Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series • VOLUME 1
Eusebius — Church History, Constantine & Oration
SECTION 81
Chapter XIX.--Domitian commands the Descendants of David to be slain.
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 [719] that some of the heretics brought accusation against the descendants of Jude (said to have been a brother of the Saviour according to the …
1,059 wordsSECTION 82Chapter XXI.--Cerdon becomes the Third Ruler of the Church of Alexandria.
Chapter XXI.--Cerdon becomes the Third Ruler of the Church of Alexandria. 1. After Nerva had reigned a little more than a year [732] he was succeeded by Trajan. It was during the first year of his reign that Abilius, [733] who had ruled the church of Alexandria for thirteen years, was succeeded by Cerdon. [734] 2. He was the t…
2,231 wordsSECTION 83[748] Quis Dives salvetur, chap. 42.
[748] Quis Dives salvetur, chap. 42. [749] muthon ou muthon, alla onta logon. Clement in these words asserts the truth of the story which he relates. We cannot regard it as very strongly corroborated, for no one else records it, and yet we can hardly doubt that Clement gives it in good faith. It may have been an invention of so…
1,614 wordsSECTION 84Chapter XXIV.--The Order of the Gospels.
Chapter XXIV.--The Order of the Gospels. 1. 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 g…
2,328 wordsSECTION 85[764] The Synoptic Gospels certainly give the impression that Christ's public ministry lasted but a single year; and were it not for the add
[764] The Synoptic Gospels certainly give the impression that Christ's public ministry lasted but a single year; and were it not for the additional light which John throws upon the subject, the one year ministry would be universally accepted, as it was by many of the early Fathers,--e.g. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen…
2,197 wordsSECTION 86Chapter XXV.--The Divine Scriptures that are accepted and those that are not. [778]
Chapter XXV.--The Divine Scriptures that are accepted and those that are not. [778] 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; [779] following them the Acts of the Apostles. [780]…
2,202 wordsSECTION 87[783] See chap. 3, note 1.
[783] See chap. 3, note 1. [784] kuroteon [785] See the previous chapter, note 20. Upon Eusebius' treatment in this chapter of the canonicity of the Apocalypse, see note 1, above. [786] Compare the previous chapter, note 21. [787] en homologoumenois [788] ton antilegomenon [789] gnorimon [790] See Bk. II. chap. 23, note 4…
2,280 wordsSECTION 88Chapter XXVI.--Menander the Sorcerer.
[806] See chap. 3, note 5. [807] The Gospel of Thomas is of Gnostic origin and thoroughly Docetic. It was written probably in the second century. The original Gnostic form is no longer extant, but we have fragmentary Catholic recensions of it in both Latin and Greek, from which heretical traits are expunged with more or less ca…
1,634 wordsSECTION 89Chapter XXVII.--The Heresy of the Ebionites. [824]
Chapter XXVII.--The Heresy of the Ebionites. [824] 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 he…
2,987 wordsSECTION 90Chapter XXVIII.--Cerinthus the Heresiarch.
[832] The question again arises whether Eusebius is referring here to the second class of Ebionites only, and is contrasting their conduct in regard to Sabbath observance with that of the first class, or whether he refers to all Ebionites, and contrasts them with the Jews. The subject remains the same as in the previous sentence…
1,656 wordsSECTION 91Chapter XXIX.--Nicolaus and the Sect named after him.
Chapter XXIX.--Nicolaus and the Sect named after him. 1. 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. [842] They boasted that the author of their sect was Nicolaus, one of the deacons who, with Stephen, were appointed by…
802 wordsSECTION 92Chapter XXX.--The Apostles that were Married.
Chapter XXX.--The Apostles that were Married. 1. Clement, indeed, whose words we have just quoted, after the above-mentioned facts gives a statement, on account of those who rejected marriage, of the apostles that had wives. [847] "Or will they," says he, [848] "reject even the apostles? For Peter [849] and Philip [850] begat c…
801 wordsSECTION 93Chapter XXXI.--The Death of John and Philip.
Chapter XXXI.--The Death of John and Philip. 1. The time and the manner of the death of Paul and Peter as well as their burial places, have been already shown by us. [853] 2. The time of John's death has also been given in a general way, [854] but his burial place is indicated by an epistle of Polycrates [855] (who was bishop …
1,954 wordsSECTION 94Chapter XXXII.--Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, suffers Martyrdom.
Chapter XXXII.--Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, suffers Martyrdom. 1. It is reported that after the age of Nero and Domitian, under the emperor whose times we are now recording, [870] a persecution was stirred up against us in certain cities in consequence of a popular uprising. [871] In this persecution we have understood that Sy…
1,785 wordsSECTION 95Chapter XXXIII.--Trajan forbids the Christians to be sought after.
Chapter XXXIII.--Trajan forbids the Christians to be sought after. 1. So great a persecution was at that time 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 t…
1,893 wordsSECTION 96Chapter XXXIV.--Evarestus, the Fourth Bishop of the Church of Rome.
