Gospels in the Early Church

Transcription

1 Adoration of the new-born child according to Luke 2: 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. (Luk 2:1-18 NRS)

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4 Carlo Crivelli

5 Jacobo Basano

6 unknown

7 Nativity He Qi

8 Adoration of the new-born child according to Matthew 2: 1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage. 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Mat 2:1-11 NRS)

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14 1 Gospel and Gospels Meaning of εὐαγγέλιον In general a) reward for bringing good news to the emperor b) good news NT: a) oral proclamation by Jesus (Matt 11:5) b) oral proclamation concerning Jesus (Acts 21.8; Eph 4.11; 2 Tim 4.5) In the 2 nd century: written traditions, written stories about Jesus words and deeds. The expression in the Gospel (ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ) appears. JUSTIN (Apology 66.3) is first to use the word in the plural to describe written stories about Jesus words and deeds, suffering and resurrection (ἐν τοῖς... ἀπομνημονεύμασιν ἅ καλεῖται εὐαγγελία, in the recollections called gospels ). End of 3 rd century: a whole book ( Gospel according to, ex. εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ιωάννην, P 66 ) By the 4 th century: writers of gospels are called evangelists.

15 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels Completely preserved Gospels Gospel acc. to Mark (canonical) Gospel acc. to Matthew (canonical) Gospel acc. to Luke (canonical) Gospel acc. to John (canonical) Gospel acc. to Thomas Gospel of the Truth Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel acc. to Nicodemus (or the "Acts of Pilate") Gospel acc. to Barnabas Gospel acc. to Gamaliel Infancy Gospels Gospel of the Nativity of Mary Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew Infancy Gospel of Thomas Infancy Gospel of James Arabic Infancy Gospel Syriac Gospel of the Boyhood of our Lord Jesus Partially preserved Gospels Gospel acc. to Judas Gospel acc. to Peter Gospel acc. to Mary Gospel acc. to Philip Fragmentary preserved Gospels Dialogue of the Savior Papyrus Egerton 2 Gospel acc. to Eve Fayyum Fragment Gospel acc. to Mani Oxyrhynchus Gospels Gospel of the Savior (or the Unknown Berlin gospel) Gospel acc. to the Twelve Reconstructed Gospels Gospel of the Ebionites Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel of the Hebrews Secret Gospel of Mark Gospel acc. to Matthias Gospel of the Nazoraeans The "Q document" Signs Gospel Cross Gospel Lost Gospels References in ancient sources indicate that there were at least another 23 gospels

16 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.1 Principles and the Priority of Matthew Augustine summarizes why the Early Church considered Matthew to be the most important Gospel: 1. The oldest Gospel, even with a predecessor in Hebrew, according to a claim by the church Father Papias (3 rd cent), stated in Eusebius, Church history. 2. Matthew was an Apostle 3. Especially suitable for liturgical use 4. Strong anti-pharisaic tone ( useful as Christendom wanted to distinguish itself from Judaism) The Gospel acc. to Mark was considered an extract of Matthew. According to Augustine he [Mark] followed Matt like a slave and produced a summary (On the Agreement of the Evangelists, 1.2.4). The order of appearance of the Gospels in the New Testament was decided on the assumption that Matt wrote first. Some collections, however, put Matt and John at the beginning, on account that they were both Apostles.

17 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.1 Principles and the Priority of Matthew 3.2 Harmonization Diatessaron Gospel harmony (διὰ τεσσάρων = ([one] through four ). Written about CE by Tatian, a disciple of Justin Martyr. According to early traditions and legends embodied in the Doctrine of Addai (~400 CE), the Syriac speaking Church had a New Testament that consisted of The Diatesseron The Epistles of Paul The Book of Acts In 423, Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus on the Euphrates in upper Syria found more than two hundred copies of the Diatessaron, which he "collected and put away, and introduced instead of them the Gospels of the four evangelists". Allegorical and spiritual harmony Introduced by Origen Example: the cleansing of the temple, at the beginning in John, at the end in the Synoptics: 1) the Holy Spirit is not concerned with chronology or worldly accuracy, but with the deeper meaning; 2) the real, deeper meaning is independent of the historical occurrence: the temple is a symbol for that which is to be cleansed: the Church, Judaism or the human soul.

