Written by The Three Jewish Factions That Fought Over Whether to Acknowledge Zoroastrian Origins
INTRODUCTION: A Religion Torn Apart
When the Jews returned from Babylonian Exile in 539 BCE, they brought back revolutionary concepts that did not exist in Hebrew religion before:
- ✅ Resurrection of the dead
- ✅ Heaven and Hell
- ✅ Satan as cosmic adversary
- ✅ Angels and demons with names
- ✅ The Messiah prophecy
- ✅ Apocalyptic final judgment
- ✅ Linear time toward cosmic restoration
Every single one of these is Zoroastrian.
But not all Jews agreed on what to do with this knowledge. Some embraced it. Some rejected it. Some went deeper into it.
The result: A 500-year civil war that split Judaism into three factions.
This article explains who they were, what they believed, and what their names actually mean.
THE TIMELINE: HOW THE SPLIT HAPPENED
586 BCE: Babylonian Exile begins – Jews captured, educated by Zoroastrian Magi for 70 years
539 BCE: Cyrus the Great (Zoroastrian) liberates Jews, called “Messiah” in Isaiah 45:1
516 BCE: Second Temple completed with Persian funding – Jews return transformed
516-332 BCE: Persian Period – 200 years of theological transformation
~200-100 BCE: The split crystallizes into three distinct factions:
- Pharisees (Farooshiym = “The Persians”) – Embraced it
- Sadducees (Tzadokim) – Rejected it
- Essenes (Osseniym = “The Healers”) – Went deepest into it
70 CE: Second Temple destroyed, Sadducees disappear, Pharisees win
Result: Modern Judaism IS Pharisaic Judaism – the pro-Persian faction
FACTION #1: THE PHARISEES (פְּרוּשִׁים – PERUSHIM)
Who They Were
Name Origin: From Hebrew Farooshiym meaning either:
- “The Persians” (acknowledging their source)
- “The Separated Ones” (separated from ritual impurity)
Both meanings are true – they separated themselves BECAUSE of Persian purity concepts.
Population: ~6,000 members during Jesus’s time (Josephus, Antiquities 17.42)
Social Class: Middle class, scribes, teachers, common people supported them
Political Influence: Popular with the masses, influential in the Sanhedrin
What They Believed
The Pharisees believed in ALL the Zoroastrian concepts:
✅ Resurrection of the dead – Bodies would rise at end times
✅ Heaven and Hell – Souls punished or rewarded after death
✅ Angels and demons – Named beings like Michael and Gabriel
✅ The Messiah – A savior would come (Saoshyant in Zoroastrianism)
✅ Oral Torah – Traditions passed down alongside written law
✅ Fate and free will – Both operated together
✅ Apocalyptic eschatology – Final judgment and world renovation
Key Doctrine: The Oral Law
The Pharisees claimed that God gave Moses two Torahs:
- Written Torah (the five books)
- Oral Torah (interpretations and traditions)
But here’s the reality:
The “Oral Torah” was the Zoroastrian concepts learned during Babylonian Exile that they were calling “traditions of the elders” instead of admitting they came from Persian Magi.
This is what Jesus exposed when he said:
“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8)
“In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7)
Jesus wasn’t criticizing their rules – he was calling out that these “traditions” were post-Exile Persian concepts they wouldn’t acknowledge.
Their Practices
- Emphasized ritual purity laws (Zoroastrian influence)
- Studied Torah intensively
- Observed strict Sabbath rules
- Followed dietary restrictions beyond Torah
- Prayed regularly (prayer structure influenced by Persian practices)
- Tithed meticulously
- Believed in education for all Jews
After the Temple (70 CE)
When the Romans destroyed the Second Temple, the Sadducees (temple-based) disappeared.
The Pharisees survived because their practice extended beyond the Temple – they had adapted Jewish worship to everyday life.
Modern Judaism = Pharisaic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism today directly descends from the Pharisees. The Talmud (compiled 200-600 CE in Persia) is the written version of their “Oral Torah.”
The Irony
The faction literally named “The Persians” (Farooshiym) won the civil war, became modern Judaism, and everyone forgot what their name meant.
