St. Papias, the Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia (modern-day Turkey), is considered one of the Apostolic Fathers. Both St. Jerome (De Viris Illustribus 18) and St. Irenaeus (Against Heresies V, 33.4) testify that he had personally heard St. John the Apostle. St. Irenaeus also introduces Papias as a companion of St. Polycarp, who later became the Bishop of Smyrna.
The only known work attributed to Papias is Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord, written in five volumes, believed to have been composed around AD 130. However, this work has not survived in its complete form. Some fragments, though, can be found in other writings from the early centuries.
St. Jerome and St. Eusebius affirm that Papias himself claimed to have relied not on unauthoritative opinions but on the direct words of the apostles:
“I considered what Andrew, Peter, Philip, Thomas, James, John, Matthew, and the other disciples of the Lord had said, as well as what Aristion and John the Elder, disciples of the Lord, conveyed. I did not find the information from books as useful as the living voice itself.” (De Viris Illustribus 18; Church History III, 39.4)
Based on these words, St. Eusebius argues that Papias had not directly heard the Twelve Apostles but rather received his knowledge from their followers (Church History III, 39.4.7). This challenges the widespread belief that Papias was a disciple of St. John the Apostle. However, Eusebius does acknowledge that Papias had heard Aristion and John the Elder, who were among Jesus’ disciples. This confirms that Papias relied on both the Gospels and oral traditions in his writings.
Papias also held the erroneous belief that after the resurrection of the bodies, before the final judgment, Christ would establish a thousand-year reign of the saints on earth (Against Heresies V, 33.3; De Viris Illustribus 18). Eusebius criticizes him for misunderstanding Scripture and spreading this idea, which later influenced several Church Fathers (Church History III, 39.13).
Papias also provides insights into the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Matthew. He states that Mark, who had not personally followed the Lord or heard Him directly, wrote his Gospel based on St. Peter’s teachings. He also confirms that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew (Church History III, 39.15-16). Additionally, Papias is known to have utilized St. John’s First Epistle and St. Peter’s writings in composing his work.
Rev. Dr. Alex Kollamkalam
