A man walking around with a jar of water was a very unusual sight, as this was ordinarily women's work. Why would a man be carrying a water jar in Jerusalem? The only group of Jewish men that traditionally did carry water jars were Essenes. Essenes were mostly celibate, and their men did women’s work. They had their communities, not only in Qumran, but in various towns. They also had a community in Jerusalem.
One of Jerusalem's gates was called “the Gate of the Essenes”. It was through this gate that they entered their community. When Jesus told His disciples that they will see a man carrying a water jar, he knew they would enter through the Essenes' gate. Entering through this gate was crucial to finding a room for the Passover meal. The Essenes' calendar was different than the regular Jewish one, and, therefore, they still had available guest rooms.
This story reveals the historical reality of Jerusalem of the 1st century. Discovering the Jewishness of Jesus and of the Early Jesus Movement is a crucial step in the continual process of accurate interpretation of the New Testament. Enroll today to the Jewish Background of the New Testament Course and revolutionize your Bible studies.
