CHAP. LXXXIV. EPIPHANIUS, BISHOP IN CYPRUS. I. His history. II. Three catalogues of the books of the Old Testament. III. A catalogue of the books of the New Testament. IV. His testimony to the several books of the New Testament. V. General titles and divisions, and respect for the scriptures. VI. Remarkable passages. VII. The sum of his testimony. a I. ST. JEROM has a short chapter for Epiphanius, which I put in the margin without translating it. b He elsewhere speaks of Epiphanius with high commendations and also says, that he was a man of five languages: that is, he understood Greek, Syriac, Hebrew, Egyptian, and Latin in part. Epiphanius was a native of Palestine: he was chosen bishop of Constantia, formerly called Salamis, the metropolis of the island of Cyprus, in 367 or 368. He was living, and still wrote, as St. Jerom assures us, in 392, when he composed his catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers. It is supposed that he died in the beginning of the year 403. In the year 373, or the beginning of 374, he wrote the book entitled the Ancorate; his Panarium, or large work against Heresies, he seems to have begun in 374. For learned men have observed from the work itself, that his article against the Montanists was composed in 375, and that in the year 376, he was got as far as that of the Manichees, and more than half of the whole work. In 392, he f wrote his treatise of Weights and Measures. For a far a Epiphanius, Cypri Salaminæ episcopus, scripsit adversum omnes hæreses libros, et multa alia, quæ ab eruditis propter res, a simplicioribus propter verba, lectitantur. Superest usque hodie, et in extremâ jam senectute varia cudit opera. De V. I. c. 114. b -patrem pene omnium episcoporum, et antiquæ reliquias sanctitatis et opere et sermone despicias. Ad Pamm. Ep. 38. [al. 61.] T. iv. p. 313. m. c Crimini ei dandum est, quare Græcam, Syriacam, et Hebræam, et Ægyptiam linguam, ex parte et Latinam, noverit? Adv. Ruf. 1. ii. p. 417. f. Et Papa Epiphanius TEVTAYλWTTOC. Adv. Ruf. l. iii. p. 443. in. St. Epiphane, Art. ix. Tillem. Mem. E. T. x. Tillem. ib. Art. xi. et Petav. Animadv. in Epiph. T. ii. p. 4. ther account of Epiphanius's life and writings I refer to others. II. In the remaining works of Epiphanius, we find the books of the Old Testament thrice enumerated, and once those of the New. I intend to give an account of all his catalogues. 1. The catalogue, which I shall first observe, is in 1 the fourth section of the book of Weights and Measures. He reckons the sacred books of the Old Testament to be in number twenty-seven, but reduced to twenty-two, the number of the letters of the Jewish alphabet. The books last mentioned are Esdras, (meaning our Ezra and Nehemiah :) and Esther. After which he adds; For as for those two books, the Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach,-they likewise are useful, but not brought into the same number with the foregoing; and therefore are not placed in the ark of the covenant.' In the next section he observes, that the epistles of Baruch were not received by the Jews, but only the Lamentations, added to the book of Jeremiah. 2. In the twenty-third section of the same work, the Jewish books are again enumerated, and put down in their Hebrew names; where the three last mentioned are the two books of Esdras and Esther. 3. A third catalogue of the books of the Old Testament, is in the Panarium, and not very far from the beginning of it. This I shall now transcribe at large. Now the Jews had these prophets, and books of prophets, until the return from the Babylonish captivity: the first Genesis, the second Exodus, the third Leviticus, the fourth Numbers, the fifth Deuteronomy, the sixth the book of Joshua the son of Nun, the seventh the book of the Judges, the eighth the book of Ruth, the ninth the book of Job, the tenth the Psalter, the eleventh the Proverbs of Solomon, the twelfth the Ecclesiastes, the thirteenth the Song of Songs, the fourteenth the first book of the Kingdoms, the fifteenth the second book Cav. Hist. Lit. Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. vii. p. 414. &c. