Here is something i got from essene.tribe
The Differences between a Christian and a Yeshuan
If someone from a Christian background happened upon a Yeshuan, and thought "well, we are essentially the same religion" they would be very much mistaken. A Yeshuan and a Christian are worlds apart and I will explain why.
A Christian worships Jesus. They define themselves as the religion of Christianity and they are part of a church.
A Yeshuan does not call upon Jesus. They do not define themselves as Christian or part of the religion of Christianity and are not part of a church, denomination, sect or cult.
A Yeshuan worships Yeshua as Yahuah (Yahweh). They belong to the Essene-Mandaean Religion and they belong to a Knushta or "Assembly" of fellow Essene Mandaeans.
Confusing?
Let's start with some basics:
Holy Books
The Holy Book of the Christians is called the "Holy Bible" and is comprised of what is commonly called the "Old Testament" (this term is considered derogatory to the entire Israelite community and is only used by those communities who view this book as being "outdated" and "unnecessary", hence the term "Old" or "no longer relevant"). This book also contains the book called the "New Covenant". That contains four Gospels, the book of Acts, the Pauline epistles a letter of St. James, the Book of Hebrews, letters of Peter and John and the book of Revelations.
The canon of the Christian book varies depending on which ecumenical council each sect of Christianity observes. There are a several compilations, some with added or omitted books. The most stripped down version of a canon in Christianity is the Protestant canon.
The most authoritative version of these texts are viewed as the Greek texts.
The Holy Book of the Yeshuans is called the Sefer Shakhynah or "The Book of Presence". This Book is written in ancient Hebrew, which pre-dates the common Jewish and Christian Bible texts.
What most people in the West do not know or understand is the nature of the Essene community and its commitment to the writings bestowed upon them from God. It is a solemn and sacred duty of the Essene scribes to safeguard all of the Holy Writings. So the Essenes preserved the Ancient Hebrew Texts, the Essene texts and the writings of the Assembly of Jerusalem.
Here is an excerpt from one of our community's sacred Sacred Writings, the Book of the Patriarchs which details the attitude to the community of Believers in the Holy Land after the ascension of Yeshua.
"They broke the doors of our homes, ran our mothers and children out into the streets and flogged them while their scribes stole the holy scrolls from the arks in which they resided....They chased us with ropes and stones and daggers out of the holy city where we fled to the hills and Alhym protected us from the strong winds....There we stored the holy scrolls of Torah and Yegab [Ya'aqub/James] and the holy beshura [Gospel] of Matayahu [Matthew] and it was there that we read from the holy word of Alhym...blessed be His Name forever and ever who gives us protection with His right hand Yeshua, the Saviour of Yisrael."
Essene communities have perpetually remained separate from either the world of Christianity, or the world of Babylonian Rabbinical Judaism, or Hellenized Judaism.
Yeshua or Jesus?
Yeshuans (Heb. "Yeshuanim") do not believe that Jesus and Yeshua are the same person. Yeshua is Yahuah. "Jesus" is a transliteration of Middle English, Greek and Latin terminology that sought to place the origin of the Messiah's name as a rendering of Joshua, and not His real Name which means "Yeshua is Yahweh".
On the Trinity
Christians have varying beliefs about the Trinity, but constantly seek to define this. Yeshuans believe in the Three Fold Oneness of God but emphasize that God is One, insisting that to define or dissect the nature of God is not only beyond the capacity of humanity, it is ultimately disrespectful to God and not pertinent to whether a soul is reconciled to God or not.
Universality or Tribalism?
Christians, rooted in Pauline Theology, view the way of life laid out in the gospels as a philosophy that can be applied anywhere and relates in all situations.
Yeshuans believe the Gospels teach the Essene way of life, and seek to bring all people into this one Tribe - that the rules of the Tribe are based in Torah and in the context of this Tribe all these rules apply, and outside of this community they do not. ( i.e. One's neighbor is a literal member of your tribe, not simply any person you meet on the street. )
Torah, Yeshua and Ya'aqub ha'Tzadik or Jesus, Paul and Rome?
Christians get their interpretation of Christianity out of the Pauline writings and subsequent ecumenical councils that followed they times of the Apostles and disciples.
Yeshuans get their interpretation of the Essene Mandaean Religion from Torah, the Gospels and the writings of St. James the Righteous. Because the Orthodox Essene community has its own Sanhedrin, there is no need of ecumenical councils, so no ruling of an ecumenical council has any bearing on the Yeshuan community.
How Many Religious Entities?