FACTION #2: THE SADDUCEES (צְדוּקִים – TZADOKIM)
Who They Were
Name Origin: From Zadok, the High Priest under King David and Solomon
Population: Small minority, but extremely powerful
Social Class: Aristocratic, wealthy elite, priestly families
Political Influence: Controlled the Temple, dominated the Sanhedrin, allied with Romans
What They Believed
The Sadducees rejected ALL the Persian innovations:
❌ NO resurrection – Death is final
❌ NO afterlife – Souls don’t continue after death
❌ NO angels or demons – Only God exists spiritually
❌ NO Messiah prophecy (in the Pharisaic sense)
❌ NO Oral Law – Only written Torah counts
❌ NO fate – Complete free will, humans responsible for actions
They believed in:
- Only the five books of Moses (Pentateuch/Torah)
- Literal interpretation of scripture
- Temple-centered worship
- Priestly authority through descent from Aaron
- This-world focus (no afterlife means focus on present)
Why They Rejected Persian Concepts
The Sadducees represented pre-Exile Hebrew religion trying to remain pure.
They saw the Pharisees’ “Oral Law” as foreign contamination and specifically called Zoroaster “The Wicked Priest.”
This wasn’t ignorance – it was deliberate rejection of what they knew came from Persia.
Their Practices
- Presided over Temple sacrifices
- Interpreted “eye for an eye” literally (not monetary compensation)
- Rejected hand-washing rituals (saw them as Persian additions)
- Focused on written Torah exclusively
- Maintained priestly bloodline requirements
- Collaborated with Roman authorities for stability
Their Disappearance (70 CE)
When Romans destroyed the Second Temple:
- Sadducees lost their power base (Temple service)
- Their theology couldn’t adapt (too Temple-focused)
- No writings survived (Pharisees controlled what was preserved)
- The anti-Persian faction was eliminated from history
The Sadducees lost because they refused to adapt – ironically, the Pharisees’ Persian concepts (afterlife, resurrection, meaning beyond Temple) were more resilient.
FACTION #3: THE ESSENES (אִסִּיִים – OSSENIYM)
Who They Were
Name Origin: Osseniym meaning “The Healers”
Population: ~4,000 members during Jesus’s time (Josephus, Antiquities 18.20)
Social Class: Ascetic, withdrawn from mainstream society
Location: Desert communities, most famously Qumran (where Dead Sea Scrolls were found)
What They Believed
The Essenes didn’t just accept Zoroastrian concepts – they went deeper into them than anyone else:
✅ Resurrection – Absolutely
✅ Immortality of the soul – Yes, only the soul (not body)
✅ Angels and demons – Elaborate hierarchies
✅ Cosmic dualism – Explicitly Zoroastrian
✅ Predetermined fate – Everything according to divine plan
✅ Solar calendar – 364-day year (like ancient Persians, not lunar Jewish calendar)
✅ Ritual purity beyond Torah – Extreme cleanliness practices
Most Importantly:
The Essenes called Zoroaster “the Teacher of Righteousness” and sought to learn the Magi’s “secret arts” directly.
Their Writings: The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered 1947) reveal Essene beliefs:
The War Scroll: Describes war between “Sons of Light” vs. “Sons of Darkness”
“In the hand of the prince of lights is dominion over all sons of righteousness; in the ways of light they walk. And in the hand of the angel of darkness is all dominion over the sons of error; and in the ways of darkness they walk.”
This is pure Zoroastrian dualism: Ahura Mazda (Lord of Light) vs. Angra Mainyu (Spirit of Darkness)
The Community Rule: Describes predetermined cosmic timeline ending in truth’s victory
Encyclopaedia Iranica explicitly states:
“A number of Iranian elements can be discerned in these documents, particularly pertaining to dualism, a characteristic of Iranian religions”
Their Practices
Communal Living:
- Shared all property
- Ate meals together
- Lived in monastic communities
- Celibacy for many members (not all)
Extreme Purity:
- Multiple daily ritual baths
- White clothing only
- Strict dietary rules
- No defecation on Sabbath (!!)
Study and Worship:
- Intensive scripture study
- Preserved 50 copies of Book of Jubilees (Zoroastrian-influenced)
- Preserved 20 copies of Book of Enoch (angels, resurrection, judgment)
- Had ZERO copies of Book of Esther (the propaganda book hiding Persian influence!)
