dog-on

Is there any scholarship that relates the possibility that Lucian's character is actually a satire on Paul?

I have read arguments claiming Ignatius (Harnack), or even Marcion (Detering) as being Lucian's referent, but I am looking for an argument specifically proposing Paul as Peregrinus - Proteus.

mountainman

The major mystery surrounding the books supposedly authored in the names of Lucian and Paul is the existence of many books in the names of Pseudo Lucian and Pseudo Paul. Setting these aside, the author could also have been inspired by the burning of a Hindu monk.

Toto

Roger Parvus has the most extensive argument that Peregrinus was based on Ignatius. I've never seen anyone argue that Peregrinus was Paul, although there are some obvious similarities. But most scholars are stuck with Paul in the mid first century, and assume that Lucien wrote about a near contemporary.

dog-on

Yea, it seems that you are correct. The reason I ask this is due to those, as you said, obvious similarities. Such a solution would even provide an interesting twist to Paul's mysterious exit from Acts...

Duvduv

The mention of Christians in the story of Proteus makes absolutely no sense. As I mentioned, WHAT Christians and WHERE in Palestine, and they worship WHICH man?
And they have WHAT queer creed? WHICH Asiatic communities? They started worshiping Proteus instead of "the man" they usually worshipped? And "the man" introduced WHICH novel rites? And as "leader" of the Christians, he finished his satirical biography by committing suicide. Now THAT's real "evidence" for early Christians!

It was now that he came across the priests and scribes of the 11 Christians, in Palestine, and picked up their queer creed. I can tell you, he pretty soon convinced them of his superiority; prophet, elder, ruler of the Synagogue--he was everything at once; expounded their books, commented on them, wrote books himself. They took him for a God, accepted his laws, and declared him their president. The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day,--the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.

Well, the end of it was that Proteus was arrested and thrown12 into prison. This was the very thing to lend an air to his favourite arts of clap-trap and wonder-working; he was now a made man. The Christians took it all very seriously: he was no sooner in prison, than they began trying every means to get him out again,--but without success. Everything else that could be done for him they most devoutly did. They thought of nothing else. Orphans and ancient widows might be seen hanging about the prison from break of day. Their officials bribed the gaolers to let them sleep inside with him. Elegant dinners were conveyed in; their sacred writings were read; and our old friend Peregrine (as he was still called in those days) became for them "the modern Socrates." In some of the Asiatic 13 cities, too, the Christian communities put themselves to the expense of sending deputations, with offers of sympathy, assistance,

RParvus

Actually, I would turn that statement around. I think Peregrinus was the real author of the original letters, and that “Ignatius” was created by means of changes later made to them. Peregrinus was a Christian and under arrest when he wrote the letters, but his ultimate apostasy from Christianity made them damaged goods. They were salvaged for proto-orthodox use by turning them into the Ignatians.

Those interested in this theory can find on Neil Godfrey’s Vridar blog a series of posts I wrote about it: “The Letters Supposedly Written by Ignatius of Antioch.”

James The Least

It's a fictional story.

dog-on

I wonder if the Acts author might have used some bits and pieces for the scaffolding she erected for Paul.

arnoldo

FWIW, Athenagoras allegedly mention Proteus in his writing entitled Plea for the Christians.

Duvduv

However in the original rendition he alleges unspecified Christians in Palestine. No mention of who and where, etc., and it's all supposed to be deemed as engraved in stone. Makes no sense at all.