The gospel of the Ebionites.

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Ben C. Smith
Posts: 8994
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:18 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

The gospel of the Ebionites.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Gospel of the Ebionites
Information

Sources: Patristic quotations from Epiphanius (late century IV).
The gospel of the Ebionites is one of several known Jewish-Christian gospels. The texts identified here are those attributed to the Ebionite gospel by A. F. J. Klijn in Jewish-Christian Gospel Tradition. It should be noted that the extracts identified in the text and translation section below are sometimes subject to my own modest, conservative efforts at reconstruction (turning indirect dialogue into direct, combining quotations of what is apparently the same source text, and so forth). The full quotations in their original state (as rendered in standard texts) are given in the context and textual parallels section further down the page.
Index to other gospel texts.

Text and Translation

Patristic Quotations in Greek
Patristic Quotations in English
1 Ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐπὶ ἀρχιερέως Καϊάφα, ἦλθέν τις Ἰωάννης ὀνόματι βαπτίζων βάπτισμα μετανοίας ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ, ὃς ἐλέγετο εἶναι ἐκ γένους Ἀρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως, παῖς Ζαχαρίου καὶ Ἐλισάβετ, καὶ ἐξήρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες. ....1 It happened in the days of Herod, king of Judea, in the high priesthood of Caiaphas, that a certain man, John by name, came baptizing with a baptism of repentance in the Jordan River, he who was said to be from the lineage of Aaron the priest, a child of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and all went out toward him. ....
2 Ἐγένετο Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων, καὶ ἐξῆλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν Φαρισαῖοι καὶ ἐβαπτίσθησαν καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα. καὶ εἶχεν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἔνδυμα ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ. καὶ τὸ βρῶμα αὐτοῦ μέλι ἄγριον, οὗ ἡ γεῦσις ἡ τοῦ μάννα, ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν ἐλαίῳ. ....2 John was baptizing, and Pharisees went out toward him Pharisees and were baptized, and all Jerusalem. And John had clothes of camel hair, and a belt of skin around his loin. And his food was wild honey, whose taste was that of manna, like a cake in oil. ....
3 Τοῦ λαοῦ βαπτισθέντος ἦλθεν καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου. καὶ ὡς ἀνῆλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος, ἠνοίγησαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ εἶδεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, κατελθούσης καὶ εἰσελθούσης εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσα· σύ μου εἶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοὶ ηὐδόκησα, καὶ πάλιν· ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. καὶ εὐθὺς περιέλαμψε τὸν τόπον φῶς μέγα, ὃ ἰδών ὁ Ἰωάννης λέγει αὐτῷ· σὺ τίς εἶ, κύριε; καὶ πάλιν φωνὴ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐφ' ὃν ηὐδόκησα. καὶ τότε ὁ Ἰωάννης προσπεσὼν αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν· δέομαί σου, κύριε, σύ με βάπτισον. ὁ δὲ ἐκώλυσεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἄφες, ὅτι οὕτως ἐστὶ πρέπον πληρωθῆναι πάντα. ....3 When the people had been baptized Jesus also came and was baptized by John. And, as he came up out of the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove coming down and going into him. And there was a voice from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased," and again, "Today I have begotten you." And straightway a great light shone about the place, which John saw, and then he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And again there was a voice from heaven toward him: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." And then John fell down toward him and said, "I beg you, Lord, you baptize me." But he forbade him, saying, "Allow it, since thus it is proper for all things to be fulfilled." ....
4 Ἐγένετό τις ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦς, καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ἐτῶν τριάκοντα, ὃς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς. καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος τοῦ ἐπικληθέντος Πέτρου καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· παρερχόμενος παρὰ τὴν λίμνην Τιβεριάδος ἐξελεξάμην Ἰωάννην καὶ Ἰάκωβον, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου, καὶ Σίμωνα καὶ Ἀνδρέαν καὶ <lacuna?> Θαδδαῖον καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ζηλωτὴν καὶ Ἰούδαν τὸν Ἰσκαριώτην, καὶ σὲ τὸν Ματθαῖον καθεζόμενον ἐπὶ τοῦ τελωνίου ἐκάλεσα καὶ ἠκολούθησάς μοι. ὑμᾶς οὖν βούλομαι εἶναι δεκαδύο ἀποστόλους εἰς μαρτύριον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. ....4 There was a certain man, Jesus by name, and he was about thirty years of age, who chose us. And he came to Capernaum and went into the house of Simon, who was called Peter, and opened his mouth and said, "Passing beside the Sea of Tiberias I chose John and James, the sons of Zebedee, and Simon and Andrew, and <lacuna?> Thaddaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot; and you, Matthew, while you were sitting at the tax booth, I called, and you followed me. I wish, therefore, you to be twelve apostles for a testimony for Israel." ....
5 [Ἀπηγγέλη δὲ αὐτῷ·] «ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασιν». [ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς·] ὅτι «τίς μού ἐστι μήτηρ καὶ ἀδελφοί»; καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς ἔφη· «οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ ἀδελφαὶ, οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τοῦ πατρός μου». ....5 [And it was announced to him,] "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside." [But he answered and said toward them,] "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And he stretched out his hand to the disciples and said, "These are my brothers and mother and sisters, those who do the will of my Father." ....
6 [Ὁ δὲ ἔφη·] «ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὰς θυσίας, καὶ ἐὰν μὴ παύσησθε τοῦ θύειν, οὐ παύσεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν ἡ ὀργή». ....6 [And he said:] "I came to destroy the sacrifices, and if you should not cease to sacrifice, wrath shall not cease from you." ....
7 [Οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ εἶπαν αὐτῶ·] «ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμέν σοι τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν»; [καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς·] «μὴ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα κρέας τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν»; ....7 [And the disciples said to him,] "Where do you wish that we should prepare for you to eat the Passover?" [And he said toward them,] "I did not desire with desire to eat meat - this Passover - with you, did I?" ....

