Page "Eusebius" Paragraph 24

In his Church History or Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius wrote the first surviving history of the Christian Church as a chronologically-ordered account, based on earlier sources complete from the period of the Apostles to his own epoch.

This " historical account " has much of Eusebius's own theological agenda intertwined with the factual text including his view on God, Christ, the Scriptures, the Jews, the church, pagans, and heretics.

At the very beginning of the volumes, Eusebius makes a statement about the divinity and pre-existence of Jesus Christ.

This is a very strange way to begin a historical narrative proving that Eusebius was attempting to push his own ideas regarding the church into a text.

He wrote that Matthew composed the Gospel according to the Hebrews.

The time scheme correlated the history with the reigns of the Roman Emperors, and the scope was broad.

Included were the bishops and other teachers of the Church ; Christian relations with the Jews and those deemed heretical ; and the Christian martyrs.

Like many other Christian writers, he also claims that heresy began with Simon Magus, a figure whom receives mention in Acts 8: 9-13 for being a magician from the city of Samaria.

However, Eusebius takes it a step further saying that Simon had demonic qualities and performed black magic in order to convince others he was divine.

Overall, Eusebius took stories from Acts, Justin, and Irenaeus to portray heretical teachers in order to gain an understanding of heresey and its roots.