Dr. Gary Gromacki
Associate Professor of Bible and
Homiletics
Baptist Bible Seminary
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
<ggromacki> at <bbc> dot
<edu>
The Essenes were a conservative group within early Judaism. Their doctrine of one supreme, sovereign God was taken from the Old Testament. The Essenes affirmed that the God of Israel was the Lord of creation and the God of history. They believed that the one true God had a special relationship with the Qumran community. They emphasized the sovereignty of God and his working out of His plan in history.
Charlesworth points out that the Essenes and Jesus believed in the one and same God. He writes, "Jesus and the Essenes believed in one and the same God. Although they knew of the power of the Evil One, calling him either Satan or Belial, they affirmed monotheism through the belief in one and only one creator (Mk.13:39;1QS 3). The Torah (Law) embodied God's will; Jesus and the Essenes endeavored to live in an absolute devotion to God's Torah. Both affirmed that God was being challenged for power, but they claimed that God is the source of all power and would eventually defeat the Evil One (Mt.12:28-37; Mk.13:19-36; Rom.16:20; 1 QM). They yearned and prayed for God's kingship, so obviously known in heaven to come on (earth). Devotion to God and monotheism were shared by Jesus and the Essenes with other Jews" (James Charlesworth, Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls [New York: Doubleday, 1992], 9-10).
In this section we will examine what the Essenes believed about God and compare their beliefs to the teachings of the New Testament.
The Essenes believed in the God of Israel. They held to national election as they emphasized the fact that God chose Israel from the nations of the world to be His holy people. Israel was privileged to receive the covenant (the law) from God and to hear the voice of God.
"...Who is like you, O God of Israel, in the hea[ve]ns or on earth, to act according to your great works and your mighty strength? Who is like your people Israel whom you have chosen for yourself among all the peoples of the lands, the holy people of the covenant, learned in the statute, taught in discern[ment]..., hearers of the glorious voice, seers of the holy angels, open of ear, and hearers of deep things?..." (The War Scroll 10: 8b-11a)
"Y[o]u, O God of our fathers, we bless your name forever! We are a people...You have [est]ablished a covenant with our fathers and confirmed it with their descendants through the appointed ti[me]s of eternity. In all your glorious fixed times there was a memorial of your...in our midst for the help of the remnant and the preservation of your covenant...Who is like you according to power, O God of Israel!" (The War Scroll 13: 7-8, 13)
The New Testament recognizes that God is the God of Israel. When the multitudes of people saw Jesus perform miracles of healing, "the multitudes marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel." (Mt.15:31). Zacharias praised the Lord God of Israel when his wife Elizabeth gave birth to their son: John the Baptist (Luke 1:68). The apostle Paul preached in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia and referred to "The God of this people Israel" (Acts 13:17).
The Essenes believed that God was the creator of all things. They believed that God had a design and that all things were made according to His design and purpose. They believed in the creation of man by God.
"From the God of knowledge comes all that is and shall be...He has created man to govern the world" (The Rule of the Community 3:16,18)
"Who is like you, O God of Israel...the one who creates the earth and the boundaries of its divisions for the wilderness and dry land, all it produces with [their] fru[its...] the circle of the seas, the reservoirs of the rivers and the cleaving of the depths; the deeds of the beasts and the birds, the shame of the human and ...the confusion of language and the separation of peoples, the settling of the clans and the distribution of the lands...the appointed times of holiness, the circuits of years and the times of eternity" (The War Scroll 10:8, 12b-16)
One set of texts that celebrates God as creator is a collection called the Hodayot, or Thanksgiving Psalms. The psalmist praises the Lord of creation.
You have created all the spirits [and have established a statute] and law for all their works. You have spread the heavens for Your glory and have [appointed] all [their hosts] according to Your will...You have created the earth by Your power and the seas and deeps [by Your might]. You have fashioned [all] their [inhabi]tants according to Your wisdom, and have appointed all that is in them according to Your will." (1QH 9:8-14)
You are Chief of the gods and King of the glorious, Lord of every spirit and Ruler over every creature. Apart from You nothing is done, nor is there any knowing without Your will. There is no one beside You and no one approaches You in strength. No one can compare to Your glory and as to Your strength, there is no price. Who among the celebrated creatures of Your wonder can maintain the strength to take a stand before Your glory? (1QHa 18:8-11)
In the first Psalms scroll from Cave 11, the Hymn to the Creator reads:
Blessed be He who by His might created the earth, who by His wisdom established the world. By His understanding He stretched forth the heavens and brought out [the wind] from [His] trea[sure stores]. He created [lightning for the ra]in and [from] the end of [the earth] made vapor[s] to rise. (11Q5 26:13-15).
Jesus believed in creation. Jesus referred to Genesis 1:27 when he said, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female." (Mt.19:4). Paul argued for creation at Lystra where he preached that they should "turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them." (Acts 14:15b). The writer to the Hebrews states, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made with things that are visible." (Heb.11:3). John describes a scene in heaven where the twenty four elders praise God for being the creator: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." (Rev.11:4).
The Essenes recognized that God was a powerful Warrior. In history, God showed his strength in empowering David to defeat Goliath and the Philistines. He saved Israel many times through their kings. The writer of the War Scroll realized that the battle was the Lord's and that strength to fight came from God. He also recognized that the Lord was victorious over Pharaoh and his chariots and Asshur as well. The Essenes believed that God would fight their battles and would be victorious in the end.
