The Apostolic Tradition: A Commentary

by Bradshaw, Paul F.; Johnson, Maxwell; Phillips, L. Edward; Attridge, Harold W.; Attridge, Harold W.

• ISBN13: 9780800660468
• ISBN10: 0800660463
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Pub

Summary

"The anonymous early church order that became known as the Apostolic Tradition and conventionally attributed to Hippolytus of Rome has generated enormous scholarly discussion since its discovery in the nineteenth century. Surprisingly, however, there has never before been a comprehensive commentary on it such as there is for other patristic works. We have here attempted to remedy this defect, and at the same time we have offered the first full synoptic presentation in English of the various witnesses to its text. We have also taken the opportunity to develop our argument that it is neither the work of Hippolytus nor of any other individual. Instead, we believe that it is a composite document made up of a number of layers and strands of diverse provenance and compiled over a period of time, and therefore not representing the practice of any one Christian community."? from the PrefaceThis Hermeneia volume provides an important contribution to New Testament research as well as the study of the patristic era.

Table of Contents

Foreword to Hermeneia	ix
Preface	xi
Reference Codes	xiii
Abbreviations	xiii
Short Titles	xiv
Editor's Note	xvii
Introduction	1	(1)
Identification of the Document	1	(5)
Textual Witnesses	6	(5)
Greek Fragments	6	(1)
Translations	7	(2)
Versions in Other Church Orders	9	(2)
Reconstruction of the Text	11	(2)
A New Approach	13	(2)
Order of the Document	15	(1)
Principles Governing the Display of the Text in This Edition	16	(215)
Commentary
[Prologue]	20	(4)
Concerning Bishops	24	(6)
[Prayer for the Ordination of a Bishop]	30	(7)
[Eucharistic Prayer]	37	(12)
[Concerning the Offering of Oil]	49	(3)
[Concerning the Offering of Cheese and Olives]	52	(3)
Concerning Presbyters	55	(5)
Concerning Deacons	60	(7)
Concerning Confessors	67	(4)
Concerning Widows	71	(3)
Concerning a Reader	74	(2)
Concerning Virgins	76	(2)
Concerning a Subdeacon	78	(2)
Concerning the Gift of Healing	80	(2)
Concerning Newcomers to the Faith	82	(5)
Concerning Crafts and Professions	87	(9)
Concerning the Time of Hearing the Word after the Examination of Crafts and Professions	96	(3)
Concerning the Prayer of Those Who Hear the Word	99	(3)
Concerning the Imposition of Hands on Catechumens	102	(2)
Concerning Those Who Are to Receive Baptism	104	(8)
Concerning the Tradition of Holy Baptism	112	(24)
[Concerning Communion]	136	(2)
Concerning Fasting	138	(3)
[Original Placement of 29B, C]	141	(1)
Concerning the Hour of Eating	142	(2)
That It Is Not Proper for Catechumens to Eat with the Faithful	144	(2)
That It Is Proper to Eat Judiciously and Moderately	146	(6)
That It Is Proper to Eat with Thanksgiving	152	(2)
Concerning Gifts for the Sick	154	(2)
Concerning the Bringing in of the Lamps at the Supper of the Congregation	156	(5)
[Doublet of 28.4b-6]	161	(1)
Concerning the Supper of the Widows	162	(2)
[Prologue] (Ethiopic)	164	(1)
Concerning the Fruit That It Is Proper to Bring to the Bishop	165	(4)
The Blessing of Fruits	169	(3)
That It is Not Proper for Anyone to Taste Anything in the Pascha before the Hour When It Is Proper to Eat	172	(4)
That It Is Proper for the Deacons to Assist the Bishop	176	(2)
Concerning the Hour When It Is Proper to Pray	178	(2)
That It Is Proper to Receive the Eucharist Early at the Time It Will Be Offered, before They Taste Anything	180	(2)
That It Is Proper to Watch over the Eucharist Diligently	182	(2)
That It Is Not Proper to Spill Anything from the Cup	184	(2)
[Concerning the Sign of the Cross]	186	(2)
[Concerning Deacons and Presbyters]	188	(3)
Concerning the Places of Burial	191	(22)
Concerning the Hour When It Is Proper to Pray Excursus: Parallels to the Hours of Daily Prayer in the Second and Third Centuries	213	(3)
[Concerning the Sign of the Cross]	216	(5)
[Conclusion]	221	(4)
Bibliography
Editions, Translations, and Reconstructions	225	(1)
Secondary Literature	226	(5)
Indices	231