THE CHURCH HISTORY OF EUSEBIUS, BOOKS III & IV
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I.
The Parts of the World in which the Apostles preached Christ.
- Such was the condition of the Jews. Meanwhile the holy apostles and
disciples of our Saviour were dispersed throughout the world.[1] Parthia,[2] according
to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labor, Scythia[3] to
Andrew,[4] and Asia[5] to John,[6] who, after he had lived some time there,[7] died
at Ephesus. Peter appears to have preached 6 in 2 Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia,
Cappadocia, and Asia[9] to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come
to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards;[10] for he had requested that he might
suffer in this way. What do we need to say concerning Paul, who preached the
Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum,[11] and afterwards suffered
martyrdom in Rome under Nero?[12] These facts are related by Origen in the third
volume of his Commentary on Genesis.[13]
CHAPTER II.
The First Ruler of the Church of Rome.
After the martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus[1] was the first to obtain
the episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to
Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle.[2]
CHAPTER III.
The Epistles of the Apostles.
One epistle of Peter, that called the first, is acknowledged as
genuine.[1] And this the ancient elders[2] used freely in their own writings as an
undisputed work.[3] But we have learned that his extant second Epistle does not
belong to the canon;[4] yet, as it has appeared profitable to many, it has been used
with the other Scriptures.[5] The so-called Acts 2 of Peter,[6] however, and
the Gospel[7] which bears his name, and the Preaching[8] and the Apocalypse,[9]
as they are called, we know have not been universally accepted,[10] because no
ecclesiastical writer, ancient or modern, has made use of testimonies drawn
from them.[11]
3 But in the course of my history I shall be careful to show, in addition
to the official succession, what ecclesiastical writers have from time to time
made use of any of the disputed works,[12] and what they have said in regard to
the canonical and accepted writings,[13] as well as in regard to those which
are not of this class. Such are the writings that bear the name of Peter, only
one of which I know to be genuine[14] and acknowledged by the ancient elders.[15]
5 Paul's fourteen epistles are well known and undisputed.[16] It is not
indeed right to overlook the fact that some have rejected the Epistle to the
Hebrews,[17] saying that it is disputed[18] by the church of Rome, on the ground that
it was not written by Paul. But what has been said concerning this epistle by
those who lived before our time I shall quote in the proper place.[19] In regard
to the so-called Acts of Paul,[20] I have not found them among the undisputed
writings.[21]
6 But as the same apostle, in the salutations at the end of the Epistle to
the Romans,[22] has made mention among others of Hermas, to whom the book
called The Shepherd[23] is ascribed, it should be observed that this too has been
disputed by some, and on their account cannot be placed among the acknowledged
books; while by others it is considered quite indispensable, especially to those
who need instruction in the elements of the faith. Hence, as we know, it has
been publicly read in churches, and I have found that some of the most ancient
writers used it. This will serve to show the divine writings that are undisputed
as well as those that are not universally acknowledged.
CHAPTER IV.
The First Successors of the Apostles.
- THAT Paul preached to the Gentiles and laid the foundations of the churches
"from Jerusalem round about even unto Illyricum," is evident both from his own
words,[1] and from theaccount which Luke has given in the Acts.[2]
- And in how many provinces Peter preached Christ and taught the doctrine of
the new covenant to those of the circumcision is clear from his own words in
his epistle already mentioned as undisputed,[3] in which he writes to the
Hebrews of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.[4] But
the number and the names of those among them that became true and zealous
followers of the apostles, and were judged worthy to tend the churches rounded by
them, it is not easy to tell, except those mentioned in the writings of Paul. For
he had innumerable fellow-laborers, or "fellow-soldiers," as he called
them,[5] and most of them were honored by him with an imperishable memorial, for he
gave enduring testimony 5 concerning them in his own epistles. Luke also in the
Acts speaks of his friends, and mentions them by name.[6]
6 Timothy, so it is recorded, was the first to receive the episcopate of
the parish in Ephesus,[7] Titus of the churches in Crete.[8] But Luke,[9] who was
of Antiochian parentage and a physician by 7 profession,[10] and who was
especially intimate with Paul and well acquainted with the rest of the apostles,[11]
has left us, in two inspired books, proofs of that spiritual healing art which
he learned from them. One of these books is the Gospel,[12] which he
testifies that he wrote as those who were from the beginning eye witnesses and
ministers of the word delivered unto him, all of whom, as he says, he followed
accurately from the first.[13] The other book is the Acts of the Apostles[14] which he
composed not from the accounts of others, but from what he had seen himself.
And they say that Paul meant to refer to Luke's Gospel wherever, as if speaking
of some gospel of his own, he used the words, "according to my Gospel."[15] As
to the rest of his followers, Paul testifies that Crescens was sent to Gaul;[16]
but Linus, whom he mentions in the Second Epistle to Timothy[17] as his
companion at Rome, was Peter's successor in the episcopate of the church there, as
has already been shown.[18] Clement also, who was ap 10 pointed third bishop of
the church at Rome, was, as Paul testifies, his co-laborer and
fellow-soldier.[19] Besides these, that Areopa 11 gite, named Dionysius, who was the first to
believe after Paul's address to the Athenians in the Areopagus (as recorded by
Luke in the Acts)[20] is mentioned by another Dionysius, an ancient writer and
pastor of the parish in Corinth,[21] as the first bishop of the church at 12.
Athens. But the events connected with the apostolic succession we shall relate at
the proper time. Meanwhile let us continue the course of our history.
CHAPTER V.
The Last Siege of the Jews after Christ.
AFTER Nero had held the power thirteen years,[1] and Galba and Otho had
ruled a year and six months,[2] Vespasian, who had become distinguished in the
campaigns against the Jews, was proclaimed sovereign in Judea and received the
title of Emperor from the armies there.[3] Setting out immediately, therefore,
for Rome, he entrusted the conduct of the war 2. against the Jews to his son
Titus.[4] For the Jews after the ascension of our Saviour, in addition to their
crime against him, had been devising as many plots as they could against his
apostles. First Stephen was stoned to death by them,[5] and after him James, the
son of Zebedee and the brother of John, was beheaded,[6] and finally James,
the first that had obtained the episcopal seat in Jerusalem after the ascension
of our Saviour, died in the manner already described.[7] But the rest of the
apostles, who had been incessantly plotted against with a view to their
destruction, and had been driven out of the land of Judea, went unto all nations to
preach the Gospel,[8] relying upon the power of Christ, who had said to them, "Go ye
and make disciples of all the nations in my name."[9]
But the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a
revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to
dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella.[10] And when those that believed
in Christ had come thither from Jerusalem, then, as if the royal city of the
Jews and the whole land of Judea were entirely destitute of holy men, the
judgment of God at length overtook those who had committed such outrages against
Christ and his apostles, and totally destroyed that generation of impious men. But
the number of calamities which every 4 where fell upon the nation at that time;
the extreme misfortunes to which the inhabitants of Judea were especially
subjected, the thousands of men, as well as women and children, that perished by the
sword, by famine, and by other forms of death innumerable,--all these things,
as well as the many great sieges which were carried on against the cities of
Judea, and the excessive. sufferings endured by those that fled to Jerusalem
itself, as to a city of perfect safety, and finally the general course of the whole
war, as well as its particular occurrences in detail, and how at last the
abomination of desolation, proclaimed by the prophets,[11] stood in the very temple
of God, so celebrated of old, the temple which was now awaiting its total and
final destruction by fire,-- all these things any one that wishes may find
accurately described in the history written by Josephus.[12]
But it is necessary to state that this writer 5 records that the multitude
of those who were assembled from all Judea at the time of the Passover, to the
number of three million souls,[13] were shut up in Jerusalem "as in a prison,"
to use his own words. For it was right 6 that in the very days in which they
had inflicted suffering upon the Saviour and the Benefactor of all, the Christ
of God, that in those days, shut up "as in a prison," they should meet with
destruction at the hands of divine justice.
But passing by the particular calamities 7 which they suffered from the
attempts made upon them by the sword and by other means, I think it necessary to
relate only the misfortunes which the famine caused, that those who read this
work may have some means of knowing that God was not long in executing
vengeance upon them for their wickedness against the Christ of God.
CHAPTER VI.
The Famine which oppressed them.
TAKING the fifth book of the History of Josephus again in our hands, let
us go through the tragedy of events which then occurred.[1] "For the wealthy,"
he says, "it was equally dangerous to remain. For under pretense that they were
going to desert men were put to death for their wealth. The madness of the
seditions increased with the famine and both the miseries were inflamed more and
more day by day. Nowhere was food to be seen; but, bursting into the houses men
searched them thoroughly, and whenever they found anything to eat they tormented
the owners on the ground that they had denied that they had anything; but if
they found nothing, they tortured them on the ground that they 4 had more
carefully concealed it. The proof of their having or not having food was found in
the bodies of the poor wretches. Those of them who were still in good condition
they assumed were well supplied with food, while those who were already wasted
away they passed by, for it seemed absurd to slay those who were 5 on the
point of perishing for want. Many, indeed, secretly sold their possessions for one
measure of wheat, if they belonged to the wealthier class, of barley if they
were poorer. Then shutting themselves up in the innermost parts of their houses,
some ate the grain uncooked on account of their terrible want, while others
baked it according as necessity and 6 fear dictated. Nowhere were tables set,
but, snatching the yet uncooked food from the fire, they tore it in pieces.
Wretched was the fare, and a lamentable spectacle it was to see the more powerful
secure an abundance while the 7 weaker mourned. Of all evils, indeed, famine is
the worst, and it destroys nothing so effectively as shame. For that which
under other circumstances is worthy of respect, in the midst of famine is
despised. Thus women snatched the food from the very mouths of their husbands and
children, from their fathers, and what was most pitiable of all, mothers from their
babes, And while their dearest ones were wasting away in their arms, they Were
not ashamed to take away froth them the last 8 drops that supported life.
And even while they were eating thus they did not remain undiscovered. But
everywhere the rioters appeared, to rob them even of these portions of food. For
whenever they saw a house shut up, they regarded it as a sign that those inside
were taking food. And immediately bursting open the doors they rushed in and
seized what they were eating, almost forcing it out of their very throats. Old men
who clung to their 9 food were beaten, and if the women concealed it in their
hands, their hair was torn for so doing. There was pity neither for gray hairs
nor for infants, but, taking up the babes that clung to their morsels of food,
they dashed them to the ground. But to those that anticipated their entrance
and swallowed what they were about to seize, they were still more cruel, just as
if they had been wronged by them. And 10 they, devised the most terrible
modes of torture to discover food, stopping up the privy passages of the poor
wretches with bitter herbs, and piercing their seats with sharp rods. And men
suffered things horrible even to hear of, for the sake of compelling them to confess
to the possession of one loaf of bread, or in order that they might be made to
disclose a single drachm of barley which they had concealed. But the tormentors
themselves did not suffer hunger. Their conduct might indeed have seemed less
barbarous if they had been driven to it by necessity; but they did it for the
sake of exercising their madness and of providing sustenance for themselves for
days to come. And when any one crept out of the 12 city by night as far as
the outposts of the Romans to collect wild herbs and grass, they went to meet
him; and when he thought he had already escaped the enemy, they seized what he had
brought with him, and even though oftentimes the man would entreat them, and,
calling upon the most awful name of God, adjure them to give him a portion of
what he had obtained at the risk of his life, they would give him nothing back.
Indeed, it was fortunate if the one that was plundered was not also slain."
To this account Josephus, after relating other things, adds the
following:[2] "The 13 possibility of going out of the city being brought to an end,[3]
all hope of safety for the Jews was cut off. And the famine increased and
devoured the people by houses and families. And the rooms were filled with dead
women and children, the lanes of the city with the corpses of old men. Children and
youths, 14 swollen with the famine, wandered about the market-places like
shadows, and fell down wherever the death agony overtook them. The sick were not
strong enough to bury even their own relatives, and those who had the strength
hesitated because of the multitude of the dead and the uncertainty as to their
own fate. Many, indeed, died while they were burying others, and many betook
themselves to their graves 15 before death came upon them. There was neither
weeping nor lamentation under these misfortunes; but the famine stifled the
natural affections. Those that were dying a lingering death looked with dry eyes upon
those that had gone to their rest before them. Deep silence and death-laden
night encircled the city.
16 But the robbers were more terrible than these miseries; for they broke
open the houses, which were now mere sepulchres, robbed the dead and stripped
the covering from their bodies, and went away with a laugh. They tried the points
of their swords in the dead bodies, and some that were lying on the ground
still alive they thrust through in order to test their weapons. But those that
prayed that they would use their right hand and their sword upon them, they
contemptuously left to be destroyed by the famine. Every one of these died with eyes
fixed upon the temple; and they left the seditious
17 alive. These at first gave orders that the dead should be buried out of
the public treasury, for they could not endure the stench. But afterward, when
they were not able to do this, they threw the bodies from the walls 18 into
the trenches. And as Titus went around and saw the trenches filled with the
dead, and the thick blood oozing out of the putrid bodies, he groaned aloud, and,
raising his hands, called God to witness that this was 19 not his doing."
After speaking of some other things, Josephus proceeds as follows:[4] "I cannot
hesitate to declare what my feelings compel me to. I suppose, if the Romans had
longer delayed in coming against these guilty wretches, the city would have been
swallowed up by a chasm, or overwhelmed with a flood, or struck with such
thunderbolts as destroyed Sodom. For it had brought forth a generation of men much
more godless than were those that suffered such punishment. By their madness
indeed was the whole people brought to destruction."
20 And in the sixth book he writes as follows:[5] "Of those that perished
by famine in the city the number was countless, and the miseries they underwent
unspeakable. For if so much as the shadow of food appeared in any house, there
was war, and the dearest friends engaged in hand-to-hand conflict with one
another, and snatched from each other the most wretched supports of life. Nor would
they believe 21 that even the dying were without food; but the robbers would
search them while they were expiring, lest any one should feign death while
concealing food in his bosom. With mouths gaping for want of food, they stumbled
and staggered along like mad dogs, and beat the doors as if they were drunk, and
in their impotence they would rush into the same houses twice or thrice in one
hour. Necessity compelled them to eat anything 22 they could find, and they
gathered and devoured things that were not fit even for the filthiest of
irrational beasts. Finally they did not abstain even from their girdles and shoes, and
they stripped the hides off their shields and devoured them. Some used even
wisps of old hay for food, and others gathered stubble and sold the smallest
weight of it for four Attic drachm'.[6]
"But why should I speak of the shamelessness which was displayed during
the famine toward inanimate things? For I am going to relate a fact such as is
recorded neither by Greeks nor Barbarians; horrible to relate, incredible to
hear. And indeed I should gladly have omitted this calamity, that I might not seem
to posterity to be a teller of fabulous tales, if I had not innumerable
witnesses to it in my own age. And besides, I should render my country poor service if
I suppressed the account of the sufferings which she endured.
