Nazarene Jewish Christianity
Overview
Nazarene Jewish Christianity is a comprehensive study of the heirs of the earliest Jerusalem church, their history and doctrines, their relations with both synagogue and the growing Gentile church. The author analyzes all sources, Jewish, Christian, and pagan, which can throw light on the sect and its ultimate mysterious disappearance. He also deals with the Birkat haMinim and historicity of the flight to Pella.
Top Highlights
“Suffice it to say at this point that Justin, around the beginning of the second half of the second century, recognizes two kinds of Christians of the Jewish race whom he differentiates on christological grounds. One group, whom Justin condemns, holds doctrines which line up well with what is known to us of Ebionite teaching. The other group differs from Justin’s orthodoxy only in its continued adherence to Mosaic Law.” (Page 21)
“Now if it is true that Nazarenes is an earlier name than Christians, as we are told by several Church fathers,12 we must assume that the two pre-‘Christian’ names were in use simultaneously, if Epiphanius is correct. The Greek name, Christian, was first applied in Antioch, probably the earliest mission to non-Jews, and it is well known that ‘Christian’ was originally used by non-Christians to designate believers among the Gentiles, while ‘Nazarenes’ was already used in Palestine to describe Jewish adherents to the new messianic sect.” (Page 13)
“If the more orthodox Jewish Christians (who can only be faulted for keeping the Law) are Nazarenes,10 then we have an early misuse of the name Ebionite to include all Jewish Christian Law-keepers.” (Page 21)
“Justin goes on to indicate that for him the test is whether they believe in the Christ or not, and not whether or not they keep the Law.” (Page 20)
“A further look at how he adapts the notice of Eusebius will be useful when we come to the main problem below. In 5,2 Epiphanius relates that Philo ‘was helped in the monasteries of the region.’ Now as a matter of fact Philo does speak of (monastēria),30 but they are small rooms in the individual houses. Eusebius quotes Philo on this without falling into the anachronism (17,9). But Epiphanius, again probably conflating the general tenor of his source with his recollection that the word monastēria is used, develops for the Iessaioi a system of monastēria. Not surprising, perhaps, for an old abbot.” (Page 40)
- Title: Nazarene Jewish Christianity
- Author: Ray Pritz
- Publisher: Magnes Press
- Publication Date: 1992
- Pages: 160
Reviews
2 ratings
Barnabas
1/29/2020
4.5 Stars I have read large chunks of this book outside of Logos. It's a good book, and because I've not read it all, you can take what I will say with a grain of salt, but I have some minor criticism. He makes good arguments, but given the rather extreme nature of some critical scholarship, I suspect books like this would simply be dismissed for giving too much credence to church fathers' writings on Jewish-Christians. The thing is, they are confusing, and even some of them remark they may not have a full understanding of the people they are talking about. Ultimately patristic evidence REQUIRES interpretation which is well founded. Continental writers, many, but not all Jewish writers, would simply dismiss the book entirely. I really do not know what the answer is to scholars who approach Jewish Christianity with essentially polemical preconceptions. This isn't a strong criticism of Pritz' book. I'm just saying it's not a revolutionary work. it is definitely helpful though, and I do recommend it.
David Roberts
9/17/2013
