I can see that you deeply desire to learn how christians worship their god. We ask this through our lord jesus christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit, one god, for ever and ever. Home author early fathers age of persecution the epistle of mathetes i. Idolworship is ridiculed, and it is shown that jewish sacrifices and ceremonies cannot cause any pleasure to the only god and creator of all. One example, philip schaff, the apostolic fathers with justin martyr and irenaeus, see. This short epistle written to diognetus by mathetes was really good. The authors name is unknown, and the date is anywhere.
Mathetes, in a single sentence, expounds a most practical text with comprehensive views. Chapters 110 serve as an early defense of the christian faith, while chapters 1112 are an early christian sermon. One of the earliest apologetically writings, if not the earliest, is known as the epistle to diognetus. I promise to use it only to send you the early church history newsletter. It is about all we know of him, and it serves a useful end. Since i see thee, most excellent diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping god prevalent. Second century documents such as the epistle to diognetus can give us an. The following is the original introductory notice of the learned editors and translators. Its an excellent example of the erudition, theology, and ethics of some of the.
This anonymous work whose critical edition is still in the making,12 is in fact an address or exhortation, and not an epistle. The greek writer and recipient are not otherwise known, but the language and other textual evidence dates the work to the late 2nd century. There are two schools as to its dating, one which favors a date approximately ce and the other which favors a date approximately 200 ce or even later in the third century. He also exhibits a touch of greek or manichaean distrust of the material body. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The first thing im going to share is the epistle of mathetes to diognetus. This beautiful little apology for christianity is cited by no ancient or medieval writer, and came down to us in a single manuscript which perished in the siege of strasburg 1870. One of the documents we studied was the epistle of mathetes the disciple to a certain diognetus. The greek writer and recipient are not otherwise known, but the language and other textual evidence dates the work to. For a considerable period after its publication in 1592, it was generally ascribed to justin martyr.
Epistle to diognetus resources online and in print. While this letter to diognetus common name in ancient rome is often ascribed to mathetes disciple, neither name gives us much of a clue about the identities of these men. Historical comments on the epistle to diognetus orthodox. Wikipedia article, quotes, wikidata item the epistle of mathetes to diognetus is probably the earliest example of christian apologetics, writings defending christianity from its accusers. In recent times otto has inserted it among the works of that. I do not aim at anything except what is consistent with sound reason. While reading this short but wonderful work, one of its sections jumped out to me. The acts of john is a collection of narratives and traditions concerning john the apostle, well described as a library of materials. The greek writer and recipient are not otherwise known, but the. Once it became obvious that in ourselves we were unable to enter the kingdom of god, the power of god could then make us able. This was written around the year ad and it gives some great insight into the thought of the early church.
The writer is a bit odd, as he uses arguments from the old testament against greek idolatry, and then criticizes jewish customs as if he discounted the old testaments inspiration. Epistle to diognetus encyclopedia volume catholic online. The identification of diognetus with the teacher of marcus aurelius, who bore the same name, is at most plausible. Instead, im trying to show you what early christianity was like. Diognetus, to which i now turn, is a historical witness of this attitude, where we find a complex understanding of the new race as both foreign and immanent to any given context. The epistle of mathetes to diognetus is probably the earliest example of christian apologetics, writings defending christianity from its accusers. Letter to diognetus early christian work britannica. This letter is an answer to an inquiry which had been addressed to the author as to what was the character of the christian religion, and what were the reasons why he had embraced it. The epistle of mathetes disciple to diognetus chapter i occasion of the epistle. For the christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. According to some scholars, it is possible that diognetus, the recipient of the epistle, was the tutor of marcus aurelius.
The epistle of mathetes to diognetus mathetes for the christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. It is dated to about ad, and it is a letter by an early disciple of the apostles mathetes means disciple to a gentile named diognetus. It is perhaps one of the first works of apologetics, where mathetes was trying to persuade diognetus toward the christian faith. The letter or epistle to diognetus is a second or thirdcentury work the letter to diognetus purports to be written by a student of the apostles who. Click here to request a free trial account only available to college instructors primary source readers. It is often included with the works of the apostolic fathers, greek christian writers of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries, but it more accurately is associated with the early apologists primarily 1st century.
