
We will first arrange Christianity side by side with the ancient system
known as Essenism--a religion whose origin has never been discovered,
though it is known that the Essenes existed in the days of Jonathan
Maccabeus, B. C. 150, and that they were of Jewish origin, and
constituted one of the three Jewish sects (the other two being Pharisees
and Sadducees). We have but fragments of their history as furnished by
Philo, Josephus, Pliny, and their copyists, Eusebius, Dr. Ginsburg, and
others, on whose authority we will proceed to show that Alexandrian and
Judean Essenism was identically the same system in spirit and essence as
its successor Judean Christianity; in other words, Judean Christianity
teaches the same doctrines and moral precepts which had been previously
inculcated by the disciples of the Essenian religion.
A PARALLEL EXHIBITION OF THE PRECEPTS AND PRACTICAL LIVES OF CHRIST AND
THE ESSENES.
We will condense from Philo, Josephus, and other authors.
1. Philo says, "It is our first duty to seek the kingdom of God and his
righteousness so the Essenes believed and taught."
_Scripture parallel._ "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness, and all else shall be added." (Matt. vi. 33; Luke xii. 31.)
2. Philo says, "They abjured all amusements, all elegances, and all
pleasures of the senses."
_Scripture parallel._ "Forsake the world and the things thereof."
3. The Essenes say, "Lay up nothing on earth, but fix your mind solely
on heaven."
_Scripture parallel._ "Lay not up treasures on earth," &c.
4. "The Essenes, having laid aside all the anxieties of life," says
Philo, "and leaving society, they make their residence in solitary wilds
and in gardens."
_Scripture parallel._ "They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and
in dens, and in caves of the earth." (Heb. xi. 38.)
5. Josephus says, "They neither buy nor sell among themselves, but give
of what they have to him that wanteth."
_Scripture parallel._ "And parted them (their goods) to all men as every
man had need." (Acts ii. 45.)
6. Eusebius says, "Even as it is related in the Acts of the Apostles,
all (the Esseues)... were wont to sell their possessions and their
substance, and divide among all according as any one had need, so that
there was not one among them in want."
_Scripture parallel_. "Neither was their any among them that lacked, for
as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the
price of the things that were sold, &c." (Acts iv. 34.)
7. Eusebius says, "For whoever, of Christ's disciples, were owners of
estates or houses, sold them, and brought the price thereof, and laid
them at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made as every one had
need. So Philo relates things exactly similar of the Essenes."
_Scripture parallel._ (The text above quoted.)
8. "Philo tells us (says Eusebius) that the Essenes forsook father,
mother, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, for their religion."
_Scripture parallel._ "Whosoever forsaketh not father and mother, houses
and lands, &c. cannot be my disciples."
9. "Their being sometimes called _monks_ was owing to their abstraction
from the world," says Eusebius.
_Scripture parallel._ "They are not of the world, even as I am not of
the world." (John xvii. 16.)
10. "And the name Ascetics was applied to them on account of their rigid
discipline, their prayers, fasting, self-mortification, &c., as they
made themselves eunuchs."
_Scripture parallel._ "There be eunuchs which have made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake."
11. "They maintained a perfect community of goods, and an equality of
external rank." (Mich. vol. iv. p. 83.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be
your servant." (Matt. xx. 27.)
12. "The Essenes had all things in common, and appointed one of their
number to manage the common bag." (Dr. Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_ "And had all things in common." (Acts ii. 44; see
also Acts iv. 32.)
13. "All ornamental dress they (Essenes) detested." (Mich. vol. iv. p.
83.)
_Scripture parallel_. "Whose adorning let it not be that outward
adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and putting on of
apparel." (1 Peter iii. 3.)
14. "They would call no man master." (Mich.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Be not called Rabbi, for one is your Master."
(Matt, xxiii. 8.)
15. "They said the Creator made all mankind equal." (Mich.)
_Scripture parallel._ "God hath made of one blood all them that dwell
upon the earth."
16. "They renounced oaths, saying, He who cannot be believed without
swearing is condemned already." (Mich.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Swear not at all."
17. "They would not eat anything which had blood in it, or meat which
had been offered to idols. Their food was hyssop, and bread, and salt;
and water their only drink." (Mich.)
_Scripture parallel_. "That ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and
from blood." (Acts xv. 29.)
18. "Take nothing with them, neither meat or drink, nor anything
necessary for the wants of the body."
