Tag Archives: vegetarians

It is evident that the early Christians abstained from flesh meats, contrary to what modern Christianity would have us believe.

• Nazarenes

Epiphanius says that the Nazarenes “eat no meat”. Hugh Shonfield, in The Passover Plot: The name borne by the earliest followers of Jesus was not Christians: they were called Nazoreans (Nazarenes)…. They were vegetarians and rejected animal sacrifices.“

• Ebionites

Epiphanius of Salamis stated that the Ebionites “…opposed animal sacrifice, denying parts or most of the Law, and practiced religious vegetarianism” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebionites)

• The Apostle Matthew

…was himself a vegetarian, “Accordingly, the apostle Matthew partook of seeds, and nuts, and vegetables, without flesh“. (Clement of Alexandria)

• James, the brother of Jesus — Eusebius, quotes Hegesippus:

After the apostles, James the brother of the Lord surnamed the Just was made head of the Church at Jerusalem. Many indeed are called James. This one was holy from his mother’s womb. He drank neither wine nor strong drink, ate no flesh” (Hegesippus’ account of James from the fifth book of Hegesippus’ lost Commentaries)

• John the Baptist

(his diet) “consisted of wild honey that tasted like manna, like sweet cake cooked in oil.” (In the Gospel of Matthew which they call the Hebrew Gospel.)

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