Gospel According to the Hebrews
Early Christian writings give only a small, mixed picture of the Gospel according to the Hebrews. Papias is the clearest early witness, and Clement of Alexandria also quotes a saying from it. Irenaeus and Origen connect Matthew with a Hebrew or Jewish audience, but that is not the same as quoting this gospel directly.
98 early-church witnesses · 198 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Gospel According to the Hebrews?
Early Christian writers linked the Gospel according to the Hebrews to Jewish-Christian circles and, in Clement and Papias, preserved a few sayings or stories from it. Papias is the main early witness here, saying Matthew compiled the Lord's sayings in the Hebrew language and mentioning a story of a woman accused before the Lord that was found in the Gospel according to the Hebrews.
Irenaeus and Origen also matter because they place Matthew’s Gospel in Hebrew or among the Hebrews, but that is not the same as giving a full account of the Gospel according to the Hebrews itself. The evidence is real but limited: it gives a small window into how some early Christians remembered a Hebrew or Jewish Gospel, while most other cards are only background about the gospel message or warnings about false gospels.
Because there are only a few direct witnesses and several indirect ones, the picture is mixed rather than strong. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Papias is the main early witness for a story found in the Gospel according to the Hebrews.
- Clement of Alexandria quotes a saying from the Gospel according to the Hebrews.
- Irenaeus and Origen speak about Matthew in Hebrew, but that is indirect evidence.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians say about the Gospel according to the Hebrews?
The clearest evidence comes from Papias and Clement of Alexandria. Papias links a story to the Gospel according to the Hebrews, and Clement preserves a brief saying attributed to that gospel.
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Papias, Fragments Direct teaching
...egarding Matthew, he made the following statements: Matthew compiled the oracles of the Lord in the Hebrew language, and each person interpreted them as best as they could. The same individual uses examples from the First Epistle of John and the Epistle of Peter similarly. He also provides another story of a woman accused of many sins before the Lord, which is found in the Gospel according to the Hebrews.
What saying is preserved from the Gospel to the Hebrews?
Clement of Alexandria quotes a short saying from the Gospel to the Hebrews: “He that wonders shall reign, and he that has reigned shall rest.” This is direct evidence that early Christians knew and cited a non-canonical gospel under that title.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
So also in the Gospel to the Hebrews it is written, He that wonders shall reign, and he that has reigned shall rest.
Did early Christians say Matthew wrote in Hebrew?
Several early writers say Matthew wrote in Hebrew or for Hebrews. Irenaeus says Matthew wrote a Gospel in the Hebrew language, and Origen says it was published to the Hebrews, while Papias says Matthew compiled the Lord's sayings in the Hebrew language.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
...le, all of whom have the Gospel of God equally and individually. Matthew also wrote a Gospel in the Hebrew language while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, wrote down what Peter had preached. Luke, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Later on, John, the disciple of the Lord, who had leaned upon His chest, published a Gospel during his time in Ephesus in Asia.
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Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness
And we will begin with Matthew, who is reported by tradition to have published his Gospel before the others, to the Hebrews, those, namely, of the circumcision who believed.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the Gospel according to Matthew, who was at one time a publican and afterwards an Apostle of Jesus Christ, was written first;
More related quotations from this section 2 shown
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness
For the Ebionites, who use Matthew’s Gospel only, are confuted out of this very same, making false suppositions with regard to the Lord.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
it was either to preach the Gospel to all or to the Hebrews only.
Common Questions
What did early Christians say about the Gospel according to the Hebrews?
They treated it as a Jewish-Christian gospel and quoted a few lines or stories from it, especially in Papias and Clement of Alexandria.
Did early Christians think Matthew wrote in Hebrew?
Yes, several early writers say Matthew wrote in Hebrew or for Hebrews, though that is separate from the Gospel according to the Hebrews itself.
Do we have much of the Gospel according to the Hebrews today?
No. Only a few short quotations and references survive in early Christian writings.
Source Index for the Gospel According to the Hebrews
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 198 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 98
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 100
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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Book 80 1:33
Related Resources
Course Lesson
Episode 001 the Gospel According to Matthew Commentary the Historic Faith 5
Open a related course lesson for more teaching connected with The Gospel According to the Hebrews.