Update 6
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@ -29,85 +29,85 @@ of by Yeshua and faithfully recorded in Aramaic by Matthew and others.
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In the Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.2-3),
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In the Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.2-3),
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we read:
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we read:
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* In the Gospel that is in general use among them (Ebionites) which is
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In the Gospel that is in general use among them (Ebionites) which is
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* called "according to Matthew", which however is not whole and
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called "according to Matthew", which however is not whole and
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* complete but forged and mutilated - they call it the Hebrew's Gospel
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complete but forged and mutilated - they call it the Hebrew's Gospel
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* - it is reported:
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- it is reported:
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* There appeared a certain man named Jesus of about thirty years of
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There appeared a certain man named Jesus of about thirty years of
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* age, who chose us. And when he came to Capernaum, he entered into
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age, who chose us. And when he came to Capernaum, he entered into
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* the house of Simon whose surname is Peter, and opened his mouth and
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the house of Simon whose surname is Peter, and opened his mouth and
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* said: "As I passed the Lake of Tiberias, I chose John and James the
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said: "As I passed the Lake of Tiberias, I chose John and James the
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* sons of Zebedee, and Simon and Andrew and Thaddeus and Simon the
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sons of Zebedee, and Simon and Andrew and Thaddeus and Simon the
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* Zealot and Judas the Iscariot, and you, Matthew, I called as you sat
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Zealot and Judas the Iscariot, and you, Matthew, I called as you sat
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* at the receipt of custom, and you followed me. You, therefore, I
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at the receipt of custom, and you followed me. You, therefore, I
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* will to be twelve apostles for a testimony unto Israel."
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will to be twelve apostles for a testimony unto Israel."
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*
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*
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And:
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And:
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* It came to pass that John was baptizing; and there went out to him
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It came to pass that John was baptizing; and there went out to him
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* Pharisees and were baptized, and all of Jerusalem. And John had a
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Pharisees and were baptized, and all of Jerusalem. And John had a
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* garment of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins, and
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garment of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins, and
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* his food, as it is said, was wild honey, the taste if which was that
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his food, as it is said, was wild honey, the taste if which was that
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* of manna, as a cake dipped in oil. Thus they were resolved to
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of manna, as a cake dipped in oil. Thus they were resolved to
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* pervert the truth into a lie and put a cake in the place of locusts.
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pervert the truth into a lie and put a cake in the place of locusts.
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* (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.4-5)
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(Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.4-5)
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* And the beginning of their Gospel runs:
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And the beginning of their Gospel runs:
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* It came to pass in the days of Herod the king of Judaea, when
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It came to pass in the days of Herod the king of Judaea, when
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* Caiaphas was high priest, that there came one, John by name, and
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Caiaphas was high priest, that there came one, John by name, and
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* baptized with the baptism of repentance in the river Jordan. It was
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baptized with the baptism of repentance in the river Jordan. It was
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* said of him that he was of the lineage of Aaron the priest, a son of
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said of him that he was of the lineage of Aaron the priest, a son of
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* Zacharias and Elisabeth : and all went out to him. (Epiphanius,
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Zacharias and Elisabeth : and all went out to him. (Epiphanius,
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* Panarion 30.13.6)
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Panarion 30.13.6)
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* And after much has been recorded it proceeds:
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And after much has been recorded it proceeds:
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* When the people were baptized, Jesus also came and was baptized by
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When the people were baptized, Jesus also came and was baptized by
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* John. And as he came up from the water, the heavens was opened and
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John. And as he came up from the water, the heavens was opened and
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* he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove that descended and
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he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove that descended and
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* entered into him. And a voice sounded from Heaven that said: "You
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entered into him. And a voice sounded from Heaven that said: "You
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* are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased. " And again: " I have
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are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased. " And again: " I have
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* this day begotten you". And immediately a great light shone round
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this day begotten you". And immediately a great light shone round
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* about the place. When John saw this, it is said, he said unto him :
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about the place. When John saw this, it is said, he said unto him :
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* "Who are you, Lord?" And again a voice from Heaven rang out to him:
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"Who are you, Lord?" And again a voice from Heaven rang out to him:
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* "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." And then, it is
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"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." And then, it is
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* said, John fell down before him and said: "I beseech you, Lord,
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said, John fell down before him and said: "I beseech you, Lord,
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* baptize me." But he prevented him and said: "Suffer it; for thus it
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baptize me." But he prevented him and said: "Suffer it; for thus it
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* is fitting that everything should be fulfilled." (Epiphanius,
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is fitting that everything should be fulfilled." (Epiphanius,
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* Panarion 30.13.7-8)
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Panarion 30.13.7-8)
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* Moreover, they deny that he was a man, evidently on the ground of
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Moreover, they deny that he was a man, evidently on the ground of
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* the word which the Savior spoke when it was reported to him:
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the word which the Savior spoke when it was reported to him:
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* "Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without." namely: "Who
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"Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without." namely: "Who
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* is my mother and who are my brethren?" And he stretched his hand
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is my mother and who are my brethren?" And he stretched his hand
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* towards his disciples and said: "These are my brethren and mother
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towards his disciples and said: "These are my brethren and mother
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* and sisters, who do the will of my Father."
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and sisters, who do the will of my Father."
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* (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.14.5)
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(Epiphanius, Panarion 30.14.5)
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* They say that Christ was not begotten of God the Father, but created
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They say that Christ was not begotten of God the Father, but created
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* as one of the archangels ... that he rules over the angels and all
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as one of the archangels ... that he rules over the angels and all
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* the creatures of the Almighty, and that he came and declared, as
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the creatures of the Almighty, and that he came and declared, as
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* their Gospel, which is called Gospel according to Matthew, or Gospel
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their Gospel, which is called Gospel according to Matthew, or Gospel
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* According to the Hebrews?,
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According to the Hebrews?,
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* reports:
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reports:
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* "I am come to do away with sacrifices, and if you cease not
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"I am come to do away with sacrifices, and if you cease not
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* sacrificing, the wrath of God will not cease from you."
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sacrificing, the wrath of God will not cease from you."
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* (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.16,4-5)
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(Epiphanius, Panarion 30.16,4-5)
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* But they abandon the proper sequence of the words and pervert the
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But they abandon the proper sequence of the words and pervert the
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* saying,
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saying,
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* as is plain to all from the readings attached, and have let the
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as is plain to all from the readings attached, and have let the
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* disciples say:
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disciples say:
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* "Where will you have us prepare the passover?" And him to answer to
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"Where will you have us prepare the passover?" And him to answer to
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* that: "Do I desire with desire at this Passover to eat flesh with
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that: "Do I desire with desire at this Passover to eat flesh with
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* you?"
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you?"
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* (Epiphanius, Panarion 30.22.4)
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(Epiphanius, Panarion 30.22.4)
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### Clementine Homilees
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### Clementine Homilees
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@ -120,170 +120,168 @@ They also contain information of the daily lifestyle and diet of early
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Nasarene leaders such as Peter. We learn that Peter bathes in flowing water
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Nasarene leaders such as Peter. We learn that Peter bathes in flowing water
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every morning before dawn and that he eats only wheat, olives, fruits and
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every morning before dawn and that he eats only wheat, olives, fruits and
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vegetables. We also learn of the strict Nasarene rules governing
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vegetables. We also learn of the strict Nasarene rules governing
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association and eating with meat eaters. All doctrines and principles
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association and eating with meat eaters. All doctrines and principles espoused
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espoused by these Clementine works are received by the Essene Church of the
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by these Clementine works are received by the Essene Church of the B'nai-Amen.
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B'nai-Amen.
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### Ancient Writers on the Ebionites
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### Ancient Writers on the Ebionites
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* "Those who are called Ebionites agree that the world was made by
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"Those who are called Ebionites agree that the world was made by
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* God; but their opinions with respect to the Lord are similar to
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God; but their opinions with respect to the Lord are similar to
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* those of Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They use the Gospel according to
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those of Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They use the Gospel according to
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* Matthew only, and repudiate the Apostle Paul, maintaining that he
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Matthew only, and repudiate the Apostle Paul, maintaining that he
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* was an apostate from the law. As to the prophetical writings, they
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was an apostate from the law. As to the prophetical writings, they
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* endeavor to expound them in a somewhat singular manner: they
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endeavor to expound them in a somewhat singular manner: they
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* practice circumcision, persevere in the observance of those customs
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practice circumcision, persevere in the observance of those customs
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* which are enjoined by the law, and are so Judaic in their style of
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which are enjoined by the law, and are so Judaic in their style of
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* life, that they even adore Jerusalem as if it were the house of
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life, that they even adore Jerusalem as if it were the house of
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* God." (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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God." (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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* God, then, was made man, and the Lord did Himself save us, giving us
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God, then, was made man, and the Lord did Himself save us, giving us
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* the token of the Virgin. But not as some allege, among those now
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the token of the Virgin. But not as some allege, among those now
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* presuming to expound the Scripture, [thus:] "Behold, a young woman
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presuming to expound the Scripture, [thus:] "Behold, a young woman
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* shall conceive, and bring forth a son," as Theodotion the Ephesian
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shall conceive, and bring forth a son," as Theodotion the Ephesian
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* has interpreted, and Aquila of Pontus, both Jewish proselytes. The
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has interpreted, and Aquila of Pontus, both Jewish proselytes. The
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* Ebionites, following these, assert that He was begotten by Joseph;
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Ebionites, following these, assert that He was begotten by Joseph;
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* thus destroying, as far as in them lies, such a marvelous
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thus destroying, as far as in them lies, such a marvelous
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* dispensation of God, and setting aside the testimony of the prophets
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dispensation of God, and setting aside the testimony of the prophets
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* which proceeded from God. (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against
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which proceeded from God. (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against
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* Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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* He will judge also the Ebionites; [for] how can they be saved unless
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He will judge also the Ebionites; [for] how can they be saved unless
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* it was God who wrought out their salvation upon earth? Or how shall
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it was God who wrought out their salvation upon earth? Or how shall
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* man pass into God, unless God has [first] passed into man? And how
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man pass into God, unless God has [first] passed into man? And how
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* shall he (man) escape from the generation subject to death, if not
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shall he (man) escape from the generation subject to death, if not
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* by means of a new generation, given in a wonderful and unexpected
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by means of a new generation, given in a wonderful and unexpected
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* manner (but as a sign of salvation) by God [I mean] that
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manner (but as a sign of salvation) by God [I mean] that
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* regeneration which flows from the virgin through faith? Or how shall
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regeneration which flows from the virgin through faith? Or how shall
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* they receive adoption from God if they remain in this [kind of]
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they receive adoption from God if they remain in this [kind of]
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* generation, which is naturally possessed by man in this world? And
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generation, which is naturally possessed by man in this world? And
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* how could He (Christ) have been greater than Solomon, or greater
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how could He (Christ) have been greater than Solomon, or greater
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* than Jonah, or have been the Lord of David, who was of the same
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than Jonah, or have been the Lord of David, who was of the same
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* substance as they were? How, too, could He have subdued him who was
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substance as they were? How, too, could He have subdued him who was
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* stronger than men, who had not only overcome man, but also retained
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stronger than men, who had not only overcome man, but also retained
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* him under his power, and conquered him who had conquered, while he
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him under his power, and conquered him who had conquered, while he
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* set free mankind who had been conquered, unless He had been greater
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set free mankind who had been conquered, unless He had been greater
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* than man who had thus been vanquished? But who else is superior to,
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than man who had thus been vanquished? But who else is superior to,
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* and more eminent than, that man who was formed after the likeness of
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and more eminent than, that man who was formed after the likeness of
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* God, except the Son of God, after whose image man was created? And
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God, except the Son of God, after whose image man was created? And
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* for this reason He did in these last days exhibit the similitude;
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for this reason He did in these last days exhibit the similitude;
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* [for] the Son of God was made man, assuming the ancient production
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[for] the Son of God was made man, assuming the ancient production
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* [of His hands] into His own nature, as I have shown in the
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[of His hands] into His own nature, as I have shown in the
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* immediately preceding book. (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against
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immediately preceding book. (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against
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* Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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* He shall also judge those who describe Christ as [having become man]
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He shall also judge those who describe Christ as [having become man]
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* only in [human] opinion. For how can they imagine that they do
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only in [human] opinion. For how can they imagine that they do
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* themselves carry on a real discussion, when their Master was a mere
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themselves carry on a real discussion, when their Master was a mere
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* imaginary being? Or how can they receive anything steadfast from
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imaginary being? Or how can they receive anything steadfast from
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* Him, if He was a merely imagined being, and not a verity? And how
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Him, if He was a merely imagined being, and not a verity? And how
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* can these men really be partaken of salvation, if He in whom they
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can these men really be partaken of salvation, if He in whom they
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* profess to believe, manifested Himself as a merely imaginary being?
