De Moor I:2: Extra-Biblical Uses of "Theology"

According to our AUTHOR, the use of the word proceeded from the Gentiles.  Among whom he that is related as the first to have described the origins of things, the religion of the Egyptians and Phœnicians, namely, Sanchuniathon the Phœnician,[1] goes by the name of θεολόγου/ theologian in EUSEBIUS’ Præparatione Euangelica, book I, chapter IX, page 31, just as those things that he left behind, written under the title, ἡ φοινίκων θεολογία, The Theology of the Phœnicians, are praised by THEODORET, in his de curandis Græcorum adfectionibus, sermon II, opera, tome 4, page 501.  For the same reason, the most ancient Poets, who wrote θεογονίας/theogonies,[2] are called Theologians:  AUGUSTINE, in his de Civitate Dei, book XVIII, chapter XIV, “During the same interval of time were the Poets, who may also be called Theologians, since they were composing songs about the gods, but about such gods that were, although great men, yet mere men, etc.”  But skill in sacred rites and in divine things was going by the name of θεολογίας/theology, and was conferring the title of θεολόγου/theologian upon such an one:  Orpheus is said to have attained great glory among the Greeks ἐπὶ μελῳδίᾳ καὶ τελεταῖς καὶ θεολογίαις, by the singing of songs, by the institution of sacred rites, and by the interpretation of divine things,[3] in DIODORUS SICULUS’ Bibliotheca Historica, book I, chapter XXIII, page 27.  CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, in his Protreptico, page 16, has:  Ἔκτος ἐστὶ τρόπος, καθ᾿ ὃν ἀριθμοῦσι Θεοὺς τοὺς δώδεκα·  ὧν καὶ Θεογονίαν Ἡσίοδος ᾄδει τὴν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὄσα θεολογεῖ Ὄμηρος, it is the sixth way, according to which they number the twelve gods:  of which Hesiod[4] sings in his Theogony, and of which Homer theologizes.  Indeed, also the Philosophers, who were considered skilled in divine things, were called Theologians:  as for instance, Pherecydes,[5] the teacher of Pythagoras,[6] thus obtained the title θεολόγου/theologian:  see OWEN’S[7] Theologoumena, book I, chapter I, pages 3, 4; HOORNBEECK’S Theologiam Practicam, tome I, preface, pages 2, 3; and BUDDEUS’ Theologiam Dogmaticam, tome I, book I, chapter I, § 37, pages 66, 67.

              [For in the works of these, Theology was celebrated from the beginning as multi-layered.]  Compare also § 6 of this Chapter.

              [The appellation of Theologian, by which thus the Apostle John himself, etc.]  As is apparent, those things are uncertain and of dubious credit, which concerning the other John, the Ephesian Elder, whom Dionysius Alexandrinus[8] proposed to be held as the author of the Apocalypse, are mentioned in EUSEBIUS’ Historia Ecclesiastica, book III, chapter XXVIII, and book VII, chapter XXV.  On the contrary, of the Fathers the most excellent, and those approaching most nearly to the age of the Apostles, Irenæus,[9] Justin Martyr,[10] Origen,[11] Tertullian,[12] and Eusebius, acknowledge that the Apostle John is the writer of the Apocalypse; to whom those things which are written in Revelation 1:1, 2, 9, also best agree; and he himself was also able to call himself πρεσβύτερον, an elder, in his Epistles,[13] no less than Peter calls himself συμπρεσβύτερον, a fellow elder, 1 Peter 5:1;  see the most Illustrious LAMPE[14] in his “Prolegomenis” in Joannis Evangelio, book I, chapter VII, § 8, 25, etc.  The same John, Apostle and Presbyter, will be distinguished also by the name of Theologian in the Inscription of the Apocalypse.  That solid reasons were certainly not lacking to CHRISTOPH AUGUST HEUMANN,[15] on account of which he undertook to contend that John the Theologian was different from John the Apostle, in a certain Dissertatione[16] inserted in Actis Lipsiensibus, supplementum, tome 6, section 4, pages 170, etc.; LAMPE shows in the place just cited, § 20.  Nevertheless, this title in the Inscription of the Apocalypse appears to have originated from the Fathers in the ancient Church, rather than from the Holy Spirit Himself:  1.  because neither the Syriac, nor the Vulgate, nor the Arabic Translation has this title:  2.  another Inscription in verses 1 and 2 follows in the text itself; whence this external Inscription, which precedes, appears to be of human origin, and also the Subscriptions of the Epistles,[17] in which too much confidence ought not to be placed:  3.  Also the words θεολόγου/theologian and θεολογίας/theology began to be used more frequently in the following age, and to be attributed to John especially after the fourth Century.  According to the most Illustrious LAMPE, in the place cited, § 19, “It is certain that not one of the Fathers of the first three centuries called John θεολόγον, the Theologian, even when they made mention of the Apocalypse….  The first, as far as it can be established, was EUSEBIUS, who in his Præparatione Euangelica, book XI, chapter XVIII, called him ἑβραίων θεολόγον, a theologian of the Hebrews.  Yet OWEN in his Theologoumenis I:I, pages 5, and LEYDEKKER[18] in his Veritate Euangelica triumphante, book I, chapter I, § 50, pages 12, 13, say repeatedly that it is certain that Origen, who was of the third century, was the first to adorn John with the Title θεολόγου/Theologian:  but neither stated in writing the place.  But they likely have regard to those things which occur in “Homily 2” in Diversos ad initium Euangelii Johannis, opera ORIGENIS ex editione Frobenii, 1545,[19] tome 2, page 292, “And so blessed John the Theologian soars over, not only those things which are able to be understood and spoken, but also those things which surpass all understanding, and sail above expression, etc.”  Indeed, diverse Fathers, that called John the Theologian, are mentioned by SUICERUS in his Thesauro Ecclesiastico,[20] tome I, columns 1359, 1360; to which LAMPE adds more in his “Prolegomenis” on Joannis Evangelium, book I, chapter VII, § 19, in the notes.