Solar Calendar:
- Used 364-day year (Persian influence)
- Rejected lunar calendar
- This put them out of sync with Temple festivals
Connection to Christianity
Multiple scholars suggest connections between Essenes and early Christianity:
John the Baptist:
- Lived in desert near Qumran
- Practiced ritual immersion (baptism)
- Preached apocalyptic message
- May have been trained by Essenes
Jesus:
- Uses “Sons of Light” language (John 12:36, Luke 16:8) – directly from Essene Dead Sea Scrolls
- Missing years (age 12-30) – possibly with Essenes or Zoroastrian teachers
- Teaches resurrection, angels, final judgment – all Zoroastrian concepts Essenes preserved
Early Christians:
- Acts 6:7 says “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith”
- These were likely Essene priests, not Sadducean Temple priests
- Early Christian communal living mirrors Essene practices
Their Disappearance
The Essenes likely disappeared during:
- The Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE)
- The destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE)
- Roman conquest of Masada (73 CE)
But their ideas survived – through Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls they hid in caves.
THE THREE-WAY SPLIT EXPLAINED
Think of it as three responses to discovering Zoroastrian wisdom:
QuestionPhariseesSadduceesEssenesAccept Zoroastrian concepts?Yes, integrate themNo, reject themYes, go deeperAcknowledge Persian source?No, call it "Oral Torah"No, call it "foreign error"Yes, honor "Teacher of Righteousness"Temple worship?Important but not essentialAbsolutely centralCorrupt, withdrew from itAfterlife?Resurrection + judgmentNone, death is finalImmortal soul onlyAngels/demons?Yes, elaborateNo, don't existYes, cosmic battleMessiah coming?Yes (Saoshyant)NoYes, imminentWho follows them?Common peopleElite/priestsAscetics/mystics
THE NAMES REVEAL EVERYTHING
PHARISEES (פְּרוּשִׁים – Perushim)
Official Meaning: “Separated Ones”
Actual Origin: Farooshiym = “Persians” or “those who adopted Persian ways”
They literally named themselves after the source they later tried to hide.
SADDUCEES (צְדוּקִים – Tzadokim)
Meaning: “Followers of Zadok” (ancient High Priest)
Represents: Pre-Exile tradition, priestly authority
They named themselves after ANCIENT Israel to emphasize rejecting new (Persian) concepts.
ESSENES (אִסִּיִים – Osseniym)
Meaning: “Healers” or “Pious Ones”
Represents: Those seeking mystical/healing knowledge from Magi
They sought the “secret arts” of Zoroastrian priests – hence “healers.”
WHO WON THE CIVIL WAR?
SHORT TERM: The Pharisees
70 CE: Temple destroyed
Result:
- Sadducees disappeared (Temple-dependent)
- Essenes disappeared (destroyed in revolt)
- Pharisees survived (practice extended beyond Temple)
Rabbinic Judaism = Pharisaic Judaism
LONG TERM: All Three Influenced the West
Pharisees → Rabbinic Judaism
- Modern Judaism
- 15 million Jews worldwide
- Kept Zoroastrian concepts, hid source
Essenes → Christianity
- Influenced John the Baptist and possibly Jesus
- Dead Sea Scrolls preserved Zoroastrian dualism
- 2.4 billion Christians worldwide
- Kept Zoroastrian concepts, claimed “unique revelation”
Sadducees → Disappeared
- But their resistance proves the concepts WEREN’T originally Hebrew
- Their rejection confirms the Persian source
Together they influenced Islam
- Through both Jewish and Christian channels
- 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide
- Same Zoroastrian framework (heaven/hell, angels, judgment, resurrection)
WHAT JESUS WAS REALLY DOING
When Jesus criticized the Pharisees, he wasn’t rejecting their Zoroastrian concepts – resurrection, heaven/hell, angels, the Messiah.
He AGREED with all of those (because they’re TRUE – they came from the Magi).
What Jesus criticized was the COVER-UP:
“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8)
Translation: “You’re calling Zoroastrian concepts ‘traditions of the elders’ instead of admitting they came from Persia 70 years of Magi education.”
“In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7)
Translation: “You’re teaching Persian wisdom as if it’s Hebrew doctrine, hiding the source.”
Jesus was trying to expose the theft, not oppose the concepts.
That’s why the Magi (Zoroastrian priests) visited him at birth – they recognized him as their Saoshyant (world-savior).
