The three sects among the Jews in times of Christ: Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes. By Flavius Josephus (37-100 AD) in Wars of the Jews. Book 2. Chapter 8. This recording and music are in public domain. Audio editing by me. 23:12 - on Pharisees:

14. But then as to the two other orders at first mentioned, the Pharisees are those who are esteemed most skillful in the exact explication of their laws, and introduce the first sect. These ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action. They say that all souls are incorruptible, but that the souls of good men only are removed into other bodies,—but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment. But the Sadducees are those that compose the second order, and take away fate entirely, and suppose that God is not concerned in our doing or not doing what is evil; and they say, that to act what is good, or what is evil, is at men's own choice, and that the one or the other belongs so to every one, that they may act as they please. They also take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the punishments and rewards in Hades. Moreover, the Pharisees are friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of concord, and regard for the public; but the behavior of the Sadducees one towards another is in some degree wild, and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them. And this is what I had to say concerning the philosophic sects among the Jews.

Location of the Essenes:

According to Josephus, the Essenes had settled "not in one city" but "in large numbers in every town". Philo speaks of "more than four thousand" Essaioi living in "Palestine and Syria", more precisely, "in many cities of Judaea and in many villages and grouped in great societies of many members". Pliny locates them "on the west side of the Dead Sea, away from the coast... [above] the town of Engeda". Some modern scholars and archaeologists have argued that Essenes inhabited the settlement at Qumran, a plateau in the Judean Desert along the Dead Sea, citing Pliny the Elder in support, and giving credence that the Dead Sea Scrolls are the product of the Essenes. This theory, though not yet conclusively proven, has come to dominate the scholarly discussion and public perception of the Essenes.

John the Baptist and the Essenes:

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls drew attention to the numerous parallels between John’s mission and that of the Essenes, with whom John may have received some of his religious training. Both were priestly in origin, were ascetic, and had intense and, in many respects, similar expectations about the end of the world. But John neither belonged to nor intended to found any organized community, he did not stress study of the Mosaic Law, and his message was more widely directed (to the poor, to sinners) than was that of the Essenes. Jesus Christ, who was baptized by John, saw in John the last and greatest of the prophets, the one who prepared for coming of Christ and God’s kingdom (Mark 9, Matthew 11, Luke 7), and in many ways his ministry continued and developed John’s. Many of John´s disciples later followed Jesus.

[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]

READ ONLINE:

[ Ссылка ]

#3Sects #Pharisees #Sadducees #Essenes

свернуть