Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 30:3 (Sep 1987)
Article: The Development Of Third-Century Hermeneutical Views In Relation To Eschatological Systems
Author: Thomas Cornman

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The Development Of Third-Century Hermeneutical
Views In Relation To Eschatological Systems

Thomas Cornman*

*Thomas cornman is assistant professor Of theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

Stanley Gundry, in his presidential address published in the March 1977 issue of JETS, grapples with the relationship between hermeneutics and eschatology and attempts to provide some information to stimulate thinking in this area. It is the goal of this paper to take up the challenge of examining possible correlations between the two. My focus will be third-century developments as traced through the input of two leading figures of the period: Origen and Hippolytus. Discussion will obviously also include looking at some of their associates, such as Clement of Alexandria and Irenaeus.

The primary direction of the paper will be an attempt to show that philosophical, cultural and geographic factors played a significant role in shaping the hermeneutic that led these men to their specific eschatological views. These factors would include the developmental process of thought in Alexandria, including the work of Philo and the neo-Platonic traditions for Origen. Also included would be the apostolic succession theology of Hippolytus and the attendant reliance on the traditional view of the Church both in relationship to hermeneutics and eschatology.

One caveat is in order: It is not my purpose to evaluate the validity of the hermeneutical and eschatological systems discussed. Rather, it is to show some of the factors involved in the complex development of two of the significant systems of hermeneutics of the third century and the resulting eschatological systems that develop out of them.

Even prior to the third century, when Christians were once again faced with persecution, interest in eschatology was already coming to the fore. Pelikan cites the Montanist movement in the latter part of the second century and its interest in the return of the Lord and the time of his return as an indication of the developing concern for the eschatological question.1 Against that background, Dunbar puts the persecution into perspective:

Eschatological interest was therefore already in the wind at the opening of the third century when the shock of renewed persecution fell upon the church in the tenth year of Septimus Severua (either August 201 to August 202 or April 202 to April 203). This had its usual salutary effect of reminding Christians that their citizenship was in heaven: the result was an increase in interest in the events and chronology of the end times. One Christian writer named Judas composed an exposition of the Seventy Weeks prophecy of Daniel. The fulfillment of the prophecy wee made to coincide with the openi...

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