[Sidenote:  Jos.  Ant.  XVIII, 1:4b] They also think it virtuous to dispute with those teachers of philosophy which they follow.  This doctrine, however, is accepted by only a few, but these are of the highest rank, They are able to accomplish almost nothing by themselves; for when they come to power, unwillingly but perforce, they accede to the Pharisaic doctrine, for otherwise they would not be tolerated by the multitude.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Ant.  XVIII, 1:5a, b] The doctrine of the Essenes is that all things are best left to God.  They teach the immortality of souls and think that the rewards of righteousness are to be earnestly striven for; and when they send what they have dedicated to God to the temple, they offer their sacrifices in accordance with the special law of purity which they observe.  On this account they are excluded from the common court of the temple but themselves offer their sacrifices.  Yet their course of life is far better than that of other men and they devote themselves wholly to agriculture.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, ii, 8:2, 13a] The Essenes seem to have a greater affection for each other than do the other sects.  They reject pleasure as an evil, but regard self-restraint and the conquest of passions as a virtue.  They despise marriage and choose out other people’s children, while they are impressionable and teachable, and they regard them as their own kindred, and conform them to their own customs.  They do not absolutely repudiate marriage.  There is also another order of Essenes, who agree with the rest in regard to their way of living, customs and laws, but differ from them in regard to marriage, for they think that by not marrying they will cut off the most important element in human life, which is the succession of mankind.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, ii, 8:3, 4] These men are despisers of riches and are wonderfully communistic among themselves.  No one is to be found among them who has more than the others, for it is a law among them that those who join their sect must share with them what they have, so that among them all there is no evidence of poverty or excess of riches, but everyone’s possessions are shared in common, so there is, as it were, but one property among all the brothers.  They also have directors appointed by vote to manage their common affairs.  These have no other interest, but each devotes himself to the needs of all.  They possess no one city, but many of them dwell in every city, and if any of their sect come from other places, what they have lies open for them, just as if it were their own.  They do not change garments or sandals until they first are entirely torn to pieces or worn out by time.  Nor do they either buy or sell anything to each other, but every one of them gives to him who wants it and receives from him again in return for it what he wants; and even though no return is made, they are free to take what they want from whom they wish.