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. x. p. 484. &c. h T. ii. p. 161, 162. i Ai γαρ ειχήρεις δυο βιβλοι, ἡ τε τε Σολομοντος, ἡ Παναρετος, λεγομενη και ή τε Ιησε το δικ Σιράχ, και αυται χρησιμοι μεν εισι και ωφέλιμοι, αλλ' εις αριθμον ῥήτων εκ αναφέρονται-διο δε ετε εν τη της διαθήκης κιβωτῳ. De Mens. et Pond. n. iv. p. 162. k - και των οντων εν τῳ ̔Ιερεμια· φημι δε και των θρηνων αυτό, και των επιτολων Βαρεχ, ει και ο κεινται επιτολαι παρ' Εβραιοις, η μονον ἡ των Θρηνων τῳ Ιερεμια συναφθείσα. Ib. n. 5. p. 163. Α. Εσχον δε ετοι οἱ Ιεδαίοι, άχρι της απο Βαβυλωνος αιχμαλωσίας επανοδε βιβλες τε και προφητας τέτες, κ. λ. Η. 8. n. 6. Τ. i. p. 19. of the Kingdoms, the sixteenth the third book of the Kingdoms, the seventeenth the fourth book of the Kingdoms, the eighteenth the first book of the Remains, the nineteenth the second book of the Remains, the twentieth the book of the twelve Prophets, the twenty-first Isaiah the Prophet, the twenty-second Jeremiah the Prophet, with the Lamentations, and his epistle, and the epistle of Baruch, the twentythird Ezekiel the Prophet, the twenty-fourth Daniel the Prophet, the twenty-fifth the first book of Esdras, the twenty-sixth the second book, the twenty-seventh Esther. And these, are the seven-and-twenty books, which were given by God to the Jews: though they are reckoned only two-and-twenty, according to the number of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; for ten of the books that are double are reduced to five. There are also two other books among them, which are doubted of, the Wisdom of Sirach, and of Solomon, beside" certain other that are apocryphal.' III. I do not stay to make remarks upon these catalogues of the books of the Old Testament; the reader is able to do that of himself. I proceed to the catalogue of the books of the New Testament, which is another article of the same work of this author. 'Had you, Aëtius, been born of the Spirit, and been taught by the prophets and apostles, you would have read the seven-and-twenty books of the Old Testament, from the creation of the world to the time of Esther, which are reckoned two-and-twenty; and also the four holy gospels, and the fourteen epistles of the holy apostle Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles, and the catholic epistles of James, and Peter, and John, and Jude, and the Revelation of John, and the Wisdoms of Solomon and Sirach, and in a word all the divine scriptures.' IV. I shall add divers passages of Epiphanius, concerning the several parts or books of the New Testament. r 1. Matthew both preached, and wrote a gospel in Hebrew. And he wrote first, because he had been called from the receipt of the customs, and from many sins. It was therefore fit he should show, that "Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." See Matt. ix. 13. Χωρις αλλων τινων βιβλίον αναποκρύφων. Ρεν τε ταις Σοφίαις Σολομωντος τε φημι, και υἱα Σιραχ, και πασαις απλως γραφαις θειαις. Ibid. Εν αμφίλεκτῳ· n 4 Ούτος μεν ὁ Ματθαιος Εβραϊκοις γραμμασι γραφει το ευαγγελιον, και κηρύττει. H. 51. n. 5. p. 426. A. r Ματθαιος γαρ πρωτος EvaYYEMZETαL. Ib. n. 4. p. 425. B. Vid. et n. 5. p. 425. C. D. — και δικαιοτατα ην Εδει γαρ τον απο πολλῶν ἁμαρτημάτων επισ τρέψαντα, και απο το τελωνίς αναςαντα. κ. λ. Ib. n. 5. p. 425. 2. Matthewt wrote in Hebrew; and he is the only writer of the New Testament who made use of that language. However, Epiphanius had heard, that the gospel of John, and the Acts of the Apostles, had been translated from Greek into Hebrew, andu were in the library of the Jews at Tiberias. Of this he had been assured by some Jewish believers. He says nothing here particularly of the epistle to the Hebrews; and must therefore, I think, be understood to suppose, that it was originally written in Greek, as the other books of the New Testament were, excepting only the gospel of St. Matthew. V 3. Matthew wrote first, and Mark, as he says, soon after, being a companion of Peter at Rome. Moreover, according to Epiphanius, Mark was one of Christ's seventy-two disciples, and likewise one of those who were offended at the words of Christ recorded John vi. 44, and then forsook him, but was afterwards recovered by Peter, and being filled with the Spirit, wrote a gospel. W 4. The third gospel is that of Luke. He too was one of Christ's seventy-two disciples, who took offence at the same words that Mark did. He was recovered by Paul, and was× moved by the Spirit to write a gospel. 