Christian Texts and History • Re: james eusebius and alexandria

In Jerome's version of Eusebius' Chronicle we have for the seventh year of Nero i.e. 61 CE

Albinus succeeds Festus in the magistracy of Judaea.
James, the brother of the Lord, whom everyone used to call the Just, is stoned to death by the Jews. Simeon, also called Simon, is the second to be placed in his throne.

This seems clearly based on Josephus

No, the first sentence about Albinus and Festus seems to be based on Josephus, with an added inference (perhaps Eusebius' own) that it took place in the seventh year of Nero.

It seems bizarre to see the second sentence, concerning James the brother [of the Lord] *whom everyone called Just* being stoned by the Jews and succeeded by Simeon on the episcopal throne of Jerusalem as being based on Josephus. In the Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius says that after the martyrdom of James and the capture of Jerusalem, the apostles and disciples of the Lord with the family of the Lord unanimously chose Simeon, son of Clopas, as worthy to ascend the throne of the diocese (HE 3.11). Eusebius adds that he was a cousin of the Saviour, as Hegesippus relates that Clopas was the brother of Joseph.

although most scholars put the death of Festus in office, the killing of James the brother of Jesus during the interregnum and the arrival of Albinus to replace Festus in CE 62 rather than 61. The eighth rather than the seventh year of Nero. We know from Josephus that Albinus was active in office at the Feast of Tabernacles 62 CE when he dealt with Jesus ben Ananias but it is uncertain whether he took office mid 61 or mid 62 CE. In any case the dating in Eusebius and Jerome seems a plausible interpretation of Josephus whether or not it is quite accurate.

For the eighth year of Nero 62 CE the Chronicle gives

The first bishop of the church of Alexandria ordained after Mark the Evangelist was Annianus, who presided for twenty two years.

I am going to suggest that the agreement between the death of James and the appointment of Annianus as bishop of Alexandria is very ancient. Originally Christianity in Alexandria was a mission from the Christian community at Jerusalem which became autonomous with the death of James. (This is loosely based on RL Williams Bishop Lists which makes a similar suggestion for early Christianity in Antioch.) Subsequently Mark is added before Annianus to bring the history of Christianity in Alexandria back to the supposed dispersion of the Apostles c 42 CE.

What is the case for the claim that the agreement between the death of James and the appointment of Annianus as bishop of Alexandria is very ancient [i.e., earlier than Eusebius]. What is the evidence for their being a pre-Eusebian connection?

If this argument is correct, (and many on this forum will find it extremely speculative), then it has implications both for the early history of Christianity in Alexandria and for the passage in Josephus about the killing of James the brother of Jesus. It would mean that this passage was being used to date the death of James the Just well before Eusebius, probably in the early 3rd century CE. This would support the authenticity of the reading James the brother of Jesus called Christ

If it were correct, maybe, but it does indeed seem extremely speculative.

Best,

Ken

Statistics: Posted by Ken Olson — Sun Jun 02, 2024 6:36 am

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