Ebionites
The Ebionites were a group of Judeo-Christians that emerged in the first century CE, particularly following the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. They are believed to have settled in Pella and present-day Syria to escape persecution. The term "Ebionite" derives from an Aramean word meaning "poor," and the sect is noted for its adherence to Jewish law and customs, viewing themselves as Jewish first. Central to their beliefs was the assertion that Jesus, whom they recognized as the Messiah, was not divine and was conceived naturally by Mary.
The Ebionites followed a version of the Gospel of Matthew and produced their own texts, such as the Gospel of the Ebionites, while rejecting the writings of Paul, whom they considered an apostate. They practiced self-imposed poverty, vegetarianism, and condemned animal sacrifice, aligning their actions with their interpretation of the scriptures. Despite their distinct beliefs, the Ebionites faced significant persecution and were often labeled heretics by mainstream Christians. Their presence in historical accounts dwindles after the fourth century, leading to uncertainty about their eventual decline.
Ebionites
- Formation: first century CE
- Founder: none
The Ebionites were one of several sets of Judeo-Christians that existed in the early Christian Church. Some historians say that they owe much of their doctrine to the Qumran sect, as well as share similarities to the Carpocrates. The sect was monotheistic and believed Jesus was Messianic. It denied Jesus’ divinity and virgin birth, believing that Mary carried Jesus in her womb and she conceived him the natural way.
Ebionites is an Aramean word that means "poor men" or "poor." Later, after its founding, the adherents said that a man named Ebion founded the sect and that he lived among the Nazarenes in Palestine. However, no evidence has been found that a founder of any kind or a person named Ebion ever existed.
Much of the information that we know about the Ebionites is subject to scrutiny and debate. This is mainly due to the fact that some evidence comes from their opponents or from other sects. For example, a main source of information about the sect has been the writings of St. Irenaeus, a Christian theologian, who recorded information and beliefs of heretics. Irenaeus’s writings explain that the Ebionites believed in many gods, but with one supreme God. Yet such details were not confirmed by other writers of their Christology, including Origen and Eusebius. Another source of information on the Ebionites was a fourth-century bishop named Epiphanius, who was driven to combat heresy.
History
The existence of the Ebionites dates to its origin in the first century. The rise of the Ebionites could have begun after the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. To avoid persecution, the Ebionites fled from Palestine and settled in and around Pella and in present-day Syria. Historians assess that the Ebionites date back to the first century because of references to them in the writings of Irenaeus and Origen.
The Ebionites may have descended from the Samaritans, who were similar to the Nazarenes and the Elkasites. Initially, many of these sects were referred to as the Ebionites but as different beliefs developed or were understood by the theologians who were writing about them, different sects emerged.
Sources do not agree about when the Ebionites disappeared, but it seems to have been around the fourth century. Some sources discuss the breaking of the Ebionites into two different groups, based on beliefs.
Beliefs and Practices
During their existence, the Ebionites suffered much persecution, as they were considered heretics by many Christian theologians, and the early Christian Church rejected them because of their inferior interpretation of Jesus. Yet the sect may have been misunderstood. The Ebionites believed in being Jewish first, and therefore following Jewish law, which in many cases contradicted Christian doctrine. The Ebionites believed that Jesus was a Jewish man who was not divine.
The Ebionites performed Jewish rites, just as they believed Jesus had done, and followed much of the gospel according to Matthew, which was written in Hebrew and Aramaic. Later, they wrote their own literature, called the Gospel of the Ebionites. They even wrote some books under the names of the disciples. There is some evidence that the Ebionites also used the Gospel of Hebrews. They considered Paul to be an apostate. They believed that Jerusalem was God’s holy place and upheld it accordingly.
The Ebionites believed in self-imposed poverty, which would prepare them for the Messianic kingdom. They drew this belief and practice from the Book of Acts, 4:34–35. As such, they relinquished all goods and property. They practiced vegetarianism and condemned animal sacrifice.
Even though they gained followers, no evidence has been found that the Ebionites evangelized. Much of this is assumed because information on the existence of the sect dissipated after the fourth century.
Bibliography
Adna, Jostein, ed. The Formation of the Early Church. Tübingen: Mohr, 2005. Print.
Baur, Ferdinand Christian. Peter C. Hodgson, ed. History of Christian Dogma. New York: Oxford UP, 2014. Print.
Brownstein, Robert. Making Jesus the Messiah: Saint Paul and the God-fearers: A Market View. Lincoln: Writer’s Digest, 2000. Print.
"Ebionites." Monergism, 19 Oct. 2024, www.monergism.com/ebionites. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.
Edwards, James R. The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition. Cambridge: Eerdsmans, 2009. Print.
Hunwick, Andrew, trans. Critical History of the Text of the New Testament. Boston: Brill, 2013. Print.
Tomson, Peter J., and Doris Lambers-Petry, eds. The Image of the Judaeo-Christians in Ancient Jewish and Christian Literature. Tübingen: Mohr, 2003. Print.