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2. Beside these works, he is said to have written likewise a Commentary upon the twelve lesser prophets, mentioned by Cave in the place before referred to, and more particularly by Fabricius: but I have not seen it; and whether it has been yet published I cannot certainly say. 3. I proceed directly to take notice of divers things in his Commentaries upon the books of the New Testament.

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4. In his preface to St. Matthew's gospel he says, that Christ has given us four gospels." And that there are four evangelists, two of which, Matthew and John, were of the choir of 'the twelve apostles; the other two, Mark and Luke, were of the number of the Seventy. Mark ' was a companion and disciple of Peter, Luke of Paul. Matthew first wrote a gospel in the Hebrew language, for the sake of the Hebrew believers, eight years after Christ's ascension; and John, as is said, translated it out of Hebrew into Greek. Mark wrote ten years after our Lord's ascension, having been instructed by Peter; Luke fifteen; and John, the most excel'lent divine, two and thirty years after our Lord's ascension; for it is said, that when he had outlived them, after their death their three gospels were brought to him, that he might judge whether what they had written was true. Having seen them, he added some things omitted by them: and whereas they had not taken notice of the eternal existence of God the Word, he f gave an account of his divinity, lest he should be esteemed a mere man; for Matthew discourseth only of his nativity according to the flesh, because he wrote for the Hebrews, who were fully satisfied, when they had been assured that the Christ was born of David and Abraham.' 5. The preface to St. Mark is to this purpose: The gospel according to Mark was written at Rome, ten years after Christ's ascension, at the request of the believers there: for this Mark was a disciple of Peter, whom he calls his son spiritually. His name was John. He was 'nephew to Barnabas, and was also a companion of Paul.'

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6. In this same preface he mentions the symbols of the evangelists: but differently from many others. The gospel of John, in the first place, he supposes to be resembled by the face of a lion, the king of beasts, denoting John's pre-eminence: Matthew's by the face of a man. Mark he compares to an eagle, because he begins with the history of John, who was a prophet; and the gift of prophecy is far-sighted. Luke he compares to a calf or ox.

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7. In the Commentary upon Acts xii. 12, where John, surnamed Mark, is mentioned, he says, Perhaps this is Mark the evangelist, by whom, as is said, Peter evangelized; for Mark's gospel is said to be Peter's:' and he thinks that opinion probable.

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8. In the preface to his Commentary upon St. Luke, Theophylact expresseth himself as if he thought the evangelist, in the introduction, referred to the gospels according to the Egyptians, and according to the twelve. He also says, that from that introduction it appears, Luke was not from the beginning a disciple, but only afterwards: for others were disciples from the beginning, as Peter, and the sons of Zebedee, who delivered' to him the things which he had not seen or heard.

9. This seems to be contrary to what was said in the preface to St. Matthew's gospel, that Mark and Luke were of the number of the seventy; unless he can be understood to mean some things only, even in the more early part of Christ's ministry, about which Luke might be informed by those disciples, who then attended upon the Lord. It is also said, in the argument of Luke's gospel, that he was said to have been one of Christ's seventy apostles, and, after the

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Theophylacti, Bulgarorum Archiepiscopi, qui circa A. C. 1070 claruit, Commentarios in xii prophetas minores, ex antiquiorum patrum monumentis decerptos, brevi in lucem edendos speramus a C. V. Johanne Henrico Lederbino, Linguarum Orientalium in Academiâ Argentoratensi Professore, qui illos ex Græco codice Bibl. publicæ illius urbis descripsit, et utrâque lingua vulgaturum recepit. B. Gr. T. vii. p. 765.

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• Τεσσαρα δε δεδωκεν ήμιν ευαγγελια. Pr. in Matt. p. 1. B. Paris. 1631.

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Lord's resurrection, to have met him with Cleophas. Here likewise he says, that Theophilus, to whom St. Luke wrote, was a man of senatorian rank, and possibly a governor; forasmuch as he calls him most excellent,' the same title which St. Paul useth in his addresses to Felix and Festus.

