From: Donna.D'Iorio@f7022.n124.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Donna D'Iorio)
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: 3 Traditions
Date: 7 Sep 92 16:07:06 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/7022 - MAXUS World H, Dallas TX


    In response to Drew Corrigan:

    Continuation of Daniel Gruber's comments:
    "Jerome, who wrote at about the end of the fourth century, said,
'This (Papias) is said to have promulgated the Jewish tradition of a
Millennium, and he is followed by Irenaeus, Apollinarius and others who
say that after the resurrection the Lord will reign in the flesh with
the saints.' Irenaeus and Apollinarius are also described by Eusebius as
learned, virtuous, faithful witnesses of the apostolic faith.
    "Eusebius says, 'About this time also, the beloved disciple of
Jesus, John the apostle and evangelist, still surviving, governed the
churches in Asia, after his return from exile on the island, and the
death of Domitian. But that he was still living until this time, it may
suffice to prove, by the testimony of two witnesses.  These, as
maintaining sound doctrine in the church, may surely be regarded as
worthy of all credit: and such were Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria.
Of these, the former, in the second book against heresies...."
    "According to Eusebius, Irenaeus maintained sound doctrine in the
church.  He wrote against heresies. He was a faithful and true witness.
Irenaeus believed that the Lord would reign in the flesh on earth with
the saints.
    "Jerome, since he also rejected 'the Jewish tradition of a
Millennium,' did not quote from 'the others.'  He rejected the writings
of the 'most,' or all, of the early Church that believed in it.  Their
writings were still available when he wrote.  As with Eusebius, Jerome
was also unable to offer evidence to the contrary from other early
Church writers.
    "Eusebius, Jerome, and others had these writings available to them,
but they did not want to make them known.  These writings of 'most of
the ecclesiastical writers' who promulgated 'the Jewish tradition of a
Millennium' are not available to us today.  That is not, however,
evidence that the Church never believed as they did. It is only evidence
that some later in the Church did not care to preserve these writings."

    "Justin's 'Dialogue with Trypho the Jew,' dated about 160 A.D., also
offers evidence of what they early Church believed."
    "....For Justin, because the Gentiles who believe in Jesus are now
part of Israel, they also, along with the righteous Jews, will inherit
what God has promised Israel.
    "As for the nature of that inheritance, Trypho pointedly asks, 'do
you acknowledge of a truth that this place Jerusalme will be rebuilt,
and expect that your people will be gathered together and rejoice with
Christ, together with the patriachs and the prophets, and the saints of
our race, or even of them who became proselytes, before your Christ
came...?
    "[Justin replies,] I have acknowledged to you earlier that I and
many others do hold this opinion, even as you also know that this is to
take place. But I aslo informed you that even many Christians of pure
and godly mind do not accept it.  For I made it clear to you that those
who are Christians in name, but in reality are godless and impious
heretics, teach in all respects what is blasphemous and godless and
foolish....For it is not men, or the doctrines of men, that I choose to
follow, but God and the doctrines that come from Him.
    "For even if you yourselves have ever met with some so-called
Christians, who yet do not acknowledge this, but even dare to blaspheme
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob...But I,
and all other entirely orthodox Christians, know that there will be a
resurrection of the flesh, and also a thousand years in a Jerusalem
built up and adorned and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah,
and all the rest, acknowledge."

--  
Donna D'Iorio - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
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