Church History, Book VI

Book VI

• Church History VI.1 — The Persecution under Severus. When Severus began to persecute the churches, glorious testimonies were given everywhere by the athletes of religion. This was especially the case in Alexandria, to which city, as to a…vatican.va
• Church History VI.2 — The Training of Origen from Childhood. 1. Many things might be said in attempting to describe the life of the man while in school; but this subject alone would require a separate treatise. Nevertheless, for the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.3 — While still very Young, he taught diligently the Word of Christ. 1. But while he was lecturing in the school, as he tells us himself, and there was no one at Alexandria to give instruction in the faith, as all were…vatican.va
• Church History VI.4 — The pupils of Origen that became Martyrs. 1. The first of these was Plutarch, who was mentioned just above. As he was led to death, the man of whom we are speaking being with him at the end of his life, came near…vatican.va
• Church History VI.5 — Potamiæna. 1. Basilides may be counted the seventh of these. He led to martyrdom the celebrated Potamiæna, who is still famous among the people of the country for the many things which she endured for the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.6 — Clement of Alexandria. Clement having succeeded Pantænus, had charge at that time of the catechetical instruction in Alexandria, so that Origen also, while still a boy, was one of his pupils. In the first book of the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.7 — The Writer, Judas. At this time another writer, Judas, discoursing about the seventy weeks in Daniel, brings down the chronology to the tenth year of the reign of Severus. He thought that the coming of Antichrist,…vatican.va
• Church History VI.8 — Origen's Daring Deed. 1. At this time while Origen was conducting catechetical instruction at Alexandria, a deed was done by him which evidenced an immature and youthful mind, but at the same time gave the highest…vatican.va
• Church History VI.9 — The Miracles of Narcissus. 1. The citizens of that parish mention many other miracles of Narcissus, on the tradition of the brethren who succeeded him; among which they relate the following wonder as performed by…vatican.va
• Church History VI.10 — The Bishops of Jerusalem. Narcissus having departed, and no one knowing where he was, those presiding over the neighboring churches thought it best to ordain another bishop. His name was Dius. He presided but a short…vatican.va
• Church History VI.11 — Alexander. 1. But as on account of his great age Narcissus was no longer able to perform his official duties, the Providence of God called to the office with him, by a revelation given him in a night vision, the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.12 — Serapion and his Extant Works. 1. It is probable that others have preserved other memorials of Serapion’s literary industry, but there have reached us only those addressed to a certain Domninus, who, in the time of…vatican.va
• Church History VI.13 — The Writings of Clement. 1. All the eight Stromata of Clement are preserved among us, and have been given by him the following title: “Titus Flavius Clement’s Stromata of Gnostic Notes on the True Philosophy.” 2. The…vatican.va
• Church History VI.14 — The Scriptures mentioned by Him. 1. To sum up briefly, he has given in the Hypotyposes abridged accounts of all canonical Scripture, not omitting the disputed books,—I refer to Jude and the other Catholic epistles,…vatican.va
• Church History VI.15 — Heraclas. 1. But when he saw that he had not time for the deeper study of divine things, and for the investigation and interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, and also for the instruction of those who came to…vatican.va
• Church History VI.16 — Origen's Earnest Study of the Divine Scriptures. 1. So earnest and assiduous was Origen’s research into the divine words that he learned the Hebrew language, and procured as his own the original Hebrew Scriptures…vatican.va
• Church History VI.17 — The Translator Symmachus. As to these translators it should be stated that Symmachus was an Ebionite. But the heresy of the Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that Christ was the son of Joseph and Mary, considering…vatican.va
• Church History VI.18 — Ambrose. 1. About this time Ambrose, who held the heresy of Valentinus, was convinced by Origen’s presentation of the truth, and, as if his mind were illumined by light, he accepted the orthodox doctrine of the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.19 — Circumstances Related of Origen. 1. The Greek philosophers of his age are witnesses to his proficiency in these subjects. We find frequent mention of him in their writings. Sometimes they dedicated their own works to…vatican.va
• Church History VI.20 — The Extant Works of the Writers of that Age. 1. There flourished many learned men in the Church at that time, whose letters to each other have been preserved and are easily accessible. They have been kept until our…vatican.va
• Church History VI.21 — The Bishops that were well known at that Time. 1. After Antoninus had reigned seven years and six months, Macrinus succeeded him. He held the government but a year, and was succeeded by another Antoninus. During his…vatican.va
• Church History VI.22 — The Works of Hippolytus which have reached us. 1. At that time Hippolytus, besides many other treatises, wrote a work on the passover. He gives in this a chronological table, and presents a certain paschal canon of…vatican.va
• Church History VI.23 — Origen's Zeal and his Elevation to the Presbyterate. 1. At that time Origen began his commentaries on the Divine Scriptures, being urged thereto by Ambrose, who employed innumerable incentives, not only exhorting him…vatican.va
