Sentences of the Sextus

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The Sentences of the Sextus are a collection of 451 sayings ( sentences ) by an otherwise unknown Christian author from the 2nd century.

Content and author

The sentences are Christian adaptations of Hellenistic sayings of the Stoic , Cynic , Platonic and Pythagorean traditions, as they have been handed down by Porphyrios, among others . They combine the ascetic ideals of seclusion from the world, voluntary poverty, sexual abstinence and a vow of silence with biblical traditions.

The sayings have come down to us in various manuscripts in the Greek, Syrian and Coptic languages . Origen reported that Proverbs were very popular among Christians in the 3rd century. For him, a sentence became evidence of his self-castration. Rufinus translated the Proverbs into Latin around 400 .

The collection may have originated in Alexandria . Rufinus gave a Xystus as the author and referred to Bishop Sixtus II of Rome, which is unlikely in terms of content. The 1st century BC Pythagorean Greek philosopher Quintus Sextius BC could possibly be the author of the proverbs.

Text and translations

  • J. Kroll: The sayings of Sextus. Introduction and translation . In: Edgar Hennecke (ed.): New Testament Apocrypha . Volume 2. JCB Mohr, Tübingen 1924, pp. 625-643.

literature

  • Wilfried Eisele (ed.): The sex sayings and their relatives . Introduced, translated and provided with interpretive essays by Wilfried Eisele, Yury Arzhanov, Michael Durst and Thomas Pitour (= SAPERE 26). Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2015, ISBN 978-3-16-153657-1 ( limited preview in the Google book search)
  • Daniele Pevarello: The Sentences of Sextus and the Origins of Christian Asceticism (= Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity / Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity , Volume 78). Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2013, ISBN 978-3-16-152579-7
  • Henry Chadwick : The Sentences of Sextus: A Contribution to the History of Early Christian Ethics . Cambridge University Press, 1959 ( limited preview in Google Book search)
  • Roland Kany: The God-given freedom. An ancient sentence from Porphyrius, Sextus and Pelagius . In: Henri Crouzel, Rudolf Reinhardt, Nabil El-Khoury (eds.): Lebendige Tradition. Festschrift for Hermann-Josef Vogt on his 60th birthday . Beirut et al. a. 1992, pp. 153-170.
  • Peter Kohlgraf : Faith in Conversation. The search for identity and relevance in Alexandrian paternal theology - a model for practical theological endeavors today? (= Theology and Practice , Volume 36). LIT-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2011, pp. 137–147 ( limited preview in Google book search)

Web links

Remarks

  1. ^ Papyrus Palau-Ribes 225 , u. a.
  2. ↑ Codex Nag Hammadi XII, 1, 127 Proverbs
  3. ↑ Contra Celsum VIII, 13
  4. ^ Commentary on Matthew XV, 3