"There was a certain woman named Mary that dwelt beyond Jordan, whose
father was Eleazer, of the village of Bathezor[7] (which signifies the house of
hyssop). She was distinguished for her family and her wealth, and had fled with
the rest of the multitude to Jerusalem and was shut up there with them during the
siege. The tyrants had robbed her of the 25 rest of the property which she
had brought with her into the city from Perea. And the remnants of her
possessions and whatever food was to be seen the guards rushed in daily and snatched
away from her. This made the woman terribly angry, and by her frequent reproaches
and imprecations she aroused the anger of the rapacious villains against
herself. But no one either through anger or pity would slay her; and she grew weary
of finding food for others to eat. The search, too, was already become
everywhere difficult, and the famine was piercing her bowels and marrow, and resentment
was raging more violently than famine. Taking, therefore, anger and necessity
as her counsellors, she proceeded to do a most unnatural thing. Seizing her
child, a boy which was sucking at her breast, she said, Oh, wretched child, m war,
in famine, in sedition, for what do I preserve thee? Slaves among the Romans we
shall be even if we are allowed to live by them. But even slavery is
anticipated by the famine, and the rioters are more cruel than both. Come, be food for
me, a fury for these rioters, (8) and a bye-word to the world, for this is all
that is wanting to complete the calamities of the Jews. And when she had said
this she slew her son; 98 and having roasted him, she ate one half herself, and
covering up the remainder, she kept it. Very soon the rioters appeared on the
scene, and, smelling the nefarious odor, they threatened to slay her 'immediately
unless she should show them what she had prepared. She replied that she had
saved an excellent portion for them, and with that she uncovered the 99 remains
of the child. They were immediately seized with horror and amazement and stood
transfixed at the sight. But she said This is my own son, and the deed is mine.
Eat for I too have eaten. Be not more merciful than a woman, nor more
compassionate than a mother. But if you are too pious and shrinkfrom my sacrifice, I
have already (9) eaten of 80 it; let the rest also remain for me. At these words
the men went out trembling, in this one case being affrighted; yet with
difficulty did they yield that food to the mother. Forthwith the whole city was filled
with the awful crime, and as all pictured the terrible deed before their own
eyes, they trembled as if they 81 had done it themselves. Those that were
suffering from the famine now longed for death; and blessed were they that had died
before hearing and seeing miseries like these."
32 Such was the reward which the Jews received for their wickedness and
impiety, against the Christ of God.
CHAPTER VII.
The Predictions of Christ.
- It is fitting to add to these accounts the true prediction of our Saviour
in which he 2foretold these very events. His words are as follows: (1) "Woe unto
them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray
ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day; For there
shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to
this time, no, nor ever shall be." The historian, reckoning the whole number
(3) of the slain, says that eleven hundred thousand persons perished by famine
and sword, (2) and that the rest of the rioters and robbers, being betrayed by
each other after the taking of the city, were slain. (3) But the tallest of the
youths and those that were distinguished for beauty were preserved for the
triumph. Of the rest of the multitude, those that were over seventeen years of age
were sent as prisoners to labor in the works of Egypt, (4) while still more
were scattered through the provinces to meet their death in the theaters by the
sword and by beasts. Those under seventeen years of age were carried away to be
sold as slaves, and of these alone the number reached ninety thousand. (5)
These things 4 took place in this manner in the second year of the reign of
Vespasian, (6) in accordance with the prophecies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who by divine power saw them beforehand as if they were already present, and
wept and mourned according to the statement of the holy evangelists, who give
the very words which be uttered, when, as if addressing Jerusalem herself, he
said: (7) "If thou hadst 5 known, even thou, in this day, the things which belong
unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come
upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a rampart about thee, and compass thee
round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee and thy children even
with the ground." And 6 then, as if speaking concerning the people, he says,
(8) "For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive
into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the
times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." And again: (9) "When ye shall see Jerusalem
compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." 7 If
any one compares the words of our Saviour with the other accounts of the
historian concerning the whole war, how can one fail to wonder, and to admit that the
foreknowledge and the prophecy of our Saviour were 8 truly divine and
marvellously strange. (10) Concerning those calamities, then, that befell the whole
Jewish nation after the Saviour's passion and after the words which the multitude
of the Jews uttered, when they begged the release of the robber and murderer,
but besought that the Prince of Life should be taken from their midst, (11) it is
not necessary to add anything to the 9 account of the historian. But it may be
proper to mention also those events which exhibited the graciousness of that
all-good Providence which held back their destruction full forty years after
their crime against Christ,--during which time many of the apostles and disciples,
and James himself the first bishop there, the one who is called the brother of
the Lord, were still alive, and dwelling in Jerusalem itself, remained the
surest bulwark of the place. Divine Providence thus still proved itself
long-suffering toward them in order to see whether by repentance for what they had done
they might obtain pardon and salvation; and in addition to such long-suffering,
Providence also furnished wonderful signs of the things which were about to
happen to them if they did not repent. 10 Since these matters have been thought
worthy of mention by the historian already cited, we cannot do better than to
recount them for the benefit of the readers of this work.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Signs which preceded the War.
- Taking, then, the work of this author, read what he records in the sixth
book of his History. His words are as follows: (1) "Thus were the miserable
people won over at this time by the impostors and false prophets; (2) but they did
not heed nor give credit to the visions and signs that foretold the approaching
desolation. On the contrary, as if struck by lightning, and as if possessing
neither eyes nor understanding, they slighted the proclamations of God. At one
time a star, in form like a sword, stood over the city, and a comet, which
lasted for a whole year; and again before the revolt and before the disturbances
that led to the war, when the people were gathered for the feast of unleavened
bread, on the eighth of the month Xanthicus, (3) at the ninth hour of the night,
so great a light shone about the altar and the temple that it seemed to be
bright day; and this continued for half an hour. This seemed to the unskillful a
good sign, but was interpreted by the sacred scribes as portending those events
which very soon took place. And at the same feast a cow, led 3 by the high priest
to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple. And the
eastern gate of the inner temple, 4 which was of bronze and very massive, and
which at evening was closed with difficulty by twenty men, and rested upon
iron-bound beams, and had bars sunk deep in the ground, was seen at the sixth hour of
the night to open of itself. And not many days after the feast, 5 on the
twenty-first of the month Artemisium, (4) a certain marvelous vision was seen which
passes belief. The prodigy might seem fabulous were it not related by those who
saw it, and were not the calamities which followed deserving of such signs. For
before the setting of the sun chariots and armed troops were seen throughout
the whole region in mid-air, wheeling through the clouds and encircling the
cities. And at the feast which is called Pentecost, 6 when the priests entered the
temple at night, as was their custom, to perform the services, they said that
at first they perceived a movement and a noise, and afterward a voice as of a
great multitude, saying, 'Let us go hence.' (5) But what follows is still more 7
terrible; for a certain Jesus, the son of Ananias, a common countryman, four
years before the war, (6) when the city was particularly prosperous and
peaceful, came to the feast, at which it was customary for all to make tents at the
temple to the honor of God, (7) and suddenly began to cry out: 'A voice from the
east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against
Jerusalem and the temple, a voice against bridegrooms and brides, a voice against all
the people.' Day and night he went 8 through all the alleys crying thus. But
certain of the more distinguished citizens, vexed at the ominous cry, seized the
man and beat him with many stripes. But without uttering a word in his own
behalf, or saying anything in particular to those that were present, he continued
to cry out in the same words as before. And the rulers, thinking, as was true,
that the man was moved by a higher power, brought him before the Roman
governor. (8) And then, though he was scourged to the bone, he neither made
supplication nor shed tears, but, changing his voice to the most lamentable tone possible,
he answered each stroke with the words, 'Woe, woe unto Jerusalem.'" 10 The
same historian records another fact still more wonderful than this. He says (9)
that a certain oracle was found in their sacred writings which declared that at
that time a certain person should go forth from their country to rule the
world. He himself understood 11 that this was fulfilled in Vespasian. But Vespasian
did not rule the whole world, but only that part of it which was subject to the
Romans. With better right could it be applied to Christ; to whom it was said
by the Father, "Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession." (10) At that very time,
indeed, the voice of his holy apostles "went throughout all the earth, and their
words to the end of the world." (11)
CHAFFER IX.
Josethus and the Works which he has left.
AFTER all this it is fitting that we should know something in regard to
the origin and family of Josephus, who has contributed so much to the history in
hand. He himself gives us information on this point in the following words: (1)
"Josephus, the son of Mattathias, a priest of Jerusalem, who himself fought
against the Romans in the beginning and was compelled to be present at what
happened afterward." He was the most noted of all the Jews of that day, not only
among his own people, but also among the Romans, so that he was honored by the
erection of a statue in Rome, (2) and his works were deemed worthy of a place in
the library. (3) He wrote the whole of the Antiquities of the Jews (4) in twenty
books, and a history of the war with the Romans which took place in his time,
in seven books? He himself testifies that the latter work was not only written
in Greek, but that it was also translated by himself into his native tongue.
(6) He is worthy of credit here because of his truthfulness in other 4 matters.
There are extant also two other books of his which are worth reading. They
treat of the antiquity of the Jews, (7) and in them he replies to Apion the
Grammarian, who had at that time written a treatise against the Jews, and also to
others who had attempted to vilify the hereditary institutions of the Jewish
people. 5 In the first of these books he gives the number of the canonical books of
the so-called Old Testament. Apparently (8) drawing his information from
ancient tradition, he shows what books were accepted without dispute among the
Hebrews. His words are as follows.
CHAPTER X.
The Manner in which Josephus mentions the Divine Books.
- "We have not, therefore, a multitude of books disagreeing and conflicting
with one another; but we have only twenty-two, which contain the record of all
time and are justly held to be divine. Of these, five are by 2 Moses, and
contain the laws and the tradition respecting the origin of man, and continue the
history (2) down to his own death. This period embraces nearly three thousand
years. (3) From the death of Moses to the death of Artaxerxes, who succeeded Xerxes
as king of Persia, the prophets that followed Moses wrote the history of their
own times in thirteen books. (4) The other four books contain hymns to God,
and precepts for the regulation of the life of men. From the time of Artaxerxes
to our own day all the events have been recorded, but the accounts are not
worthy of the same confidence that we repose in those which preceded them, because
there has not been during this time an exact 5 succession of prophets. (5) How
much we are attached to our own writings is shown plainly by our treatment of
them. For although so great a period has already passed by, no one has ventured
either to add to or to take from them, but it is inbred in all Jews from their
very birth to regard them as the teachings of God, and to abide by them, and, if
necessary, cheerfully to die for them."
These remarks of the historian I have thought might advantageously be
introduced in this connection. Another work of no little merit 6 has been produced
by the same writer, On the Supremacy of Reason, (6) which some have called
Maccabaicum, (7) because it contains an account of the struggles of those Hebrews
who contended manfully for the true religion, as is related in the books called
Maccabees. And at the end of the twentieth book of (7) his Antiquities (8)
Josephus himself intimates that he had purposed to write a work in four books
concerning God and his existence, according to the traditional opinions of the Jews,
and also concerning the laws, why it is that they permit some things while
prohibiting others. (9) And the same writer also mentions in his own works other
books written by himself. (9) In (8) addition to these things it is proper to
quote also the words that are found at the close of his Antiquities, (10) in
confirmation of the testimony which we have drawn from his accounts. In that place
he attacks Justus of Tiberias, (11) who, like himself, had attempted to write a
history of contemporary events, on the ground that he had not written
truthfully. Having brought many other accusations against the man, he continues in
these words: (12) "I indeed was not afraid 9 in respect to my writings as you were,
(13) but, on the contrary, I presented my books to the emperors themselves
when the events were almost under men's eyes. For I was conscious that I had
preserved the truth in my account, and hence was not disappointed in my expectation
10 of obtaining their attestation. And I presented my history also to many
others, some of whom were present at the war, as, for instance, King Agrippa (14)
and some of his 11 relatives. For the Emperor Titus desired so much that the
knowledge of the events should be communicated to men by my history alone, that he
indorsed the books with his own hand and commanded that they should be
published. And King Agrippa wrote sixty-two epistles testifying to the truthfulness of
my account." Of these epistles Josephus subjoins two. (15) But this will
suffice in regard to him. Let us now proceed with our history.
CHAFFER XI.
Symeon rules the Church of Jerusalem after the martyrdom of James
AFTER the martyrdom of James (1) and the conquest of Jerusalem which
immediately followed, (2) it is said that those of the apostles and disciples of the
Lord that were still living came together from all directions with those that
were related to the Lord according to the flesh (3) (for the majority of them
also were still alive) to take counsel as to who was worthy to succeed James.
They all with one 2 consent pronounced Symeon, (4) the son of Clopas, of whom the
Gospel also makes mention; (5) to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that
parish. He was a cousin, as they say, of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that
Clopas was a brother of Joseph. (6)
CHAFFER XII.
Vespasian commands the Descendants of David to be sought out
He also relates that Vespasian after the conquest of Jerusalem gave orders
that all that belonged to the lineage of David should be sought out, in order
that none of the royal race might be left among the Jews; and in consequence of
this a most terrible persecution again hung over the Jews. (1)
CHAPTER XIII.
Anencletus, the Second Bishop of Rome.
After Vespasian had reigned ten years Titus, his son, succeeded him. (1)
In the second year of his reign, Linus, who had been bishop of the church of
Rome for twelve years, (2) delivered his office to Anencletus. (3) But Titus was
succeeded by his brother Domitian after he had reigned two years and the same
number of months. (4)
CHAPTER XIV.
Abilius, the Second Bishop of Alexandria.
In the fourth year of Domitian, Annianus, (1) the first bishop of the
parish of Alexandria, died after holding office twenty-two years, and was succeeded
by Abilius, (2) the second bishop.
CHAPTER XV.
Clement, the Third Bishop of Rome.
In the twelfth year of the same reign Clement succeeded Anencletus (1)
after the latter had been bishop of the church of Rome for twelve years. The
apostle in his Epistle to the Philippians informs us that this Clement was his
fellow-worker. His words are as follows: (2) "With Clement arid the rest of my
fellow-laborers whose names are in the book of life."
CHAPTER XVI.
The Epistle of Clement.
There is extant an epistle of this Clement (1) which is acknowledged to be
genuine and is of considerable length and of remarkable merit. (2) He wrote
it in the name of the church of Rome to the church of Corinth, when a sedition
had arisen in the latter church. (3) We know that this epistle also has been
publicly used in a great many churches both in former times and in our own. (4)
And of the fact that a sedition did take place in the church of Corinth at the
time referred to Hegesippus is a trustworthy witness. (5)
CHAPTER XVII.
The Persecution under Domitian.
Domitian, having shown great cruelty toward many, and having unjustly put
to death no small number of well-born and notable men at Rome, and having
without cause exiled and confiscated the property of a great many other illustrious
men, finally became a successor of Nero in his. hatred and enmity toward God.
He was in fact the second that stirred up a persecution against us, (1) although
his father Vespasian had undertaken nothing prejudicial to us. (2)
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Apostle John and the Apocalypse.
