Death as Eschaton. A Study of Ignatius of Antioch's Desire for Death Mellink, AO

387 Pages·2017·30.79 MB·German

UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository)
Death as Eschaton. A Study of Ignatius of Antioch's Desire for Death
Mellink, A.O.
Publication date
2000
Document Version
Final published version
Link to publication
Citation for published version (APA):
Mellink, A. O. (2000). Death as Eschaton. A Study of Ignatius of Antioch's Desire for Death.
[Thesis, fully internal, Universiteit van Amsterdam]. in eigen beheer.
General rights
It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s)
and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open
content license (like Creative Commons).
Disclaimer/Complaints regulations
If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please
let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material
inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter
to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You
will be contacted as soon as possible.
UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (https://dare.uva.nl)
Download date:11 Jan 2023
SP^ggggga aBM ajaiaajaisiaiaiaiaiaMBiaiaiaiBiaiaiaaiaiaiEiaiaJSjaiajaiaiaiaiiiara^ ^
ii il so i a R I S 35Ti i &11313
lauajaia/aajaiaaaMasiaaraiajaiaiBiaafsiajafaaiaraMsraiaiaiaflB B
M M
(aiawiEiMaiataraiiuiaiiiURiraiawiaEMiaim^ ^
DEATHH AS ESCHATON

DEATHH AS ESCHATON
AA Study of Ignatius of Antioch's Desire for Death
Academischh proefschrift
terr verkrijging van de graad van doctor
aann de Universiteit van Amsterdam
opp gezag van de Rector Magnificus
prof.. dr. JJ.M. Franse
tenn overstaan van een door het college voor promoties ingestelde
commissiee in het openbaar te verdedigen in de Aula der Universiteit
opp woensdag 12 april 2000 te 14:00 uur
door r
ALBERTT OSGER MELLINK
geborenn te Haarlem
PROMOTOR:: PROF. DR. J.W. VAN HENTEN
FACULTEITT DER GEESTESWETENSCHAPPEN
CONTENTS S
Prefacee vu
Abbreviationss ix
INTRODUCTIONN 1
CHAPTERR ONE. THE LETTERS OF IGNATIUS: PROBLEMS OF INTRODUCTION
§§ 1. Introduction 5
§§ 2. The Three Recensions 5
§§ 3. The Priority of the Middle Recension 22
§§ 4. The Authenticity of the Middle Recension 26
§§ 5. The Date of the Authentic Letters 44
§§ 6. Conclusion 49
CHAPTERR TWO. THE ROAD TO ROME: A HISTORY OF RESEARCH
§§ 1. Introduction 51
§§ 2. Ignatius the Martyr 53
§§ 3. Gnosticism and Mystery Cults 57
§§ 4. A Second Passion 70
§§ 5. Ignatius' Theology of Martyrdom 74
§§ 6. Martyrdom and the Eucharist 83
§§ 7. Neurosis and Failure 91
§§ 8. Ignatius and the Early Roman Empire 116
§§ 9. Conclusion 128
CHAPTERR THREE. UNTO FULFILMENT. A CLOSE READING
§§ 1. Introduction 130
§§ 2. To Suffer - To Die - To Fight the Beasts 132
§§ 3. To Be Judged Worthy 154
§§ 4. To Be Perfected 163
§§ 5. To Be Justified 177
§§ 6. To Become a Disciple 185
§§ 7. To Attain God 209
§§ 8. To Attain the Lot 241
§§ 9. To Rise 251
§10.. To Set from the World 287
§11.. Conclusion 317
CHAPTERR FOUR. THE DESIRE FOR THE END: CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
§§ 1. Introduction 320
§§ 2. The Eschatology of Ignatius 320
§§ 3. Death and the Eschaton 332
§§ 4. Conclusion 342
Bibliographyy 344
Samenvattingg (Dutch Summary) 358
*** *
PREFACE E
Thiss dissertation is very much the final result of a rather solitary undertaking.
Nevertheless,, it could not have been completed without the support of a number
off individuals and institutions.
Myy work on Ignatius of Antioch began in 1993. At that time I was enrolled
inn the Ph.D.-program "New Testament and Early Christianity" of Loyola Univer-
sityy of Chicago. During the fall semester I took a course on the letters of Ignatius,
givenn by David E. Aune. I did not have to think very long about a topic for the
requiredd research paper. My fascination for the extreme immediately drew me to
Ignatius'' desire for death as the most interesting and startling issue in the letters.
Sincee then, a lot has happened, but in a way this dissertation could be said to be
aa revised and largely extended version of that endterm paper. I am indebted to
Loyolaa University of Chicago for supporting my studies at that stage of my career
ass a graduate student.
II owe it very much to one person that my work on Ignatius did not end back
inn 1993. At my return to the Netherlands in 1994, Jan Willem van Henten - then
onlyy just appointed as full professor at the Faculty of Theology of the University
off Amsterdam - warmheartedly supported my efforts to find a position as research
assistant.. In 1995 this came through so that I could continue my Ph.D.-studies and
writee my doctoral thesis under his direction. I am grateful for his support and his
confidencee in my talents. I hope that I have not disappointed him too much. Our
sharedd interest in the inscrutable depths of the souls of the Christian and Jewish
martyrss has encouraged me to press on.
II wish to thank all the members of the reading committee: David Aune
(Notree Dame), Athalya Brenner (Amsterdam), Daan den Hengst (Amsterdam), and
Henkk Jan de Jonge (Leiden), and all others who have commented on my work at
differentt stages and in different settings. I also need to express my indebtedness
too two scholars whom I have never had the pleasure to meet in person: Joseph
Barberr Lightfoot and William R. Schoedel. In many respects their admirable works
onn Ignatius have been my points of departure. These two scholars are the shoulders
onn which I stand.
Lastt but not least, warm thanks go to all those who have made my stay at
thee University of Amsterdam a joy - i.e. not only my colleagues but also those
studentss who were so kind to put up with me as a young teacher -, and to all
thosee who saw to it that I did not spend too much time alone with my books and
behindd my computer. As Ignatius would have put it: "in every way you refreshed
mee both in flesh and spirit." Finally, special thanks are due to my brother, Melle
Mellink,, for the technical realization of the cover design. Without his assistance,
thee appearance of this book would have been much less exciting.
Osgerr Mellink Amsterdam,, April 2000
_ _