              Now, that John is so called because of the Divine Sublimity of his doctrine, judge those who think that the reason for this denomination is to be sought in the book of the Apocalypse itself, to which this title is prefixed.  But the opinion is more widely received, which asserts that the title of Theologian was bestowed upon John κατ᾽ ἐξοχὴν, preeminently, on account of that divine doctrine concerning the Trinity, and especially concerning the Deity of the Son, which no one delivered more luminously and overtly than our Evangelist in his writings and especially in his Gospel.  Not without reason do the learned men thus decide:  for the signification of the solemn language of θεολογίας/theology (which ὁ θεολόγος, the theologian, best understands and delivers to others) in the writings of the Fathers is, that it denotes either the doctrine of God and the Holy Trinity, or the divine nature of Christ and the doctrine concerning it:  in both senses θεολογία/theology and οἰκονομία/ economy are opposed to each other, and by οἰκονομίαν/economy is understood the dispensation of the Incarnation, the human nature of Christ, and the doctrine concerning it:  EUSEBIUS in his Demonstratione Euangelica, book III, proœmio, Τίνα δὲ ἦν ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τὰ περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, αἵτε τῶν παρ᾽ Ἑβραίοις Προφητῶν περὶ τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν θεολογίας διδασκαλίαι, καὶ αἱ περὶ τῆς εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἐπιφανείας αὐτοῦ προῤῥήσεις, these were actually concerned with the human dispensation/ economy of Jesus the Christ of God, and the teaching of the Hebrew prophets on the theology based on His Person, and predictions of His appearance among men; see LAMPE in his “Prolegomenis” on Joannis Evangelium, book I, chapter VII, § 21, and SUICERUS on the words θεολογέω, to speak of divine things, and θεολογία/theology, columns 1355-1358, where you may see that by Gregory Nyssen, Eusebius, Basil the Great, and Theophylact,[21] it is ascribed to John that he delivers θεολογίαν/theology especially in his Gospel; while CHRYSOSTOM, or Severianus Bishop of Gabala,[22] in the sermone de Sigillis, chapter V, in Opera Chrysostomi de Montfaucon, tome 12, page 412, elegantly speaks concerning the remaining Evangelists in contradistinction to John, οἱ μὲν ἄστραψαν τὴν οἰκονομίαν, ὁ δὲ βροντᾷ τὴν θεολογίαν, in the works of the others the lightning of the economy or incarnation, but in his work thunder concerning the Deity of the Son, are found.  This also is the reason why Gregory Nazianzen, who vigorously defends the divinity of the Savior against the Arians, began to come into the title of Theologian also; which Gregorius Presbyter, in his life of Gregory,[23] teaches to have been for the greatest honor, Operis Nazianzeni, tome I, in the beginning, asserting that Nazianzen was so eminent for sublimity of doctrine καὶ θεολογίᾳ, and theology, that, although many men θεολογήσαντες, having spoken of divine things, in various ages, were celebrated with the praise of doctrine, μόνον τοῦτον μετὰ τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην θεολόγον ἀναφανῆναι, he alone after John the Evangelist was set forth as the Theologian, καὶ οἷον ἐξαίρετον αὐτῷ, ταύτην ἀποκληρωθῆναι προσηγορίαν, and this surname fell to him as a peculiar and distinguished privilege, and his sermons, in which he praised the Deity of the Son, were also inscribed περὶ τῆς θεολογίας, Concerning Theology.

