Jerome, Against Jovinianus 1.39.277c-d
created: This entry is taken from Against Jovinianus 1.39.277c-d written by Jerome in 393
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: la; la
availability: Except for materials quoted from other sources, this entry is copyright 2023 by the contributors (Joseph L. Rife, et al.) and the Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project. It is licensed under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Some texts quoted in this entry may be in the public domain in the United States. No copyright is asserted for these quotations. Some texts quoted in this entry may have copyright restrictions and are reused under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)

https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/345

and

Caesarea

is directly attested at Jerome, Against Jovinianus 1.39.277c-d. This passage was written ca. 393 C.E. possibly in Bethlehem. We know almost nothing about Jovinianus, a Christian who promulgated heretical arguments concerning virginity, sex, baptism, sin, and punishment at Rome in the late 380s. After the thorough and swift condemnation of this work by Pope Siricius, Jerome received a copy from his associate Pammachius and responded with an exegetical critique. At the end of his discussion of marriage and purity, Jerome cites the famous example of the four virgin prophetesses of Caesarea.

Dies me deficiet si voluero omnia de castitate Apostoli praecepta memorare. Ista sunt de quibus ad apostolos Dominus loquebatur, “Adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere, sed non potestis ea portare modo. Cum autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis, docebit vos omnem veritatem.” Post crucem Christi, statim in Actis apostolorum una domus Philippi evangelistae quadrigam producit virginum filiarum: ut Caesarea, in qua ex gentibus Ecclesia per centurionem Cornelium fuerat dedicata, etiam virginum puellarum praeberet exempla. Cumque Dominus in Evangelio dixerit, “Lex et pophetae usque ad Ioannem,” istae, quia virgines erant, etiam post Ioannem prophetasse referuntur. Neque enim poterant veteris Testamenti lege detineri, quae virginitatis fulserant claritate.

[Ed. Migne 1883] [Minor corr.]

The day would fail me if I should want to relate all the Apostle’s teachings on chastity. The Lord said this on the matter to the Apostles: “Up to now I have told you many things, but you cannot bear them at all. But when the Spirit of truth comes, it will teach you every truth.” Right after the crucifixion of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles, one house belonging to Philip the evangelist produced a foursome of virgin daughters: even Caesarea, where the Church of Gentiles was dedicated by the centurion Cornelius, produces examples of virgin girls. When the Lord said in the Gospel, “The Law and the Prophets (were) up to John,” the girls, because they were virgins, were reported to have prophesied even after John. For the girls who flashed with the brightness of virginity could not be held back by the Law of the Old Testament.

[Adapted from Fremantle 1893]

Works Cited

[...] 1.36 977c-d
[...] 376-377

Additional Bibliography

[...]

[Acts 21:9

John 17:12, 13

Matthew 11:13]

[Cornelius, Christian at Caesarea

Jesus Christ

John the Baptist

Philip, Christian at Caesarea]

[Christian Bible

Christianity

Family

Hebrew Bible

Military

Sexuality and Gender]