_Scripture parallel._ "Take nothing for your journey; neither staves nor
script; neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece."
19. "They expounded the literal sense of the Holy Scriptures by
allegory."
_Scripture parallel._ "Which things are an allegory." (Gal. iv. 24.)
20. "They abjured the pleasures of the body, not desiring mortal
offspring, and they renounced marriage, believing it to be detrimental
to a holy life." (Mich.)
_Scripture parallel._ It will be recollected that neither Jesus nor Paul
ever married, and that they discouraged the marriage relation.
Christ says, "They that shall be counted worthy of that world and the
resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage." And Paul says,
"The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord." (i Cor. vii. 32.)
21. "They strove to disengage their minds entirely from the world."
_Scripture parallel_. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father
is not in him."
22. "Devoting themselves to the Lord, they provide not for future
subsistence."
_Scripture parallel._ "Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat
and drink," &c.
23. "Regarding the body as a prison, they were ashamed to give it
sustenance." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Who shall change our _vile_ bodies?" (Phil. iii.
21.)
24. "They spent nearly all their time in silent meditation and inward
prayer." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Men ought always to pray." (Luke xviii. 1.) "Pray
without ceasing." (1 Thess. v. 17.)
25. "Believing the poor were the Lord's favorites, they vowed perpetual
chastity and poverty." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel_. "Blessed be ye poor." (Luke vi. 20.) "Hath not God
chosen the poor?" (James ii. 5.)
26. "They devoted themselves entirely to contemplation in divine
things." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel_. "Mediate upon these (divine) things; give thyself
wholly to them." (1 Tim. iv. 15.)
27. "They fasted often, sometimes tasting food but once in three or even
six days."
_Scripture parallel._ Christ's disciples were "in fastings often." (2
Cor. xi. 27; see also v. 34.)
28. "They offered no sacrifices, believing that a serious and devout
soul was most acceptable." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel._ "There is no more offering for sin." (Heb. x. 18.)
29. "They believed in and practiced baptizing the dead." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel._ "Else what shall they do which are baptized for
the dead." (1 Cor. xv. 29.)
30. "They gave a mystical sense to the Scriptures, disregarding the
letter."
_Scripture parallel._ "The letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive."
(1 Cor. iii. 6.)
31. "They taught by metaphors, symbols, and parables."
_Scripture parallel._ "Without a parable spake he not unto them." (Matt.
xiii. 34.)
32. "They had many mysteries in their religion which they were sworn to
keep secret."
_Scripture parallel._ "To you it is given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom; to them it is not given." (Matt xiii. 11.) "Great is the
mystery of godliness."
33. "They had in their churches, bishops, elders, deacons, and priests."
_Scripture parallel._ "Ordained elders in every church." (Acts xiv. 23.)
For "deacons," see 1 Tim. iii. 1.
34. "When assembled together they would often sing psalms."
_Scripture parallel._ "Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms."
(Col. iii. 16.)
35. "They healed and cured the minds and bodies of those who joined
them."
_Scripture parallel_ "Healing all manner of sickness," &c. (Matt iv.
23.)
36. "They practiced certain ceremonial purifications by water."
_Scripture parallel_. "The accomplishment of the days of purification."
(Acts xxi. 26.)
37. "They assembled at the Sabbath festivals clothed in white garments."
_Scripture parallel_ "Shall be clothed in white garments." (Rev. iii.
4.)
38. "They disbelieved in the resurrection of the external body."
_Scripture parallel_ "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a
spiritual body." (1 Cor. xv. 44.)
39. Pliny says, "They were the only sort of men who lived without money
and without women."
_Scripture parallel_\ "The love of money is the root of all evil." (1
Tim. vi. 10.) Christ's disciples travelled without money and without
scrip, and "eschew the lusts of the flesh."
40. "They practiced the extremest charity to the poor." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel_ "Bestow all thy goods to feed the poor." (1 Cor.
xiii. 3.)
41. "They were skillful in interpreting dreams, and in foretelling
future events."
_Scripture parallel_ "Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your
old men shall dream dreams." (Acts ii. 17.)
42. "They believed in a paradise,... and in a place of never-ending
lamentations."
_Scripture parallel_ "Life everlasting." (Gal. viii. 8.) "Weeping,
wailing, and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. xiii. 42.)
