Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

771

Anon., Acts Of John, 43-54

nan

But John spread forth his hands, and being uplifted in soul, said unto the Lord: Glory be to thee, my Jesus, the only God of truth, for that thou dost gain (receive) thy servants by divers devices. And having so said, he said to the people: Rise up from the floor, ye men of Ephesus, and pray to my God, and recognize the invisible power that cometh to manifestation, and the wonderful works which are wrought before your eyes. Artemis ought to have succoured herself: her servant ought to have been helped of her and not to have died. Where is the power of the evil spirit? where are her sacrifices? where her birthdays? where her festivals? where are the garlands? where is all that sorcery and the poisoning (witchcraft) that is sister thereto?

nan

But the people rising up from off the floor went hastily and cast down the rest of the idol temple, crying: The God of John only do we know, and him hereafter do we worship, since he hath had mercy upon us! And as John came down from thence, much people took hold of him, saying: Help us, O John! Assist us that do perish in vain! Thou seest our purpose: thou seest the multitude following thee and hanging upon thee in hope toward thy God. We have seen the way wherein we went astray when we lost him: we have seen our gods that were set up in vain: we have seen the great and shameful derision that is come to them: but suffer us, we pray thee, to come unto thine house and to be succoured without hindrance. Receive us that are in bewilderment.

nan

And John said to them: Men (of Ephesus), believe that for your sakes I have continued in Ephesus, and have put off my journey unto Smyrna and to the rest of the cities, that there also the servants of Christ may turn to him. But since I am not yet perfectly assured concerning you, I have continued praying to my God and beseeching him that I should then depart from Ephesus when I have confirmed you in the faith: and whereas I see that this is come to pass and yet more is being fulfilled, I will not leave you until I have weaned you like children from the nurse's milk, and have set you upon a firm rock.

nan

John therefore continued with them, receiving them in the house of Andromeus. And one of them that were gathered laid down the dead body of the priest of Artemis before the door [of the temple], for he was his kinsman, and came in quickly with the rest, saying nothing of it. John, therefore, after the discourse to the brethren, and the prayer and the thanksgiving (eucharist) and the laying of hands upon every one of the congregation, said by the spirit: There is one here who moved by faith in God hath laid down the priest of Artemis before the gate and is come in, and in the yearning of his soul, taking care first for himself, hath thought thus in himself: It is better for me to take thought for the living than for my kinsman that is dead: for I know that if I turn to the Lord and save mine own soul, John will not deny to raise up the dead also. And John arising from his place went to that into which that kinsman of the priest who had so thought was entered, and took him by the hand and said: Hadst thou this thought when thou camest unto me, my child? And he, taken with trembling and affright, said: Yes, lord, and cast himself at his feet. And John said: Our Lord is Jesus Christ, who will show his power in thy dead kinsman by raising him up.

nan

And he made the young man rise, and took his hand and said: It is no great matter for a man that is master of great mysteries to continue wearying himself over small things: or what great thing is it to rid men of diseases of the body? And yet holding the young man by the hand he said: I say unto thee, child, go and raise the dead thyself, saying nothing but this only: John the servant of God saith to thee, Arise. And the young man went to his kinsman and said this only -and much people was with him- and entered in unto John, bringing him alive. And John, when he saw him that was raised, said: Now that thou art raised, thou dost not truly live, neither art partaker or heir of the true life: wilt thou belong unto him by whose name and power thou wast raised? And now believe, and thou shall live unto all ages. And he forthwith believed upon the Lord Jesus and thereafter clave unto John. [Another manuscript (Q. Paris Gr. 1468, of the eleventh century) has another form of this story. John destroys the temple of Artemis, and then 'we' go to Smyrna and all the idols are broken: Bucolus, Polycarp, and Andronicus are left to preside over the district. There were there two priests of Artemis, brothers, and one died. The raising is told much as in the older text, but more shortly. 'We' remained four years in the region, which was wholly converted, and then returned to Ephesus.]