Notes and Quotes

Context and Textual Parallels

1a. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.14.3-4: [3] οὗτοι δὲ ἄλλα τινὰ διανοοῦνται. παρακόψαντες γὰρ τὰς παρὰ τῷ Ματθαίῳ γενεαλογίας ἄρχονται τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιεῖσθαι ὡς προείπομεν, λέγοντες ὅτι «ἐγένετο» φησίν «ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐπὶ ἀρχιερέως Καϊάφα, ἦλθέν τις Ἰωάννης ὀνόματι βαπτίζων βάπτισμα μετανοίας ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· [4] ἐπειδὴ γὰρ βούλονται τὸν μὲν Ἰησοῦν ὄντως ἄνθρωπον εἶναι, ὡς προεῖπον, Χριστὸν δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι τὸν ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς καταβεβηκότα (καθάπερ ἤδη καὶ παρ' ἄλλαις αἱρέσεσιν εὑρήκαμεν) συναφθέντα <τε> αὐτῷ, καὶ εἶναι αὐτὸν τὸν Χριστὸν * ἐκ σπέρματος ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς γεγεννημένον. / [3] But these people have something else in mind. They falsify the genealogical tables in Matthew's Gospel and make its opening, as I said, 'It came to pass in the days of Herod, king of Judea, in the high-priesthood of Caiaphas, that a certain man, John by name, came baptizing with the baptism of repentance in the river Jordan' and so on. [4] This is because they maintain that Jesus is really a man, as I said, but that Christ, who descended in the form of a dove, has entered him—as we have found already in other sects—and been united with him. Christ himself is from God on high, but Jesus is the offspring of a man's seed and a woman.
1b. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.6: [6] ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ τοῦ παρ' αὐτοῖς εὐαγγελίου ἔχει ὅτι «ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας <ἐπὶ ἀρχιερέως Καϊάφα>, ἦλθέν <τις> Ἰωάννης <ὀνόματι> βαπτίζων βάπτισμα μετανοίας ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ, ὃς ἐλέγετο εἶναι ἐκ γένους Ἀρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως, παῖς Ζαχαρίου καὶ Ἐλισάβετ, καὶ ἐξήρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες». / [6] But the beginning of their Gospel is, 'It came to pass in the days of Herod, king of Judea, <in the high-priesthood of Caiaphas>, that <a certain man>, John <by name>, came baptizing with the baptism of repentance in the river Jordan, and he was said to be of the lineage of Aaron the priest, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and all went out unto him.'
Luke 1.5 (the days of Herod, king of Judea).
Luke 3.1-2 (Herod the tetrarch, the high priesthood of Caiaphas). The Marcionite gospel begins with a similar synchronism. Acts 1.21-22 would seem to imply that the baptism by John is a pretty good spot to begin a gospel. Refer also to Acts 10.36-37; 13.23-24.
Matthew 3.2 (repent!).
Mark 1.4 = Luke 3.3; Acts 13.24; 19.4; Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho 49.3 (a baptism of repentance).
Matthew 3.6 = Mark 1.5 (baptizing in the Jordan river). Luke 3.3 mentions the Jordan, but not directly in connection with baptism.
Luke 1.5 (of Aaron).
Matthew 3.5-6 = Mark 1.5 (all being baptized).

2. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.4-5: [4] καί «ἐγένετο Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων, καὶ ἐξῆλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν Φαρισαῖοι καὶ ἐβαπτίσθησαν καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα. καὶ εἶχεν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἔνδυμα ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ. καὶ τὸ βρῶμα αὐτοῦ, φησί, μέλι ἄγριον, οὗ ἡ γεῦσις ἡ τοῦ μάννα, ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν ἐλαίῳ»· [5] ἵνα δῆθεν μεταστρέψωσι τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγον εἰς ψεῦδος καὶ ἀντὶ ἀκρίδων ποιήσωσιν ἐγκρίδα ἐν μέλιτι. / [4] And, 'John came baptizing, and there went out unto him Pharisees and were baptized, and all Jerusalem. And John had a garment of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin about his loins. And his meat,' it says, 'was wild honey, whose taste was the taste of manna, as a cake in oil.' [5] This, if you please, to turn the account of the truth into falsehood, and substitute 'a cake in honey' for 'locusts'!
M. R. James comments: These Ebionites were vegetarians and objected to the idea of eating locusts. A locust in Greek is akris, and the word they used for cake is enkris, so the change is slight. We shall meet with this tendency again.
Matthew 3.1-2, 4-5 = Mark 1.4-6 (description of John the baptist).
Matthew 3.7 = Luke 3.7 (people coming to see John).
Exodus 16.31; Numbers 11.8 (the taste of manna).

3. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.7-8: [7] καὶ μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν πολλὰ ἐπιφέρει ὅτι «τοῦ λαοῦ βαπτισθέντος ἦλθεν καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου. καὶ ὡς ἀνῆλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος, ἠνοίγησαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ εἶδεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, κατελθούσης καὶ εἰσελθούσης εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσα· σύ μου εἶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοὶ ηὐδόκησα, καὶ πάλιν· ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. καὶ εὐθὺς περιέλαμψε τὸν τόπον φῶς μέγα. ὃ ἰδών, φησίν, ὁ Ἰωάννης λέγει αὐτῷ· σὺ τίς εἶ, κύριε; καὶ πάλιν φωνὴ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐφ' ὃν ηὐδόκησα. [8] καὶ τότε, φησίν, ὁ Ἰωάννης προσπεσὼν αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν· δέομαί σου, κύριε, σύ με βάπτισον. ὁ δὲ ἐκώλυσεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἄφες, ὅτι οὕτως ἐστὶ πρέπον πληρωθῆναι πάντα». / [7] And after saying a good deal it adds, 'When the people had been baptized Jesus came also and was baptized of John. And as he came up out of the water the heavens were opened, and he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove which descended and entered into him. And (there came) a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased, and again, This day have I begotten thee. And straightway a great light shone round about the place. Seeing this,' it says, 'John said unto him, Who art thou, Lord? And again (there came) a voice to him from heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. [8] And then,' it says, 'John fell down before him and said, I pray thee, Lord, do thou baptize me. But he forbade him saying, Let it alone, for thus it is meet that all be fulfilled.'
Matthew 3.13-17 = Mark 1.9-11 = Luke 3.21-22; John 1.29-34; Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho 88.8; 103.6 (baptism of Jesus).
Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho 88.3 (fire on the Jordan).
Ephrem, Commentary on the Diatessaron 4.5; Isho'dad of Merv, Commentary on Matthew 3.15-16; codices Vercellensis and Sangermanensis at Matthew 3.15; Pepysian Harmony (Magdalene gospel); Vita Beate Virginis Marie et Salvatoris Rhythmica (light on the Jordan).
Jerome, Against the Pelagians 3.2 (baptism of Jesus in the gospel according to the Hebrews).
Jerome, On Isaiah 4, commentary on Isaiah 11.2 (baptism of Jesus according to the Nazoreans).
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.26.1; Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies 7.33.2; 10.21.3; Epiphanius, Panarion 28.1.5 (baptism of Jesus according to the Cerinthians).
Matthew 3.15; Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 1.1 (all righteousness fulfilled).
Psalm 2.7 (today I have begotten you).
Isaiah 42.1 (in whom I delight).
Judith 15.10 (well pleased).
Matthew 11.3 = Luke 7.19 (are you the coming one?).

4. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.1-3: [1] Ἐπάνειμι δὲ τὴν κατὰ Ἐβίωνος ποιούμενος ἀκολουθίαν· διὰ γὰρ τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον εὐαγγέλιον προϊὼν ὁ λόγος τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐλθούσης γνώσεως παραθέσθαι ἠνάγκασεν. [2] ἐν τῷ γοῦν παρ' αὐτοῖς εὐαγγελίῳ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ὀνομαζομένῳ, οὐχ ὅλῳ δὲ πληρεστάτῳ, ἀλλὰ νενοθευμένῳ καὶ ἠκρωτηριασμένῳ (Ἑβραϊκὸν δὲ τοῦτο καλοῦσιν) ἐμφέρεται ὅτι «ἐγένετό τις ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦς, καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ἐτῶν τριάκοντα, ὃς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς. καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος τοῦ ἐπικληθέντος Πέτρου καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· [3] παρερχόμενος παρὰ τὴν λίμνην Τιβεριάδος ἐξελεξάμην Ἰωάννην καὶ Ἰάκωβον, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου, καὶ Σίμωνα καὶ Ἀνδρέαν καὶ * Θαδδαῖον καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν ζηλωτὴν καὶ Ἰούδαν τὸν Ἰσκαριώτην, καὶ σὲ τὸν Ματθαῖον καθεζόμενον ἐπὶ τοῦ τελωνίου ἐκάλεσα καὶ ἠκολούθησάς μοι. ὑμᾶς οὖν βούλομαι εἶναι δεκαδύο ἀποστόλους εἰς μαρτύριον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ» / [1] But I shall resume the thread of my argument against Ebion—because of the Gospel according to Matthew the course of the discussion obliged me to insert the whole of the knowledge which I had gained. [2] Now in what they call a Gospel according to Matthew, though it is not the entire Gospel but is corrupt and mutilated—and they call this thing 'Hebrew'!—the following passage is found: 'There was a certain man named Jesus, and he was about thirty years of age, who chose us. And coming to Capernaum he entered into the house of Simon surnamed Peter, and opened his mouth and said, [3] Passing beside the Sea of Tiberias I chose John and James, the sons of Zebedee, and Simon and Andrew and <Philip and Bartholomew, James the son of Alphaeus and Thomas,> Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Thee too, Matthew, seated at the receipt of custom, did I call, and thou didst follow me. I will, then, that ye be twelve apostles for a testimony to Israel.'
M. R. James comments: The Gospel according to the Twelve, or 'of the Twelve', mentioned by Origen (Ambrose and Jerome) is identified by Zahn with the Ebionite Gospel. He makes a good case for the identification. If the two are not identical, it can only be said that we know nothing of the Gospel according to the Twelve.
A. F. J. Klijn comments: At the beginning of this quotation there is mention of us, viz. the twelve apostles, who also seem to be responsible for the contents of this Gospel. This would mean that the Gospel could be called "Gospel of the Twelve", which is the name of a Gospel mentioned in a passage in Origen. On the other hand, however, it is clear that at the end of the quotation it is Matthew who is being addressed in particular. This means that the name "Gospel according to Matthew" can also be defended. This name cannot be easily dismissed because it can explain why Epiphanius wrote "The Gospel which is called with them according to Matthew" and why he was so indignant about its contents.
Luke 3.23 (about thirty years of age).
Luke 6.13; John 6.70; Acts 1.2 (choosing apostles).
Luke 4.31 (coming into Capernaum).
Matthew 8.14 = Mark 1.29 = Luke 4.38 (going into Simon Peter's house).
Matthew 5.2; 17.37; Luke 1.64 (opening the mouth).
Luke 5.1 (lake of Galilee).
John 6.1, 23 (sea of Tiberias).
Matthew 4.21-22 = Mark 1.19-20 = Luke 5.10-11 (call of the first disciples)
Matthew 10.2-4 = Mark 3.16-19 = Luke 6.13-16; Acts 1.12; Epistula Apostolorum 2; Apostolic Church Order 0 (Prologue) (names of the twelve apostles).
Matthew 10.2 = Mark 3.16 = Luke 6.14 (Simon also called Peter).
Matthew 9.9 = Mark 2.14 = Luke 5.27 (call of Matthew/Levi).
Matthew 19.28 = Luke 18.30; Barnabas 8.3 (a testimony for Israel).
Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies 6.6: Again in the preaching of Peter the Lord says to his disciples after the resurrection: I elected you twelve disciples, having judged you worthy of me, whom the Lord also wished to be apostles, having considered you to be faithful, sending you unto the world to evangelize the men on the inhabited earth, that they may know that there is one God, showing the things that were about to be through the faith of Christ, that those who have heard and believed should be saved, but those who have not believed, after having heard, should testify, not having a defense to say: We did not hear.

5. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.14.5: [5] πάλιν δὲ ἀρνοῦνται εἶναι αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον, δῆθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου οὗ εἴρηκεν ὁ σωτὴρ ἐν τῷ ἀναγγελῆναι αὐτῷ ὅτι «ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασιν», ὅτι «τίς μού ἐστι μήτηρ καὶ ἀδελφοί; καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς ἔφη· οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ ἀδελφαὶ οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τοῦ πατρός μου». / [5] But again they deny that he is a man, supposedly on the basis of the words the Saviour spoke when he was told, 'Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without,' 'Who are my mother and my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, These are my brethren and mother and sisters, these that do the will of my Father.'
Matthew 12.46-50 = Mark 3.31-35 = Luke 8.19-21 (mother and brothers of Jesus). Marcion excludes the notice narrated in Matthew, Mark, and Luke ("his mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd"), but includes, like the Ebionite gospel, the quoted report to that effect ("some people told him, 'Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you'").

6. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.16.4-5: [4] οὐ φάσκουσι δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ πατρὸς αὐτὸν γεγεννῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ κεκτίσθαι ὡς ἕνα τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων [καὶ ἔτι περισσοτέρως], αὐτὸν δὲ κυριεύειν καὶ ἀγγέλων καὶ πάντων <τῶν> ὑπὸ τοῦ παντοκράτορος πεποιημένων, καὶ ἐλθόντα καὶ ὑφηγησάμενον *, [5] ὡς τὸ παρ' αὐτοῖς εὐαγγέλιον καλούμενον περιέχει, ὅτι «ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὰς θυσίας, καὶ ἐὰν μὴ παύσησθε τοῦ θύειν, οὐ παύσεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν ἡ ὀργή». καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτά τινά ἐστι τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς δόλια ἐπινοήματα. / [4] But they say that he is not begotten of God the Father but created as one of the archangels, and that he is ruler both of angels and of all creatures of the Almighty; and that he came and instructed <us to abolish the sacrifices>. [5] As their so-called Gospel says, 'I came to abolish the sacrifices, and if ye cease not from sacrifice, wrath will not cease from you.' Both these and certain things of the kind are guileful inventions which are current among them.
Matthew 5.17.
Pseudo-Clementine Homilies 3.56.4; Recognitions 1.37, 39 (rejection of sacrifice).
Epiphanius, Panarion 19.3.6; 28.1.4 (rejection of sacrifice by the Ossaeans and the Nazoraeans, respectively).