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10. In his comment upon the history of the two disciples, whom Jesus met in the way to Emmaus, one of whom is said to be Cleophas, Luke xxiv. 18, Theophylact says, some have thought the other to be Luke the evangelist, who, out of modesty, declined to mention himself. Here again St. Luke is supposed to have been personally acquainted with the Lord Jesus.

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11. In the preface to St. John's gospel, Theophylact says, that John wrote his gospel when he was an exile in Patmos, two and thirty years after Christ's ascension.' He proceeds: John was beloved above all the disciples, because of his simplicity, and meekness, and mild⚫ness, and purity, for he was a virgin; moreover he was related to the Lord. But how can that be? Attend. Joseph, husband of the blessed Mary, had seven children by a former wife; four 'sons, and three daughters, Martha [perhaps it should be Mary], Esther, and Salome, whose son John was; therefore Salome was reckoned our Lord's sister, and John was his nephew:' so Theophylact in that place. In another place he says, Joseph had by the widow of his brother Cleophas, who died without issue, six children, four sons, and two daughters, named Mary, who was reckoned daughter of Cleophas according to law, and Salome: and he always supposeth Mary, mother of our Lord, to be the same as Mary the mother of James and Joses, who were Joseph's children by a former wife; as was also Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children. And whereas in John xix. 25, mention is made of Mary, wife or daughter of Cleophas, and sister" to our Lord's mother, he says, that by sister' must be there understood relation;' for that Mary is supposed to be daughter of Cleophas, brother of Joseph, whose widow he had married. 11. Theophylact says, there was this very extraordinary in John the evangelist, that he had three mothers; his own mother Salome, and Thunder, and blessed Mary, forasmuch as the Lord said to him," Behold thy mother." John xix. 27.

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12. He likewise says, that there are four Marys mentioned in the gospels: our Lord's mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary daughter of Cleophas, and the sister of Lazarus.

13. In the argument or preface to the Acts of the apostles Theophylact says, the 'writer is Luke, native of Antioch, by profession a physician. He here also says, that " Paul wrote fourteen epistles: and indeed our author has explained them all.

14. I need not give a particular account of his several prefaces to St. Paul's epistles: I observe a few things only.

15. He says, the " epistle to the Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul at Rome, when he was a prisoner.

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16. Upon Coloss. iv. 14, he says, that Luke, the physician there mentioned, is the evangelist; but he does not there say that he was a native or citizen of Antioch.

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17. Upon Col. iv. 16, he writes, that " (or which') is the epistle from Laodicea? It is the first epistle to Timothy, for that was written from Laodicea. But some say it is an epistle which the Laodiceans had sent to Paul; though I do not know what they have to justify this

' opinion. From all which it may be reckoned very probable, that Theophylact had never heard of any epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans:

18. The epistle of St. James is several times quoted in Theophylact's Commentaries: he quotes it expressly as written by James, the Lord's brother.

a P. 539. C.

Β . . . ὁ και συνεγραψεν εν Παλμῳ τη νησω εξόριςος διαλέλων. x. λ. p. 554. B.

So likewise in the latter part of the Synopsis ascribed to Athanasius, it is said, The gospel according to John was ' dictated by the holy and beloved apostle, when he was an exile in Patmos, and was afterwards published by him at Ephesus, under the care of Gaius his host, and of the other apostles, of whom Paul says in the epistle to the Romans [xvi. 23.] "Gaius my host, and of the whole church, saluteth you." Ap. Ath. T. ii. p. 202. F.

P. 554. B. C. D.

e In Matth. cap. xiii. p. 79. C. D.

* Την Μαρίαν, ή ελεγείο το Κλέοπα θυγαίης κατα τον νόμον,

και την Σαλώμην. Ibid.

8 Vid. in Matth. cap. xxvii. p. 178. C. D. In Marc. cap. xv. p. 286. C.D. in Luc. cap. xxiv. p. 538. D. In Joan. cap. xix. p. 896. C. D. b Ib. p. 826. B. C.