• Church History VI.24 — The Commentaries which he prepared at Alexandria. 1. It may be well to add that in the sixth book of his exposition of the Gospel of John he states that he prepared the first five while in Alexandria. Of his work on…vatican.va
• Church History VI.25 — His Review of the Canonical Scriptures. 1. When expounding the first Psalm, he gives a catalogue of the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament as follows: “It should be stated that the canonical books, as the Hebrews…vatican.va
• Church History VI.26 — Heraclas becomes Bishop of Alexandria. It was in the tenth year of the above-mentioned reign that Origen removed from Alexandria to Cæsarea, leaving the charge of the catechetical school in that city to Heraclas. Not…vatican.va
• Church History VI.27 — How the Bishops regarded Origen. He was so earnestly affected toward Origen, that he urged him to come to that country for the benefit of the churches, and moreover he visited him in Judea, remaining with him for…vatican.va
• Church History VI.28 — The Persecution under Maximinus. The Roman emperor, Alexander, having finished his reign in thirteen years, was succeeded by Maximinus Cæsar. On account of his hatred toward the household of Alexander, which…vatican.va
• Church History VI.29 — Fabianus, who was wonderfully designated Bishop of Rome by God. 1. Gordianus succeeded Maximinus as Roman emperor; and Pontianus, who had been bishop of the church at Rome for six years, was succeeded by Anteros.…vatican.va
• Church History VI.30 — The Pupils of Origen. While Origen was carrying on his customary duties in Cæsarea, many pupils came to him not only from the vicinity, but also from other countries. Among these Theodorus, the same that was…vatican.va
• Church History VI.31 — Africanus. 1. At this time also Africanus, the writer of the books entitled Cesti, was well known. There is extant an epistle of his to Origen, expressing doubts of the story of Susannah in Daniel, as being spurious…vatican.va
• Church History VI.32 — The Commentaries which Origen composed in Cæsarea in Palestine. 1. About this time Origen prepared his Commentaries on Isaiah and on Ezekiel. Of the former there have come down to us thirty books, as far as the third…vatican.va
• Church History VI.33 — The Error of Beryllus. 1. Beryllus, whom we mentioned recently as bishop of Bostra in Arabia, turned aside from the ecclesiastical standard and attempted to introduce ideas foreign to the faith. He dared to assert…vatican.va
• Church History VI.34 — Philip Cæsar. Gordianus had been Roman emperor for six years when Philip, with his son Philip, succeeded him. It is reported that he, being a Christian, desired, on the day of the last paschal vigil, to share with…vatican.va
• Church History VI.35 — Dionysius succeeds Heraclas in the Episcopate. In the third year of this emperor, Heraclas died, having held his office for sixteen years, and Dionysius received the episcopate of the churches of Alexandria.vatican.va
• Church History VI.36 — Other Works of Origen. 1. At this time, as the faith extended and our doctrine was proclaimed boldly before all, Origen, being, as they say, over sixty years old, and having gained great facility by his long…vatican.va
• Church History VI.37 — The Dissension of the Arabians. About the same time others arose in Arabia, putting forward a doctrine foreign to the truth. They said that during the present time the human soul dies and perishes with the body, but…vatican.va
• Church History VI.38 — The Heresy of the Elkesites. Another error also arose at this time, called the heresy of the Elkesites, which was extinguished in the very beginning. Origen speaks of it in this manner in a public homily on the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.39 — The Persecution under Decius, and the Sufferings of Origen. 1. After a reign of seven years Philip was succeeded by Decius. On account of his hatred of Philip, he commenced a persecution of the churches, in which…vatican.va
• Church History VI.40 — The Events which happened to Dionysius. 1. I shall quote from the epistle of Dionysius to Germanus an account of what befell the former. Speaking of himself, he writes as follows: “I speak before God, and he knows…vatican.va
• Church History VI.41 — The Martyrs in Alexandria. 1. The same writer, in an epistle to Fabius, bishop of Antioch, relates as follows the sufferings of the martyrs in Alexandria under Decius: “The persecution among us did not begin with the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.42 — Others of whom Dionysius gives an Account. 1. “Many others, in cities and villages, were torn asunder by the heathen, of whom I will mention one as an illustration. Ischyrion was employed as a steward by one of the…vatican.va
• Church History VI.43 — Novatus, his Manner of Life and his Heresy. 1. After this, Novatus, a presbyter of the church at Rome, being lifted up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was no longer for them a hope of salvation, not…vatican.va
• Church History VI.44 — Dionysius' Account of Serapion. 1. To this same Fabius, who seemed to lean somewhat toward this schism, Dionysius of Alexandria also wrote an epistle. He writes in this many other things concerning repentance, and…vatican.va
• Church History VI.45 — An Epistle of Dionysius to Novatus. 1. But let us see how the same man addressed Novatus when he was disturbing the Roman brotherhood. As he pretended that some of the brethren were the occasion of his apostasy and…vatican.va
• Church History VI.46 — Other Epistles of Dionysius. 1. He wrote also an epistle to the brethren in Egypt on Repentance. In this he sets forth what seemed proper to him in regard to those who had fallen, and he describes the classes of…vatican.va