Eusebius, Church History 3. The apostolic age.

Eusebius Pamphili was the bishop of Caesarea, Judea, from 314 to 339. He wrote the first full-length Christian history of the church, Historia Ecclesiae, or Church History, in part to defend the church as well as give its background.

I’ve translated the parts of book 3 which deal with Christian history from the end of Acts to the last of the first apostles, in the later part of the first century. (The parts I left out deal with the books Eusebius did and didn’t consider scripture, which I’ll post another time; and the details of the Jewish War, which were quotes from Josephus, and you can read them elsewhere.) So if you were wondering what happened after Acts, I give you Eusebius.

The deaths of Peter and Paul.

1. …Meanwhile, the holy apostles, and students of our Savior, were scattered throughout the world. According to tradition, Parthia was assigned to Thomas as his field of labor; Skythia to Andrew, Asia to John—who, after living there some time, died in Ephesus. It appears Peter preached to the dispersed Jews in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Asia, and finally Rome—where he was crucified, head-down, the way he asked to suffer. And what should we say about Paul? He preached Christ’s gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum, then suffered martyrdom in Rome under Nero. (These facts are shared by Origin in his Commentary on Genesis, vol. 3.)

2. After Paul and Peter were martyred, Linus was the first bishop of the Roman church. Paul mentioned him when he wrote to Timothy from Rome, in the greeting at the end of the letter.

4. As shown in his own words, and from the account Luke gave in the Acts, Paul preached to the gentiles and laid the foundations of churches from Jerusalem to Illyricum. As shown in his own words, from the undisputed letter which he wrote to the dispersed Hebrews in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Peter preached Christ in many provinces and taught the new covenant to those of the circumcision. But we can’t really tell how many there were who became true or zealous followers of the apostles, or who were judged worthy to lead the churches they founded—except those listed in Paul’s writings. He had innumerable fellow laborers; “fellow solders,” he called them. He honored most of them with an imperishable memorial: In his own letters, he gave an enduring testimony of them. In Acts, Luke also spoke of his friends, and mentioned them by name.

It's recorded Timothy was the first to become bishop of his region of Ephesus, and Titus of the churches in Crete. […] As for the rest of his team, Paul said Crescens was sent to Gaul, but Linus (mentioned in 2 Timothy) as his companion in Rome, and as I’ve already said, was Peter’s successor as bishop of its church. Clement, who was appointed third bishop of the Roman church, was also Paul’s co-laborer and fellow-soldier, as he testified. Besides them, Dionysius of Mars Hill, who was the first to believe after Paul preached to the Athenians there (as recorded by Luke ), was mentioned by another Dionysius, a writer and previous pastor from Corinth, as the first bishop of the Athenian church. But as for apostolic succession and its events, I’ll get to them at the proper place. Meanwhile let’s continue our history.

The Judean War.

5. After Nero ruled 13 years, and Galba and Otho ruled a year and six months, Vespasian, who’d become famous for his campaigns in the Judean War, was proclaimed the ruler and Emperor by his armies in Judea in the year 69. Leaving for Rome immediately, he left the Judean War in the hands of his son Titus. After our Savior ascended, the Judeans—in addition to their crime against him—had been devising as many plots as they could against his apostles. First they stoned Stephen to death; last they stoned James, the first bishop of Jerusalem after our Savior ascended, as I previously described. [Eusebius 2.23] They incessantly plotted to destroy the rest of the apostles, and drove them out of the land of Judea.

The apostles went to all nations to preach the gospel, relying on Christ’s power. He’d told them, “Go make students of all nations in my name.” The people of the Jerusalem church had been commanded by a revelation, given to trusted men before the war, to leave the city and live in Pella, Perea. When the Christians left Jerusalem to go there, it’s as if the royal city of the Jews and Judea was entirely destitute of holy men—and the judgment of God finally overtook those who had done such outrageous things to Christ and his apostles, and he destroyed the impious men of that generation.

The number of disasters which fell everywhere in that nation; the extreme tribulation inflicted on the inhabitants of Judea; the thousands of men, women, and children who perished by the sword, famine, and forms of death beyond counting; the sieges against the Judean cities; the excessive suffering by those who fled to Jerusalem (as if they were safe there); the general course of the war and its specific events in detail; the Abomination of Desolation which stood in God’s temple, as proclaimed by the Prophets; this temple celebrated in ancient times but awaiting its total, final, fiery destruction—all these things are accurately described in Josephus’s history, and anyone who wishes can find them there.

