DURING the final 10 years of the first century AD, the Emperor Domitian embarked on a persecution of Christians.
Wanting to find out more about Christianity, he had descendants of the brothers of Jesus brought from Galilee to Rome for interrogation. Domitian discovered that they were in all respects observant Jews, except they had the additional belief that Jesus would return and found a kingdom for the Jews. Showing a rare clemency, Domitian allowed the relatives of Jesus to return home.
In the 1950s, archaeologists made a fascinating discovery while carrying out excavations in Nazareth. They unearthed remains of an ancient synagogue, which contained both Jewish and Christian symbols. This was the religion of those relatives of Jesus questioned by Domitian!
In 312 AD the Emperor Constantine had granted religious freedom to Christians; then in 380 AD Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire. However, this was not good news for the Jewish Christians of Galilee. Their faith was declared a heresy.
Constantine’s friend Bishop Eusebius explained why: “They regard Jesus as plain and ordinary, a man esteemed as righteous through growth of character and nothing more, the child of a normal union between a man and Mary; and they hold that they must observe every detail of the Jewish Law – by faith in Christ alone, and a life built upon that faith, they would never win salvation.”
The Jewish Christians (known as Ebionites – meaning ‘poor ones’) had their synagogue confiscated, and were forced to go east, outside of the Roman Empire, to practice their faith. Centuries later their descendants would have encountered the first Muslims. They had a number of beliefs in common, such as circumcision, certain dietary laws, and the belief that Jesus was a prophet, but not divine. Historians of religion debate the influence of the Ebionites on early Islam.
Bishop Eusebius had condemned the Ebionites for believing Jesus was ‘a man esteemed as righteous through growth of character.’ Yet St Peter had described Jesus as ‘a man accredited by God.’ As for Eusebius’ criticism that Ebionites insisted on Christians obeying the Jewish Law, Jesus had said the same! ‘Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.’
St Paul, who never met Jesus during his lifetime, said that he had received his understanding of Christianity through a heavenly revelation, and that anyone who disagreed with him should be banned! Paul taught that we are saved by faith in the crucified Christ, rather than by following the Jewish Law.
In time, Paul’s view of Christianity prevailed. All modern Christians, be they Quaker or Greek Orthodox or anything in between, are followers of Paul’s version of Christianity.
Doubtless, Paul’s dropping of the requirement of circumcision for adult male converts was a major reason for the success of his version of Christianity. But there was more to it than that.
Paul’s version of Christianity was dynamic rather than static. Christianity would grow through developing and adapting, rather than trying to preserve its earliest form in aspic. As Jesus said, ‘the Spirit will lead you into all the truth.’ And St John Henry Newman said, ‘to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.’
By Rev’d Robert Parrish
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