Sample analysis paper for RLST 124I. Note: This paper is "responding" to a fictitious assignment, to compare the image of the Essenes found in Josephus, Pliny, and Philo (readings #6.3.2-6.3.4 in Texts and Traditions, pp. 276-284). It is provided to give you an idea of what is appropriate in this sort of analysis paper. All opinions expressed herein are solely those of Jane Student. (FYI: This response would be about two full pages in a Word document.)

Jane Student

RLST 124I: Response Paper #1

April 14, 2009

"Sectarianism"

    These three texts, all from the first century CE, give very different ideas about who the Essenes were. The difference of opinion may represent the diversity of Essene communities, or the ways in which people can only understand social and cultural formations based on what they already know. In any case, it would be difficult to reconstruction historical essenes just from these three texts.

    Josephus's description of the Essenes, living in cities and wearing white robes and praying to the sun at dawn and looking "mysterious" to foreigners, might evoke the image of modern "cults" in U.S. urban centers. Of course, "cult" is a derogatory name applied by outsiders, but the Essenes seemed to fit the criteria by living among "nonbelievers" but still maintaining their peculiar customs. Then Josephus goes on to talk about their positive attributes: Instead he talks about how brave and righteous they are, and even how they were brave during their torture under the Romans (which means, perhaps, that the Essenes fought alongside the Zealots?). Ultimately, Josephus compares the Essenes to Greek philosophers which--although it's interesting that the only "doctrine" of the Essenes that Josephus can single out as "Greek" is the belief in the immortality of the soul. It's almost as if Josephus found the one belief that Essenes and Greeks had in common, and highlighted at the end of his description so he could pass them off as a "Greek philosophy." It seems that Josephus begins with a strange, almost cult-like group, and conforms them to Greco-Roman society: perhaps this is part of his larger, defensive description fo jews.

    Josephus also wrote for a bit about Essene's and sexuality, which seems to be the only thing that interests Pliny the Elder. Pliny isn't Jewish (Schiffman describes him as a "Greco-Roman author"). He also seems much less respectful of Jews in general, and the Essenes in particular. Josephus talked about the Essenes and sex respectfully, emphasizing how they just have sex for procreation. Pliny is a little sarcastic, saying all Essenes are men who have "only palm trees for company." He also says that Essenes only join up because they are poor or tired of life. He acts "amazed" that a "tribe" that doesn't have children has lasted for so long; perhaps the only reason he talked about the Essenes was so that he could make fun of them, and perhaps make fun of all Jews (inhabitants of Judea). This would make sense for a non-Jewish Roman after the Jewish War.

    The last description of the Essenes is by Philo, the Jewish Greek philosopher. I expected Philo to emphasize the ways that Essene doctrine was just like Greek philosophy, like he does in his own interpretations of the Bible. He didn't do this very much, however. Like Josephus, Philo talks about how humble and moral the Essenes are, and how they share everything and avoid conflict and sin and war. He does talk about them as "moral philosophers," but doesn't make the exact comparisons with Greek philosophers that Josephus made. Philo's description seemed the most positive, and also the most balanced: he's not disrespectful, like Pliny, and he's not trying to make the Essenes fit into a predetermined Hellenistic mold, like Josephus. We might think that Philo is the most accurate in his portrayal of the Essenes; or, perhaps he's just the most eager to find the line between Josephus's assimilation and Pliny's denegration.