Ebionities
In this theoretical assignment the author will discuss a group of Jewish Christians called the Ebionites.
Eusebius of Caesarea lived from 260 until 337. He was a gentile Christian who lived in Palestine. Eusebius was bewildered about Jewish Christians who still continued living in his day. He accepted the view that they detained theological views and observed practices. These were ‘different from those of orthodox and fourth century Christians’ .
As stated above the Ebionities were a group of Jewish Christians. The name Ebionities ‘comes from the Hebrew for poor men’ . Eusebius recognised that there were at least two types of Jewish Christians. He named these two types as Ebionities. Eusebius described that the first group of Ebionites were ‘one source of error’ . This was because of their ‘Christology, its view of Jesus’ . Eusebius noted that ‘in spite of the group devoted to Christ the devil had misled the group’ . He believed ‘that evil demon was unable to detach them from their devotion to Christ of God yet found access from another direction and so made them his own’ . The Ebionites held deprived and ‘low beliefs about Christ’ . As a result of this the Ebionites were given their name. The Ebionites considered Christ as a straightforward normal individual. They also believed that the devotion of God was commanded by the Mosaic Law. This was completely essential for them, as belief in Christ by itself and a similar life would not protect their salvation.
The second group of the Ebionites was regarded by Eusebius ‘as closer to what fourth century orthodox Christians believed but it was still unacceptable’ . Also there were other groups apart from these who were also called Ebionites but they broke away from ‘the outlandish absurdity of the persons mentioned’ . However they did not reject that ‘the Lord was born of virgin and the Holy spirit’ . On the other hand, they rejected to recognise ‘that being God the word and wisdom, he
Eusebius of Caesarea lived from 260 until 337. He was a gentile Christian who lived in Palestine. Eusebius was bewildered about Jewish Christians who still continued living in his day. He accepted the view that they detained theological views and observed practices. These were ‘different from those of orthodox and fourth century Christians’ .
As stated above the Ebionities were a group of Jewish Christians. The name Ebionities ‘comes from the Hebrew for poor men’ . Eusebius recognised that there were at least two types of Jewish Christians. He named these two types as Ebionities. Eusebius described that the first group of Ebionites were ‘one source of error’ . This was because of their ‘Christology, its view of Jesus’ . Eusebius noted that ‘in spite of the group devoted to Christ the devil had misled the group’ . He believed ‘that evil demon was unable to detach them from their devotion to Christ of God yet found access from another direction and so made them his own’ . The Ebionites held deprived and ‘low beliefs about Christ’ . As a result of this the Ebionites were given their name. The Ebionites considered Christ as a straightforward normal individual. They also believed that the devotion of God was commanded by the Mosaic Law. This was completely essential for them, as belief in Christ by itself and a similar life would not protect their salvation.
The second group of the Ebionites was regarded by Eusebius ‘as closer to what fourth century orthodox Christians believed but it was still unacceptable’ . Also there were other groups apart from these who were also called Ebionites but they broke away from ‘the outlandish absurdity of the persons mentioned’ . However they did not reject that ‘the Lord was born of virgin and the Holy spirit’ . On the other hand, they rejected to recognise ‘that being God the word and wisdom, he
References: MacCulloch, Diarmaid, Groundwork of Christian History, Chapter 3 The Jews and the Gentile Mission (AD 100) The fall of Jerusalem and after. London: Epworth Press, 1987. Day, Edward, The Catholic Church Story Changing and Changeless. U.S.A. :Liguori Publications, 1978.