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The Sentences of Sextus is a Hellenistic Pythagorean text, modified to reflect a Christian viewpoint which was popular among Christians. The earliest mention of the ''Sentences'' is in the mid 3rd century by Origen.〔Origen, ''Contra Celsum'', viii. 30; ''Commentary on Matthew'', xv. 3〕 Origen quotes Sextus on self-castration, a widespread habit among ascetic early Christians, which Origen deplores, and mentions in passing that the work is one "that many considered to be tested by time."〔Origen, (''Commentary on Matthew'' ), xv. 3〕 While previously known from other versions, a partial Coptic translation appears in one of the books of the New Testament apocrypha recovered in the Nag Hammadi library. ==Contents== The work is similar to the sayings gospels called the Gospel of Phillip and the Gospel of Thomas in that it is purely a collection of sayings, with no bridging framework. Unlike the Christian sayings gospels, the wisdom comes from a man named ''Sextus'' rather than Jesus. Sextus appears to have been a Pythagorean. Some of the 451 sentences are: *''The soul is illuminated by the recollection of deity'' *''Bear that which is necessary, as it is necessary'' *''Be not anxious to please the multitude'' *''Esteem nothing so precious, which a bad man may take from you'' *''Use lying like poison'' *''Guard yourself from lying. (Because when you lie) there is a deceiver and the deceived.'' *''Nothing is so peculiar to wisdom as truth'' *''Wish that you may be able to benefit your enemies'' *''A wise intellect is the mirror of God'' *''Cast away any part of the body that would cause you not to live abstinently. For it is better to live abstinently without this part than ruinously with it.'' (quoted by Origen) 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sentences of Sextus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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