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· Μονος γαρ ουτος τρεις μητέρας αναφαινεται εχων, την φυσικήν
την Σαλώμην, την Ερονίην, υἱος γαρ βροντης δια ευαγγελία
μεγαλοφωνίαν, και την θεοῖοκον. κ. λ. In Joh. p. 554. D. Ε.
κ .... ἡ Θεοτοκος.... δεύτερα ἡ Μαγδαληνη,... τρίτη ή το
Κλεοπα, και τείαςίη ἡ τε Λαζαρε αδελφη. In Jo. p. 826.
' Comment. in Act. Ap. p. 1. Colon. 1568.
p. 3.

m Ib.
"In Ep. Paul. Comm. p. 498. Londin, 1636.
• Ib. p. 675.
P P. 676..
9 In Evangel. p. 218. C..

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For he says in one of his
Therefore he received

19. I need not say he received the first epistle of St. Peter. 20. He once quotes St. John's first epistle in this manner: epistles, "That which was from the beginning, which we have seen." more than one.

21. It is probable that Theophylact received all the seven epistles. 22. But I cannot say that he received the book of the Revelation: I do not remember that he has any where quoted it; which, I think, he would have done, if it had been of authority with him. However I put in the margin a reference or two, to be considered by those who please; but I do not reckon them very material. Perhaps he was of the same opinion with St. Chrysostom concerning the book of the Revelation.

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23. Theophylact quotes no forged Christian writings, or apocryphal books of the New Testament. He cuts off a good number of them by that observation upon John i. 31...34, that Christ wrought no miracle in his infancy, or before the time of his public ministry; about which he is clear and positive. We formerly saw a like observation in Chrysostom.

24. He seldom quotes any apocryphal books of the Old Testament. A passage of Ecclesiasticus is cited as the saying of a wise man.

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25. I shall now take a few remarkable passages.

26. In the preface to St. Matthew's gospel: And was not one evangelist sufficient? Yes. • Nevertheless, for making the truth more manifest, four were permitted to write: for when you 'see these four not conferring together, nor meeting in the same place, but separate from each • other, writing the same things as with one mouth, are you not led to admire the truth of the gospel, and to say that they spake by the Holy Ghost? Do not say to me that they do not agree in every thing; for wherein do they differ? Does one say that Christ was born, and another not? or does one say that he rose from the dead, and another that he did not rise? By no means; for they agree in the necessary and principal things: and if they do not differ in the principal things, why should you wonder that they vary in lesser matters? For that very reason they are the more credible, in that they do not agree in all things; for then it would have been thought that they had met and consulted together: but now one has written what ⚫ another has omitted, and therefore they seem to differ in some things.' This should be compared with a passage of Chrysostom formerly transcribed.

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27. Upon Matth. ii. 11, he says, When the child was born, the Virgin laid him in a stable, not finding any house to be in. But afterwards he thinks it likely they found room in a house, and there the magians of the east found him.

28. Upon Matth. v. 44: To i love some men, and those our friends, and hate others, is a 'mark of imperfection: he is perfect who loves all men.'

29. He finely explains those words of our Lord, Mark x. 40. "It is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared;" and his observations upon this place may be compared with what he says upon Matth. xx. 23.

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30. Upon Luke xxi. 37, 38: Our " Lord,' says Theophylact, said many excellent things 'to those who came to him in the temple: and from this and other places, we may conclude therefore, that the evangelists have related a few things only; for though the Lord preached 'almost three years, if a man should say, that all which they have recorded might be spoken in 'the compass of one day, he would not speak much beside the truth.'

For certain, the evangelical writings, in which conciseness and fulness are united, deserve the highest commendations.

From that passage it appears that Theophylact did not compute our Saviour's ministry to have lasted three years and more, but somewhat less than three years: accordingly, he does not suppose the Jewish feast, mentioned by St. John, v. 1, to have been a passover, but " some other feast, possibly pentecost, as he conjectures. Of this point I have spoken ° formerly.

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31. The section concerning the woman taken in adultery, which we have in Jolm viii. at the beginning, is not explained by Theophylact.