- It is said that in this persecution the apostle and evangelist John, who
was still alive, was condemned to dwell on the island of Patmos in consequence of
his testimony to the divine word. (1) Irenaeus, in the fifth book of his work
Against Heresies, where he discusses the number of the name of Antichrist which
is given in the so-called Apocalypse of John, (2) speaks as follows concerning
him: a "If it were necessary for his name to be proclaimed openly at the
present time, it would have been declared by him who saw the revelation. For it was
seen not long ago, but almost in our own generation, at the end of the reign of
Domitian."
4 To such a degree, indeed, did the teaching of our faith flourish at that
time that even those writers who were far from our religion did not hesitate to
mention in their histories the persecution and the martyrdoms which took place
during it. (4) And they, indeed, accurately indicated the time. For they
recorded that in the fifteenth year of Domitian (5) Flavia Domitilla, daughter of a
sister of Flavius Clement, who at that time was one of the consuls of Rome, (6)
was exiled with many others to the island of Pontia in consequence of
testimony borne to Christ.
CHAPTER XIX.
Domitian commands the Descendants of David to be slain.
But when this same Domitian had commanded that the descendants of David
should be slain, an ancient tradition says (1) that some of the heretics brought
accusation against the descendants of Jude (said to have been a brother of the
Saviour according to the flesh), on the ground that they were of the lineage of
David and were related to Christ himself. Hegesippus relates these facts in
the following words.
CHAPTER XX.
The Relatives of our Saviour.
"Of the family of the Lord there were still 1 living the grandchildren of
Jude, who is said to have been the Lord's brother according to the flesh. (1)
Information was given that they belonged to the family of David, and they 2 were
brought to the Emperor Domitian by the Evocatus. (2) For Domitian feared the
coming of Christ as Herod also had feared it. And he asked them if they were
descendants of David, and they confessed that they were. Then he asked them how
much property they had, or how much money they owned. And both of them answered
that they had only nine thousand denarii, (8) half of which belonged to each of
them; and this property did not consist of silver, but of a piece of land which
contained only thirty-nine acres, and from which they raised their taxes (4)
and supported themselves by their own labor." (5) 5 Then they showed their
hands, exhibiting the hardness of their bodies and the callousness produced upon
their hands by continuous toil as evidence of their own labor. And when they were
asked concerning Christ and his kingdom, of what sort it was and where and
when it was to appear, they, answered that it was not a temporal nor an earthly
kingdom, but a heavenly and angelic one, which would appear at the end of the
world, when he should come in glory to judge the quick and the dead, and to give
unto every one according to his works. Upon hearing this, Domitian did not pass
judgment against them, but, despising them as of no account, he let them go,
and by a decree put a stop to the persecution of the Church. But when they were
released they ruled the churches because they were witnesses (6) and were also
relatives of the Lord. (7) And peace being established, they lived until the
time of Trojan. These things are related by Hegesippus.
9 Tertullian also has mentioned Domitian in the following words: (8)
"Domitian also, who possessed a share of Nero's cruelty, attempted once to do the
same thing that the latter did. But because he had, I suppose, some intelligence,
(9) he very soon ceased, and even 10 recalled those whom he had banished." But
after Domitian had reigned fifteen years, (16) and Nerva had succeeded to the
empire, the Roman Senate, according to the writers that record the history of
those days, (11) voted that Domitian's honors should be cancelled, and that those
who had been unjustly banished should return to their homes and have their
property restored to them. It was at this time 11 that the apostle John returned
from his banishment in the island and took up his abode at Ephesus, according to
an ancient Christian tradition. (12)
CHAPTER XXI.
Cerdon becomes the Third Ruler of the Church of Alexandria.
After Nerva had reigned a little more 1 than a year (1) he was succeeded
by Trojan. It was during the first year of his reign that Abilius, (2) who had
ruled the church of Alexandria for thirteen years, was succeeded by Cerdon. (3)
He was the third that presided2 over that church after Annianus, (4) who was
the first. At that time Clement still ruled the church of Rome, being also the
third that held the episcopate there after Paul and Peter. Linus was the first,
and after him came 3 Anencletus, (5)
CHAPTER XXII.
Ignatius, the Second Bishop of Antioch.
AT this time Ignatius (1) was known as the second bishop of Antioch,
Evodius having been the first. (2) Symeon (3) likewise was at that time the second
ruler of the church of Jerusalem, the brother of our Saviour having been the
first.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Narrative concerning John the Apostle.
- At that time the apostle and evangelist John, the one whom Jesus loved,
was still living in Asia, and governing the churches of that region, having
returned after the death of Domitian from his exile on the island. (1) 2 And that
he was still alive at that time (2) may be established by the testimony of two
witnesses. They should be trustworthy who have maintained the orthodoxy of the
Church; and such indeed were Irenaeus and Clement 3 of Alexandria. (3) The
former in the second book of his work Against Heresies, writes as follows: (4) "And
all the elders that associated with John the disciple of the Lord in Asia bear
witness that John delivered it to them. For he remained among them until the
time of Trajan." (5) And in the third book of the same work he attests the same
thing in the following words: (6) "But the church in Ephesus also, which was
founded by Paul, and where John remained until the time of Trajan, is a faithful
witness of the apostolic tradition." 5 Clement likewise in his book entitled
What Rich Man can be saved? (7) indicates the time, (8) and subjoins a narrative
which is most attractive to those that enjoy hearing what is beautiful and
profitable. Take and read the account which rims as follows: (9) "Listen to a tale,
which is not a mere tale, 6 but a narrative (10) concerning John the apostle,
which has been handed down and treasured up in memory. For when, after the
tyrant's death, (11) he returned from the isle of Patmos to Ephesus, he went away
upon their invitation to the neighboring territories of the Gentiles, to appoint
bishops in some places, in other places to set in order whole churches,
elsewhere to choose to the ministry some one (12) of those that were pointed out by
the Spirit. When he 7 had come to one of the cities not far away (the name of
which is given by some (13)), and had consoled the brethren in other matters, he
finally turned to the bishop that had been appointed, and seeing a youth of
powerful physique, of pleasing appearance, and of ardent temperament, he said,
'This one I commit to thee in all earnestness in the presence of the Church and
with Christ as witness.' And when the bishop had accepted the Charge and had
promised all, he repeated the same injunction with an appeal to the same witnesses,
and then departed for Ephesus. But the presbyter, (14) 8 taking home the youth
committed to him, reared, kept, cherished, and finally baptized (15) him. After
this he relaxed his stricter care and watchfulness, with the idea that in
putting upon him the seal of the Lord (16) he had given him a perfect protection.
But some youths 9 of his own age, idle and dissolute, and accustomed to evil
practices, corrupted him when he was thus prematurely freed from restraint. At
first they enticed him by costly entertainments; then, when they went forth at
night for robbery, they took him with them, and finally they demanded that he
should unite with them in some greater crime. He gradually 10 became accustomed to
such practices, and on account of the positiveness of his character, (17)
leaving the right path, and taking the bit in his teeth like a hard-mouthed and
powerful horse, he rushed the more violently down into the depths. And finally
despairing of salvation in God, he no longer meditated what was insignificant, but
having committed some great crime, since he was now lost once for all, he
expected to suffer a like fate with the rest. Taking them, therefore, and forming a
band of robbers, he became a bold bandit-chief, the most violent, most bloody,
most cruel of them all. Time passed, and some necessity having arisen, they
sent for John. But he, when he had set in order the other matters on account of
which he had come, said, 'Come, O bishop, restore us the deposit which both I
and Christ committed to thee, the church, over which thou presidest, being
witness. (7) But the bishop was 13 at first confounded, thinking that he was falsely
charged in regard to money which he had not received, and he could neither
believe the accusation respecting what he had not, nor could he disbelieve John.
But when he said, 'I demand the young man and the soul of the brother,' the old
man, groaning deeply and at the same time bursting into tears, said, 'He is
dead.' 'How and what kind of death?' 'He is dead to God,' he said; 'for he turned
wicked and abandoned, and at last a robber. And now, instead of the church, he
haunts the mountain with a band like himself.' But the 14 Apostle rent his
clothes, and beating his head with great lamentation, he said, 'A fine guard I left
for a brother's soul !But let a horse be brought me, and let some one show me
the way.' He rode away from the church just as he was, and coming to the place,
he was 15 taken prisoner by the robbers' outpost. He, however, neither fled nor
made entreaty, but cried out, 'For this did I come; lead 16 me to your
captain.' The latter, meanwhile, was waiting, armed as he was. But when he recognized
John approaching, he 17 turned in shame to flee. But John, forgetting his age,
pursued him with all his might, crying out, 'Why, my son, dost thou flee from
me, thine own father, unarmed, aged? Pity me, my son; fear not; thou hast still
hope of life. I will give account to Christ for thee. If need be, I will
willingly endure thy death as the Lord suffered death for us. For thee will I give up
my life. Stand, believe; Christ hath sent 18 me.' And he, when he heard, first
stopped and looked down; then he threw away his arms, and then trembled and
wept bitterly. And when the old man approached, he embraced him, making
confession with lamentations as he! was able, baptizing himself a second time with
tears, and concealing only his right hand, 19 But John, pledging himself, and
assuring him on oath that he would find forgiveness with the Saviour, besought him,
fell upon his knees, kissed his right hand itself as if now purified by
repentance, and led him back to the church. And making intercession for him with
copious prayers, and struggling together with him in continual fastings, and subduing
his mind by various utterances, he did not depart, as they say, until he had
restored him to the church, furnishing a great example of true repentance and a
great proof of regeneration, a trophy of a visible resurrection."
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Order of the Gospels.
- This extract from Clement I have inserted here for the sake of the history
and for the benefit of my readers. Let us now point out the undisputed writings
of this apostle. 2 And in the first place his Gospel, which is known to all
the churches under heaven, must be acknowledged as genuine. (1) That it has with
good reason been put by the ancients in the fourth place, after the other three
Gospels, may be made evident in the following way. Those great and truly
divine men, I mean 3 the apostles of Christ, were purified in their life, and were
adorned with every virtue of the soul, but were uncultivated in speech. They
were confident indeed in their trust in the divine and wonder-working power which
was granted unto them by the Saviour, but they did not know how, nor did they
attempt to proclaim the doctrines of their teacher in studied and artistic
language, but employing only the demonstration of the divine Spirit, which worked
with them, and the wonder-working power of Christ, which was displayed through
them, they published the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven throughout the whole
world, paying little attention to the composition of written works. And this 4
they did because they were assisted in their ministry by one greater than
man. Paul, for instance, who surpassed them all in vigor of expression and in
richness of thought, committed to writing no more than the briefest epistles, (2)
although he had innumerable mysterious matters to communicate, for he had
attained even unto the sights of the third heaven, had been carried to the very
paradise of God, and had been deemed worthy to 'heat unspeakable utterances there.
(3) And the rest of the followers of our Saviour, 5 the twelve apostles, the
seventy disciples, and countless others besides, were not ignorant of these
things. Nevertheless, of all the disciples (4) of the Lord, only Matthew and John
have left us written memorials, and they, tradition says, were led to write only
under the pressure of necessity. For Matthew, who had 6 at first preached to the
Hebrews, when he was about to go to other peoples, committed his Gospel to
writing in his native tongue, (5) and thus compensated those whom he was obliged 7
to leave for the loss of his presence. And when Mark and Luke had already
published their Gospels, (6) they say that John, who had employed all his time in
proclaiming the Gospel orally, finally proceeded to write for the following
reason. The three Gospels already mentioned having come into the hands of all and
into his own too, they say that he accepted them and bore witness to their
truthfulness; but that there was lacking in them an account of the deeds done by
Christ at the beginning of his ministry. 8 (7) And this indeed is true. For it is
evident that the three evangelists recorded only the deeds done by the Saviour
for one year after the imprisonment of John the Baptist, (8) and indicated this
in the beginning of their account. For Matthew, after the forty days' 9 fast
and the temptation which followed it, indicates the chronology of his work
when he says: "Now when he heard that John was delivered up he withdrew from Judea
into Galilee.'' (9) Mark likewise says: "Now after 10 that John was delivered
up Jesus came into Galilee." (10) And Luke, before commencing his account of
the deeds of Jesus, similarly marks the time, when he says that Herod, "adding to
all the evil deeds which he had done, shut up John in prison." (11) They say,
therefore, 11 that the apostle John, being asked to do it for this reason, gave
in his Gospel an account of the period which had been omitted by the earlier
evangelists, and of the deeds done by the Saviour during that period; that is,
of those which were done before the imprisonment of the Baptist. And this is
indicated by him, they say, in the following words: "This beginning of miracles
did Jesus "; (12) and again when he refers to the Baptist, in the midst of the
deeds of Jesus, as still baptizing in [?]non near Salim; (13) where he states the
matter clearly in the words: "For John was not yet cast into prison." (14)
John 12 accordingly, in his Gospel, records the deeds of Christ which were
performed before the Baptist was cast into prison, but the other three evangelists
mention the events which happened after that time. One who under- 13 stands this
can no longer think that the Gospels are at variance with one another, inasmuch
as the Gospel according to John contains the first acts of Christ, while the
others give an account of the latter part of his life. And the genealogy of our
Saviour according to the flesh John quite naturally omitted, because it had been
already given by Matthew and Luke, and began with the doctrine of his
divinity, which had, as it were, been reserved for him, as their superior, by the
divine Spirit. (15) These 14 things may suffice, which we have said concerning the
Gospel of John. The cause which led to the composition of the Gospel of Mark has
been already stated by us. (16) But as for Luke, 15 in the beginning of his
Gospel, he states that since many others had more rashly undertaken to compose a
narrative of the events of which he had acquired perfect knowledge, he himself,
feeling the necessity of freeing us from their uncertain opinions, delivered
in his own Gospel an accurate account of those events in regard to which he had
learned the full truth, being aided by his intimacy and his stay with Paul and
by his acquaintance with 16 the rest of the apostles. (17) So much for our own
account of these things. But in a more fitting place we shall attempt to show
by quotations from the ancients, what others have said concerning them. 17 But
of the writings of John, not only his Gospel, but also the former of his
epistles, has been accepted without dispute both now and in ancient times. (18) But
the other two 18 are disputed. (19) In regard to the Apocalypse, the opinions of
most men are still divided. (20) But at the proper time this question likewise
shall be decided from the testimony of the ancients.
CHAPTER XXV.