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profess to believe, manifested Himself as a merely imaginary being?
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* Everything, therefore, connected with these men is unreal, and
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Everything, therefore, connected with these men is unreal, and
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* nothing [possessed of the character of] truth; and, in these
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nothing [possessed of the character of] truth; and, in these
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* circumstances, it may be made a question whether (since, perchance,
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circumstances, it may be made a question whether (since, perchance,
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* they themselves in like manner are not men, but mere dumb animals)
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they themselves in like manner are not men, but mere dumb animals)
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* they do not present, in most cases, simply a shadow of humanity.
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they do not present, in most cases, simply a shadow of humanity.
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* (Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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(Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), 180 A.D.)
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* "The Ebionaeans, however, acknowledge that the world was made by Him
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"The Ebionaeans, however, acknowledge that the world was made by Him
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* Who is in reality God, but they propound legends concerning the
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Who is in reality God, but they propound legends concerning the
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* Christ similarly with Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They live
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Christ similarly with Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They live
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* conformably to the customs of the Jews, alleging that they are
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conformably to the customs of the Jews, alleging that they are
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* justified. according to the law, and saying that Jesus was justified
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justified. according to the law, and saying that Jesus was justified
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* by fulfilling the law. And therefore it was, (according to the
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by fulfilling the law. And therefore it was, (according to the
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* Ebionaeans,) that (the Savior) was named (the) Christ of God and
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Ebionaeans,) that (the Savior) was named (the) Christ of God and
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* Jesus, since not one of the rest (of mankind) had observed
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Jesus, since not one of the rest (of mankind) had observed
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* completely the law. For if even any other had fulfilled the
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completely the law. For if even any other had fulfilled the
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* commandments (contained) in the law, he would have been that Christ.
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commandments (contained) in the law, he would have been that Christ.
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* And the (Ebionaeans allege) that they themselves also, when in like
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And the (Ebionaeans allege) that they themselves also, when in like
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* manner they fulfill (the law), are able to become Christ's; for they
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manner they fulfill (the law), are able to become Christ's; for they
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* assert that our Lord Himself was a man in a like sense with all (the
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assert that our Lord Himself was a man in a like sense with all (the
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* rest of the human family)." (Hippolytus, d. c. 235, Against All
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rest of the human family)." (Hippolytus, d. c. 235, Against All
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* Heresies)
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Heresies)
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* "But the Ebionaeans assert that the world is made by the true God,
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"But the Ebionaeans assert that the world is made by the true God,
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* and they speak of Christ in a similar manner with Cerinthus. They
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and they speak of Christ in a similar manner with Cerinthus. They
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* live, however, in all respects according to the law of Moses,
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live, however, in all respects according to the law of Moses,
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* alleging that they are thus justified." (Hippolytus, d. c. 235,
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alleging that they are thus justified." (Hippolytus, d. c. 235,
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* Against All Heresies)
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Against All Heresies)
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* [The Heresy of the Ebionites.] "The evil demon, however, being
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[The Heresy of the Ebionites.] "The evil demon, however, being
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* unable to tear certain others from their allegiance to the Christ of
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unable to tear certain others from their allegiance to the Christ of
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* God, yet found them susceptible in a different direction, and so
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God, yet found them susceptible in a different direction, and so
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* brought them over to his own purposes. The ancients quite properly
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brought them over to his own purposes. The ancients quite properly
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* called these men Ebionites, because they held poor and mean opinions
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called these men Ebionites, because they held poor and mean opinions
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* concerning Christ. For they considered him a plain and common man,
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concerning Christ. For they considered him a plain and common man,
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* who was justified only because of his superior virtue, and who was
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who was justified only because of his superior virtue, and who was
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* the fruit of the intercourse of a man with Mary. In their opinion
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the fruit of the intercourse of a man with Mary. In their opinion
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* the observance of the ceremonial law was altogether necessary, on
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the observance of the ceremonial law was altogether necessary, on
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* the ground that they could not be saved by faith in Christ alone and
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the ground that they could not be saved by faith in Christ alone and
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* by a corresponding life. There were others, however, besides them,
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by a corresponding life. There were others, however, besides them,
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* that were of the same name, but avoided the strange and absurd
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that were of the same name, but avoided the strange and absurd
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* beliefs of the former, and did not deny that the Lord was born of a
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beliefs of the former, and did not deny that the Lord was born of a
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* virgin and of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, inasmuch as they
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virgin and of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, inasmuch as they
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* also refused to acknowledge that he pre-existed, being God, Word,
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also refused to acknowledge that he pre-existed, being God, Word,
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* and Wisdom, they turned aside into the impiety of the former,
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and Wisdom, they turned aside into the impiety of the former,
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* especially when they, like them, endeavored to observe strictly the
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especially when they, like them, endeavored to observe strictly the
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* bodily worship of the law. These men, moreover, thought that it was
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bodily worship of the law. These men, moreover, thought that it was
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* necessary to reject all the epistles of the apostle, whom they
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necessary to reject all the epistles of the apostle, whom they
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* called an apostate from the law; and they used only the so-called
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called an apostate from the law; and they used only the so-called
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* Gospel according to the Hebrews and made small account of the rest.
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Gospel according to the Hebrews and made small account of the rest.
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* The Sabbath and the rest of the discipline of the Jews they observed
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The Sabbath and the rest of the discipline of the Jews they observed
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* just like them, but at the same time, like us, they celebrated the
|
just like them, but at the same time, like us, they celebrated the
|
||||||
* Lord's days as a memorial of the resurrection of the Savior.
|
Lord's days as a memorial of the resurrection of the Savior.
|
||||||
* Wherefore, in consequence of such a course they received the name of
|
Wherefore, in consequence of such a course they received the name of
|
||||||
* Ebionites, which signified the poverty of their understanding. For
|
Ebionites, which signified the poverty of their understanding. For
|
||||||
* this is the name by which a poor man is called among the
|
this is the name by which a poor man is called among the
|
||||||
* Hebrews."(Eusebius, 4th century, Ecclesiastical History)
|
Hebrews."(Eusebius, 4th century, Ecclesiastical History)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
* [The Translator Symmachus] "As to these translators it should be
|
[The Translator Symmachus] "As to these translators it should be
|
||||||
* stated that Symmachus was an Ebionite. But the heresy of the
|
stated that Symmachus was an Ebionite. But the heresy of the
|
||||||
* Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that Christ was the son of
|
Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that Christ was the son of
|
||||||
* Joseph and Mary, considering him a mere man, and insists strongly on
|
Joseph and Mary, considering him a mere man, and insists strongly on
|
||||||
* keeping the law in a Jewish manner, as we have seen already in this
|
keeping the law in a Jewish manner, as we have seen already in this
|
||||||
* history. Commentaries of Symmachus are still extant in which he
|
history. Commentaries of Symmachus are still extant in which he
|
||||||
* appears to support this heresy by attacking the Gospel of Matthew.
|
appears to support this heresy by attacking the Gospel of Matthew.
|
||||||
* Origen states that he obtained these and other commentaries of
|
Origen states that he obtained these and other commentaries of
|
||||||
* Symmachus on the Scriptures from a certain Juliana, who, he says,
|
Symmachus on the Scriptures from a certain Juliana, who, he says,
|
||||||
* received the books by inheritance from Symmachus himself."(Eusebius,
|
received the books by inheritance from Symmachus himself."(Eusebius,
|
||||||
* 4th century, Ecclesiastical History)
|
4th century, Ecclesiastical History)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
* "The matter in debate, therefore, or I should rather say your
|
"The matter in debate, therefore, or I should rather say your
|
||||||
* opinion regarding it, is summed up in this: that since the preaching
|
opinion regarding it, is summed up in this: that since the preaching
|
||||||
* of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the
|
of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the
|
||||||
* precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in
|
precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in
|
||||||
* circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and
|
circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and
|
||||||
* keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to
|
keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to
|
||||||
* do. If this be true, we fall into the heresy of Cerinthus and Ebion,
|
do. If this be true, we fall into the heresy of Cerinthus and Ebion,
|
||||||
* who, though believing in Christ, were anathematized by the fathers
|
who, though believing in Christ, were anathematized by the fathers
|
||||||
* for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law
|
for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law
|
||||||
* with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which
|
with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which
|
||||||
* was new, without letting go what was old. Why do I speak of the
|
was new, without letting go what was old. Why do I speak of the
|
||||||
* Ebionites, who make pretensions to the name of Christian? In our own
|
Ebionites, who make pretensions to the name of Christian? In our own
|
||||||
* day there exists a sect among the Jews throughout all the synagogues
|
day there exists a sect among the Jews throughout all the synagogues
|
||||||
* of the East, which is called the sect of the Minei, and is even now
|
of the East, which is called the sect of the Minei, and is even now
|
||||||
* condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known
|
condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known
|
||||||
* commonly as Nasarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born
|
commonly as Nasarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born
|
||||||
* of, the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius
|
of, the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius
|
||||||
* Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe.
