Were there groups in Ancient Judaism that cultivated esoteric knowledge and transmitted it secretly? With the discovery and burgeoning study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and particularly of the documents legislating the social structure of the Qumran group, the foremost paradigm for analysis of the group's social structure has become the "sect." This is still dominant, having replacing the monastic paradigm used by some of the earliest scholars of the
Scrolls.But after studying what has been written on secret societies more generally, Michael Stone has concluded that many known ancient Jewish groups-the Qumran covenanters, Josephus's and Philo's
Essenes, and Philo's Therapeutae-should be viewed as societies at the heart of whose existence were esoteric knowledge and practice. Guarding and transmitting this esoteric knowledge and practice, Stone argues, provided the dynamic that motivated the social and conceptual structure of these groups. Analyzing them as secret societies, he says, enables us to see previously latent social structural dimensions, and provides many new enriching insights into the groups, including the Dead Sea
covenanters. By examining historical and literary sources, Stone uncovers evidence for the existence of other secret groups in ancient Jewish society. This line of study leads Stone not
only to consider the "classical" Jewish apocalypses as pseudo-esoteric, but also to discern in them the footsteps of hidden, truly esoteric traditions cultivated in the circles that produced the apocalypses. This discovery has significant implications, especially considering the enormous growth of study of the apocalyptic in the Judaism of the Second Temple period and in nascent Christianity over the last seventy years.
Were there groups in Ancient Judaism that cultivated esoteric knowledge and transmitted it secretly? With the discovery and burgeoning study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and particularly of the documents legislating the social structure of the Qumran group, the foremost paradigm for analysis of the group's social structure has become the "sect." This is still dominant, having replacing the monastic paradigm used by some of the earliest scholars of the
Scrolls.But after studying what has been written on secret societies more generally, Michael Stone has concluded that many known ancient Jewish groups-the Qumran covenanters, Josephus's and Philo's
Essenes, and Philo's Therapeutae-should be viewed as societies at the heart of whose existence were esoteric knowledge and practice. Guarding and transmitting this esoteric knowledge and practice, Stone argues, provided the dynamic that motivated the social and conceptual structure of these groups. Analyzing them as secret societies, he says, enables us to see previously latent social structural dimensions, and provides many new enriching insights into the groups, including the Dead Sea
covenanters. By examining historical and literary sources, Stone uncovers evidence for the existence of other secret groups in ancient Jewish society. This line of study leads Stone not
only to consider the "classical" Jewish apocalypses as pseudo-esoteric, but also to discern in them the footsteps of hidden, truly esoteric traditions cultivated in the circles that produced the apocalypses. This discovery has significant implications, especially considering the enormous growth of study of the apocalyptic in the Judaism of the Second Temple period and in nascent Christianity over the last seventy years.
Preface
Chapter 1. Secret Societies in Ancient Judaism
Chapter 2. "Esoteric," Mysteries, and Secrecy
2.1 Esoteric
2.2 Secrecy
2.3 Religious Experience and the Claim of Authority
Chapter 3. Esoteric as a Social Category
3.1 Knowledge and Control of Knowledge
3.2. Oral or Written
Chapter 4. The Social Organization of Secrecy
4.1 Mysteries and Secrecy in Hellenistic-Roman Society
4.2 Secret Societies and Ancient Judaism
4.3 Essenes and Therapeutae in Secret Groups
Chapter 5. Initiation and Graded Revelation
5.1 Initiation
5.2 Hierarchical Structure
Chapter 6. Other Secret Jewish Groups and Traditions
6.1 Indications of Other Secret Groups
6.2. Status and the Pseudo-Esoteric
Chapter 7. The Social Setting of Esoteric Tradition
7.1 Socio-Religious Groups
7.2 Teachings known to have existed that may have been secret
7.3 Narrative Frameworks and Secret Transmission
"Circles Behind" and Final Thoughts
Bibliography
Michael Stone is the Gail Levin de Nur Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies and Professor Emeritus of Armenian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author or editor of nearly 60 books, including Adamgirk`: The Adam book of Arak`el of Siwnik` (Oxford University Press, 2007).
"Stone writes concisely and precisely, without methodological
fireworks, and the book is therefore a pleasure to read.
Bibliographic referencing, coverage, and overall structure are
exemplary. Given its approachable style, this book would lend to
fruitful debate in classrooms and should not be out of place on
advanced student reading lists." -- Lindsey A. Askin, H-Net
"Stone's book should be a rewarding read for everyone interested in
esotericism and sectarianism in Jewish antiquity and the
impressions those trends left on the Jewish and Christian
intellectual traditions." -- Joshua Ezra Burns, Aries
"The study is an excellent example that engages the methods of
sociological sciences and biblical studies in a constant discourse
with ancient sources. Stone's expertise and erudition is on display
throughout the study, and the footnotes are packed with excellent
corollary discussion topics." -- Jame Tucker , Ancient Jew
Review
"Secret Groups in Ancient Judaism offers considerable food for
thought for those interested in ancient Judaism and the Dead Sea
Scrolls, as well as early Christianity and Greco-Roman mystery
cults."--Jocelyn K. Burney, Reading Religion
"A good book is the one that it is instantly obvious to its reader
should have been written long before, its subject is so
transparently interesting and important, but for some reason hasn't
been written till now, and here it is, in his hands, in print as it
should be, like a wish fulfilled, not a secret and right out in the
open. This is such a book."-- James R. Russell, Judaica
Petropolitana
"In this ground-breaking book, Michael E. Stone challenges
traditional conceptions of 'esoteric' and 'esotericism,' and
compels us to re-examine the way religious groups in ancient
Judaism functioned as secret societies. This book is a must-read
for every scholar of early Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as
well as all those interested in apocalyptic writings, secret
societies, and western esotericism."--Lorenzo DiTommaso, Professor
of Religions and Cultures,
Concordia University, Montréal
"Michael Stone, one of the most respected scholars of the period,
offers here an insightful reading of esotericism in Jewish circles
in the Second Temple period. He situates the phenomenon in the
wider context of the Hellenistic world, which knew many groups with
strictly controlled admission requirements and rituals that
protected the secrecy of their rites and beliefs. Building upon the
well-known case of the sectarians of the Dead Sea Scrolls, he
argues that
practices of secrecy played a role in many more Jewish groups and
such practices surface in a wide range of Jewish literature of the
period. His reading will enlighten general readers but also
provoke
specialists to consider the significance of the various forms
esotericism more carefully."--Harry Attridge, Sterling Professor of
Divinity, Yale Divinity School
"In this brilliant new study, Michael Stone does what he does best:
He has chosen a topic that has already received a fair amount of
attention...and gives it a new twist. Instead of going with the
familiar labels of 'sectarian' versus 'mainstream/normative,' Stone
chooses to focus on 'secrecy' as his operating category. The Yahad
Community at Qumran, the Essenes, and Philo's Therapeutae were all
secret societies concerned with the cultivation and
transmission of esoteric knowledge and practice. With unparalleled
erudition, Stone draws on various academic fields of study, with
which he remains in constant conversation. The result is another
creative,
insightful, and beautifully written work from one of the premier
scholars alive today. When Stone has introduced new categories and
ways of thinking in the past, others have followed suit... Another
triumph."--Matthias Henze, Isla Carroll and Perry E. Turner
Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism, Rice University
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