18 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.1 Principles and the Priority of Matthew 3.2 Harmonization 3.3 Arguments for the canonization of The Four Age: the four are among the oldest Apostolicity: the four were considered to be (somehow) connected to an apostle Regional recognition Relative similarity 3.4 Why Four? a) Irenaeus (c CE), bishop of Lyon, was the first to argue that there should be four gospels, no more no less, as there are also: four directions of the earth (north, south, east, west) four winds four covenants (Adam, Noah, Moses, Christ) four cherubim

19 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.5 The symbolism of The Four a) Irenaeus of Lyons (c CE) Against Heresies, : "It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the... "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side... He who was manifested to men, has given us the Gospel under four aspects, but bound together by one Spirit... For the cherubim, too, were four-faced, and their faces were images of the dispensation of the Son of God. The first living creature was like a lion, symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; the second was like a calf, signifying His sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but the third had, as it were, the face as of a man - an evident description of His advent as a human being; the fourth was like a flying eagle, pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church. And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated For this reason were four principal covenants given to the human race: one, prior to the deluge, under Adam; the second, that after the deluge, under Noah; the third, the giving of the law, under Moses; the fourth, that which renovates man, and sums up all things in itself by means of the Gospel, raising and bearing men upon its wings into the heavenly kingdom."

20 Background: The four living Creatures In a vision of the throne of God, Ezekiel (ch 1) describes the Merkabah, four- = riding) as a מ ר כ ב ) wheeled vehicle, the throne-chariot of God, driven by four "chayot" ("living creatures"). Each creature has wings, their faces are those of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.

21 The heavenly throne Revelation 4.6-9f Artist: William Blake

22 The four living Creatures Revelation (4.6-9ff), Ottheinrich-Bible, Matthias Gerung,

23 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.5 The symbolism of The Four a) Irenaeus of Lyons (c CE) b) Augustine of Hippo ( AD) De consensu evangelistarum (in NPNF 1, ): For these reasons, it also appears to me, that of the various parties who have interpreted the living creatures in the Apocalypse as significant of the four evangelists, those who have taken the lion to point to Matthew, the man to Mark, the calf to Luke, and the eagle to John, have made a more reasonable application of the figures than those who have assigned the man to Matthew, the eagle to Mark, and the lion to John. For, in forming their particular idea of the matter, these latter have chosen to keep in view simply the beginnings of the books, and not the full design of the several evangelists in its completeness, which was the matter that should, above all, have been thoroughly examined. For surely it is with much greater propriety that the one who has brought under our notice most largely the kingly character of Christ, should be taken to be represented by the lion. Thus is it also that we find the lion mentioned in conjunction with the royal tribe itself, in that passage of the Apocalypse where it is said, "The lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed" (Rev 5:5). For in Matthew's narrative the magi are recorded to have come from the east to inquire after the King, and to worship Him whose birth was notified to them by the star. Thus, too, Herod, who himself also was a king, is [said there to be] afraid of the royal child, and to put so many little children to death in order to make sure that the one might be slain. (Matt 2:1-18).

24 St. Augustine of Hippo ( AD) Again, that Luke is intended under the figure of the calf, in reference to the pre-eminent sacrifice made by the priest, has been doubted by neither of the two [sets of interpreters]. For in that Gospel the narrator's account commences with Zacharias the priest. In it mention is also made of the relationship between Mary and Elisabeth (Luke 1:5, 36). In it, too, it is recorded that the ceremonies proper to the earliest priestly service were attended to in the case of the infant Christ (Luke 2:22-24); and a careful examination brings a variety of other matters under our notice in this Gospel, by which it is made apparent that Luke's object was to deal with the part of the priest. In this way it follows further, that Mark, who has set himself neither to give an account of the kingly lineage, nor to expound anything distinctive of the priesthood, whether on the subject of the relationship or on that of the consecration, and who at the same time comes before us as one who handles the things which the man Christ did, appears to be indicated simply under the figure of the man among those four living creatures. But again, those three living creatures, whether lion, man, or calf, have their course upon this earth; and in like manner, those three evangelists occupy themselves chiefly with the things which Christ did in the flesh, and with the precepts which He delivered to men, who also bear the burden of the flesh, for their instruction in the rightful exercise of this mortal life. Whereas John, on the other hand, soars like an eagle above the clouds of human infirmity, and gazes upon the light of the unchangeable truth with those keenest and steadiest eyes of the heart. (see also De consensu evangelistarum and Tractatus in Joannis evangelium 36.5)

