Ebionite

/ˈiːbiənaɪt/ noun

Definition

A member of an early Christian group that rejected the divinity of Jesus and believed followers had to follow Jewish religious laws.

Etymology

From Ebion (Hebrew/Aramaic for 'poor'), referring to the founder or character of the sect. The suffix -ite denotes a follower or member of a group, common in religious terminology.

Kelly Says

Ebionites actually preserved some of the earliest Christian texts we know of, so even though their theology was considered heretical by mainstream Christianity, they ironically kept documents that help us understand Christianity's origins.

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