The Ecclesiastical History, Vols. 1 and 2: English Translation

by Eusebius

Publishers:

William Heinemann; G. P. Putnam’s Sons; Harvard University Press

, 1926–1932

Overview

Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea, gave the church one of its greatest gifts by chronicling the rise of Christianity until the fourth century in The Ecclesiastical History. This resource contains the English translation from both volumes in the Loeb edition. Volume 1 contains Books I–V and covers the history of the church from the days of the apostles until the beginning of the second century AD. Book I discusses Christology and Christ as the eternal Logos. Book II covers the lives and ministry of the apostles and the rise of the church up to the destruction of Jerusalem. In Book III, Eusebius examines the successors to the apostles, the writings of Josephus, notable bishops, heresies, and the reception of the canon. Book IV picks up in the reign of Trajan, addresses Gnosticism, and looks at the life and death of Polycarp and other martyrs. Book V concludes with further details on the martyrs as well as discussions of the bishops of Rome and Jerusalem, miracles, Marcion, Montanus, and the writings of Irenæus. Volume 2 contains Books VI–X and an index to the entire work. Book VI examines the life and teachings of Origen in depth, plus those of Clement and Africanus, and includes further history of the martyrs. Book VII begins with the death of Origen, subsequent heresies, the persecution under Emperor Valerian, church life in Alexandria, the Manicheans, and noted churches of the day. The opening of Book VIII covers the persecution and destruction of churches and later gives a geographical listing of martyrs and the nature of the enemies of the church. Book IX includes disasters and wars of the era, the triumph of believers over persecution, and the downfall of those who oppressed the churches. Book X tells readers of the peace of God, the restoration of the churches, and the imperial decrees of Emperor Constantine that made restoration possible.

Contents

Top Highlights

“And as for the Epistle to the Hebrews, he says indeed that it is Paul’s, but that it was written for Hebrews in the Hebrew tongue, and that Luke, having carefully translated it, published it for the Greeks; hence, as a result of this translation, the same complexion of style is found in this Epistle and in the Acts: but that the [words] ‘Paul an apostle’ were naturally not prefixed.* [3] For, says he, ‘in writing to Hebrews who had conceived a prejudice against him and were suspicious of him, he very wisely did not repel them at the beginning by putting his name.’” (Volume 2, Page 47)

“But a great light of religion shone on the minds of the hearers of Peter, so that they were not satisfied with a single hearing or with the unwritten teaching of the divine proclamation, but with every kind of exhortation besought Mark, whose Gospel is extant, seeing that he was Peter’s follower, to leave them a written statement of the teaching given them verbally, nor did they cease until they had persuaded him, and so became the cause of the Scripture called the Gospel according to Mark. [2] And they say that the Apostle, knowing by the revelation of the spirit to him what had been done, was pleased at their zeal, and ratified the scripture for study in the churches. Clement quotes the story in the sixth book of the Hypotyposes, and the bishop of Hierapolis, named Papias, confirms him.” (Volume 1, Pages 143–145)

“Clement in the sixth book of the Hypotyposes adduces the following: ‘For,’ he says, ‘Peter and James and John after the Ascension of the Saviour did not struggle for glory, because they had previously been given honour by the Saviour, but chose James the Just as bishop of Jerusalem.’” (Volume 1, Page 105)

Product Details

• Title: The Ecclesiastical History, Vols. 1 and 2: English Translation
• Author: Eusebius
• Series: The Loeb Classical Library: English
• Publishers: William Heinemann, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Harvard University Press
• Print Publication Date: 1926–1932
• Logos Release Date: 2013
• Era: era:ante-nicene
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Church history › Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
• Resource ID: LLS:ECCLHSTRYEUSEBIUSENG
• Resource Type: text.monograph.church-history
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:38:42Z

About Eusebius

Eusebius of Caesarea (c. AD 263–339) also called Eusebius Pamphili, was a Roman historian, exegete and Christian polemicist. He became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine about the year 314. Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the Biblical canon. He wrote Demonstrations of the Gospel, Preparations for the Gospel, and On Discrepancies between the Gospels, studies of the Biblical text.