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Essenes, although this is debated by Christian apologists. It is every kind of heresy... The accounts he gives of the Jewish, possible that these writings were compiled (or stored) in various Christian and Gnostic sects...exhibit a marvellous mixture of settlements and moved to the Dead Sea caves from other areas for valuable traditions...and [he] collects a rich abundance of protection and preservation. It is not improbable to suggest the genuine traditions from what seemed a worthless mass. manuscripts were deposited in the Dead Sea area as late as 132 by the Jewish leader Simeon bar Cochba, but the general opinion is Some of his "genuine traditions" are recorded throughout this that the oldest and largest of the three separate discoveries was book. When St Epiphanius wrote of allegedly "heretical" sects hidden for safekeeping when the destruction of the Qumran settle- once existing in occupied Roman territories, he called them the ment seemed imminent sometime shortly before the beginning of | "Men of Yesu". The term "Yesu" was taught in Druidism as one the Jewish War in AD 66. of the three aspects of the Druidic trinity, the other two being Beli Nowhere in the Dead Sea Scrolls collection is the term and Taran. St Epiphanius went on to say the Men of Yesu were "Essene" found. The Qumran community never referred to them- sometimes called "Yesseans", after Jesus of the Gospels. selves as "Essenes", but they did use a number of other Aramaic Epiphanius sought to justify this startling connection with the terms. From these terms, it is clear the Yesseans and Jesus by asserting that in Community did not have a single definite Hebrew the name "Jesus" means "physi- name for themselves, although the term cian", and the Men of Yesu were highly "Ebronites" ("Ebionites" in some transla- regarded herbal healers supporting the same tions) was used within the later-dated scroll . doctrines as those applied to Jesus in the discoveries.” These particular writings were Both the Essenic and New Testament. The assertion that Jesus found in the ruins of a Byzantine monastery Druidic high priests and the Men of Yesu were in some way con- further up the hills from the oldest and nected was a documented Church fact during largest collection of Qumran. In academic were regarded as the the very earliest years of recorded Christian vrieat of the serly Escene community ene most just of SIA, of a asthe historian Josephus believed that the the Book of Enoch in order to fulfill an Old priestly class with secret | Essenes were formed shortly after the Testament "prophecy" in Jeremiah itl Maccabean period (168 BC) by an exiled (31:31-34): "...the days are coming when I writings, sacred songs, High Priest named Mattathias, the father of {the Lord] will make a New special clothing, strict the military king Judas Maccabaeus.” Coreen Te aus ofthe Dead HMM rules of divination, MH (12 sce wan held ia New Covenant and regularly called hidden instruction and righteousness, travelled to India and, themselves the "Keepers of the New G having studied there for many years, Covenant" and the "Community of the a human skull displayed returned to his brethren and founded in certain initiatory ceremonies. New Covenant". the first body of monks. In Dead Sea The first-century classical writers Scrolls tradition, this man was after- Josephus, Philo and Pliny indicated wards called by his disciples "the that in their time these people were Master" or, in some translations, "the known as the "Essenoi" or "Essaioi" in Orthodox Teacher". He was never por- Greek, but a variety of opinion exists trayed as a divinity, so he cannot in any among scholars and researchers as to way be equated with the Gospel Jesus, the origin of the name. Some explain as some recent authors have tried to do. the Greek name for Essenes as mean- In fact, it is said in one of the Dead Sea ing "Silent Ones" and others as signifying "Healers". Some assert Scrolls (Zadokite) that he was "gathered in"—an expression used the term means "Pious", while others call them "Seers", in the Old Testament to describe natural death. "Performers of the Law", "Retired Ones", "Stout Ones", "Mysterious Ones", "Daily Baptists" or "Apron-Wearers". In the — Essenes Linked with the Druids latter respect, echoes of the Essene beliefs can be found in the rit- Some modern researchers give the Essenes a much earlier uals of the Masons. Josephus recorded that they "don a white origin and again connect them with the Druids of Gaul, circa 250 apron" before their ceremonies, after which they "then take off | BC. Druidism was a mystical profession, and in the earliest of their white aprons, which they consider sacred clothes". times mystery and magic were always confounded. The The writings of the early Church extend another opinion about —_ association between the Essenes and the Druids developed from the identity of the body of monks now called the Essenes. St the similarities between the two groups, which both formed a Epiphanius of Salamis (315-403) left behind some extraordinary class apart and kept the people who were culturally inferior to records about Jesus, Mary and the Gospel stories. The modern- them in subjection. day Church has claimed that these records "exhibit a marvellous Both the Essenic and Druidic high priests were regarded as the mixture of valuable traditions", but many of those ancient tradi- most just of men, of a priestly class with secret writings, sacred tions oppose the canonical writings of today. Lipsius, in his arti- songs, special clothing, strict rules of divination, hidden instruc- cle” on this interesting early churchman, said he was: tion and a human skull displayed in certain initiatory ceremonies. .-honest, but credulous, a narrow-minded zealot for Church Both fraternities taught esoterically the existence of a Supreme orthodoxy... His frequent journeys and exhaustive readings Being, a future state of rewards and punishment and immortality enabled him to collect a large but ill-arranged store of his- of the soul. It was not lawful to commit their doctrines to writing, torical information, and this he used with much ingenuity in and "secret ciphers" were used to conceal their innermost myster- defending the Church orthodoxy of his time and opposing ies.” Julius Caesar (d. 44 BC), who came into contact with the every kind of heresy... The accounts he gives of the Jewish, Christian and Gnostic sects...exhibit a marvellous mixture of valuable traditions...and [he] collects a rich abundance of genuine traditions from what seemed a worthless mass. ceremonies. Essenes Linked with the Druids Some modern researchers give the Essenes a much earlier origin and again connect them with the Druids of Gaul, circa 250 BC. Druidism was a mystical profession, and in the earliest of times mystery and magic were always confounded. The association between the Essenes and the Druids developed from the similarities between the two groups, which both formed a class apart and kept the people who were culturally inferior to them in subjection. Both the Essenic and Druidic high priests were regarded as the most just of men, of a priestly class with secret writings, sacred songs, special clothing, strict rules of di ion, hidden instruc- tion and a human skull displayed in certain initiatory ceremonies. Both fraternities taught esoterically the existence of a Supreme Being, a future state of rewards and punishment and immortality of the soul. It was not lawful to commit their doctrines to writing, and "secret ciphers" were used to conceal their innermost myster- ies. Julius Caesar (d. 44 BC), who came into contact with the 40 ¢ NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2002 WWW.NeXU smagazi ne.com