              But, that the Scope of the Apostle John was in his Gospel to assert the true Deity of Christ against the Ebionites[24] and the Cerinthians,[25] Reverend Hartman, in his Huysbybel in Johannis Euangelium, Prolegomena, § 4, 5, pages 171-189, upholds against the Illustrious Lampe, who denies the same.

              It made the same argument of the Gospel of John, that he was represented by the Ancients by an Eagle ascending on high.  That is, from the Four Apocalyptic Living Creatures seen by John, Revelation 4:7, after the similar vision of the Cherubs formerly represented to Ezekiel, Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14, the Ancients seized the opportunity of representing to themselves the four Evangelists.  “A great many, that before us handled the mysteries of the Sacred Scriptures, in these living creatures understood the four Evangelists,” says AUGUSTINE, tractatus 36, in Johannem.  How far this might agree with the mind of the Holy Spirit in this vision exhibited to John, or might deviate from the same, this is not the place to consider.  After the Dutch Translators in the marginal notes[26] and others, MARCKIUS and VITRINGA in Apocalypsin are able to be consulted on this matter, of whom the former interprets the four Living Creatures as Principal Angels, portrayed in the quaternary number with respect to just so many compass points of the world, so that thus the Prefects of the Church, under the name of Elders, might be joined with the primary Angels.  The latter understands, not Angels, but in general all the most excellent Doctors and Ministers of Christ among men under the New Testament throughout all times, especially the Apostles and Apostolical Men.  Which of the two more dexterously hits upon the scope, I prefer that the Reader examine by a comparison of the arguments on both sides.  I now particularly observe that not all of the Ancients applied the Eagle to John; but some assign the Eagle to Mark, the Lion to John, as it is to be read in Epigrammate of AQUILINUS JUVENCUS, a Christian Poet, who flourished in the fourth century:

Mark loves to soar between the earth and heaven,

Even as a vigorous Eagle precisely cleaves all things

while gliding.

John roars with the mouth of a Lion, like a roaring

Lion

He thunders, revealing the mysteries of eternal life.[27]

With which agree those things which THEOPHYLACT has in his “Præfatione” in Marcum.  Others, although joining the Living Creatures to the Evangelists in diverse ways, nevertheless have the Eagle as the proper emblem of John.  Thus ATHANASIUS, in his Synopsi Scripturæ, Opera, tome 2, page 155, assigns the man to Matthew, the calf to Mark, the Lion to Luke, the Eagle to John.  AUGUSTINE, both elsewhere, and in book I, de Consensu Euangelistarum, chapter VI, thinks to be the most probable the opinion of those that, with the rationale of the entire argument of the individual Gospels considered, not only of the beginning of the books, assigned the Lion to Matthew, the man to Mark, the calf to Luke, the Eagle to John; concerning John he adds this reason:  “But John, like an Eagle, flies above the clouds of human infirmity, and regards the Light of immutable truth with the keenest and most constant eyes of the heart.”  Finally, SEDULIUS, a Christian Poet, Section V, book I, page 51,[28] thus arranges the entire matter:

Matthew, treating man in general, fulfills this.

Mark roars, like the deep voice a Lion through

wilderness places.

The laws of the Priest Luke upholds with the mouth of

a Young Ox.

Flying after the manner of an Eagle, John in word

rises to the stars.

As is apparent, Matthew begins from the human genealogy of Christ and the nativity of the Word; Mark starts from the roar of John the Baptist in the desert, where were dens of Lions; Luke derives his preface from the Priesthood of Zechariah, unto which the slaughtering of sacrifices has regard, among which sacrifices Calves were not the least in place, and he makes mention thereafter of the nativity of the Lord in the stable, where oxen and calves are wont to be kept; but John, far more sublime, takes his beginning from the eternal Deity of the Word, aiming high after the likeness of an Eagle:  see SUICERUS in his Thesauro Ecclesiastico, tome I, columns 1234, 1235, on the word Εὐαγγελιστής/Evangelist, and LAMPE in his “Prolegomenis” in Joannis Evangelium, book II, chapter V, § 21-23.  Now, OUDINETUS,[29] in Historia Academicarum Inscriptionum, tome I, page 338, observes that from a seal, which exhibits the consecration of Germanicus, and an eagle carrying him to heaven, some draw out and venerate John the Evangelist.

[1] Sanchuniathon is a Phœnician author, almost as old as Moses.  His works, including material on creation and the history of the gods, survive only in fragments.

[2] That is, genealogies of the gods.

[3] Although there is now some doubt about his historical existence, Orpheus was esteemed among the Greeks of the classical ages as the greatest of the poets and musicians.  It was said that he was able to charm all living things, indeed, even stones, with his music.

[4] Hesiod lived around the turn of the seventh century BC.  In his poetry (particularly, Theogony), he preserves a most ancient form of Greek mythology.

