IRENAEUS'
REFERENCE TO THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW IN 200 A.D: WAS IT REALLY TO THE GOSPEL
OF THE HEBREWS?
Guess what? The
Gospel of Matthew was not the Gospel of Matthew we have today!
While there is no trace of our Four Gospels previous to the year 150
A.D., and while we do not know who it was after that time that wrote or
compiled them, or exactly when they did it, the testimony of the early
Fathers as to one of them may throw some light on the subject. Long before
our Gospel of Matthew was known, Papias spoke of the "Gospel
According to the Hebrews," and said that it contained a history of a
woman accused of many sins before the Lord (Euseb., Eccl. Hist.,
iii. 39). Coming down later in time we find that both Eusebius and
Irenaeus agree in saying that the
Ebionites
used only one Gospel; but Eusebius said it was called the "Gospel
According To The Hebrews" (Eccl. Hist., iii. 27), while
Irenaeus said it was the "Gospel According to Matthew" (Adv.
Her., i 26). Moreover,
both Epiphanius (403 A.D.) and Jerome (420 A.D.) say that the "Gospel
according to the Hebrews" and the "Gospel according to Matthew"
were the same book under different names. As the "Gospel
according to the Hebrews" was in existence and in use first, the
deduction is quote plain that some one subsequently forged Matthew's name
to it. So you should understand that when you read that the Ebionites used
only one Gospel and one Gospel only, and read that it was called "The
Gospel of Matthew" then it in reality does not mean the Gospel of
Matthew that we are familiar today, but the
"Gospel of the
Hebrews."
- Bet Emet
Ministries
- Craig M. Lyons
Ms.D., D.D., M.Div.
- 902 Cardigan
- Garland, Texas
75040
- 972-4964238
Bennoah1@verizon.net