11. After James was martyred in the year 69, and Jerusalem conquered immediately afterward in 70, it’s said those of the Lord’s apostles and students who were still alive, came from all directions, gathered with the Lord’s blood relations (for most of them were still alive), and considered who might be worthy to succeed James. In one accord, they selected Symeon bar Clopas (the Clopas mentioned in the gospels ) to be worthy of the bishop’s seat for that region. Symeon was a cousin of the Savior, for Hegesippus records Clopas was Joseph’s brother.

12. Hegesippus also wrote how Vespasian, after Jerusalem was conquered, gave orders that everyone who belonged to the house of David ought to be sought out, so that none of the royal line would be alive among the Jews. As a consequence, the Jews were greatly persecuted.

Domitian’s persecution.

13. After Vespasian ruled 10 years, his son Titus succeeded him in 79. In the year 81, Linus, who’d been bishop of the Roman church for 12 years, handed off his office to Anencletus. After two years, two months, Titus was succeeded by his brother Domitian.

14. In the year 85, Annianus, the first bishop of the region of Alexandria, died after holding office 22 years. He was succeeded by Abilius, the second bishop.

15. In the year 93, Clement succeeded Alexander, who’d been bishop of the Roman church for 12 years. Paul, in Philippians, informed us this Clement was his fellow-workers. In his own words: “With Clement, and the rest of my fellow laborers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

16. There’s a letter by this Clement, recognized as genuine, considerably long, but remarkably useful. He wrote it in the name of the Roman church, to the Corinthian church, when a split had come up in that church. We know this letter has been publicly used in a great many churches, both then and now. The fact of this church split in Corinth was referred to by Hegesippus, a trustworthy witness.

17. Domitian, demonstrably cruel towards many, unjustly put many noble and notable Romans to death. Without cause, he exiled and confiscated the property of a great many well-known men. Finally, he became a successor of Nero in his hatred and enmity of God: He was the second emperor to stir up persecution against us, even though his father Vespasian had done nothing against us.

18. It’s said that during this persecution, the apostle and evangelist John, who was still alive, was condemned to live on the island of Patmos, because of his testimony to the word of God. Irenaeus, in Against Heresies vol. 5, where he discussed the number of Antichrist’s name given in Revelation, says as follows about him.

If it were possible to proclaim his name openly at the time, it would have been declared by the one who saw the revelation. He didn’t see it long ago. It was nearly in our own generation, at the end of Domitian’s reign. [Irenaeus 5.30.3]

The teachings of our faith flourished to such a degree, even pagan writers, who were far from Christian, didn’t hesitate to include the persecution and its martyrdoms in their own histories. Indeed, they accurately indicated when it happened, for they wrote how, in 96 (Domitian’s 15th year), Flavia Domitilla, the niece of then-Roman consul Flavius Clement, was exiled with many others to the island of Pontia, because of their testimony of Christ. [Dion Cassius 67.14]

19. Domitian had commanded the house of David should be killed. An old tradition has it that some of the heretics brought an accusation against the descendants of Jude, the Savior’s earthly brother, on the grounds that they were of the lineage of David and were related to Christ himself. Hegesippus relates these facts as follows.

20. Of the Lord’s family, the grandchildren of Jude, the Lord’s earthly brother, were still living. They belonged to the house of David, and were brought to the emperor Domitian by the volunteer soldiers. Domitian, like Herod, feared the coming of Messiah.

He asked them if they were descendants of David, and they confessed they were. He asked them how much property and money they had, and they both answered they only had 9,000 denarii, half of which belonged to each of them: It didn’t consist of silver, but a 39-acre piece of land which they worked to raise their taxes and support themselves. They showed their hands, displaying their roughness and calluses, produced by continuous toil and hard labor.

They were asked about Messiah and his Kingdom; what kind it was, and where and when it would appear. They answered it wasn’t a temporal or earthly kingdom, but a heavenly and angelic one, which would appear at the end of the world, when Messiah came in glory to judge the living and dead, and reward everyone for their works.