The Divine Scriptures that are accept and those that are not. (1)
- Since we are dealing with this subject it is proper to sum up the writings
of the New Testament which have been already mentioned. First then must be put
the holy quaternion of the Gospels; (2) following them the Acts of the
Apostles. (3) After this must2 be reckoned the epistles of Paul; (4) next in order the
extanfinal former epistle of John, (5) and likewise the epistle of Peter, (6)
must be maintained. (6) After them is to be placed, if it really seem proper,
the Apocalypse of John, (7) concerning which we shall give the different opinions
at the proper time. (8) These then belong among the accepted writings. (9)
Among the disputed writings, (10) which are nevertheless recognized n by many, are
extant the so-called epistle of James (12) and that of Jude, (13) also the
second epistle of Peter, (14) and those that are called the second and third of
John, (15) whether they belong to the evangelist or to another person of the same
name. Among the rejected 4 writings (16) must be reckoned also the Acts of
Paul, (17) and the so-called Shepherd, (18) and the Apocalypse of Peter, (19) and
in addition to these the extant epistle of Barnabas, (20) and the so-called
Teachings of the Apostles; (21) and besides, as I said, the Apocalypse of John, if
it seem proper, which some, as I said, reject, (22) but which others class
with the accepted books. (23) And 5 among these some have placed also the Gospel
according to the Hebrews, (24) with which those of the Hebrews that have
accepted Christ are especially delighted. And all these may be reckoned among the
disputed books. (25) But we have nevertheless felt compelled to give a catalogue of
these also, distinguishing those works which according to ecclesiastical
tradition are true and genuine and commonly accepted, (26) from those others which,
although not canonical but disputed, (27) are yet at the same time known to
most ecclesiastical writers--we have felt compelled to give this catalogue in
order that we might be able to know both these works and those that are cited by
the heretics under the name of the apostles, including, for instance, such books
as the Gospels of Peter, (28) of Thomas, (29) of Matthias, (30) or of any
others besides them, and the Acts of Andrew (81) and John (82) and the other
apostles, which no one belonging to the succession of ecclesiastical writers has
deemed worthy of mention in his writings. And further, the character of the style is
at 7 variance with apostolic usage, and both the thoughts and the purpose of
the things that are related in them are so completely out of accord with true
orthodoxy that they clearly show themselves to be the fictions of heretics. (33)
Wherefore they are not to be placed even among the rejected (34) writings, but
are all of them to be cast aside as absurd and impious. Let us now proceed with
our history.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Menander the Sorcerer.
Menander, (1) who succeeded Simon Magus, (2) showed himself in his
conduct another instrument of diabolical power, (3) not inferior to the former. He
also was a Samaritan and carried his sorceries to no less an extent than his
teacher had done, and at the same time reveled in still more marvelous tales than
he. For he said that he was himself the Saviour, who had been sent down from
invisible aeons for 2 the salvation of men; (4) and he taught that no one could
gain the mastery over the world-creating angels themselves (5) unless he had
first gone through the magical discipline imparted by him and had received baptism
from him. Those who were deemed worthy of this would partake even in the
present life of perpetual immortality, and would never die, but would remain here
forever, and without growing old become immortal. (6) These facts can be easily 3
learned from the works of Irenaeus. (7) And Justin, in the passage in which he
mentions Simon, gives an account of this man also, in the following words: (8)
"And we know that a certain Menander, who was also a Samaritan, from the
village of Capparattea, (9) was a disciple of Simon, and that he also, being driven
by the demons, came to Antioch (10) and deceived many by his magical art. And
he persuaded his followers that they should not die. And there are 4 still some
of them that assert this." And it was indeed an artifice of the devil to
endeavor, by means of such sorcerers, who assumed the name of Christians, to defame
the great mystery of godliness by magic art, and through them to make ridiculous
the doctrines of the Church concerning the immortality of the soul and the
resurrection of the dead. (11) But they that have chosen these men as their
saviours have fallen away from the true hope.
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Heresy of the Ebionites. (1)
The evil demon, however, being unable to tear certain others from their
allegiance to the Christ of God, yet found them susceptible in a different
direction, and so brought them over to his own purposes. The ancients quite properly
called these men Ebionites, because they held poor and mean opinions concerning
Christ. (2) For they considered him a plain and common man, who was justified
only because of his superior virtue, and who was the fruit of the intercourse
of a man with Mary. In their opinion the observance of the ceremonial law was
altogether necessary, on the ground that they could not be saved by faith in
Christ 3 alone and by a corresponding life. (3) There were others, however, besides
them, that were of the same name, (4) but avoided the strange and absurd
beliefs of the former, and did not deny that the Lord was born of a virgin and of
the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, inasmuch as they also refused to acknowledge
that he pre-existed, being God, Word, and Wisdom, they turned aside into the
impiety of the former, especially when they, like them, endeavored to observe
strictly the bodily worship of the law. (6) These men, 4 moreover, thought that it
was necessary to reject all the epistles of the apostle, whom they called an
apostate from the law; (7) and they used only the so-called Gospel according to
the Hebrews (8) and made small account of the rest. The Sabbath and the rest of
the discipline 5 of the Jews they observed just like them, but at the same
time, like us, they celebrated the Lord's days as a memorial of the 6
resurrection of the Saviour. (9) Wherefore, in consequence of such a course they received
the name of Ebionites, which signified the poverty of their understanding. For
this is the name by which a poor man is called among the Hebrews. (10)
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Cerinthus the Heresiarch.
- We have understood that at this time Cerinthus, (1) the author of another
heresy, made his appearance. Caius, whose words we quoted above, (2) in the
Disputation which is ascribed to him, writes as follows concerning this man: "But
Cerinthus also, by means 2 of revelations which he pretends were written by a
great apostle, brings before us marvelous things which he falsely claims were
shown him by angels; and he says that after the resurrection the kingdom of Christ
will be set up on earth, and that the flesh dwelling in Jerusalem will again
be subject to desires and pleasures. And being an enemy of the Scriptures of
God, he asserts, with the purpose of deceiving men, that there is to be a period
of a thousand years a for marriage festivals." (4) And Dionysius, (5) who 3 was
bishop of the parish of Alexandria in our day, in the second book of his work
On the Promises, where he says some things concerning the Apocalypse of John
which he draws from tradition, mentions this same man in the following words: (6)
"But (they say that) 4 Cerinthus, who founded the sect which was called, after
him, the Cerinthian, desiring reputable authority for his fiction, prefixed
the name. For the doctrine which he taught was this: that the kingdom of Christ
will be an 5 earthly one. And as he was himself devoted to the pleasures of the
body and altogether sensual in his nature, he dreamed that that kingdom would
consist in those things which he desired, namely, in the delights of the belly
and of sexual passion, that is to say, in eating and drinking and marrying, and
in festivals and sacrifices and the slaying of victims, under the guise of
which he thought he could indulge his appetites with a better grace." These are the
6 words of Dionysius. But Irenaeus, in the first book of his work Against
Heresies, (7) gives some more abominable false doctrines of the same man, and in
the third book relates a story which deserves to be recorded. He says, on the
authority of Polycarp, that the apostle John once entered a bath to bathe; but,
learning that Cerinthus was within, he sprang from the place and rushed out of
the door, for he could not bear to remain under the same roof with him. And he
advised those that were with him to do the same, saying, "Let us flee, lest the
bath fall for Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within." (8)
CHAPTER XXIX.
Nicolaus and the Sect named after him.
- At this time the so-called sect of the Nicolaitans made its appearance and
lasted for a very short time. Mention is made of it in the Apocalypse of John.
(1) They boasted that the author of their sect was Nicolaus, one of the deacons
who, with Stephen, were appointed by the apostles for the purpose of
ministering to the poor. (2) Clement of Alexandria, in the third book of his Stromata,
relates the following things concerning him. (3) "They say that he had 2 a
beautiful wife, and after the ascension of the Saviour, being accused by the
apostles of jealousy, he led her into their midst and gave permission to any one that
wished to marry her. For they say that this was in accord with that saying of
his, that one ought to abuse the flesh. And those that have followed his heresy,
imitating blindly and foolishly that which was done and said, commit
fornication without shame. But I understand that Nicolaus had to do 3 with no other
woman than her to whom he was married, and that, so far as his children are
concerned, his daughters continued in a state of virginity until old age, and his son
remained uncorrupt. If this is so, when he brought his wife, whom he jealously
loved, into the midst of the apostles, he was evidently renouncing his passion;
and when he used the expression, 'to abuse the flesh,' he was inculcating
self-control in the face of those pleasures that are eagerly pursued. For I suppose
that, in accordance with the command of the Saviour, he did not wish to serve
two masters, pleasure and the Lord. (4) But they 4 say that Matthias also
taught in the same manner that we ought to fight against and abuse the flesh, and
not give way to it for the sake of pleasure, but strengthen the soul by faith and
knowledge." (5) So much concerning those who then attempted to pervert the
truth, but in less time than it has taken to tell it became entirely extinct.
CHAPTER XXX.
The Apostles that were married.
Clement, indeed, whose words we have 1 just quoted, after the
above-mentioned facts gives a statement, on account of those who rejected marriage, of the
apostles that had wives. (1) "Or will they," says he, (2) "reject even the
apostles? For Peter (3) and Philip (4) begat children; and Philip also gave his
daughters in marriage. And Paul does not hesitate, in one of his epistles, to
greet his wife, (5) whom he did not take about with him, that he might not be
inconvenienced 2 in his ministry." And since we have mentioned this subject it is
not improper to subjoin another account which is given by the same author and
which is worth reading. In the seventh book of his Stromata he writes as follows:
(6) "They say, accordingly, that when the blessed Peter saw his own wife led
oat to die, he rejoiced because of her summons and her return home, and called
to her very encouragingly and comfortingly, addressing her by name, and saying,
'Oh thou, remember the Lord.' Such was the marriage of the blessed, and their
perfect disposition toward those dearest to them." This account being in keeping
with the subject in hand, I have related here in its proper place.
CHAPTER XXXI.
The Death of John and Philip.
The time and the manner of the death of Paul and Peter as well as their
burial places, have been already shown by us. (1) The time2, of John's death has
also been given in a general way, (2) but his burial place is indicated by an
epistle of Polycrates (3) (who was bishop of the parish of Ephesus), addressed
to Victor, (4) bishop of Rome. In this epistle he mentions him together with the
apostle Philip and his daughters in the following words: (5) "For in 3 Asia
also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at
the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall
seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, (6)
who sleeps in Hierapolis, (7) and his two aged virgin daughters, and another
daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; (8) and moreover
John, who was both a witness (9) and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of
the Lord, and being a priest wore the sacerdotal plate. (10) He also sleeps at
Ephesus." (11) So much concerning their death. And in the Dialogue of Caius
which we mentioned a little above, (12) Proclus, (13) against whom he directed his
disputation, in agreement with what has been quoted, (14) speaks thus
concerning the death of Philip and his daughters: "After him (15) there were four
prophetesses, the daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Their tomb is there and
the tomb of their father." Such is his state-merit. But Luke, in the Acts of
the Apostles, mentions the daughters of Philip who were at that time at Caesarea
in Judea with their father, and were honored with the gift of prophecy. His
words are as follows: "We came unto Caesarea; and entering into the house of
Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. Now this man
had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." (16) We have thus set forth in
these pages6 what has come to our knowledge concerning the apostles themselves
and the apostolic age, and concerning the sacred writings which they have left
us, as well as concerning those which are disputed, but nevertheless have been
publicly used by many in a great number of churches, (17) and moreover,
concerning those that are altogether rejected and are out of harmony with apostolic
orthodoxy. Having done this, let us now proceed with our history.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, suffers Martyrdom.
It is reported that after the age of Nero and 1 Domitian, under the
emperor whose times we are now recording, (1) a persecution was stirred up against us
in certain cities in consequence of a popular uprising. (2) In this
persecution we have understood that Symeon, the son of Clopas, who, as we have shown, was
the second bishop of the church of Jerusalem, (3) suffered martyrdora.
Hegesippus, whose words we have2 already quoted in various places, (4) is a witness to
this fact also. Speaking of certain heretics (5) he adds that Symeon was
accused by them at this time; and since it was clear that he was a Christian, he was
tortured in various ways for many days, and astonished even the judge himself
and his attendants in the highest degree, and finally he suffered a death
similar to that of our Lord. (6) But there is nothing like hearing the historian 3
himself, who writes as follows: "Certain of these heretics brought accusation
against Symeon, the son of Clopas, on the ground that he was a descendant of
David (7) and a Christian; and thus he suffered martyrdom, at the age of one
hundred and twenty years, (8) while Trajan was emperor and Atticus governor." (9) 4
And the same writer says that his accusers also, when search was made for the
descendants of David, were arrested as belonging to that family. (10) And it
might be reasonably assumed that Symeon was one of those that saw and heard the
Lord, (11) judging from the length of his life, and from the fact that the Gospel
makes mention of Mary, the wife of Clopas, (12) who was the father of Symeon,
as has been already shown. (13) The same historian says that there were also
others, descended from one of the so-called brothers of the Saviour, whose name
was Judas, who, after they had borne testimony before Domitian, as has been
already recorded, (14) in behalf of faith in Christ, lived until the same reign. He
writes as follows: "They came, therefore, and took the lead of every church
(14a) as witness (15) and as relatives of the Lord. And profound peace being
established in every church, they remained until the reign of the Emperor Trajan,
(16) and until the above-mentioned Symeon, son of Clopas, an uncle of the Lord,
was informed against by the heretics, and was himself in like manner accused for
the same cause (17) before the governor Atticus. (18) And after being tortured
for many days he suffered martyrdom, and all, including even the proconsul,
marveled that, at the age of one hundred and twenty years, he could endure so
much. And orders were given that he should be crucified." In addition to these
things the same 7 man, while recounting the events of that period, records that
the Church up to that time had remained a pure and uncorrupted virgin, since, if
there were any that attempted to corrupt the sound norm of the preaching of
salvation, they lay until then concealed in obscure darkness. But when the sacred
college of 8 apostles had suffered death in various forms, and the generation
of those that had been deemed worthy to hear the inspired wisdom with their own
ears had passed away, then the league of godless error took its rise as a
result of the folly of heretical teachers, (19) who, because none of the apostles
was still living, attempted henceforth, with a bold face, to proclaim, in
opposition to the preaching of the truth, the 'knowledge which is falsely so-called.'
(20)
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Trajan forbids the Christians to be sought after.
So great a persecution was at that time 1 opened against us in many
places that Plinius Secundus, one of the most noted of governors, being disturbed by
the great number of martyrs, communicated with the emperor concerning the
multitude of those that were put to death for their faith. (1) At the same time, he
informed him in his communication that he had not heard of their doing
anything profane or contrary to the laws,--except that they arose at dawn (2) and sang
hymns to Christ as a God; but that the), renounced adultery and murder and
like criminal offenses, and did all things in accordance with the laws. In reply
to this Trajan 2. made the following decree: that the race of Christians should
not be sought after, but when found should be punished. On account of this the
persecution which had threatened to be a most terrible one was to a certain
degree checked, but there were still left plenty of pretexts for those who wished
to do us harm. Sometimes the people, sometimes the rulers in various places,
would lay plots against us, so that, although no great persecutions took place,
local persecutions were nevertheless going on in particular provinces, (3) and
many of the faithful endured martyrdom in various forms. We have taken our
account from the 3 Latin Apology of Tertullian which we mentioned above. (4) The
translation runs as follows: (5) "And indeed we have found that search for us has
been forbidden. (6) For when Plinius Secundus, the governor of a province, had
condemned certain Christians and deprived them of their dignity, (7) he was
confounded by the multitude, and was uncertain what further course to pursue. He
therefore communicated with Trajan the emperor, informing him that, aside from
their unwillingness to sacrifice, (8) he had found no impiety in them. And he
reported this also, 4 that the Christians arose (9) early in the morning and
sang hymns unto Christ as a God, and for the purpose of preserving their
discipline (10) forbade murder, adultery, avarice, robbery, and the like. In reply to
this Trajan wrote that the race of Christians should not be sought after, but
when found should be punished." Such were the events which took place at that time.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Evarestus, the Fourth Bishop of the Church of Rome.