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32. I now beg leave to mention a general observation. Theophylact's Commentaries are very useful and valuable: but it seems to me, that too much respect has been shewn to his prefaces to the four gospels, where he determines the times of the several evangelists' writing. Just and useful observations, right or probable interpretations of scripture, may be received from any man, let him live when he will, but, as an historian, the testimony of a man, who speaks of things done a thousand years before his time, is of little value, unless it be derived from more ancient writers. Mill, in his Prolegomena, says, that Theophylact is the first who has assigned the precise year in which each evangelist published his gospel; and yet he has placed Theophy lact's prefaces, where those determinations are made, at the head of the several gospels in his edition, without any remarks; and many have followed Theophylact in that point, though Mill had more judgment: but the early date of the gospels is popular, and it has become almost a general opinion. Upon this point some observations were mentioned in the chapter of Eusebius of Cæsarea.

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CHAP. CLXIV.

EUTHYMIUS.

1. EUTHYMIUS was a monk who lived at Constantinople in the latter part of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth century. He wrote a work entitled Panoplia, against all heretics; Commentaries upon the Psalms, and upon the gospels, collected chiefly out of Chrysostom and other ancient writers; and also some other books. His works are not yet published in the original Greek, that I know of, but only in Latin versions; though Mill, and R. Simon, and some others, who had access to manuscripts, have quoted several passages from him in Greek.

2. In his preface to St. Matthew's gospel he says, that Matthew wrote at the request of the Jewish believers in Judea.' He seems to say in the same place, that Mark wrote his gospel at the request of the believers in Egypt. He likewise says, that Matthew's gospel was first written, and in Judea, for the Jewish believers, in Hebrew, eight years after our Lord's ascension: afterwards his gospel was translated into the Greek language.

3. The evangelist Mark he supposeth to be the nephew of Barnabas, often mentioned in the Acts and St. Paul's epistles; he supposeth him likewise to be the same who is mentioned by Peter at the end of his first epistle. He says his gospel was written about ten years after our Lord's ascension, at Rome, as some said, or in Egypt, according to others. He says, that at the

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See vol. ii. p. 388, 389.

d Vid. Cav. H. L. T. ii. Du Pin. Bibl. des Aut Ec. T. ix. p. 197. Fabr. Bib. Gr. 1. v. c. 11. T. vii. p. 460, &c. R. Simon Hist. Critic. des commentat. du N. T. ch. 29. p. 469, &c.

Matthæum enim, qui ex Judæis crediderant, obsecraverunt, nt scriptam relinqueret ipsis evangelii historiam, quam eos verbo docuerat. Similiter et Marcum, qui in Ægypto edocti fuerant. Euthym. in iv. Evangelia ap. Bib. PP. Max. T. xix. p. 487. G.

✔ Primus autem scripsit Matthæus quod nune præ manibus VOL. III.

est evangelium, post octo annos Christi in cœlos assumti. Scripsit autem ad illos, qui ex Judæis crediderant, ut prædiximus, Hebræâ usus linguâ ac contexturâ. Postea vero in nostram linguam traductum est. Id. ib. p. 488. A. Conf. Testimonia ap. Mill. N. T.

8 Marcus, filius Mariæ, quæ in domo suâ benigne apostolos excipiebat. Vocabacur autem et Joannes, quemadmodum in Actis apostolorum invenimus... Et cirea principia quidem conjunctus est Barnabæ avunculo suo, et Paulo, sienti liber Actorum testatur, et Paulus in epistolis mentionem faciens... Deinde cum Petro Romæ conversatus est, quemadmodum prior ejus epistola demonstrat, quâ etiam filium suum juxta spiritum Marcum appellavit. A quo insuper totum evangelii sermonem didicit, et postmodum evangelium conscripsit, secundum Clementem Stromaticum, in ipsâ Româ; juxta Chrysostomum autem in Egypto, rogatus a fratribus, qui ibidem morabantur, post decimum a Salvatoris assumtione annum. Ibid. p. 597. G. H.

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first Mark was much with his uncle Barnabas, and Paul: afterwards he was with Peter at Rome, as the first epistle of that apostle shews, whom he also there calls his son; from whom also he received the whole history of the gospel.