Introductory note to the epistle of mathetes to diognetus. The greek writer and recipient are not otherwise known. This beautiful little apology for christianity is cited by no ancient or medieval writer, and came down to us in a single ms. Introductory note to the epistle of mathetes to diognetus, christian classics. This type of writing is also called an apologetics letter or an apology. Estimates of dating based on the language and other textual evidence have ranged from ad which would make it one of the earliest.
The letter or epistle to diognetus is a second or thirdcentury work that defends the doctrines of christianity. The anonymous author of this epistle gives himself the title mathetes a disciple 263 of the. At milestone documents, we believe that engaging with historys original voices is exciting for students and liberating for instructors. Epistle of mathetes to diognetus the puritan board. Translated by alexander roberts and james donaldson.
Go to the chronological list of all early christian writings. Ive only seen evidence that it is thought that the recipient of this letter was the same diognetus as the tutor of m. Entry for epistle to diognetus the catholic encyclopedia one of 8 bible encyclopedias freely available, this encyclopedia is one of the most comprehensive resource on catholic teaching, history, and information. By anonymous author 0070 it is widely believed that the last two chapters were added at a later time. Since i see thee, most excellent diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping god prevalent among the christians, and inquiring very carefully and earnestly concerning them, what god they trust in, and what form of religion they observe,1 so as all to look down upon the. The anonymous author of this epistle gives himself the title mathetes a. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The writer addresses the most excellent diognetus, a welldisposed pagan, who desires to know what is the religion of christians. The epistle of mathetes to diognetus the heidelblog. The epistle of mathetes to diognetus the epistle of mathetes to diognetus is probably the earliest example of christian apologetics, writings defending christianity from its accusers. Epistle to diognetus epistle of mathetes evidence unseen.
The epistle of mathetes to diognetus is an example of christian apologetics, writings defending christianity from its accusers. Epistle to diognetus wikisource, the free online library. Keep in the light of your truth all those you have freed from the darkness of unbelief. The disciple to diognetus anonymous the letter to diognetus, dating from approximately 125ad, is the earliest example we have of an apology, a document defending the christian faith addressed to a nonchristian. The anonymous author of this epistle gives himself the title mathetes a disciple 263 of the apostles, and i venture to adopt it as his name. Since i see thee, most excellent diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping god prevalent among the christians, and inquiring very carefully and earnestly. The following interesting and eloquent epistle is anonymous, and we have no clue whatever as to its author. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. Letter to diognetus christian history for everyman. One of the things that stood out to me was that the life of the early christians were markedly different from those with whom they lived. The epistle to diognetus pronounced dieogkneetus is also called the epistle of mathetes greek for disciple or learner. The greek writer and recipient are not otherwise known, but the language and other textual evidence dates the work to the late.
Now, from one of the most significant writers about christian origins today comes a completely new edition of the apostolic fathers the letters of clement, the letters of ignatius, the letter of polycarp, the martyrdom of polycarp, the didache, the epistle of barnabas, the fragments of papias and quadratus, the epistle to diognetus, and the. Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. It is the epistle of mathetes to diognetus, and can be found in volume i of the early church fathers, which is available on the ccel site here if you are unfamiliar with navigating ccel, click on the pink arrows next to each section, in. The origins of the epistle to diognetus are surrounded in mystery, though for reasons we will discuss there is strong evidence that it is amongst the earliest extrabiblical books.
The letter to diognetus changed all that with one statement. Please buy the cd to support the site, view it without ads, and get bonus stuff. Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. Since i see thee, most excellent diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping god prevalent among the christians, and inquiring very carefully and earnestly concerning them, what god they trust in, and what form of religion they observe, so as all to look down upon the world itself, and. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out.
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