|
|
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| == Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_53065" /> ==
| | |
| <p> <strong> [[Nicolas]] </strong> (lit. ‘conqueror of the people’). Among the Seven chosen in Acts 6:1-15 to minister to the [[Hellenists]] or Greek-speaking Jews, was Nicolas, a ‘proselyte of Antioch.’ The remaining six, we infer, were of [[Jewish]] birth, for ‘ <strong> proselyte </strong> ’ is the emphatic word ( Acts 6:5 ). At a later age the [[Jews]] divided converts to [[Judaism]] into two classes, ‘proselytes of righteousness,’ who were circumcised and who kept the whole Law, and ‘proselytes of the gate,’ who had only a somewhat undefined connexion with Israel. It is probable that this difference in its essence also holds in NT, where the latter class are called ‘ <strong> God-fearing </strong> ’ or ‘ <strong> devout </strong> ,’ a description which in Acts appears to be technical (so Lightfoot, Ramsay; this is disputed, however). If the view here stated be true, there were three stages in the advance towards the idea of a [[Catholic]] Church: (1) the admission of Nicolas, a full proselyte, to office in the [[Christian]] Church, followed by the baptism of the [[Ethiopian]] eunuch, also probably a full proselyte ( Acts 8:27 ); (2) the baptism of Cornelius, a ‘God-fearing’ proselyte, <em> i.e </em> . of the latter class; (3) the direct admission of heathen to the Church without their having had any connexion with Judaism. </p> <p> Nicolas is not further mentioned in NT, but Irenæus and Hippolytus assert that he was the founder of the [[Nicolaitans]] of Revelation 2:6; Revelation 2:15 (if indeed a real sect is there meant); and Lightfoot thinks that ‘there might well be a heresiarch among the Seven’ ( Galatians 6:1-18 , p. 297). It is, however, equally probable that this was only a vain claim of the late 2nd cent. sect of that name mentioned by Tertullian, for both heretics and orthodox of that and succeeding ages apocryphally claimed [[Apostolic]] authority for their opinions and writings; or it is not unlikely that the Nicolaitans of Revelation 2:1-29 were so called because they exaggerated and distorted in an antinomian sense the doctrine of Nicolas, who probably preached the liberty of the gospel. Irenæus and Hippolytus are not likely to have known more about the matter than we do. </p> <p> A. J. Maclean. </p>
| | Nicolas <ref name="term_52917" /> |
|
| | <p> a Scotch prelate, was elected to the see of [[Caithness]] in 1273, but was never consecrated on account of some objection of the pope. See Keith, Scottish Bishops, page 210. </p> |
| == Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56724" /> ==
| | |
| <p> Nicolas, one of the Seven appointed to look after the ministration of alms to the [[Hellenist]] widows, is described in the Acts as a proselyte of [[Antioch]] ( Acts 6:5). He comes last in the list. This description of him is inserted because his admission to office in the Christian Church marks a step taken towards the extension of the Church to the Gentiles. As far as we know, no proselyte, i.e. convert to Judaism from the heathen world, had been given office in the Church, up to this point. A. Harnack (The Acts of the Apostles, Eng. translation, 1909, p. 172) quotes the description of him as a proselyte of Antioch as a proof that this section of the Acts was probably derived from an Antiochene source-surely a very uncertain inference. On his supposed connexion with the Nicolaitans of Revelation 2:6; Revelation 2:15 see articleNicolaitans. </p> <p> W. A. Spooner. </p> | | == References == |
|
| |
| == Smith's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_74111" /> ==
| |
| <p> '''Nic'olas.''' ''(Victor Of The People).'' Acts 6:5. A native of Antioch. And a proselyte to the Jewish faith. When the church was still confined to Jerusalem, he became a convert, and being a man of honest report, full of the [[Holy]] Ghost and of wisdom, he was chosen by the whole multitude of the disciples, to be one of the first seven deacons, and was ordained by the apostles. There is no reason, except the simplicity of name, for identifying Nicolas, with the sect of Nicolaitans, which our Lord denounces, for the traditions on the subject are of no value. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Fausset's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_36800" /> ==
| |
| <p> Of the seven. Probably having no connection with the Nicolaitans, though [[Epiphanius]] (adv. Haer. i. 2, section 25) represents him as sinking into corrupt doctrine and practice. [[Clemens]] Alex. (Strom. iii. 4) says that Nicolas, when reproached by the apostles with jealousy, offered his wife to any to marry, but that Nicolas lived a pure life and used to quote Matthias' saying, "we ought to abuse (i.e. mortify) the flesh." No church honours Nicolas, but neither do they honor four others of the seven men. Confounders of Nicolas with the Nicolaitans probably originated these legends. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary <ref name="term_48303" /> ==
| |
| <p> One of the seven deacons. ( Acts 6:5) Some have supposed that he was the head and leader of the sect called the Nicolaitaines; but there are no authorities in [[Scripture]] for this. Our Lord saith, ( Revelation 2:6) that he hated the deeds of the Nicolaitaines, but he doth not say that Nicolas the deacon was the founder of that sect. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == People's Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_70575" /> ==
| |
| <p> [[Nicolas]] (''Nĭk'O-Las'' ), ''Conqueror Of The People.'' A Jewish proselyte of Antioch, who afterwards embraced Christianity, and was among the most zealous of the first Christians, so that he was chosen one of the seven to minister in the church at Jerusalem. Acts 6:5. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == American Tract Society Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_16777" /> ==
| |
| <p> A proselyte of Antioch, that is, one converted from paganism to the religion of the Jews. He afterwards embraced Christianity, and was among the most zealous of the first Christians; so that he was chosen one of the first seven deacons of the church at Jerusalem, Acts 6:5 . </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_42594" /> ==
| |
| Acts 6:5 Revelation 2:6 2:15
| |
|
| |
| == Morrish Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_67862" /> ==
| |
| <p> A proselyte of Antioch, one of the seven chosen to look after the poor saints at Jerusalem. Acts 6:5 . </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_32815" /> ==
| |
