The Remnants of Jewish-Christianity in Islam

How the Jewish-Christian Sect of the Ebionites Influenced Islam

Apr 20, 2009

The past is never entirely lost but is absorbed into the present in new and novel ways. Islam has preserved the teachings of a lost and forgotten form of Christianity.

All religions, all forms of spirituality evolve from what has preceded. Islam is no exception. The teachings of a long and forgotten Jewish-Christian sect, known to us as the Ebionites, survive within Islam.

Many Christianities

From the very beginning many rival sects emerged within the newly formed Christian Church. Some Christians believed the physical world was evil and all it had to offer had to be rejected. The spiritual world was preferred as it was a true reflection of the heavenly divine world. This dualistic way of thinking meant that Jesus came to earth without flesh and blood. Jesus was said to be fully divine.

There were other Christians which were not dualistic. In the New Testament letter to the Galatians Paul’s concern was with Judaizers (devout Jewish-Christians) who were demanding strict observance to the law, in particular circumcision (Gal. 2:11-14). In Acts 15 the Jerusalem Council met and addressed the Judaizers. It is very likely that this Jewish-Christian sect or one much like it, merged into what was to become the worlds’ second largest religion, Islam.

The Ebionites

One known Jewish-Christian sect received the label Ebionites, meaning poor men. In his Adversus Haereses, the church father Irenaeus 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 endeavor to expound them in a somewhat singular manner: they practice 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.” (Book 1. 26. 2).

The Ebionites differed to orthodox teachings by rejecting Christ’s divinity, Christ’s virginal birth and Christ’s pre-existence. The Ebionites believed that Jesus was a prophetic-like messiah, not God incarnate, that the Jewish Law should be observed as with the Sabbath and circumcision. As Irenaeus quote above states, they were at odds with the teachings of the apostle Paul.

The Arab World

In the Arab world polytheism (the belief in many gods) greatly flourished. Families, villages and tribes had their own gods. As these social groups merged into one another these gods were not lost. Many gods were believed. Eventually however, due to the missionary influence of Christianity, as well as the presence of a number of Jews, due to past exiles, the Arab world accepted monotheism (belief in one god) over polytheism.

Though most Arabs became monotheists, not all accepted Christianity or Judaism. Certain Jewish customs did not appeal to all Arabs and some Christian teachings seemed irrational. The Arab mind saw it rational to believe in one God. They also accepted the idea of holy books and prophets. But how can one man, any man, be divine? Jesus' divinity was a stumbling block.

Influences on Islam

The Ebionites teaching of Jesus' humanity provided some relief to the Arab mind. But this did not mean the Arabs were at odds with other, more orthodox Christian teachings as well as teachings from Judaism. For example, from "orthodox" Christianity Islam inherited the teaching of the Virgin birth of Jesus.

From Judaism Islam inherited a number of the prophetical teachings and instructions of the Hebrew prophets. From Jewish-Christianity Islam inherited the rejection of the divinity of Christ, the rejection of the pre-existence of Christ and accepted Jesus as a human prophetic-like Messiah.

The Jewish-Christian sect, regarded heretical by many early Christians and now long extinct survived, but not as their own identity, but in the teachings of Islam.

The copyright of the article The Remnants of Jewish-Christianity in Islam in Islam is owned by Joe Capuana. Permission to republish The Remnants of Jewish-Christianity in Islam in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.