Hearing this, Domitian didn’t convict them. He considered them irrelevant and let them go, and gave a decree to stop persecuting the church. Once they were released, they became leaders of their churches, because they were martyrs, and the Lord’s relatives. Peace now established, they lived till the time of Trajan.

Thus Hegesippus relates. Tertullian also mentioned Domitian in the following:

Domitian had a share of Nero’s cruelty, and attempted to do the same thing Nero had. But since he had more humanity, he soon stopped, and even called back those he banished. [Tertullian, Apology 5]

After Domitian ruled 15 years, Nerva succeeded him in 96. Historians of the day record the Roman Senate voted to cancel all Domitian’s honors, and had those who had been unjustly banished receive back their homes and property.

The return of John.

At this time, according to old Christian tradition, the apostle John returned from his banishment on the island, and went home to Ephesus.

21. Nerva reigned little more than a year, and was succeded by Trajan in 98. During his first year, Abilius, who led the Alexandrian church for 13 years, was succeeded by Cerdon, the third to preside over that church after Annianus, the first. Clement still led the Roman church, and was also the third bishop after Paul and Peter: Linus was the first, and Anencletus after him.

22. Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch; Evodius was the first. Symon was likewise the second bishop of Jerusalem; our Savior’s brother James was the first.

23. The apostle and evangelist John, the one whom Jesus loved, was living at that time in Asia, governing the churches of that region after he returned from island exile after Domitian’s death. So we can establish his being alive at the time by the testimony of two trustworthy and orthodox witnesses, we have Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria. Irenaeus, in Against Heresies vol. 2, wrote as follows.

All the elders who associated with John, the student of our Lord, in Asia, bear witness John delivered it to them. He stayed with them till the time of Trajan. [Irenaeus 2.22.5]

In Against Heresies vol. 3, he says the same thing.

The church in Ephesus, founded by Paul, where John remained till the time of Trajan, is a faithful witness of the apostle’s traditions. [Irenaeus 3.3.4]

Clement likewise, in his book Can the Rich Be Saved? indicates the time, and adds a story which you might enjoy, if you like beautiful and profitable things. Read the story, which goes like so.

Clement’s story of John and the gangster.

Listen to a story, which isn’t just a story, but a lesson from the apostle John, handed down and treasured in memory. After the tyrant Domitian died, John returned from the isle of Patmos to Ephesus. He was invited to visit the neighboring gentile territories, to appoint bishops in some places, to set straight whole churches in other places, and to appoint other ministers as the Spirit pointed them out.

When he came to one of the nearby cities (whose name I withhold), and counseled the Christians in some matters, he finally turned to the bishop he’d appointed. Seeing a young man in the church with a powerful physique, a pleasant appearance, and a loving attitude, he told the bishop, “I commit this man to you, in all earnestness, in the presence of the church, with Christ as witness.” After the bishop accepted the commission, and promised to do it, John committed the church to the man, appealed to them, then left for Ephesus. The bishop took the young man home. He trained, cherished, and finally baptized him. Then he relaxed his strict and watchful care, figuring he’d sealed him to the Lord, and this would protect him perfectly.

But young men his own age, who were lazy and undisciplined and used to evil behavior, corrupted the young man after he was turned loose. They began with expensive entertainment. Then they took him with them on a robbery. Finally they demanded he join them in some greater crime. He got used to such practices, and because of his youthful zeal, when he left the right path, he took to violence like a powerful horse with a bit in its mouth, and got in deep. He gave up on God’s salvation, figuring his crimes were too great, figuring he’d suffer the same fate as the rest. He formed a gang of robbers with them and became a bold gangster—the most violent and bloody of them all.

Time passed. Something came up, so the church again sent for John. When John arrived, and set straight the other matters he came for, he said, “Come, bishop. Let’s see what’s become of the deposit Christ and I committed to you, as witnessed by the church you lead.” At first, the bishop was confused—he thought it was about money, which of course he didn’t have, but he couldn’t believe John was mistaken. But when John said, “I want the young man; I want the soul of this brother,” the elder groaned deeply and burst into tears, and said, “He’s dead.”

“What? How did he die?”

“He’s dead to God,” the bishop said. “He turned wicked and left, and became a robber. He lives in the mountain instead of in the church; he lives with a gang like himself.”

