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ER 1857

Bishop Ambrose of Milan (Italy) in a letter to Irenaeus, possibly a cleric in Milan, replies to his questions concerning the interpretation of the Book of Exodus. Ambrose of Milan, Letter 4 (Maur. 27), written in Milan, AD 374/397.

VI (Maur. 28)

Ambrosius Iraeneo Salutem.

At the beginning of the letter Ambrose refers to the precept of Pythagoras for his disciples to avoid the common path. According to Ambrose, Pythagoras learnt this from the Bible in which he also read, among other things that:

1. [...] Legerat praeceptum eidem Moysi, ut montem cum sacerdotibus ascenderet, populus autem deorsum staret. Separavit igitur sacerdotes a populo et postea ipsum Moysen intra nubem introire praecepit.

2. Vides divisiones: Nihil in sacerdotibus plebeium requiri, nihil populare, nihil commune cum studio adque usu et moribus inconditae multitudinis. Sobriam a turbis gravitatem, seriam vitam, singulare pondus dignitas sibi vindicat sacerdotalis. Quomodo enim potest observari a populo, qui nihil habet secretum a populo, dispar a multitudine? Quid enim in te miretur, si sua in te recognoscat, si nihil in te aspiciat, quod ultra se inveniat, si, quae in se erubescit, in te, quem reverendum arbitratur, offendat? 3. Supergrediamur igitur plebeias opiniones et strata quaedam gregalis conversationis ac detritae viae orbitas declinemus, vulgaris semitae solum, quam currit ille, cuius vita levior cursore, de quo dicitur: Transivit et non vidit. [...]

Ambrose further develops the moral commentary on two paths, and the need of pursuing the one of wisdom, prudence, and knowledge of God because that one leads to heaven.

8. [...] Vale et nos, ut facis, quasi filius dilige!

(ed. Faller 1968: 26-34; summary M. Szada)

VI (Maur. 28)

Ambrose to Iraeneus, greetings.

1. [...] He had also read the command given to Moses to ascend the mountain with the priests while the people stayed behind. God first separated the priests from the people and then commanded Moses to enter the cloud.

2. You see, then, the separation. See how among priests one looks for nothing of a vulgar nature, nothing ordinary, nothing in common with the interests and practice and character of the undisciplined multitude. The priestly dignity demands a prudent demeanor, different from that of the crowd, a serious mode of life, an especial sense of gravity. How can the priest expect the people to honor him if he possesses no quality different from the people? Why should a man admire you if he sees his own qualities in you; if he sees nothing in you which he does not discover first in himself; if he finds in you, whom he thinks he should respect, the very thing of which he is ashamed in himself? 3. Let us tread beyond the opinions of the common herd, and let us avoid the thoroughfares of ordinary living, and the routes of the beaten road, and the footpath of the crowd where he travels whose day is swifter than the courier, of whom it is said: "He fled away and did not see." [Job 9:25]. [...]

Ambrose further develops the moral commentary on two paths, and the need of pursuing the one of wisdom, prudence, and knowledge of God because that one leads to heaven.

8. [...] Farewell, and love us, as you do, with the affection of a son.

(trans. Beyenka 1954: 454-458; in the translation Letter 81)

Discussion:

Although the letter concerns the moral requirements set to the priesthood (by a parallel to the Old Testament priesthood), it is not a decisive argument that Irenaeus was a presbyter.

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Milan

About the source:

Author: Ambrose of Milan
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Milan (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Ambrose was a bishop of Milan from 374 until his death in 397. We have a collection of his letters organized in three parts. The first one consists of 77 letters organized in ten books most probably by Ambrose himself. He published his letters at some point after the death of Theodosius in 395. From this collection, Book 4 is missing, as are some letters of Books 2 and 4. The second part is the group of letters that survived outside the collection (extra collectionem), and the third is a group of letters concerning the council of Aquileia in 381 (together with the acts of this council). For a detailed discussion on the letters and further reading see Liebeschuetz 2010: 27–48 and Nauroy 2016: 146–160.

The present letter is not dated and it can only be said that it was written at some point during the episcopacy of Ambrose. Ambrose`s addresee, Iraeneus, is treated with paternal affection. Irenaeus received several letters from Ambrose and is known only from this correspondence. He is never explicitely called a presbyter (or a cleric) and there is a scholarly discussion whether he actually was one - see especially Palanque 1933. That Irenaeus was a lay man is claimed by Paredi 1968: 498 and Zelzer 1978: 15. He is considered a cleric by Mazières 1979 and later by Zelzer 1990: XXI, n. 6. See PCBE, Italie 1, Irenaeus 1.

Edition:

O. Faller ed., Epistulae et acta, epistularum libri I-VI, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Lationorum 82/1, Wien 1968

Translation:

Saint Ambrose, Letters, trans. M. M. Beyenka, Washington D.C. 1954

Bibliography:

Ambrosius, Epistulae et acta: Epistularum libri VII-VIIII, post O. Faller rec. M. Zelzer 1990, CSEL 82/2.

J.-P. Mazières, "Les lettres d’Ambroise de Milan à Irenaeus.”, Pallas. Revue d’études antiques 26 (1979), 103–114.

G. Nauroy, "The Letter Collection of Ambrose of Milan", [in:] Late Antique Letter Collections: A Critical Introduction and Reference Guide, ed. C. Sogno, B.K. Storin, E.J. Watts, Oakland, CA 2016, 146–160.

G. Nauroy, "Édition et organisation du recueil des lettres d’Ambroise de Milan: une architecture cachée ou altérée?", in: La correspondance d'Ambroise de Milan, textes réunis et préparés par A. Canellis, Saint-Étienne 2012, 19-61.

J.-R. Palanque, "Deux correspondants de saint Ambroise: Orontien et Irénée”, Revue des Études Latines 11 (1933), 153–163.

A. Paredi, S. Ambrogio e la sua età, Milano 1960.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence

PR843.

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Reverenced by

PR843.

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

PR843.

Theoretical considerations - On priesthood

Education - Theological interest

PR843.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1857, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1857