[5] Pherecydes of Syros (flourished in the sixth century BC) was a philosopher.  In his Pentemychos, he presents a mythological cosmogony, and hence Plutarch, in his Parallel Lives, calls him a theologian.

[6] Pythagoras (582-507 BC) was a Greek philosopher and mathematician.

[7] John Owen (1616-1683) sided with the Parliament during the Civil War.  However, he did not embrace the Presbyterianism of the Westminster Assembly, preferring Independency.  He won the esteem of Oliver Cromwell, and Cromwell made him Dean of Christ Church, Oxford (1651) and then Vice-chancellor (1652).  He lost the deanery at the Restoration.  After the Restoration, Owen would suffer the vicissitudes that accompanied his convictions, but his was the most persuasive and respected voice for Independency and toleration.

[8] Dionysius of Alexandria (c. 200-265) converted to Christianity at a mature age, and became a student of Origen at the Catechetical School of Alexandria.  He became the leader of the school in 231, and the Bishop of Alexandria in 248.

[9] Against Heresies, book V, chapters 30-35.

[10] Dialogue with Trypho, chapter 81.

[11] De Principiis, book II, chapters 10, 11.

[12] Against Marcion, book III, chapter 24.

[13] 2 John 1; 3 John 1.

[14] Frederic Adolphus Lampe (1683-1729) studied under Campegius Vitringa, and held various ministerial posts.  At Utrecht he was appointed Professor of Theology (1720), then of Church History (1726).  He departed to teach at Bremen in 1727, and died there in 1729.  He was especially learned in ecclesiastical history and antiquities.

[15] Christoph August Heumann (1681-1764) was a Lutheran divine, and Professor of Theology at the University of Gottingen.

[16] Dissertatio de titulo Theologi Joanni Prophetæ in inscriptione Apocalypseos tributo.

[17] See the subjoined subscriptions at the end of the Pauline Epistles in the Authorized Version.  For example, Philemon 25:  “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  Amen.  [Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.]”

[18] Melchior Leydekker (1642-1721) studied under Voetius at Utrecht, and Hoornbeeck and Cocceius at Leiden.  He was appointed Professor of Theology at Utrecht (1676).

[19] Hieronymous Frobenius (1501- 1565) followed his father, Johann Froben (c. 1460-1527), in the business of printing and publishing.  Their printing house had an international reputation for accuracy and quality.  Hieronymous printed an edition of the Greek Fathers.

[20] John Caspar Suicer (1620-1684) was a Swiss theologian and philologist.  He studied at Saumur and Montauban, and served as Professor of Hebrew and Greek at the University of Zurich (1660).  His Thesaurus ecclesiasticus was invaluable in the study of the Greek Fathers, shedding light upon words and expressions untreated by lexicographers.

[21] Theophylact was an eleventh century Archbishop of Achria of Bulgaria.  He composed commentaries on most of the New Testament and portions of the Old.

[22] Severian was Bishop of Gabala in Syria.  He came to Constantinople circa 398, and developed a reputation as a preacher.  Although initially a friend of Chrysostom, he turned hostile after being insulted by some of Chrysostom’s men, and helped secure his condemnation at the Synod of the Oak.  Some of Severian’s sermons were preserved in Greek among Chrysostom’s own.

[23] Gregorius Presbyter, perhaps of Cappadocia, wrote a tenth century biography of Gregory Nazianzen.

[24] The Ebionites were a second century Judaizing sect, who insisted upon the keeping of Jewish religious rites and laws.  They denied the Deity of Jesus Christ.  The existence of a second century heresiarch by the name of Ebion is a matter of some dispute.

[25] Cerinthus (c. 100) was a heretic:  Like the Ebionites, he taught his followers to keep the Jewish law for salvation, and denied the divinity of Jesus; like some Gnostics, he denied that the Supreme God made the world, and believed that the bodyless, spiritual Christ inhabited the man Jesus.  He also anticipated a millennium of earthly pleasures after the Second Coming but before the general resurrection.

[26] This is a reference to the Dutch translation and annotations, ordered by the Synod of Dort in 1618, published 1637.

[27] Gaius Vettius Aquilinus Juvencus was a fourth century Christian poet of Spain.  He composed a four part poem, entitled Evangeliorum libri, in which he sets forth Christ’s history in verse.  It is debated whether these verses are part of his original authorship.

[28] Cœlius Sedulius was a fifth century Christian poet, and a presbyter, perhaps residing in Italy.  He is most famous for his long poem, Carmen Paschale, based on the Gospels.

[29] Remi-Casimir Oudin (1638-1719) was a Premonstratensian monk and scholar, specializing in ecclesiastical history.  He converted to Protestantism, and was appointed as an assistant librarian at the University of Leyden.