Early Christian Writers' Use of Extrabiblical Examples
Early Christian writers, in their efforts to explain and defend Christian doctrine, frequently drew upon examples and concepts from outside the biblical canon. This practice is evident in various ways, from direct references to classical philosophy and literature to the use of allegorical interpretation that sometimes extended beyond the literal biblical narrative.
For instance, John Chrysostom, a prominent Eastern Orthodox exegete, often engaged with classical Greek thought. His homilies sometimes compare the moral character of heathenism with Christian teachings [3]. He also refers to figures like Democritus, Leucippus, and Epicurus, founders of atomistic philosophy, when discussing philosophical concepts [3]. While Chrysostom was a prolific commentator on the Old Testament, his lack of Hebrew knowledge meant he primarily relied on the Septuagint (LXX) and occasionally used verbal suggestions from the Greek text that did not always align with the Hebrew original [2]. This reliance on the Greek text, which was the common language of scholarship in his era, naturally led to engagement with broader Hellenistic intellectual currents.
The use of extrabiblical examples also extended to the interpretation of biblical narratives. While some, like John Calvin, cautioned against excessive allegorization, criticizing Origen for "torturing" all histories to an allegorical sense and extracting "smoke out of light," the practice of finding deeper, symbolic meanings was present [4]. Calvin himself, in his commentary on Genesis, acknowledged that certain biblical accounts could be "more profoundly considered by Paul" in an allegorical sense [4]. This suggests a recognition that biblical texts could carry layers of meaning that might be illuminated by broader interpretive frameworks, even if not explicitly drawn from non-biblical sources.
Furthermore, the New Testament itself provides examples of engaging with the surrounding culture. The term "Christian," for instance, was first applied to believers in Antioch, likely by Gentiles, and was initially used contemptuously [1]. This indicates an early interaction between the nascent Christian community and the wider society, where external observers provided a name that eventually became central to Christian identity. The New Testament also warns against "cunningly devised fables," which John Gill interprets as referring to Jewish fables found in their traditionary and oral law, or Gentile fables concerning their deities [5]. This shows an awareness of and a need to distinguish Christian teaching from other narratives prevalent at the time.
The early Christian engagement with extrabiblical examples thus reflects a dynamic interaction with the intellectual and cultural landscape of their time, using external references to clarify, contrast, and communicate Christian truths.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Christian — The disciples, we are told, (Acts 11:26) were first called Christians at Antioch on the Orontes, somewhere about A.D. 43. They were known to each other as, and were among themselves called, brethren, (Acts 15:1,23; 1 Corinthians 7:12) disciples, (Acts 9:26; 11:29) believers, (Acts 5:14) saints, (Romans 8:27; 15:25) The name "Christian," which, in the only other cases where it appears in the New Testament, (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) is used contemptuously, could not have been applied by the early disciples to themselves, but was imposed upon them by the Gen”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew: Owing to his ignorance of Hebrew, Chrysostom was not properly equipped for the work of expounding the Old Testament. He treats the LXX. as though it were of final authority, save in a few instances where the variations of other Greek versions have occasioned discussion. Frequently he makes use of verbal suggestions of the Greek that have no warrant in the Hebrew text. Yet, where he is not thus misled, his comments on the Old Testament present the same characteristics as those on the New. The most marked peculiarity of Chrysostom as an exegete is his compar”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: moral character of heathenism.”—Meyer.—G.A.] 309 [Compare 1 Kings xviii. 27 , the locus classicus where Elijah uses his scathing irony against the priests of Baal.—G.A.] 310 [See Schaff’s History of the Christian Church , Vol. I., pp. 72–74, with Literature there noted.—G.A.] 311 [On Democritus and Leucippus, founders of the Atomistic philosophy, see Ueberweg’s Hist. of Philosophy (Amer. ed.), Vol. I., pp. 67–71; on Epicurus, Vol. I., pp. 205–207.—G.A.] 312 This was the instance in the Schools. Vid. Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrh. Hypot”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 25.13: But because I have before declared, that this history is more profoundly considered by Paul, the sum of it is here briefly to be collected. In the first place, he says, that what is here read, was written allegorically: not that he wishes all histories, indiscriminately to be tortured to an allegorical sense, as Origin does; who by hunting everywhere for allegories, corrupts the whole Scripture; and others, too eagerly emulating his example, have extracted smoke out of light. And not only has the simplicity of Scripture been viti”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 1:16: For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,.... Such as Jewish fables, cautioned against Tit 1:14 which their traditionary and oral law, their Talmud, and other writings, mention; as concerning the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, the sumptuous feast, and carnal pleasures and entertainments, of that state, with many other things; some of which indeed are not very cunningly put together, but weak enough: or Gentile fables concerning the theogony and exploits of their deities; and which may be meant by fables and endless genealogies in Ti1 1:4, and especially re”