Ebionism was an early Christian sect that emphasized adherence to Jewish law and rejected the divinity of Jesus. The term “Ebionites” (from Hebrew ebionim, meaning “poor ones”) was used by early church fathers to describe Jewish Christians who believed Jesus was the promised Messiah but not divine. Here is an overview of Ebionism and what the Bible teaches about this movement:
Origins and Beliefs
Ebionism emerged in the first few centuries AD as a reaction to growing Gentile influence on Christianity. The Ebionites wished to keep Jewish practices and adhere strictly to the Mosaic Law. They rejected Paul’s teachings that Gentile converts did not need to follow the Law, since they believed salvation required circumcision and observance of the Law (Acts 15:1, Galatians 2:11-16).
The Ebionites used a version of the Gospel of Matthew and rejected Paul’s epistles. Their Christology was “adoptionist,” meaning they believed Jesus was chosen by God to be the Messiah at his baptism rather than being divine from birth (Mark 1:9-11). They believed Jesus lived an sinless life and was the perfect sacrifice, but denied his pre-existence or divinity.
Some key beliefs of Ebionism include:
– Emphasis on Jewish law and practices
– Rejection of Paul/Gentile influence on Christianity
– Adoptionist Christology (Jesus was human Messiah, not divine)
– Use of Gospel of Matthew only
– Denial of Jesus’ pre-existence/divinity
Response from Church Fathers
Several early church fathers wrote against Ebionite teachings in defense of Jesus’ divinity and Paul’s apostleship. Here are some examples:
Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD) rejected adoptionist Christology, writing, “Jesus did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.” (Against Heresies)
Tertullian (c. 155-240 AD) defended the canonicity of Paul’s letters, writing, “If Marcion be even antichrist, I can without difficulty take the apostle [Paul] away from Marcion, since I have Christ for my authority. Christ clearly teaches that Satan dwelt in Marcion before he founded Marcionism.” (Against Marcion)
Origen (c. 184-253 AD) affirmed Jesus’ pre-existence and divinity, writing that Jesus “was God, and was with God, and being sent forth manifested who He was, and ruled over all things subject to Him.” (De Principiis)
Eusebius (c. 260-340 AD) rejected Ebionites as heretics, writing they did not accept Christ’s divinity and pre-existence. He wrote they saw Jesus as “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.” (Ecclesiastical History)
These church fathers universally condemned Ebionite Christology as heretical based on its low view of Jesus and rejection of Jesus’ divine nature taught elsewhere in Scripture.
Scriptural Affirmations of Jesus’ Divinity
The orthodox position affirmed in the Nicene Creed is that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, begotten not made, and of one essence with the Father. Scripture affirms the divine pre-existence, incarnation and sonship of Christ:
– “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
– “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18)
– “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
– “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:5-7)
– “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9)
– “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3)
– “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever.’” (Hebrews 1:8)
These and other passages portray Christ as the eternal divine Son and Word of God incarnate, affirming his full deity against the adoptionist position taken by the Ebionites.
Conclusion
In summary, Ebionism was an early Jewish-Christian sect that rejected Jesus’ divinity and emphasized following the Law. Church fathers unanimously condemned this view as heretical based on Scripture’s testimony about Christ. The orthodox position that Jesus Christ is the eternal, pre-existent, divine Son of God is affirmed throughout the New Testament and forms the basis for mainstream Christian belief about the nature of God and Christ.