43. "They affirmed," says Josephus, "that God foreordained all the
events of human life."
_Scripture parallel_' "Foreordained before the foundation of the world."
(1 Peter.)
44. "They believed in Mediators between God and the souls of men."
_Scripture parallel_. "One Mediator between God and men." (1 Tim. ii.
5.)
45. "They practiced the pantomimic representation of the death, burial,
and resurrection of God"--Christ the Spirit.
_Scripture parallel_. With respect to the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ, see 1 Cor. xv. 4.
46. "They inculcated the forgiveness of injuries."
_Scripture parallel_. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke xxiii. 34.)
47. "They totally disapproved of all war."
_Scripture parallel_ "If my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight." (John xviii. 36.)
48. "They inculcated obedience to magistrates, and to the civil
authorities."
_Scripture parallel_. "Obey them which have the rule over you." (Heb.
xiii. 17; xxvi. 65.)
49. "They retired within themselves to receive interior revelations of
divine truth." (c. ii. 71.)
_Scripture parallel_. "Every one of you hath a revelation." (1 Cor. xiv.
26.)
50. "They were scrupulous in speaking the truth."
_Scripture parallel_ "Speaking all things in truth." (2 Cor. vii. 14.)
51. "They perform many wonderful miracles."
_Scripture parallel_ Many texts teach us that Christ and his apostles
did the same.
52. "Essenism put all its members upon the same level, forbidding the
exercise of authority of one over another." (Dr. Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_. Christ did the same. For proof, see Matt. xx. 25;
Mark ix. 35.
53. "Essenism laid the greatest stress on being meek and lowly in
spirit." (Dr. Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_. See Matt. v. 5; ix. 28.
54. "The Essenes commended the poor in spirit, those who hunger and
thirst after righteousness, and the merciful, and the pure in heart."
(Dr Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_. For proof that Christ did the same, see Matt.
55. "The Essenes commended the peacemakers." (Dr. Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_. "Blessed are the peacemakers."
56. "The Essenes declared their disciples must cast out evil spirits,
and perform miraculous cures, as signs and proof of their faith." (Dr.
Ginsburg.)
_Scripture parallel_. Christ's disciples were to cast out devils, heal
the sick, and raise the dead, &c., as signs and proof of their faith.
(Mark xvi. 17.)
57. "They sacrificed the lusts of the flesh to gain spiritual
happiness."
_Scripture parallel_. "You abstain from fleshly lusts." (1 Peter ii.
11.)
58. "The breaking of bread was a veritable ordinance among the Essenes."
_Scripture parallel_. "He (Jesus) took bread, and gave thanks, and brake
it." (Luke xxii. 19.)
59. "The Essenes enjoined the loving of enemies." (Philo.)
_Scripture parallel_. So did Christ say, "Love your enemies," &c.
60. The Essenes enjoined, "Doing unto others as you would have them do
unto you."
_Scripture parallel_' The Confucian golden rule, as taught by Christ.
This parallel might be extended much further, but we will proceed to
present the reader with a general description of Essenism, as furnished
us by Philo, Josephus, and some Christian writers. Philo, who was born
in Alexandria 20 B. C., and lived to 60 A. D., and who was himself
an Essenian Jew, in his account of them, says, "They do not lay up
treasures of gold or silver,... but provide themselves only with the
necessities of life." Paul afterwards, having caught the same spirit,
advises the same course of life. "Having food and raiment, therewith be
content." Contentment of mind they regarded as the greatest of riches.
They make no instruments of war. They repudiate every inducement to
covetousness. None are held as slaves, but all are free, and serve
each other. They are instructed in piety and holiness, righteousness,
economy, &c. They are guided by a threefold rule: love of God, love of
virtue, and love of mankind. Of their love of God they give innumerable
demonstrations, which is found in their constant and unalterable
holiness throughout the whole of their lives, their avoidance of oaths
and falsehoods, and their firm belief that God is the source of all
good, but of nothing evil. "Of their love of virtue they give proof in
their contempt for money, fame, and pleasures, their continence, easy
satisfying of their wants, their simplicity, modesty," &c. Their love
of man is proved by their benevolence and equality, and their having all
things in common, which is beyond all deception. They reverence and take
care of the aged, as children do their parents. (Condensed from Philo's
treatise, "Every Virtuous Man is Free.")
