A First Step Towards Reading 1 Clement in its Roman Context: Re-assessing the Patristic Evidence on the Date and Authorship of the Letter
Abstract
The essay discusses the question of the date and authorship of 1 Clement as a crucial preliminary question for discussing the status of the letter and its author(s). The main focus is on the early Christian witnesses in this regard that are all cited or referred to by Eusebius of Caesarea in his Church History. It is argued (1) that these ancient witnesses have perhaps too quickly been dismissed as unreliable and (2) that Eusebius leads the reader through the ancient evidence in a kind of step-by-step procedure in which aspects of the authorship question are picked up, further developed, and enriched with new material in an attempt to create a general picture. Eusebius does not speak out for or against individual or collective authorship, but rather allows for combining the two. A critical survey of the more important suggestions concerning the authorship of the letter in modern scholarship shows the deficiencies of most of the proposals that have been made and in this way indirectly also offer support for the ancient evidence.
Abstract
The essay discusses the question of the date and authorship of 1 Clement as a crucial preliminary question for discussing the status of the letter and its author(s). The main focus is on the early Christian witnesses in this regard that are all cited or referred to by Eusebius of Caesarea in his Church History. It is argued (1) that these ancient witnesses have perhaps too quickly been dismissed as unreliable and (2) that Eusebius leads the reader through the ancient evidence in a kind of step-by-step procedure in which aspects of the authorship question are picked up, further developed, and enriched with new material in an attempt to create a general picture. Eusebius does not speak out for or against individual or collective authorship, but rather allows for combining the two. A critical survey of the more important suggestions concerning the authorship of the letter in modern scholarship shows the deficiencies of most of the proposals that have been made and in this way indirectly also offer support for the ancient evidence.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Abbreviations
- Introduction 1
- Rome in the New Testament: Early Traces of the Significance of the urbs in Christian History 5
- The Weak and the Strong in Rom 14:1–15:13 33
- A First Step Towards Reading 1 Clement in its Roman Context: Re-assessing the Patristic Evidence on the Date and Authorship of the Letter 53
- The Shepherd of Hermas in Its Roman Context: A Fresh Look at the First Three Visions 99
- The Relationship between the Writings of the New Testament and the Roman Empire 119
- The Application of the Lex Iulia de collegiis in the Early Imperial Context: Remarks for New Testament Exegesis 153
- The Mystery of the Woman or the Mystery of the Beast? Looking for Rome in the Book of Revelation 201
- Jews and Christians in First Century Rome: Fragmentary Evidence 215
- The Cult-Sites of Peter and Paul at Rome in the First Centuries of Christianity: From the Written Sources to the Monumental Remains 237
- Four “Prophecies from the Event” (vaticinia ex eventu): On Paul, Peter, and Rome 267
- Encounters of Christian Faith and Philosophy in Second and Third Century Rome 281
- The Impact of Cerdo, Marcion and Gnostic Teachers on Roman Christianity in the Second and Third Centuries 313
- Justin Martyr and Tatian the Syrian in their Roman Context 343
- Hippolytus, Gaius and the Alogi in Second and Third Century Rome 363
- List of Contributors
- Index of Ancient Sources
- Index of Names and Subjects
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Abbreviations
- Introduction 1
- Rome in the New Testament: Early Traces of the Significance of the urbs in Christian History 5
- The Weak and the Strong in Rom 14:1–15:13 33
- A First Step Towards Reading 1 Clement in its Roman Context: Re-assessing the Patristic Evidence on the Date and Authorship of the Letter 53
- The Shepherd of Hermas in Its Roman Context: A Fresh Look at the First Three Visions 99
- The Relationship between the Writings of the New Testament and the Roman Empire 119
- The Application of the Lex Iulia de collegiis in the Early Imperial Context: Remarks for New Testament Exegesis 153
- The Mystery of the Woman or the Mystery of the Beast? Looking for Rome in the Book of Revelation 201
- Jews and Christians in First Century Rome: Fragmentary Evidence 215
- The Cult-Sites of Peter and Paul at Rome in the First Centuries of Christianity: From the Written Sources to the Monumental Remains 237
- Four “Prophecies from the Event” (vaticinia ex eventu): On Paul, Peter, and Rome 267
- Encounters of Christian Faith and Philosophy in Second and Third Century Rome 281
- The Impact of Cerdo, Marcion and Gnostic Teachers on Roman Christianity in the Second and Third Centuries 313
- Justin Martyr and Tatian the Syrian in their Roman Context 343
- Hippolytus, Gaius and the Alogi in Second and Third Century Rome 363
- List of Contributors
- Index of Ancient Sources
- Index of Names and Subjects
