Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 45:2 (Fall 1983)
Article: Hippolytus of Rome and the Eschatological Exegesis of the Early Church
Author: David G. Dunbar

WTJ 45:2 (Fall 1983) p. 322

Hippolytus of Rome and the
Eschatological Exegesis of the Early Church

David G. Dunbar

The second century was a time of intense eschatological concern for the church. Martin Werner in his book The Formation of Christian Dogma has argued that the non-fulfillment of the Parousia precipitated a crisis which led to a fundamental reshaping of the understanding of the Christian revelation.1 While Werner’s thesis represents an exaggeration of the significance of the crisis,2 it is clear that the unexpected extension of history was the cause of speculation, disagreement, and doctrinal and institutional development among the early Christians. The rise of Montanism in the latter part of the second century witnessed the concern of many to preserve the primitive eschatological fervor of the church in the face of growing institutionalism and the decline of the extraordinary operations of the Spirit.3 Montanist preachers declared the imminent return of the Lord, and some even went to the point of specifying a definite time after which the Parousia would surely occur.4 The influence of Montanism was such that orthodox church leaders could not avoid the issues raised. At the close of the century in Rome, a scholarly churchman by the name of Gaius opposed Montanist enthusiasm by denying the

WTJ 45:2 (Fall 1983) p. 323

authenticity of the Apocalypse—apparently because of its importance to the Montanists—ascribing it to the Gnostic Cerinthus.5

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 Severus (either August 201 to August 202 or April 202 to April 203).6 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 was made to coincide with the opening of the Severan persecution, and the Antichrist was expected shortly to appear.7 It is not surprising that this period also produced the most extensive treatment of biblical eschatology found among the Fathers. The author of this material is Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170-c. 236), a student of Irenaeus, whose exegetical writings were largely devoted to apocalypt...