25 c) Jerome (ca AD) Preface to the Commentary on Matthew (summary and excerpts from NPNF 2, ) The first evangelist is Matthew, the publican, who was surnamed Levi. He published his Gospel in Judaea in the Hebrew language, chiefly for the sake of Jewish believers in Christ, who adhered in vain to the shadow of the law, although the substance of the Gospel had come. The second is Mark, the amanuensis of the Apostle Peter, and first bishop of the Church of Alexandria. He did not himself see our Lord and Savior, but he related the matter of his Master's preaching with more regard to minute detail than to historical sequence. The third is Luke, the physician, by birth a native of Antioch, in Syria, whose praise is in the Gospel. He was himself a disciple of the Apostle Paul, and composed his book in Achaia and Boeotia. He thoroughly investigates certain particulars and, as he himself confesses in the preface, describes what he had heard rather than what he had seen. The last is John, the Apostle and Evangelist, whom Jesus loved most, who, reclining on the Lord's bosom, drank the purest streams of doctrine, and was only one thought worthy of the words from the cross, 'Behold! thy mother' [John 19:27]. When he was in Asia, at the time when the seeds of heresy were springing up he was urged by almost all the bishops of Asia then living, and by deputations from many Churches, to write more profoundly concerning the divinity of the Savior, and to break through all obstacles so as to attain to the very Word of God (if I may so speak) with a boldness as successful as it appears audacious. Ecclesiastical history relates that, when he was urged by the brethren to write, he replied that he would do so if a general fast were proclaimed and all would offer up prayer to God; and when the fast was over, the narrative goes on to say, being filled with revelation, he burst into the heaven-sent Preface: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: this was in the beginning with God' [John 1:1-2].

26 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 3.1 The Priority of Matthew 3.2 Harmonization 3.3 Arguments for the canonization of The Four 3.4 Why Four? 3.5 The symbolism of The Four fluctuates among the Fathers Man Lion Ox Eagle Irenaeus Matthew John Luke Mark Augustine Mark Matthew Luke John Jerome Matthew Mark Luke John

27 Jerome's interpretation is the one that stuck and has been used in Christian art throughout history. Matthew s Jesus the teacher of Israel Luke s Jesus The bearer of burdens Mark s Jesus the roaring lion John s Jesus The high flying eagle

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29 Codex Amiatinus 692 CE

30 The Book of Kells (around 800 CE) Folio 27V Beautifully illuminated manuscript that contains the four Gospels in Latin. Written on vellum (calfskin) with insular majuscules.

31 Carolingian miniature c. 820

32 Entrance Arch Relief St Trophime in Arles, 12 th to 15 th Century

33 Four evangelists Bloemaert, 1615

34 The Four Doctors of the Western Church St Augustine, Pope Gregory I, St Jerome and St Ambrose with the symbols of the four Evangelists Pier Francesco Sacchi Dottori della Chiesa ca 1516

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36 1 Gospel and Gospels 2 List of Gospels 3 The early Church and the selection of four 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church Besides the four, other early Gospels were kept in high regard in the early Church and up to the Middle Ages. Most prominent: The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (~ CE): containing information about the child Jesus James Protoevangelion (~150 CE): containing detailed information about events preceding the birth of Jesus: the birth of Mary, Joseph s previous marriage, etc.

37 Excerpt from The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (~ CE) 1:1-5 1 When the boy Jesus was five years old, he was playing at the ford of a rushing stream. And he gathered the disturbed water into pools and made them pure and excellent, commanding them by the character of his word alone and not by means of a deed. 2 Then, taking soft clay from the mud, he formed twelve sparrows. It was the Sabbath when he did these things, and many children were with him. 3 And a certain Jew, seeing the boy Jesus with the other children doing these things, went to his father Joseph and falsely accused the boy Jesus, saying that, on the Sabbath he made clay, which is not lawful, and fashioned twelve sparrows. 4 And Joseph came and rebuked him, saying, Why are you doing these things on the Sabbath? But Jesus, clapping his hands, commanded the birds with a shout in front of everyone and said, Go, take flight, and remember me, living ones. And the sparrows, taking flight, went away squawking. 5 When the Pharisee saw this he was amazed and reported it to all his friends. Illumination from an Ambrosian manuscript