Josephus, 37 A. D., and who was also at one time a member of the
Essenian Brotherhood, furnishes another fragmentary account of the
Essenes in his "Jewish Wars," of which the following is the substance:--
"They love each other more than others (that is, are "partial to the
household of faith"); they despise riches, and have all things in
common, so that there is neither abjectness of poverty nor distinction
of riches among them; they change neither garments nor shoes till they
are worn out or become unfit for use; they neither buy nor sell among
themselves; their piety is extraordinary; they never speak about wordly
matters before sunrise; they are girt about with a linen apron, and have
a baptism of cold water; they eat but one kind of a food at a time, and
commence with a prayer, and the priest must say grace before any one
eats (that is, breaks and blesses as Christ did); they also return
thanks after eating, and then put off their white garments; strangers
were made welcome at their tables without money and without price; they
give food to the hungry and the needy and show mercy to all; they curb
their passions, restrain their anger, and claim to be ministers of
peace; an oath they regard as worse than perjury; they excommunicate
offenders ('Go tell it to the churches, says Christ); they condemn
finery in dress; though condemning in most solemn terms oaths, members
were admitted to the secret brotherhood by an oath ('See thou tell
no man,' said Christ); they endured pain with heroic fortitude, and
regarded an honorable death as better than long life; they read and
study their Holy Scriptures from youth, often prophesy, and it was very
seldom they failed in their predictions."
Dr. Ginburg's testimony, abridged, is as follows:--
"The Essenes had a high appreciations of the inspired law of God. The
highest aim of their lives was to become fit temples of the Holy
Ghost (see i Cor. vi. 19); also to perform miraculous cures, and to be
spiritually qualified for forerunners of the Messiah. They taught the
duty of mortifying the flesh and the lusts thereof, and to become
meek and lowly in spirit; they answered by yea, yea, and nay, nay (see
Matt.), scrupulously avoiding oaths; they avoided impure contact with
the heathen and the world's people, and lived retired from the world,
being in numbers about four thousand; they strove to be like the angels
of heaven; there were no rich and poor, or masters and servants, amongst
them; they lived peaceably with all men; a mysterious silence was
observed while eating; a solemn oath was required on becoming a member
of the secret order, which required three things:
1. Love of God;
2. Merciful justice to all men, and to avoid the wicked, and help the
righteous;
3. Purity of character, which implied love of truth, hatred of
falsehood, and strict observance of 'the mysteries of godliness' to
outsiders--that is, 'heathen and publicans;' they endured suffering for
righteousness' sake, with rejoicings, and even _sought_ it; regarding
the body as a prison for the soul, they desired the time to come to
escape from it; they recognized eight different stages of spiritual
growth and perfection: 1. Bodily purity; 2. Celibacy; 3. Spiritual
purity; 4. The suppression of anger and malice, and the cultivation of a
meek, lowly spirit; 5. The attainment of true holiness; 6. Becoming fit
temples for the Holy Ghost; 7. The ability to perform miraculous cures,
and raise the dead; 8. Becoming forerunners of the Messiah; and finally
they took a solemn vow to exercise, piety toward God and justice toward
all men, to hate the wicked, assist the good to keep clear of theft and
unrighteous gains, to conceal none of their 'mysteries of godliness'
from each other, or disclose them to others. 'Great is the mystery of
godliness' ('See thou tell no man'); they were to walk humbly with God,
shun bad society, forgive their enemies, sacrifice their passions, and
crucify the lusts of the flesh; they disregarded bodily suffering,
and even gloried in martyrdom, preaching and singing to God amid their
sufferings; but in their domestic habits they were extremely filthy;
they wore their clothes until they became ragged, filthy, and offensive,
never changing them till they were wore out; their food consisted
of bread and water, and wild roots and fruits of the palm tree; they
enjoined their duty, not only of forgiving their enemies, but of seeking
to benefit them, and of even blessing the destroyer who took life and
property. Such was the religion, such the moral system, such the devout
piety, and such the practical lives of the Essenian Jews, a religious
sect which flourished in Alexandria and Judea several hundred
years before the birth of Christ, and went out of history the hour
Christianity came in.