Some Jewish communities believe there are two: Judaism and the gentile worshippers of Jesus. Christians believe there are two: Christianity and Judaism. To the Yeshuan there are three: The Essene Mandaean community, the Babylonian Rabbinical Jewish community, and the pagan Christian cult that broke away from the Essene Mandaean community in 318 CE to form their own religion.
Regarding Torah
The Babylonian Rabbinical community observes Torah. Christians (not including messianic Christian groups) reject Torah, referring to is as "Law" and views this as no longer of relevance or necessity, creating theology to explain why the Christian is not expected to observe Torah. The Essene Khasidim (community of Orthodox Essenes) believe Yeshua is Torah and to follow His Way means to observe the Torah sealed in the Blood of the Lamb.
Sabbath: Saturday or Sunday?
Both Babylonian Rabbinical Jews and Essene Khasidim and Messianic groups observe Saturday as the Sabbath Day, Christianity rejects the Sabbath day, or more accurately believe that Sunday, is the Sabbath.
Tzadikim, popes and patriarchs
Babylonian Rabbinical Judaism does not have a centralized authority, so while there may be prominent and notable religious figures in their community, there is no centralized leader. Christianity is broken up into many patriarchates, a Papacy for Rome and then there are the many Protestant variations that deny any leadership outside of their immediate groups. The Essene Mandaean Religion has a Tzadik or Righteous Teacher as Tradition of the Essene community holds to. This individual sits on the Apostolic Throne, and works in harmony with the Beit Knushta or Apostolic Sanhedrin. The Tzadik is sometime referred to as a Patriarch but not as defined in Christian terms as an Essene Tzadik is divinely appointed and assisted in governing the assembly of Essene Khasidim.
Apostolic Succession or Apostasy?
Depending on the Christian community, there is either the belief that Apostolic authority is bestowed either on the lineage of patriarchs or popes in the church down through the ages (not new apostles, only those chosen to succeed from the line of Peter or Paul). Protestant communities do not lend much credence apostolic authority though they are spawned from the Roman Catholic Church and derive much of their theology from Rome ( i.e. Augustine and the Ecumenical councils).
The Orthodox Essene community believes that Apostolic authority was bestowed by Yeshua to all the Apostles but placing St. James as the Leader of the earthly Assembly and that it is understood that all Apostles, disciples and Believers were expected to be in obedience to this Divine Authority. While the Apostles went into the world to spread the Good News and make disciples, the claim by Rome that the papacy is linked to St. Peter is incorrect. St. Peter was located in Babylon and not Rome, so the claim to Apostolic authority through Peter is an invalid claim. Add to this, that Apostolic succession ended in the West with the excommunication of the western church. Yeshuans believe passionately in the reality of Apostles, in Apostolic leadership and authority and Succession. We just don't believe that any excommunicated religious body has any thing to do with God's Apostles at all.
Liturgies or Siddurim?
While Essene Khasidim, Babylonian Rabbinical Jews and Messianics all have Siddurim, Christians have liturgies in sacramental churches, and what are simple called "the service" in Protestant churches.
Bima or Podium?
In the services of the non-Essene Jewish community, the Torah is read at the back of the room. In Christianity, the Gospels are read from the podium if there is an altar or from the stage if there is not. For the Essene Khasidim, both the Torah is read at the Back of the Room and the Gospels and Epistles are read at a table in front of the assembly, off to the side of the altar.
The Essenes have Tabernacles, and we have Torah Scrolls that are read from the Bima. Kahein (priests) and Leviim (priests' assistants) take precedence in readings.
Sacraments or symbolism?
Yeshuans have sacraments that are rooted either in Torah, in the Essene way of life or the life of Yeshua Himself.
Christians either observe sacraments deemed as divine mysteries. (i.e. not entirely sure where they came from) or they reject the Sacraments altogether.
The Origin of the Priesthood:
The Yeshuans believe that the priesthood began at Sinai with Aharon (Aaron, the brother of Moses) so all priests should conform to this model.
Depending on the community within Christianity, the view is either that the priesthood is rooted in patriarchates or papacies. Some Christian groups do not have a priesthood.
Jerusalem or Rome?
This crux of the division would be this: Who is in charge of God's Sheep? Is it Rome or is it Jerusalem?
Christians range from a belief that authority was bestowed to either Rome (all patriarchates of the West are rooted in the early Roman Church) so Christians, whether they believe in the authority of Rome, an Ecumenical Patriarch, or do not believe in governing authority at all, i.e. Protestants, these are all groups or individuals who believe the authority of Messiah's sheep is rooted in Rome.
We believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the authority of the Faith was always the families of Mary and Joseph and that the authority of the faith will never leave the Holy Land. The God of Sinai is still the God of Sinai. He never relocated west or anywhere else. He established one Community and never gave up on them, even when they turned from Him from time to time.
