But the Twelfth Book was the most
celebrated
of all, in which Porphyry
strenuously opposes the
{44}
prophecy of Daniel.
strenuously opposes the
{44}
prophecy of Daniel.
Tacitus
"
The Third Book treated of the interpretation of the Scriptures, in
which Porphyry condemned the mode of explaining them adopted by the
commentators, and especially the allegories of Origen. This is evident
from a long extract from this work of Porphyry given by Eusebius in
Hist. Eccl. lib. i. cap. 13.
The Fourth Book treated of the Mosaic history and the antiquities of the
Jews, as we learn from Eusebius, Proep. Evang. lib. i. cap. 9, and from
Theo-doret, Serm. ii. Therap.
But the Twelfth Book was the most celebrated of all, in which Porphyry
strenuously opposes the
{44}
prophecy of Daniel. Of this work Jerome thus speaks in the Preface to
his Commentary on that prophet: "Porphyry's twelfth book is against the
prophet Daniel, as he was unwilling to admit that it was written by that
prophet, but contends that it was composed by a person in Judæa named
Epiphanes, and who lived in the time of Antiochus. Hence he says,
that Daniel does not so much narrate future as past events. Lastly, he
asserts, that whatever is related as far as to the reign of Antiochus
contains a true history; but that all that is said posterior to this
time, as the writer was ignorant of futurity, is false. "
The Thirteenth Book also, according to Jerome*, was written against
the same prophet; in which book, speaking of the "abomination of
desolation," as it is called by Daniel, (when standing in the sacred
place,) he says many reproachful things of the Christians.
The same Jerome likewise, in Epist. ci. , ad Pam-machium, testifies, that
Porphyry accuses the history of the Evangelists of falsehood, and says**
that Christ, after he had told his brethren that he should
* Vid. lib. iv. Comment, in 24 Cap. Matth.
** Lib. ii. adversus Pelagianos.
{45}
not go up to the feast of tabernacles, yet afterwards went up to it
(John vii.
The Third Book treated of the interpretation of the Scriptures, in
which Porphyry condemned the mode of explaining them adopted by the
commentators, and especially the allegories of Origen. This is evident
from a long extract from this work of Porphyry given by Eusebius in
Hist. Eccl. lib. i. cap. 13.
The Fourth Book treated of the Mosaic history and the antiquities of the
Jews, as we learn from Eusebius, Proep. Evang. lib. i. cap. 9, and from
Theo-doret, Serm. ii. Therap.
But the Twelfth Book was the most celebrated of all, in which Porphyry
strenuously opposes the
{44}
prophecy of Daniel. Of this work Jerome thus speaks in the Preface to
his Commentary on that prophet: "Porphyry's twelfth book is against the
prophet Daniel, as he was unwilling to admit that it was written by that
prophet, but contends that it was composed by a person in Judæa named
Epiphanes, and who lived in the time of Antiochus. Hence he says,
that Daniel does not so much narrate future as past events. Lastly, he
asserts, that whatever is related as far as to the reign of Antiochus
contains a true history; but that all that is said posterior to this
time, as the writer was ignorant of futurity, is false. "
The Thirteenth Book also, according to Jerome*, was written against
the same prophet; in which book, speaking of the "abomination of
desolation," as it is called by Daniel, (when standing in the sacred
place,) he says many reproachful things of the Christians.
The same Jerome likewise, in Epist. ci. , ad Pam-machium, testifies, that
Porphyry accuses the history of the Evangelists of falsehood, and says**
that Christ, after he had told his brethren that he should
* Vid. lib. iv. Comment, in 24 Cap. Matth.
** Lib. ii. adversus Pelagianos.
{45}
not go up to the feast of tabernacles, yet afterwards went up to it
(John vii.
