Part 2 (1/2)

(_b_) Jerome, _Comm. ad Galat._ (MSL, 26:462.)

The following extract from Jeromes commentary on Galatians is of such late date as to be of doubtful value as an authority. There is, however, nothing improbable in it, and it is in harmony with other traditions. It is to be taken as a tradition which at any rate represents the opinion of the fourth century regarding the Apostle John. _Cf._ Jerome, _De Viris Inl.u.s.tribus_, ch. 9 (PNF, ser. II, vol. III, 364).

When the holy Evangelist John had lived to extreme old age in Ephesus, he could be carried only with difficulty by the hands of the disciples, and as he was not able to p.r.o.nounce more words, he was accustomed to say at every a.s.sembly, Little children, love one another. At length the disciples and brethren who were present became tired of hearing always the same thing and said: Master, why do you always say this? Thereupon John gave an answer worthy of himself: Because this is the commandment of the Lord, and if it is observed then is it enough.

(_c_) Eusebius, _Hist. Ec._, III, 31. (MSG, 20:279.)

Polycrates was bishop of Ephesus and a contemporary of Victor of Rome (189-199 A. D.). His date cannot be fixed more precisely. The reference to the high priests mitre is obscure; see J. B.

Lightfoot, _Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians_, p. 345. A longer extract from this epistle of Polycrates will be found under the Easter Controversy ( 38).

The time of Johns death has been given in a general way,(1) but his burial-place is indicated by an epistle of Polycrates (who was bishop of the parish of Ephesus) addressed to Victor of Rome, mentioning him, together with the Apostle Philip and his daughters, in the following words: For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again at the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve Apostles, who sleeps at Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and moreover John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and being a priest wore the high priests mitre, also sleeps at Ephesus.

4. The Persecution under Domitian

What is commonly called the persecution under Domitian (81-96) does not seem to have been a persecution of Christianity as such. The charges of atheism and superst.i.tion may have been due to heathen misunderstanding of the Christian faith and wors.h.i.+p. There is no sufficient ground for identifying Flavius Clemens with the Clemens who was bishop of Rome. For bibliography of the persecution under Domitian, see Preuschen, _a.n.a.lecta_, second ed., I, 11.

(_a_) Ca.s.sius Dio (excerpt. per Xiphilinum), _Hist. Rom._, LXVII, 14 _f._ Preuschen, _a.n.a.lecta_, I, 4:11.

For Ca.s.sius Dio, see _Encyc. Brit._, art. Dio Ca.s.sius.

At that time (95) the road which leads from Sinuessa to Puteoli was paved.

And in the same year Domitian caused Flavius Clemens along with many others to be put to death, although he was his cousin and had for his wife Flavia Domitilla, who was also related to him. The charge of atheism was made against both of them, in consequence of which many others also who had adopted the customs of the Jews were condemned. Some were put to death, others lost their property. Domitilla, however, was only banished to Pandataria.

(_b_) Eusebius, _Hist. Ec._, III, 18. (MSG, 20:252.)

To such a degree did the teaching of our faith flourish at that time(2) that even those writers who were far from our religion did not hesitate to mention in their histories the persecutions and martyrdoms which took place during that time. And they, indeed, accurately indicate the time.

For they record that, in the fifteenth year of Domitian, Flavia Domitilla, daughter of a sister of Flavius Clemens, who was at that time one of the consuls of Rome, was exiled with many others to the island of Pontia(3) in consequence of testimony borne to Christ.

Period II. The Post-Apostolic Age: A. D. 100-A. D. 140

The post-apostolic age, extending from circa 100 to circa 140, is the age of the beginnings of Gentile Christianity on an extended scale. It is marked by the rapid spread of Christianity, so that immediately after its close the Church is found throughout the Roman world, and the Roman Government is forced to take notice of it and deal with it as a religion ( 6, 7); the decline of the Jewish element in the Church and extreme hostility of Judaism to the Church ( 5); the continuance of chiliastic expectations ( 10); the beginnings of the pa.s.sion for martyrdom ( 8); as well as the appearance of the forms of organization and wors.h.i.+p which subsequently became greatly elaborated and remained permanently in the Church ( 12-15); as also the appearance of religious and moral ideas which became dominant in the ancient Church ( 11, 12, 16). The literature of the period upon which the study of the conditions and thought of the Church of this age must be based is represented princ.i.p.ally by the so-called Apostolic Fathers, a name which is convenient, but misleading and to be regretted. These are Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Ignatius, Polycarp, Papias, Hermas; with the writings of these are commonly included two anonymous books known as the _Didache_, or _Teaching of the Twelve Apostles_, and the _Epistle to Diognetus_. From all of these selections are given.(4)

5. Christianity and Judaism

The Christian Church grew up not on Jewish but on Gentile soil. In a very short time the Gentiles formed the overwhelming majority within the Church. As they did not become Jews and did not observe the Jewish ceremonial law, a problem arose as to the place of the Jewish law, which was accepted without question as of divine authority. One solution is given by the author of the so-called Epistle of Barnabas, which should be compared with the solution given by St. Paul in his epistles to the Galatians and to the Romans. The number of conversions from Judaism rapidly declined, and very early an extreme hostility toward Christianity became common among the Jews.