Dangers of Essenism
Religious people are often the targets of name calling from both those without and within religious circles. For the latter, the term “Pharisee” is an insult of choice. Typically, this is used to describe one who is believed to cherish traditional ideas and practices in as high or higher esteem than the Bible. It is code name for hypocrite.
One description that is rarely ever used is that of Essene. Like the Pharisees, the Essenes were a religious group that came of age during the Years of Silence, yet, unlike the Pharisees, their name is not used as a descriptor for modern folk. Part of this stems from their hermit lifestyle in the desert as well as no mention of them by name within the New Testament. Still, from what is known about this group, they serve as a cautionary tale for those who come staggeringly close to the attitude they exhibited over 2,000 years ago.
The early formation of the Essenes centered on their displeasure with what was happening in their homeland. Following the Maccabean Revolt (167 BC), the Greeks were driven from the land of Israel and an independent kingdom was briefly established. During this time, little regard was given for kings to descend from the lineage of David or high priests to descend from Zadok. Exacerbating this was the prevailing Greek culture that still lingered. Ultimately, some chose to leave all of this behind to form a closed society in the desert where truth would be taught and practiced; truth, of course, as defined by the Essenes. In their way of thinking, there were only two kinds of people in the world, the sons of darkness and the sons of light; the Essenes believed themselves to be the latter category. Their propensity for writing allowed later generations to see how they defined truth, but to also read much in the way of castigating everyone else as “sons of darkness,” including fellow Jews who had left behind the old paths. Their way was the way of truth, with no room for discussion; perhaps they were more like their “liberal” Pharisee brethren than they cared to acknowledge. While there is a great indebtedness to this sect for the vast amounts of writings and copies of Scripture left behind, there is also warning.
There is much tension between influencing and being influenced. On the one hand, there is the warning that “bad company corrupts good morals” (I Corinthians 15:33) and on the other is “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). The fear of being improperly influenced has led many into Essenism. To the extreme, groups still exist that retreat from the mainstream and live in communal fashion as did the Essenes. While such are few, there is a much broader group that does not pursue communal living but does seek retreat into their own religious tribe. Association with those outside of this group is extremely limited. While this does prevent perceived bad influence, it also prevents fulfilling Jesus’ desire for His people. To this end, He stated, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Therefore, the people of God must be solid enough in their faith to be able to interact in a friendly, pleasant manner with the “others” of which Jesus spoke without losing faith. If associations are limited only to those of my tribe, godly influence will be lost to those who need to find their way to Jesus.
The danger is also present of developing an “echo chamber” approach to the Bible. Oxford Languages defines this idea as follows: “An environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas are not considered.” Again, there is tension. The Bible is replete with warnings about false teaching, with admonitions such as “that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). As well, the Bible admonishes “let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance” (Proverbs 1:5). To listen only to the voices of one’s tribe may lead to trouble, as was the case with the Essenes. While this sect knew the truth on some important matters, on others they were wrong. Their refusal to consider any other teaching than that of “sons of the light” prevented exposure to information that would have guided them in the right way. No matter the time in which one lives, it is easy to defend one’s own beliefs by declaring any opposition to be “false doctrine.” The wise, however, will discern the information through the Bible rather than tribe and, if found true, accept it and rejoice.
Like Pharisaism, it is easy to be blinded to Essenism. May each child of God seek his or her rightful place in this world as a purveyor of good works that glorify God. May each seek teaching that leads to truth rather than echo. While this can be a challenge, those of solid foundation can leave sectarianism behind, choosing simply to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