Chapter XXXIV.--Evarestus, the Fourth Bishop of the Church of Rome. 1. In the third year of the reign of the emperor mentioned above, [901] Clement [902] committed the episcopal government of the church of Rome to Evarestus, [903] and departed this life after he had superintended the teaching of the divine word nine years in al…
1,761 wordsSECTION 97Chapter XXXIV.--Evarestus, the Fourth Bishop of the Church of Rome.
[909] Eusebius follows what was undoubtedly the oldest tradition in making Evodius the first bishop of Antioch, and Ignatius the second (see above, chap. 22, note 2). Granting the genuineness of the shorter Greek recension of the Ignatian epistles (to be mentioned below), the fact that Ignatius was bishop of the church of Antioc…
2,343 wordsSECTION 98Chapter XXXVII.--The Evangelists that were still Eminent at that Time.
[912] Of this Onesimus, and of Damas and Polybius mentioned just below, we know nothing more. [913] Ignatius, Ep. ad Rom. chap. 5. [914] leop?rdois. This is the earliest use of this word in any extant writing, and an argument has been drawn from this fact against the authenticity of the epistle. For a careful discussion of the…
1,176 wordsSECTION 99Chapter XXXVIII.--The Epistle of Clement and the Writings falsely ascribed to him.
Chapter XXXVIII.--The Epistle of Clement and the Writings falsely ascribed to him. 1. Thus Ignatius has done in the epistles which we have mentioned, [933] 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. [934] In this epistle he gives many thoug…
1,017 wordsSECTION 100Chapter XXXIX.--The Writings of Papias.
Chapter XXXIX.--The Writings of Papias. 1. There are extant five books of Papias, which bear the title Expositions of Oracles of the Lord. [939] Irenæus makes mention of these as the only works written by him, [940] in the following words: [941] "These things are attested by Papias, an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a…
2,709 wordsSECTION 101[943] This sentence gives strong support to the view that oral traditions did not form the basis of Papias' work, but that the basis consist
[943] This sentence gives strong support to the view that oral traditions did not form the basis of Papias' work, but that the basis consisted of written documents, which he interpreted, and to which he then added the oral traditions which he refers to here. See Contemporary Review, 1885, II. p. 388 sq. The words tais hermeneiai…
2,279 wordsSECTION 102Book IV.
[963] men oun. These words show plainly enough that this sentence in regard to Matthew did not in the work of Papias immediately follow the passage in regard to Mark, quoted above. Both passages are evidently torn out of their context; and the latter apparently stood at the close of a description of the origin of Matthew's Gospe…
1,305 wordsSECTION 103Chapter II.--The Calamities of the Jews during Trajan's Reign.
Chapter II.--The Calamities of the Jews during Trajan's Reign. 1. The teaching and the Church of our Saviour flourished greatly and made progress from day to day; but the calamities of the Jews increased, and they underwent a constant succession of evils. In the eighteenth year of Trajan's reign [973] there was another disturba…
761 wordsSECTION 104Chapter III.--The Apologists that wrote in Defense of the Faith during the Reign of Adrian.
Chapter III.--The Apologists that wrote in Defense of the Faith during the Reign of Adrian. 1. After Trajan had reigned for nineteen and a half years [982] Ælius Adrian became his successor in the empire. To him Quadratus addressed a discourse containing an apology for our religion, [983] because certain wicked men [984] had at…
1,165 wordsSECTION 105Chapter IV.--The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria under the Same Emperor. [989]
Chapter IV.--The Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria under the Same Emperor. [989] In the third year of the same reign, Alexander, [990] bishop of Rome, died after holding office ten years. His successor was Xystus. [991] About the same time Primus, bishop of Alexandria, died in the twelfth year of his episcopate, [992] and was s…
1,913 wordsSECTION 106Chapter VI.--The Last Siege of the Jews under Adrian.
Chapter VI.--The Last Siege of the Jews under Adrian. 1. As the rebellion of the Jews at this time grew much more serious, [1009] 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 o…
1,361 wordsSECTION 107Chapter VII.--The Persons that became at that Time Leaders of Knowledge falsely so-called. [1015]
Chapter VII.--The Persons that became at that Time Leaders of Knowledge falsely so-called. [1015] 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, [1016] the demon who hates everything that is good, …
2,339 wordsSECTION 108[1027] According to Epiphanius, some of the Ophites appealed to a certain prophet called Barcabbas. What his connection was with the one men
[1027] According to Epiphanius, some of the Ophites appealed to a certain prophet called Barcabbas. What his connection was with the one mentioned here we do not know. Clement of Alexandria (Strom. VI. 6) speaks of the Expositions of the Prophet Parchor by Isidore, the son of Basilides. This may be another of Basilides' prophets…
1,570 wordsSECTION 109Chapter VIII.--Ecclesiastical Writers.
