Folia Theologica et Canonica 6. 28/20 (2017)
SACRA THEOLOGIA - László Perendy, The application of the term ’brother/sister’ in early Christianity
THE APPLICATION OF THE TERM ‘BROTHER/SISTER' IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY 41 Christian communities in time of persecution, so it was not advisable to use it too often in the communication of the church ad extra. It is conspicuous that during the 3rd century the use of the term is attested less frequently.21 In the middle of the 3rd century it appears almost exclusively in the context of martyrdom: in the Acta Pionii, in the letters of Cyprian of Carthage, and in the first chapters of his essential work entitled De lapsis. The Acta Pionii describes the martyrdom of three Christians in Smyrna, which took place with great probability under the reign of Decius, i.e. in 250 or 251,22 23 First the term ‘brother’ is applied to the Christians who help their fellow Christians suffering persecution. In Chapter Nine the author writes about Sabina, one of the martyrs, that she already had suffered before for being Christian because of an immoral woman, Politta: ‘Under the Emperor Gordian this woman, in an attempt to change the girl’s faith, had Sabina bound and cast out on the mountains; but here she received sustenance secretly from the brethren (Ttotpà tcòv à5eX(pcov).’2J It may seem curious that when it appears for the second time (in Chapter Twelve), it is applied to the Christians who have proven to be weak during the persecution. They even tried to dissuade Pionius from martyrdom. The dramatic events which were taking place in the prison are described in the following way: ‘[W]hile they were in prison many pagans came to try to persuade them but they were surprised to hear the answers they gave. Into the prison as well came many Christian brethren (xcov XpiGTtavffiv àôeAxpœv) who had been carried off by force, and they made a great lament.’24 We have to observe that in this case the word ‘brethren’ is used together with the adjective ‘Christian’ to disambiguate its meaning. In Chapter Eighteen it is narrated how the mob tries to persuade the Christians that they offer a pagan sacrifice, or at least make the crowd gathering around them believe that they have changed their minds and are nevertheless sacrificing to the pagan gods. They were putting sacrificial crowns on them and were eating sacrificial meals in front of them. But the martyrs tore the crowns and "kept shouting, “We are Christians!” (Kptaxtavot ècpev) and since they could find nothing to do to them, they sent them back to prison, while the crowd mocked and beat them. Someone said to Sabina: “Why could you not have died 21 Cf. Hamman, A. - Maritano, M., Brother/Sister, 397. 22 Although according to Eusebius Pionius was executed in the time of Marcus Aurelius Verus {HE iv. 15. 46-47), most scholars think that what is related in the Martyrium took place most probably under the reign of Decius, even if some legal details show that it took its final shape only at the end of the third century; cf. Musurillo, H. (text, transi.), The Acts of the Christian Martyrs (Oxford Early Christian Texts), Oxford 1972. xxviii-xxx. 23 Musurillo, H. (text, transi.). The Acts of the Christian Martyrs, 147. 24 Musurillo, H. (text, transi.), The Acts of the Christian Martyrs. 151.
