page_title: Ebionites
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Ebionites / History
context_page_description: Ebionites is a patristic term referring to a "Jewish Christian" sect that existed during the early centuries of the Common Era. As Abrahamic monotheists adhering to the adoptionist theology of some of the first Christians, the Ebionites are said to have regarded Jesus of Nazareth as a mere man who, by virtue of his righteousness, was chosen by God to be the Prophet of the Messianic Age, while they rejected proto-orthodox Christian beliefs in his alleged divinity, pre-existence, virgin birth and atoning death.
  Accordingly, the Ebionites insisted on the necessity of following the Written Law of Moses alone; only used one, some or all of the Jewish–Christian gospels — such as the Gospel of the Ebionites — as additional scripture to the Hebrew Bible; and revered James the Just as the true successor to Jesus and an exemplar of righteousness, while rejecting Paul as a false apostle and apostate from the Law.Their name suggests that they wanted to emphasize the social concern for the poor found in the teachings of Jesus and placed a special value on voluntary poverty as a meritorious method of preparation for the Kingdom of God on Earth.
caption: Map of the Decapolis showing the location of Pella.
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