Simon Magus: The First Gnostic?

Stephen Haar

• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9783110176896
• eBook ISBN: 9783110898828
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

This latest comprehensive work on Simon Magus lends new impetus to the investigation of Early Christianity and questions surrounding the origin and nature of Gnosticism. Major contributions of this study include: (1), a departure from the traditional exegesis of Acts 8, 5-24 (the first narrative source of Simon), and the later following reports of ancient Christian writers; (2), an overview of the literature of Graeco-Roman antiquity to determine the contribution of "magic" and "the Magoi" in the development of perceptions and descriptions of Simon; and (3), the inclusion of social science explanation models and modern estimations of "identity", in a creative approach to questions surrounding the phenomenon of Simon.

Table of contents

• Preface
• Abbreviations
• Chapter One. Introduction
• 1. Purpose and Rationale
• 2. Structure and Method
• 3. Outlining an Approach
• Chapter Two. History of Research
• 1. Preliminary Remarks
• 2. Simon observed within the Debate over the Historical Value of Acts
• 3. Simon observed within the Debate over the Nature and Origin of Gnosticism
• 4. Concluding Remarks
• Chapter Three. The Sources
• 1. Introduction
• 2. References to the Magoi in the Literature of Graeco-Roman Antiquity
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Magoi in the Pre-Socratics
• Excursus: Heraclitus of Ephesus
• 2.3 Magoi in the Historians of Graeco-Roman Antiquity
• 2.4 Magoi in the Philosophers of Graeco-Roman Antiquity
• 2.5 Magoi in the Writers of Graeco-Roman Antiquity
• 2.6 Observations
• 2.7 Conclusions
• 3. The New Testament Account of Simon
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Some Textual Considerations in Acts 8:4–25
• 3.3 Summary Conclusions
• 4. The Accounts of Simon in Ancient Christian Writers prior to 400CE
• 4.1 Justin Martyr
• 4.2 Irenaeus
• 4.3 Hippolytus
• 4.4 Epiphanius
• 4.5 The Pseudo-Clementine Literature
• 4.6 The Apocryphal Acts of Peter
• 5. Summary Conclusions
• Chapter Four. Simon the Magician
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Magic in the Graeco-Roman World
• 3. Jewish Magic
• Excursus: Honi the Circle Drawer and Hanina Ben Dosa
• 4. Magoi in the Matthean Infancy Narrative
• 5. Simon the “Magician” and other “Magicians” in the Book of Acts
• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 Philip, Peter, and Simon the “Magician” in Acts 8:4–25
• Excursus: [The] City of Samaria and a “Samaritan” Simon in Acts 8:4–25
• 5.3 Paul and the Jewish “Magician” Bar-Jesus in Acts 13:4–12
• 5.4 Paul and the Ephesian Exorcists in Acts 19:13–20
• Chapter Five. Simon the Gnostic
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Towards a Consensus in Terminology
• 2.1 The Word “Gnostic” and Its Development
• 2.2 The Word “Gnosticism” and Its Development
• 3. Evidence from Ancient Christian Writers
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Literary Fragments
• Excursus: Simon and the Gods and Goddesses of Graeco-Roman Antiquity
• Chapter Six. Conclusion
• 1. Preliminary Remarks
• 2. The Messina Definition and Simon
• 3. Ancient Christian Writers and Simon
• 4. “Simon” on Simon
• 5. Final Remarks
• Bibliography
• 1. Sources (Texts and Translations)
• 1.1. Jewish, Samaritan, and Christian
• 1.2. Iranian
• 1.3. Greek and Roman
• 1.4. Nag Hammadi
• 1.5. Magical Papyri
• 2. Reference
• 3. Secondary Literature
• Index of References
• 1. Old Testament/Hebrew Bibel
• 2. Septuagint, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha
• 3. New Testament
• 4. Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature
• 5. Rabbinic Literature
• 6. Early Christian Literature, Nag Hammadi
• 7. Ancient Writers
• 8. Papyri, Inscriptions
• 9. Other Sources
• Index of Modern Authors