Letter to John of Jerusalem

Name: Letter to John of Jerusalem
Author: Epiphanius of Salamis

Epistula ad Joannem Hierosolymitanum

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403 AD) · PG 41-43

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Contents4 passages

1Greeting and warning against pride and grumbling
2Prayer for peace and unbroken bond
3Tearing the painted curtain at Anautha
4Sending the replacement curtain and urging John to prevent such hangings

Author

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403 AD) — Bishop of Salamis (Constantia) on Cyprus. Best known for the Panarion (Medicine Chest), a vast catalogue of heresies, with the Ancoratus as a shorter doctrinal anchor for the churches. A fierce defender of Nicene orthodoxy and monastic discipline.

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About this text

A bishop's urgent plea for unity and truth amid accusations of idolatry in a holy land.

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403) wrote this letter to John, bishop of Jerusalem, in 394 or 395. Epiphanius was bishop of Salamis in Cyprus. He wrote to explain and defend his action of tearing a curtain with a painted human image in a church at Anautha, and to send what he had obtained as a replacement.

John was angry that Epiphanius had ordained a priest inside John's jurisdiction, and Epiphanius had openly charged John with being an Origenist.

Epiphanius urges John not to be carried away by pride of office but to heed Scripture's warning against grumbling. He prays that God will crush Satan under the feet of Christians and prevent the bond of Christ's unfeigned love, peace, right faith, and truth from being torn away from them. He then recounts that while traveling to the holy place of Bethel to meet with John, he entered a church at the village of Anautha, found a curtain painted with a human image said to be Christ or a saint, tore it as an abomination in church, and advised using it to wrap a poor dead person. He notes that some grumbled, saying he should have replaced the curtain from his own resources before tearing it, though he had promised to send another. He now sends what he found, having expected to send something from Cyprus, and asks John to order the local presbyter to receive it and to prevent such things from being placed in churches. The letter quotes 1 Corinthians 10:10 directly without naming Paul, with a possible allusion to 10:9.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 41 – 43 (Greek)

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Greeting and warning against pride and grumbling§1

Epiphanius opens his letter to John of Jerusalem with a formal greeting, then immediately warns him not to be carried away by pride of office, citing Scripture against grumbling.

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1To the most reverend brother and papa John, Epiphanius, bishop, sends greetings in the Lord.

We ought not, beloved, to be carried away by the pride of office, but... For the divine Scripture says: “Do not grumble, as some of them grumbled and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10, with allusion to 10:9).

Greek · §1

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Prayer for peace and unbroken bond§2

Epiphanius, having just quoted Scripture against grumbling, now prays that God will crush Satan and preserve the bond of love, peace, faith, and truth among Christians.

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2But the God of peace, in his love for humankind, will act with us so that Satan is crushed under the feet of us Christians, and every wicked pretext is driven away, so that the bond of Christ's unfeigned love, peace, right faith, and truth is not torn from us.

Greek · §2

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Tearing the painted curtain at Anautha§3

Epiphanius is recounting to John what happened when he entered a church at the village of Anautha on his way to Bethel.

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3But since I have heard that some people grumbled against us, saying that while we were crossing to the holy place of Bethel to gather together with your honor, when we came to the village called Anautha, we saw a lamp burning and asked about it and learned that there was a church in that place. When we entered to offer a prayer, we found at the door a dyed curtain on which had been painted some human image, idol-like, which they said was perhaps a representation of Christ or of one of the saints—for I do not remember what I saw. And knowing that it is an abomination in church for such things to be, I tore it and advised that they wrap a poor dead person in it. But those who grumbled said, "He ought to have exchanged the curtain from his own resources before he tore it." And yet I had promised that I would send another in its place, but I delayed to send it because of the necessity for me to travel.

Greek · §3

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Sending the replacement curtain and urging John to prevent such hangings§4

Epiphanius is closing his letter to John of Jerusalem, explaining that he has now sent the replacement curtain and asking John to order the local presbyter to receive it and to prevent such images in churches.

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4I had expected to send one from Cyprus, but now I have sent what I found. Deign, then, to order the presbyter of the parish to receive what has been sent from the reader, and I ask you to command that such things not be hung in the churches. For it is fitting for your honor to care about all things and to examine carefully what is beneficial for the church of God and for the people entrusted to you.

Greek · §4

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