In the third year of the reign of the emperor mentioned above, (1) Clement
(2) committed the episcopal government of the church of Rome to Evarestus, (3)
and departed this life after he had superintended the teaching of the divine
word nine years in all.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Justus, the Third Bishop of` Jerusalem.
But when Symeon also had died in the manner described, (1) a certain Jew
by the name of Justus (2) succeeded to the episcopal throne in Jerusalem. He was
one of the many thousands of the circumcision who at that time believed in
Christ.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Ignatius and his Epistles.
- At that time Polycarp, (1) a disciple of the apostles, was a man of
eminence in Asia, having been entrusted with the episcopate of the church of Smyrna by
those who had seen and heard the Lord. 2 And at the same time Papias, (2)
bishop of the parish of Hierapolis, (3) became well known, as did also Ignatius,
who was chosen bishop of Antioch, second in succession to Peter, and whose fame
is still celebrated by a great many. (4) Report says that he was sent from
Syria to Rome, and became food for wild beasts on account of his testimony to
Christ. (5) And 4 as he made the journey through Asia under the strictest military
surveillance, he fortified the parishes in the various cities where he stopped
by oral homilies and exhortations, and warned them above all to be especially
on their guard against the heresies that were then beginning to prevail, and
exhorted them to hold fast to the tradition of the apostles. Moreover, he thought
it necessary to attest that tradition in writing, and to give it a fixed form
for the sake of greater security. So when he came to 5 Smyrna, where Polycarp
was, he wrote an epistle to the church of Ephesus, (6) in which he. mentions
Onesimus, its pastor; (7) and another to the church of Magnesia, situated upon the
Maeander, in which he makes mention again of a bishop Damas; and finally one to
the church of Tralles, whose bishop, he states, was at that 6 time Polybius.
In addition to these he wrote also to the church of Rome, entreating them not to
secure his release from martyrdom, and thus rob him of his earnest hope. In
confirmation of what has been said it is proper to quote briefly from this
epistle. He writes 7 as follows: (8) "From Syria even unto Rome I fight with wild
beasts, by land and by sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards?
that is, a company of soldiers who only become worse when they are well
treated. In the midst of their wrongdoings, however, I am more fully learning
discipleship, but I 8 am not thereby justified. (10) May I have joy of the beasts that
are prepared for me; and I pray that I may find them ready; I will even coax
them to devour me quickly that they may not treat me as they have some whom they
have refused to touch through fear. (11) And if they are unwilling, I will
compel them. Forgive me. 9 I know what is expedient for me. Now do I begin to be a
disciple. May naught of things visible and things invisible envy me; (12) that
I may attain unto Jesus Christ. Let fire and cross and attacks of wild beasts,
let wrenching of bones, cutting of limbs, crushing of the whole body, tortures
of the devil,--let all these come upon me if only I may attain unto Jesus
Christ." 10 These things he wrote from the above-mentioned city to the churches
referred to. And when he had left Smyrna he wrote again from Troas (13) to the
Philadelphians and to the church of Smyrna; and particularly to Polycarp, who
presided over the latter church. And since he knew him well as an apostolic man, he
commended to him, like a true and good shepherd, the flock at Antioch, and
besought him to care diligently for it. (14) And the same man, 11 writing to the
Smyrnaeans, used the following words concerning Christ, taken I know not whence:
(15) "But I know and believe that he was in the flesh after the resurrection.
And when he came to Peter and his companions he said to them, Take, handle me,
and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit. (16) And immediately they touched
him and believed." (17) Irenaeus 12 also knew of his martyrdom and mentions his
epistles in the following words: (18) "As one of our people said, when he was
condemned to the beasts on account of his testimony unto God, I am God's wheat,
and by the teeth of wild beasts am I ground, that I may be found pure bread."
Polycarp also mentions these 13 letters in the epistle to the Philippians which
is ascribed to him. (19) His words are as follows: (20) "I exhort all of you,
therefore, to be obedient and to practice all patience such as ye saw with your
own eyes not only in the blessed Ignatius and Rufus and Zosimus, (21) but also
in others from among yourselves as well as in Paul himself and the rest of the
apostles; being persuaded that all these ran not in vain, but in faith and
righteousness, and that they are gone to their rightful place beside the Lord, with
whom also they suffered. For they loved not the present world, but him that
died for our sakes and was raised by God for us." And afterwards 14 he adds: (22)
"You have written to me, both you and Ignatius, that if any one go to Syria he
may carry with him the letters from you. And this I will do if I have a
suitable opportunity, either I myself or one whom I send to be an ambassador for you
also. The epistles 15 of Ignatius which were sent to us by him and the others
which we had with us we sent to you as you gave charge. They are appended to
this epistle, and from them you will be able to derive great advantage. For they
comprise faith and patience, and every kind of edification that pertaineth to
our Lord." So much concerning Ignatius. But he was succeeded by Heros (23) in the
episcopate of the church of Antioch.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Evangelists that were still Eminent at that Time.
- Among those that were celebrated at that time was Quadratus, (1) who,
report says, was renowned along with the daughters of Philip for his prophetical
gifts. And there were many others besides these who were known in those days, and
who occupied the first place among the successors of the apostles. And they
also, being illustrious disciples of such great men, built up the foundations of
the churches which had been laid by the apostles in every place, and preached
the Gospel more and more widely and scattered the saving seeds of the kingdom of
heaven far and near throughout the whole world. (2) For indeed most of the
disciples of that time, animated by the divine word with a more ardent love for
philosophy, (3) had already fulfilled the command of the Saviour, and had
distributed their goods to the needy. (4) Then starting out upon long journeys they
performed the office of evangelists, being filled with the desire to preach Christ
to those who had not yet heard the word of faith, and to deliver to 3 them
the divine Gospels. And when they had only laid the foundations of the faith in
foreign places, they appointed others as pastors, and entrusted them with the
nurture of those that had recently been brought in, while they themselves went
on again to other countries and nations, with the grace and the co-operation of
God. For a great many wonderful works were done through them by the power of
the divine Spirit, so that at the first hearing whole multitudes of men eagerly
embraced the religion of the Creator of the universe. But since 4 it is
impossible for us to enumerate the names of all that became shepherds or evangelists
in the churches throughout the world in the age immediately succeeding the
apostles, we have recorded, as was fitting, the names of those only who have
transmitted the apostolic doctrine to us in writings still extant.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
The Epistle of Clement and the Writings falsely ascribed to him.
Thus Ignatius has done in the epistles 1 which we have mentioned, (1)
and Clement in his epistle which is accepted by all, and which he wrote in the
name of the church of Rome to the church of Corinth. (2) In this epistle he gives
many thoughts drawn from the Epistle to the Hebrews, and also quotes verbally
some of its expressions, thus showing most plainly that it is not a recent
production. Wherefore it2. has seemed reasonable to reckon it with the other
writings of the apostle. For as Paul had written to the Hebrews in his native tongue,
some say that the evangelist Luke, others that this Clement himself,
translated the epistle. The 3 latter seems more probable, because the epistle of Clement
and that to the Hebrews have a similar character in regard to style, and still
further because the thoughts contained in the two works are not very
different. (3)
But it must be observed also that there is 4 said to be a second epistle
of Clement. But we do not know that this is recognized like the former, for we
do not find that the ancients have made any use of it. (4) And certain men 5
lengthy writings under his name, containing dialogues of Peter and Apion. (5)
But no mention has been made of these by the ancients; for they do not even
preserve the pure stamp of apostolic orthodoxy. The acknowledged writing of Clement
is well known. We have spoken also of the works of Ignatius and Polycarp. (6)
CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Writings of Papias.
- There are extant five books of Papias, which bear the title Expositions of
Oracles of the Lord. (1) Irenaeus makes mention of these as the only works
written by him, (2) in the following words: (3) "These things are attested by
Papias, an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp, in his
fourth book. For five books have been written by him." These are the words of
Irenaeus. But Papias himself in the preface to his discourses by no means
declares that he was himself a hearer and eye-witness of the holy apostles, but he
shows by the words which he uses that he received the doctrines of the faith from
those who were their friends. (4) He says: "But I shall not hesitate also to
put down for you along with my interpretation.
BOOK IV
... his episcopate, [12] was succeeded by Telesphorus, [13] the seventh in
succession from the apostles. In the meantime, after the lapse of a year and
some months, Eumenes, [14] the sixth in order, succeeded to the leadership of the
Alexandrian church, his predecessor having held office eleven years. [15]
CHAPTER VI. (OF BOOK IV)
The Last Siege of the Jews under Adrian.
- As the rebellion of the Jews at this time grew much more serious, [1]
Rufus, governor of Judea, after an auxiliary force had been sent him by the emperor,
using their madness as a pretext, proceeded against them without mercy, and
destroyed indiscriminately thousands of men and women and children, and in
accordance with the laws of war reduced their country to a state of complete
subjection. The leader of the Jews at this time was a man by the name of Barcocheba [2]
(which signifies a star), who possessed the character of a robber and a
murderer, but nevertheless, relying upon his name, boasted to them, as if they were
slaves, that he possessed wonderful powers; and he pretended that he was a star
that had come down to them out of heaven to bring them light in the midst of
their misfortunes. The war raged most fiercely in the eighteenth 3 year of
Adrian, [3] at the city of Bithara, [4] which was a very secure fortress, situated
not far from Jerusalem. When the siege had lasted a long time, and the rebels had
been driven to the last extremity by hunger and thirst, and the instigator of
the rebellion had suffered his just punishment, the whole nation was prohibited
from this time on by a decree, and by the commands of Adrian, from ever going
up to the country about Jerusalem. For the emperor gave orders that they should
not even see from a distance the land of their fathers. Such is the account of
Aristo of Pella. [5] And4 thus, when the city had been emptied of the Jewish
nation and had suffered the total destruction of its ancient inhabitants, it was
colonized by a different race, and the Roman city which subsequently arose
changed its name and was called Aelia, in honor of the emperor AElius Adrian. And
as the church there was now composed of Gentiles, the first one to assume the
government of it after the bishops of the circumcision was Marcus. [6]
CHAPTER VII.
The Persons that became at that Time Leaders of Knowledge falsely so-called.
[1]
- As the churches throughout the world were now shining like the most
brilliant stars, and faith in our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ was flourishing among
the whole human race, [2] the demon who hates everything that is good, and is
always hostile to the truth, and most bitterly opposed to the salvation of man,
turned all his arts against the Church. [3] In the beginning he armed himself
against it with 2,external persecutions. But now, being shut off from the use
of such means, [4] he devised all sorts of plans, and employed other methods in
his conflict with the Church, using base and deceitful men as instruments for
the ruin of souls and as ministers of destruction. Instigated by him, impostors
and deceivers, assuming the name of our religion, brought to the depth of ruin
such of the believers as they could win over and at the same time, by means of
the deeds which they practiced, turned away from the path which leads to the
word of salvation those 3 who were ignorant of the faith. Accordingly there
proceeded from that Menander, whom we have already mentioned as the successor of
Simon, [3] a certain serpent-like power, double-tongued and two-headed, which
produced the leaders of two different heresies, Saturninus, an Antiochian by
birth, [6] and Basilides, an Alexandrian. [7] The former of these established
schools of godless heresy in Syria, the latter in Alexandria. Irenaeus states [8]
that the 4 false teaching of Saturninus agreed in most respects with that of
Menander, but that Basilides, under the pretext of unspeakable mysteries,
invented monstrous fables, and carried the fictions of his impious heresy quite beyond
bounds. But as there were at that time a 5 great many members of the Church
[9] who were fighting for the truth and defending apostolic and ecclesiastical
doctrine with uncommon eloquence, so there were some also that furnished
posterity through their writings with means of defense against the heresies to which
we have referred. [10] Of these there 6 has come down to us a most powerful
refutation of Basilides by Agrippa Castor, [11] one of the most renowned writers
of that day, which shows the terrible imposture of the man. 7 While exposing his
mysteries he says that Basilides wrote twenty-four books upon the Gospel,
[12] and that he invented prophets for himself named Barcabbas and Barcoph, [13]
and others that had no existence, and that he gave them barbarous names in
order to amaze those who marvel at such things; that he taught also that the eating
of meat offered to idols and the unguarded renunciation of the faith in times
of persecution were matters of indifference; [14] and that he enjoined upon his
followers, like 8 Pythagoras, a silence of five years. [15] Other similar
things the above-mentioned writer has recorded concerning Basilides, and has 9 ably
exposed the error of his heresy. Irenaeus also writes [16] that Carpocrates
was a contemporary of these men, and that he was the father of another heresy,
called the heresy of the Gnostics, [17] who did not wish to transmit any longer
the magic arts of Simon, as that one [18] had done, in secret, but openly. [19]
For they boasted -- as of something great -- of love potions that were
carefully prepared by them, and of certain demons that sent them dreams and lent them
their protection, and of other similar agencies; and in accordance with these
things they taught that it was necessary for those who wished to enter fully into
their mysteries, or rather into their abominations, to practice all the worst
kinds of wickedness, on the ground that they could escape the cosmic powers, as
they called them, in no other way than by discharging their obligations to
them all by infamous-conduct. Thus it came to pass that the malignant demon,
making use of these ministers, on the one hand enslaved those that were so pitiably
led astray by them to their own destruction, while on the other hand he
furnished to the unbelieving heathen abundant opportunities for slandering the divine
word, inasmuch as the reputation of these men brought infamy 11 upon the whole
race of Christians. In this way, therefore, it came to pass that there was
spread abroad in regard to us among the unbelievers of that age, the infamous and
most absurd suspicion that we practiced unlawful commerce with mothers and
sisters, and 12 enjoyed impious feasts. [20] He did not, however, long succeed in
these artifices, as the truth established itself and in time shone 13 with great
brilliancy. For the machinations of its enemies were refuted by its power and
speedily vanished. One new heresy arose after another, and the former ones
always passed away, and now at one time, now at another, now in one way, now in
other ways, were lost in ideas of various kinds and various forms. But the splendor
of the catholic and only true Church, which is always the same, grew in
magnitude and power, and reflected its piety and simplicity and freedom, and the
modesty and purity of its inspired life and philosophy to every nation 14 both of
Greeks and of Barbarians. At the same time the slanderous accusations which had
been brought against the whole Church 21 also vanished, and there remained our
teaching alone, which has prevailed over all, and which is acknowledged to be
superior to all in dignity and temperance, and in divine and philosophical
doctrines. So that none of them now ventures to affix a base calumny upon our faith,
or any such slander as our ancient enemies formerly delighted to utter.