38 Excerpt from The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (~ CE) 8:1-3 1 And again, after many days, Jesus was playing with other children on a certain roof of an upstairs room. And one of the children fell and died. The other children, seeing this, went to their homes. And they left Jesus alone. 2 The parents of the dead child came and accused Jesus saying, You knocked down our child. But Jesus said, I did not knock him down. 3 And while they were raging and shouting, Jesus came down from the roof and stood beside the body and cried out in a loud voice saying, Zeno, Zeno for this was his name rise and say if I knocked you down. And he rose and said, No, Lord. When they saw, they were amazed and the parents of the child praised God for these wonders. Illumination from an Ambrosian manuscript

39 Excerpt from James Protoevangelion (~150 CE) 2.3 And Anna was sore grieved. And she saw a laurel-tree and sat down underneath it and besought the Lord saying: O God of our fathers, bless me, and hearken unto my prayer, as you did bless the womb of Sarah, and gave her a son, even Isaac. 3.1 And looking up to the heaven she espied a nest of sparrows in the laurel-tree, and made a lamentation within herself, saying: Woe unto me even this earth brings forth her fruits in due season and blesses thee, O Lord. 4.1 And behold an angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Anna, Anna, the Lord has hearkened unto your prayer, and you shall conceive and bear, and your seed shall be spoken of in the whole world. Behold Joachim thy husband comes with his flocks: for an angel of the Lord came down unto him saying: Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has hearkened unto thy prayer. Get down hence, for behold your wife Anna hath conceived. 3 And Joachim sat him down and called his herdsmen saying: Bring me ten lambs without blemish and without spot, and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall be for the priests and for the assembly of the elders; and an hundred kids for the whole people. 4 And behold Joachim came with his flocks, and Anna stood at the gate and saw Joachim coming, and ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now know I that the Lord God has greatly blessed me: for behold the widow is no more a widow, and she that was childless shall conceive. And Joachim rested the first day in his house. 5.2 And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said unto the midwife: what have I brought forth And she said: A female. And Anna said: My soul is magnified this day, and she laid herself down. And when the days were fulfilled, Anna purified herself and gave suck to the child and called her name Mary.

40 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered The Gospel acc. to Thomas some scholars argue that it may be the earliest Gospel Excerpt: 12. The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you are going to leave us. Who will be our leader? Jesus said to them, "No matter where you are you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being. 13. Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to something and tell me what I am like. Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a just messenger. Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher. Thomas said to him, "Teacher, my mouth is utterly unable to say what you are like. Jesus said, "I am not your teacher. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring that I have tended." And he took him, and withdrew, and spoke three sayings to him. When Thomas came back to his friends they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?" Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the sayings he spoke to me, you will pick up rocks and stone me, and fire will come from the rocks and devour you. 77. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

41 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered The Gospel acc. to Thomas The Gospel acc. to Judas late 2nd century CE, discovered in the 1970s; Cited by Irenaeus of Lyons; Gnostic influence; Portrays Judas's actions as done in obedience to instructions given by Christ. Excerpt: Truly [I] say to you, Judas, [those who] offer sacrifices to Saklas, the great fool, [... exemplify...] everything that is evil. But you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me. Already your horn has been raised, your wrath has been kindled, your star has shone brightly, and your heart has [been hardened...] When he heard this, Judas said to him, What good is it that I have received it? For you have set me apart for that generation. Jesus answered and said, You will become the thirteenth, and you will be cursed by the other generations and you will come to rule over them. In the last days they will curse your ascent to the holy [generation].

42 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered The Gospel acc. to Thomas The Gospel acc. to Judas The Gospel acc. to Philip a so-called Gnostic Gospels, dating back to around the third century lost but rediscovered in 1945 by accident by an Egyptian peasant it. It had been buried in a cave near Nag Hammadi. There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary. As for the Wisdom who is called 'the barren', she is the mother of the angels. And the companion of [the savior was Mar]y Ma[gda]lene. [Christ loved] M[ary] more than [all] the disci[ples, and used to] kiss her [often] on her [mouth]. The rest of [the disciples were offended by it and expressed disapproval]. They said to him "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Savior answered and said to them, "Why do I not love you like her? When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness.

