Tuesday, February 23, 2010

I Added a New Proof to the Argument in My Last Post that Finally Proves that Clement Was Not the Author of the Hypotyposeis

It's already a part of my last post but for those who don't read my posts twice. Not only does Clement write in Book Four of the Stromateis:

It is a different matter, then, which is expressed by the apostle: "Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as the rest of the apostles, as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas? But we have not used this power." [Strom. iv.15]

And then in Book Three he makes explicit that he thought that Peter and Philip had children:

or do they also scorn the apostles? Peter and Philip had children, and Philip gave his daughters in marriage. Even Paul did not hesitate in one letter to address his consort. The only reason why he did not take her about with him was that it would have been an inconvenience for his ministry. Accordingly he says in a letter: "Have we not a right to take about with us a wife that is a sister like the other apostles?" But the latter, in accordance with their particular ministry, devoted themselves to preaching without any distraction, and took their wives with them not as women with whom they had marriage relations, but as sisters, that they might be their fellow-ministers in dealing with housewives."[Stromata iii.52,53]

In Book Seven Peter is identified as Cephas who led around his wife while evangelizing the world:

They say, accordingly, that the blessed Peter, on seeing his wife led to death, rejoiced on account of her call and conveyance home, and called very encouragingly and comfortingly, addressing her by name, "Remember thou the Lord." Such was the marriage of the blessed and their perfect disposition towards those dearest to them. Thus also the apostle says, "that he who marries should be as though he married not," and deem his marriage free of inordinate affection, and inseparable from love to the Lord; to which the true husband exhorted his wife to cling on her departure out of this life to the Lord.[Stromateis vii.11]

This is important my friends because it makes certain that the author of the Hypotyposeis was NOT Clement. I think Theognostus wrote the Hypotyposeis and that the idea that Cephas and Peter were two different people comes from the late third century. But then again, you know me ...


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