The presentation of the Essenes in western esotericism

Abstract

Since the eighteenth century the idea originated in Western esoteric circles that the Jewish Essenes were a genuine esoteric group, whose beliefs continued in the new groups of the Freemasons or Rosicrucians. At the end of the last century, the idea of the Essenes as forerunners of modern Western esotericism was further developed by Schuri and Blavatsky, in whose writings we find new information about them. Since then the esoteric knowledge about the Essenes has been growing. This article explores the origins of the idea that the Essenes are a kind of Western esoteric group. It compares the historical Essenes with modern ideas about them and traces the source of their esoteric image. The author concludes that the ideas about the Essenes are a product of Western . esotericism which have little, if any, historical validity.