43 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered The Gospel acc. to Thomas The Gospel acc. to Judas The Gospel acc. to Philip The Gospel acc. to Peter a so-called anti-jewish gospel, practically forgotten in all but name until a fragment was discovered near the end of the 19 th cent. in the tomb of a Christian monk in Egypt. The fragment narrates the events of Jesus passion and resurrection with the principal concern to incriminate Jews for the death of Jesus. Excerpt vv : Early in the morning, as the Sabbath dawned, a crowd came from Jerusalem and the surrounding area to see the sealed crypt. 35 But during the night on which the Lord s day dawned, while the soldiers stood guard two by two on their watch, a great voice came from the sky. 36 They saw the skies open and two men descend from there; they were very bright and drew near to the tomb. 37 The stone cast before the entrance rolled away by itself and moved to one side; the tomb was open and both young men entered. 38 When the soldiers saw these things, they woke up the centurion and the elders for they were also there on guard. 39 As they were explaining what they had seen, they saw three men emerge from the tomb, two of them supporting the other, with a cross following behind them. 40 The heads of the two reached up to the sky, but the head of the one they were leading went up above the skies. 41 And they heard a voice from the skies, Have you preached to those who are asleep? 42 And a reply came from the cross, Yes.

44 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered 4.3 Jewish-Christian Gospels None of these gospels survives today, all we know is from references in the Church Fathers The Gospel of the Hebrews known from quotation by Cyril of Jerusalem, Origen and Jerome. Quotation from Jerome, Of illustrious men, 2. Also the Gospel according to the Hebrews, lately translated by me into Greek and Latin speech, which Origen often uses, tells, after the resurrection of the Savior: 'Now the Lord, when he had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, went to James and appeared to him (for James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour wherein he had drunk the Lord's cup until he should see him risen again from among them that sleep)', and again after a little, 'Bring, says the Lord, a table and bread', and immediately it is added, 'He took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to James the Just and said to him: My brother, eat thy bread, for the Son of Man is risen from among them that sleep'. Note that Jesus gives the linen to the servant of the (high) priest, which may imply that priests were appraised of the resurrection as early as the apostles. Was the servant of the priest Malchus? Also, if the servant was at the grave, this implies that it was being guarded by Jews as well as Roman soldiers (as in the Gospel of Peter).

45 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered 4.3 Jewish-Christian Gospels The Gospel acc. to the Hebrews The Gospel of the Nazoreans more than 30 quotations mainly from Jerome, some from Origen. Quotation from Origen, Commentary on Matthew [on Matthew 19:16-30]): The other of the two rich men said to him: Master, what good thing must I do that I may live? He said to him: Man, fulfill the law and the prophets. He answered him: That have I done. He said to him: Go and sell all that you possess and distribute it among the poor, and then come and follow me. But the rich man then began to scratch his head and it (the saying) pleased him not. And the Lord said to him: How can you say, I have fulfilled the law and the prophets? For it stands written in the law: Love your neighbor as yourself; and behold, many of the brethren, sons of Abraham, are begrimed with dirt and die of hunger - and your house is full of many good things and nothing at all comes forth from it to them! And he turned and said to Simon, his disciple, who was sitting by him: Simon, son of Jonah, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

46 4 Other Gospels 4.1. High Regard in the Church 4.2 Recently discovered 4.3 Jewish-Christian Gospels The Gospel acc. to the Hebrews The Gospel acc. to the Nazoreans The Gospel of the Ebionites known by 7 quotations in Epiphanius Panarion And on this account they say that Jesus was begotten of the seed of a man, and was chosen; and so by the choice of God he was called the Son of God from the Christ that came into him from above in the likeness of a dove. And they deny that he was begotten of God the Father, but say that he was created as one of the archangels, yet greater, and that he is Lord of the angels and of all things made by the Almighty, and that he came and taught, as the Gospel (so called) current among them contains, that, 'I came to destroy the sacrifices, and if ye cease not from sacrificing, the wrath of God will not cease from you'.