CHAPTER XI.

Of the facred Books of the Ebionites.

THE Ebionites being Jews, and in ge

neral acquainted with their own language only, made ufe of no other than a Hebrew gofpel, which is commonly faid to have been that of Matthew, originally compofed in their language, and for their use. This I think highly probable, from the almoft unanimous teftimony of antiquity. But this is a question which I fhall not make it my bufinefs to difcufs.

"The Ebionites," fays Irenæus, "make "ufe of the gospel of Matthew only*." Jerom had seen this gofpel, and translated it from Hebrew into Greek, and without giving his own opinion, fays, that "it was by most perfons called the authentic gospel of

* Ebionitæ etenim eo evangelio quod eft fecundum Matthæum folo utentes. Lib.3. cap. 11. p. 220. "Matthew."

3

"Matthew*.

Theodoret fays concern

ing both the kinds of Ebionites, that they received no other gospel than that of Matthew +.

But it is evident from Epiphanius, that the Ebionites did not confider the two first chapters of Matthew's gofpel as belonging to it; for their copies were without them, beginning with the third chapter. "The "gofpel of the Ebionites began thus, It "came to pass in the days of Herod king "of Judea, in the time of Caiaphas the high-priest, a person whose name was John came baptizing with the baptism "of repentence in the river Jordan ‡.' Here, however, there must be fome miftake, as it was not in the time of Herod

* In Matt. cap. 12. Opera, vol. 6. p. 21:

† Αλλη δε παρα ταύτην συμμορία, την αύτην επωνυμίαν έχεσα Εβιωνεις γαρ και ετοι προσαγορευονται· τα αλλα μεν απανία συνομο λογει τοις πρότεροις, τον δε σωτηρα καὶ κυριον εκ παρθενε γεγεννήσθαι φησιν. ευαγγελίω δε τω καλα Ματθαιον κεχρηναι μόνω. Hær. Fab. lib. 2. cap. 1. vol. 4. p. 328. Ed Halæ.

† Οτι εγενετο, φησιν, εν ταις ημέραις Ηρωδε βασιλεως της Ιεδαίας επι Αρχιρέως Καιάφα ήλθε τις Ιωαννης ονομαλι βαπλίζων βαπλισμα μελανοιας εν τω ποταμω Ιορδανη, και τα εξης. Hær. 30. Opera, vol. 1. p. 138:

P3

king of Judea, but of Herod the Tetrarch, or king of Galilee; and the inaccuracy is probably to be ascribed to Epiphanius himself. That this writer quoted only from his memory, and inaccurately, is evident from his giving the beginning of this gofpel in another place fomewhat differently, as follows: "It came to pafs in the days

of Herod king of Judea, John came bap"tizing with the baptism of repentance, in the river Jordan; who was faid to be "of the race of Aaron the priest, the fon of Zacharias and Elizabeth; and all men "went out to him*."

This writer, who was fond of multiplying fects, and who makes that of the Nazarenes to be different from that of the Ebionites, fays concerning the latter, that "he did "not know whether they had cut off the genealogy from the gospel of Matthew †,

Οτι εγενείς εν ταις ημεραις Ηρωδε τ8 βασιλεως της Ιεδαίας, ήλθεν Ιωαννης βαπτίζων βαπτισμα μελανοιας εν τω Ιορδάνη ποταμω, ος ελέγετο είναι εκ γενες Ααρών τα ιερέως, παις Ζαχαρια και ΕλισαHær. fect. 13. σετ, και εξήρχοντο προς αυτόν πάντες. 30. p. 138.

† Έχεσι δε το καλα Ματθαιον ευαγγέλιον πληρεςατον Εβραισι • παρ' αυτοις γαρ σαφως τετο, καθώς εξ αρχης εγραφη Εβραικοις

γραμμασιν

Meaning, perhaps, the whole of the introduction, as far as the third chapter.It must be obferved, however, that in the copy of this gofpel which Jerom tranflated, there was the fecond chapter, if not the genealogy. For in this gospel there was, out of Egypt I have called my fon, and be fhall be called a Nazarene*.” This I am willing to explain in the following manner. Originally the Jewish chriftians did not believe the doctrine of the miraculous conception. Both Juftin Martyr and Irenæus reprefent them as difbelieving it, without excepting any that did. Origen is the first who has noticed two kinds of Ebionites, one believing the miraculous

γραμμασιν ετι σώζεται. εκ οίδα δε ει και τας γενεαλογίας τας απο τα Αβρααμ περιείλον. Hær. 29. vol. 1. p. 194.

* Mihi quofque a Nazaræis, qui in Beræa, urbe Syriæ, hoc volumine utuntur, defcribendi facultas fuit, in quo animadvertendum quod ubicunque evangelifta, five ex perfona fua, five ex perfona domini falvatoris, veteris fcripturæ teftimoniis utitur, non fequatur feptuaginta tranflatorum auctoritatem, fed Hebraicam, e quibus illa duo.funt, Ex Ægypto vocavi filium meum, et quoniam Nazaræus vocabitur. Catalogus Scriptorum, Opera, vol. 1. p. 267. conception,

P 4

conception, and the other denying it. Probably, therefore, their original copies of the gospel had not the two first chapters, which contained that hiftory; but after fome time, thofe of the Jewish christians who gave credit to the ftory, would naturally add these two chapters from the Greek copies; and it might be a copy of this kind that Jerom met with.

Epiphanius likewife fays, that "the "Ebionites made ufe of the travels of "Clement*.” This being an unitarian work, they might be pleased with it; but it is not probable that they would read it in the public offices of their churches, or confider it in the fame light with one of the books of scripture.

It is agreed on all hands that the Ebionites made no use of the epiftles of Paul, because they did not approve of the flight which he feemed to put upon the law of Mofes, which they held in the greatest poffible veneration.

* Χρώνται δε και άλλοις τισι βιβλιοις, δήθεν ταις περιόδοις και λεμένοις Πέτρε, ταις δια Κλημεντ γραφεισαις. Hær. 30. Opera, vol. 1. p. 139.

Epiphanius