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Gospel of the Ebionites

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The Gospel of the Ebionites is a text sharing an affinity with the Gospel of the Hebrews and the Gospel of the Nazarenes. Unfortunately, Jerome erroneously names it as being the same as the Gospel of the Hebrews, leading to much later confusion. Like the other two, it survives only as fragments in quotations, and so it is difficult to tell how much it is an independant text, and whether it is in fact simply a slight variation on the others.

The text appears, as far as can be determined, to be an attempt to merge the synoptic gospels into a single story. However, it has minor changes suited to Ebionite theology, specifically making Jesus a vegetarian, and rendering him in the adoptionist form. Much of these changes are accomplished by clever and subtle changes of greek words, such as a meal of akris (locusts) into one of egkris (cake).

These differences were considered heretical by the more orthodox church, leading to charges that the text was forged and mutilated. Ultimately, it suffered the same fate as the Ebionites, whatever that was.

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