THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
nack, accordingly, dates the work of Papias in 145-160 a.d. The earlier limit is probably better, for while there is more trace than in Justin Martyr of acquaintance with the Johannine writings, Papias seems to recognize but two Gospels (Matthew and Mark) as authoritative, whereas Justin adds that of Luke. Another fragment, attested by two authorities as from Papias' " second book," asserts that John the Apostle " was killed by the Jews " (not " in Ephesus " as stated in § 7). The sense of the fragment is fiercely contested, but it probably implies residence of this apostle in Jerusalem until his martyrdom at some time before 70 a.d.
Except for its bearing on the apostolic authorship of Revelation Eusebius is as much prepossessed
in favor of the Irensean tradition of
io. The apostles and elders in (proconsular)
Apostles and Asia as Irenseus himself. So under-
Elders of stood, Papias supplied the missing link
Papias. to Dionysius' theory of " another
John," who in Asia could write " I, John, am he that heard and saw these things." Did not Papias acknowledge dependence on a John whom he distinguishes from the apostle previously named by the title " the Elder "? As applying to this John Eusebius therefore still clings to Irenseus' notion of a direct discipleship of Papias. If, however, in reading the extract, that lens of the Irenaean spectacles be discarded which Eusebius retains as well as that which he discards, it will be apparent that Papias knows nothing of apostles and elders in Asia. He is in perfect agreement with Polycarp (110-117 a.d.), Ignatius (110-117), and all the early writers who throw light upon conditions there in 90-150 a.d. All imply the absence of any apostolic authority whatever in that region save Paul. So with Papias also. However faithful and devout the " teachers " from whom he had imbibed " the truth," their teaching was that " from books." To get at " the living and abiding voice " of oral tradition, which Papias, like his colleague Polycarp, esteemed a bulwark against the vain talk of the multitude and the false teachings " (" To the Philippians," vii.), he was obliged to resort to travelers who " came his way " from the recognized seat of apostolic tradition. In short, apart from the legends of 150-200 a.d. by which Ephesus later sought to obtain a reversion of the ecclesiastical leadership once conceded to Jerusalem and maintained by that ancient mother church until (135 a.d.) it was scattered to the four winds in the war of Bar-Kokba (q.v.), there is not the slightest reason for understanding by the " apostles and elders " of Papias any other than " the apostles and elders " of his earlier contemporary " Luke " (Acts xv. 2, 23, xxi. 18). His later contemporary Hegesippus still regards the same group as occupying the seat of authority in religion. The very admission of Eusebius, " at all events (goun) he mentions them (Aristion and the Elder John) frequently by name, and records their traditions," shows a consciousness of overstatement. Aristion and John were indeed (or at least had been) Papias' contemporaries, but his only access to them had been through chance-comers, from whom he learned by inquiry what they " were saying," just as he
learned from similar sources what the apostles " had said."
Throughout the extract all four occurrences of the important word " elder " receive thus the same sense, always sharply distinguished ii. The from that of " disciple of the Lord," Elder John, or first-hand authority. The paragraph is framed to defend the appending of " words of the elders," which would not of course enjoy such esteem as those of " Matthew," or even of " Mark." Papias considers, however, that from his own caution in selection of sources — persons who had been followers of " the elders " — and from the nature of his questions — what had been said (as reported in Jerusalem) by the apostles, and what " was being taught by Aristion and John the Elder," this material was worthy to be appended to his " expositions." At the time of his inquiries (110-117 ?) sayings of the apostles were current only as tradition. Those of " the elders the disciples of these " were " living and abiding " in the person of two survivors. Of Aristion (q.v.) nothing whatever is known. " John the Elder " has been reasonably identified by Schlatter with the elder of that name who stands midway in Eusebius' list of the Jerusalem succession of 70- 135 a.d. (Hist, eccl., v. 3) and whose death is dated by Epiphanius in 117 a.d.
The extant examples of Papias' " traditions of the elders " confirm this result. They are strongly tinged with Jewish midrash, and, as Eusebius remarks, " of a rather mythical charac- 12. Content ter." That deserving of most respect of the is the " story of a woman accused of Traditions, many sins before the Lord "; for it is probably the story inserted by some texts in John vii. 53-viii. 11, in others after Luke xxi. 38. Eusebius found it in the Gospel according to the Hebrews. Papias had it from " the elders." There is no reason whatever to suppose that Papias himself knew this Aramaic writing, or could have used it; but " the elders " probably did.
Benj. W. Bacon. Bibliography: The collections of the fragments of Papias, aside from those given in the text, are indicated in the literature given under Apostolic Fathers (q.v.), to which must be added M. J. Routh, Reliquiae saeroe, i. 3- 16, Oxford, 1846. Very much of the literature on the Gospels as a whole and on those of Matthew, Mark, and John, as also on the Canon of the New Testament and on Biblical Introduction, contains discussions concerning Papias. The literature about Papias earlier than 1885 is indicated by E. C. Richardson in ANF , Bibliography, pp. 19-21. Especial attention should be called to Supernatural Religion, i. 444-485, ii. 320-336, iii. pp. xxi.-xxiii., 19-21, and to the reply in Lighfoot's work cited in the text, pp. 142-216. Consult further: C. L. Leimbach, Das Papiasfragment, Gotha, 1875; G. Bickell, in ZKT, iii (1879), 799-803; A. Hilgenfeld, ZWT, xxix (1886), 257-291; T. Zahn, in TSK, xxxix (1886), 649- 696; ib. Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Kanons, i. 2, pp. 849-903, ii. 2, pp. 790-797, Leipsic, 1888-92; Harnack, Litteratur, i. passim, ii. 1, pp. 335 sqq., 356 sqq., 658 sqq.; Kruger, History, pp. 46-48; Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 693-698; DCB, iv. 185-190; A. S. Barnes, in Dublin Review, cxxxvi (1905), 1-11; and especially B. W. Bacon, The Fourth Gospel in Research and Debate; Essays on Problems concerning . Writings attributed to the Apostle John, New York, 1910.
PAPPUS, JOHANN: German Lutheran; b. at Lindau Jan. 16, 1549; d. at Strasburg July 13,