7. Epiphanius, Panarion 30.22.1-5: [1] Πῶς δὲ περὶ κρεοφαγίας οὐκ εὐθὺς ἡ αὐτῶν ἄνοια ἐλεγχθήσεται; πρῶτον μὲν τοῦ κυρίου ἐσθίοντος τὸ Πάσχα τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Πάσχα δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πρόβατον ἦν καὶ ἄζυμα, κρέα προβάτου ὀπτὰ πυρὶ ἐσθιόμενα· [2] ὡς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτῷ λέγουσι «ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμέν σοι φαγεῖν τὸ Πάσχα;» καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος λέγει «ἀπέλθετε εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ εὑρήσετε ἄνθρωπον βαστάζοντα κεράμιον ὕδατος καὶ ἀκολουθήσατε αὐτῷ ὅπου ὑπάγει καὶ εἴπατε τῷ οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ποῦ ἐστι τὸ κατάλυμα ὅπου ποιήσω τὸ Πάσχα μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν μου; καὶ δείξει ὑμῖν ὑπερῷον ἐστρωμένον· ἐκεῖ ἑτοιμάσατε». [3] πάλιν δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος λέγει «ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν»· καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς Πάσχα, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα, ἵνα μή τις μεθοδεύσῃ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὑπόνοιαν. Πάσχα δὲ ἦν, ὡς εἶπον, κρέα ὀπτὰ πυρὶ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα. [4] αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀφανίσαντες ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκολουθίαν ἤλλαξαν τὸ ῥητόν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ πᾶσι φανερὸν ἐκ τῶν συνεζευγμένων λέξεων, καὶ ἐποίησαν τοὺς μαθητὰς μὲν λέγοντας «ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμέν σοι τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν», καὶ αὐτὸν δῆθεν λέγοντα «μὴ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα κρέας τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν». [5] πόθεν δὲ οὐ φωραθήσεται ἡ αὐτῶν ῥᾳδιουργία, τῆς ἀκολουθίας κραζούσης ὅτι τὸ μῦ καὶ τὸ ἦτά ἐστι πρόσθετα; ἀντὶ τοῦ γὰρ εἰπεῖν «ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα» αὐτοὶ προσέθεντο τὸ «μή» ἐπίρρημα. αὐτὸς δὲ ἀληθῶς ἔλεγεν «ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν»· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐπιγράψαντες τὸ κρέας ἑαυτοὺς ἐπλάνησαν, ῥᾳδιουργήσαντες καὶ εἰπόντες «μὴ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα τοῦτο τὸ Πάσχα κρέας φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν»· σαφῶς δὲ δείκνυται ὅτι καὶ Πάσχα ἐπετέλεσε καὶ κρέα βέβρωκεν, ὡς προεῖπον. / [1] And how can their stupidity about the eating of meat not be exposed out of hand? First of all, because the Lord ate the Jewish Passover. Now the Jewish Passover was a sheep and unleavened bread—sheep's flesh roasted with fire and eaten, [2] as his disciples say to him, 'Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee that thou mayest eat the Passover?' And the Lord himself says, 'Go ye into the city, and ye shall find a man bearing a pitcher of water and ye shall follow whithersoever he goeth, and say ye to the good man of the house, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall keep the Passover with my disciples? And he shall show you an upper room furnished; there make ready.' [3] And again, the Lord himself says, 'With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.' And he did not simply say 'Passover' but 'this Passover,' so that no one could play with it in his own sense. A Passover, as I said, was meat roasted with fire and the rest. [4] But to destroy deliberately the true passage these people have altered its text—which is evident to everyone from the expressions that accompany it—and represented the disciples as saying, 'Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?' and he supposedly saying, 'Did I really desire to eat meat as this Passover with you?' [5] But how can their tampering go undetected, when the passage cries out that the 'mu' and 'eta' are additions? Instead of saying ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα they have put in the additional μή. Christ truly said, 'With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.' But they misled themselves by writing in meat and making a false entry, and saying, 'Did I really want to eat meat with you as this Passover?' But it is plainly demonstrated that he both kept the Passover, and, as I said, ate meat.
Matthew 26.17 = Mark 14.12 = Luke 22.8-9 (preparing the Passover).
Luke 22.8-9: 8 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάννην εἰπών, Πορευθέντες ἑτοιμάσατε ἡμῖν τὸ πάσχα ἵνα φάγωμεν. 9 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμεν; / 8 And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 9 They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?”
Luke 22.15-16: 15 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς, Ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα τοῦτο τὸ πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν πρὸ τοῦ με παθεῖν· 16 λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ φάγω αὐτὸ ἑως ὁτου πληρωθῇ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. / 15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Attestation

Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.26.2: Qui autem dicuntur Ebionaei consentiunt quidem mundum a Deo factum: ea autem quae sunt erga Dominum non (?) similiter ut Cerinthus et Carpocrates opinantur. Solo autem eo quod est secundum Matthaeum evangelio utuntur, et apostolum Paulum recusant, apostatam eum legis dicentes. / Those who are called Ebionites agree that the world was made by God; but their opinions with respect to the Lord are similar to those of Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They use the Gospel according to Matthew only, and repudiate the Apostle Paul, maintaining that he was an apostate from the law.
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.11.7: Ebionaei etenim, eo evangelio quod est secundum Matthaeum solo utentes, ex illo ipso convincuntur, non recte praesumentes de domino. / The Ebionites indeed, using only that gospel which is according to Matthew, are convinced by that alone, not presuming rightly about the Lord.
Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies 7.34.1: Ἐβιωναῖοι δὲ ὁμολογοῦσι τὸν <μὲν> κόσμον ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄντως θεοῦ γεγονέναι, τὰ δὲ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ὁμοίως τῷ Κηρίνθῳ καὶ Καρποκράτει μυθεύουσιν. / The Ebionaeans, however, acknowledge that the world was made by Him Who is in reality God, but they propound legends concerning the Christ similarly with Cerinthus and Carpocrates.
Origen, Homily on Luke 1.1: Ecclesia quator habet evangelia, haeresis plurima, e quibus quoddam scribitur secundum Aegyptios [τὸ μέντοι ἐπιγεγραμμένον κατὰ Αἰγυπτίους εὐαγγέλιον], aliud iuxta duodecim [τὸ ἐπιγεγραμμένον τῶν Δώδεκα εὐαγγέλιον] apostolos. ausus fuit et Basilides scribere evangelium et suo illud nomine titulare. / The church has four gospels, heresy many, from among which a certain one is written according to the Egyptians, another according to the twelve apostles. Even Basilides dared to write a gospel and to entitle it by his own name.
Epiphanius, Panarion 30.3.7: [7] καὶ δέχονται μὲν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον εὐαγγέλιον. τούτῳ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοί, ὡς καὶ οἱ κατὰ Κήρινθον καὶ Μήρινθον χρῶνται μόνῳ. καλοῦσι δὲ αὐτὸ κατὰ Ἑβραίους, ὡς τὰ ἀληθῆ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ματθαῖος μόνος Ἑβραϊστὶ καὶ Ἑβραϊκοῖς γράμμασιν ἐν τῇ καινῇ διαθήκῃ ἐποιήσατο τὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἔκθεσίν τε καὶ κήρυγμα. / [7] They too accept the Gospel according to Matthew. Like the Cerinthians and Merinthians, they too use it alone. They call it, 'According to the Hebrews,' and it is true to say that only Matthew expounded and preached the Gospel in the Hebrew language and alphabet in the New Testament.
Talmud, Shabbath 116a-116b: Imma Shalom, R. Eliezer's wife, was R. Gamaliel's sister. Now, a certain philosopher lived in his vicinity, and he bore a reputation that he did not accept bribes [as a judge]. They wished to expose him [literally, "to make sport of him"], so she brought him a golden lamp, went before him, [and] said to him, "I desire that a share be given me in my [deceased] father's estate." "Divide," ordered he. Said he [R. Gamaliel] to him, "It is decreed for us, Where there is a son, a daughter does not inherit." [He replied], "Since the day that you were exiled from your land the Law of Moses has been superseded [literally, "taken away"] and another book given [Oxford codex, "and the law of the gospel has been given"], wherein it is written, "A son and a daughter inherit equally." The next day, he [R. Gamaliel] brought him a Lybian ass. Said he to them, "Look [literally, "descend to"] at the end of the book, wherein it is written, I came not to destroy the Law of Moses nor/but to add to the Law of Moses [refer to Matthew 5.17], and it is written therein, A daughter does not inherit where there is a son. Said she to him, "Let thy light shine forth like a lamp." Said R. Gamaliel to him, "An ass came and knocked the lamp over!"