The apostle tore his clothes, beat his head with lamentation, and said, “I left a fine guard for this brother’s soul! Bring me a horse, and have someone show me the way.” And just as he was, John rode away from the church.

He came to the gang’s hideout, and was taken prisoner. But he neither ran away nor begged, but said, “I came for this very reason. Take me to your boss.”

The boss was waiting, weapon in hand. But when he recognized John, he turned to run away in shame. John, regardless of his age, chased him with all his might, saying, “My son, why do you run away from me, your own unarmed, elderly father? Listen to me, my son. Don’t be afraid. There’s still hope of life for you. I’ll stand before Christ with you. If I have to, I’ll accept your death for you. As the Lord died for us, I’ll give up my life for you. Stay there and believe. Christ sent me.”

The boss heard, stopped, looked down, and threw away his weapons. He trembled and wept bitterly. John approached and he hugged him, confessing as much as he could in sorrow, baptizing himself a second time with tears, hiding his right hand. John promised, and assured him with an oath, that he could be forgiven by the Savior. He begged him, fell on his knees, kissed his right hand as if it were purified by repentance, and led him back to the church.

With many prayers, John interceded for him, struggled with him in fasting, and helped him train his mind with various sayings. John didn’t leave till he had restored him to the church. He became a great example of true repentance, a great proof of regeneration, a parable of the coming resurrection. [Clement, Can the Rich Be Saved? 42]

The heretics of the apostolic age.

26. Menander succeeded the heretic leader Simon Magus. With his acts, he exposed himself as another instrument of devilish power, same as Simon. He was also a Samaritan, practiced as much sorcery as his teacher, and told even wilder stories: He claimed he was the Savior, sent down from “invisible eons” to save humanity. He taught no one could be master of the angels which created the world, unless they’d learned the magical discipline he taught, and received baptism from him. Once they were deemed worthy, they could even become immortal in this present life—they’d never die, live here forever, and never grow old. We can easily learn this in Irenaeus’s works. [Irenaeus 1.25.5] Justin, in the passage where he mentioned Simon, also gives an account of this man, like so.

We know of a certain Menander, who was also a Samaritan from the village of Kapparattea, a student of Simon, and also demon-led. He came to Antioch and deceived many with his magic. He convinced his followers they wouldn’t die. Some of them still believe this. [Justin, Apology 1.26]

It was indeed a devilish trick to use such sorcerers, who claimed to be Christians, to defame godly teachings with magic art, and make the church’s doctrines about the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the dead look ridiculous. Those who chose these men as their saviors have fallen away from the true hope.

27. Unable to tear certain others from their allegiance to God’s Messiah, the evil demon found another way to weaken them and bring them to its side. The early Christians called them Ebionites [“the poor”] because they held poor, flawed opinions about Christ: They considered him a plain, ordinary man, who was justified because of his superior behavior, who was the son of an ordinary man who had sex with Mary. They believed the Law’s rituals were absolutely necessary: They couldn’t be saved by faith in, and obedience to, Christ.

There was another sect of Ebionites besides them, who avoided these strange, absurd beliefs: They didn’t deny the Lord was born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit. But they refused to believe he pre-existed as God, Word, and Wisdom. They turned to the impiety of the other group: They tried to strictly observe the bodily worship of the Law. They also thought it necessary to reject all Paul’s letters, calling him an apostate from the Law. The only used the Gospel of the Hebrews, and dismissed the rest. They observed the Jews’ discipline and the Sabbath just like them; but like us, they observed the Lord’s Day as a memorial of the Savior’s resurrection. Consequently they were called Ebionites, which is what the Hebrews call a poor man, which signifies their impoverished understanding.

28. We believe at this time Cerinthus, the author of another heresy, arose. Caius, whom we’ve quoted before, in his Disputation, wrote as follows.

Also Cerinthus, using “revelations” which he pretends were written by a great apostle, makes wild claims which he falsely says were shown him by angels. He says after the resurrection, Christ’s Kingdom will be set up on earth, and everyone living in Jerusalem will be permitted their desires and pleasures. An enemy of God’s scriptures, he claims (with the purpose of deceiving people) there will be a period of a thousand years for marriage feasts.

Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria in our day, in On the Promises, vol. 2, says some things about Revelation which he drew from tradition. He mentioned Cerinthus in the following.

