The Dialogues and Storm Clouds Brewing
Geon
Donor
The Dialogues and Storm Clouds Brewing
This section owes a great deal to some of the comments made earlier. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
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As the months passed Caligula became more and more disturbed in spirit over two matters. First, the pagan priests of Rome were becoming increasingly angry at him for he now refused to come to the temples on feast days to sacrifice. The priests became convinced that some great calamity would befall Rome if the Emperor did not return to the worship of the gods and frequently told him so. Eventually, Caligula ordered them banished from his presence and would not allow them in the palace. In their anger the priests tried to stir up the Senate against Caligula to remove him but as of yet the Senate refused to move against him. Indeed many of the senators rebuked the priests and told them “This is the Emperor and he will worship whatever god or gods seem good to him!”
In addition to this the Emperor was more and more disturbed as he saw the large number of brothels in the city. Of old such sights would have thrilled him but now they disturbed him as his new faith taught that sexual immorality and promiscuity must be avoided. Because of this Caligula began to seriously think that the brothels and prostitutes should be banned from Rome.
On account of the pagan priests and the brothels Caligula decided to consult Clement to find out how he should deal with these matters. Clement after much prayer said to the Emperor, “The matters you speak of are not small ones. You are the Emperor and at your word a man may live or die. You have asked me no small thing and I am reluctant to give an answer lest I say something that is not the will of the Lord. Therefore I counsel you mighty Caligula to send a letter to the holy men in Jerusalem, namely the Apostles. They are worthy men and wise in both the Scriptures and in the wisdom of our Lord Jesus, and they may well be able to guide the Emperor in these matters.” The Emperor agreed but asked Clement to write a letter by way of introduction. Clement agreed and wrote the First Letter which has come to be called The Introduction of Clement, which is the first letter in the Dialogues of the Apostles and the Emperor.
This section owes a great deal to some of the comments made earlier. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
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As the months passed Caligula became more and more disturbed in spirit over two matters. First, the pagan priests of Rome were becoming increasingly angry at him for he now refused to come to the temples on feast days to sacrifice. The priests became convinced that some great calamity would befall Rome if the Emperor did not return to the worship of the gods and frequently told him so. Eventually, Caligula ordered them banished from his presence and would not allow them in the palace. In their anger the priests tried to stir up the Senate against Caligula to remove him but as of yet the Senate refused to move against him. Indeed many of the senators rebuked the priests and told them “This is the Emperor and he will worship whatever god or gods seem good to him!”
In addition to this the Emperor was more and more disturbed as he saw the large number of brothels in the city. Of old such sights would have thrilled him but now they disturbed him as his new faith taught that sexual immorality and promiscuity must be avoided. Because of this Caligula began to seriously think that the brothels and prostitutes should be banned from Rome.
On account of the pagan priests and the brothels Caligula decided to consult Clement to find out how he should deal with these matters. Clement after much prayer said to the Emperor, “The matters you speak of are not small ones. You are the Emperor and at your word a man may live or die. You have asked me no small thing and I am reluctant to give an answer lest I say something that is not the will of the Lord. Therefore I counsel you mighty Caligula to send a letter to the holy men in Jerusalem, namely the Apostles. They are worthy men and wise in both the Scriptures and in the wisdom of our Lord Jesus, and they may well be able to guide the Emperor in these matters.” The Emperor agreed but asked Clement to write a letter by way of introduction. Clement agreed and wrote the First Letter which has come to be called The Introduction of Clement, which is the first letter in the Dialogues of the Apostles and the Emperor.
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