Now, as the foregoing exposition shows that Essenism and Christianity
are most strikingly alike in all their essential features, that the
former system contains nearly every important doctrine and precept of
the Christian religion, the question occurs here as one of momentous
import, how is this striking resemblance, this identity of character
of the two religions, to be accounted for? Does it not go far toward
proving that Christianity is an outgrowth, a legitimate offspring,
of Judean Essenism? Indeed, are we not absolutely driven to such a
conclusion? Let us briefly recite some of the important facts brought
to light by the investigation of the character and history of these two
religions, and see if those facts do not bring them together and weld
them as one system--as one and the same religion.
1. Both are alike, and Essenism is much the older system.
2. Both religions are an outgrowth of Judaism.
3. Both were known and taught in Judea and in Alexandria.
4. Josephus living in Judea, and Philo in Alexandria, neither of them
speaks of Christianity, or refers to any such religion by that name, and
yet both describe a religion inculcating the same doctrines and moral
precepts, which they call Essenism.
Is not this very nearly conclusive proof that Essenism was only
another name for Christianity--that it had not yet changed its name to
Christianity? That famous standard author, Mr. Gibbon, was evidently of
this opinion when he said, "Whether, indeed, the first of that sect (the
Essenes) took the name of Christian when the appellation of Christian
had as yet been nowhere announced, it is by no means necessary to
discuss." (Book II. chap. xvi.) Here is evidence that Gibbon believed
that the Essenes, after having borne that name for centuries, changed
the appellation to Christian. And we find still stronger language than
this in the writings of the same author expressive of this opinion. In
a note to chapter xv. he says, "It is probable that the Therapeuts
(Essenes) changed their name to Christians, as some writers affirm, and
adopted some new articles of faith." Here the position is assumed that
the Christian religion is an outgrowth of Essenism, that is, merely
a continuation of that religion under a change of name, with a slight
modification of its creed.
5. And then we have the declaration of Christian writers, expressed in
the most positive terms, that Essenism and Christianity were the
same religion, the former name being used at an earlier period. Hear
Eusebius, a standard ecclesiastical writer of the fourth century. He
asserts positively, "Those ancient Therapeuts (Essenes) were Christians,
and their ancient writings were our gospels." (Eccl. Hist. p. 63.) Hark!
Hark! my good Christian reader, here is one of your own sworn witnessess
testifying that the Essenes originated and established the Christian
religion; i. e., the religion now known by that name. Will you then give
it up? If not, we have other testimony of a similar character, rendering
the proposition still stronger. Robert Taylor declares, "The learned
Basnage has shown that the Essenes were really Christians centuries
before Christ, and that they were actually in possession of those very
writings which are now our Gospels and Epistles." (p. 81.) And then we
have the declaration of the author of "Christ the Spirit" (p. no), that
"the Christians were the later Essenes--that is, the Essenes of the time
of Eusebius under a changed name, that name having been made at Antioch,
where the disciples were first called Christian." The same writer
suggests that "their sacred books are our sacred books." We will now
hear Eusebius again: "It is highly probable that their (the Essenes')
ancient commentaries, which Philo says the Essenes have, are the very
Gospels and writings of the Apostles."
Based upon this conclusion, he calls the Essenes "the first heralds of
the gospel." "I find it, therefore, most probable," says Mr. Weilting,
"that Jesus and John belonged literally to the society of the Essenes."
And then the New American Encyclopedia furnishes us with the testimony
of a very able English author of the last century (De Quincy), who
concurs with all the writers cited above. "Mr. De Quincy (it says)
identified the Essenes as being the early Christians; i. e., the early
Christians were known as Essenes. Such testimony, coming from such a
source, is entitled to much weight." (Vol. i. p. 157.) And to the same
effect is the testimony of Bishop Marsh, who admits that our Gospels
were drawn from those of the Essenes. (See his edition of Michaelis'
translation of the New Testament.)
Thus far historical _writers_. We will now lay before the reader some
historical _facts_, fraught with unanswerable logical potency, and
pointing to the same conclusion. It is a fact, and one of deep logical
import, and tending to corroborate the conclusion of some of the writers
cited above, who tell us the Christian Gospels were first composed by
the Essenes; that the language in which those Gospels were originally
written was Greek, the language in which the Alexandrian Essenes always
wrote, while the evangelical writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
being illiterate fishermen, could have had no knowledge of any but
the Jewish, their own mother-tongue,--at least it is susceptible of
satisfactory proof that they never wrote in any other language. Hence
the conclusion is irresistible that they were not the original authors
of the Gospels.