|
Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe.
|
||||||
* But while they desire to be both Jews and Christians, they are
|
But while they desire to be both Jews and Christians, they are
|
||||||
* neither the one nor the other. I therefore beseech you, who think
|
neither the one nor the other. I therefore beseech you, who think
|
||||||
* that you are called upon to heal my slight wound, which is no more,
|
that you are called upon to heal my slight wound, which is no more,
|
||||||
* so to speak, than a prick or scratch from a needle, to devote your
|
so to speak, than a prick or scratch from a needle, to devote your
|
||||||
* skill in the healing art to this grievous wound, which has been
|
skill in the healing art to this grievous wound, which has been
|
||||||
* opened by a spear driven home with the impetus of a javelin. For
|
opened by a spear driven home with the impetus of a javelin. For
|
||||||
* there is surely no proportion between the culpability of him who
|
there is surely no proportion between the culpability of him who
|
||||||
* exhibits the various opinions held by the fathers in a commentary on
|
exhibits the various opinions held by the fathers in a commentary on
|
||||||
* Scripture, and the guilt of him who reintroduces within the Church a
|
Scripture, and the guilt of him who reintroduces within the Church a
|
||||||
* most pestilential heresy. If, however, there is for us no
|
most pestilential heresy. If, however, there is for us no
|
||||||
* alternative but to receive the Jews into the Church, along with the
|
alternative but to receive the Jews into the Church, along with the
|
||||||
* usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared
|
usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared
|
||||||
* lawful for them to continue in the Churches of Christ what they have
|
lawful for them to continue in the Churches of Christ what they have
|
||||||
* been accustomed to practice in the synagogues of Satan, I will tell
|
been accustomed to practice in the synagogues of Satan, I will tell
|
||||||
* you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but
|
you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but
|
||||||
* they will make us Jews." (Jerome, CE 404, Letter 75 - Jerome to
|
they will make us Jews." (Jerome, CE 404, Letter 75 - Jerome to Augustin)
|
||||||
* Augustin)
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
### Conclusion
|
### Conclusion
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
@ -121,9 +121,10 @@ Jerome around 400 AD says:
|
|||||||
[original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html](.../Hebrew-Matthew/original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html)
|
[original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html](.../Hebrew-Matthew/original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
### Links
|
### Links
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
* [Hebrew Dialect of Aramaic](http://www.peshitta.org/for/showthread.php?tid=820)
|
||||||
* [original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html](.../Hebrew-Matthew/original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html)
|
* [original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html](.../Hebrew-Matthew/original-gospel-of-matthew-knol.html)
|
||||||
* https://gnosis.study/library/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0/ENG/Epiphanius%20of%20Salamis%20-%20The%20Panarion,%20Book%20I%20(Sects%201-46).pdf
|
* https://gnosis.study/library/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0/ENG/Epiphanius%20of%20Salamis%20-%20The%20Panarion,%20Book%20I%20(Sects%201-46).pdf
|
||||||
* https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelebionites.html
|
* https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelebionites.html
|
||||||
|
@ -63,4 +63,3 @@ although it may not be expedient:
|
|||||||
practicing unrepentant fornication cannot possibly pose such a threat.
|
practicing unrepentant fornication cannot possibly pose such a threat.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
18. Dave Hunt, CIB Bulletin (Camarillo, CA: Christian Information Bureau) (June 1989) at 1.
|
18. Dave Hunt, CIB Bulletin (Camarillo, CA: Christian Information Bureau) (June 1989) at 1.
|
||||||
|
|
778
JWO_30_PaulorJamesChurch.md
Normal file
778
JWO_30_PaulorJamesChurch.md
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,778 @@
|
|||||||
|
Parent: [[JesusWordsOnly]]
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
## Paul or James' Church: Who Was The Most Successful Evangelist?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Paul's Mystery Period
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Most people assume without any study of church history or careful examination of
|
||||||
|
the Book of Acts that Paul was the key evangelist who spread Christianity outside
|
||||||
|
Palestine to the Gentiles. Is this picture realistic? No. It is a complete myth.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
First, after God used Cornelius and a message from the Holy Spirit, Peter took on
|
||||||
|
the mission to the Gentles. (Acts 10.) Thereafter, Peter was the choice of the
|
||||||
|
"Holy Spirit" to be the "Apostle to the Gentiles." Who says so? Apostle Peter.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 15:7.) See "Christian Evangelism of Gentiles Before Paul" below.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Peter founded in 45 A.D. a church in Antioch, Syria.1 It eventually had 66 local
|
||||||
|
congregations functioning underneath its authority.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Incidentally, prior to Paul's involvement and missionary journeys, Peter mentions
|
||||||
|
in Acts this Gentile outpost in Antioch began with "men of Cyprus and Cyrene" who
|
||||||
|
brought the gospel to Gentiles at Antioch even before Peter did so. (Acts
|
||||||
|
11:19-20.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Second, to fulfill the commission of the Holy Spirit that Peter was the Apostle
|
||||||
|
to the Gentiles, Peter in the 40s A.D. founded a church at Rome. Paul did not
|
||||||
|
visit that church until after 58 A.D., and it was already flourishing. (Acts
|
||||||
|
28:14-15.) See "Christian Evangelism of Gentiles Before Paul" below.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul meanwhile had a mysterious period where we know nothing going on for many
|
||||||
|
years. Paul says for fourteen to seventeen years after his conversion, he stayed
|
||||||
|
in Arabia. After that time, in about 47 A.D., Paul comes to Antioch where a
|
||||||
|
church is already in operation. (Acts 11:27-30); (Gal. 2:1).^2 Scholars all
|
||||||
|
acknowledge this huge gap in Paul's activities, negating him having any
|
||||||
|
demonstrable role in the Christian movement for as much as seventeen years after
|
||||||
|
his conversion. After Saul goes to Tarsus in Cilicia, we learn:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
His first years as a Christian, spent in Arabia are a
|
||||||
|
mystery. Three years after his call Paul went to Jerusalem to
|
||||||
|
visit; he saw Peter and James. Later (after fourteen years), he
|
||||||
|
returned to Jerusalem for a meeting often referred to as the
|
||||||
|
'Jerusalem Conference'[Gal. 2:1 2]....(Watson E. Mills, Acts and
|
||||||
|
Pauline Writings (Mercer University Press, 1987) at lvii.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Paul's First Missionary Journey in 48 A.D.**
|
||||||
|
Then Paul has his first missionary journey - to Seleucia and Cyprus. (Acts 13:4.)
|
||||||
|
Scholars put this first missionary journey as taking place in early 48 A.D.4
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
To repeat, rarely is it ever emphasized that if this is Paul's first missionary
|
||||||
|
journey, this means that Paul was inactive as a Christian missionary for fourteen
|
||||||
|
to seventeen years. During that entire mystery period, Peter and the twelve are
|
||||||
|
all over the earth in various missionary activities. Peter in particular is
|
||||||
|
reaching out to Gentiles all that time. Paul is doing nothing so far as anyone
|
||||||
|
knows.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Paul's Journey to Jerusalem in 48-49 A.D.**
|
||||||
|
We will discuss Paul's success (or lack therefore) in a moment.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
After this journey, Paul will then return to the church at Antioch (Acts 14:27).
|
||||||
|
Thereupon, Paul apparently raised at Antioch the question about circumcision. It
|
||||||
|
was the elders at Antioch who then sent Barnabas and Paul to Jerusalem to ask the
|
||||||
|
twelve apostles about the question whether the Gentiles had to be circumcised.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 14:26; (Acts 15:2). Using Paul's chronology, this Jerusalem conference
|
||||||
|
had to be no earlier than 47 A.D. - fourteen years after his
|
||||||
|
conversion. Scholars put the Jerusalem Council at 48-49 A.D.5
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### The Key Question
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Other Apostles Long Time Abroad. Meanwhile, Apostle Thomas was spreading
|
||||||
|
Christianity to Gentiles in India. This is mentioned in many ancient Christian
|
||||||
|
texts, including by Ephraem Syrus, Ambrose, Paulinus, and Jerome. ("St. Thomas
|
||||||
|
The Apostle," Catholic Encyclopedia.) At Mylapore, not far from Madras,
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"tradition has it that it was here that St. Thomas laid down his life
|
||||||
|
[in 72 A.D. which] is locally very strong." Id. (See "India" on page 6.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
And Apostle James, son of Zebedee, was travelling to Spain in 40 A.D.,
|
||||||
|
evangelizing there, before returning to Jerusalem in 44 A.D. where he was
|
||||||
|
beheaded. (See "Spain" below.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
It is also interesting to note that there were multiple traditions
|
||||||
|
that overlapped on one theme. The tongues on Pentecost was to bestow
|
||||||
|
the language on each apostle which represented the nation to which God
|
||||||
|
would send them. Based on that, the twelve divided up their
|
||||||
|
responsibility of what nations they should evangelize. There were
|
||||||
|
multiple text traditions that supported this was the true nature of
|
||||||
|
the gift of tongues, as we shall discuss below.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
With that background, we have a broader understanding of the
|
||||||
|
intersection of Paul with an expansionist apostolic church that
|
||||||
|
predates Paul. Several of the apostles are already evangelizing
|
||||||
|
Gentiles. The apostolic church is in Rome, Cyprus, Antioch, Spain and
|
||||||
|
India for many many years prior to Paul's emergence from the
|
||||||
|
mysterious period when he was in Arabia for fourteen to seventeen
|
||||||
|
years post-conversion.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
By looking at the Book of Acts, we now must ask carefully this
|
||||||
|
question: was Paul a highly successful evangelist? A successful
|
||||||
|
planter of new churches in Gentile lands?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
If you only look at maps of Paul's travels which are called
|
||||||
|
"Missionary Journeys," you would assume this to be the case. However,
|
||||||
|
Luke in Acts hardly mentions any significant success in evangelism by Paul.
