I’m going to post a series of articles that help explain and correct some of the heresies that keep popping up on forum threads here, especially those posted by the formally featured Chuckk and now posted under his new aliases and/or even a willing accomplice, Quiznos.
Please review this article and see for yourself
Ebionites- Early Jewish Christians and Islamic Christology
Thread starterDavidSon Start dateAug 3, 2019
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DavidSon
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Aug 3, 2019
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The subject of the Ebionites, Nazarenes, and other early sects was brought up here by @Serveto and a few of the older members. Recently a childishly generic description of the "Poor Ones" was posted, but searching a bit deeper I think this part of history is worth understanding clearly.
"Ebionites (Greek: Ἐβιωναῖοι, Ebionaioi, derived from Hebrew אביונים ebyonim, ebionim, meaning "the poor" or "poor ones") is a patristic term referring to a Jewish Christian movement that existed during the early centuries of the Christian Era. They regarded Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah while rejecting his divinity and his virgin birth, and insisted on the necessity of following Jewish law and rites. They used only one of the Jewish–Christian gospels, the Hebrew Book of Matthew starting at chapter three; revered James, the brother of Jesus (James the Just); and rejected Paul the Apostle as an apostate from the Law. Their name suggests that they placed a special value on voluntary poverty."
"The majority of Church Fathers agree that the Ebionites rejected many of the precepts central to Nicene orthodoxy, such as Jesus' pre-existence, divinity, virgin birth, atoning death and physical resurrection. On the other hand, an Ebionite story has Jesus eating bread with his brother, Jacob ("James the Just"), after the resurrection, which indicates that they, or at least the ones who accepted this version of the Gospel of the Hebrews, believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus."
"The Ebionites are described as emphasizing the oneness of God and the humanity of Jesus as the biological son of Mary and Joseph, who, by virtue of his righteousness, was chosen by God to be the messianic "prophet like Moses" when he was anointed with the Holy Spirit at his baptism. Origen and Eusebius recognize some variation in the Christology of Ebionite groups; for example, that while all denied Jesus' pre-existence, there was a sub-group which did not deny the virgin birth. Theodoret, while dependent on earlier writers, draws the conclusion that the two sub-groups would have used different Gospels."
"The 12th century Muslim historian Muhammad al-Shahrastani mentions Jews living in nearby Medina and Hejaz who accepted Jesus as a prophetic figure and followed traditional Judaism, rejecting mainstream Christian views. Some scholars argue that they contributed to the development of the Islamic view of Jesus due to exchanges of Ebionite remnants with the first Muslims."
"... Paul Addae and Tim Bowes write that the Ebionites were faithful to the original teachings of Jesus and thus shared Islamic views about Jesus' humanity and also rejected the redemptive death, though the Islamic view of Jesus may conflict with the view of some Ebionites regarding the virgin birth, respectively denying and affirming, according to Epiphanius. One of the first men to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad was possibly an Ebionite (sometimes argued to be Nestorian) monk named Waraqah ibn Nawfal, the cousin of Mohammed's wife Khadija, who Muslims honor as a pious man with deep knowledge of the Christian scriptures."
"Hans Joachim Schoeps observes that the Christianity Muhammad was likely to have encountered on the Arabian peninsula "was not the state religion of Byzantium but a schismatic Christianity characterized by Ebionite and Monophysite views:
"Thus we have a paradox of world-historical proportions, viz., the fact that Jewish Christianity indeed disappeared within the Christian church, but was preserved in Islam and thereby extended some of its basic ideas even to our own day. According to Islamic doctrine, the Ebionite combination of Moses and Jesus found its fulfillment in Muhammad"
Khutzpah has strongly implied that you don't have to beiieve that Jesus was born of a Virgin to be saved.even though God's inspired Word definitely states that Jesus was born of a virgin. And of course if Jesus was born in a natural way he would not be **GOD** and God's Word states **7 TIMES THAT JESUS IS GOD** And then the blood of Jesus could not make atonement for our sins.
Using this logic you could also say that you can **ADD WORDS** or **TAKE WORDS AWAY** FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION** and still be saved. However Jesus Himself would disagree with you!!
Revelation 22:16-19: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony **FOT THE CHURCHES.... I warn everyone who hears the words of this prophecy of this scroll: If anyone **ADDS** anything to them God will add to them the plagues described in this book {Including eternal torment in hell as per Rev 14:9-11}And if anyone **TAKES WORDS AWAY* {Like Khutzpah & Quiznos} from this book of prophecy, God will take away from them any share in the Tree of Life and in the Holy City {The eternal New Jerusalem} which are described in this book!!"
John 12:48: Jesus says, "There is a Judge for the one who does not accept My Words, the very words have spoken will **CONDEMN THEM** at the Last Day.
So here Jesus promises that anyone that does not accept **ALL* of His words will be **CONDEMNED** and **NOT BE SAVED**!!John 16:12-14 Below confirms the words of Jesus that you must accept or be condemned is **EVERY WORD OF THE NEW TESATAMENT;**!
John 16:12-14: Jesus says,, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when the spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the Truth. He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will **GLORIY ME BECAUSE IT IS **FROM ME**THAT HE WILL RECEIVE WHAT HE WILL MAKE KNOWN TO YOU**!!"
And so Jesus tells the holy spirit to inspire the 8 writers of the New Testament to write the exact words that Jesus wants them to write.
Hebrews 12:1,2: Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us , fixing our **EYES ON JESUS**, the **AUTHOR** {Of every word in the New Testament} and **PERFECTOR** of our faith!!
Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus says< ALL AUTHORITY** in heave and on earth has been given to **ME**. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.... Teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED**!" {Which would include every Word in the New Testament!!}
Acts 26:16-18: Jesus said to Paul, "I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a **WITNESS** OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN WILL SEE OF ME! I will rescue from your own people and from the Gentiles. **I AM SENDING YOU** to them to open their eyes and turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive **FORGIVENESS OF SINS** and a place among those who are **SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME**!"
Acts 22:14,15: Ananias said to Paul, "The God of our ancestors has chosen you **TO KNOW HIS WILL**and to see the Righteous One and to **HEAR WORDS FROM HIS MOUTH**. You will be **HIS WITNESS TO ALL PEOPLE OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND HEARD**!"
2 Peter 3:15,16: Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our **DEAR BROTHER PAUL** also wrote you with the **WISDOM THAT GOD GAVE TO HIM** He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand {For the unsaved} which ignorant unstable people {Like Quiznos and Khutzpah} distort as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction! {Eternal torment in Hell}
John 12:48: Jesus says, "There is a Judge for the one who does not ace My Words, the very words I have spoken {Like Acts 26:18 above} will **CONDEMN THEM** at the Last Day!"