The works of several authors are now lying at our elbow, who express
the conviction unequivocally that the Gospels were copied, if not
translated, from older writings. Mr. Le Clerc, one of the ablest writers
of his time, maintained this position, and did it ably. Another writer,
a Mr. Hatfield, was awarded a prize in 1793, by the theological faculty
of Gottingen, for an essay, in which the position was ably argued that
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not the authors of the books which
bear their names, but were mere copyists. Dr. Lessing and others concur
with him in this conclusion. A circumstance confirming this verdict is
found in the fact that the word _church_ occurs in our Gospels, which
were written before such an institution was established by those who
were then called Christians.
"Go tell it to the church" (Matt, xviii. 17) was uttered before any
steps had been taken by the then representatives of the Christian faith
to organize such a body--an evidence this, that he alluded to the church
of the Essenes, as there were no other churches in existence at the
time; which leaves the inference patent and irresistible that he and
his disciples were Essenes, perhaps then under the changed name of
Christians. Centuries prior to that era the Essenes had not only
churches, but their whole ecclesiastical nomenclature of bishops,
deacons, elders, priests, disciples, scriptures, gospels, epistles,
psalms, hymns, mystery, allegory, &c. If Christianity was re-established
in the days of Christ and his apostles, they had nothing to originate,
either with respect to doctrines, precepts, church polity, or
ecclesiastical terms--all being established for them centuries before
that era. With these facts in view, it seems impossible that the two
religious orders--Essenes and Christians--could have been in existence
at the same time as separate institutions. The former must have ended
when the latter commenced.
Josephus says, "the Essenes were scattered far and wide, and were in
every city," being quite numerous in Judea in his time. But he makes no
reference to any sect or religious order by the title of Christian--a
strong inferential evidence, upon sound priori reasoning, that
Christianity as yet was sailing under another name. Josephus must have
known and named the fact, had there been a Christian sect or disciple
there bearing that name. Impossible otherwise. We are then (upon the
logical force of these and many other facts) driven to the conclusion
that Christianity began when Essenism ended, and the change was only in
name. I challenge the whole Christian world to find the historical proof
that Christianity commenced one hour before the termination of Essenism,
or of Essenism overlapping the Christian religion so far as to survive
one day beyond or after its birth. I will confront them with the logic
of dates, and defy them to find any proof except their own unauthorized,
unauthenticated, and fictitious chronology, that a Christian was ever
known in any country by that name prior to the time of Tacitus, 104
A.D., who is the first of the three hundred writers of that era that
makes any mention of Christianity, Christ, or a Christian. This was long
after Josephus' time, which accounts most satisfactory for his omitting
any allusion to Christ or Christianity. That religion had not yet
dropped the name of Essenism and adopted that of Christianity.
Now, hard indeed must distorted reason fight the ramparts of logic and
history to resist the conviction, in view of the foregoing facts, that
Christianity is simply an outcropping of Essenism, either direct or
through Budhism. And even if it were possible to prove that the two
religions never became welded together, yet it is not possible to
disprove the striking identity of their doctrines, and the spirit of
their precepts, and the practical lives of their disciples. And this
identity, coupled with the fact that Essenism is the older system, is
of itself most superlatively fatal to all pretension or claim to
originality for the doctrines of the Christian faith.
It is a matter of no importance whether Christianity was originally
known by another name, so long as it can be shown that its doctrines
had all been preached and proclaimed to the world centuries prior to
the date assigned for its origin. And this is proved by the long list of
paralellisms presented in the incipient pages of this chapter. And this
proof explodes the pretensions of Christianity to an "original divine
revelation," and brings it down to a level with pagan orientalism. And
the fact that it sprang up in a country where its doctrine had long been
taught by pagans and orientalists, must produce the conviction, deep and
indelible, in all unbiased minds, that orientalism was the mother and
heathenism the father of the Christian religion, even in the absence of
any other proof. In fact, no other proof can be needed.
And what are the arguments, it may be well here to inquire, with
which orthodox Christians attempt to meet, combat, and vanquish the
overwhelming mass of historical facts and historical testimonies we
have presented in preceding pages, tending to prove and demonstrate the
oriental origin of their religion and its identity with Essenism? Their
whole argument is comprised in the naked postulate of the Rev. Mr.