|
||||||
|
This shocks most people, because they do not critically tally what
|
||||||
|
Paul's successes are as they review Acts. However, when you focus carefully,
|
||||||
|
Paul's missions depicted in Acts are largely failures with minor successes.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
See "Paul's First Recorded Conversion" below; "Lydia & The Jailer and His Family"
|
||||||
|
below; "Athens" below; "Ephesus" beliow; "Felix, Festus and Agrippa" below;
|
||||||
|
"Paul's Evangelism is Rather Ineffective" below; and "The Numbers Converted?"
|
||||||
|
below.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
In fairness to Paul, Luke's focus is on the problems Paul encountered
|
||||||
|
repeatedly wherever he went. So Paul's success might be understated
|
||||||
|
somewhat. Yet, what is indisputable is that in Acts, relatively few
|
||||||
|
people are described as having been converted by Paul.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
By contrast, Acts portrays the church under James as leading "many
|
||||||
|
tens of thousands" to Christ before Paul's conversion. This was thanks
|
||||||
|
in no small part to Peter, of course. See "Proof James's Church (Not
|
||||||
|
Paul) Was The Most Effective" below.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Thus, who was the most successful evangelist in the early period of
|
||||||
|
Christianity if we rely solely on Luke's book of Acts? The church run
|
||||||
|
by James whose chief evangelist was Peter.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
If this credit certainly belongs to James and Peter prior to Paul's
|
||||||
|
emergence, even as Luke depicts the church's early history, why do you
|
||||||
|
think a modern myth was created making it appear Paul was the most
|
||||||
|
successful evangelist?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Could Doctrinal Bias Explain The Exaggeration?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Could doctrinal bias have something to do with taking the lustre away
|
||||||
|
from James and Peter and giving it to Paul?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
After all, Luther said it was obvious James' emphasis on faith and
|
||||||
|
works in (Jas. 2:14-17) contradicts Paul in (Eph. 2:8-9). It is
|
||||||
|
evident too that Peter's sermons in chapter two of Acts emphasized
|
||||||
|
repentance from sin as the means of the blood of Christ washing the
|
||||||
|
audience and imparting eternal life. This was at odds with Paul's view
|
||||||
|
that Abraham was saved by belief alone in Romans 4:3-5 while yet an
|
||||||
|
(unrepentant) sinner.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hence, could it be Paul's efforts are exaggerated to overshadow the
|
||||||
|
work of Peter and James, and thus marginalize their doctrine, and the
|
||||||
|
importance of it on the success of Christianity?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Let's examine Luke's accounts in Acts in detail to assess Paul's success in
|
||||||
|
evangelism. Then let's compare it to the work of the twelve apostles.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Christian Evangelism of Gentiles Before Paul
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Peter explained at the Jerusalem Council that he was appointed by the
|
||||||
|
Holy Spirit "a good time ago" to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.
|
||||||
|
Paul was at Peter's feet as Peter said this. Paul raised no objection.
|
||||||
|
Peter's exact words were:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said
|
||||||
|
unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice
|
||||||
|
among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of
|
||||||
|
the gospel, and believe. (Act 15:7) ASV.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Antioch.** Peter founded also in 45 A.D. a church in Antioch, Syria.6 It eventually
|
||||||
|
had 66 local congregations functioning underneath its authority.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Italy.** Peter then sent many emissaries from Antioch to evangelize Italy.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
First, Peter in what can only be approximated as 42 A.D. (but which was obviously
|
||||||
|
after 45 A.D.) founded a Church at Rome.7
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Then Peter sent emissaries from Rome and Antioch to found other churches
|
||||||
|
throughout Italy. For example, Priscus was the first Bishop of Capua in Italy,
|
||||||
|
where he was sent by the Apostle Peter.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
By tradition he was martyred under Nero.8 Likewise, Peter sent out Paulinus of
|
||||||
|
Antioch to Lucca, Italy.9 Also, Birillus came from Antioch with Peter, and became
|
||||||
|
first bishop of Catania in Sicily.10
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
So too Pancras came from Antioch, and was tasked by Peter to go to Taormina,
|
||||||
|
Sicily.11 Peter went to Naples, and converted Aspren (or Aspronas), and later
|
||||||
|
made him bishop.12 Ptolemy was a disciple of Peter and became a Bishop of Nepi in
|
||||||
|
Tuscany.13
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul first arrives in Rome sometime after 58 A.D., and finds a flourishing
|
||||||
|
church. (Acts 28:14-15.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Corinth.** Aquila and Priscilla had a Christian church in their home at Corinth. (1
|
||||||
|
Cor. 16:19.) They arrive in Corinth in 49 A.D. because they left Rome that year
|
||||||
|
due to the Roman decree exiling Jews in 49 A.D. While one cannot be sure, it is a
|
||||||
|
reasonable inference they were Christians prior to leaving Rome. Paul never
|
||||||
|
mentions converting them to Christ. It was this couple who received Paul into
|
||||||
|
their home upon his arrival in Corinth. (Acts 18:1.)14
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**India.** Meanwhile, in 46 A.D., Apostle Thomas was preaching Christianity to
|
||||||
|
Gentiles in India, converting 3,000 Brahman in his first major sermon. Apostle
|
||||||
|
Thomas' mission to India is mentioned in many ancient Christian texts, including
|
||||||
|
by Ephraem Syrus, Ambrose, Paulinus, and Jerome. ("St. Thomas The Apostle,"
|
||||||
|
Catholic Encyclopedia.) At Mylapore, not far from Madras, "tradition has it that
|
||||||
|
it was here that St. Thomas laid down his life [in 72 A.D. which] is locally very
|
||||||
|
strong."15 According to the apocryphal Acts of Thomas, the other eleven apostles
|
||||||
|
were each allotted other nations to evangelize. India fell to Thomas.16 The
|
||||||
|
legends of Apostle Thomas' arrival line up chronologically with events in India
|
||||||
|
that date to 46 A.D.17
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Spain.** It should then not suprise us that Apostle James, the son of Zebedee and
|
||||||
|
brother of Apostle John, is traditionally viewed as the first evangelist to Spain
|
||||||
|
in 40 A.D. The town of Compostella keeps alive his memory there in a chapel, and
|
||||||
|
he is the patron saint of Spain.18 Since Apostle James died in 44 A.D. in
|
||||||
|
Jerusalem, he must have been one of the earliest international evangelists among
|
||||||
|
the apostles. Tradition has it that Apostle James was in Spain in 40 A.D., but
|
||||||
|
then returned to Jerusalem for some reason whereupon he was beheaded by Herod
|
||||||
|
Agrippa in 44 A.D.19
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Is this history of Apostle James true?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The Gospel of the Twelve Holy Apostles (which dates from the first century) says
|
||||||
|
that when the Holy Spirit descended on the twelve apostles, each apostle received
|
||||||
|
the language corresponding to the land which each was destined to evangelize. On
|
||||||
|
that ocassion, Apostle James (son of Zebedee) was given Latin. This would imply
|
||||||
|
his destination was West - into Roman territories such as Spain.20 Thus, this
|
||||||
|
corroborated the legend that "when the apostles divided the known world into
|
||||||
|
missionary zones, the Iberian peninsula fell to [Apostle] James."21
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(Please note how identical this story is to the apocryphal book Acts of Thomas
|
||||||
|
which records the same division of the world for each of the twelve apostles.
|
||||||
|
Even though these are not canonical books, when they converge on the same point,
|
||||||
|
we must given consideration that the point is historical.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The second proof that Apostle James preached in Spain is that documents dating to
|
||||||
|
the late 500's likewise state this. In what is called the Breviary of the
|
||||||
|
Apostles, it says Apostle James preached in Hispania.22
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Conclusion.** Thus, contrary to common presupposition, the Gospel of Jesus would
|
||||||
|
not have died out in Palestine without Paul. Long before Paul's first missionary
|
||||||
|
journey in 47 - 48 A.D., Peter was in Antioch, Syria, and from there
|
||||||
|
springboarding to Italy, including Sicily. Apostle James (son of Zebedee) was in
|
||||||
|
Spain in 40 A.D. And Apostle Thomas was in India, evangelizing from 46 A.D. to 75
|
||||||
|
A.D.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Paul's First Recorded Convert
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Now let's turn to Paul and his evangelical record. Let's see if it compares at
|
||||||
|
all to the widespread work of the twelve apostles.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul's first postconversion appearance is in Acts 13:9 at Salamis. He casts out a
|
||||||
|
demon. Luke then records Paul's message at a synagogue. Paul leaves without any
|
||||||
|
mention of success. (Acts 13:42.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Then Paul in Acts 14:9-11 heals a lame man. The audience thinks Paul is a god.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 14:11-12.) Paul tries to restrain them by rebuking them. (Acts 14:15.) No
|
||||||
|
converts are noted thus far.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul is then dragged out to be stoned by Jews. (Acts 14:19.) Paul passes to Derbe
|
||||||
|
where it cryptically says "he made many disciples." (Acts 14:21.) These are the
|
||||||
|
very first converts Luke records made by Paul! These are the only converts
|
||||||
|
mentioned prior to the Jerusalem Conference of Acts 15. This is important because
|
||||||
|
according to Paul's account, this is fourteen years after Paul's own conversion!
|
||||||
|
(Gal. 2:1.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul's next success is with Lydia of Thyatira at Philippi. (Acts 16:14.) This
|
||||||
|
leads to Paul's imprisonment there. Then the earthquake is mentioned which leads
|
||||||
|
to the conversion of the jailer and his household. (Acts 16:33.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
So far Paul's converts are the unnumbered 'many' at Derbe along with Lydia, plus
|
||||||
|
the jailer and his family at Philippi. If Luke is trying to emphasize Paul's
|
||||||
|
success at evangelism after about 17 years of service, the numbers are meager.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Next Paul goes to a synagogue in Thessalonica and preaches on three Sabbaths.
