James Strahan.
LINUS {Alvos). — This is a name which holds a large place in the history of the early Church. We first find mention of it in 2 Ti 4-', where St. Paul, writing from his Roman prison, conveys to his friend the greetings of Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia. Linus was thus a friend of Paul and Timothy in the closing years of the Apostle's life. In the Apostolic Constitutions (vii. 46) he is re- garded as the son of Claudia of 2 Ti 4^1 (A/vos 6 KXanSias), which is perhaps doubtful (see art. Claudia). But the name Linus is found both in Irenaeus (c. Hcer. III. iii. 3) and in Eusebius {HE III. ii., iv. 9, xiii.), where he is regarded as the successor of St. Peter and the first bishop of Rome after the Apostles, although Tertullian {de Prcescr. 32) assigns this dignity to Clement. No details of any kind are given regarding the episco- pate of Linus, and the date of his tenure of otfice is uncertain. Although Eusebius regards Clement as the successor of Linus, and Tertullian reverses the order, it is not improbable that both held ofiSce at the same time and that the ejiiscopal power as wielded by them was of a very attenuated nature. Perhaps both held their position during the lifetime of St. Peter. According to Eusebius (HE iii. xiii.) the episcopate of Linus lasted for a period of twelve years, but no dates can be fixed with any certainty. Harnack gives as probable A.D. 64-76. Linus has been regarded as the author of various works, but there is no evidence in support of this view. He is the reported author of (1) the Acts of St. Peter and St. Paul ; (2) an account of St. Peter's contro- versy with Simon Magus ; (3) certain decrees pro- hibiting women from appearing in church with uncovered heads. The Roman Breviary states that he was a native of Voltena in Etruria, and that he died as a martyr of the faith, being be- headed by order of Saturninus, whose daughter he had healed of demoniacal possession. His memory is honoured by the Western Church on 23 September, and the Greek Menaja regards him as one of the Seventy.
LiTERATtTRR. — J. PearsoH, de Serie et Sxccexsione primorum Romce Episcupomm, London, 1G88 ; A. Harnack, Die Chrono- lojiie der altchristlicken Literatur, Leipzig, 1897 ; J. B. Lightfoot, Apostolic Fathers, pt. i.2, 1890.
W. F. BOYD.
LION.— With the possible exception of 1 P 5», the use of 'lion' in the NT from 2 Tim. onwards is de]iendent on the OT. An animal of great size and strength, of noble bearing as well as of extreme cruelty, he is a fitting symbol for moral and spirit- ual reference.
1. In 1 P 5^, man's adversary, the devil, is repre- sented as always roaming about in search of
LION
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prey, his very raging, which betrays his ravenous liunger, striking terror into the hearts of all.
2. In He IP^ the reference is to tlie actual wild beast. Among the heroic deeds of the worthies of the OT recounted by the author of the Epistle is that they 'stopped the mouths of lions ' (cf. Samson, Jg W- 6 ; David, 1 S ll^'^ ; Benaiah, 2 S 23-"). More remotely the story of Daniel suggests this mighty achievement, yet here God and not Daniel is said to have shut the lions' mouths (Dn 6'^).
3. St. Paul declares that he had ' escaped the mouth of the lion ' (2 Ti 4" ; cf. Ps 22^1, 1 Mac 2^"). The allusion of the Apostle is to the punish- ment of being thx-own to the lions. Some have indeed permitted a literal interpretation of 'lion' (A. Neander, History of the Planting and Training of the Christian Church, Eng. tr., i. [1880] 345). Since, however, he was a Roman citizen and could claim the right of being beheaded (see Beast), the more probable explanation is that the reference is not to an actual lion. Concerning this, various conjectures have been advanced. ' Lion ' has been interpreted as Nero (Chrysostom) ; calamity, which would result from cowardice and humiliation (N. J. D. White, in EOT, « 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus,' 1910, p. 182 ; cf. Ps 2122- ^3 [LXX]) ; ' the immediate peril ' (Conybeare-Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, new ed., 1877, ii. 593), altiiough the reference may be to St. Paul's having established his right as a Roman citizen not to be exposed to the wild beasts. If, however, the reference is to the lion's mouth, then Satan may be intended as a de- vouring adversary (cf. 1 P 5®, above), from which St. Paul had escaped. The time, place, and oc- casion of this reference have been variously con- ceived, (a) 2 Ti 4''- ^^"^*'- 20- 21 js a fragment, written from Caesarea, inserted in the Epistle, alluding to his address before the Sanhedrin (cf. Ac 22^" 23^^ ; B. W. Bacon, The Story of St. Paul, 1905, p. 198 ti'.). (6) Writing from Rome in his first im- prisonment, he says that, although the result of the preliminary hearing was a suspension of judg- ment, yet he had expectation that he would escape a final condemnation, and tliat too in the imme- diate future (A. C. McGittert, A History of Chris- tianity i7i the Apostolic Age, 1897, p. 421). Writing from Rome in his second imprisonment, St. Paul says that at the close of his first imprisonment his pleading was so cogent and convincing that he was set at liberty (Eusebius, HE ii. 22, 1 Clem. 5 ; cf. T. Zahn, Introd. to the NT, Eng. tr., 1909, i. 441, ii. 1 ff.). (c) After his arrival in Rome the second time, the preliminary investigation had resulted in his remand ; but the completion of the trial would not eventuate so favourably (Conybeare-Howson, op. cit. ch. xxvi. ; N. J. D. White, op. cit. 181 ff. ).