Essaism

In the Epistle to the Colossians, which both date and contents connect with the encyclical Epistle, he denounces a Judaistic amalgamation of Christianity with Essaism.

Love of truth was inculcated by Essaism, as by Parsism and Buddhism, and was promised by an oath.

How difficult this investigation, how doubtful its results, may be understood when we mention that Hilgenfeld says, Jüdische Apocalyptik, p. 245: "Essaism is the most enigmatical phenomenon of later Judaism ; " and Lucius (der Essenismus, p. 63) makes a remark precisely similar.