Works Consulted and Links

A. F. J. Klijn, Jewish-Christian Gospel Tradition.
M. J. Lagrange, L'évangele selon les Hébreux, from Revue Biblique 1922.
Montague Rhodes James, The Apocryphal New Testament.
Kurt Aland, Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum, appendix IV.
Aurelio de Santos Otero, Los evangelios apócrifos.
Bart Ehrman and Zlatko Plese, The Apocryphal Gospels: Texts and Translations.
Early Christian Writings: The Gospel of the Ebionites.
TextExcavation: The Gospel of the Ebionites.
Biblical Criticism & History Forum: Other Gospel Texts.

Last edited by Ben C. Smith on Sat Sep 19, 2020 12:23 pm, edited 8 times in total.
ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ
User avatar
Ben C. Smith
Posts: 8994
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:18 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: The gospel of the Ebionites.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Interestingly, both the Marcionite gospel and the gospel of the Ebionites begin at the synchronicity represented by Luke 3.1, but each gospel names different rulers. All that is attested for the Ebionite is Herod (who is called a king instead of a tetrarch) and Caiaphas, both Jewish rulers. All that is attested for the Marcionite is Tiberius and Pilate, both Roman rulers. Canonical Luke is much fuller, combining both Jewish and Roman rulers, as well as correctly identifying Herod as a tetrarch.

Ebionite Gospel
Canonical Luke
Marcionite Gospel
-
-
Herod the king of Judea
-
-
Caiaphas the high priest
Tiberius Caesar
Pontius Pilate the governor
Herod the tetrarch of Galilee
Philip the tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis
Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene
Annas and Caiaphas the high priest(s)
Tiberius Caesar
Pontius Pilate
-
-
-
-

ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ
John2
Posts: 4309
Joined: Fri May 16, 2014 4:42 pm

Re: The gospel of the Ebionites.

Post by John2 »

Mark 6:14 refers to Herod as king (in contrast to Mt. 14:1 and Lk. 9:7, which call him tetrarch):
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known
http://biblehub.com/interlinear/mark/6-14.htm

Mt. 14:1:
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus ...
Lk. 9:7:
Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on.
You know in spite of all you gained, you still have to stand out in the pouring rain.
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: The gospel of the Ebionites.

Post by Secret Alias »

Celsus's Jew identifies Herod as a tetrarch. Origen cites Celsus who claims that Herod the Tetrarch ordered the slaughter of infants (1.58) https://books.google.com/books?id=nlyjI ... us&f=false.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
User avatar
Ben C. Smith
Posts: 8994
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:18 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: The gospel of the Ebionites.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Since Luke 1.5 speaks of Herod the king of Judea (not the same fellow as the tetrarch), and since Mark always has Herod as a king (and the Ebionite gospel seems to have him as a king, too), it appears to me that in the early days of gospel writing nobody quite had the chronology down yet; the gospel of Luke is in part an effort to sort the chronology out.
ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ
Post Reply