Chapter VIII.--Ecclesiastical Writers. 1. Among these Hegesippus was well known. [1037] We have already quoted his words a number of times, [1038] relating events which happened in the time of the apostles according to his account. 2. He records in five books the true tradition of apostolic doctrine in a most simple style, and…
2,212 wordsSECTION 110Chapter IX.--The Epistle of Adrian, decreeing that we should not be punished without a Trial.
Chapter IX.--The Epistle of Adrian, decreeing that we should not be punished without a Trial. 1. "To Minucius Fundanus. I have received an epistle, [1054] 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, l…
823 wordsSECTION 111Chapter XI.--The Heresiarchs of that Age.
Chapter XI.--The Heresiarchs of that Age. 1. "For Valentinus came to Rome under Hyginus, flourished under Pius, and remained until Anicetus. [1065] Cerdon [1066] also, Marcion's [1067] predecessor, entered the Church in the time of Hyginus, the ninth [1068] bishop, and made confession, and continued in this way, now teaching in…
2,354 wordsSECTION 112[1079] Of Marcus we know only what Eusebius tells us here: that he succeded Eumenes, after the latter had held office thirteen years, and th
[1079] Of Marcus we know only what Eusebius tells us here: that he succeded Eumenes, after the latter had held office thirteen years, and that he continued in office ten years. If Eumenes became bishop in 132 or 133 (see above, chap. 5, note 16), then Marcus must have succeeded him in 145 or 146, and this agrees with the Armenia…
2,200 wordsSECTION 113Chapter XII.--The Apology of Justin addressed to Antoninus.
[1094] Ibid. I. 26. [1095] This work is not mentioned by Eusebius in the list of Justin's works which he gives in chap. 18. He had, therefore, undoubtedly never seen it. Irenæus nowhere mentions it under this title, though he seems to have made extensive use of it, and he does mention a work, Against Marcion, which is very like…
721 wordsSECTION 114Chapter XIII.--The Epistle of Antoninus to the Common Assembly of Asia in Regard to our Doctrine. [1103]
Chapter XIII.--The Epistle of Antoninus to the Common Assembly of Asia in Regard to our Doctrine. [1103] 1. The Emperor Cæsar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, [1104] Armenicus, Pontifex Maximus, for the fifteenth time Tribune, for the third time Consul, to the Common Assembly of Asia, Greeting. 2. I know that the gods also …
1,627 wordsSECTION 115Chapter XIV.--The Circumstances related of Polycarp, a Friend of the Apostles.
Chapter XIV.--The Circumstances related of Polycarp, a Friend of the Apostles. 1. At this time, while Anicetus was at the head of the church of Rome, [1112] Irenæus relates that Polycarp, who was still alive, was at Rome, [1113] and that he had a conference with Anicetus on a question concerning the day of the paschal feast. [1…
1,993 wordsSECTION 116Chapter XV.--Under Verus, [1131] Polycarp with Others suffered Martyrdom at Smyrna.
Chapter XV.--Under Verus, [1131] Polycarp with Others suffered Martyrdom at Smyrna. 1. At this time, [1132] when the greatest persecutions were exciting Asia, Polycarp ended his life by martyrdom. But I consider it most important that his death, a written account of which is still extant, should be recorded in this history. 2.…
2,217 wordsSECTION 11737. For the fire presented the appearance of a vault, like the sail of a vessel filled by the wind, and made a wall about the body of the ma
37. For the fire presented 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, [1156] 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 …
2,262 wordsSECTION 118[1148] See Rom. xiii. 1 sq., 1 Pet. ii. 13 sq.
[1148] See Rom. xiii. 1 sq., 1 Pet. ii. 13 sq. [1149] timen...ten me bl?ptousan hemas. Compare Pseudo-Ignatius, ad Antioch. 11, and Mart. Ignat. Rom. 6 (in both of which are found the words en hois akindunos he hupotage). [1150] The proconsul made quite a concession here. He would have been glad to have Polycarp quiet the mult…
2,078 wordsSECTION 119Chapter XVI.--Justin the Philosopher preaches the Word of Christ in Rome and suffers Martyrdom.
Chapter XVI.--Justin the Philosopher preaches the Word of Christ in Rome and suffers Martyrdom. 1. About this time [1168] Justin, who was mentioned by us just above, [1169] after he had addressed a second work in behalf of our doctrines to the rulers already named, [1170] was crowned with divine martyrdom, [1171] in consequence…
1,446 wordsSECTION 120Chapter XVI.--Justin the Philosopher preaches the Word of Christ in Rome and suffers Martyrdom.
[1180] On Tatian and his writings, see below, chap. 29. Eusebius has been accused by Dembowski, Zahn, Harnack, and others of practicing deception at this point. The passage from Tatian's Oratio ad Græcos, which Eusebius appeals to for testimony in regard to Justin's death, and which he quotes just below, is not given by him exac…
1,861 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.