The name “Ebionite” is taken from the Hebrew word, “Ebyonim” or Ebonim” that mean “the Poor” or “poor ones.” The term was often referred to early Yahosheans who were known for “voluntary poverty” and later became identical to a break-away group of the early Yahosheanism.
The Ebonite regard Yames the Just as their religious model or leader although Yames did not lead such body rather he was the assembly leader to the mainstream Yahosheanism in Yerusalem.
Based on the true scriptures, Apostle Peter was appointed to lead the movement. Later writings or account of the apostles expressed the prior roles of Yames the Just (relation to Yahoshea) and Yohanan (John) as pillars to the Yerusalem station of the movement.
During the first Council of Yerusalem, Apostle Paul urged for abrogation of the Hebrew religious laws upon the non Hebrew converts. This position was supported by Peter who was a core Hebrew religious believer based on his dream and conversion of Cornelius the centurion.
Yames the just ruled the opinions in favour of exclusion of gentiles to Hebrew religious traditions prior to baptism. This was an evidence that Yames was an important figure within the assembly station at the city of Yerusalem during the era of early apostles.
That may be the reason of the Apostolic fathers like Essebius subjected Yames as the primate or Bishop of Yerusalem. After the murder of Yames the Just, the movement fled to Pella-Jordan to escape the fury of the future Emperor Titus. The movement was led by Symeon of Yerusalem to the Jordan territory.
After Bar-Kochba revolt, the Yerusalem was totally taken by Roman authority and expelled all Hebrews from the land and rename the city as “Aelia Capitolina”. History bore that the Yahosheanism of Yerusalem station to remained in the renamed city but members were forced to adopt Greek names including the station leaders that later became known as Bishops or Primates in Christianity.
The Ebionite continued as the successors of the early apostles and adopted Yames the Just as their leader as they existed into 2nd and 3rd century Ad but was listed as one of the heretic Schisms by the Roman church during the 4th century.
As narrated, the Ebionite claim to the dynasty of apostolic succession for the relatives of Yahoshea Meshiyach. The Ebionite rejected Paul as one of the apostles and rejected all his works. This was based on his role towards abolition of compulsory circumcision for non-Hebrew converts.
The Ebionite alleged that Paul was a Greek who converted to Yudaism in order to marry a daughter of a high priest of Hebrew but was rejected by the lady and such disappointment made Paul to abandon Yahudaism and became converted to Yahosheanism. This allegation by the Ebionite was recorded by some apostolic father such as Epiphanus.
The Ebionite were terribly against Hellinism and many of them were murdered for such position.
EBIONITE’S VIEW ON YAHOSHEA’S NATURE (YAHOSHEALOGY):
The Ebionite held that Yahosea Meshiyach was the adopted son of Yahweh and rejected many of the central view of Yahosheans over Yahoshea Meshiyach. The Ebionite rejected the pre-existence and divinity of Yahoshea, his virgin birth, atoning death and physical resurrection.
The movement held that Yahoshea Meshiyach was the biological son of Miriam and Yoseph who by virtue of his righteousness was adopted or chosen by Yahweh to be the “Meshiyach” or prophet like Moses of old.
These were areas of distinction between Yahosheanism and Ebionites. Yahosheans held to high Yahoshealogy while the Ebionite held to low Yahoshealogy. Yahoshealogy means the “nature of Yahoshea” and known as the “Christology” to the Christians.
EBIONITE’S AUTHORITY:
The Ebionite was a growth from Yahosheanity after the first Hebrew – Roman War in 67-70 Ad. It based on the religious model of Yames the Just and rejected the Pauline Yahosheanity. The movement adopted the dynasty of apostolic succession of Yahoshea’s relatives. It strongly believe on the Hebrew religious practices and scriptures especially on areas not adulterated by the scribes and Pharisees.
The movement was strict on observation of commandments of Yahweh as covenanted with Prophet Moses. They prescribed that such was compulsory for all Hebrews and Gentiles that accept to Yahosheanism. They believe that obedience to those laws are condition for one to be holy, righteous and be in communion with Yahweh. Like Yahosheans, the Ebionites hold to the tradition of legalism as against Gracean movement that was later adopted by Christianity.
On New Testament Scriptures, the Ebonite accept the only Hebrew or Aramaic version of the account of Matthew which it regard as the “Book of the Hebrews” as additional script to unadulterated. “Book of Torah” which is presently identified as the “Old Testament”.
Since the movement did not accept the pre-earthly existence and divinity of Yahoshea Meshiyach, it did not accept the first two chapters of the account of Matthew that relate those subjects but accepted from the account of his baptism.
The Ebionite writings did not survive the persecution it bore from both Pauline Yahosheanity and Roman authority. The “Book of Matthew” that is called the “Gospel of the Hebrews” by the Ebionite was an earlier version of the account of Matthew that pre-date the textual harmony or canon that were composed by Greek converts or scholars.
There is speculation among scholars that the “Gospel of Barnabas” may have been based on Ebionite writings.
As the Apostolic fathers were polemical against Ebionite, such must be responsible for the lost of the writings of the movement. Since the Ebionite were against Gentile Yahosheanism (Pauline Yahsheancity) the possibility of storing of their works was impossible.
OTHER PRACTICES OF EBIONITES:
The Ebionites made departure from doctrines of mainline Yahudaism as well as Yahosheanism. As accounted by some apostolic fathers like Ephiphanius of Salamis, the movement engaged in excessive ritual bathing. This practice was carried out daily by an Ebionite. The daily emersion is held as a means of spiritual and bodily cleansing since the movement hold strongly to spiritual and bodily cleanliness.
Ebionites were known for practice of vegetarianism. They hate killing of animals either for foods or sacrifices. The gospel of the Hebrew that was main scripture of the Ebionites portrayed Yahoshea Meshiyach and Yohannan the Baptist as vegetarians.
The Gospel of the Ebonites carried the term “Locusts” of Yahannan the Baptist as “honey cake”. All accounts of the Apostolic fathers relate that practice of vegetarianism was high among the Ebionites.
The movement possessed a hierarchy of celestial messengers (Angelology) which they took so high in their spiritual practices. The Ebionites claimed that Yahoshea Meshiyach was an arch celestial messenger who incarnated and adopted as the son of Yahweh based on his practice of plainess and righteousness. This is as a tradition of “Aoptionalism”. They revered
Meshiyach Yahzitere Yahmarabhi
Email: okohmeshiyach@yahoo.com
