Note 28 — THE ESSENES.

Although the taking of oaths was discountenanced by the Jews generally (Comp. Ecclus. xxiii 11, &c.; and especially Philo De decem oraculis § 17, Opp. Tom. ii. p. 194, &c., ed. Mangey); and the Pharisees took great care to abstain as much as possible from using them (Comp. Shevuoth 39, b; Gittin 35, a; Bemidbar Rabba c. xxii); yet the Essenes were the only order who laid it down as a principle not to swear at all, but to say yea, yea, and nay, nay. So firmly and conscientiously did they adhere to it that Herod, who on ascending the throne had exacted an oath of allegiance from all the rest of the Jews, was obliged to absolve the Essenes from it. (Comp. Joseph. Antiq. book xv. chap. x. § 4). Christ too, laid it down as a principle for his disciples not to swear at all, but to say yea, yea, and nay, nay. (Comp. Matth. v. 38–37 .) ↑