The Lost Gospel and the Resurrection:
A Nazarene Reflection for Passover
By
James Scott Trimm
As we approach Passover, a season rich with meaning and renewal, we as Nazarenes reflect not only on the Exodus from Egypt, but on the greater redemption brought by Messiah. In 1 Corinthians 15, we find one of the earliest summaries of that Good News:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you… that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve… After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.” (1 Cor. 15:1-7 KJV)
This brief but powerful summary is packed with early tradition. David Stern, in his Jewish New Testament Commentary, makes a fascinating observation on verse 7:
“The appearance to Ya’akov (James) … is not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament but is reported in one of the apocryphal books, the Gospel according to the Hebrews.”
This mention leads us to one of the most intriguing lost texts of early Nazarene tradition: The Gospel According to the Hebrews.
A Nazarene Gospel Lost to Time
This ancient gospel—no longer extant—was once cherished by the earliest followers of Yeshua, particularly the Nazarenes and Ebionites. The Third-Century historian Eusebius wrote:
“And among them [doubted books] some have placed the Gospel according to the Hebrews which is the especial delight of those of the Hebrews who have accepted Messiah.” (Ecclesiastical History 3.25.5)
Epiphanius refers to it as “their gospel,” meaning the Ebionites (Pan. 30:16:4-5), and Jerome tells us it was in use among both Nazarenes and Ebionites alike:
“The Gospel which the Nazarenes and Ebionites use…” (Commentary on Matthew 12:13)
Although the gospel itself is lost, over 50 quotations from it survive in the writings of early Church Fathers. These fragments offer glimpses into an authentic stream of early Jewish belief in Yeshua.
The 20th-century scholar Hugh Schonfield was deeply impressed by this text’s historical weight:
“Judged by ancient testimony alone it is indisputable that Hebrews has the best right of any Gospel to be considered a genuine apostolic production…” (According to the Hebrews, pp. 13–18)
Schonfield even suggests that the canonical Synoptic Gospels may have drawn from this now-lost gospel, rather than the other way around.
Ya’akov HaTzadik and the First Resurrection Appearance
Of particular relevance to us as Nazarenes is the Gospel according to the Hebrews’ unique account of Yeshua’s appearance to Ya’akov (James). Jerome, writing in the fourth century, preserves this striking scene:
“Now the Lord, when he had given the cloth to the servant of the priest, went to Ya’akov and appeared to him. (For James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour in which he had drunk the Lord’s cup until he should see him risen from among them that sleep). A little further on the Lord says, ‘Bring a table and bread.’ And immediately it is added, ‘He took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to Ya’akov HaTzadik and said to him, “My brother, eat your bread, for the Son of Man is risen from among them that sleep.”’” (Jerome, On Illustrious Men, 2)
Here we have a profound echo of 1 Corinthians 15:7. This appearance to Ya’akov is not just an added detail—it reflects a deep connection between Passover, the Last Seder, and the earliest faith of the Nazarene community.
A Nazarene Reflection for Today
For modern Nazarenes, this account offers a moving meditation for Passover. It reminds us that the resurrection was not merely a cosmic event—it was personal, relational, and rooted in covenant. Yeshua appears to Ya’akov—his brother in the flesh and spirit—and shares a sacred meal, fulfilling the promise of redemption.
In our own Seder celebrations, as we break the matzah and recall the cup, let us also remember this hidden witness. Let us reflect on the ancient faith of our forebears who walked with Yeshua, and preserved a gospel that affirmed his resurrection not in abstraction, but in intimate, Jewish context.
May we, like Ya’akov HaTzadik, hunger for the truth of the Risen One, and may that hunger be satisfied this Passover with the bread of new life.
Partner with Us: Restore the Path, Rekindle the Light
Nazarene Judaism is rising again—not as a relic of the past, but as a living, breathing expression of faith that honors both Torah and Messiah. Our mission is to:
Rebuild the ancient halachic path of the early Nazarenes
Teach and publish works that illuminate the Jewish roots of the Besorah (Gospel)
Gather scattered seekers into community rooted in mitzvot and Messiah
Preserve sacred traditions while walking boldly into the future
We cannot do this alone. Just as the Temple was not built by one set of hands, the restoration of Nazarene Judaism needs a faithful remnant to rise and give.
If this vision speaks to your heart… if you believe it’s time for the true light of Yeshua within Torah to shine again… then we invite you to give.
Your offering—whether large or small—is a spark that helps rekindle the fire.
Let us join hands as builders, torchbearers, and restorers of the ancient path.
Donate today. Walk with us. Restore the Light.
