HC1315: EARLY CHURCH

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HC1315 EARLY CHURCH

• TRADITI0N

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Early Church 100 A.D.
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Domitian 81-96
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I PETER 1.1-2

• Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles
  of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
  Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and
  destined by God the Father and sanctified by the
  Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be
  sprinkled with his blood. . .

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I PETER 1.8-9

• Although you have not seen him, you love him and
  even though you do not see him now, you believe
  in him and rejoice with an indescribable and
  glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome
  of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

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I PETER 1.22-25

• Now that you have purified your souls by your
  obedience to the truth so that you have genuine
  mutual love, love one another deeply from the
  heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable
  but of imperishable seed, through the living and
  enduring word of God. For
• All flesh is like grass
• and all its glory like the flower
• of grass.
• The grass withers,
• and the flower falls,
• but the word of the Lord endures
• forever.

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II PETER 3.1-2

• This is now, beloved, the second letter I am
  writing to you in them I am trying to arouse
  your sincere intention by reminding you that you
  should remember the words spoken in the past by
  the holy prophets, and the commandment of the
  Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.

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Walker, A History of the Christian Church (4th
ed.) p. 33

• The last third of the first century. .
  .represents a time of crisis not only for Judaism
  but for the new Christian movement as well. The
  great leaders of the early yearsPaul, Peter, and
  Jameswere dead. Furthermore, the church was
  beginning to be noticed, if only occasionally and
  locally, by the authorities . . Not surprisingly.
  . .this time of trouble and transition brought to
  light serious debates and differences within the
  Christian communities themselves. Questions arose
  about the meaning and practical implication of
  their message concerning the risen Christ. It is
  understandable therefore that this era produced a
  significant spate of Christian literature and
  that this literature almost uniformly reflects
  the churchs need to stabilize their life and
  witnessto define their tradition and thus to
  establish their independent identity.

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CLEMENT OF ROME c. 30-c.100

• Roman Catholic Church counts him as 4th Pope.
• Perhaps mentioned in Phil. 4.3 (I ask you also,
  my loyal companion Syzygus help these woman for
  they have struggled beside me in the work of the
  gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my
  coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.)
• Author of First Clement which stresses formal
  authority against the unruly Corinthians, esp.
  the bishop 1.1 (Richardson p. 43) 40.4-5 (p.
  62) 44.4-5 (p. 64)43.1-6 (p. 63f.)
• Martyred under Emperor Domitian

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IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH D. 117

• 7 letters (Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians,
  Romans Philadelphians, Smyrnaeans, Polycarp).
• Written en route to his martyrdom in Rome under
  Emperor Trajan.
• Distinguished between bishop and elder and
  defined monoepiscopate Nobody must do
  anything that has to do with the Church without
  the bishops approval. You should regard that
  Eucharist as valid which is celebrated either by
  the bishop or by someone he authorizes. Where the
  bishop is present, there let the congregation
  gather, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is
  the Catholic Church (Smy. 8.1-2 Richardson,
  p.115) Mag. 6.1 (p. 95).
• Opposed early form of gnosticism Tral. 9 (p.
  100) Smy. 8 (p. 115).

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HERMAS (late 1st to early 2nd century)

• Author of The Shepherd his subject is visions
  and parables.
• Contemporary of Clement
• Perhaps former slave
• Perhaps Jewish

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Barnabas (late 1st-early 2nd century)

• Wrote Epistle of Barnabas
• Familiar with allegorical method (Philo)
• Perhaps Alexandrian Jew

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PAPIAS (c.60-130)

• From Hierapolis (southeast Asia Minor)
• Author of Exposition of the Oracles of God
• Premillennial on eschatology
• Perhaps acquainted with John
• Claimed Marks Gospel based on Peters words
• Claimed that Matthew originally in Aramaic

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POLYCARP (c.69-160)

• From Symrna (west coast Asia Minor)
• Acquainted with John
• Compiled and preserved letters of Ignatius
• Confronted Marcion as the first born of Satan
• Martyred under Antoninus Pius

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DIDACHETeaching of the Twelve Apostlesc100/150

• Originated in Syria, Palestine, or Egypt
• Provides moral ordinances for community life of
  church
• Cultic teaching on baptism, fasting, prayer, and
  Lords Supper

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Didache (see Richardson, pp. 171-176 passim.)

