Could A Man Be Found Carrying Water In Jerusalem?

At least 250 years before the Book of Hebrews was written, a group of Jews including some of the priests decided to create their own priesthood after the line of Malkizedek. They were known as the Essenes. We also know them as the writers of the Qumran Scrolls or the Dead Sea Sect.

The village of the Essenes was in the city of Jerusalem. Their location is significant when coupled with their strict adherence to the Torah. In the Torah, God tells the Israelites that they are not to have a bowel movement in the camp while traveling through the desert on the way to the Promised Land. The Essenes believed that God’s Word never loses meaning or significance, therefore, they believed that even though they were no longer in the desert, there must still be a camp. They believed that the new camp was Jerusalem.

Because they lived in city of Jerusalem and considered it the camp of God’s people, they believed that they were not allowed to have a bowel movement in Jerusalem. This meant that they would have to designate a place outside the city where they could use the bathroom. In 1991 archeologists discovered the Essene Gate. They were boggled by its location because it seemingly led to nowhere. Then they realized that the gate served as an entrance to the woods and out of the city. It was their bathroom door.

Another interesting fact about the Essene sect was that they also held strictly to their priestly duties and would not allow women to do any kind of work within their village because of its location in Jerusalem. The normal custom of women doing things such as carrying water was not allowed in the Essene village.

In the world of Jesus, it would be inconceivable to expect a man to carry a water jar, except among the Essenes.

“On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the city (Jerusalem) and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.” (Mark 14:12-16)

Sermon after sermon teaches that finding a man carrying water in Jerusalem was a miracle in itself. This would be true, except for the men of the Essene village in Jerusalem.

Jesus was not telling his disciples to look for the impossible, but to travel to the Essene village and prepare the Passover.

Forever learning,
Johnny