"For the battle is yours indeed! With the power of your hand their corpses have been dashed into pieces with no one to bury them. Goliath of Gath, a mighty man of worth, you did deliver into the hand of your servant David, for he trusted in your great name and not in a sword or a spear. For the battle is yours! The Philistines he humil[i]ated many times by your holy name. You also have saved us many times by the hand of your kings on account of your compassion and not according to our works, in which we have done evil, and our sinful deeds. The battle is yours, and the strength is from you" (The War Scroll 11:1-4)
"...you have told to us the tim[es of] the wars of your hands, to cover yourself with glory against our enemies, to bring down the troops of Belial, the seven nations of vanity, by the hand of the poor ones whom you have redeemed...and in peace for a wonderful might, and the melted heart turned to a doorway of hope. You shall act against them as a against the Pharaoh and the officers of his chariots in the Re[d] Sea. The stricken spirits you will kindle like a flaming torch in a sheaf, devouring wickedness. It does not turn away until the extermination of guiltiness. A long time ago ...your mighty hand against the Kittim, saying, 'Asshur shall fall down by a sword of no man, a sword of no human being shall devour him.' For in the hand of the poor ones you will deliver the [ene]mies from all the lands and through the hand of them that are bowed to the dust you will bring low the mighty men of the peoples, to render the requital of the wicked ones upon the head...to do justice to your truthful judgment upon all the sons of man, to make for yourself an everlasting name through the people...the wars, to show yourself great and holy in the eyes of the remnant of the nations..." (The War Scroll 11:9-15)
The apostle John saw a vision of Jesus Christ as a Warrior returning to earth to defeat the antichrist and his evil armies and establish his kingdom on this earth. Evangelicals believe in the literal second coming of Christ to earth to defeat the antichrist and his armies at the battle of Armageddon. "Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on his robe and on his thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Rev.19:15-16).
The Essenes emphasized the sovereignty of God over man. This doctrine is set forth in the Rule of the Community (1QS). They believed that God had planned the fate of every created person and that He knew their works from the beginning.
"The Master shall instruct all the sons of light and shall teach them the nature of all the children of men according to the kind of spirit which they possess, the signs identifying their works during their lifetime, their visitation for chastisement, and the time of their reward. From the God of knowledge comes all that is and shall be. Before ever they existed He established their whole design, and when, as ordained for them, they come into being, it is in accord with His glorious design that they accomplish their task without change. The laws of all things are in His hand and He provides them with all their needs. He has created man to govern the world, and has appointed for him two spirits in which to walk until the time of His visitation: the spirits of truth and injustice. Those born of truth spring from a fountain of light, but those born of injustice spring from a source of darkness. All the children of righteousness are ruled by the Prince of Light and walk in the ways of light, but all the children of injustice are ruled by the Angel of Darkness and walk in the ways of darkness. The Angel of Darkness leads all the children of righteousness astray, and until his end, all their sin, iniquities, wickedness, and all their unlawful deeds are caused by his dominion in accordance with the mysteries of God. Every one of their chastisements, and every one of the seasons of their distress, shall be brought about by the rule of his persecution; for all his allotted spirits seek the overthrow of the sons of light. But the God of Israel and His Angel of Truth will succour all the sons of light. For it is He who created the spirits of Light and Darkness and founded every action upon them and established their deed [upon] their [ways]. And he loves the one everlastingly and delights in its works forever; but the counsel of the other He loathes and forever hates its ways." (1QS 3:13-4:1).
"He foreknows the outworking of their deeds for all the ages [of eternity]. He has granted them dominion over humanity, so imparting knowledge of good [and evil, de]ciding the fate of every living being by the measure of which spirit predominates in hi[m, until the day of the appointed] visitation." (Rule of the Community 4:25-26)
Rather than relating events that occur to God's sovereign plan, Josephus stated that the Essenes believed in Fate and "her decree." It seems that Josephus viewed the Essenes' view of predestination as a belief in "Fate."
"Now at this time there were three schools of thought among the Jews, which held different opinions concerning affairs; the first being that of the Pharisees, the second that of the Sadducees, and the third that of the Essenes. As for the Pharisees, they say that certain events are the work of Fate, but not all; as to other events, it depends upon ourselves whether they shall take place or not. The sect of Essenes, however, declares that Fate is mistress of all things, and that nothing befalls men unless it be in accordance with her decree. But the Sadducees do away with Fate, holding that there is no such thing and that human actions are not achieved in accordance with her decree, but that all things lie within our power, so that we ourselves are responsible for our well-being, while we suffer misfortune through our own thoughtlessness." (Josephus, Antiquities 13.171-173).
The apostle Paul emphasized the sovereignty of God in the lives of believers in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28-30 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." Paul also emphasized God's sovereignty in selecting some to show mercy. Romans 9:17-23 says, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.' Therefore, He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For whom has resisted His will?' But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'Why have you made me like this?' Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory."
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LINKS TO OTHER DSS WEB PAGES BY DR. GARY GROMACKI
Doctrine of the Bible Doctrine of Man and Sin Doctrine of Salvation
Doctrine of the Community Doctrine of the Messiah Doctrine of Eschatology
Archaeology of Qumran Bibliography on the DSS Web Sites on the DSS