Nevertheless, 15 in those times the truth again called forth many champions who
fought in its defense against the godless heresies, refuting them not only with
oral, but also with written arguments. [22]
CHAPTER VIII.
Ecclesiastical Writers.
Among these Hegesippus was well 1 known. [1] We have already quoted his
words a number of times, [2] relating events which happened in the time of the
apostles according to his account. He records in five2 books the true tradition
of apostolic doctrine in a most simple style, and he indicates the time in which
he flourished when he writes as follows concerning those that first set up
idols: "To whom they erected cenotaphs and temples, as is done to the present day.
Among whom is also Antinous, [3] a slave of the Emperor Adrian, in whose honor
are celebrated also the Antinoian games, which were instituted in our day. For
he [i.e. Adrian] also founded a city named after Antinous, [4] and appointed
prophets." At the same time also Justin, a genuine lover 3 of the true
philosophy, was still continuing to busy himself with Greek literature. [5] He indicates
(his time in the Apology which he addressed to Antonine, where he writes as
follows: [6] "We do not think it out of place to mention here Antinous also, who
lived in our day, and whom all were driven by fear to worship as a god,
although they knew who he was and whence he came." 4 The same writer, speaking of the
Jewish war which took place at that time, adds the following: [7] "For in the
late Jewish war Barcocheba, the leader of the Jewish rebellion, commanded that
Christians alone [8] should be visited with terrible punishments unless they
would deny and blaspheme Jesus Christ." And in the same work he shows that his
conversion from Greek philosophy to Christianity [9] was not without reason, but
that it was the result of deliberation on his part. His words are as follows:
[10] "For I myself, while I was delighted with the doctrines of Plato, and heard
the Christians slandered, and saw that they were afraid neither of death nor of
anything else ordinarily looked upon as terrible, concluded that it was
impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For what
pleasure-loving or intemperate man, or what man that counts it good to feast on human
flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived of his enjoyments, and would
not rather strive to continue permanently his present life, and to escape the
notice of the rulers, instead of giving himself up to be put to death?" The same
writer, moreover, relates that Adrian having received from Serennius Granianus,
[11] a most distinguished governor, a letter [12] in behalf of the Christians,
in which he stated that it was not just to slay the Christians without a
regular accusation and trial, merely for the sake of gratifying the outcries of the
populace, sent a rescript [13] to Minucius Fundanus, [14] proconsul of Asia,
comrounding him to condemn no one without an indictment and a well-grounded
accusation. And he gives a copy of the epistle, preserving 7 the original Latin in
which it was written, [15] and prefacing it with the following words: [18]
"Although from the epistle of the greatest and most illustrious Emperor Adrian, your
father, we have good ground to demand that you order judgment to be given as
we have desired, yet we have asked this not because it was ordered by Adrian,
but rather because we know that what we ask is just. And we have subjoined the
copy of Adrian's epistle that you may know that we are speaking the truth in this
matter also. And 8 this is the copy." After these words the author referred
to gives the rescript in Latin, which we have translated into Greek as
accurately as we could. [17] It reads as follows:
CHAPTER IX.
The Epistle of Adrian, decreeing that we should not be punished without a
Trial.
- "To Minucius Fundanus. I have received an epistle, [1] written to me by
Serennius Granianus, a most illustrious man, whom you have succeeded. It does not
seem right to me that the matter should be passed by without examination, lest
the men [2] be harassed and opportunity be given to the informers for 2.
practicing villainy. If, therefore, the inhabitants of the province can clearly
sustain this petition against the Christians so as to give answer in a court of
law, let them pursue this course alone, but let them not have resort to men's
petitions and outcries. For it is far more proper, if any one wishes to make an
accusation, that you should examine into it. 3 If any one therefore accuses them
and shows that they are doing anything contrary to the laws, do you pass
judgment according to the heinousness of the crime. [3] But, by Hercules! if any one
bring an accusation through mere calumny, decide in regard to his criminality,
[4] and see to it that you inflict punishment." [5] Such are the contents of
Adrian's rescript.
CHAPTER X.
The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria during the Reign of Antoninus.
Adrian having died after a reign of twenty-one years, [1] was succeeded in
the government of the Romans by Antoninus, called the Pious. In the first year
of his reign Telesphorus [2] died in the eleventh year of his episcopate, and
Hyginus became bishop of Rome. [3] Irenaeus records that Telesphorus' death was
made glorious by martyrdom, [4] and in the same connection he states that in
the time of the above-mentioned Roman bishop Hyginus, Valentinus, the founder of
a sect of his own, and Cerdon, the author of Marcion's error, were both well
known at Rome. [5] He writes as follows: [6]
CHAPTER XI.
The Heresiarchs of that Age.
"For Valentinus came to Rome under 1 Hyginus, flourished under Plus, and
remained until Anicetus. [1] Cerdon [2] also, Mar- by his martyrdom." After
these words, before giving the account of Polycarp, they record the events which
befell the rest of the martyrs, and describe the great firmness which they
exhibited in the midst of their pains. For they say that the bystanders were struck
with amazement when they saw them lacerated with scourges even to the innermost
veins and arteries, so that the hidden inward parts of the body, both their
bowels and their members, were exposed to view; and then laid upon sea-shells and
certain pointed spits, and subjected to every species of punishment and of
torture, and finally thrown as food to wild beasts. And they record that the most
noble Germanicus [8] especially distinguished himself, overcoming by the grace
of God the fear of bodily death implanted by nature. When indeed the proconsul
[9] wished to persuade him, and urged his youth, and besought him, as he was
very young and vigorous, to take compassion on himself, he did not hesitate, but
eagerly lured the beast toward himself, all but compelling and irritating him,
in order that he might the sooner be freed from their unrighteous and lawless
life. After his glorious death the whole multitude marveling at the bravery of
the God-beloved martyr and at the fortitude of the whole race of Christians,
began to cry out suddenly, "Away with the atheists; [10] let Polycarp be sought."
And when a very great tumult arose in consequence of the cries, a certain
Phrygian, Quintus [11] by name, who was newly come from Phrygia, seeing the beasts
and the additional tortures, was smitten with cowardice and gave up the
attainment of salvation. But the above-mentioned epistle shows that he, too hastily and
without proper discretion, had rushed forward with others to the tribunal, but
when seized had furnished a clear proof to all, that it is not right for such
persons rashly and recklessly to expose themselves to danger. Thus did matters
turn out in connection with them.
But the most admirable Polycarp, when he first heard of these things,
continued: undisturbed, preserved a quiet and unshaken mind, and determined to
remain in the city. But being persuaded by his friends who en-treated and exhorted
him to retire secretly, he went out to a farm not far distant from the city and
abode there with a few companions, night and day doing nothing but wrestle
with the Lord in prayer, beseeching and imploring, and asking peace for the
churches throughout the whole world. For this was always his custom. And three days
before his 10 arrest, while he was praying, he saw in a vision at night the
pillow under his head suddenly seized by fire and consumed ; and upon this
awakening he immediately interpreted the vision to those that were present, almost
foretelling that which was about to happen, and declaring plainly to those that
were with him that it would be necessary for him for Christ's sake to die by fire.
Then, as those who were seeking him 11 pushed the search with vigor, they say
that he was again constrained by the solicitude and love of the brethren to go
to another farm. Thither his pursuers came after no long time, and seized two
of the servants there, and tortured one of them for the purpose of learning from
him Polycarp's hiding-place. And coming 12 late in the evening, they found him
lying in an upper room, whence he might have gone to another house, but he
would not, saying, "The will of God be done." And when 13 he learned that they
were present, as the account says, he went down and spoke to them with a very
cheerful and gentle countenance, so that those who did not already know the man
thought that they beheld a miracle when they observed his advanced age and the
gravity and firmness of his bearing, and they marveled that so much effort should
be made to capture a man like him. But he did not hesitate, but immediately 14
gave orders that a table should be spread for them. Then he invited them to
partake of a bounteous meal, and asked of them one hour that he might pray
undisturbed. And when they had given permission, he stood up and prayed, being full
of the grace of the Lord, so that those who were present and heard him praying
were amazed, and many of them now repented that such a venerable and godly old
man was about to be put to death. In addition to 15 these things the narrative
concerning him contains the following account: "But when at length he had
brought his prayer to an end, after remembering all that had ever come into contact
with him, small and great, famous and obscure, and the whole catholic Church
throughout the world, the hour of departure being come, they put him upon an ass
and brought him to the city, it being a great Sabbath. [12] And he was met by
Herod, [13] the captain of police, [14] and by his father Nicetes, who took him
into their carriage, and sitting beside him endeavored to persuade him, saying,
' For what harm is there in saying, Lord Caesar, and sacrificing and saving
your, 16 life?' He at first did not answer; but when they persisted, he said, ' I
am not going to do what you advise me.' And when they failed to persuade him,
they uttered dreadful words, and thrust him down with violence, so that as he
descended from the carriage he lacerated his shin. But without turning round, he
went on his way promptly and rapidly, as if nothing had happened to him, and
was taken to the 17 stadium. But there was such a tumult in the stadium that not
many heard a voice from heaven, which came to Polycarp as he was entering the
place: ' Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.' [15] And no one saw the
speaker, but many of our people heard the voice. 18 And when he was led forward, there
was a great tumult, as they heard that Polycarp was taken. Finally, when he
came up, the proconsul asked if he were Polycarp. And when he confessed that he
was, he endeavored to persuade him to deny, saying, ' Have regard for thine
age,' and other like things, which it is 19 their custom to say: ' Swear by the
genius of Caesar; [16] repent and say, Away with the Atheists.' But Polycarp,
looking with dignified countenance upon the whole crowd that was gathered in the
stadium, waved his hand to them, and groaned, and raising his eyes toward 20
heaven, said, ' Away with the Atheists.' But when the magistrate pressed him, and
said, Swear, and I will release thee; revile Christ,' Polycarp said,'
Fourscore and six years [17] have I been serving him, and he hath done me no wrong; how
then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?
"But when he again persisted, and said, 'Swear by the genius of Caesar,'
Polycarp replied, ' If thou vainly supposest that I will swear by the genius of
Caesar, as thou sayest, feigning to be ignorant who I am, hear plainly: I am a
Christian. But if thou desirest to learn the doctrine of Christianity, assign a
day and hear.' The proconsul said, ' Persuade 22 the people.' But Polycarp
said, 'As for thee, I thought thee worthy of an explanation; for we have been
taught to render to princes and authorities ordained by God the honor that is due,
[18] so long as it does not injure us; [19] but as for these, I do not esteem
them the proper persons to whom to make my defense.' [20] But the proconsul
said, ' I have 23 wild beasts; I will throw thee to them unless thou repent.' But
he said, ' Call them; for repentance from better to worse is a change we cannot
make. But it is a noble thing to turn from wickedness to righteousness.' But 24
he again said to him, ' If thou despisest the wild beasts, I will cause thee
to be consumed by fire, unless thou repent.' But Polycarp said, ' Thou
threatenest a fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is quenched; for thou
knowest not the fire of the future judgment and of the eternal punishment which
is reserved for the impious. But why dost thou delay? Do what thou wilt.'
Saying these and 25 other words besides, he was filled with courage and joy, and his
face was suffused with grace, so that not only was he not terrified and
dismayed by the words that were spoken to him, but, on the contrary, the proconsul
was amazed, and sent his herald to proclaim three times in the midst of the
stadium: ' Polycarp hath confessed that he is a Christian.' And when 26 this was
proclaimed by the herald, the whole multitude, both of Gentiles and of Jews,
[21] who dwelt in Smyrna, cried out with ungovernable wrath and with a great
shout, 'This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the over-thrower
of our gods, who teacheth many not to sacrifice nor to worship.' When they 27
had said this, they cried out and asked the Asiarch Philip [22] to let a lion
loose upon Poly-carp. But he said that it was not lawful for him,since he had
closed the games. Then they thought fit to cry out with one accord that 28
Polycarp should be burned alive. For it was necessary that the vision should be
fulfilled which had been shown him concerning his pillow, when he saw it burning
while he was praying, and turned and said prophetically to the faithful that
were with him, ' I must needs be burned alive.' These things were done with great
speed, --more quickly than they were said,--the crowds immediately collecting
from the workshops and baths timber and fagots, the Jews being especially
zealous 30 in the work, as is their wont. But when the pile was ready, taking off
all his upper garments, and loosing his girdle, he attempted also to remove his
shoes, although he had never before done this, because of the effort which
each of the faithful always made to touch his skin first; for he had been treated
with all honor on account of his virtuous life even before his 31 gray hairs
came. Forthwith then the materials prepared for the pile were placed about him;
and as they were also about to nail him to the stake, [23] he said, ' Leave me
thus; for he who hath given me strength to endure the fire, will also grant me
strength to remain in the fire unmoved without being secured by you with
nails.' So they did not nail him, but bound 32 him. And he, with his hands behind
him, and bound like a noble ram taken from a great flock, an acceptable
burnt-offering unto 33 God omnipotent, said, ' Father of thy beloved and blessed Son
[24] Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of thee, the
God of angels and of powers and of the whole creation and of the entire race of
the righteous who live in thy presence, I bless thee that thou hast deemed me
worthy of this day and hour that I might receive a portion in the number of the
martyrs, in the cup of Christ, unto resurrection of eternal life, [25] both of
soul and of body, in the immortality of the Holy Spirit. 34 Among these may I
be received before thee this day, in a rich and acceptable saccrifice, as thou,
the faithful and true God, bast beforehand prepared and revealed, and hast
fulfilled. Wherefore I praise thee also for everything; I bless thee, I glorify
thee, through the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son, through
whom, with him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto thee, both now 36 and for the
ages to come, Amen.' When he had offered up his Amen and had finished his
prayer, the firemen lighted the fire and as a great flame blazed out, we, to whom it
was given to see, saw a wonder, and we were preserved that we might relate
what happened to the others. For the fire presented 37 the appearance of a
vault, like the sail of a vessel filled by the wind, and made a wall about the body
of the martyr, [26] and it was in the midst not like flesh burning, but like
gold and silver refined in a furnace. For we perceived such a fragrant odor, as
of the fumes of frankincense or of some other precious spices. So 38 at length
the lawless men, when they saw that the body could not be consumed by the
fire, commanded an executioner [27] to approach and pierce him with the sword. And
39 when he had done this there came forth a quantity of blood [28] so that it
extinguished the fire; and the whole crowd marveled that there should be such
a difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of whom this man also was
one, the most wonderful teacher in our times, apostolic and prophetic, who was
bishop of the catholic Church [29] in Smyrna. For every word which came from his
mouth was accomplished and will be accomplished. But the 40 jealous and
envious Evil One, the adversary of the race of the righteous, when he saw the
greatness of his martyrdom, and his blameless life from the beginning, and when he
saw him crowned with the crown of immortality and bearing off an incontestable
prize, took care that not even his body should be taken away by us, although
many desired to do it and to have communion with his holy flesh. Accordingly 41
certain ones secretly suggested to Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother of
Alce, [30] that he should plead with the magistrate not to give up his body,
'lest,' it was said, 'they should abandon the crucified One and begin to worship
this man.' [31] They said these things at the suggestion and impulse of the
Jews, who also watched as we were about to take it from the fire, not knowing that
we shall never be able either to forsake Christ, who suffered for the
salvation of the whole world of those that 42 are saved, or to worship any other. For
we worship him who is the Son of God, but the martyrs, as disciples and
imitators of the Lord, we love as they deserve on account of their matchless
affection for their own king and teacher. May we also be made partakers 43 and
fellow-disciples with them. The centurion, therefore, when he saw the contentiousness
exhibited by the Jews, placed him in the midst and burned him, as was their
custom. And so we afterwards gathered up his bones. which were more valuable than
precious stones and more to be esteemed than gold, and 44 laid them in a
suitable place. There the Lord will permit us to come together as we are able, in
gladness and joy to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom, [32] for the
commemoration of those who have already fought and for the training and preparation
of those who 45 shall hereafter do the same. Such are the events that befell
the blessed Polycarp, who suffered martyrdom in Smyrna with the eleven [33]
from Philadelphia. This one man is remembered more than the others by all, so that
even by the heathen he is talked about in every place." Of such an end was the
admirable and 46 apostolic Polycarp deemed worthy, as recorded by the
brethren of the church of Smyrna in their epistle which we have mentioned. In the
same volume [34] concerning him are subjoined also other martyrdoms which took
place in the same city, Smyrna, about the same period of time with Polycarp's
martyrdom. Among them also Metrodorus, who appears to have been a proselyte of the
Marcionitic sect, suffered death by fire. A celebrated martyr of those times
was 47 a certain man named Pionius. Those who desire to know his several
confessions, and the boldness of his speech, and his apologies in behalf of the faith
before the people and the rulers, and his instructive addresses and moreover,
his greetings to those who had yielded to temptation in the persecution, and
the words of encouragement which he addressed to the brethren who came to visit
him in prison, and the tortures which he endured in addition, and besides these
the sufferings and the nailings, and his firmness on the pile, and his death
after all the extraordinary trials, [35]--those we refer to that epistle which
has been given in the Martyrdoms of the Ancients, [36] collected by us, and which
contains a very full account of him. And there are also records extant of
others 48 that suffered martyrdom in Pergamus, a city of Asia, -- of Carpus and
Papylus, and a woman named Agathonice, who, after many and illustrious
testimonies, gloriously ended their lives. [37]
CHAPTER XVI.
