the law. They believed in the resurrection. Their stance towards Herod, the Herodians and Rome is difficult to ascertain and was probably not uniform. For the most part they were willing to accept the status quo, with what degree of restlessness we do not know. Essenes: a party of priests and laity that had more than one branch. All Essenes kept separate from other Jews to some degree. They had their own views about many matters, especially the temple and purity; and they attributed their views,