4. If Mark was at first much with Barnabas and Paul, and not with Peter till afterwards, that does not favour the supposition, that his gospel was written within ten years after our Lord's ascension; for, according to the general and almost universally concurring testimony of ancient authors, Mark received his gospel from the apostle Peter, as is also said by this writer himself.

5. Having explained St. Mark's gospel to the end of ver. 8th of the 16th chapter, he says, Some expositors affirm this to be the conclusion of Mark's gospel, and that what follows has 'been added since: nevertheless it ought to be explained by us, as it contains nothing contrary 'to truth.'

6. Luke,' he says, was a native of Antioch, and a physician. He was a hearer of Christ, and, as some say, one of his seventy disciples, as well as Mark; he was afterwards very intimate with Paul. He wrote his gospel, with Paul's permission, fifteen years after our Lord's ascension. 7. He says, that St. John's gospel was not written until many years after the destruction of Jerusalem.

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8. Of the noted various reading in St. John's gospel he expresseth himself after this manner. Having explained ch. vii. 52, he adds, It ought to be observed, that what follows here to those words, "then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world," are either wanting in the more exact copies, or marked with a dagger in the margin, denoting them to be spurious and interpolated: of which it is some argument, that this place is not explained by ◄ former interpreters; nevertheless, as it may be useful, we shall explain it.

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CHAP. CLXV.

NICEPHORUS CALLISTI.

1. NICEPHORUS, son of Callistus Xanthopulus, a learned monk of Constantinople, is placed by H. Wharton, in his Appendix to Cave, at the year 1333; but as the emperor, to whom his work is dedicated, is computed to have died in 1327, I shall place him a few years sooner,

in 1325.

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He wrote in the Greek language an Ecclesiastical History in eighteen books, from the nativity of Christ to the year 610, collected, as he says, " out of Eusebius of Cæsarea, Socrates, Sozomen, Philostorgius, Theodoret, Euagrius, and others.

2. From him I shall transcribe an article concerning the books of the New Testament, omitting some particulars, which render his narration prolix, and which are not now needful to be

a Quidam autem interpretum asserunt, hoc in loco completum esse Marci evangelium, quæ vero sequuntur recentiorem esse additionem. Oportet tamen et hanc explanare, quum veritati nihil repugnet. p. 614. B.

b Beatus Lucas Antiochensis fuit genere. Omnem autem sermonis disciplinam adeptus, medicinam etiam corporum didicit, ac postmodum animarum quoque medicinam assequutus est. Primum, quidem Christo adhæsit, et ab eo pietatis semina suscepit. Postea vero Paulo duci conjunctus, maximeque familiaris effectus est, ac discipulus ejus, comesque itineris. Dicunt autem quidam, et maxime Origenes, quod Marcus et Lucas ante dominicam passionem inter septuaginta discipulos connumerati sunt. Post quindecim vero annos a salvatoris assumtione, permissu Pauli, conscripsit evangelium ad Theophilum, fidelissimum, Deique amantissimum. Ibid. p. 615. B.

Præsens autem evangelium multis annis post capta Jerosolyma conscripsit. Ib. p. 663. E.

d Scire autem oportet, quod ea quæ ab hoc loco habentur usque ad eum quo dicitur: Iterum ergo loquutus est illis Jesus dicens: Ego lux mundi:' in exactioribus exemplaribus aut non inveniuntur, aut obelo confossa sunt, eo quod illegitima videantur et addita. Et hujus argumentum est, quod nullus ea sit interpretatus, &c. Ibid. 690. G.

e Vid. Pagi ann. 610. n. vii. Fabric. Bib. Gr. 1. v. cap. 4. T. vi. p. 130, &c. Du Pin Bib. des Aut. Ec. T. xi. p. 98. f Cav. H. L. in App. p. 33.

Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulus, Callistides, sive Callisti Xanthopuli filius, historiam suam obtulit Andronico Palæologo Imperatori jam seni, qui A. C. 1327, septuagenario major obiit. Fabr. ubi supr. p. 130.

Vid. H. E. L. i. cap. 1. p. 35, 36. Paris. 1630.

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