La lettre de Julius Africanus à Aristide sur la généalogie du Christ

Abstract

The genealogy of Jesus as recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke differs. Very early on, this difference gave rise to many questions and discussions amongst Christians. An attempt at reconciliation had considerable success for centuries: that which Julius Africanus (ca. 170–250) put forward in his letter to Aristides on the basis of Judaeo-Christian traditions. Aimed against a less literal interpretation of the gospel genealogies, Africanus’ letter underlines a claim that will play an important role all through the Christian history – that of biblical inerrancy. Christophe Guignard provides a new edition, enriched with a new fragment. It is the fruit of an extensive study on the textual tradition that depends entirely on two quotations from Eusebius of Caesarea. Since one of these – included in his ‛Gospel Questions’ – is now lost, much space was made for the tradition of this work in the writings of the Latin and Oriental Fathers. The Greek text and French translation, the first ever complete translation into a living language, are accompanied by a study that sheds new light on the text and the controversial context that underlies it. It also takes into consideration the traditions Africanus uses, one of which seems to go back to a circle claiming to be related to the family of Jesus.