Image: Defaced marble bust (c. AD 70) of the Roman Emperor Vespasian (c. AD 9-79), Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum, Copenhagen.
A new episode is posted to the series on Eusebius of Caesarea’s The
Ecclesiastical History: book 3, chapters 11-16. Listen here.
Notes and Commentary:
In these brief chapters Eusebius describes the continuation
of the Christian communities in the time after the fall of Jerusalem, during
the reign of the Roman Emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. The focus is on
the cities of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Rome, key center of early
Christianity.
Chapter 11: Eusebius notes the importance of “the
family of the Lord” in the church at Jerusalem, in the selection of Simeon, son
of Clopas, to succeed James as bishop. He asserts that Simeon was the son of
Clopas (Cleopas), the brother of Joseph (according to a tradition from
Hegessipus). This is the Cleopas mentioned in Luke 24:18 (Cleopas as one of the
two disciples who met the risen Lord on the way to Emmaus) and John 19:26
(Mary of Cleopas).
Chapter 12: This notes Vespasian’s efforts to
seek out the family of David to avoid future insurrections.
Chapter 13: This notes the Roman imperial succession
from Vespasian to Titus to Domitian, and also the Roman church succession from
Linus to Anencletus.
Chapter 14: This notes the succession in the
church of Alexandria from Annianus to Abilius in the fourth year of Domitian.
Chapter 15: This notes the succession in the church
of Rome from Anencletus to Clement (cf. Phil 4:3) in the twelfth year of
Domitian.
Chapter 16: This notes the “long and wonderful” epistle
of Clement of Rome to the church at Corinth. For a review of Clement's epistle, see
WM 113.
JTR
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