Christianity was not born as a new religion. For the historian James Sanders, it was first a Jewish sect. The first disciples attended the synagogues, read the Jewish Bible in Hebrew or in its Greek translation, the Septuagint, and took over its names: “holy books”, “holy Scriptures”.
A chain of witnesses
The apostles died one after another during the first century. Their direct disciples then took over: they are called the Apostolic Fathers. According to Irenaeus, the apostle John was the teacher of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who was himself the teacher of Irenaeus of Lyon. This chain of transmission, apostolic succession, was for the churches the guarantee of faithfulness to Jesus’ teaching.
For Roger Olson, it is with these men that Christian theology takes root. They had to answer new questions, organise communities and maintain unity.
Clement of Rome
Towards the end of the first century, Clement, leader of the church in Rome, wrote a long letter to the church in Corinth, which was divided by a conflict. In it he quotes the Old Testament extensively and precisely, from the Septuagint. He uses formulas such as “Scripture says” or “it is written”.
When he recalls the words of Jesus, he writes only “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus”, and his quotations are approximate. According to Bruce Metzger, he quotes either from memory or from an oral teaching in use in Rome. For him only the Jewish books still deserve the name “Scripture”.
Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, was arrested and taken to Rome to be executed, at the beginning of the second century. On the way he wrote seven letters to the churches. In them he stresses unity around the bishop: the bishop “presides in the place of God” (To the Magnesians 6:1). He quotes Paul several times, but most of his message concerns the communion of the Church gathered around its leaders.
Polycarp of Smyrna
Polycarp, a disciple of John, died a martyr around the middle of the second century, at over eighty years of age. In his letter to the Philippians he quotes the New Testament two or three times more often than Ignatius, in proportion to the length of his writings. He even seems to quote a letter of Paul (Ephesians) as part of the “Holy Scriptures”. Here we see the apostles’ writings beginning to join the Old Testament.
Authority in three voices
At this time there is not yet a defined Christian canon. Authority in the Church rests on three supports: the words of Jesus, handed down mainly by word of mouth; the Scriptures, first of all the Old Testament; and the bishops, successors of the apostles. These three voices would be put to the test by the controversies of the second century.
Key points
- Christianity was born as a Jewish movement. Its first believers attended the synagogues and read the Septuagint.
- The earliest Apostolic Fathers knew the apostles or their circle, such as Polycarp, a disciple of John.
- Clement of Rome quotes the Old Testament precisely and the words of Jesus more freely.
- Ignatius of Antioch stresses the authority of the bishop, Polycarp the writings of Paul.
- It is with them that genuine Christian theological reflection begins.
To think about
- What strikes you about the fact that the first Christians quoted Jesus from memory rather than from a book?
- Ignatius sees the bishop as God’s representative. What advantages and what risks do you see in this idea?
Further reading
- Roger E. Olson, The Story of Christian Theology, IVP Academic, 1999, ch. 1-3.
- Michael W. Holmes (ed.), The Apostolic Fathers, Baker Academic, 2007.
- Jules-Marcel Nicole, Précis d’histoire de l’Église, Institut Biblique de Nogent, 2005.