The movement opposed to animal sacrifice as seen within many mainline Yahudian worshippers. They observed Passover feast like Yahosheans on the evening of 13th day of Abib (April) with unleavened bread and water and rejected the “breaking of bread” on the morning of the first day (Sunday) as was held in some gentile Yahoshean’s stations. It is interesting to note that the breaking of breading on the first day of the week was a Pauline Yahoshean’s practice which the gentile brethren adopted and later to be transformed into Eucharist as previously observed by pagan traditions as Osiris and Adonis.
SPREAD AND DURATION OF EBONITES:
Ebonite as earlier mentioned came out of the mainstream Yahosheanism after the first Hebrew – Roman war in 67-70Ad. Supposedly, the movement may have some relationship with Essenes because both shared some related views and practices. After the first Hebrew-Roman war, the Essenes, Yahosheanism, Ebonites and Nazarenes shares same fate (persecution) from either the Hebrew authority or Roman empire.
Based on this fact, both movements inter changed converts and dispersed the same period and direction. Both groups faced higher challenges during the era of the 2nd Hebrew – Roman war as they were accused by followers of Bar-Kokhba of insubordination and sabotage to his acclaimed messianic position.
Some Ebonite fled to Pella in Jordan and continued their strict obedience to the laws of Yahweh as covenanted by Prophet Moses. They were termed as heretics by Roman authority and gentile Yahosheans and were often persecuted. Some Ebonites were forced to adopt Yahosheanism as modeled by the gentiles while many were murdered.
There were evidence of Ebonite that settled at Cyprus in 4th century. They were encountered at Arabian cities of Tayma and Tilmas around 11th century. The Ebionites were located at Medina and Hejaz during 12th century.
The activities of Ebionites at the Arabian cities contributed to the development of Islamic view of Yahoshea Meshiyach. Equally there were some Ebionites who became Muslims during the early era of Islam. One of the earliest believer of the prophethood of Mohammed was named Waragah Ibn Nawfal who was an Ebonite. He was a distant cousin of Prophet Mohammed and the Muslims hold him as one of the pious men that had deep knowledge of Yahosheanism.
As Muslim was based on monotheism, it cherished the Ebonite’s practices who reject the polytheistic method of Christendom as obtainable in its tradition of trinity and veneration of icons. Muslimism and Ebionites share similar view over Yahoshea’s humanity as they argue against his pre-earthly nature and virgin birth.
In conclusion, Ebionites were converts of Hebrew Yahosheanism but maintained a separate movement and different in some central practices of the mainstream Yahosheanity.
They were short-lived because of the persecution of the true followers of Yahoshea Meshiyach by the Hebrews, gentile Yahosheans and the Roman authorities.
They were branded as heretics by early apostolic fathers for their firm grip to laws of Yahweh as carried in his covenant with Prophet Moses. Since they did not exist within the authority or governance of the mainstream Yahoshea, they made some departure from some real doctrines and creeds that were put in place by Yahoshea Meshiyach that were carried along by his assembly at Yerusalem.
For such reason, they were splinter-group that set a schism contrary to Yahosheanism. Although, the Ebionites resembled and related to Yahosheanism but it was never the true path laid by the Hebrew messiah on whose shoulder is rested with the duty of saving mankind. Again, as the Ebonite movement was never led by the comforter of mankind as promised by Yahoshea Meshiyach, it can never claim to succession or continuation to the works of Yahoshea Meshiyach.
Therefore, all modern religious traditions that claim their roots from Ebonite must rethink and seek for the comforter since such is the only officer vested with the power to restore all real values of what Yahoshea Meshiyach and his apostles stood for.
NAZARENES – ORIGIN:
This is one of the religious traditions that existed in 4th century Ad that equally traced its root from the Yahosheanism of the Hebrew nation. The first century record of this body is twined with the Assembles of Yahoshea Meshiyach at Yerusalem.
