Simon Magus: The First Gnostic? (BEIHEFTE ZUR ZEITSCHRIFT FUR DIE NEUTESTAMENTLICHE WISSENSCHAFT UND DIE KUNDE DER ALTEREN KIRCHE)

This latest comprehensive work on Simon Magus lends new impetus to the investigation of Early Christianity and questions surrounding the origin and nature of Gnosticism. Major contributions of this study include: (1), a departure from thetraditional exegesis of Acts 8, 5-24 (the first narrative source of Simon), and the later following reports of ancient Christianwriters; (2), an overview of the literature of Graeco-Roman antiquity to determine the contribution of "magic" and"the Magoi" in the development of perceptions and descriptions of Simon; and (3), the inclusion of social scienceexplanation models and modern estimations of "identity", in a creative approach to questions surrounding the phenomenon of Simon. Table of Contents 9 Preface 7 Abbreviations 13 Chapter One. Introduction 25 1. Purpose and Rationale 25 2. Structure and Method 28 3. Outlining an Approach 31 Chapter Two. History of Research 34 1. Preliminary Remarks 34 2. Simon observed within the Debate over the Historical Value of Acts 35 3. Simon observed within the Debate over the Nature and Origin of Gnosticism 46 4. Concluding Remarks 55 Chapter Three. The Sources 57 1. Introduction 57 2. References to the Magoi in the Literature of Graeco-Roman Antiquity 59 2.1 Introduction 59 2.2 Magoi in the Pre-Socratics 60 Excursus: Heraclitus of Ephesus 63 2.3 Magoi in the Historians of Graeco-Roman Antiquity 65 2.4 Magoi in the Philosophers of Graeco-Roman Antiquity 72 2.5 Magoi in the Writers of Graeco-Roman Antiquity 77 2.6 Observations 89 2.7 Conclusions 94 3. The New Testament Account of Simon 95 3.1 Introduction 95 3.2 Some Textual Considerations in Acts 8:4–25 97 3.3 Summary Conclusions 106 4. The Accounts of Simon in Ancient Christian Writers prior to 400CE 107 4.1 Justin Martyr 107 4.2 Irenaeus 113 4.3 Hippolytus 118 4.4 Epiphanius 127 4.5 The Pseudo-Clementine Literature 133 4.6 The Apocryphal Acts of Peter 136 5. Summary Conclusions 140 Chapter Four. Simon the Magician 156 1. Introduction 156 2. Magic in the Graeco-Roman World 158 3. Jewish Magic 163 Excursus: Honi the Circle Drawer and Hanina Ben Dosa 169 4. Magoi in the Matthean Infancy Narrative 173 5. Simon the “Magician” and other “Magicians” in the Book of Acts 182 5.1 Introduction 182 5.2 Philip, Peter, and Simon the “Magician” in Acts 8:4–25 183 Excursus: [The] City of Samaria and a “Samaritan” Simon in Acts 8:4–25 184 5.3 Paul and the Jewish “Magician” Bar-Jesus in Acts 13:4–12 218 5.4 Paul and the Ephesian Exorcists in Acts 19:13–20 233 Chapter Five. Simon the Gnostic 252 1. Introduction 252 2. Towards a Consensus in Terminology 253 2.1 The Word “Gnostic” and Its Development 253 2.2 The Word “Gnosticism” and Its Development 261 3. Evidence from Ancient Christian Writers 267 3.1 Introduction 267 3.2 Literary Fragments 268 Excursus: Simon and the Gods and Goddesses of Graeco-Roman Antiquity 277 Chapter Six. Conclusion 318 1. Preliminary Remarks 318 2. The Messina Definition and Simon 320 3. Ancient Christian Writers and Simon 323 4. “Simon” on Simon 326 5. Final Remarks 330 Bibliography 333 1. Sources (Texts and Translations) 333 1.1. Jewish, Samaritan, and Christian 333 1.2. Iranian 336 1.3. Greek and Roman 337 1.4. Nag Hammadi 340 1.5. Magical Papyri 340 2. Reference 340 3. Secondary Literature 344 Index of References 385 1. Old Testament/Hebrew Bibel 385 2. Septuagint, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha 387 3. New Testament 388 4. Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature 392 5. Rabbinic Literature 392 6. Early Christian Literature, Nag Hammadi 393 7. Ancient Writers 394 8. Papyri, Inscriptions 403 9. Other Sources 404 Index of Modern Authors 405 Ch. 1. Introduction -- 1. Purpose And Rationale -- 2. Structure And Method -- 3. Outlining An Approach -- Ch. 2. History Of Research -- 1. Preliminary Remarks -- 2. Simon Observed Within The Debate Over The Historical Value Of Acts -- 3. Simon Observed Within The Debate Over The Nature And Origin Of Gnosticism -- 4. Concluding Remarks -- Ch. 3. Sources -- 1. Introduction -- 2. References To The Magoi In The Literature Of Graeco-roman Antiquity -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Magoi In The Pre-socratics -- 2.3. Magoi In The Historians Of Graeco-roman Antiquity -- 2.4. Magoi In The Philosophers Of Graeco-roman Antiquity -- 2.5. Magoi In The Writers Of Graeco-roman Antiquity -- 2.6. Observations -- 2.7. Conclusions -- 3. New Testament Account Of Simon -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Some Textual Considerations In Acts 8:4-25 -- 3.3. Summary Conclusions -- 4. Accounts Of Simon In Ancient Christian Writers Prior To 400 C.e. -- 4.1. Justin Martyr -- 4.2. Irenaeus -- 4.3. Hippolytus -- 4.4. Epiphanius -- 4.5. Pseudo-clementine Literature -- 4.6. Apocryphal Acts Of Peter -- 5. Summary Conclusions -- Ch. 4. Simon The Magician -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Magic In The Graeco-roman World -- 3. Jewish Magic -- 4. Magoi In The Matthean Infancy Narrative -- 5. Simon The Magician And Other Magicians In The Book Of Acts -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Philip, Peter, And Simon The Magician In Acts 8:4-25 -- 5.3. Paul And The Jewish Magician Bar-jesus In Acts 13:4-12 -- 5.4. Paul And The Ephesian Exorcists In Acts 19:13-20 -- Ch. 5. Simon The Gnostic -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Towards A Consensus In Terminology -- 2.1. Word Gnostic And Its Development -- 2.2. Word Gnosticism And Its Development -- 3. Evidence From Ancient Christian Writers -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Literary Fragments Ch. 6. Conclusion -- 1. Preliminary Remarks -- 2. Messina Definition And Simon -- 3. Ancient Christian Writers And Simon -- 4. Simon On Simon -- 5. Final Remarks. By Stephen Haar. Includes Bibliographical References. This latest comprehensive work on Simon Magus lends new impetus to the investigation of Early Christianity and questions surrounding the origin and nature of Gnosticism. Major contributions of this study include: (1), a departure from the traditional exegesis of Acts 8, 5-24 (the first narrative source of Simon), and the later following reports of ancient Christian writers; (2), an overview of the literature of Graeco-Roman antiquity to determine the contribution of'magic'and'the Magoi'in the development of perceptions and descriptions of Simon; and (3), the inclusion of social science explanation models and modern estimations of'identity', in a creative approach to questions surrounding the phenomenon of Simon. This latest comprehensive work on Simon Magus lends new impetus to the investigation of Early Christianity and questions surrounding the origin and nature of Gnosticism. and (3), the inclusion of social science explanation models and modern estimations of "identity", in a creative approach to questions surrounding the phenomenon of Simon. Simon does not feature like a Peter, James, or Paul, in the story of earliest Christianity.