I. Sources.- The authentic sources:
The Epistles of Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles 9:1–30 and 13 to 28. Of the Epistles of Paul the
four most important Galatians, Romans, two Corinthians—are universally acknowledged as
genuine even by the most exacting critics; the Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians
are admitted by nearly all critics; the Pastoral Epistles, especially First Timothy, and Titus, are
more or less disputed, but even they bear the stamp of Paul’s genius.
On the coincidences between the Acts and the Epistles see the section on the Acts. Comp. also §
22, pp. 213 sqq. - The legendary and apocryphal sources:
Acta Pauli et Theclae, edition in Greek by E. Grabe (from a Bodleian MS. in Spicileg. SS. PP.,
Oxon. 1698, tom. I. pp. 95–128; republished by Jones, 1726), and by Tischendorf (from three
Paris MSS, in Acta Apost. Apocrypha, Lips. 1851); in Syriac, with an English version by W.
Wright (in Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, Lond. 1871); Engl. transl. by Alex. Walker (in
Clark’s "Ante-Nicene Christian Library," vol. XVI. 279 sqq.). Comp. C. Schlau: Die Acten des
Paulus und der Thecla und die ältere Thecla-Legende, Leipz. 1877.
The Acts of Paul and Thecla strongly advocate celibacy. They are probably of Gnostic origin and
based on some local tradition. They were originally written, according to Tertullian (De Bapt.
cap. 17, comp. Jerome, Catal. cap. 7), by a presbyter in Asia "out of love to Paul," and in support
of the heretical opinion that women have the right to preach and to baptize after the example
of Thecla; hence the author was deposed. The book was afterwards purged of its most obnoxious
features and extensively used in the Catholic church. (See the patristic quotations in Tischendorf’s
Prolegomena, p. xxiv.) Thecla is represented as a noble virgin of Iconium, in Lycaonia, who
was betrothed to Thamyris, converted by Paul in her seventeenth year, consecrated herself to
perpetual virginity, was persecuted, carried to the stake, and thrown before wild beasts, but
miraculously delivered, and died 90 years old at Seleucia. In the Greek church she is celebrated
as the first female martyr. Paul is described at the beginning of this book (Tischend. p. 41) as
"little in stature, bald-headed, bow-legged, well-built (or vigorous), with knitted eye-brows,
rather long-nosed, full of grace, appearing now as a man, and now having the face of an angel."
From this description Renan has borrowed in part his fancy-sketch of Paul’s personal appearance.
Acta Pauli (Πράξεις Παύλου],used by Origen and ranked by Eusebiu" with the Antilegomena »or
νόθαrather). They are, like the Acta Petri (Πράξεις, orΠερίοδοι Πέτρου), a Gnostic reconstruction
of the canonical Acts and ascribed to the authorship of St. Linus. Preserved only in fragments.
Acta Petri et Pauli. A Catholic adaptation of an Ebionite work. The Greek and Latin text was
published first in a complete form by Thilo, Halle, 1837-’38, the Greek by Tischendorf (who
collated six MSS.) in his Acta Apost. Apoc. 1851, 1–39; English transl. byWalker in "Ante-Nicene
Libr., " XVI. 256 sqq. This book records the arrival of Paul in Rome, his meeting with Peter
and Simon Magus, their trial before the tribunal of Nero, and the martyrdom of Peter by
crucifixion, and of Paul by decapitation. The legend of Domine quo vadis is here recorded of
Peter, and the story of Perpetua is interwoven with the martyrdom of Paul.
The pseudo-Clementine Homilies, of the middle of the second century or later, give a malignant
Judaizing caricature of Paul under the disguise of Simon Magus (in part at least), and
misrepresent him as an antinomian arch-heretic; while Peter, the proper hero of this romance,
is glorified as the apostle of pure, primitive Christianity.
A.D. 1-100.