Texts in conversation

Compare 3 John 1:7 and Lucian, The Death of Peregrine 1:13

New Testament · Classical

Summary

3 John praises Gaius for hosting traveling teachers who accept nothing from outsiders. Lucian, a second-century Greek satirist, mocks this Christian network, describing how cities sent money and representatives to a wandering teacher in prison.

Passages

3 John 1:7

New Testament

4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth. 5 Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers). 6 They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone forth on behalf of “The Name,” accepting nothing from the pagans. 8 Therefore we ought to support such people so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth.

100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 3 John

Lucian, The Death of Peregrine 1:13

Classical · The Passing of Peregrinus

13 In some of the Asiatic cities, too, the Christian communities put themselves to the expense of sending deputations, with offers of sympathy, assistance, and legal advice. The activity of these people, in dealing with any matter that affects their community, is something extraordinary; they spare no trouble, no expense. Peregrine, all this time, was making quite an income on the strength of his bondage; money came pouring in. You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite on trust, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them merely as common property. Now an adroit, unscrupulous fellow, who has seen the world, has only to get among these simple souls, and his fortune is pretty soon made; he plays with them.

150–160 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Lucian, The Death of Peregrine

References

... I will here restrict myself to briefly mentioning how the pagan satirist, Lucian of Samosata (150 CE), saw the Christian fellowship from outside. In his writing, The Passing of Peregrinus, he presents in his typical satirical way, the Christians’ sharing and caring for the converted charlatan Peregrinus while in prison (Peregrinus 11-13). He makes it quite clear to his readers that this sharing life-style was based upon the Christians’ conviction of forming a fellowship of brothers and sisters, and therefore considered all their resources as common property (ἁπάντων κοινά). Lucian points out that in describing the Christians’ caring for Peregrinus, he is presenting the way these people usually acted towards each other. This made it easy for people like Peregrinus to exploit this fellowship. ...

Karl Olav Sandnes, “The Role of the Congregation as a Family,” in Recruitment, Conquest, and Conflict: Strategies in Judaism, Early Christianity, and the Greco-Roman World, ed. Peder Borgen, Vernon K. Robbins, and David B. Gowler, ESEC 6 (Atlanta: Scholars, 1998), 342.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Compare 3 John 1:7 and Lucian, The Death of Peregrine 1:13

Summary

Passages

3 John 1:7

Lucian, The Death of Peregrine 1:13

References

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