• Chapter 1. The Two Ways and the First
  Commandment. There are two ways, one of life and
  one of death, but a great difference between the
  two ways. The way of life, then, is this First,
  you shall love God who made you second, love
  your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to
  another what you would not want done to you. And
  of these sayings the teaching is this Bless
  those who curse you, and pray for your enemies,
  and fast for those who persecute you. For what
  reward is there for loving those who love you? Do
  not the Gentiles do the same? But love those who
  hate you, and you shall not have an enemy.
  Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If
  someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the
  other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone
  impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If
  someone takes your cloak, give him also your
  coat. If someone takes from you what is yours,
  ask it not back, for indeed you are not able.
  Give to every one who asks you, and ask it not
  back for the Father wills that to all should be
  given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is
  he who gives according to the commandment, for he
  is guiltless. Woe to him who receives for if one
  receives who has need, he is guiltless but he
  who receives not having need shall pay the
  penalty, why he received and for what. And coming
  into confinement, he shall be examined concerning
  the things which he has done, and he shall not
  escape from there until he pays back the last
  penny. And also concerning this, it has been
  said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until
  you know to whom you should give.

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• Chapter 2. The Second Commandment Grave Sin
  Forbidden. And the second commandment of the
  Teaching You shall not commit murder, you shall
  not commit adultery, you shall not commit
  pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you
  shall not steal, you shall not practice magic,
  you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not
  murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is
  born. You shall not covet the things of your
  neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear
  false witness, you shall not speak evil, you
  shall bear no grudge. You shall not be
  double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be
  double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech
  shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by
  deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious,
  nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty.
  You shall not take evil counsel against your
  neighbor. You shall not hate any man but some
  you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall
  pray, and some you shall love more than your own
  life.

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• Chapter 5. The Way of Death. And the way of death
  is this First of all it is evil and accursed
  murders, adultery, lust, fornication, thefts,
  idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rape, false
  witness, hypocrisy, double-heartedness, deceit,
  haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness,
  filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence,
  loftiness, boastfulness persecutors of the good,
  hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward
  for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to
  righteous judgment, watching not for that which
  is good, but for that which is evil from whom
  meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities,
  pursuing revenge, not pitying a poor man, not
  laboring for the afflicted, not knowing Him Who
  made them, murderers of children, destroyers of
  the handiwork of God, turning away from him who
  is in want, afflicting him who is distressed,
  advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the
  poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from
  all these.

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• With regard to the Lords Supper, the Didache has
  this to say You must not let anyone eat or drink
  of your Eucharist except those baptized in the
  Lords name. For in reference to this, the Lord
  said, Do not give what is sacred to dogs Mt.
  7.6. . .If anyone is holy, let him come. If not,
  let him repent. Our Lord come. Amen (Didache
  9,5 10,6).

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TRADITION (paradosis, traditio)

• Delivery

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TRADITUM

• A piece of specific information from the past,
  for which there is no independently acceptable
  evidence, and the validity of which is bound up
  with the sheer fact that it has been passed on.

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• In preliterate times, when speech had to do the
  work now done by printed texts, there was a very
  different, and by modern comprehension, extremely
  high standard of duty to communicate information
  carefully, precisely, even sacredly. If speaking
  is the vessel by which culture is transmitted and
  reproduces itself, then social obligation
  surrounding the telling and listening are likely
  to be imbued with rituals of respect, like a form
  of Holy Communion.
• Patricia J. Williams, Review of M. Ethan
  Katsh, The Electronic Media and the
  Transformation of Law, NYTBR.

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Adherence

• The adherence to a tradition is a fact of the
  structure of society. To put it differently,
  adherence is the social structure which possesses
  the tradition.
• Edward Shils

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FUNDAMENTAL SOCIAL ASSUMPTIONS OF TRADITION
(Pieper)

• The absolute superiority of the past over the
  present.
• Confidence in an enduring social structure.
• No premium on creative thought.
• Obedience to tradition by sheer allegiance.
• Truth is absolute