Jesus An Essene by Edward Planta Nesbit

Description

Jesus An Essene is a book by Edward Planta Nesbit, first published in 1895. In this compact, polemical work Nesbit argues the provocative thesis that Jesus was connected with the ascetic, communal movement known as the Essenes. Written in a brisk, occasionally didactic Victorian style, the book marshals historical references, contrasts Pharisaic and Essene practice, and advances the view that many features of early Christian life and teaching may be better understood in light of Essene beliefs and discipline. The book is noteworthy for being an early popular articulation of the “Jesus-as-Essene” idea long before mid-20th century discoveries renewed public interest in Essene communities. Nesbit’s argument sits at the intersection of devotional reflection and speculative historiography: it will appeal to readers drawn to alternative reconstructions of the historical Jesus, to those interested in Second Temple Jewish groups, and to students of how nineteenth-century writers reshaped religious questions for a modern readership.

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