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| Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles which he wrote.
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Chapter XXIII.—Dionysius, Bishop
of Corinth, and the Epistles which he wrote.1245
| 1245 Eusebius speaks, in this chapter, of seven Catholic epistles, and
of one addressed to an individual. None of these epistles are now
extant, though Eusebius here, and in Bk. II. chap. 25, gives us four
brief but interesting fragments from the Epistle to the Romans. We know
of the other epistles only what Eusebius tells us in this chapter. That
Dionysius was held in high esteem as a writer of epistles to the
churches is clear, not only from Eusebius’ statement, but also
from the fact that heretics thought it worth while to circulate
interpolated and mutilated copies of them, as stated below. The fact
that he wrote epistles to churches so widely scattered shows that he
possessed an extended reputation.
Of Dionysius himself
(who is, without foundation, called a martyr by the Greek Church, and a
confessor by the Latin Church) we know only what we are told by
Eusebius, for Jerome (de vir ill. 27) adds nothing to the
account given in this chapter. In his Chron. Eusebius mentions
Dionysius in connection with the eleventh year of Marcus Aurelius.
According to Eusebius’ statement in this same chapter,
Dionysius’ Epistle to the Romans was addressed to the bishop
Soter, and as Eusebius had the epistle before him, there is no reason
for doubting his report. Soter was bishop from about 167 to 175 (see
above, chap. 19, note 4), and therefore the statements of the
Chron. and the History are in accord. When Dionysius died
we do not know, but he was no longer living in 199, for Bacchylus was
bishop of Corinth at that time (see Bk. V. chap. 22). It is commonly
said that Dionysius was the immediate successor of Primus, bishop of
Corinth. This may be true, but we have no ground for the assumption. We
know only that Primus’ episcopate was synchronous, at least in
part, with that of Pius of Rome (see the previous chapter, note 2), who
was bishop from about 139 or 141 to 154 or 156, and that
Dionysius’ episcopate was synchronous at least an part with that
of Soter of Rome (about 167 to 175). |
1. And
first we must speak of Dionysius, who was appointed bishop of the
church in Corinth, and communicated freely of his inspired labors not
only to his own people, but also to those in foreign lands, and
rendered the greatest service to all in the catholic epistles which he
wrote to the churches.
2. Among these is the one
addressed to the Lacedæmonians,1246
| 1246 This is, so far as I am aware, the earliest mention of a church at
Lacedæmon or Sparta. The bishop of Sparta is mentioned in the
synodical letter of the province of Hellas to the emperor Leo
(457–477 a.d.), and also still later in
the Acts of the Sixth and Eighth General Synods, according to
Wiltsch’s Geography and Statistics of the Church (London
ed. p. 134 and 466). | containing
instruction in the orthodox faith and an admonition to peace and unity;
the one also addressed to the Athenians, exciting them to faith and to
the life prescribed by the Gospel, which he accuses them of esteeming
lightly, as if they had almost apostatized from the faith since the
martyrdom of their ruler Publius,1247
| 1247 Of this Publius we know only what Eusebius tells us here. What
particular persecution is referred to we cannot tell, but
Publius’ martyrdom seems to have occurred in the reign of
Antoninus Pius or Marcus Aurelius; for he was the immediate predecessor
of Quadratus, who was apparently bishop at the time Dionysius was
writing. | which had
taken place during the persecutions of those days.
3. He mentions Quadratus1248
| 1248 We know nothing more about this Quadratus, for he is to be
distinguished from the prophet and from the apologist (see chap. 3,
note 2). Eusebius’ words seem to imply that he was bishop at the
time Dionysius was writing. | also, stating that he was appointed
their bishop after the martyrdom of Publius, and testifying that
through his zeal they were brought together again and their faith
revived. He records, moreover, that Dionysius the Areopagite,1249
| 1249 On
Dionysius the Areopagite, see Bk. III. chap. 4, note 20. | who was converted to the faith
by the apostle Paul, according to the statement in the Acts of the
Apostles,1250
first obtained the episcopate of the
church at Athens.
4. And there is extant another
epistle of his addressed to the Nicomedians,1251
| 1251 The
extent of Dionysius’ influence is shown by his writing an epistle
to so distant a church as that of Nicomedia in Bithynia, and also to
the churches of Pontus (see below). The fact that he considers it
necessary to attack Marcionism in this epistle to the Nicomedians is an
indication of the wide and rapid spread of that sect,—which
indeed is known to us from many sources. |
in which he attacks the heresy of Marcion, and stands fast by the canon
of the truth.
5. Writing also to the church
that is in Gortyna,1252
together with the
other parishes in Crete, he commends their bishop Philip,1253
| 1253 Of
this Philip, bishop of Gortyna, and a contemporary of Dionysius, we
know only what Eusebius tells us here and in chap. 25. | because of the many acts of fortitude
which are testified to as performed by the church under him, and he
warns them to be on their guard against the aberrations of the
heretics.
