Difference between revisions of "Earth age opinions of prominent Christians - pre-1800"
(→Quotes) |
(→Quotes) |
||
| Line 67: | Line 67: | ||
== Quotes == | == Quotes == | ||
| − | === Irenaeus, Against Heresies Vol | + | === Irenaeus, Against Heresies Vol 5, 28:3 === |
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works. This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year. | For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works. This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year. | ||
| Line 75: | Line 75: | ||
And from the foundation of the world the whole time is thus traced, so far as its main epochs are concerned. From the creation of the world to the deluge were 2242 years. And from the deluge to the time when Abraham our forefather begat a son, 1036 years. And from Isaac, Abraham's son, to the time when the people dwelt with Moses in the desert, 660 years. And from the death of Moses and the rule of Joshua the son of Nun, to the death of the patriarch David, 498 years. And from the death of David and the reign of Solomon to the sojourning of the people in the land of Babylon, 518 years 6 months 10 days. And from the government of Cyrus to the death of the Emperor Aurelius Verus, 744 years. All the years from the creation of the world amount to a total of 5698 years, and the odd months and days. | And from the foundation of the world the whole time is thus traced, so far as its main epochs are concerned. From the creation of the world to the deluge were 2242 years. And from the deluge to the time when Abraham our forefather begat a son, 1036 years. And from Isaac, Abraham's son, to the time when the people dwelt with Moses in the desert, 660 years. And from the death of Moses and the rule of Joshua the son of Nun, to the death of the patriarch David, 498 years. And from the death of David and the reign of Solomon to the sojourning of the people in the land of Babylon, 518 years 6 months 10 days. And from the government of Cyrus to the death of the Emperor Aurelius Verus, 744 years. All the years from the creation of the world amount to a total of 5698 years, and the odd months and days. | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
| − | === Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies Vol 1, | + | === Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies Vol 1, 21 <ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf02.vi.iv.i.xxi.html</ref>=== |
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
...from Adam to the death of Commodus, five thousand seven hundred and eighty-four years, two months, twelve days. | ...from Adam to the death of Commodus, five thousand seven hundred and eighty-four years, two months, twelve days. | ||
| + | </blockquote> | ||
| + | === Hippolytus of Rome, On Daniel, 2:4 <ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf05.iii.iv.i.x.ii.html</ref>=== | ||
| + | <blockquote> | ||
| + | For as the times are noted from the foundation of the world, and reckoned from Adam, they set clearly before us the matter with which our inquiry deals. For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suffered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 years must needs be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day “on which God rested from all His works.” For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they “shall reign with Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. And they are not yet fulfilled, as John says: “five are fallen; one is,” that is, the sixth; “the other is not yet come.” | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
=== George Syncellus, Chronography === | === George Syncellus, Chronography === | ||
Revision as of 23:06, June 1, 2008
The following is a list of published opinions by prominent Christians, making an explicit declaration as to the age of the earth, prior to the current evolutionary age. The differences in the ages below show two approximate dates for the creation of the world, either about 5500BC or about 4000BC. These two dates arise from the fact that the Greek translation of the old testament favored by the early church differs from the Hebrew Masoretic text in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11. [1]
List of dates
| Name | Born-Died | Quoted age of Earth (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Irenaeus | 130-202 | <6000 |
| Theophilus | ?-185 | 5529 |
| Clement of Alexandria | 150-215 | dates Adam at 5592 BC and places creation outside of time |
| Hippolytus of Rome | ?-235 | 5500 at the birth of Christ |
| Julius Africanus | 160-240 | 5500 at the birth of Christ |
| Origen | 182-251 | much less than 10,000 |
| Lactantius | 240-320 | less than 6000 |
| Eusebius of Caesarea | 263-339 | from Adam to the start of Christ's ministry is 5228 years |
| Augustine | 354-430 | less than 6000 |
| Venerable Bede | 672-735 | 3952 years before Christ |
| George Syncellus | ?-810 | 5534 years at the resurrection of Christ |
| John Calvin | 1509-1564 | less than 6000 |
| James Ussher | 1581-1656 | 4004 at the birth of Christ |
| John Lightfoot | 1602-1675 | 3928 at the birth of Christ |
Quotes
Irenaeus, Against Heresies Vol 5, 28:3
For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works. This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year.
Theophilus, To Autolycus [2]
And from the foundation of the world the whole time is thus traced, so far as its main epochs are concerned. From the creation of the world to the deluge were 2242 years. And from the deluge to the time when Abraham our forefather begat a son, 1036 years. And from Isaac, Abraham's son, to the time when the people dwelt with Moses in the desert, 660 years. And from the death of Moses and the rule of Joshua the son of Nun, to the death of the patriarch David, 498 years. And from the death of David and the reign of Solomon to the sojourning of the people in the land of Babylon, 518 years 6 months 10 days. And from the government of Cyrus to the death of the Emperor Aurelius Verus, 744 years. All the years from the creation of the world amount to a total of 5698 years, and the odd months and days.
Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies Vol 1, 21 [3]
...from Adam to the death of Commodus, five thousand seven hundred and eighty-four years, two months, twelve days.
Hippolytus of Rome, On Daniel, 2:4 [4]
For as the times are noted from the foundation of the world, and reckoned from Adam, they set clearly before us the matter with which our inquiry deals. For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suffered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 years must needs be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day “on which God rested from all His works.” For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they “shall reign with Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. And they are not yet fulfilled, as John says: “five are fallen; one is,” that is, the sixth; “the other is not yet come.”
George Syncellus, Chronography
...on this same holy day of the life-giving resurrection, the 5534th year from the creation of the universe commenced.