Paideaux, D. D., that "the Essenes did not believe in the resurrection
of the physical body (but believed in a spiritual resurrection),
and omit from their creed the Trinity and Incarnation doctrine, and
therefore they could not have been the originators of the Christian
religion;" but this argument is as easily demolished as a cobweb, as the
following facts will prove:--
1. We have but a fragment of the Essenian religion,--but one end of
their creed,--mere scraps furnished us by Philo, Josephus, and Pliny. We
have none of their sacred books apart from the Christian New Testament.
2. They had secret books, as we have shown, in which doctrines were
taught which they regarded as _too sacred to be thrown before the
public_, as "pearls before swine." And no doctrines were regarded as
more sacred or secret in that age than the doctrines of the Trinity and
Incarnation. Christ's injunction, "See thou tell no man," was probably
their motto, which prevented the publicity of a portion of their
doctrines. And as their sacred books, containing their doctrines,
perished with the extinction of the sect (except those now found in
the Christian New Testament), a full knowledge of their doctrines,
therefore, never reached the public mind. All religious sects had
secret doctrines, designated as "Mysteries of Godliness," including
the principal Jewish sects and the earliest Christian churches. It is,
therefore, highly probable that if we were in possession of all their
sacred books, we would be in possession of the proof that they believed
and taught in their monasteries the doctrines above named. But we are
not left to mere inference that the Essenes' creed did include the
doctrines of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. We find skeletons
of these doctrines scattered along the line of their history. Philo
himself, an Essene teacher, most distinctly teaches the doctrine of "the
Incarnation of the Divine Word or Logos." And "Son of God," "Mediator,"
"Intercessor," and "Messiah," were familiar words with him. The idea
often reappears in his writings, that the "Word could become flesh;"
that the Son of God could appear as a personality, and return to the
bosom of the Father. Moreover, one writer informs us that the Essenes
celebrated the birth and death of a Divine Savior as a "Mystery of
Godliness." And they claimed in their earlier history to be "forerunners
of the Messiah"--a claim which would soon bring a Messiah before the
world, that is, lead them to deify and worship some great man as "_The
Messia_."
As for the doctrine of the Trinity, we have the authority of Eusebius
that they taught this doctrine too. So that it is not true that they
did not recognize these two prime articles of the Christian faith, the
Incarnation and Trinity doctrines. Some modern Christians assert that
the Essenes not only omitted to teach these doctrines, but that, on the
other hand, they taught other doctrines not taught in the Christian New
Testament. This is not improbable. For the Christian religion has been
characterized by frequent changes in its doctrines in every stage of its
practical history, as was also the Jewish religion which preceded it,
and from which it emanated. Judaism is a perpetual series of changes. It
changed even the name of its God from Elohim to Jehovah. Its leader and
founder Abram was changed to Abraham, and his grandson and successor
from Jacob to Israel. And we have the works of many Christian writers
in our possession who prove by their own bible that the Jews made many
changes in their religious polity and religious doctrines. This is more
especially observable when they came in contact with nations teaching
a different religion. Their whole history shows they were prone to
imitate, and borrow, and always did borrow on such occasions, and
engraft the new doctrines thus obtained into their own creed, and thus
effected important changes in their religion. We have the authority of
Dr. Campbell for saying the Jews never believed and taught the doctrine
of future punishment (and other doctrines that might be named) till
after they were brought in contact with Persians in Babylon who had long
taught these doctrines. (See Dissertation VI. ) And Dr. Enfield declares
their theological opinions underwent thorough changes during this period
of seventy years' captivity. Even their national title was changed at
one period from Israelites to Jews. With all these changes of names,
titles, and doctrines in view, it is not incredible that one of the
Jewish sects should change its name from Essenes to Christians, and with
this change modify some of the doctrines. And more especially as their
title, according to Dr. Ginsburg, had been changed before from Chassidim
to Essenes. And Philo at one period calls them Therapeuts, while
Eusebius says the Therapeuts were Christians. Put this and that
together, and the question is forever settled.
Now, with all this overwhelming mass of historical evidence before us,
"piled mountain high," tending to prove the truth of the proposition
that Christianity is the offspring and outgrowth of ancient Judean
Essenism, we feel certain that no sophistry, from interested charlatans
or stereotyped creed worshipers, can stave off or obliterate the
conviction in unprejudiced minds, that the proposition is most amply
proven.
We will now collate Christianity with another ancient religious system,
which we are certain it will not be disputed, after the comparison
is critically examined, contains the sum total of the doctrines and
teachings of Christianity in all their details.