6. And writing to the church
that is in Amastris,1254
| 1254 Amastris was a city of Pontus, which is here mentioned for the
first time as the seat of a Christian church. Its bishop is referred to
frequently in the Acts of Councils during the next few centuries (see
also note 12, below). | together with
those in Pontus, he refers to Bacchylides1255
| 1255 This
Bacchylides is perhaps identical with the Bacchylus who was afterward
bishop of Corinth (Bk. V. chap. 22). Elpistus is an otherwise unknown
personage. |
and Elpistus, as having urged him to write, and he adds explanations of
passages of the divine Scriptures, and mentions their bishop Palmas1256
by name. He gives them much advice also in
regard to marriage and chastity, and commands them to receive those who
come back again after any fall, whether it be delinquency or heresy.1257
| 1257 It
is quite likely, as Salmon suggests (in the Dict. of Christ.
Biog.), that Dionysius, who wrote against Marcion in this epistle
to the Nicomedians, also had Marcionism in view in writing on life and
discipline to the churches of Pontus and Crete. It was probably in
consequence of reaction against their strict discipline that he
advocated the readmission to the Church of excommunicated offenders, in
this anticipating the later practice of the Roman church, which was
introduced by Callixtus and soon afterward became general, though not
without bitter opposition from many quarters. Harnack
(Dogmengeschichte, p. 332, note 4) throws doubt upon the
correctness of this report of Eusebius; but such doubt is unwarranted,
for Eusebius had Dionysius’ epistle before him, and the position
which he represents him as taking is quite in accord with the mildness
which he recommends to Pinytus, and is therefore just what we should
expect. The fact that Callixtus’ principle is looked upon by
Tertullian and Hippolytus as an innovation does not militate at all
against the possibility that Dionysius in Corinth, or other individuals
in other minor churches, held the same principles some time
before. |
7. Among these is inserted also
another epistle addressed to the Cnosians,1258
| 1258 Cnossus, or Cnosus, was the capital city of Crete.
This epistle is no
longer extant, nor do we know anything about Pinytus himself except
what is told us here and in chap. 21, above, where he is mentioned
among the ecclesiastical writers of the day. Jerome (de vir.
ill. 28) only repeats what Eusebius says, and Rufinus, in stating
that Pinytus was convinced by the epistle of Dionysius and changed his
course, seems simply to have misunderstood what Eusebius says about his
admiration for and praise of Dionysius. It is evident from the tone of
his reply that Pinytus was not led by Dionysius’ epistle to agree
with him. | in which he exhorts Pinytus, bishop of
the parish, not to lay upon the brethren a grievous and compulsory
burden in regard to chastity, but to have regard to the weakness of the
multitude.
8. Pinytus, replying to this
epistle, admires and commends Dionysius, but exhorts him in turn to
impart some time more solid food, and to feed the people under him,
when he wrote again, with more advanced teaching, that they might not
be fed continually on these milky doctrines and imperceptibly grow old
under a training calculated for children. In this epistle also
Pinytus’ orthodoxy in the faith and his care for the welfare of
those placed under him, his learning and his comprehension of divine
things, are revealed as in a most perfect image.
9. There is extant also another
epistle written by Dionysius to the Romans, and addressed to Soter,1259
| 1259 On
Soter, see chap. 19, note 2.
This practice of the
Roman church combined with other causes to secure it that position of
influence and prominence which resulted in the primacy of its bishop,
and finally in the papacy. The position of the Roman church, as well as
its prosperity and numerical strength, gave it early a feeling that it
was called upon in an especial way to exercise oversight and to care
for weaker sister churches, and thus its own good offices helped to
promote its influence and its power. | who was bishop at that time. We cannot do
better than to subjoin some passages from this epistle, in which he
commends the practice of the Romans which has been retained down to the
persecution in our own days. His words are as follows:
10. “For from the
beginning it has been your practice to do good to all the brethren in
various ways, and to send contributions to many churches in every city.
Thus relieving the want of the needy, and making provision for the
brethren in the mines by the gifts which you have sent from the
beginning, you Romans keep up the hereditary customs of the Romans,
which your blessed bishop Soter has not only maintained, but also added
to, furnishing an abundance of supplies to the saints, and encouraging
the brethren from abroad with blessed words, as a loving father his
children.”
11. In this same epistle he
makes mention also of Clement’s epistle to the Corinthians,1260
| 1260 On
Clement’s Epistle to the Corinthians, see Bk. III. chap.
16. | showing that it had been the custom from
the beginning to read it in the church. His words are as follows:
“To-day we have passed the Lord’s holy day, in which we
have read your epistle. From it, whenever we read it, we shall always
be able to draw advice, as also from the former epistle, which was
written to us through Clement.”
12. The same writer also speaks
as follows concerning his own epistles, alleging that they had been
mutilated: “As the brethren desired me to write epistles, I
wrote. And these epistles the apostles of the devil have filled with
tares, cutting out some things and adding others.1261
For them a woe is reserved.1262
It is, therefore, not to be
wondered at
if some have attempted to adulterate the Lord’s writings also,1263
| 1263 A
probable, though not exclusive, reference to Marcion, for he was by no
means the only one of that age that interpolated and mutilated the
works of the apostles to fit his theories. Apostolic works—true
and false—circulated in great numbers, and were made the basis
for the speculations and moral requirements of many of the heretical
schools of the second century. | since they have formed designs even
against writings which are of less account.”1264
There is extant, in addition to
these, another epistle of Dionysius, written to Chrysophora,1265
| 1265 Chrysophora is an otherwise unknown person. | a most faithful sister. In it he writes
what is suitable, and imparts to her also the proper spiritual food. So
much concerning Dionysius.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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