Justin the Philosopher preaches the Word of Christ in Rome and suffers
Martyrdom.
- About this time [1] Justin, who was mentioned by us just above, [2] after
he had addressed a second work in behalf of our doctrines to the rulers already
named, [3] was crowned with divine martyrdom, [4] in consequence of a plot laid
against him by Crescens, [5] a philosopher who emulated the life and manners
of the Cynics, whose name he bore. After Justin had frequently refuted him in
public discussions he won by his martyrdom the prize of victory, dying in behalf
of the truth which he preached. And he himself, a man most learned in the 2
truth, in his Apology already referred to [6] clearly predicts how this was about
to happen to him, although it had not yet occurred. His words are as follows:
[7] " I, too, [8] there- 3 fore, expect to be plotted against and put in the
stocks [9] by some one of those whom I have named, or perhaps by Crescens, that
unphilosophical and vainglorious man. For the man is not worthy to be called a
philosopher who publicly bears witness against those concerning whom he knows
nothing, declaring, for the sake of captivating and pleasing the multitude, that
the Christians are atheistical and impious. [10] Doing this he errs greatly.
For if he assails 4 us without having read the teachings of Christ, he is
thoroughly depraved, and is much worse than the illiterate, who often guard against
discussing and bearing false witness about matters which they do not understand.
And if he has read them and does not understand the majesty that is in them,
or, understanding it, does these things in order that he may not be suspected of
being an adherent, he is far more base and totally depraved, being enslaved to
vulgar applause and irrational fear. For I 5 would have you know that when I
proposed certain questions of the sort and asked him in regard to them, I learned
and proved that he indeed knows nothing. And to show that I speak the truth I
am ready, if these disputations have not been reported to you, to discuss the
questions again in your presence. And this indeed would be an act worthy of an
emperor. But if my questions and his 6 answers have been made known to you, it
is obvious to you that he knows nothing about our affairs; or if he knows, but
does not dare to speak because of those who hear him, he shows himself to be, as
I have already said, [11] not a philosopher, but a vainglorious man, who
indeed does not even regard that most admirable saying of Socrates." [12] These are
the words of Justin.
And that he met his death as he had predicted that he would, in
consequence of the machinations of Crescens, is stated by Tatian, [13] a than who early
in life lectured upon the sciences of the Greeks and won no little fame in them,
and who has left a great many monuments of himself in his writings. He records
this fact in his work against the Greeks, where he writes as follows: [14] "
And that most admirable Justin declared with truth thai the aforesaid persons
were like robbers." 8 Then, after making some remarks about the philosophers,
he continues as follows: [15] "Crescens, indeed, who made his nest in the great
city, surpassed all in his unnatural lust, and was wholly devoted to the love
of money. 9 And he who taught that death should be despised, was himself so
greatly in fear of it that he endeavored to inflict death, as if it were a great
evil, upon Justin, because the latter, when preaching the truth, had proved
that the philosophers were gluttons and impostors."And such was the cause of
Justin's martyrdom.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Martyrs whom Justin intentions in his Own Work.
- The same man, before his conflict, mentions in his first Apology [1] others
that suffered martyrdom before him, and most fittingly records the
following events. He writes thus: [2] 2 "A certain woman lived with a dissolute
husband; she herself, too, having formerly been of the same character. But when she
came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ, she became temperate, and
endeavored to persuade her husband likewise to be temperate, repeating the
teachings, and declaring the punishment in eternal fire which shall come upon those
who do not live temperately 3 and conformably to right reason. But he,
continuing in the same excesses, alienated his wife by his conduct. For she finally,
thinking it wrong to live as a wife with a man who, contrary to the law of
nature and right, sought every possible means of pleasure, desired 4 to be
divorced from him. And when she was earnestly entreated by her friends, who counseled
her still to remain with him, on the ground that her husband might some time
give hope of amendment, she did violence to 5 herself and remained. But when
her husband had gone to Alexandria, and was reported to be conducting himself
still worse, she in order that she might not, by continuing in wedlock, and by
sharing his board and bed, become a partaker in his lawlessness and impiety--gave
him what we a call a bill of divorce and left him. But her noble and 6
excellent husband,--instead of rejoicing, as he ought to have done, that she had
given up those actions which she had formerly recklessly committed with the
servants and hirelings, when she delighted in drunkenness and in every vice, and that
she desired him likewise to give them up, -- when she had gone from him
contrary to his wish, brought an accusation concerning her, declaring that she was a
Christian. And 7 she petitioned you, the emperor, that she might be permitted
first to set her affairs in order, and afterwards, after the settlement of her
affairs, to make her defense against the accusation. And this you granted. But
8 he who had once been her husband, being no longer able to prosecute her,
directed his attacks against a certain Ptolemaeus, [4] who had been her teacher
in the doctrines of Christianity, and whom Urbicius [5] had punished. Against
him he proceeded in the following manner:
"He persuaded a centurion who was his 9 friend to cast Ptolemaeus into
prison, and to take him and ask him this only: whether he were a Christian? And
when Ptolemaeus, who was a lover of truth, and not of a deceitful and false
disposition, confessed that he was a Christian, the centurion bound him and
punished him for a long time in the prison. And finally, 10 when the man was
brought before Urbicius he was likewise asked this question only: whether he were a
Christian? And again, conscious of the benefits which he enjoyed through the
teaching of Christ, he confessed his schooling in divine virtue. For whoever 11
denies that he is a Christian, either denies because he despises Christianity,
or he avoids confession because he is conscious that he is unworthy and an
alien to it; neither of which is the case with the true Christian. And when 12
Urbicius commanded that he be led away to punishment, a certain Lucius, [6] who
was also a Christian, seeing judgment so unjustly passed, said to Urbicius, '
Why have you punished this I man who is not an adulterer, nor a fornicator, nor a
murderer, nor a thief, nor a robber, nor has been convicted of committing any
crime at all, but has confessed that he beam the name of Christian? You do not
judge, O Urbicius, in a manner befitting the Emperor Pins, or the philosophical
son [7] of Caesar, or the sacred senate.' And without making any other reply,
he said to Lucius, ' Thou also seem-est to me to be such an one.' And when
Lucius said, 'Certainly,' he again commanded that he too should be led away to
punishment. But he professed his thanks, for he was liberated, he added, from such
wicked rulers and was going to the good Father and King, God. And still a third
having come forward was condemned to be punished."
14 To this, Justin fittingly and consistently adds the words which we
quoted above, [8] saying, "I, too, therefore expect to be plotted against by some
one of those whom I have named," &c."
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Works of Justin which have come down to us.
- This writer has left us a great many monuments of a mind educated and
practiced in divine things, which are replete with profitable matter of every kind.
To them we shall refer the studious, noting as we proceed those 2. that have
come to our knowledge. [1] There ) is a certain discourse [2] of his in defense
of our doctrine addressed to Antoninus surnamed t the Pious, and to his sons,
and to the Roman senate. Another work contains his second Apology [3] in behalf
of our faith, which he offered to him who was the successor of the emperor
mentioned and who bore the same name, Antoninus Verus, the one whose times we are
now recording. Also another work 3 against the Greeks, [4] in which he
discourses at length upon most of the questions at issue between us and the Greek
philosophers, and discusses the nature of demons. It is not necessary for me to
add any of these things here. And still another work of his against the 4
Greeks has come down to us, to which he gave the title Refutation. And besides these
another, On the Sovereignty of God, [5] which he establishes not only from our
Scriptures, but also from the books of the Greeks. Still further, a work
entitled Psaltes, [6] and another disputation On the Soul, in which, after
pro-pounding various questions concerning the problem under discussion, he gives the
opinions of the Greek philosophers, promising to refute it, and to present his own
view in another work. He composed also a dialogue against 6 the Jews, [7]
which he held in the city of Ephesus with Trypho, a most distinguished man among
the Hebrews of that day. In it he shows how the divine grace urged him on to
the doctrine of the faith, and with what earnestness he had formerly pursued
philosophical studies, and how ardent a search he had made for the truth. [8] And
he records of the 7 Jews in the same work, that they were plotting against the
teaching of Christ, asserting the same things against Trypho: "Not only did
you not repent of the wickedness which you had committed, but you selected at
that time chosen men, and you sent them out from Jerusalem through all the land,
to announce that the godless heresy of the Christians had made its appearance,
and to accuse them of those things which all that are ignorant of us say against
us, so that you become the causes not only of your own injustice, but also of
all other men's." [9] 8 He writes also that even down to his time prophetic
gifts shone in the Church. [10] And he mentions the Apocalypse of John, saying
distinctly that it was the apostle's. [11] He also refers to certain prophetic
declarations, and accuses Trypho on the ground that the Jews had cut them out of
the Scripture. [12] A great many other works of his are still in the hands of
many of the brethren. [13] And the discourses of the man were thought so worthy
of study even by the ancients, that Irenaeus quotes his words: for instance,
in the fourth book of his work Against Heresies, where he writes as follows:
[14] "And Justin well says in his work against Marcion, that he would not have
believed the Lord himself if he had preached another God besides the Creator"; and
again in the fifth book of the same work he says: [15] "And Justin well said
that before the coming of the Lord Satan never dared to blaspheme God, [16]
because he did not yet know his condemnation." 10 These things I have deemed it
necessary to say for the sake of stimulating the studious to peruse his works
with diligence. So much concerning him.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Rulers of the Churches of Rome and Alexandria during the Reign of Ferns.
In the eighth year of the above-mentioned reign [1] Soter [2] succeeded
Anicetus [3] as bishop of the church of Rome, after the latter had held office
eleven years in all. But when Celadion [4] had presided over the church of
Alexandria for fourteen years tie was succeeded by Agrippinus. [5]
CHAPTER XX.
The Rulers of the Church of Antioch.
AT that time also in the church of Antioch, Theophilus [1] was well known
as the sixth from the apostles. For Cornelius, [2] who succeeded Hero, [3] was
the fourth, and after him Eros, [4] the fifth in order, had held the office of
bishop.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Ecclesiastical Writers that flourished in Those Days.
AT that time there flourished in the Church Hegesippus, whom we know from
what has gone before, [I] and Dionysius, [2] bishop of Corinth, and another
bishop, Pinytus of Crete, [3] and besides these, Philip, [4] and Apolinarius, [5]
and Melito, [6] and Musanus, [7] and Modestus, [8] and finally, Irenaeus. [9]
From them has come down to us in writing, the sound and orthodox faith received
from apostolic tradition.
CHAPTER XXII.
Hegesippus and the Events which he mentiones.
Hegesippus in the five books of Memoirs [1] 1 which have come down to us
has left a most complete record of his own views. In them he states that on a
journey to Rome he met a great many bishops, and that he received the same
doctrine from all. It is fitting to hear what he says after making some remarks about
the epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. His words are as follows: "And the
churchIll of Corinth continued in the true faith until Primus [2] was bishop in
Corinth. I conversed with them on my way to Rome, and abode with the
Corinthians many days, during which we were mutually refreshed in the true doctrine. And
when I had come to Rome I remained a there until Anicetus, [3] whose deacon
was Eleutherus. And Anicetus was succeeded by Soter, and he by Eleutherus. In
every succession, and in every city that is held which is preached by the law and
the prophets and the Lord." 4 The same author also describes the beginnings
of the heresies which arose in his time, in the following words: "And after
James the Just had suffered martyrdom, as the Lord had also on the same account,
Symeon, the son of the Lord's uncle, Clopas, [4] was appointed the next bishop.
All proposed him as second bishop because he was a cousin of the Lord.
"Therefore, [4a] they called the Church a virgin, for it was not yet corrupted by vain
discourses. 5 But Thebuthis, [5] because he was not made bishop, began to
corrupt it. He also was sprung from the seven sects [6] among the people, like Simon,
[7] from whom came the Simonians, and Cleobius, [8] from whom came the
Cleobians, and Dositheus, [9] from whom came the Dositheans, and Gorthaeus, [10] from
whom came the Goratheni, and Masbotheus, [11] from whom came the Masbothaeans.
From them sprang the Menandrianists, [12] and Marcionists, [13] and
Carpocratians, and Valentinians, and Basilidians, and Saturnilians. Each introduced
privately and separately his own peculiar opinion. From them came false Christs,
false prophets, false apostles, who divided the unity of the Church by corrupt
doctrines uttered against God and against his Christ." The same writer also records
the 6 ancient heresies which arose among the Jews, in the following words:
"There were, moreover, various opinions in the circumcision, among the children of
Israel. The following were those that were opposed to the tribe of Judah and
the Christ: Essenes, Galileans, Hemerobaptists, Masbothaeans, Samaritans,
Sadducees, Pharisees." [14]
7 And he wrote of many other matters, which we have in part already
mentioned, introducing the accounts in their appropriate places. And from the Syriac
Gospel according to the Hebrews he quotes some passages in the Hebrew tongue,
[15] showing that he was a convert from the Hebrews, [16] and he mentions other
matters as taken from the unwritten tradition of the 8 Jews. And not only he,
but also Irenaeus and the whole company of the ancients, called the Proverbs of
Solomon All-virtuous Wisdom. [17] And when speaking of the books called
Apocrypha, he records that some of them were composed in his day by certain heretics.