Cerinthus founded the Cerinthians, naming them after him so he could gain a good reputation for his fictions. What he taught was the doctrine that Christ’s Kingdom will be earthly: He was devoted to carnal pleasures, a sensual nature, the delights of his belly, sexual passion—in other words, eating, drinking, marrying, partying, sacrifices, and bloodsport. He figured he could indulge his appetites by disguising them as sacred.

So wrote Dionysius. Irenaeus, in Against Heresies, vol. 1, gives some more of Cerinthus’s nasty false teachings. In volume 3 he tells a story which deserves to be included. Quoting Polycarp, he said the apostle John once went to a bathhouse to bathe, but hearing Cerinthus was there, he leaped out of the bath and ran out the door, for he couldn’t stand to be under the same roof as he. John advised others to do likewise, saying, “Flee before the bathhouse collapses! Cerinthus, the enemy of truth, is inside.” [Irenaeus 3.3.4]

29. The sect of the Nicolaitans appeared at this time, and lasted briefly. Revelation mentions it. They boasted their founder was Nicolas, one of the deacons appointed with Stephen by the apostles to minister to the poor. Clement of Alexandria, in Stromata, vol. 3, says the following about him.

They say he had a beautiful wife. After the Savior ascended, he was accused by the apostles of jealousy, so he led his wife into their midst, and gave permission for any of them to marry her. They say this was in accord with one of his sayings, “One ought to abuse the flesh.” Those who follow this heresy, blindly and foolishly imitating what was done and said, fornicate without shame.

But I understand Nicolas actually had nothing to do with any woman but his wife. As for his children, his daughters stayed virgins until old age, and his son stayed pure. If so, when he brought his wife before the apostles, he was obviously renouncing his passionate jealousy. When he said, “One ought to abuse the flesh,” he was talking about self-control, not in indulging and pursuing pleasure. Just as the Savior commanded, he didn’t wish to serve two masters—pleasure and the Lord.

They say Matthias also taught likewise: We ought to fight and abuse the flesh, and not give in to it for the sake of pleasure, but strengthen the soul through faith and knowledge. [Clement, Stromata 3.4]

So much for those who tried to pervert the truth. But in less time than it took to tell of them, they became extinct.

30. Clement, whom I’ve just quoted, said (just after the above account) this about those who reject marriage: The apostles had wives.

Or will they even reject the apostles? For Peter and Philip begat children. Philip even gave his daughters in marriage. And Paul, in one of his letters, doesn’t hesitate to refer to his wife. He didn’t take her around with him, lest he be inconvenienced in his ministry. [Stromata 3.6]

Since we’re on the subject, it’s appropriate to include another statement from the same author, worth reading. In his Stromata, vol. 7, he wrote:

Hence they say when the blessed Peter saw his own wife led out to die, he rejoiced because she was summoned to return home. He called to her by name, in encouragement and comfort: “Oh, remember the Lord!” This was the perfect behavior of married saints towards those dearest to them. [Stromata 7.11]

In keeping with the topic, its proper place is here.

The deaths of John and Philip.

31. I’ve already related the time and manner of Paul and Peter’s deaths, and where they were buried. I’ve generally given the time of John’s death; where he was buried is indicated in a letter by Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, to Victor, bishop of Rome. In this letter he mentions him with the apostle Philip and his daughters, like so.

The great lights have fallen asleep in Asia, and shall rise again on the last day, at the Lord’s coming, when he’ll come with glory from heaven, and seek out all the saints. Among them are Philip, one of the Twelve, who sleeps in Hierapolis; his two elderly virgin daughters; and another daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus. And John, a martyr and teacher, who rested on the Lord’s chest, who wore the ephod as a priest, who also sleeps at Ephesus.

So much for their deaths. In the previously-mentioned Dialogue of Caius, Proclus, whom he was arguing against, agreed with what had been quoted, and said this about the death of Philip and his daughters.

After this there were four prophets, the daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis, Asia. Their tomb is there, as is the tomb of their father.

So he says. But Luke, in Acts, mentions the daughters of Philip in Caesarea, Judea, with their father, who were honored with the gift of prophecy. He wrote the following.

We came to Caesarea. Entering the house of the evangelist Philip, one of the seven deacons, we stayed with him. This man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.

Thus I’ve shown in this book what’s come to my knowledge about the apostles and their age.