5. At lengthy John also, moved by the Spirit, wrote a gospel, after he had long declined it, through humility, when he was more than ninety years of age, and when he had lived many years in Asia, after his return thither from Patmos, in the time of the emperor Claudius. 6. He likewise says, that John, the fourth and last in * Ως τα αληθη εςιν ειπειν, ότι Ματθαιος μόνος ̔Εβραϊτι και Εβραϊκοις γραμμασιν εν τη καινη διαθηκη εποιησατο την τε ευαγγελια εκθεσιν τε και κηρυγμα. H. 30. n. 3. p. 127. C. " Εν τοις των Ιεδαίων γαζοφυλακίοις εν τη Τιβεριάδι. Ibid. • Ευθυς δε μετα τον Ματθαίον ακόλεθος γενόμενος ὁ Μαρκος τῳ ἁγίῳ Πετρῳ εν 'Ρωμηόμως δια Πετρε ανακαμψας ευαγγελίζεσθαι καταξιεται, πνευματι ἅγιῳ πεφορημένος. Η. 51. n. 6. p. 428. Α. * Ότι ιδε τρίτον ευαγγέλιον το κατα Λεκαν• Τετο γαρ επετράπη τῳ Λεκα, οντι και αυτῷ απο των ἑβδομηκοντα δυο των διασκορπισθέντων επι τῳ το Σωτη ρος λόγῳ, δια δε Παύλε το άγιο παλιν ανακαμψαντος προς τον Κύριον. Η. 51. n. 11. p. 433. C. -αναγκάζει το άγιον πνευμα, και X επινυττει τον άγιον Λεκαν. Ib. n. viii. p. 428. * Διο ύτερον αναγκάζει το αγιον πνεύμα τον Ιωαννην παραιτεμενον ευαγγε λισασθαι, δι' ευλαβειαν και ταπεινοφροσύνην, επι τη γηραλέα αυτό ἡλικια, μετα στη εννενηκοντα της έαυτε ζωης, μετα την αυτε απο της Πατμε επανοδον, την επι Κλαύδια γενομενης Καισαρος, και μετα ἱκανα ετη το διατρίψαι αυτόν απο [f. επι] της Ασίας, αναγκάζεται εκθεσθαι το ευαγγελιον. Η. 51. n. xii. p. 433. D. 434. A. Τεταρτος γαρ κατα διαδοχην ελθων ὁ μακαριος, πρωτος μεν ων, ύτερος δε τοις ετεσιν ευαγγελισαμενος. κ. λ. Η. 51. n. 19. p. 441. D. Et conf. H. 69. n. 23. p. 746, 747. order of time, was first in respect to the sublimity of his matter. 7. Epiphanius does moreover say in several places, that John's gospel was occasioned by the errors of the Ebionites, the Cerinthians, the Merinthians, and Nazarenes. 8. In his Ancorate he says, there are four gospels, and in them a thousand one hundred and sixty-two sections, or chapters; which is very near the number of Eusebius's canon. 9. Again in his large work, having observed the different characters of the four evangelists, and the beginnings of their several gospels, and that John wrote last, supplying some things omitted by the former: hence, says he, it has come to pass, that we have a full account of what concerns both Christ's humanity and divinity. 10. In an argument, he in one place mentions the gospels in this order: According to the gospel of Luke and of John, and of Matthew and Mark. 11. Epiphanius ascribes the book of the Acts to Luke. 12. It is needless to take notice of any quotations of Paul's epistles. That to the Hebrews is frequently cited as Paul's; and as expressly as any other of his epistles. But the reader, if he thinks fit, may observe the place wheref our author speaks of the order of Paul's epistles, and says, that sometimes that to the Hebrews was reckoned the tenth, being placed before the epistle to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. In other copies it was the fourteenth. 13. The epistle of James is quoted by him sometimes. 14. He says, thath Joseph had by his first wife four sons: James, called the Lord's brother, because he was brought up with him, and Simon, and Jude, and John, and two daughters, Anna and Salome. In another place he says, that Joseph was married to Mary when he was about eighty years of age, having had by a former wife six children. He elsewhere also speaks largely of James, saying, a Vid. H. 51. n. 2. p. 423. n. 12. p. 434. B. C. H. 69. n. 22, 23. b Τεσσαρα εςιν ευαγγελια, κεφαλαιων χιλιων έκατον ἑξεκοντα δυο. Ancor. c. 50. p. 54. B. C Είνα απο τεσσαρων ευαγγελισών την πασαν κατά τε την σαρκα, και κατα την θεοτητα ακρίβειαν κατασχωμεν. Η. 51. n. 19. p. 442. Β. d Και απο το κατα Λεκαν ευαγγέλιο, και απο τε κατα Ιωαννην, και απο το κατα Ματθαιον, κατα απο το κατα Μαρκον. Η. 51. n. 28. p. 450. C. • Και ημεν εν τῳ πλοιῳ ὡς ογδοηκοντα ψυχαι, φησιν ὁ Λεκας, ὁ συγγραψα μενος τας Πράξεις των Αποςόλων. Ancor. n. 59. p. 61. D. Vid. H. 42. p. 373. C. D. Conf. Mill. Prolegom. n. 236-238. Vid. H. 31. n. 34. p. 206. B. H. 77. n. 27. p. 1021. C. h Ancor. n. 60. p. 62. D. H. 51. n. 10. p. 432. D. |