The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

III. The Pseudo-Sibylline Oracles

One other collection of apocalyptic literature, of a still different character, must be considered here because parts of it date from the third century, although its origins are much earlier—about the second century B.C. The Sibylline Oracles are a conglomeration of writings spanning several centuries and falling into three general categories—pagan, Jewish, and Christian. These two latter classes (the pseudo-Sibylline writings) ⁵ were composed in imitation of the heathen Sibyls-Sibyl being a Greek word designating any of a certain number of prophetesses credited to widely separate parts of the ancient world. These Sibyllines, like the other apocalyptic writings, are noted here not for any authority or known authorship they possess, nor to give them any sanction, but solely to note them as reflecting one of the forms of the teaching of the times, touching the field of our quest. PFF1 288.6

The pseudo Sibyllines are more than an ancient literary curiosity. They are part of that body of pseudepigraphal writings which flourished in the early part of the Christian Era. They were a curious composite of Jewish and Christian writings, with here and there a snatch from an older pagan source. They seem to be of various dates, from the second century B.C. to the third century A.D., and largely passed with the downfall of pagan Rome. ⁶ They were apparently a device used by the Jews and, later, by the Christians in the hope of winning the heathen to their faith by copying the form of presentation employed by the heathen Sibyls—the Greek hexameter verse. PFF1 289.1

The Christians, hard pressed by their heathen enemies, possessed in these writings a means of retaliation not at first brought into play. They could not say openly that the mighty Roman Empire, far from being eternal, was destined to perish; and that Rome, queen city of the world, would be overthrown—as the inspired writers of Scripture had concealed in figure and symbol—for the church would be needlessly exposed to the suspicion of inculcating treason. A simulation of the pagan Sibyl was now pressed into the service of the Christian faith, and to the Jewish elements were added the denunciations of the Apocalypse. These pseudo-oracles were put into the mouth of a pagan prophetess, and circulated under a well-known pagan title. All disguised titles, such as “him that letteth” and the nameless beast, were dropped. Rome, the Latin kingdom, was plainly named. PFF1 289.2

Greek poems, however, embodying paraphrases from the Apocalypse, were not likely to pass with the heathen as the work of a pagan Sibyl. In the second century Celsus, moved to ridicule by this device, accused the Christians of inserting interpolations into the Sibylline books. ⁷ Lactantius, in the fourth century, remarks that some took these writings for the fictions of poets, not knowing whence the poets had derived them. ⁸ PFF1 290.1

Well it was for the church that most of the pagans did not trouble to look into the source of the new “Sibyl” inspiration, and paid but little attention to the pseudo Sibyllines, for it would have been difficult to deny that the figure of seven-billed Rome as a woman, adorned with gold, wooed by many lovers, clothed in purple, and destined to burn with fire, was taken from the Apocalypse. PFF1 290.2

We now note some of the more important expressions coming within our field of survey. In book 2 the fearful woes to fall upon the “seven-billed” city are portrayed, followed by slaughter and distress preceding the final judgment, the resurrection, the reign of righteousness, and the Eternal on His throne. ⁹ PFF1 290.3

“And then shall, after these, appear of men PFF1 290.4

The tenth race, when the earth-shaking Lightener PFF1 290.5

Shall break the zeal for idols and shall shake PFF1 290.6

The people of seven-billed Rome, and riches great PFF1 290.7

Shall perish, burned by Vulcan’s fiery flame. PFF1 290.8

And then shall bloody signs from heaven descend.” ¹⁰ PFF1 290.9

In book 3 Rome is described as a woman courted by many lovers. PFF1 291.1

“O virgin, soft rich child of Latin Rome, Oft at thy much-remembered marriage feasts Drunken with wine, now shalt thou be a slave and wedded in no honorable way.” ¹¹ PFF1 291.2

In book 4 five successive kingdoms are named in sequence; then are portrayed the destruction of the earth, the resurrection, the judgment, and the blessed state on the renewed earth. PFF1 291.3

“First over all mortals shall Assyrians rule, And for six generations hold the power of the world .... PFF1 291.4

“Then shall the Medes o’erpower, but on the throne For two generations only shall exult .... Between the Medes and Persians dreadful strife In battle; and the Medes shall fall and fly ‘Neath Persian spears beyond the mighty water Of Tigris. And the Persian power shall be Greatest in all the world, and they shall have One generation of most prosperous rule.... PFF1 291.5