The term “Nazarene” was a Hebrew name given to the followers of Yahoshea in Hebrew land. The name was taken from “Nazareth” which was the community that Yahoshea and his relatives resided. As Yahoshea Meshiyach came to the city of Yerusalem, he and his apostles were identified as the “Nazarenes” which meant “men from Nazareth” hence the founder was often referred as “Yahoshea of Nazareth”.
The name “Nazarene” survived into the Rabbinic and modern Hebrew as the “Notzrim”. Equally the Quran and modern Arabic identified the group as the “Nazara” or “Nasrani” for plural. The early apostolic fathers wrote that the term “Nazarene” was coined by the people of Yerusalem while the people of Antioch coined “Christians” for the same sect of the Hebrew Messiah.
As Yahosheans fled from the city of Yerusalem due to the “Great Hebrew Revolt” in 70Ad, they moved to Pella (Northeast of Yerusalem). They were equally identified as the “Nazarenes” at Pella and they continued with the practices handed to them by Yahoshea Meshiyach and eventually spread to Boroea and Basanitis where they permanently settled.
The sect of the Nazarenes was identified in 4th century Ad and was marked as one of the heretic movements. The sect existed as the “Pasagians” during the 11th and 13th centuries. The Nazarenes beyond 2nd century were similar to the Ebionites as they observe some central Hebrew religious practices as carried in the Books of Moses and Aramaic account of Mathew alone rejecting other accounts of the New Testament.
PRACTICES OF THE SECT:
A major departure of the Nazarenes from the Ebionites was based on the belief of virgin birth of Yahoshea which the Ebionites rejected. From 4th century, the Assmblies of Yahoshea Meshiyach has been transformed to Church of Jesus Christ and the title “Christians” over-rule the title “Yahosheans”.
The sects that hold to Yahoshea’s ministry by strictly continuation to observation of the Hebrew laws were intimidated by the Christians and the Nazarenes and Ebionites were seriously affected. The Nazarenes were also equally rejected by mainstream Hebrew religions who often identify them to Christendom.
The Church Fathers made derogatory comments about the Nazarenes since the church of fourth century has done away with everything that appear as the Hebrew customs, rites and legalisms.
For instance, the 4th century church father – Jerome made the following comments in his Epistle 79 to Augustine “What shall I say to the Ebionites who pretend to be Christians? Today, there still exist among the Jews in all the synagogues of the East a heresy which is called Minaeans, and which is still condemned by the Pharisees, its followers are ordinary called “Nazarenes”. They believe that Christ, the son of God, was born of the virgin Mary, and they hold him to be the one who suffered under Pontius Pilate and ascended to heaven, and in whom we also believe. But while they pretend to be both Jew and Christians, they are neither”.
Jerome accounted that the Nezarenes were, “who accepted the Messiah in such a way that they do not cease to observe the old law”. This prove that Christianity are those who accept same Messiah and cease to observe the old laws.
This prove the Christians as an erroneous movement because Yahoshea and his apostles like the Nazarenes accepted the laws of old in their practices.
The Church of Jesus Christ (Christianity) of the 4th century and beyond had ceased observation to Hebrew customs like the unleavened breads of Passover feast, Sabbath rest, sacrifices, prayers, aspersions, purifications, hymns, chants and observations in the synagogues that were central to Yahosheanism.
SPREAD AND INFLUENCE:
The Nazarene tradition has been adopted by some Christian churches and partially preserved till date. Some of those churches are the Syriac Orthodox Church that claim to be established by Apostles Peter and Paul of the first century Yahosheans. The Syriac Orthodox, Church separated from the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in the 5th century.
Another church that claim its root from the Nazarene sect is the “Saint Thomas Christians” or the “Nazarene” or the “Nasrani” in Kerala India. The Church claim to ancient Nazarene Christian group that was established through missionary work at Apostle Thomas (Mer Thoma in Syriac). The church is equally known as the “Mer Thoma Nazarene”.
Meshiyach Yahzitere Yahmarabhi
(+234) 7066195260
Email: okohmeshiyach@yahoo.com