nan

Now on the next day John, having seen in a dream that he must walk three miles outside the gates, neglected it not, but rose up early and set out upon the way, together with the brethren. And a certain countryman who was admonished by his father not to take to himself the wife of a fellow labourer of his who threatened to kill him -this young man would not endure the admonition of his father, but kicked him and left him without speech (sc. dead). And John, seeing what had befallen, said unto the Lord: Lord, was it on this account that thou didst bid me come out hither to-day?

nan

But the young man, beholding the violence (sharpness) of death, and looking to be taken, drew out the sickle that was in his girdle and started to run to his own abode; and John met him and said: Stand still, thou most shameless devil, and tell me whither thou runnest bearing a sickle that thirsteth for blood. And the young man was troubled and cast the iron on the ground, and said to him: I have done a wretched and barbarous deed and I know it, and so I determined to do an evil yet worse and more cruel, even to die myself at once. For because my father was alway curbing me to sobriety, that I should live without adultery, and chastely, I could not endure him to reprove me, and I kicked him and slew him, and when I saw what was done, I was hasting to the woman for whose sake I became my father's murderer, with intent to kill her and her husband, and myself last of all: for I could not bear to be seen of the husband of the woman, and undergo the judgement of death.

nan

And John said to him: That I may not by going away and leaving you in danger give place to him that desireth to laugh and sport with thee, come thou with me and show me thy father, where he lieth. And if I raise him up for thee, wilt thou hereafter abstain from the woman that is become a snare to thee. And the young man said: If thou raisest up my father himself for me alive, and if I see him whole and continuing in life, I will hereafter abstain from her.

nan

And while he was speaking, they came to the place where the old man lay dead, and many passers-by were standing near thereto. And John said to the youth: Thou wretched man, didst thou not spare even the old age of thy father? And he, weeping and tearing his hair, said that he repented thereof; and John the servant of the Lord said: Thou didst show me I was to set forth for this place, thou knewest that this would come to pass, from whom nothing can be hid of things done in life, that givest me power to work every cure and healing by thy will: now also give me this old man alive, for thou seest that his murderer is become his own judge: and spare him, thou only Lord, that spared not his father (because he) counselled him for the best.

nan

And with these words he came near to the old man and said: My Lord will not be weak to spread out his kind pity and his condescending mercy even unto thee: rise up therefore and give glory to God for the work that is come to pass at this moment. And the old man said: I arise, Lord. And he rose and sat up and said: I was released from a terrible life and had to bear the insults of my son, dreadful and many, and his want of natural affection, and to what end hast thou called me back, O man of the living God? (And John answered him: If) thou art raised only for the same end, it were better for thee to die; but raise thyself unto better things. And he took him and led him into the city, preaching unto him the grace of God, so that before he entered the gate the old man believed.

nan

But the young man, when he beheld the unlooked-for raising of his father, and the saving of himself, took a sickle and mutilated himself, and ran to the house wherein he had his adulteress, and reproached her, saying: For thy sake I became the murderer of my father and of you two and of myself: there thou hast that which is alike guilty of all. For on me God hath had mercy, that I should know his power.

nan

And he came back and told John in presence of the brethren what he had done. But John said to him: He that put it into thine heart, young man, to kill thy father and become the adulterer of another man's wife, the same made thee think it a right deed to take away also the unruly members. But thou shouldest have done away, not with the place of sin, but the thought which through those members showed itself harmful: for it is not the instruments that are injurious, but the unseen springs by which every shameful emotion is stirred and cometh to light. Repent therefore, my child, of this fault, and having learnt the wiles of Satan thou shalt have God to help thee in all the necessities of thy soul. And the young man kept silence and attended, having repented of his former sins, that he should obtain pardon from the goodness of God: and he did not separate from John.

Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

24 results

1. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, 45.7, 60.2 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

45.7. ἢ Ἀνανίας καὶ Ἀζαρίας καὶ Μισαὴλ ὑπὸ τῶν θρησκευόντων τὴν μεγαλοπρεπῆ καὶ ἔνδοξον θρησκείαν τοῦ ὑψίστου κατείρχθησαν εἰς κάμινον πυρός; μηθαμῶς τοῦτο γένοιτο. τίνες οὖν οἱ ταῦτα δράσαντες; οἱ στυγητοὶ καὶ πάσης κακίας πλήρεις εἰς τοσοῦτο ἐξήρισαν θυμοῦ, ὥστε τοὺς ἐν ὁσίᾳ καὶ ἀμώμῳ προθέσει δουλεύοντας τῷ θεῷ εἰς αἰκίαν περιβαλεῖν, μὴ εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ὕψιστος ὑπέρμαχος καὶ ὑπερασπιστής ἐστιν τῶν ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει λατρευόντων τῷ παναρέτῳ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ: ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν. 60.2. μὴ λογίσῃ πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν δούλων σου καὶ παιδισκῶν, ἀλλὰ καθάρισον ἡμᾶς τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῆς σῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ Pss. 40, 2; 119, 133 κατεύθυνον τὰ διαβήματα ἡμῶν ἐν ὁσιότητι καρδίας I Kings 9, 4 πορεύεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν τὰ καλὰ καὶ εὐάρεστα Deut. 12, 25, 26; 13, 16; 21, 9 ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀρχόντων ἡμῶν.

2. Ignatius, To The Magnesians, 2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

3. New Testament, 1 Corinthians, 7.22 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

7.22. For he who was called in theLord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who wascalled being free is Christ's bondservant.

4. New Testament, 1 Thessalonians, 1.9 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.9. For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God

5. New Testament, 2 Peter, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

6. New Testament, 2 Corinthians, 4.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

7. New Testament, Apocalypse, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.1. This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John

8. New Testament, James, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.1. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

9. New Testament, Jude, 1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

10. New Testament, Colossians, 1.7, 3.24, 4.12 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.7. even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf 3.24. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 4.12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

11. New Testament, Ephesians, 6.6-6.7 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

6.6. not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 6.7. with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men;

12. New Testament, Galatians, 1.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.19. But of the otherapostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord's brother.

13. New Testament, Philippians, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.1. Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

14. New Testament, Romans, 1.1, 7.6, 14.18, 16.18 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God 7.6. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. 14.18. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 16.18. For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

15. New Testament, John, 19.38, 20.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

19.38. After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body. 20.19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you.

16. New Testament, Matthew, 27.11-27.26 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

27.11. Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?"Jesus said to him, "So you say. 27.12. When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 27.13. Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they testify against you? 27.14. He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. 27.15. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired. 27.16. They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 27.17. When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ? 27.18. For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up. 27.19. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 27.20. Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 27.21. But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"They said, "Barabbas! 27.22. Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?"They all said to him, "Let him be crucified! 27.23. But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?"But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified! 27.24. So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it. 27.25. All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children! 27.26. Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.

17. Polycarp of Smyrna, Letter To The Philippians, 6.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

18. Anon., The Acts of John, 101-102, 109, 19-29, 33-54, 60-61, 63-100 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

100. Now the multitude of one aspect (al. of one aspect) that is about the cross is the lower nature: and they whom thou seest in the cross, if they have not one form, it is because not yet hath every member of him that came down been comprehended. But when the human nature (or the upper nature) is taken up, and the race which draweth near unto me and obeyeth my voice, he that now heareth me shall be united therewith, and shall no more be that which now he is, but above them, as I also now am. For so long as thou callest not thyself mine, I am not that which I am (or was): but if thou hear me, thou, hearing, shalt be as I am, and I shall be that which I was, when I thee as I am with myself. For from me thou art that (which I am). Care not therefore for the many, and them that are outside the mystery despise; for know thou that I am wholly with the Father, and the Father with me.

