100 Reasons to Believe New Testament History
74. Hegesippus Research Project
In the mid-second century, a traveller / researcher named Hegesippus embarked on a journey throughout the Roman world. His plan was to visit the various Christian communities to determine what doctrinal variations existed between them at that time A. He recorded his findings in five volumes of Memoirs. The result of his research efforts prompted his conclusion that every Christian community founded by the apostles held to the same doctrine; a doctrine consistent with the scriptures B.
74. Hegesippus Research Project - Notes and References
A. “The Gnostics soon began to appeal to a succession of teachers traced back to the apostles (normally Philip, Thomas and Matthew) to whom, they claimed, Jesus entrusted secret wisdom before he ascended. Their views were countered by stressing the continuity of the open teaching (for instance, The Rule of Faith) and teachers (bishops or presbyters) from the time when the apostles founded the churches. The argument was first outlined by Hegesippus. He travelled from Palestine to Rome in the mid-second century, associated with numerous bishops, and heard the same teaching from all. ‘In every succession and city what the law and the prophets and the Lord preached is faithfully followed.’” “Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity”, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987 reprint, p.118
“…Hegesippus, the Palestinian Christian, who appears to have been a pioneer in the argument that the true and original Christian faith could be identified if one ascertained the consensus of belief in all the churches founded by apostles. He himself undertook this quest about AD 150 and travelled as far as Rome, interrogating the churches which he visited about their beliefs and recording his findings in five books of Memoirs, which (though long since lost) provided Eusebius with valuable source-material.” F.F Bruce, “New Testament History”, London, Nelson, 1969, pp.405-406
B. “Among those flourishing in the church at this time were Hegesippus, whom we met earlier, Bishop Dionysius of Corinth, Bishop Pinytus of Crete, Philip, Apolinarius, Melito, Musanus, Modestus, and above all Irenaeus. Their orthodoxy and ardour for the apostolic tradition have reached us in written form. Hegesippus has left a full record of his beliefs in five books that have come down to us. In them he tells of travelling to Rome and finding the same doctrine among all bishops there. After some comments about Clement’s letter to the Corinthians, he writes,
‘The Corinthian Church remained in the true doctrine until Primus became bishop. I conversed with the Corinthians on the voyage to Rome, and we were refreshed by the true doctrine. After arriving in Rome, I compiled the succession down to Anicetus, whose deacon was Eleutherus. In each succession and in every city, preaching corresponds with the Law, the Prophets, and the Lord.” Eusebius, “The Church History”, 4.21-22