The Differences between a Christian and a Yeshuan
If someone from a Christian background happened upon a Yeshuan, and thought "well, we are essentially the same religion" they would be very much mistaken. A Yeshuan and a Christian are worlds apart and I will explain why.
A Christian worships Jesus. They define themselves as the religion of Christianity and they are part of a church.
A Yeshuan does not call upon Jesus. They do not define themselves as Christian or part of the religion of Christianity and are not part of a church, denomination, sect or cult.
A Yeshuan worships Yeshua as Yahuah (Yahweh). They belong to the Essene-Mandaean Religion and they belong to a Knushta or "Assembly" of fellow Essene Mandaeans.
Confusing?
Let's start with some basics:
Holy Books
The Holy Book of the Christians is called the "Holy Bible" and is comprised of what is commonly called the "Old Testament" (this term is considered derogatory to the entire Israelite community and is only used by those communities who view this book as being "outdated" and "unnecessary", hence the term "Old" or "no longer relevant"). This book also contains the book called the "New Covenant". That contains four Gospels, the book of Acts, the Pauline epistles a letter of St. James, the Book of Hebrews, letters of Peter and John and the book of Revelations.
The canon of the Christian book varies depending on which ecumenical council each sect of Christianity observes. There are a several compilations, some with added or omitted books. The most stripped down version of a canon in Christianity is the Protestant canon.
The most authoritative version of these texts are viewed as the Greek texts.
The Holy Book of the Yeshuans is called the Sefer Shakhynah or "The Book of Presence". This Book is written in ancient Hebrew, which pre-dates the common Jewish and Christian Bible texts.
What most people in the West do not know or understand is the nature of the Essene community and its commitment to the writings bestowed upon them from God. It is a solemn and sacred duty of the Essene scribes to safeguard all of the Holy Writings. So the Essenes preserved the Ancient Hebrew Texts, the Essene texts and the writings of the Assembly of Jerusalem.
Here is an excerpt from one of our community's sacred Sacred Writings, the Book of the Patriarchs which details the attitude to the community of Believers in the Holy Land after the ascension of Yeshua.
"They broke the doors of our homes, ran our mothers and children out into the streets and flogged them while their scribes stole the holy scrolls from the arks in which they resided....They chased us with ropes and stones and daggers out of the holy city where we fled to the hills and Alhym protected us from the strong winds....There we stored the holy scrolls of Torah and Yegab [Ya'aqub/James] and the holy beshura [Gospel] of Matayahu [Matthew] and it was there that we read from the holy word of Alhym...blessed be His Name forever and ever who gives us protection with His right hand Yeshua, the Saviour of Yisrael."
Essene communities have perpetually remained separate from either the world of Christianity, or the world of Babylonian Rabbinical Judaism, or Hellenized Judaism.
Yeshua or Jesus?
Yeshuans (Heb. "Yeshuanim") do not believe that Jesus and Yeshua are the same person. Yeshua is Yahuah. "Jesus" is a transliteration of Middle English, Greek and Latin terminology that sought to place the origin of the Messiah's name as a rendering of Joshua, and not His real Name which means "Yeshua is Yahweh".
On the Trinity
Christians have varying beliefs about the Trinity, but constantly seek to define this. Yeshuans believe in the Three Fold Oneness of God but emphasize that God is One, insisting that to define or dissect the nature of God is not only beyond the capacity of humanity, it is ultimately disrespectful to God and not pertinent to whether a soul is reconciled to God or not.
Universality or Tribalism?
Christians, rooted in Pauline Theology, view the way of life laid out in the gospels as a philosophy that can be applied anywhere and relates in all situations.
Yeshuans believe the Gospels teach the Essene way of life, and seek to bring all people into this one Tribe - that the rules of the Tribe are based in Torah and in the context of this Tribe all these rules apply, and outside of this community they do not. ( i.e. One's neighbor is a literal member of your tribe, not simply any person you meet on the street. )
Torah, Yeshua and Ya'aqub ha'Tzadik or Jesus, Paul and Rome?
Christians get their interpretation of Christianity out of the Pauline writings and subsequent ecumenical councils that followed they times of the Apostles and disciples.
Yeshuans get their interpretation of the Essene Mandaean Religion from Torah, the Gospels and the writings of St. James the Righteous. Because the Orthodox Essene community has its own Sanhedrin, there is no need of ecumenical councils, so no ruling of an ecumenical council has any bearing on the Yeshuan community.
How Many Religious Entities?
Some Jewish communities believe there are two: Judaism and the gentile worshippers of Jesus. Christians believe there are two: Christianity and Judaism. To the Yeshuan there are three: The Essene Mandaean community, the Babylonian Rabbinical Jewish community, and the pagan Christian cult that broke away from the Essene Mandaean community in 318 CE to form their own religion.
