Eusebius, EH, 3.24: The Writings of the Apostle John

Image: St. John the Evangelist, 1635-1636, painting by Francesco Furini, Museum of Fine Arts, Lyon, France 

Another episode is posted to the series from Eusebius of Caesarea’s The Ecclesiastical History: book 3, chapter 24. Listen here.

Notes and Commentary:

In this chapter Eusebius, describes the writing of the apostle John, whose settlement in Ephesus, after his banishment at Patmos, had been noted in previous chapters.

He begins with the Gospel of John, noting that it is read “in all the churches under heaven.”

He accepts the tradition that it was the fourth and last Gospel written.

To explain why only two apostles wrote Gospels, Eusebius notes that they were “simple men in speech” and did not aspire to “to represent the teachings of the Master in persuasive or artistic language” but to rely on the Holy Spirit.

Eusebius says that John knew of the other Gospels and welcomed them, but that he wrote his Gospel to expand on the early ministry of Christ. The other Gospels, says Eusebius, only describe one year in Christ’s ministry, from the death of John the Baptist. He notes the significance of John’s statement in John 3:24: “For John was not yet cast into prison” [Richard Bauckham also calls attention to this verse in his article “John for Readers of Mark” in his edited work, The Gospel for All Christians]. So, Eusebius observes: “Thus John in the course of his gospel relates what Christ did before John the Baptist had been thrown into prison, but the other three evangelists narrate the events after the imprisonment of the Baptist.”

Eusebius also explains that John had no genealogy, because this had already been handled by Matthew and Luke.

He also makes reference to Matthew’s Gospel having been written for a Jewish audience and notes Luke’s introduction to his Gospel and how Luke had gained from “his profitable intercourse and life with Paul and his conversation with the other apostles.”

After his Gospel, Eusebius notes the acceptance, without controversy, of 1 John, but that 2-3 John were disputed, as was Revelation, with many conflicting opinions on it.

JTR

Eusebius, EH.3.21-23: The Apostle John Restores a Wayward Youth

Image: Remains from the Basilica of St. John, ancient Ephesus, a church site that dates to the 4th century.

A new episode has been added to the series from Eusebius of Caesarea’s The Ecclesiastical History: book 3, chapters 21-23. Listen here.

Notes and Commentary:

Chapter 21: This brief chapter flows both imperial and ecclesiastical succession.

Among the emperors, Nerva was succeeded by Trajan.

In the church at Alexandria, the bishops, in order, were Annianus, Abilius, and Cerdo (in Trajan’s first year).

In Rome, after Peter and Paul: Linus, Anencletus, and Clement.

Chapter 22: The ecclesiastical order continues:

In Antioch, Evodius was followed by Ignatius.

In Jerusalem, “the bother or our Savior” [James] was followed by Simeon.

So, in chapters 21-22 we have the four great early Christian city centers: Alexandria, Rome, Antioch, and Jerusalem.

Chapter 23: This chapter presents traditions related to John, the “beloved disciple,” Apostle and Evangelist, who, after the death of Domitian and his release from banishment settled in Ephessus and became the administrator of the churches of Asia.

Two witnesses are cited for John’s life and ministry: Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria.

From Irenaeus: “Now the church at Ephesus was founded by Paul, but John stayed there until the time of Trajan, and it is a true witness of the tradition of the Apostles.”

From Clement’s work “Who is the rich man that is saved” Eusebius shares an extra-biblical Johannine account, which he calls a “true tradition.”

It involves John’s ministry in Ephesus and the surrounding region and John’s  entrusting a young convert to the care of a bishop (Lake says another tradition says this was in Smyrna). The young man, however, was neglected after his baptism and became a robber. John returned and asked the bishop about the man. The bishop reported he was spiritually dead, but John sought him out and restored him.

Eusebius says he shares this account “both for the sake of the narrative and the edification” of his readers.

JTR