Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/28



Grabe's text was published from a manuscript belonging to the twelfth century. To the same time (X.–XIII. cent.) the other manuscripts belong, and it is therefore difficult to say at what time the Acta Theclæ were detached from the Acta Pauli. But this must have been done long before the so-called decree of Gelasius (496) was issued, which excludes from the list of "scriptures received by the Church" the book which is called "the Acts of Paul and Thecla." But we have yet earlier testimonies. The earliest is that of Tertullian, in his treatise De Baptismo, c. XVII., already alluded to. It has been taken for granted that the meaning is that a presbyter of Asia, somewhat towards the end of the first century, compiled a history of Paul and Thecla, and, instead of publishing it as a true narrative, either in his own name, or with any name at all, but in good faith, published it falsely, and therefore wickedly, under the name of Paul, as though he were himself the writer; that he was convicted of his forgery, and deposed from the priesthood.

This account has been marvelously dressed up, and some of its advocates have ventured to say that a Montanist writer of the name of Leucius was the real author of these Acts. (Tillemont, Mémoires, II, 446).

The next witness is Jerome, who in his ''Catalogus Script. Eccl. c:7 (written about the year 392), commenting upon the passage of Tertullian, says that the presbyter who wrote the history of Paul and Thecla was deposed for what he had done by John (apud Johannem'') the Apostle. That Jerome relied upon Tertullian is evident from his statement; but his conduct in fathering the story of the deposition by John upon Tertullian is inexcusable, because no such statement was made by Tertullian. Tertullian speaks of an Asiatic presbyter, Jerome adds apud Johannem, and his copyists instead of "apud Johannem," write "a Johanne."

Of Eastern writers who were acquainted with our Acts, we mention Basil, bishop of Seleucia (431-467), author of a "Life and Miracles of St. Thecla" (see Migne, Pat. Gr. 85 col. 477 ff.), Nicetas of Paphlagonia, towards the end of the ninth century, and Simeon Metaphrastes in the tenth. The only writer who treats Thecla directly, and not by way of mere passing allusion, is Methodius, the author of