Regarding Torah
The Babylonian Rabbinical community observes Torah. Christians (not including messianic Christian groups) reject Torah, referring to is as "Law" and views this as no longer of relevance or necessity, creating theology to explain why the Christian is not expected to observe Torah. The Essene Khasidim (community of Orthodox Essenes) believe Yeshua is Torah and to follow His Way means to observe the Torah sealed in the Blood of the Lamb.
Sabbath: Saturday or Sunday?
Both Babylonian Rabbinical Jews and Essene Khasidim and Messianic groups observe Saturday as the Sabbath Day, Christianity rejects the Sabbath day, or more accurately believe that Sunday, is the Sabbath.
Tzadikim, popes and patriarchs
Babylonian Rabbinical Judaism does not have a centralized authority, so while there may be prominent and notable religious figures in their community, there is no centralized leader. Christianity is broken up into many patriarchates, a Papacy for Rome and then there are the many Protestant variations that deny any leadership outside of their immediate groups. The Essene Mandaean Religion has a Tzadik or Righteous Teacher as Tradition of the Essene community holds to. This individual sits on the Apostolic Throne, and works in harmony with the Beit Knushta or Apostolic Sanhedrin. The Tzadik is sometime referred to as a Patriarch but not as defined in Christian terms as an Essene Tzadik is divinely appointed and assisted in governing the assembly of Essene Khasidim.
Apostolic Succession or Apostasy?
Depending on the Christian community, there is either the belief that Apostolic authority is bestowed either on the lineage of patriarchs or popes in the church down through the ages (not new apostles, only those chosen to succeed from the line of Peter or Paul). Protestant communities do not lend much credence apostolic authority though they are spawned from the Roman Catholic Church and derive much of their theology from Rome ( i.e. Augustine and the Ecumenical councils).
The Orthodox Essene community believes that Apostolic authority was bestowed by Yeshua to all the Apostles but placing St. James as the Leader of the earthly Assembly and that it is understood that all Apostles, disciples and Believers were expected to be in obedience to this Divine Authority. While the Apostles went into the world to spread the Good News and make disciples, the claim by Rome that the papacy is linked to St. Peter is incorrect. St. Peter was located in Babylon and not Rome, so the claim to Apostolic authority through Peter is an invalid claim. Add to this, that Apostolic succession ended in the West with the excommunication of the western church. Yeshuans believe passionately in the reality of Apostles, in Apostolic leadership and authority and Succession. We just don't believe that any excommunicated religious body has any thing to do with God's Apostles at all.
Liturgies or Siddurim?
While Essene Khasidim, Babylonian Rabbinical Jews and Messianics all have Siddurim, Christians have liturgies in sacramental churches, and what are simple called "the service" in Protestant churches.
Bima or Podium?
In the services of the non-Essene Jewish community, the Torah is read at the back of the room. In Christianity, the Gospels are read from the podium if there is an altar or from the stage if there is not. For the Essene Khasidim, both the Torah is read at the Back of the Room and the Gospels and Epistles are read at a table in front of the assembly, off to the side of the altar.
The Essenes have Tabernacles, and we have Torah Scrolls that are read from the Bima. Kahein (priests) and Leviim (priests' assistants) take precedence in readings.
Sacraments or symbolism?
Yeshuans have sacraments that are rooted either in Torah, in the Essene way of life or the life of Yeshua Himself.
Christians either observe sacraments deemed as divine mysteries. (i.e. not entirely sure where they came from) or they reject the Sacraments altogether.
The Origin of the Priesthood:
The Yeshuans believe that the priesthood began at Sinai with Aharon (Aaron, the brother of Moses) so all priests should conform to this model.
Depending on the community within Christianity, the view is either that the priesthood is rooted in patriarchates or papacies. Some Christian groups do not have a priesthood.
Jerusalem or Rome?
This crux of the division would be this: Who is in charge of God's Sheep? Is it Rome or is it Jerusalem?
Christians range from a belief that authority was bestowed to either Rome (all patriarchates of the West are rooted in the early Roman Church) so Christians, whether they believe in the authority of Rome, an Ecumenical Patriarch, or do not believe in governing authority at all, i.e. Protestants, these are all groups or individuals who believe the authority of Messiah's sheep is rooted in Rome.
We believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the authority of the Faith was always the families of Mary and Joseph and that the authority of the faith will never leave the Holy Land. The God of Sinai is still the God of Sinai. He never relocated west or anywhere else. He established one Community and never gave up on them, even when they turned from Him from time to time.
Upvote
0