Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

I now wonder whether I can suggest a new model for the original narrative. Clement goes to Alexandria to meet philosophers to learn about the immortality of the soul, encounters Simon Magus who then goes with him to Caesarea Maritima on that ship in order to present himself as the 'man from the sea.' Note the odd military metaphor at the beginning of the debate in both Homilies and Recognitions:

While Peter was about to explain fully to us this mystic word, Zacchæus came, saying: Now indeed, O Peter, is the time for you to go out and engage in the discussion; for a great crowd awaits you, packed together in the court; and in the midst of them stands Simon, like a war-chieftain attended by his spearmen. (H3.29)

Having said this, and having prayed, he went forth to the court of the house, in which a great multitude of people were assembled; and when he saw them all looking intently on him in profound silence, and Simon the Magician standing in the midst of them like a standard-bearer, he began in manner following. (R3.19)

The point of course is that Simon's weapons are spiritual (to reference Paul) but he is a warrior just as the man from the sea. Moreover he has (at least theoretically) come from the sea. The 'spearman' are clearly the band of Alexandrian academics - Ap(p)ion and Anubion emphasizing once again in my mind that this is a sea invasion of Caesarea from Egypt.

On another note we have to begin to wonder why Peter needs to be bolstered in this fiction by all the characters from the gospel (Zacchaeus, the Syro-Phoenician woman and her daughter even "Barnabas, who also is called Matthias, who was substituted as an apostle in the place of Judas" R1.60). In my mind the 'backing up' of Peter from other fictitious gospel characters is because 'Simon' was also thought to be a character in the gospel. If Simon was just some pothead who thought he spoke to Jesus in his dream you don't need the backup. You need the backup when it's one guy from the gospel vs another guy from the gospel (but notice the actual reference to his encounter is 'one hour' viz. "But if you were seen and taught by Him, and became His apostle for a single hour, proclaim His utterances, interpret His sayings, love His apostles, contend not with me who companied with Him" (H17.29). 'Single hour' - I can't help but think this is a reference to the young ruler and the 'speaking in visions' part is the resurrected 'naked' (= שליח = apostle Syr) young ruler.

It seems to me that the Clementines can be hard to peel sometimes (pun intended).

However, the proposal that the Homilies and the Recognitions are both based on one or more sources held in common makes the most sense to me. The article was, unfortunately, REALLY long and this thing the editor had of not including a line between paragraphs makes things difficult to digest.

Well, off to the office, which is too hot to work in, and I have to deal with our office's IT person about a keyboard issue, who seems to take everything I say (in my usual nice way) as a personal affront, which will make today even niftier!

DCH