Pastor Steve Paulus

Patristics Part One

Introduction: What is Patrology? Why is Patrology Important?

Sources of Early Christian History

I. Sources of Early Church History

Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you Simon bar Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven’ (Matt.16:16-19).

This is one of the earliest gospel statements concerning the concept of the church. The Greek term here is ekklesia, which refers to a body or gathering of people called out of their regular activities for a particular purpose. In this case it is a people called out for worship and service to their Creator who is revealed in Jesus Christ. Several matters are clear in this passage.

1) Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the founder of the church. Thus the church is supernatural in origin.

2) He delegates spiritual power and authority to his disciples.

3) The church is built upon a rock.

How one interprets these verses and their implications will determine how one understands the nature of the church. Is the rock representative of Peter himself? The apostles? Their successors? The people of God in general? Or is simply the revelation of Christ’s Sonship itself the rock upon which the church is built?

Biblically we can confirm this much, “[Y]ou are …fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2:19-21). While God’s people are included in the household, the apostles have a unique foundational role, and Christ himself is the primary figure (chief cornerstone) in the life of the church.

The Acts of the Apostles by Luke, companion of the apostle Paul, is the first recorded church history. Acts especially documents the early ministries of Peter and Paul among other apostles. Another source of early church history is Eusebius, also known as the Father of Church History. He lived in the fourth century and utilized many written sources to compile his renowned Ecclesiastical History. After Acts, much of our knowledge of early church history comes from Eusebius and his sources.

Here’s what he records about the martyrdoms of Peter and Paul:

After pleading his cause, he [Paul] is said to have been sent again upon the ministry of preaching, and after a second visit to the city, that he finished his life with martyrdom. Whilst he was a prisoner he wrote his second epistle to Timothy, in which he both mentions his first defense and his impending death…

Paul is therefore said to have been beheaded at Rome, and Peter to have been crucified under him [Nero]. And this account is confirmed by the fact, that the names of Peter and Paul still remain in the cemeteries of that city to this day (Eusebius, Ecclesiatical History, 74,80).

Of Mark’s gospel he writes,

So greatly however, did the splendor of piety enlighten the minds of Peter’s hearer’s (in Rome), that it was not sufficient to hear but once, nor to receive the unwritten doctrine of the gospel of god, but they persevered in every variety of entreaties to solicit Mark as the companion of Peter, and whose gospel we have, that he should leave them a monument of the doctrine orally communicated in writing. Nor did they cease their solicitations until they had prevailed with the man, and thus become the means of that history which is called the gospel according to Mark…

The same Mark, they also say, being the first that was sent to Egypt, proclaimed the gospel there which he had written, and first established churches at the city of Alexandria” (Eusebius, EH, p64-5).

Also, Eusebius gives a lot of additional information on biblical figures such as James, the Lord’s brother, Herod Agrippa, Simon Magus, Claudius, Nero, the various persecutions of Christians. It should be remembered that Eusebius’ work, and that of other figures of the patristic era are not inspired in the same way that scriptures are, but are, nevertheless good sources of historical information.

In addition to Acts and Eusebius, there are numerous other written sources of early church history. Some are by known authors, others unknown. Those by unknown authors are mentioned below.

1. Didache: Possibly the oldest document of Christian Antiquity. It was revered in Syria, Egypt and Palestine. Among some church fathers (e.g. Jerome) it was regarded as deutero-canonical (Bruce, The Canon of Scripture, p. 90). Possibly written in Egypt , Syria, or Palestine between 85 and 120 (Hamell, p. 24). Only two orders of permanent (resident) ministers are mentioned -- elders (bishops) and deacons -- aside from the New Testament designation of prophets and teachers. The Didache mentions the agape (love feast) in conjunction with the communion, as well as the proper reception and treatment of traveling prophets, thus indicating its early date.

Outline: ch. 1-6, Christian Ethics.

ch. 7-10 Baptismal instruction, Sacraments

ch. 11-16 Mutual relations.

"But concerning apostles and prophets, so do ye according to the ordinance of the Gospel. Let every apostle, when he cometh to you, be received as the Lord; but he shall not abide more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he abide three days, he is a false prophet."

"From his ways therefore the false prophet and the prophet shall be recognized. And no prophet when he ordereth a table in the Spirit shall eat of it; otherwise he is a false prophet" (Lightfoot, p. 127)

"And whosoever shall say in the Spirit, Give me silver or anything else, ye shall not listen to him; but if he tell you to give on behalf of others that are in want, let no man judge him" (Lightfoot, p. 128).

"Appoint for yourselves therefore bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men who are meek and not lovers of money and true and approved; for unto you they also perform the service of the prophets and teachers. Therefore despise them not; for they are your honorable men along with the prophets and teachers" (Lightfoot, p. 128).

These comments indicate a more fluid ministry not reflected in later documents.

Also some practices found in the Didache are two-tiered ministry plus itinerants, practice of the agape meal; no complete canon of scripture.

2. The Epistle of Barnabus: Various fathers ascribed this work to Barnabus, the companion of Paul (thus the name). The work does not bear the author’s name, nor the recipients, nor the place of writing, nor the destination. It was written perhaps between 96 and 120 A.D. Alexandria is suggested because of the allegorical method of interpretation which was popular there. It was directed against Judaizers, and questions the authority of the Old Testament. Such a departure from Pauline theology casts great doubt upon the authorship of Barnabus.

3. The Shepherd of Hermas : This work is composed of visions, commands and parables. It contains an exhortation to repentance and permits one remission for the sins of fornication and adultery. It deals with the issue of repentance (penance?) and forgiveness of sins. It is mentioned in the Muratorian fragment, c. 180. "The Shepherd, says the compiler [of the fragment], was written 'quite recently, in our own times', when Pius, the brother of Hermas, was bishop of Rome. Pius was bishop of Rome some time during the period when Antoninus Pius was Roman emperor (AD 138-161) but the Shepherd, to judge by internal evidence, may have been written even earlier than that, about the beginning of the second century"(Bruce, The Canon of Scripture, p. 166). It was probably written while Pius was bishop of Rome (140-155). In some fathers it was listed among canonical writings (e.g. Irenaus, Clement, and Origen).

4. Apostles’ Creed: This creed is in some circles believed to be a tradition dating back to the time of the apostles. "It is probably preserved in the Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus' Apostolic Traditions (c. 215)" ( Leith, p. 22-3). It is first mentioned in a letter from Marcellus, Bishop of Ancyra to Julius, Bishop of Rome in 337-338 A.D. It is probably a baptismal formula dating back as early as 100. From the sixth century on it was used as instruction for catechumens. (Hamell, p. 21)

Sources:

Angelo Di Berardino, ed. Encyclopedia of the Early Church, New York: Oxford University Press, 1992

Everett Ferguson, ed. Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, New York and London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1990.

Patrick J. Hamell, Handbook of Patrology, Staten Island: Alba House, 1968, p. 9-18.

Johannes Quasten, Patrology, Vol. I, rpt. 1992, Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, Inc., 1950, p. 1-22.

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