| Acts 6:5
| |
|
| |
| == Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_52919" /> ==
| |
| <p> (Νικόλαος '', [[Conqueror]] Of The People;'' comp. Nicodemus), a native of Antioch, and a proselyte to the Jewish faith, who, when the Church was still confined to Jerusalem, became a convert; and being a man of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom, he was chosen by the whole multitude of the disciples to be one of the first seven deacons, and he was ordained by the apostles ( Acts 6:5), A.D. 29. The name Balaam is perhaps (but see Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 210) capable of being interpreted as a [[Hebrew]] equivalent of the Greek Nicolas. Some commentators think that this is alluded to by John in Revelation 2:14; and Vitringa (Obs, Sacr. 4:9) argues forcibly in support of this opinion. (See [[Balaam]]). </p> <p> "A sect of Nicolaitans is mentioned in Revelation 2:6; Revelation 2:15; and it has been questioned whether this Nicolas was connected with them, and, if so, how closely. The Nicolaitans themselves, at least as early as the time of [[Irenaeus]] (''Contr. Her.'' 1:26, § 3), seem to have claimed him as their founder. Epiphanius, an inaccurate writer, relates (''Adv. Hear.'' 1:2, § 25, p. 76) some details of the life of Nicolas the deacon, and describes him as gradually sinking into the grossest impurity, and becoming the originator of the Nicolaitans and other immoral sects. [[Stephen]] Gobar (Photii Biblioth. § 232, p. 291, ed. 1824) states — and the statement is corroborated by the recently discovered Philosophumena, bk. vii, § 36) . — that Hippolytus agreed with Epiphanius in his unfavorable view of Nicolas. The same account was believed, at least to some extent, by [[Jerome]] (Ep. 147, vol. i, p. 1082, ed. Vallars, etc.) and other writers in the 4th century. But it is irreconcilable with the traditionary account of the character of Nicolas, given by [[Clement]] of [[Alexandria]] (Strom. iii 4, p. 187, Sylb. and apud Euseb. H. E. 3:29; see also Hammond, Annot. ol Revelation 2:4), an earlier and more discriminating writer than Epiphanius. He states that Nicolas led a chaste life, and brought up his children in purity; that on a certain occasion, having been sharply reproved by the apostles as a jealous husband, he repelled the charge by offering to allow his wife to become the wife of any other person, and that he was in the habit of repeating a saying which is ascribed to the apostle [[Matthias]] also that it is our duty to fight against the flesh and to abuse (παραχρῆσθαι ) it. </p> <p> His words were perversely interpreted by the Nicolaitans as an authority for their immoral practices. [[Theodoret]] (''Haeret.'' ‘''Ab.'' 3:1), in his account of the sect, repeats the foregoing statement of Clement, and charges the Nicolaitans with false dealing in borrowing the name of the deacon. Ignatius, who was contemporary with Nicolas, is said by Stephen Gobar to have given the same account as Clement, Eusebius, and Theodoret, touching the personal claracter of Nicolas. Among modern critics Coteleriu:, in a note on ''Constit. Apost.'' 6:8, after reciting the various authorities, seems to lean towards the favorable view of the character of Nicolas. Professor Burton (''Lectures On [[Ecclesiastical]] History,'' lect. 12, p. 364, ed. 1833) is of opinion that the origin of the term Nicolaitans is uncertain, and that ‘ though Nicolas the deacon has been mentioned as their founder, the evidence is extremely slight which would convict that person himself of any immoralities.' Tillemont (H. E. 2:47), possibly influenced by the fact that no honor is paid to the memory of Nicolas by any branch of the Church, allows perhaps too much weight to the testimony against him; rejects peremptorily Cassian's statement — to which Neander (Planting of the Church, bk. v, p. 390, ed. Bohn) gives his adhesion — that some other Nicolas was the founder of the sect; and concludes that if not the actual founder, he was so unfortunate as to give occasion to the formation of the sect by his indiscreet speaking. Grotius's view, as given in a note on Revelation 2:6, is substantially the same as that of Tillemont." For monographs, see Volbeding, Index Programmatum, p. 46, 74, 77. (See Nicolaitans). </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature <ref name="term_16309" /> ==
| |
| <p> Nic´olas, a proselyte of Antioch, and one of the seven deacons . Nothing further known of him; but a large body of unsafe tradition has been connected with his name, under the supposition that he was the founder of the heresy of the Nicolaitanes, stigmatized in; [see NICOLAITANES]. </p>
| |
|
| |
| ==References == | |
| <references> | | <references> |
| | | <ref name="term_52917"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/nicolas+(2) Nicolas from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref> |
| <ref name="term_53065"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/nicolas Nicolas from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref> | |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_56724"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/nicolas Nicolas from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_74111"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/smith-s-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Smith's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_36800"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/fausset-s-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_48303"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hawker-s-poor-man-s-concordance-and-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_70575"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/people-s-dictionary-of-the-bible/nicolas Nicolas from People's Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_16777"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_42594"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_67862"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/morrish-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Morrish Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_32815"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/nicolas Nicolas from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_52919"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/nicolas Nicolas from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_16309"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/kitto-s-popular-cyclopedia-of-biblial-literature/nicolas Nicolas from Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| </references> | | </references> |
