Were The Ebionites Muslims?

Who Were The Ebionites Muslims?
The Ebionites were an abstinent sect that was possibly formed around 70 AD. The term may come from the Hebrew "ebyonim", or "ebionim" meaning "the poor" or possibly from the Aramaic "Ebionæans" (or Ebionaioi), meaning "poor men".  We have very little information on the Ebionites as all of their writings, such as the Gospel of the Ebionites, no longer exist. The bits of information that we do have on the Ebionites are only scraps found from those who intended to rebuke them. 

The earliest reference to them is from Irenaeus who lived sometime in the 2nd century. In his book, Against Heresies, he writes: "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. As to the prophetical writings, they endeavour to expound them in a somewhat singular manner: they practise circumcision, persevere in the observance of those customs which are enjoined by the law, and are so Judaic in their style of life, that they even adore Jerusalem as if it were the house of God," (Against Heresies, Book 1, Ch. 26, §2).

Origen who lived in the late 2nd to early 3rd century wrote: "Here he has not observed that the Jewish converts have not deserted the law of their fathers, inasmuch as they live according to its prescriptions, receiving their very name from the poverty of the law, according to the literal acceptation of the word; for Ebion signifies poor among the Jews, and those Jews who have received Jesus as Christ are called by the name of Ebionites. Nay, Peter himself seems to have observed for a considerable time the Jewish observances enjoined by the law of Moses, not having yet learned from Jesus to ascend from the law that is regulated according to the letter, to that which is interpreted according to the spirit, — a fact which we learn from the Acts of the Apostles," (Contra Celsum, Book II, §1). Origen tells us that the Ebionites were poor, possibly not in wealth but in spirit as Eusebius states. He makes a contrast between them and the true disciples, relating to them how Peter once was, not yet ascending from the Torah.

Eusebius also wrote: "The evil demon, however, being unable to tear certain others from their allegiance to the Christ of God, yet found them susceptible in a different direction, and so brought them over to his own purposes. The ancients quite properly called these men Ebionites, because they held poor and mean opinions concerning Christ. For they considered him a plain and common man, who was justified only because of his superior virtue, and who was the fruit of the intercourse of a man with Mary. In their opinion the observance of the ceremonial law was altogether necessary, on the ground that they could not be saved by faith in Christ alone and by a corresponding life. There were others, however, besides them, that were of the same name, but avoided the strange and absurd beliefs of the former, and did not deny that the Lord was born of a virgin and of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, inasmuch as they also refused to acknowledge that he pre-existed, being God, Word, and Wisdom, they turned aside into the impiety of the former, especially when they, like them, endeavored to observe strictly the bodily worship of the law. These men, moreover, thought that it was necessary to reject all the epistles of the apostle, whom they called an apostate from the law; and they used only the so-called Gospel according to the Hebrews and made small account of the rest. The Sabbath and the rest of the discipline of the Jews they observed just like them, but at the same time, like us, they celebrated the Lord's days as a memorial of the resurrection of the Saviour. Wherefore, in consequence of such a course they received the name of Ebionites, which signified the poverty of their understanding. For this is the name by which a poor man is called among the Hebrews," (Church History, book 3, Ch 27).

"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. They live conformably to the customs of the Jews, alleging that they are justified. according to the law, and saying that Jesus was justified by fulfilling the law. And therefore it was, (according to the Ebionaeans,) that (the Saviour) was named (the) Christ of God and Jesus, since not one of the rest (of mankind) had observed completely the law. For if even any other had fulfilled the commandments (contained) in the law, he would have been that Christ. And the (Ebionaeans allege) that they themselves also, when in like manner they fulfill (the law), are able to become Christs," (Refutations of All Heresies, Book 7, Ch. 22).

To summarize what has been said, the Ebionites were known to be poor, either in spirit or literally in monetary power. They believe God made the Earth, they wrote scriptures that were lost to time, they used the Gospel of Matthew, hated Paul, believed that they could become a Christ, practiced circumcision, observed the Torah, and adored Jerusalem as the house of God. Some rejected the virgin birth while others accepted it. They also celebrate the Sabbath and the Lord's day which they celebrate as the resurrection of the Messiah. 

Based on this information, we can be positive the Ebionites were not Muslims. Muslims do not accept the Gospel of Matthew or the Torah as authoritative. They do not observe the Torah, they do not believe that they can become a Christ, they do not adore Jerusalem as the house of God but rather Mecca, and they do not celebrate the Sabbath nor do they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

References:

Arendzen, John. "Ebionites." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05242c.htm>.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Ebionite". Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Jan. 2007, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ebionites. Accessed 26 July 2024. 

Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan on Unsplash 

Translated by Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103126.htm>.

Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm.

 Translated by J.H. MacMahon. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050107.htm>.