Clement Recognitions of Simon Magus, whose alias was Paul.

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Clement Recognitions of Simon Magus, whose alias was Paul.

Clement we are told was the disciple of Peter the Apostle, aka Simon Peter, or Cephas in Aramaic. We don’t know when Clement was born, and there are various dates for when he became bishop of Rome.  I have added the Oxford Dictionary of Popes to dating his reign, he took the title, Clement I, bishop of Rome c. 91-101.  He was the third bishop of Rome, following Anacletus., who in turn followed Linus. Clement is known for his Homilies/Sermons and his Recognitions, which recount his younger day’s as a disciple of Peter, and Peter’s dealings with Simon Magus.

The vast majority of Christians are unaware that, according to Clement’s writings, Simon Magus was the alias of Saul/Paul of Tarsus. Not only that, Simon, Paul or Saul, which ever name you attribute, was a vicious persecutor. The man with his hired thugs beat James the Just so badly and then threw him down the temple steps, leaving him for dead, according to the writings of Clement. Which were written in code/nameless only for friends, and other senior clerics to understand.

However, before continuing with Clement’s words, I will give you extracts from 20th-century biblical scholars’ views of the work of Clement I, bishop of Rome.

The German scholar and Professor, Schoeps, was one of the leading contemporary European-Jewish students of Christianity. He has written major works, and many smaller studies on the early development of Christianity. Writing on Jewish-Christianity aka Ebionites, Schoeps wrote: The claim that Jesus was the messianic Son of man was, however, open to other interpretations, one of which was provided by the Jewish Christians, or Ebionites. They acknowledge neither a divine sonship nor preexistence nor a virgin birth… Their [Ebionites] old enemy, the homo quidam inimicus (Rec. 170), here appears under the pseudonym “Simon.” This “Simon who is Paul” (Simon qui et Paulus) is for them “a certain deceiver” (planos ’tis, II Cor. 6:8), “the enemy” (ho echthros, Gal. 4:16), and a “false apostle” (pseudapostolos) who taught “apostasy from Moses” (apostasis apo Mouseos) and proclaimed a false gospel. As a true apostle, Peter opposes him in a debate which exposes him.

In a public debate in Laodicea (invented by the author of the novel), reported in Homilies 17, Peter asserts in a manner characteristic of the Judaizers that Paul cannot have seen the risen Christ at all. It is clearly the same principle established by Peter at the time of the election of Judas’ successor according to the canonical Acts (1:21ff.), viz., that only eyewitnesses of the earthly Jesus could be considered for election to the apostolate. Here we find adherence to Jerusalem’s rigorous limitation of the apostolic office to the circle of twelve; a thirteenth apostle was as unthinkable as a thirteenth month of the year (Rec. 4.35)… [Hans-Joachim Schoeps (1964), Jewish-Christianity, pp. 8 and 51, Fortress Press, Philadelphia]

The scholar Schonfield wrote: … But let neither prophet nor apostle be looked for by you at this time, besides us. For there is one true Prophet, whose words we twelve apostles preach; for He is the accepted year of God, having us apostles as His twelve months. [Recognitions, IV. xxxiv—xxxv.] There can be no room for Paul as a thirteenth apostle. [Hugh J. Schonfield (1968), Those Incredible Christians, ch. 10, p. 158, Hutchinson of London] also see Clemens Recognitions Bk IV, 34-35 https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Christian_Library/Recognitions_of_Clement:_Book_4  

The eminent scholar Schonfield added: Paul has contended that his gospel was the true one because he had received it by direct revelation from the Christ in heaven, unlike the twelve Apostles who depended on the teaching of Christ while on earth. The new Christianity, which gave rise to the Catholic Church, continued to hold that in the formulation of its doctrine it was progressively guided by revelation through the Holy Spirit. Peter in the Clementines combats this claim in his controversy with Simon Magus (alias Paul). [Ibid, pp. 158-159] Hugh J. Schonfield (1901-1988) had a Doctor (PhD) of Sacred Literature (D.S. Litt.). And was a New Testament scholar.  Schonfield was one of the original Dead Sea Scrolls team members.

Clement wrote: …  ‘What mean ye, O men of Israel?  Why are you so easily hurried on?  Why are ye led headlong by most miserable men, who are deceived by Simon, a magician?’  While he was thus speaking, and adding more to the same effect, and while James the bishop was refuting him, he began to excite the people and to raise a tumult; so that the people might not be able to hear what was said…  Why do ye hesitate?  Oh, sluggish and inert, why do we not lay hands upon them, and pull all these fellows to pieces?  When he had said this, he first, seizing a strong brand from the altar, set the example of smiting.  Then others also, seeing him, were carried away with like readiness.  Then ensued a tumult on either side, of the beating and the beaten.  Much blood is shed; there is a confused flight, in the midst of which that enemy attacked James, and threw him headlong from the top of the steps; and supposing him to be dead, he cared not to inflict further violence upon him…[Recognitions 1.70]  The beginning of the next chapter states: … But our friends lifted him up (James), for they were both more numerous and more powerful than the others; but, from their fear of God, they rather suffer themselves to be killed by an inferior force, than they would kill others.  But when the evening came, the priests shut up the temple, and we returned to the house of James, and spent the night there in prayer.  Then before daylight we went down to Jericho, to the number of 5000 men.  Then after three days, one of the brethren came to us from Gamaliel*, whom we mentioned before, bringing to us secret tidings that that enemy had received a commission from Caiaphas, the chief priest; that he should arrest all who believed in Jesus, and should go to Damascus with his letters, and that there also, employing the help of the unbelievers, he should make havoc among the faithful; and that he was hastening to Damascus chiefly on this account because he believed that Peter had fled thither.
[Recognition 1.71]

Paul’s in his lies tells us that he was a pupil of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3? How can he say that he was a student of Gamaliel, when Gamaliel is informing that Simon Magus alias Paul, is after Peter? However, in the Recollection we have Gamaliel sending word that the enemy had a commission to hunt Jesus’ follower, and was on his way to Damascus. Where have we heard those very same words?  9 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest. 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Acts 9:1-2 KJV.

What do you say?

Cofion

R&I – TxPAT

 

Jero Jones

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