|
||||||
|
"Some of them believed," mostly Godfearing Gentiles and some women. (Acts 17:4.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Athens.** Friends of Paul then whisk him away from angry Jews by taking him to
|
||||||
|
Athens. (Acts 17:15.) Paul there preaches at the Areopagus. The only response was
|
||||||
|
that some mocked him, while others said: "We will hear you again concerning
|
||||||
|
this." Paul leaves with no record of success. (Acts 17:32.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Corinth.** Next, in Corinth, things improve. It says Paul was preaching and
|
||||||
|
"persuading Jews and Greeks." (Acts 18:4.) But the text then says the Jews
|
||||||
|
rejected him. As a result, Paul vowed from that day forth to go only to Gentiles.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 18:6.) Then presumably by Paul's preaching, Crispus, the synagogue leader
|
||||||
|
at Corinth and "many Corinthians" believed. (Acts 18:8.) Then Paul settles there
|
||||||
|
for a year-and-a-half. No mention is made of how many more come to the Lord.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Ephesus.** Then Paul goes to Ephesus. (Acts 18:21.) There Paul baptizes a group of
|
||||||
|
twelve men who already were semi-converts, but they only had the baptism of John.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 19:17.) Then Paul spoke three months at the local Ephesus' synagogue,
|
||||||
|
"reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 19:8.) Some
|
||||||
|
presumably were persuaded to faith. Some, however, were "hardened" and rejected
|
||||||
|
the Way (as taught by Paul). Paul then took his disciples from that synagogue and
|
||||||
|
met in a schoolhouse. (Acts 19:9.) This went on for two years. No mention is made
|
||||||
|
of how many were converted. Yet, possibly by Paul's influence, a "considerable
|
||||||
|
number" of magic-arts practioners later converted. (Acts 19:19.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Various events follow at Ephesus. Paul's next evangelistic speech is at Acts
|
||||||
|
21:40. But before he finished, the crowd erupted against him. (Acts 22:22.) No
|
||||||
|
converts are noted. This event led to a court proceeding by the Roman
|
||||||
|
authorities.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Felix, Festa & Agrippa. Next we turn to Paul's imprisonment in Felix' custody.
|
||||||
|
First, Felix for two years kept asking Paul to come out from his cell at Caesarea
|
||||||
|
to talk, in hopes Paul would pay a bribe. (Acts 24:2228.) Felix never is
|
||||||
|
mentioned as being converted.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Then Festus took over the case. He asks Paul if he wants him to decide the case.
|
||||||
|
Paul responds that he wants Caesar to make the decision, and he appeals. (Acts
|
||||||
|
25:11.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
King Agrippa then came to Caesarea and for some reason wanted to hear what Paul
|
||||||
|
had to say. (Acts 25:13,22.) During the talk of Paul, Agrippa jokes that Paul is
|
||||||
|
trying to convert him, but he doesn't convert. (Acts 26:28.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
En route to Rome for a hearing, Paul is shipwrecked on Malta. (Acts 28:1.) No
|
||||||
|
mention is made of any crewmember accepting Christ.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
On the island, Paul is then bitten by a viper but does not die, which makes the
|
||||||
|
Maltese think he is a god. (Acts 28:6.) Paul heals the father of Publius. (Acts
|
||||||
|
28:8.) No mention is made of the conversion of anyone at Malta. Instead, Luke
|
||||||
|
mentions the Maltese were very grateful for healings by Paul. They give gifts of
|
||||||
|
food to the soldiers and Paul for their trip to Rome. (Acts 28:10.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Then in Rome, Paul found Christians already there, greeting them. (Acts 28:15.)
|
||||||
|
At Paul's lodging, "some indeed were being persuaded," and some not. (Acts
|
||||||
|
28:24.) This concludes the accounts of Paul's missionary journeys in Acts.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul's own letters do not note any successful conversions except Timothy when he
|
||||||
|
claims he is Timothy's spiritual father.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Paul's Evangelism Is Rather Ineffective. Hence the converts of Paul that Luke
|
||||||
|
mentioned are few and far between. This does not mean it is impossible there were
|
||||||
|
more. Again, in fairness to Paul, Luke's focus in Acts is not on Paul's success
|
||||||
|
in evangelism. Yet, one has to do a lot of presupposing to think Paul was very
|
||||||
|
successful. To recap, his converts mentioned in Acts were:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
1. Derbe: "he made many disciples." (Acts 14:21.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
2. Philippi: Lydia and the Jailer and his family. (Acts 16:14, 33.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
3. Thessalonica : "Some of them believed." (Acts 17:4.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
4. Athens: none recorded.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
5. Corinth: "many Corinthians" believed. (Acts 18:8.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
6. Ephesus: Paul was "persuading [some] concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts
|
||||||
|
19:8.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
7. Caesarea none.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
8. Rome: "some" were persuaded. (Acts 28:24.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### The Numbers Converted?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The number of people Paul led to Christ, based on Luke's account, would
|
||||||
|
approximate 41 people, if we used fair assumptions. The description 'many' would
|
||||||
|
appear to signify a handful. If the numbers were greater than ten people each
|
||||||
|
time 'many' were used, Luke surely would note them so as to make Paul look good.
|
||||||
|
This can be deduced also from the one time Luke gives a number. Luke says twelve
|
||||||
|
quasi-Christians who had the baptism of John were rebaptized into Christ. Thus,
|
||||||
|
if Luke elsewhere doesn't use a number and instead uses the word many, the
|
||||||
|
reasonable inference is that it is less than twelve. Luke's mention of the twelve
|
||||||
|
quasi-Christians needing rebaptism means that number is more significant than the
|
||||||
|
numbers which 'many' represented. This is why Luke mentions twelve-representing a
|
||||||
|
higher number than when many is used.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Accordingly, if you reasonably assume 'many' means ten persons each time, and
|
||||||
|
'some' means five persons each time Luke uses it, and you assume the jailer's
|
||||||
|
family were five people, then Luke records a total of 41 people led to Jesus by
|
||||||
|
Paul. Not an amazing number, but still a worthy accomplishment that the angels
|
||||||
|
rejoice over.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Compare this to James second encounter with Paul when he tells Paul that "many"
|
||||||
|
myriades, i.e., "tens of thousands"23 of Jews have come to Christ at Jerusalem
|
||||||
|
alone where James is bishop. (Acts 21:20.) James must mean a minimum of 30,000
|
||||||
|
("many myriades") at Jerusalem had come to Christ. Two myriades would not be
|
||||||
|
many. Thus, the number must at minimum be 30,000. It could be much greater.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
This is a realistic number too. Peter's very first sermon led 3,000 to Christ at
|
||||||
|
Jerusalem. (Acts 2:41.) Thus, a 30,000 figure achieved by over a dozen years
|
||||||
|
later (i.e., the date of the second encounter with Paul in Acts 21) makes sense.
|
||||||
|
While there are no end of claims that Paul was the "most successful evangelist,"
|
||||||
|
the evidence is to the contrary. James and James' church (including Peter) alone
|
||||||
|
has the right to such a title.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Prior to Paul's conversion, this church under James was expansive, and not
|
||||||
|
limited to Jerusalem. When Paul became a Christian, there was already a church
|
||||||
|
far from Jerusalem at Damascas in Syria, where Paul first joined the church.
|
||||||
|
(Acts 22:12.) Paul later joins a Church at Antioch. This church was founded by
|
||||||
|
Peter. When Paul goes to Rome, there are already Christians there even though
|
||||||
|
Paul never before set foot in Rome. (Acts 28:15.) This church too was founded by
|
||||||
|
Peter. These are the prior fruits of James' church24 without any assistance from
|
||||||
|
Paul.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Why The Exaggeration of Paul?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Thus, it is pure myth that Paul was highly successful in evangelism. It is not
|
||||||
|
based on any provable facts from the Book of Acts. His success was certainly
|
||||||
|
nothing compared to that of James and the church James ran at Jerusalem. More
|
||||||
|
important, there is little reason to believe that Peter and the other eleven
|
||||||
|
apostles were not more successful than Paul. The history we do have outside
|
||||||
|
Scripture supports that indeed they were far more successful than Paul. Thomas
|
||||||
|
alone is said to have converted 3,000 in his first speech in India. Again, using
|
||||||
|
Acts as our guide, Paul at best appears to have led 41 people to Christ!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
We often hear "Paul was the world's most successful evangelist in the early
|
||||||
|
Church." (St. Paul's Lutheran Church.)25 But we saw above that Paul had scant
|
||||||
|
success and Luke records Paul perhaps led 41 people to Christ. By contrast, James
|
||||||
|
and James' church led "many tens of thousands" to Christ in Jerusalem alone, and
|
||||||
|
had spread the church far and wide long before Paul appeared on the scene.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
What do you think explains the exaggeration of Paul's success and the complete
|
||||||
|
forgetting of the success of James and his church (including Peter) before Paul
|
||||||
|
appeared on the scene? Do you think it has to do with one's preference for Paul's
|
||||||
|
doctrine over James' teachings? Do you think it also might have a desire to
|
||||||
|
downplay Peter as part of Catholic bashing? (While I do not agree with many
|
||||||
|
teachings and practices of Roman Catholicism, this does not permit me to
|
||||||
|
denigrate the historical role of Peter.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Proof that James's Church (Not Paul's) Was The Most Effective
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Next we will prove that the church universally was led between 125 A.D. and 325
|
||||||
|
A.D. by persons who shared James' view of Jesus. They rejected all of the
|
||||||
|
uniquely Pauline doctrines that we hear about today. This proves once more who
|
||||||
|
was the leader of the most successful evangelist movement of its time: James and
|
||||||
|
those who shared his doctrines.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
East and West, the church leaders from 125 AD to 325 AD- known as the AntiNicene
|
||||||
|
period26-all echo the teachings of James and reject those of Paul. This proves
|
||||||
|
that the churches were established by the evangelism that James (along with
|
||||||
|
Peter) ushered in at Jerusalem rather than what Paul later tried to inject.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
This disproves the other myth popular today that Paul was the true founder of
|
||||||
|
Christianity. Paulinists delight in this designation which anti-Christian
|
||||||
|
scholars try to affix to Christianity. The anti-Christian scholars' purpose is to
|
||||||
|
marginalize Jesus. They know if Christianity has always been Paulinism, and not
|
||||||
|
following Jesus, then the question arises: 'How can anyone say Jesus was an
|
||||||
|
important historical figure?' Instead, the true founder of the Church after Jesus
|
||||||
|
was his brother-James along with Peter as a key evangelist. They were tightly
|
||||||
|
wedded to Jesus' doctrine. For Pauline Christians to accept the 'Paul was the
|
||||||
|
true founder of Christianity' thesis is dishonest conniving to help bolster
|
||||||
|
Paulinism at the expense of Christ.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Let's prove this by reviewing the doctrines in that Anti-Nicene period. We turn
|
||||||
|
now to the leading church figures of that period: Clement of Rome, Clement of
|
||||||
|
Alexandria, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Origen, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Archelaus, and
|
||||||
|
Papias. They all send one clear universal message: they accept all of Jesus'
|
||||||
|
teachings (which coincide with James' doctrines) and reject all of those
|
||||||
|
doctrines that are uniquely Pauline. They reject loud and clear that man has no
|
||||||
|
