Jesus and John

The Novel

The novel Jesus and John delves into the childhood years of Jesus and his second cousin John the Baptist. It researches how Jesus came to be such a great miracle medical healer and how John The Baptist got his spiritual training. Both men may well have joined the Essene societies near them.

Connections to the Essenes

John may well have joined the Qumran Essene community by the Dead Sea, which was a monastic community. Jesus, living in Northern Galilee, chose to join the secret Essenes on Mount Carmel, which was walking distance from Nazareth where Jesus lived. The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal the Gospels and prayers of the Essenes, which parallel the teachings of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth.

Different Lifestyles

John the Baptist's lifestyle was copied after the prophet Elijah, and Jesus of Nazareth demonstrated a more liberal Essene lifestyle of simple life, prayer, and the coming of the Messiah or the Righteous Teacher.

Secrecy and Protection

Jesus and John's involvement with the Essene communities were always kept a secret so that the enemies of the Essenes (the Pharisees and Saducees) would not be able to take out their anger on these two preachers.