But let us now pass on to another.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles which he wrote. [1]
And first we must speak of Dionysius, 1 who was appointed bishop of the
church in Corinth, and communicated freely of his inspired labors not only to
his own people, but also to those in foreign lands, and rendered the greatest
service to all in the catholic epistles which he wrote to the churches. Among
these is 2 the one addressed to the Lacedaemonians, [2] containing instruction in
the orthodox faith and an admonition to peace and unity; the one also addressed
to the Athenians, exciting them to faith and to the life prescribed by the
Gospel, which he accuses them of esteeming lightly, as if they had almost
apostatized from the faith since the martyrdom of their ruler Publius, [3] which had
taken place during the persecutions of those days. He mentions Quadratus [4] also,
stating that he was appointed their bishop after the martyrdom of Publius, and
testifying that through his zeal they were brought together again and their
faith revived. He records, moreover, that Dionysius the Areopagite, [5] who was
converted to the faith by the apostle l Paul, according to the statement in the
Acts of the Apostles, [6] first obtained the episcopate 4 of the church at
Athens. And there is extant another epistle of his addressed to the Nicomedians,
[7] in which he attacks the heresy of Marcion, and stands fast by the canon of 5
the truth. Writing also to the church that is in Gortyna, [8] together with the
other parishes in Crete, he commends their bishop Philip, [9] because of the
many acts of fortitude which are testified to as performed by the church under
him, and he warns them to be on their guard against the aberrations of the
heretics.
6 And writing to the church that is in Amastris, [10] together with those
in Pontus, he refers to Bacchylides [11] and Elpistus, as having urged him to
write, and he adds explanations of passages of the divine Scriptures, and
mentions their bishop Palmas [12] by name. He gives them much advice also in regard to
marriage and chastity, and commands them to receive those who come back again
after any fall, whether it be 7 delinquency or heresy. [13] Among these is
inserted also another epistle addressed to the Cnosians, [14] in which he exhorts
Pinytus, bishop of the parish, not to lay upon the brethren a grievous and
compulsory burden in regard to chastity, but to have regard to the weakness of the
multitude. Pinytus, replying to this epistle, ad- 8 mires and commends
Dionysius, but exhorts him in turn to impart some time more solid food, and to feed the
people under him, when he wrote again, with more advanced teaching, that they
might not be fed continually on these milky doctrines and imperceptibly grow
old under a training calculated for children. In this epistle also Pinytus'
orthodoxy in the faith and his care for the welfare of those placed under him, his
learning and his comprehension of divine things, are revealed as in a most
perfect image. There is extant also another epistle written 9 by Dionysius to the
Romans, and addressed to Soter, [15] who was bishop at that time. We cannot do
better than to subjoin some passages from this epistle, in which he commends the
practice of the Romans which has been retained down to the persecution in our
own days. His words are as follows: "For from the beginning 10 it has been your
practice to do good to all the brethren in various ways, and to send
contributions to many churches in every city. Thus relieving the want of the needy, and
making provision for the brethren in the mines by the gifts which you have sent
from the beginning, you Romans keep up the hereditary customs of the Romans,
which your blessed bishop Soter has not only maintained, but also added to,
furnishing an abundance of supplies to the saints,, and encouraging the brethren
from abroad with blessed words, as a loving father his children.'' In this same
epistle he makes mention also of Clement's epistle to the Corinthians, [16]
showing that it had been the custom from the beginning to read it in the church.
His words are as follows: "To-day we have passed the Lord's holy day, in which we
have read your epistle. From it, whenever we read it, we shall always be able
to draw advice, as also from the former epistle, which was written 'to us
through Clement." The same writer 12 also speaks as follows concerning his own
epistles, alleging that they had been mutilated: "As the brethren desired me to
write epistles, I wrote. And these epistles the apostles of the devil have filled
with tares, cutting out some things and adding others. [17] For them a woe is
reserved. [18] It is, therefore, not to be wondered at if some have attempted to
adulterate the Lord's writings also, [19] since they have formed designs even
against writings which are of less accounts." [20]
There is extant, in addition to these, another epistle of Dionysius,
written to Chrysophora [21] a most faithful sister. In it he writes what is
suitable, and imparts to her also the proper spiritual food. So much concerning
Dionysius.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Theaphilus Bishop of Antioch.
Of Theophilus, [1] whom we have mentioned as bishop of the church of
Antioch, [2] three elementary works addressed to Autolycus are extant; also another
writing entitled Against the Heresy of Hermogenes, [3] in which he makes use of
testimonies from the Apocalypse of John, and finally certain other
catechetical books. [4] And as the heretics, no less then than at2 other times, were like
tares, destroying the pure harvest of apostolic teaching, the pastors of the
churches everywhere hastened to restrain them as wild beasts from the fold of
Christ, at one time by admonitions and exhortations to the brethren, at another
time by contending more openly against them in oral discussions and refutations,
and again by correcting their opinions with most accurate proofs in written
works. And that Theophilus also, with 3 the others, contended against them, is
manifest from a certain discourse of no common merit written by him against
Marcion. [5] This work too, with the others of which we have spoken, has been
preserved to the present day.
Maximinus, [6] the seventh from the apostles, succeeded him as bishop of
the church of Antioch.
CHAPTER XXV.
Philip and Modestus.
Philip who, as we learn from the words of Dionysius, [1] was bishop of the
parish of Gortyna, likewise wrote a most elaborate work against Marcion, [2]
as did also Irenaeus [3] and Modestus. The last named has exposed the error of
the man more clearly than the rest to the view of all. There are a number of
others also whose works are still presented by a great many of the brethren.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Melito and the Circumstances which he records.
- In those days also Melito, [x] bishop of the parish in Sardis, and
Apolinarius, [2] bishop of Hierapolis, enjoyed great distinction. Each of them on his
own part addressed apologies in behalf of the faith to the above-mentioned
emperor [3] of the Romans who was reigning at that time. The following works of
these writers have come to our knowledge. Of Melito, the two books On the
Passover, and one On the Conduct of Life and the Prophets, [6] the discourse On the
Church, [7] and one On the Lord's Day, [8] still further one On the Faith of
Man, [9] and one On his Creation, [10] another also On the Obedience of Faith, and
one On the Senses; [11] besides these the work On the Soul and Body, [12] and
that On Baptism, [13] and the one On Truth, [14] and On the Creation and
Generation of Christ; [15] his discourse also On Prophecy, [16] and that On
Hospitality; [17] still further, The Key, [18] and the books On the Devil and the
Apocalypse of John, [19] and the work On the Corporeality of God, [20] and finally
the book addressed to Antoninus. [21] In the books On the Passover he indicates
the time at which he wrote, beginning with these words: "While Servilius Paulus
was proconsul of Asia, at the time when Sagaris suffered martyrdom, there arose
in Laodicea a great strife concerning the Passover, which fell according to
rule in those 4 days; and these were written." [22] And Clement of Alexandria
refers to this work in his own discourse On the Passover, [23] which, he says, he
wrote on occasion of Melito's work. But in his book addressed 5 to the emperor
he records that the following events happened to us under him: "For, what
never before happened, [24] the race of the pious is now suffering persecution,
being driven about in Asia by new decrees. For the shameless informers and
coveters of the property of others, taking occasion from the decrees, openly carry on
robbery night and day, despoiling those who are guilty of no wrong." And a
little further on he says: "If these things are done by thy command, well and
good. For a just ruler will never take unjust measures; and we indeed gladly accept
the honor of such a death. But 6 this request alone we present to thee, that
thou wouldst thyself first examine the authors of such strife, and justly judge
whether they be worthy of death and punishment, or of safety and quiet. But if,
on the other hand, this counsel and this new decree, which is not fit to be
executed even against barbarian enemies, be not from thee, much more do we
beseech thee not to leave us exposed to such lawless plundering by the populace."
Again he adds the following: [25] "For our 7 philosophy formerly flourished among
the Barbarians; but having sprung up among the nations under thy rule, during
the great reign of thy ancestor Augustus, it became to thine empire especially a
blessing of auspicious omen. For from that time the power of the Romans has
grown in greatness and splendor. To this power thou hast succeeded, as the
desired possessor, [26] and such shalt thou continue with thy son, if thou guardest
the philosophy which grew up with the empire and which came into existence with
Augustus; that philosophy which thy ancestors also honored along with the other
religions. And a most convincing proof that our 8 doctrine flourished for the
good of an empire happily begun, is this--that there has no evil happened since
Augustus' reign, but that, on the contrary, all things have been splendid and
glorious, in accordance with the prayers of all. Nero and Domitian, alone,
persuaded 9 by certain calumniators, have wished to slander our doctrine, and from
them it has come to pass that the falsehood [26a] has been handed down, in
consequence of an unreasonable practice which prevails of bringing slanderous
accusations against the Christians. [27] But thy pious fathers corrected their
ignorance, having frequently rebuked in writing [28] many who dared to attempt new
measures against them. Among them thy grandfather Adrian appears to have written
to many others, and also to Fundanus, [29] the proconsul and governor of Asia.
And thy father, when thou also wast ruling with him, wrote to the cities,
forbidding them to take any new measures against us; among the rest to the
Larissaeans, to the Thessalonians, to the Athenians, and 11 to all the Greeks. [30] And
as for thee,--since thy opinions respecting the Christians [31] are the same
as theirs, and indeed much more benevolent and philosophic,--we are the more
persuaded that thou wilt do all that we ask of thee." These words are found in the
above-mentioned work.
But in the Extracts [32] made by him the same writer gives at the
beginning of the introduction a catalogue of the acknowledged books of the Old
Testament, which it is necessary to quote at this point. He writes as follows: 18
"Melito to his brother Onesimus, [33] greeting: Since thou hast often, in thy zeal
for the word, expressed a wish to have extracts made from the Law and the
Prophets concerning the Saviour and concerning our entire faith, and hast also
desired to have an accurate statement of the ancient book, as regards their number
and their order, I have endeavored to perform the task, knowing thy zeal for the
faith, and thy desire to gain information in regard to the word, and knowing
that thou, in thy yearning after God, esteemest these things above all else,
struggling 14 to attain eternal salvation. Accordingly when I went East and came
to the place where these things were preached and done, I learned accurately
the books of the Old Testament, and send them to thee as written below. Their
names are as follows: Of Moses, five books: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus,
[34] Deuteronomy; Jesus Nave, Judges, Ruth; of Kings, four books; of Chronicles,
two; the Psalms of David, [35] the Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom also, [36]
Ecclesiastes, Song off Songs, Job; of Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah; of the twelve
prophets, one book [37]; Daniel, Ezekiel, Esdras. [38] From which also I have made
the extracts, dividing them into six books." Such are the words of Melito.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Apolinarius, Bishop of the Church of Hierapolis.
A number of works of Apolinarius [1] have been preserved by many, and the
following have reached us: the Discourse addressed to the above-mentioned
emperor, [2] five books Against the Greeks, [3] On Truth, a first and second book,
[4] and those which he subsequently wrote against the heresy of the Phrygians,
[5] which not long afterwards came out with its innovations, [6] but at that
time was, as it were, in its incipiency, since Montanus, with his false
prophetesses, was then laying the foundations of his error.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Musanus and his Writings.
And as for Musanus, [1] whom we have mentione among the foregoing writers,
a certain very elegant discourse is extant, which was written by him against
some brethren that had gone over to the heresy of the so-called Encratites, 2
which had recently sprung up, and which introduced a strange and pernicious
error. It is said that Tatian was the author of this false doctrine.
CHAFFER XXIX.
The Heresy of Tatian. [1]
He is the one whose words we quoted 1 a little above [2] in regard to that
admirable man, Justin, and whom we stated to have been a disciple of the
martyr. Irenaeus declares this in the first book of his work Against Heresies, where
he writes as follows concerning both him and his heresy: [3] "Those who are
called Encratites, [4] and who sprung from Saturninus [5] and Marcion, preached
celibacy, setting aside the original arrangement of God and tacitly censuring
him who made male and female for the propagation of the human race. They
introduced also abstinence from the things called by them animate, [6] thus showing
ingratitude to the God who made all things. And they deny the salvation of the
first man? But 8 this has been only recently discovered by them, a certain Tatian
being the first to introduce this blasphemy. He was a hearer of Jus-tin, and
expressed no such opinion while he was with him, but after the martyrdom of the
latter he left the Church, and becoming exalted with the thought of being a
teacher, and puffed up with the idea that he was superior to others, he
established a peculiar type of doctrine of his own, inventing certain invisible aeons
like the followers of Valentinus, [8] while, like Marcion and Saturninus, he
pronounced marriage to be corruption and fornication. His argument against the
salvation of Adam, however, he devised for himself." Irenaeus at that time wrote
thus. But a little later a certain man named Severus [9] put new strength into the
aforesaid heresy, and thus brought it about that those who took their origin
from it were called, 5 after him, Severians. They, indeed, use the Law and
Prophets and Gospels, but interpret in their own way the utterances of the Sacred
Scriptures. And they abuse Paul the apostle and reject his epistles, and do not
6 accept even the Acts of the Apostles. But their original founder, Tatian,
formed a certain combination and collection of the Gospels, I know not how, [10]
to which he gave the title Diatessaron, [11] and which is still in the l hands
of some. But they say that he ventured to paraphrase certain words of the
apostle, [12] in order to improve their style. He 7 has left a great many writings.
Of these the one most in use among many persons is his celebrated Address to
the Greeks, [13] which also appears to be the best and most useful of all his
works. In it he deals with the most ancient times, and shows that Moses and the
Hebrew prophets were older than all the celebrated men among the Greeks. [14] So
much in regard to these men.
CHAPTER XXX.
Bardesanes the Syrian and his Extant Works.
In the same reign, as heresies were 1 abounding in the region between the
rivers, [1] a certain Bardesanes, [2] a most able man and a most skillful
disputant in the Syriac tongue, having composed dialogues against Marcion's
followers and against certain others who were authors of various opinions, committed
them to writing in his own language, together with many other works. His pupils,
[3] of whom he had very many (for he was a powerful defender of the faith),
translated these productions from the Syriac into Greek. Among them there2. is
also his most able dialogue On Fate, [4] addressed to Antoninus, and other works
which they say he wrote on occasion of the persecution which arose at that time.
[5] He indeed was at first a follower of 3 Valentinus, [6] but afterward,
having rejected his teaching and having refuted most of his fictions, he fancied
that he had come over to the more correct opinion. Nevertheless he did not
entirely wash off the filth of the old heresy. [7] About this time also Soter, [8]
bishop of the church of Rome, departed this life.