freewill, total depravity, eternal security, predestination, and most important
|
||||||
|
of all, salvation by faith without works.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bercot, a Protestant attorney like myself, has done a comprehensive survey of the
|
||||||
|
doctrines of the early Church, in his Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up
|
||||||
|
(1999). It is backed up by an exhaustive 705 page Dictionary of Early Christian
|
||||||
|
Beliefs (1998).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
He admits he discovered that the early church, in "contradiction to many of my
|
||||||
|
own theological views," taught doctrines that universally (i.e., with no dissent)
|
||||||
|
rejected doctrines which we all recognize as part of Pauline teaching.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Paul's Doctrine of Total Depravity Contradicted
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bercot, for example, explains:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"[T]he early church never taught that humans are incapable of
|
||||||
|
doing or overcoming sin in their lives. They believed that we do
|
||||||
|
have the ability to serve and obey God." (Will the Real Heretics
|
||||||
|
Please Stand Up, at page 53, quoting Origen, Clement and
|
||||||
|
Lactantius.) "The early Christians didn't believe man is totally
|
||||||
|
depraved and incapable of doing any good." Id., at 64.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Paul's Doctrine of Eternal Security Contradicted
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"The early Christians universally believed that works or obedience
|
||||||
|
play an essential role in our salvation." (Id., at 57, quoting
|
||||||
|
Clement of Rome, Polycarp, the letter of Barnabas, Hermas, Justin
|
||||||
|
Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Hippolytus, Cyprian, and Lanctatius.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"[E]arly Christians...believed that a 'saved' person could still
|
||||||
|
end up being lost." (Id., at 65, quoting Irenaeus, Tertullian, and
|
||||||
|
Cyprian.) I would add quotes from Scorpion's Bite by Tertullian to
|
||||||
|
the list. Hence, the early church rejected eternal security.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Rejection of Grace Alone Doctrine of Paul
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"As surprising as all of this may be to you, what I'm about to
|
||||||
|
tell you is even more bizarre. There was a religious group
|
||||||
|
labelled as heretics by the early Christians, who strongly
|
||||||
|
disputed the church's stance on salvation and works. Instead,
|
||||||
|
they [i.e., the heretics] taught man is totally depraved. That we
|
||||||
|
are saved solely by grace. That works play no role in
|
||||||
|
salvation. And that we cannot lose our salvation once we obtain
|
||||||
|
it...." Id., at 66.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bercot is discussing Marcion who founded a Paulinist system of doctrine in 144
|
||||||
|
A.D. He said the twelve apostles were intended for a different dispensation, and
|
||||||
|
the Jesus they present does not speak to us. Our only apostle to follow is
|
||||||
|
supposedly Paul. Marcion was the first person to promote the doctrine of faith
|
||||||
|
alone. As a result, the early church universally regarded him as a heretic.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bercot cites the works by Tertullian and Irenaeus against Marcion and the
|
||||||
|
Gnostics heretics. For more on Marcion, see my books Jesus' Words on Salvation
|
||||||
|
(2008), and appendix B: How the Canon Was Formed in Jesus' Words Only (2007).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Paul's Doctrine of Predestination Regarded As False
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"The early Christians were strong believers in freewill [citations
|
||||||
|
and discussion omitted.] Originally, it was the pagan world, not
|
||||||
|
the Christian, who believed in predestination. Yet, in one of the
|
||||||
|
strange quirks of history, Martin Luther took the side of the
|
||||||
|
pagan Romans against the early Christians....[I]t was once again
|
||||||
|
some of the Gnostic teachers who taught that humans are
|
||||||
|
arbitrarily predestined for salvation and punishment....Although
|
||||||
|
not believing in predestination, the early Christians believed in
|
||||||
|
God's sovereignty and in His ability to foresee the future." (Id.,
|
||||||
|
at 70, 72, 73, 76, quoting Justin Martyr, Clement, Archelaus,
|
||||||
|
Methodius, and Origen.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Conclusion
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
If Paul were truly the successful evangelist we are told that he was, then what
|
||||||
|
explains the early church between 125 A.D. and 325 A.D. rejecting almost every
|
||||||
|
uniquely Pauline doctrine? Why were those holding to modern Paulinist ideas on
|
||||||
|
salvation, predestination, and grace regarded as heretics?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
What makes more sense than believing Paul was the second founder of Christianity
|
||||||
|
is instead to accept that the approximately 41 people identified in Acts as
|
||||||
|
having been led to Jesus by Paul is close to the true total number. This is one
|
||||||
|
of the reasons why Paul had so little impact in the early church.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
By contrast, Acts records that James and James' church at Jerusalem were
|
||||||
|
responsible for many tens of thousands of Jews coming to Christ. James and James'
|
||||||
|
church (including Peter) prior to Paul's entrance is truly the greatest
|
||||||
|
evangelical movement of all time-starting from nothing and growing
|
||||||
|
internationally and at Jerusalem at a phenomenal rate. This explains why James'
|
||||||
|
doctrines permeated the early church right up through 325 A.D.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Post-Script: What Changed Things?
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Had it not been for the Emperor of Rome, Constantine, in 325-329
|
||||||
|
A.D. changing the direction of the church in Roman territories, there
|
||||||
|
would never have been any notion that Paul had any influence. Thus, by
|
||||||
|
the Roman church's actions under Constantine's influence, it gave an
|
||||||
|
illusion that Paul had greater influence all along, and thereby
|
||||||
|
created a myth of Paul's influence which he previously never had.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
This is because the Roman Catholic Church post 325 A.D. treated two unique
|
||||||
|
teachings of Paul for the first time as officially valid:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
1. The doctrine of Original Sin. This in turn spawned the Marian heresy
|
||||||
|
that she had to be sinless27 to prevent original sin tainting Jesus;28 and
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
2. The abolition of Sabbath on Friday-Saturday as heretically legalistic, relying
|
||||||
|
upon Paul's principle that the Law of Moses' was abrogated.29
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
These same two doctrines - Original Sin doctrine and Abolition of
|
||||||
|
Sabbath as Friday-Saturday - were rejected by the remaining Christian
|
||||||
|
bishops who lived outside the Roman empire.30 These same Orthodox
|
||||||
|
reject these two doctrines then as they still do today. These bishops
|
||||||
|
trace their origin to James' church at Jerusalem by unbroken
|
||||||
|
historical records of succession. They are known to us today as the
|
||||||
|
Eastern Orthodox Church (with 250 million members). They are primarily
|
||||||
|
located in Israel, the Middle East, Ethiopia, Russia, Armenia, and
|
||||||
|
Turkey. They always have kept the true Sabbath for the past 2,000
|
||||||
|
years while worshipping on Sunday. They are extraordinarily
|
||||||
|
non-Pauline in all their teachings. (See my book Jesus' Words on
|
||||||
|
Salvation, Chapter Sixteen, viz., at page 422.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The pattern is clear. Paul had virtually no influence in the early church's
|
||||||
|
doctrine apart from his influence to raise the issue over circumcision which then
|
||||||
|
turned on a decision by James, not by Paul. See Acts chapter fifteen. This
|
||||||
|
historically explains why Paul's doctrines are rejected in the original church.
|
||||||
|
The only change in that pattern arose by the fortuity of Emperor Constantine's
|
||||||
|
influence beginning in 325 A.D. He led the Roman Bishop to tamper with the
|
||||||
|
universal doctrine of the church that had no doctrine of Paul affixed to it. The
|
||||||
|
pope added what appeared then to be just two minor Pauline doctrines: Original
|
||||||
|
Sin and Abolition of traditional Sabbath. These doctrines turned out to be the
|
||||||
|
poison pill.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### The Irony of Roman Catholicism
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
It is somewhat ironic that the Roman Catholic church would later be put on the
|
||||||
|
run by Luther's citation to Paul. The irony is that the Roman Catholic Church
|
||||||
|
then had to run back to James' Epistle and its clear teaching on salvation.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The mistake the Roman Catholic Church made way back in the 300's, which left it
|
||||||
|
trapped in a fatal inconsistency, was that it let in Paul's teaching on original
|
||||||
|
sin and the abrogation of the Law. As a result, then it had no plausible way to
|
||||||
|
claim Paul's salvation doctrines should not also be the measure of doctrine. Paul
|
||||||
|
contradicts James. The Catholic church had somewhat retained James on salvation
|
||||||
|
doctrine. Yet, the Roman Catholic church was wedded to the doctrine of original
|
||||||
|
sin (which propped up Marianism) and abrogation of Saturday-Sabbath. It relied
|
||||||
|
upon Paul for those two positions.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The Eastern Orthodox have no such problem. They never agreed on any unique points
|
||||||
|
of Paul. They show a low regard for any of his unique teachings. In its own
|
||||||
|
territories, the Orthodox are not subject to any vulnerability of inconsistency
|
||||||
|
over Paul because they never have given him any serious credence in their
|
||||||
|
doctrine. (He is in their canon nevertheless.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
As a result of the Roman Catholic church's totally different position, it has
|
||||||
|
remained completely vulnerable to attack by Paulinists for its inconsistency. The
|
||||||
|
Paulinist asks Catholicism a clearly difficult question: how can Roman Catholics
|
||||||
|
accept the unique teachings of Paul on original sin (Romans ch. 5) and the
|
||||||
|
abrogation of Sabbath, but not also accept Paul's teachings on salvation by faith
|
||||||
|
without works in Romans 4:4 and Eph. 2:8-9? The Eastern Orthodox alone can say
|
||||||
|
they accept neither teaching of Paul. Yet, for the Roman Catholics, these are
|
||||||
|
hard questions which deserve an answer. Roman Catholicism never offers a coherent
|
||||||
|
answer. It just keeps citing James to "balance" Paul.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### A Solution for Roman Catholics
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The solution for Roman Catholicism is to take a brave step. While it
|
||||||
|
has kept up a stiff upper lip for 400 years, it must one day resolve
|
||||||
|
this inconsistency between James' doctrine and Paul's teachings. The
|
||||||
|
Roman Catholic Church needs to expel the uniquely Pauline doctrine of
|
||||||
|
original sin (and get rid of all the Marian heresies that it spawned)
|
||||||
|
and restore the Mosaic Law to the position it deserves, making the
|
||||||
|
careful distinction between Gentile and Jew that James in Acts
|
||||||
|
chapters 15 and 21 revealed. With a few other repairs, such as removal
|
||||||
|
of doctrines about purgatory, infant baptism, calling priests fathers,
|
||||||
|
and abrogation of anything that offends Jesus' teachings, the church
|
||||||
|
can be restored to its original purity of the teachings under
|
||||||
|
James. After all, they are identical to the teachings of Jesus. As a
|
||||||
|
result, we will get back to Our Lord's true words.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
---
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Footnotes
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
1. The Greek Orthodox church that traces itself to this church (the Melkite
|
||||||
|
church) says tradition is that Peter founded the church at Antioch in 45 A.D. See
|
||||||
|
https://www.mliles.com/melkite/apostlepeter.shtml.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
2. Paul's dates lead to incongruities that put his conversion to 30
|
||||||
|
A.D. Some arbitrarily solve this problem, and simply put Paul's
|
||||||
|
conversion to 34 A.D. See http://www.xenos.org/classes/chronop.htm.
