The Marcionite Church of Christ is happy to announce that we have uncovered the authorship of the so-called Epistle to Diognetus, which is generally considered a jewel of Christian apologetics.
Particularly the fifth chapter, which sketches the Christians’ manner of living, stirs the heart. Yet much about this text is uncertain. That is true of both the exact date of its composition and the authorship.
Many scholars date the epistle to roughly 130 C.E. which would make it the first extant example of a Christian apologetic text.
It has been argued by many scholars, including Christian Charles Josias von Bunsen and Ernesto Buonaiuti, that the so called, Epistle to Diognetus, was originally a work of either Marcion of Sinope, or one of his disciples, such as Apelles.
The text contains multiple Pauline and Marcionite theological themes and never references the Hebrew Bible.
This Pauline or Marcionite character of the text is only reinforced when the final two chapters of the document are dropped. Most scholars agree that the final two chapters are a later interpolation of the text. They represent not only a different style of writing but also represent completely different theological tendencies. They were most likely added a later date to bring the text closer to the prevailing Christian orthodoxy of the time.
Tertullian claimed that when Marcion was younger, before his excommunication by the Roman Church, he penned a letter which was universally lauded and approved, even by Catholics.
The Marcionite Church of Christ believes that this letter was the Epistle to Diognetus.
But going further, this is no epistle at all, but rather a homily that Marcion of Sinope delivered in one of his churches and was later transcribed and disseminated across the Christian world.
The text contains none of the typical elements of an epistle, but clearly represents a sermon or homily delivered to a church.
Diognetus has been identified by scholars through ancient inscriptions as a local aristocrat in Smyrna. These inscriptions were dated to around the time of Polycarp, who was a contemporary of Marcion.
Smyrna, a city in Asia Minor, is an area where Marcion not only evangelized but formed many of his own churches. We even know of a Marcionite presbyter and martyr from Smyrna by name, Metrodorus.
Diognetus, a pagan, most likely visited a local church to question Marcion of Sinope on his Christian beliefs. Marcion’s response to Diognetus’ inquiries forms the basis of the homily and the later transcribed text.
Tertullian mistakenly referred to the transcribed homily as a letter.
At some point, the text was made anonymous, removing all mentions of Marcion of Sinope; it was circulated but eventually lost and only rediscovered by accident centuries later.
The Marcionite Church of Christ will now include the 10-chapter Homily to Diognetus in the Homileticon, which will serve as a collection of Marcionite homilies as they are rediscovered. This text is not considered holy scripture but rather a holy tradition and serves as an insightful Marcionite Christian apologetic and liturgical text.
Marcion of Sinope’s Homily to Diognetus should be read as the homily during Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Marcion.
The translation used for the Homily to Diognetus is based on the work of J. B. Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers, 1891).
You can read Marcion’s Homily to Diognetus here.
