Digital Verbum Edition
Much of early literature has only been passed down to us in fragments. This is preeminently true of early Christian literature. The Christian teachers in primitive ages were evangelists, not authors, preachers, not historians. The literary remains of the primitive ages of Christianity, which to us are of priceless value, were suffered to perish from neglect—a few fragments here and there alone escaping the general fate.
The epithet “apostolic” does not occur in the canonical writings, but is found first in the vocabulary of the succeeding generation, when the Apostles could be regarded in the light of history. Its first occurrence is in Ignatius, who tells his correspondents that he writes to them “after the apostolic manner,” where he seems to refer to the epistolary form of his communication.
Part one, volume two of The Apostolic Fathers further explores the writings of St. Clement, as well as the writings of Hippolytus of Portus. It includes the following chapters:
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
For more works on the Apostolic Fathers, check out the Classic Studies on the Apostolic Fathers (29 vols.)
Joseph Barber Lightfoot (1828–1889), also known as J. B. Lightfoot, was an English theologian and Bishop of Durham. He attended King Edward’s School in Birmingham before attending Trinity College in Cambridge where he was elected a fellow of his college. From 1854 to 1859, he edited the Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology.
Lightfoot became a tutor of Trinity College in 1857 and later became professor of divinity. In 1871, he became canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Lightfoot preached regularly and participated in various ecclesiastical activities. He gained enormous popularity for his work Essays on the Word Entitled Supernatural Religion, a defense of the New Testament in response to Walter Richard Cassel’s Supernatural Religion. In 1870, Lightfoot became Bishop of Durham, where he continued his theological study, writing, and preaching.
Lightfoot wrote commentaries on Galatians, Philippians, and Colossians and Philemon. Lightfoot’s lecture notes and unpublished commentary manuscripts can be found in the 11-volume Joseph Barber Lightfoot Collection which includes several volumes of essays, including Essays on the Word Entitled Supernatural Religion, and sermons.