|
||||||
|
Paul writes apparently about the Jerusalem conference recorded in Acts
|
||||||
|
15 as taking place fourteen years after his conversion: "Then after
|
||||||
|
the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with
|
||||||
|
Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. (2) And I went up by revelation;
|
||||||
|
and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles
|
||||||
|
but privately before themwho were of repute, lest by any means I
|
||||||
|
should be running, or had run, in vain." (Gal 2:12 ASV.) Prior to
|
||||||
|
that time, Paul says he never met any other apostles at Jerusaelm than
|
||||||
|
Peter and James. Thus, Galatians 2 must be discussing the Jerusalem
|
||||||
|
conference of Acts 15. If one assumes Paul was converted in 34 A.D.,
|
||||||
|
then the Jerusalem council would have to be in 4748 A.D.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
3. Watson E. Mills, Acts and Pauline Writings (Mercer University Press, 1987) at
|
||||||
|
lvii.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
4. "This journey would need to have been finished and Paul returned to Antioch by
|
||||||
|
the fall of 48 A.D. in order to leave time for the council and related events.
|
||||||
|
The length of his lst Missionary Journey would have been anywhere from 4 to 10
|
||||||
|
months. This would put his departure for the lst Missionary Journey no sooner
|
||||||
|
than early spring 48 A.D." http://www.xenos.org/classes/chronop.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
5. http://www.xenos.org/classes/chronop.htm.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
6. As mentioned earlier, the Greek Orthodox church that traces itself to this
|
||||||
|
church (the Melkite church) says tradition is that Peter founded the church at
|
||||||
|
Antioch in 45 A.D. See www.mliles.com/melkite/apostlepeter.shtml.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
7. Peter was crucified in Rome in 67 A.D. during the reign of Nero. Eusebius says
|
||||||
|
that this was after coming to Rome twentyfive years earlier. (Eusebius, The
|
||||||
|
Chronicle.) Peter thus arrived at Rome about 42 A.D.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
8. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
9. Id.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
10. Id. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
12. Id. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
12. Id. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
13. Id. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
14. "(a) After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. (2) And
|
||||||
|
he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from
|
||||||
|
Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to
|
||||||
|
depart from Rome: and he came unto them; (3) and because he was of the same
|
||||||
|
trade, he abode with them, and they wrought, for by their trade they were
|
||||||
|
tentmakers." Act 18:13 ASV.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
15. "Unfortunately, Portuguese adventurers destroyed precious documents that
|
||||||
|
might have shed light on Thomas' history. The Portuguese thought that the
|
||||||
|
Christians of Malabar were heretics. And so the writings of Christians who have
|
||||||
|
an ancient church named for Thomas and who can point to a tomb where he was
|
||||||
|
buried, are lost forever." https://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/07/daily07032002.shtml.
|
||||||
|
See also, Cardinal Eugène, Cardinal Tisserant, Eastern Christianity in
|
||||||
|
India; a history of the SyroMalabar Church from the earliest time to
|
||||||
|
the present day. (Authorized adaptation from the French by
|
||||||
|
E.R. Hambye. (Westminster, Md., Newman Press, 1957).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
16. Prof. M. M. Ninan in STORY OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE AND THE ST.THOMAS
|
||||||
|
CHURHES OF INDIA explains: "Acta Thomae, the apocryphal book is historically
|
||||||
|
dated around end of first century soon after the martyrdom of St. Thomas. There
|
||||||
|
are several ancients texts in existence in various languages such as Syriac,
|
||||||
|
Greek, Latin, Armenian and Ethiopic. The original manuscripts are found in the
|
||||||
|
British Museum. This book gives a detailed account of Apostle Thomas' labors in
|
||||||
|
nine parts. The gist of the book is as follows: After the ascension of Jesus
|
||||||
|
Christ, the Apostles met in Jerusalem and portioned all the countries of the
|
||||||
|
world among themselves. India which at that time included all Middle East to the
|
||||||
|
present India fell to the lot of St. Thomas." http://
|
||||||
|
www.acns.com/~mm9n/marthoma/marthoma.htm.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
18. Prof. M. M. Ninan, STORY OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE AND THE ST.THOMAS CHURHES
|
||||||
|
OF INDIA, reprinted at http://www.acns.com/~mm9n/marthoma/marthoma.htm.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
19. Id. http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/s1centy.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee. Some dispute this is
|
||||||
|
historical, but others defend it. See "St. James the Greater," New Catholic
|
||||||
|
Encylcopedia at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08279b.htm.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
21. http://www.csj.org.uk/2000years.htm#tradition
|
||||||
|
http://www.csj.org.uk/apostle.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
22. http://www.csj.org.uk/2000years.htm#tradition
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
23. Inexplicably, most translations render this "thousands." The Greek word has a
|
||||||
|
very specific meaning: a myriad means 10,000. It comes from myrios that means
|
||||||
|
"numberless, countless, 10,000" as an adjective. As a noun, it means specifically
|
||||||
|
ten thousand. See "Myriad,"
|
||||||
|
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2004/09/03.html
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
24. Peter was the apostolic member of James' church who founded the church at
|
||||||
|
both Rome and Antioch. (Eusebius, The Chronicle (303 A.D.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
25. "Evangelism," St. Paul Lutheran Church reprinted online at
|
||||||
|
http://www.stpaulsrq.org/Evangelism%20ministry.htm
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
26. The AntiNicene period (125 A.D. to 325 A.D.) represents the postapostolic
|
||||||
|
period when the bishop of Rome, while influential, still was just one of many
|
||||||
|
bishops. Other than James as the superior bishop over those of other churches,
|
||||||
|
once he died there was no recognized shift of the superior bishop to the one at
|
||||||
|
Rome in that AntiNicene period. See index entry on 'Roman Catholicism: origins.'
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
27. This is heretical because if sinless from birth, Mary needed no savior. Yet,
|
||||||
|
Mary affirms God is "My Savior." (Luke 1:47.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
28. Maryworship had already entered the church earlier. However, Maryworship was
|
||||||
|
later made respectable as a solution to the problem of original sin uniquely
|
||||||
|
taught by Paul in Romans ch. 5. Roman Catholicism taught Mary's alleged sinless
|
||||||
|
nature explained how Jesus did not suffer original sin in his flesh. Marcion
|
||||||
|
resolved this dilemma differently in 144 A.D. He said Jesus only appeared to have
|
||||||
|
human flesh. This was the heresy of docetism that Apostle John condemns. Both the
|
||||||
|
RC and Marcion heresies derive from Paul's teaching on original sin in (Rom. 5:1).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
29. At the Council of Laodicea of 363 A.D.-one of the first church councils
|
||||||
|
controlled primarily by the Roman Bishop-it was decided to deem heretical and
|
||||||
|
anathema (cursed) the practice of keeping Sabbath. (Canon 29.) The Council
|
||||||
|
claimed Sabbathkeeping was "judaizing." (Nicene and PostNicene Fathers (1990),
|
||||||
|
supra, XII at 92.) This council ruling was never accepted outside of Roman
|
||||||
|
territories. The Eastern Orthodox have always maintained Christians must keep the
|
||||||
|
Sabbath (on Fridaysunset to Saturdaysunset) while worshipping on Sunday. The
|
||||||
|
AntiNicene church records from 125 A.D. to 325 A.D. likewise show that keeping
|
||||||
|
Sabbath on our Saturday. Then the Orthodox had Sunday worship. This was the clear
|
||||||
|
practice of universal Christianity pre-363 A.D. See the Constitution of the
|
||||||
|
Apostles (ca. 200 A.D.) Book 7, ch. XXIII & XXX, Book 2, ch. LX, and Book 5, ch.
|
||||||
|
XX, reprinted in AntiNicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers down to a.d. 325
|
||||||
|
(Ed. The Rev. Alexander Roberts, D.D., and James Donaldson, LL.D.) (Reprint of
|
||||||
|
Edinburgh Edition of T&T Clark)(Grand Rapids: Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans). A
|
||||||
|
reprint of Book 7 is at
|
||||||
|
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF07/anf0747.htm#P6620_2278762. A reprint of Book 2
|
||||||
|
and 5 are at the same webpage, except identified as ANF02 or ANF05.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
30. Tertullian, a leading church member at Carthage (N. Africa) in Against
|
||||||
|
Marcion around 207 A.D., does concur that Paul abrogated ceremonial laws from the
|
||||||
|
Law. However, he claims otherwise Paul did not abrogate the law. Some interpret
|
||||||
|
James in Acts 15 that way too. However, James in Acts 21 tells Paul this is a
|
||||||
|
misunderstanding of what his decision on circumcision meant.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### Further Studies
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
[[JWO_31_HowtheApostlesDied]]
|
||||||
|
|
278
JWO_31_HowtheApostlesDied.md
Normal file
278
JWO_31_HowtheApostlesDied.md
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
|
|||||||
|
Parent: [[JWO_30_PaulorJamesChurch]]
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
## What Happened to the 12 Apostles
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Ichthus has an article entitled "what happened to the 12 Apostles"
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Sources on what happened to Jesus' disciples:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hippolytus of Rome:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
* Birth unknown, died around 236 AD
|
||||||
|
* See his entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia: click here
|
||||||
|
* Here is a page on the Internet containing his writings: click here
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
* Was the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, known as the "Father of Church History" because he wrote about the church history.
|
||||||
|
* Lived around 260-341 AD
|
||||||
|
* See his entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia: click here
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### And now... what ever happened to the disciples of Jesus
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Judas:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
We all know what happened to him...
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Andrew:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Andrew preached to the Scythians [modern day Georgia] and Thracians
|
||||||
|
[modern day Bulgaria], and was crucified, suspended on an olive
|
||||||
|
tree, at Patrae, a town of Achaia [Greece]; and there too he was buried.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Bartholomew:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus, Bartholomew preached in India:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bartholomew, again, preached to the Indians, to whom he also gave
|
||||||
|
the Gospel according to Matthew, and was crucified with his head
|
||||||
|
downward, and was buried in Allanum, a town of the great Armenia
|
||||||
|
[modern day southern Georgia].
