Thursday, April 18, 2024

Crispin Fletcher-Louis on the use of αρπαγμος in Eusebius, Commentary on Luke 6

  

In Eusebius’ Commentary on Luke 6, where we find a rare Christian instance of the use of the word αρπαγμος outside of an explicit quotation of Phil 2:6, Peter αρπαγμον τον δια σταυρου θανατον εποιειτο δια τας σωτηριους ελπιδα. That is, Peter “considered death by means of the cross harpagmos on account of the hope of salvation.” Because Peter’s reckoning in regard to his death by means of the cross is an interpretative evaluation of a future event, it is unlikely to be something already in his possession which he decides to exploit. There is no contextual reason to think that Peter discerns that (his future) death will be something of which to take advantage. At the time of reckoning, Peter is looking forward to the fact that he is destined for a salvation (σωτηρια) (that will be given to him as a gift). He is not looking forward to his own act of somehow taking advantage of death.

 

Whatever exactly the word αρπαγμος means here, it does not naturally mean that Peter viewed crucifixion as “not a horror to be shunned, but an advantage to be seized.” Indeed, . . . because the word αρπαγμον is the complement corresponding to the direct object τον δια σταυρου θανατον, the word αρπαγμος has likely been chosen because Peter is thinking of a particular process, rather than an object or abstract thing. The precise form of words also suggests that αρπαγμος denotes a king of “snatching.” The phrase δια τας σωτηριους ελπιδας can be taken as an interpretative gloss on the word αρπαγμον. Rather than adopt the position of an unwilling and passive victim, Peter takes the initiative in a hopeful reckoning (εποιειτο δια . . .ελπιδας) that his willingness to die by crucifixion is in fact an active snatching, through which he would receive salvation.

 

It might be that “salvation” is the implied object of the grasping to which αρπαγμος refers. However, it is more likely that αρπαγμος is chosen here because of its marital or erotic connotations. Peter viewed death by crucifixion as a divine abduction, by which his Savior took him to himself . . . Peter’s murderers string him up on a cross. But, in truth, from Peter’s own perspective, Christ will lift him up—in a way subversively echoing the abduction of Ganymede—to the heavens. Unfortunately, the line about Peter’s crucifixion appears in a series of accounts of apostolic martyrdoms with no further comment or context to help interpret what Eusebius means by Peter’s view of his death. However, given the common ancient associations of death and marriage, . . . Peter deemed his death the moment at which he was taken to be with Christ in heaven, like a bride abducted by a groom. (Crispin Fletcher-Louis, The Divine Heartset: Paul’s Philippians Christ Hymn, Metaphysical Affections, and Civic Virtues [Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2023], 390-91)