Lake Apostolic Fathers 2 - Bible Translation

THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS
The epistle to Diop!;netus is an anonymous writing
of uncertain date. The Diognetus to whom it is
addressed is unknown, though some scholars have
sought to identify him with a Diognetus who was a
teacher of Marcus Aurelius. Its claim to be included
among the apostolic fathers rests on custom rather
than right, for it is probably later than any of the
other writings in tiiis group, and if it were judged
by the character of tts contents would more probably
be placed among the works of the Apologists.
Like most early apologies for Christianity it begins
by expounding the foolishness of the worship of
idols, and the inadequacy of the Jewish religion and
then proceeds to give a short sketch of Christian
belief, a panegyric on Christian character and a
description of the benefit which it offers to converts.
In this respect it resembles the apology of Aristides,
and somewhat less closely those of Justin and
Tatian, and the suggestion has been made that
it may have been written by Aristides. Its style
is, however, rhetorical in the extreme and it may
be doubted whether it was not an academic
treatise or possibly the exercise of some young theo-
logian rather than an actual apology sent to a living
person. The general impression made by the document
is unfavourable to any theory of an early date
and quite decisive against the tradition which seems
to have been preserved in the lost MS. in which the
epistle was found, attributing it to Justin Martyr.
Harnack thinks that it more probably belongs to the
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