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67 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Eb sites

where like many older men he became a student at the University (1522). Under the immediate influence of Luther and Mehwchthon his radicalism sobered down, as appears from his treatise Vom Misbrauch christlieleer Freiheit (1522) and from later writings in which he recalled not a few of his former demands. In 1523 he visited the South and preached at Basel, Rheinfelden, Rottenburgon-the-Neckar and Ulm, returning before the close of the year to Wittenberg. In the spring of 1524 he went to Erfurt where he received a position as preacher, but lost it in the following year in the disturbances caused by the Peasants' War. Afterward he found a permanent position as first preacher of Count George II. of Wertheim, which he held until his death. Besides the works mentioned Eberlin wrote a famous tract entitled Mich toundert, dass kein Geld im Lands iat in which he tried to show the causes of impoverishment and advocated honest and dignified labor, and Wie sick sin Diener Gotten Worts in all seirtem Thun halter soil . .

(1525), a kind of pastoral theology highly esteemed by August Hermann Francke. (T. KOLDE.)

.BIBLIOGRAPHY: Selected writings of Eberlin, ed. L. Enders, are in Neudrucke deutschsr Litemtururerkt, roe. 139-141, Halle,1898. Consult: B. Riggenbach, J. Eberiin . . . and esin Refmmpropromm, TObingen, 1874 (d. W. $ohum,; in GOA, 1875, pp. 801-802); M. R,adlkofer, J. Eberlin . . . and . . . Hans Jacob Wshs, NStdlingen, 1887.

EBERSDORF BIBLE. See BIHLES, ANNOTATED, AND BIBLE SumuAlum, 1., 13.

EBIOlYITES : The name applied first to Christians in general, then to Jewish Christians, and finally to heretical Jewish Christians. To Jewish Christians this name was given because they were generally poor (Hebr. ebyon, ebyonim); and this poverty, especially characteristic of the Christians of Jerusalem evoked from the pagan world for the whole sect the contemptuous appellation "the poor" (cf. Minucius Felix, Odaviua, xxxvi.). Subsequently its application was limited to Jewish

Christians (Origen, Contra Celaum, ii. ~1).

When a portion of the Jewish Church became separate and heretical, the designation marked this division ex-

clusively. In the fourth century Epiphanius, Jerome and Theodoret used it of a separate party within the Jewish Church distinct from the Nazarenes. Many of the fathers derived the term from a supposed founder of the sect called Ebion (Hip. polytus, Phidoaophoumeno., vii. 34; Tertullian, Her., xxxiii.; De carne Christi, xiv.; Epip6anius, Hair., xxx. 1), said to have lived at Pella after the destruction of Jerusalem.

The sources for the history of Ebioniam, or of Jewish Christianity, are very meager. Neither the New Testament nor the extracanonical literature know of any writings coming directly from them. The notices in the early fathers are confused; those in later fathers like Epiphaniua and Jerome belong to too late a time to justify inferences as to an earlier existence. Several of the fathers give a picture of the Jewish Christians of their times as it was presented to them and according to their subjective interests.

The doctrine,( position in Jewish Christianity was Early Use of the Name.

not each as to produce different sects. A stronger contrast existed only between ordinary Jewish Christianity and syncretistic Gnostic Christianity, while the former divides into a milder and a stricter party. In the New Testament three groups Three are apparent. The heretics of the Groups Epistle to the Colossians prefigure

Mentioned Gnostic Jewish Christians; the Chris or Implied. tians called Ebionitea by Epiphaniua appear . in the New Testament as those who observed the Mosaic law, but did not make it binding upon Gentile Christians. Besides these there were the Pharisaic Jewish Christians, who insisted upon the observance of the Mosaic law and of circumcision by all, and rejected Paul as a false apostle. Both the latter parties were known to Justin (Trypho, xlvii.). Between the time of Justin and Irena;us the complete separation of Jewish Christianity moat have been consummated. Irena'us described the Ebionitea as Jewish Christians who insisted upon the observance of the whole Jewish law, rejected Paul as a heretic and used only the Gospel of Matthew. Their teaching agreed with that of Cerinthus and Carpocratea, denying the virgin-birth, and regarding Jesus as a mere man.

While the importance of observance of the Jewish law was diminishing, the Chriatological question became crucial. To regard Christ as mere man was considered specifically Ebionitie. Origen (Contra Celsum, v. 81) distinguished between Chriatol- two branches of Ebionitea, those who ogy the denied and those who accepted the Distin- miraculous birth, but says of both guishing that they rejected the epistles of Paul

Doctrine. (Contra Cetaum, i. 85). Those two groups of Ebionitea dwelling in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea had little influence upon the nascent Catholic Church. The case was different with the third group, the syncretistic Gnos tic Jewish Christians, whom alone Epiphaniua calls Ebionitea, though he knew other parties related to them. Those Ebionitea represented a syncretistic Judaism which combined theosophie speculation with ascetic tendencies. Heathenish elements de rived from Asiatic religions were combined with Jewish monotheism; the Old Testament became an object of criticism and parts were eliminated, angelic powers played a great part. That type of Judaism, in absorbing Christian elements, became a syncretistic Jewish Christianity. Jesus was only a man upon whom descended the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove at his baptism, whereby he became a prophet. Circumcision and daily ablu tions were regarded important; sacrifices were re jected; and the Old Testament was acknowledged only in part. Christianity was a purified Moeaism; Paul was opposed and rejected. See ELKEBAITE9.

UaLaoxxt.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY: The sources are indicated is the text is the writings of Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Epiphanies, 13eeesippus, and Origen. Collections of sources more or less complete and of later literature are made in A. $chliemann, Din Cknuntinen, pp. 382-622, Hamburg, 1844; A. ltitaehl, Die EntateAunp der alhkafholiaclien Xirche, pp. 162 sqq., Bonn, 1867; A. Hilgenfeld, Novum Teetamentum extra canonem. Leipeie, 1888. Consult: J. B. Lightfoot, Galatians, Dissertation iii., London, 1890; G. Uhlhorn, Die Homilies and Raopnitioru» du