patristic testimonies reconsidered Atthesametime,despitetheirarrogancetowardsthePentateuchal
stories, the Ebionites seem to have been more outspoken regarding
some indicators of Judaism than the community whereRec. .– was
produced. According to Epiphanius, for example, the Ebionites did not
want to touch the gentiles under any circumstances. In addition, the
Ebionites called their meeting places “synagogues” and their leaders had
the same titles as among other Jews. They also observed the Sabbath
and practiced circumcision. These practices are not explicitly attested in
Rec. .–, but it seem likely that circumcision was practiced in the
community of theBasic Writing.^26 These features also indicate thatRec.
.–, in its present form as part of theRecognitions,doesnottotally
cohere with the views of Epiphanius’ Ebionites.^27
Despitethedifference,thereissuchfundamentalagreementamong
the Pseudo-Clementine sources (especiallyRec. .–), theGospel of
the Ebionites, and Epiphanius’ description of the Ebionites, that there has
to be a connection. The idea that Jesus came to abolish the sacrifices
and the temple was destroyed because people were reluctant to cease
sacrificing is unique within the early Christian tradition, making its
appearance in bothRec. .– and theGospel of the Ebionitesan
unlikely coincidence.^28 Epiphanius’ Ebionites andRec. .– also share
marked anti-Paulinism.
Possibly Ebionite Information II: The Book of Elchasai and Elchasaite
Missionaries
Epiphanius’ description of the Ebionites’ beliefs has similarities with the
Book of Elchasaiandthereisonepointwherehebringsforthclear
evidence for the Ebionites’ actual use of the book:
(^26) Circumcision is not clearly documented in the parallel passages ofRec.andHom.
However, in theAdjuration,anintroductorylettertotheHomilies, it is stated that only
the circumcised are qualified to receive Peter’s sermons, and inRec. .., circumcision
is depicted in a positive light. On the basis of these references, it can be assumed that
circumcision was practiced in the community of theBasic Writing(Jones , ).
(^27) As we have seen above, there are grounds for assuming that the version ofRec. .–
(or/and theBasic Writing) that was used by Epiphanius’ Ebionites was even more
critical of temple worship and the prophets than the version that is now available as
part ofRecognitions. My hypothesis is that Epiphanius’ Ebionites had available a version
of theBasic Writingof thePseudo-Clementines, which Epiphanius called theCircuits
of Peter, and a separate, earlier and more critical version ofRec. .–, entitled the
Ascents of James. When theAscentswas incorporated into theBasic Writing(or into the
Recognitions), it was partly rewritten to better comply with a more positive evaluation of
the Prophets and the Mosaic law.
(^28) Bauckham , .