THE IRONY OF HISTORY
The Pharisees:
- Named themselves “The Persians” (Farooshiym)
- Won the civil war
- Became modern Judaism
- Everyone forgot what their name meant
- Their theology IS Zoroastrian, they just won’t admit it
The Sadducees:
- Tried to preserve pre-Exile Hebrew religion
- Rejected Persian concepts explicitly
- Lost completely and disappeared
- Their existence proves the concepts WEREN’T originally Jewish
The Essenes:
- Went deepest into Zoroastrian wisdom
- Called Zoroaster “Teacher of Righteousness”
- Preserved it in Dead Sea Scrolls
- Influenced Christianity directly
- The most honest about the source
THE MODERN IMPLICATIONS
What This Means for Judaism
Modern Judaism IS Pharisaic Judaism
Every synagogue today practices:
- Resurrection belief ✓ (Zoroastrian)
- Heaven/Hell ✓ (Zoroastrian – Paradise = pairi-daêza)
- Angels/demons ✓ (Zoroastrian)
- Messiah expectation ✓ (Saoshyant = Zoroastrian)
- Oral Torah (Talmud) ✓ (Written 200-600 CE in Persia)
The faction that won was literally named “The Persians.”
What This Means for Christianity
Christianity inherited Pharisaic (Persian) theology through:
- Jesus (taught “Sons of Light” from Essene/Zoroastrian texts)
- Paul (self-proclaimed Pharisee – Philippians 3:5)
- Early converts (many from Pharisaic background)
Every Christian doctrine is Zoroastrian:
- Resurrection ✓
- Heaven/Hell ✓
- Satan ✓ (Angra Mainyu)
- Angels ✓ (Amesha Spentas)
- The Messiah ✓ (Saoshyant)
- Apocalypse ✓ (Frashokereti)
What This Means for Islam
Islam inherited the same framework:
- Through Jewish influence (Torah concepts)
- Through Christian influence (Gospel concepts)
- Direct contact with Zoroastrian Persia
Result: 4.3 billion people practice Zoroastrian theology without knowing it.
THE QUESTION NOBODY ASKS
Why did Judaism split into three factions around 200-100 BCE?
Official answer: “Theological differences about law interpretation”
Actual answer: They were fighting over whether to acknowledge the Persian source of their new concepts.
- Pharisees: Accept them, hide the source
- Sadducees: Reject them entirely
- Essenes: Accept them, honor the source
It wasn’t about HOW to be Jewish – it was about whether to admit Judaism had become Zoroastrian.
THE EVIDENCE IS UNDENIABLE
We know this because:
✅ The timeline proves it (all concepts appear ONLY after 539 BCE)
✅ The Bible confesses it (Cyrus called “Messiah” Isaiah 45:1, Daniel “Chief of Magi”)
✅ The names reveal it (Pharisees = Farooshiym = “Persians”)
✅ The Talmud admits it (“Too Persianized by half”, written IN Persia)
✅ The Dead Sea Scrolls show it (Encyclopaedia Iranica: “Iranian elements”)
✅ Academic field exists (Irano-Talmudica, 150+ years of scholarship)
✅ Mainstream sources state it (University presses, Encyclopaedia Iranica)
This is not theory. This is documented history.
CONCLUSION: THE CIVIL WAR THAT SHAPED THE WORLD
For 500 years (200 BCE – 300 CE), three Jewish factions fought over Zoroastrian influence:
Pharisees: “Adopt it, call it ours, hide the source” → Won → Became modern Judaism
Sadducees: “Reject it entirely, keep pre-Exile purity” → Lost → Disappeared
Essenes: “Embrace it fully, honor the teachers” → Influenced Christianity → Disappeared but ideas survived
The result:
- 15 million Jews follow Pharisaic (Zoroastrian) Judaism
- 2.4 billion Christians follow Essene-influenced (Zoroastrian) theology
- 1.9 billion Muslims follow the same (Zoroastrian) framework
Total: 4.3 billion people practicing Zoroastrian theology
While Iran/Persia – the source – has been sanctioned, demonized, and suppressed for 45+ years.
The civil war is over. The Pharisees won. Everyone forgot what they were fighting about.
Until now.
Good Thoughts. Good Words. Good Deeds.
Asha prevails.
SOURCES
- Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews, Jewish War
- Jewish Virtual Library: “Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes”
- Wikipedia: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes articles
- Encyclopaedia Iranica: “Dead Sea Scrolls”
- BiblicalTraining.org: Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship
- Dead Sea Scrolls themselves (War Scroll, Community Rule)
- Chabad.org: “Pharisees and Sadducees: Jewish Factions During the Hasmonean Period”
- Academic sources on Second Temple Judaism
Every claim is verifiable. Every source is mainstream. The evidence is overwhelming.