19. Anon., Marytrdom of Polycarp, 17 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

20. Anon., Acts of John, 101-102, 109, 19-29, 33-42, 44-54, 60-61, 63-100 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

21. Anon., Acts of Peter, 41, 30 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

22. Origen, Against Celsus, 8.48 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

8.48. In the next place, Celsus, after referring to the enthusiasm with which men will contend unto death rather than abjure Christianity, adds strangely enough some remarks, in which he wishes to show that our doctrines are similar to those delivered by the priests at the celebration of the heathen mysteries. He says, Just as you, good sir, believe in eternal punishments, so also do the priests who interpret and initiate into the sacred mysteries. The same punishments with which you threaten others, they threaten you. Now it is worthy of examination, which of the two is more firmly established as true; for both parties contend with equal assurance that the truth is on their side. But if we require proofs, the priests of the heathen gods produce many that are clear and convincing, partly from wonders performed by demons, and partly from the answers given by oracles, and various other modes of divination. He would, then, have us believe that we and the interpreters of the mysteries equally teach the doctrine of eternal punishment, and that it is a matter for inquiry on which side of the two the truth lies. Now I should say that the truth lies with those who are able to induce their hearers to live as men who are convinced of the truth of what they have heard. But Jews and Christians have been thus affected by the doctrines they hold about what we speak of as the world to come, and the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the wicked. Let Celsus then, or any one who will, show us who have been moved in this way in regard to eternal punishments by the teaching of heathen priests and mystagogues. For surely the purpose of him who brought to light this doctrine was not only to reason upon the subject of punishments, and to strike men with terror of them, but to induce those who heard the truth to strive with all their might against those sins which are the causes of punishment. And those who study the prophecies with care, and are not content with a cursory perusal of the predictions contained in them, will find them such as to convince the intelligent and sincere reader that the Spirit of God was in those men, and that with their writings there is nothing in all the works of demons, responses of oracles, or sayings of soothsayers, for one moment to be compared.

23. Anon., Gospel of Peter, 50, 25

24. Pseudo-Tertullian, Martyrdom of Perpetua And Felicitas, 18.9

Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
acta martyrum, acts of the martyrs	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
acts of john, conversion	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
acts of john, polymorphy	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
acts of john, theatre	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
acts of paul (and thecla)	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
acts of peter	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
apocrypha	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
apocryphal acts, conversion	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
apocryphal acts, theatre	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
apocryphal acts	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
apocryphal texts, armenian	Piovanelli, Burke, Pettipiece, Rediscovering the Apocryphal Continent: New Perspectives on Early Christian and Late Antique Apocryphal Textsand Traditions. De Gruyter: 2015 (2015) 262
apocryphal texts, syriac	Piovanelli, Burke, Pettipiece, Rediscovering the Apocryphal Continent: New Perspectives on Early Christian and Late Antique Apocryphal Textsand Traditions. De Gruyter: 2015 (2015) 262
artemis, altar of	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148
artemis, priests of	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148
bread	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
breaking of the bread	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
christ/jesus, and cynics, name and magic/miracles	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
christ/jesus, and cynics, polymorphy	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
christian/ity, and damnation	Bremmer, Magic and Martyrs in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (2017) 184
clement of alexandria	Schliesser et al., Alexandria: Hub of the Hellenistic World (2021) 484, 485
dio chrysostomos/dion of prusa	Schliesser et al., Alexandria: Hub of the Hellenistic World (2021) 485
emperors, vespasian	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
ephesus	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148; Schliesser et al., Alexandria: Hub of the Hellenistic World (2021) 485
eucharist, of bread and water	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
experience	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
glory	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
greece, greek	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
greek novels, priests in in charitons callirhoe, in the acts of john	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148
jesus, christian vision of	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
jesus, crucifixion	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
lord	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
martyrs, martyrdom	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
mary magdalene	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
mysticism	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
paul, pauline, paulinism	Novenson, Monotheism and Christology in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2020) 242
peter (apostle), gospel of	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
pilate	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
priests adolescent, in the greek novels	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148
sacrifice, criticism/avoidance of	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
sexuality, sexual abstinence'	McGowan, Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals (1999) 187
temple of artemis (ephesus)	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
temple of jerusalem	Dijkstra, The Early Reception and Appropriation of the Apostle Peter (60-800 CE): The Anchors of the Fisherman (2020) 89
temples autonomy of, destruction of	Dignas Parker and Stroumsa, Priests and Prophets Among Pagans, Jews and Christians (2013) 148