The Nazarenes, the Desposyni, and the Lost Jewish-Christian Church of Jerusalem

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Introduction

When people think of early Christianity, they often picture Paul’s missionary journeys, the martyrdom of Peter and Paul in Rome, or the dramatic spread of the Gospel across the Greco-Roman world. But what often gets overlooked is that the earliest followers of Jesus were Jewish, and nowhere was this more visible than in the Jerusalem Church, led by those closest to Christ — including His own family.

In this post, we explore the role of the Nazarenes and the Desposyni — two vital groups of Jewish-Christians — in the earliest Church, their leadership in Jerusalem, and how they were ultimately exiled after the Bar Kokhba Revolt, making way for Gentile bishops and a new phase of Church history.

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Who Were the Nazarenes?

The Nazarenes were early Jewish followers of Jesus who:

• Accepted Him as the Messiah, Son of God, and risen Lord

• Continued to observe Torah, circumcision, Sabbath, and dietary laws

• Acknowledged both Old and New Testaments

They were not heretical by early Church standards — unlike the Ebionites, who denied the divinity of Christ and rejected Paul.

St. Epiphanius described them this way:

“They use not only the New Testament but also the Old, as the Jews do... They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion—except for their belief in Christ.”
— Panarion, 29.7

These Jewish-Christians formed the backbone of the original Jerusalem Church, closely connected to the Apostles.

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Who Were the Desposyni?

The Desposyni (from the Greek despotes, "Lord") refers to Jesus’ blood relatives — particularly through His extended family. The term is applied to men like James the Just, called the “brother of the Lord” (Galatians 1:19), who became the first bishop of Jerusalem.

The Desposyni were:

• Of the House of David, fulfilling messianic expectations

• Recognized leaders in the early Church

• Respected by both Jewish and Gentile believers

Eusebius of Caesarea, quoting the early Christian chronicler Hegesippus, wrote:

“After James the Just had suffered martyrdom... Simeon, the son of Clopas, was appointed the next bishop. He was a cousin of the Savior.”
— Ecclesiastical History, 4.22

The Desposyni provided stability, continuity, and a deeply Jewish expression of the Christian faith — one rooted in the Law, the Prophets, and the life of Jesus.

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The First Fifteen Bishops of Jerusalem Were Jewish

Before the Roman exile of Jews from Jerusalem, the Church there was led by fifteen consecutive Jewish-Christian bishops. This list, preserved by Eusebius, includes:

1. James the Just

2. Simeon son of Clopas

3. Justus

4. Zacchaeus
   ... (and 11 others)

Eusebius wrote:

“Up to the siege of the Jews under Hadrian, there were fifteen bishops in succession, all of Hebrew origin, who received the knowledge of Christ in purity.”
— Ecclesiastical History, 4.5

These leaders likely came from or were closely connected to the Nazarenes and Desposyni, upholding Jewish-Christian identity in the Church’s most sacred city.

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Exile After the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 A.D.)

The Bar Kokhba Revolt was a massive Jewish uprising against Rome. After its brutal suppression, Emperor Hadrian took unprecedented measures:

• Renamed Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina

• Built a temple to Jupiter over the Temple Mount

• Erected statues of pagan gods and of himself

• Banned Jews from entering Jerusalem, including Jewish-Christians

This effectively expelled the Nazarenes and Desposyni from their home city.

St. Epiphanius recorded:

“From the time of Hadrian until the reign of Constantine, the succession of bishops in Jerusalem was Gentile, for all the Jews were prohibited from entering the city.”
— Panarion, 29.7

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The Bishopric Passes to Gentiles

With Jewish-Christians exiled, the Church in Jerusalem changed forever:

• Marcus became the first Gentile bishop of Aelia (formerly Jerusalem)

• The bishopric’s name and prestige were downgraded

• It was placed under the authority of the Metropolitan of Caesarea

• The Jerusalem Church lost its Jewish-Christian heritage

Though the Nazarenes and Desposyni likely continued to live and worship in surrounding areas like Pella, their influence on the central Church was diminished.

St. Jerome noted:

“Certain of the Desposyni, relatives of our Lord according to the flesh, survived until the time of Emperor Domitian.”
— On Illustrious Men, 2

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The Legacy of the Nazarenes and Desposyni

The loss of Jewish-Christian leadership in Jerusalem marked a turning point in Church history. Over time, Christianity became increasingly Gentile in expression and leadership, and its Jewish roots faded from memory in many quarters.

Yet the Nazarenes and Desposyni:

• Preserve the bridge between Judaism and Christianity

• Remind us of the Church’s original context and heritage

• Show that belief in Christ was not a betrayal of the Law, but its fulfillment (cf. Matthew 5:17)

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Conclusion

The story of the Nazarenes and Desposyni is more than a footnote. It’s a forgotten chapter of the early Church that challenges us to remember our roots.

The Christian faith was not born in Rome or Athens, but in Jerusalem, nurtured by Jewish believers who followed Jesus as the promised Messiah. Their leadership, sacrifice, and exile laid the foundation for the worldwide Church, even if their names are too often forgotten.

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📚 Sources & References

• Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Books 4 and 5

• St. Epiphanius, Panarion, 29

• St. Jerome, On Illustrious Men, 2

• Robert Wilken, The Land Called Holy

• Joan E. Taylor, Christians and the Holy Places

• W.H.C. Frend, The Rise of Christianity

• Galatians 1:19, Acts 15, Matthew 5:17

• Epiphanius, Panarion

• Hegesippus (as quoted in Eusebius)

Timeline: The Transformation of the Jerusalem Church (30 AD – 451 AD)

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c. 30-33 AD
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem. The early Christian movement begins among Jewish followers of Jesus.

c. 33 AD
James the Just, relative of Jesus, becomes the first Bishop of Jerusalem (Galatians 1:19).

33–100 AD
The Church in Jerusalem remains predominantly Jewish-Christian (Nazarenes and Desposyni). Leadership continues in the hands of Jesus' relatives and Jewish converts.

70 AD
Destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. Many Christians flee Jerusalem to Pella in the Decapolis, preserving their faith and community.

c. 70–135 AD
Jerusalem Christians slowly return. Church led by a succession of 15 Jewish-Christian bishops, maintaining Jewish customs while proclaiming Christ.

132–135 AD
Bar Kokhba Revolt. Emperor Hadrian crushes the rebellion, bans all Jews from Jerusalem, and turns the city into a pagan colony: Aelia Capitolina.

135 AD
Hadrian builds a temple to Jupiter on the Temple Mount and places statues of pagan gods and possibly himself. Nazarenes and Desposyni are exiled with other Jews.

135–180 AD
Gentile bishops now lead the Church in Jerusalem (Aelia). Marcus becomes the first non-Jewish bishop.

313 AD
Edict of Milan. Christianity is legalized under Constantine the Great.

326–335 AD
St. Helena, Constantine's mother, visits the Holy Land. Constantine orders the destruction of pagan shrines and the construction of Christian churches, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

325 AD
Council of Nicaea grants the Bishop of Aelia special honor but keeps him under Caesarea.

451 AD
Council of Chalcedon restores the prestige of Jerusalem, elevating the Bishop to Patriarch of Jerusalem and restoring the city’s Christian identity fully.