“But, when the race of mortal men shall come To the tenth generation, also then Upon the Persians shall a servile yoke And terror be. But when the Macedonians Shall boast the scepter there shall be for Thebes An evil conquest from behind, and Carians Shall dwell in Tyre, and Tyrians be destroyed.... PFF1 291.6

“The Macedonian power shall not abide; But from the west a great Italian war Shall flourish, under which the world shall bear A servile yoke and the Italians serve .... There shall be over all the world a fire And greatest omen with sword and with trump At sunrise; the whole world shall hear the roar And mighty sound. And he shall burn all earth, And destroy the whole race of men, and all The cities and the rivers and the sea; All things he’ll burn, and it shall be black dust. PFF1 291.7

But when now all things shall have been reduced To dust and ashes, and God shall have calmed PFF1 291.8

The fire unspeakable which he lit up, The bones and ashes of men God himself Again will fashion, and he will again Raise mortals up, even as they were before. And then shall be the judgment. at which God Himself as judge shall judge the world again; And all who sinned with impious hearts, even them Shall he again hide under mounds of earth (Dark Tartarus and Stygian Gehenna]. But all who shall be pious shall again Live on the earth [and (shall inherit there) The great immortal God’s unwasting bliss,) God giving spirit life and joy to them.” ¹² PFF1 292.1

In book 8 the wrath of God against the world is disclosed. The ruin of Rome, the burden of the poem, ¹³ is principally copied from the Apocalypse and Old Testament prophets. From the latter is borrowed the scheme describing Rome as the daughter of earlier Latin Rome. PFF1 292.2

“A heavenly stroke deserved, O haughty Rome. PFF1 292.3

And thou shalt be the first to bend thy neck PFF1 292.4

And be rased to the ground, and thee shall fire PFF1 292.5

Destructive utterly consume .... PFF1 292.6

And then shalt thou mourn and shalt put aside PFF1 292.7

The luster of the broad-striped purple robe PFF1 292.8

Of thy commanders and wear mourning dress, PFF1 292.9

O haughty queen, offspring of Latin Rome; PFF1 292.10

The glory of that arrogance of thine PFF1 292.11

Shall be for thee no longer, nor shalt thou, PFF1 292.12

Ill-fated, ever be raised up again .... PFF1 292.13

For then in all earth shall confusion be PFF1 292.14

Of mortals, when the Almighty shall himself PFF1 292.15

To the tribunal come to judge the souls PFF1 292.16

Of the living and the dead and all the world.” ¹⁴ PFF1 292.17

The destruction of Rome is attributed to the dragon, under the familiar apocalyptic figure of Satan. PFF1 292.18

“When a dragon charged with fire in both his eyes PFF1 292.19

And with full belly shall come on the waves PFF1 292.20

And shall afflict thy children, and there be PFF1 292.21

Famine and war of kinsmen, near at hand Is the end of the world and the last day And judgment of the immortal God for them That are approved and chosen. And there shall Against the Romans first of all be wrath Implacable, and there shall come a time Of drinking blood and wretched course of life.” ¹⁵ PFF1 293.1

A sort of Antichrist from the East is connected with the overthrow of Rome, and Beliar is described in earlier Sibylline books in terms that apply to a similar figure who deceives men, and is destroyed in the fiery judgments at the world’s end. ¹⁶ PFF1 293.2

Such is the curious but nevertheless pertinent witness of the pseudo-Sibylline writings. Thus we find the pseudepigraphal and apocalyptic literature in this inter-Testament and early Christian period filled with strange speculations and irrational assertions. Much of it stands out in violent contrast with the sound, reasonable, and consistent picture of the latter days painted by the inspired penmen of Old Testament times and the clear, consistent, and illuminating presentations of the canonical New Testament writers. PFF1 293.3

The New Testament depictions of the divine plan of the age harmonize perfectly with, but supplement and expand, the Old Testament declarations concerning the last days. The contrast between the two is as great as that between a glass of murky water from a stagnant pool and a glass of clear, sparkling water from a never-failing, refreshing spring. The follies of human speculation only accentuate the beauty and harmony of the inspired writings. PFF1 293.4