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius, in his Church History, confirms the ministry of Bartholomew in
|
||||||
|
India, and adds an eye witness account:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
About that time, Pantaenus, a man highly distinguished for his
|
||||||
|
learning, had charge of the school of the faithful in
|
||||||
|
Alexandria... Pantaenus...is said to have gone to India. It is
|
||||||
|
reported that among persons there who knew of Christ, he found the
|
||||||
|
Gospel according to Matthew, which had anticipated his own arrival.
|
||||||
|
For Bartholomew, one of the apostles, had preached to them,
|
||||||
|
and left with them the writing of Matthew in the Hebrew language,
|
||||||
|
which they had preserved till that time. ---- (Book 5, Chapter 10)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**James, Son of AlphaeusL:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hippolytus identifies that James was stoned to death in Jerusalem:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
And James the son of Alphaeus, when preaching in Jerusalem, was
|
||||||
|
stoned to death by the Jews, and was buried there beside the temple.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**James, Son of Zebedee:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
James was the brother of John, the disciple "that Jesus loved".
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to the Book of Acts in the New Testament, James was killed by
|
||||||
|
Herod:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(Acts 12:1) And at that time Herod the king threw on his hands to oppress some
|
||||||
|
of those of the church.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(Acts 12:2) And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
This is confirmed by Hippolytus:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
James, his brother, when preaching in Judea, was cut off with the sword by
|
||||||
|
Herod the tetrarch, and was buried there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius descibed more precisely what was cut off of James:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
First Stephen was stoned to death by them, and after him James,
|
||||||
|
the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, was beheaded... (Book 3, Chapter 5)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Yep... James' head was cut...
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**John, brother of James and son of Zebedee:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
John was one of the few disciples that did not die a cruel death, but of "old
|
||||||
|
age".
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius discusses the reason that John wrote his Gospel:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"Matthew and John have left us written memorials, and they,
|
||||||
|
tradition says, were led to write only under the pressure of
|
||||||
|
necessity...And when Mark and Luke had already published their
|
||||||
|
Gospels, 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." (Book 3, Chapter 24)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus, John was banished by Domitian to the Isle of Patmos,
|
||||||
|
and later died in Ephesus:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
John, again, in Asia, was banished by Domitian the king to the isle
|
||||||
|
of Patmos, in which also he wrote his Gospel and saw the
|
||||||
|
apocalyptic vision; and in Trajan's time he fell asleep at Ephesus,
|
||||||
|
where his remains were sought for, but could not be found.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Matthew/Levi:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius referenced to Bishop Papias of Hierapolis, as early as c. 110 A.D.,
|
||||||
|
bearing witness to Matthew's authorship of his gospel:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
....Matthew put together the oracles [of the Lord] in the Hebrew
|
||||||
|
language, and each one interpreted them as best he could."
|
||||||
|
(Eusebius, Book 3, Chapter 39)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Matthew wrote the Gospel in the Hebrew tongue, and published it at
|
||||||
|
Jerusalem, and fell asleep at Hierees, a town of Parthia.
|
||||||
|
[Parthia is near modern day Tehran]
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Simon/Peter: **
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius, quoting Papias of Hierapolis (c. 110 A.D.), records a
|
||||||
|
tradition that the Gospel of Mark preserved the Gospel as preached by Peter:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately
|
||||||
|
whatsoever he remembered.... he accompanied Peter..." ---- (Book 3, Chapter 39)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Irenaeus (c. 180 A.D.) records a similar tradition, and mentions that
|
||||||
|
Peter and Paul founded the Church in Rome:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
"Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their
|
||||||
|
own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and
|
||||||
|
laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark,
|
||||||
|
the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in
|
||||||
|
writing what had been preached by Peter..." ---- (Irenaeus,
|
||||||
|
"Against Heresies", Book 3, Chapter 1)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Eusebius records that Peter was put to death under Nero in Rome:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
It is, therefore, recorded that Paul was beheaded in Rome itself,
|
||||||
|
and that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero. This account of
|
||||||
|
Peter and Paul is substantiated by the fact that their names are
|
||||||
|
preserved in the cemeteries of that place even to the present day.
|
||||||
|
---- (Book 2, Chapter 25)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(Paul was a Roman citizen can cannot be crucified but got an "easier" death
|
||||||
|
sentence)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hippolytus confirmed the fact that Peter was crucified by Nero in Rome:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Peter preached the Gospel in Pontus, and Galatia, and Cappadocia,
|
||||||
|
and Betania, and Italy, and Asia, and was afterwards crucified by
|
||||||
|
Nero in Rome with his head downward, as he had himself desired to
|
||||||
|
suffer in that manner.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Philip :**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus, Philip preached and was executed in what
|
||||||
|
today is eastern Turkey:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Philip preached in Phrygia, and was crucified in Hierapolis with
|
||||||
|
his head downward in the time of Domitian, and was buried there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Simon the Zealot [sic: Canaanite]:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Hippolytus, Simon the Zealot was the second Bishop of Jerusalem:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Simon the Zealot, the son of Clopas, who is also called Jude,
|
||||||
|
became bishop of Jerusalem after James the Just, and fell asleep and
|
||||||
|
was buried there at the age of 120 years.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Thaddaeus/Judas son of James:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
According to Mat 10:3 (KJV): Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the
|
||||||
|
publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was
|
||||||
|
Thaddaeus.... Thaddaeus is also known as Lebbaeus.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hippolytus records:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Jude, who is also called Lebbaeus, preached to the people of Edessa, and to
|
||||||
|
all Mesopotamia, and fell asleep at Berytus, and was buried there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**Thomas:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Hippolytus records that Thomas was an active missionary, and that
|
||||||
|
he met his fate in India And Thomas preached to the Parthians,
|
||||||
|
Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and Margians, and was
|
||||||
|
thrust through in the four members of his body with a pine spear
|
||||||
|
at Calamene, the city of India, and was buried there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
#### How the Apostles Died
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
See also "How the Apostles Died," Prayer Foundation (2012) which states:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**ANDREW:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Traveling to what is now modern-day Russia, to the "land of the man-eaters,"
|
||||||
|
Andrew preached Jesus to its inhabitants. Christians there claim that he was the
|
||||||
|
first to bring them the gospel. It is also said that he preached in the Roman
|
||||||
|
province of Asia (modern-day Turkey). Tradition also has him preaching in
|
||||||
|
Greece, and says that he was crucified there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**BARTHOLOMEW:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Tradition says that he went on missionary journeys to Southern Arabia and
|
||||||
|
Ethiopia. That with Thomas he traveled to India, and also that he preached in
|
||||||
|
Armenia. Accounts of his death vary, but all agree that he was martyred for the
|
||||||
|
faith.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHEUS:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
James, the Son of Alpheus, is said to have proclaimed Jesus in Syria. Josephus
|
||||||
|
(a Jewish historian writing for Romans; see also our page:Josephus On Jesus)
|
||||||
|
reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**JOHN:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The only Apostle for certain never said to have been martyred, is theApostle
|
||||||
|
John. John became Bishop of Ephesus (a Greek City located in what is now
|
||||||
|
modern-day Turkey). He was exiled to the Island of Patmos. There John was
|
||||||
|
inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation. Tradition holds that this
|
||||||
|
happened in a particular cave which you can still go and visit. Greek Orthodox
|
||||||
|
Monks long ago built a Church and monastery over it.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**MATTHEW:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Matthew (Levi) was the tax collector who followed Jesus and later wrote the
|
||||||
|
Gospel of Matthew. He preached in Persia and Ethiopia. There is disagreement as
|
||||||
|
to whether or not he was martyred. According to some of the oldest sources, he
|
||||||
|
was not martyred. Other sources hold that Ethiopia was the place where he died;
|
||||||
|
and that he was stabbed to death there.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**MATTHIAS:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The other Apostles by casting of lot chose Matthias to take the place of Judas in
|
||||||
|
an attempt to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy "...let another take his office"
|
||||||
|
-Psalm 109:8, quoted in Acts 1:20 (however, some feel that the Lord Himself
|
||||||
|
fulfilled this prophecy by replacing Judas with the Apostle Paul). Matthias is
|
||||||
|
never mentioned again in Scripture. Tradition says that Matthias traveled to
|
||||||
|
Syria with Andrew and was burned to death.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**PETER:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
It is said that Peter asked to be crucified upside down in Rome, saying that he
|
||||||
|
was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. He was executed ca. 66
|
||||||
|
A.D. by the Roman Emperor Nero.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**PHILIP:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
To the northern African city of Carthage, Philip is said to have brought the
|
||||||
|
Gospel. It is also said that he led the wife of a Roman proconsul to the Lord,
|
||||||
|
and that the proconsul was not pleased with this. It is said that he had Philip
|
||||||
|
arrested, and executed with great cruelty.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**SIMON THE ZEALOT:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Simon, it is held, traveled to Persia. Tradition says that he refused to
|
||||||
|
sacrifice to the Persian's sun god, and was killed because of it.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
**THOMAS:**
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
It is held that Thomas preached east of Syria. Tradition says
|
||||||
|
that he proclaimed Christ in India, and founded the church of Mar
|
||||||
|
Thoma. This church is still in existence today, and claims Thomas
|
||||||
|
as its founder. In India they say that he then traveled to China
|
||||||
|
and also preached the Gospel there, later returning again to
|
||||||
|
India. Thomas is said to have died in India, killed by four
|
||||||
|
soldiers armed with spears.
|
||||||
|
|
@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ Parent: [[Home]]
|
|||||||
* [[JWO_21_02_BibliographicalReferences_0114]]
|
* [[JWO_21_02_BibliographicalReferences_0114]]
|
||||||
* [[JWO_21_03_BibliographicalReferences_0115]]
|
* [[JWO_21_03_BibliographicalReferences_0115]]
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
### Adenda
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
* [[JWO_30_PaulorJamesChurch]]
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
### JWO
|
### JWO
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
* [[JwoRefs]]
|
* [[JwoRefs]]
|
||||||
|
@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ comparisons to the various Apocryphal or other Christian and Gnostic texts.
|
|||||||
["Lk.17:20"]=113
|
["Lk.17:20"]=113
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
---
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
* THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS https://sacred-texts.com/chr/thomas.htm
|
* THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS https://sacred-texts.com/chr/thomas.htm
|
||||||
* Commentary & Typing by Craig Schenk
|
* Commentary & Typing by Craig Schenk
|
||||||
* Made available to the net by Paul Halsall <halsall@murray.fordham.edu>
|
* Made available to the net by Paul Halsall <halsall@murray.fordham.edu>
|
||||||
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user