Cheltenham or Mommsen list

Cheltenham or Mommsen list, dated to around 4^th century AD, is list of Old and New Testament books discovered by Theodor Mommsen in Phillips collection at Cheltenham in 1885.  Theodor Mommsen was classical historian (1817 – 1903) and recipient of 1902 Nobel prize in literature.

Old Testament	New Testament
Genesis Exodus Numbers Leviticus Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Kings 2 Kings 3 Kings 4 Kings Chronicles (2 books) Maccabees (2 books) Job Tobit Esther Judith Psalms (151 chapters) Books of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel Twelve Minor prophets	Matthew Mark John Luke 13 Epistles of Paul Acts of the Apostles Revelation 3 Epistles of John – one only 2 Epistles of Peter – one only

The Old Testament list lacks Ezra and Nehemiah – it has two books of Maccabees, Tobit, Judith and Psalms with 151 chapters.  Books of Solomon most likely comprise Proverbs, Song of Songs and perhaps, Wisdom.  Lamentations might be combined with Jeremiah.  The four books of Kings are Septuagint designation of Samuel and Kings.

The New Testament list have four Gospels, thirteen Paul’s epistles, Acts, Revelation, 3 epistles of John and 2 epistles of Peter.  Missing are James, Jude and Hebrews and Latin phrase “una sola” or “one only” appears after listing epistles of John and Peter. It seems the (unknown) author of the list, though listed three epistles of John and two epistles of Peter, accepted only 1 John and 1 Peter.

Sacrilege

One of mortal sins that violates God’s first commandment is sacrilege. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines sacrilege as:

Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us.

Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2120

Do we have scriptural support of sacrilege or is it just Catholic’s superstition?  From Daniel we read:

King Belshaz’zar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshaz’zar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver which Nebuchadnez’zar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden and silver vessels which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Daniel 5:1-4 (RSV)

 

Belshazzar’s Feast

A painting by Rembrandt (c. 1635)

National Gallery, London

(picture taken from www.flickr.com)

Then the king saw a hand write on the wall, which he and all his men were not able to decipher.  At the advice of the queen mother, Daniel was summoned and he was able to read and to interpret the words.

but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

Daniel 5:23 (RSV)

Those vessels refer to those his father (or great grandfather) Nebuchadnezzar looted from Jerusalem Temple.  They were consecrated to God and are not supposed to be used for other purpose – this is what angered God.  Was God angry because he praised his gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone?  This action certainly did not please God – yet it was unlikely in the feast recorded in Daniel 5 he first practised idolatry.  His sacrilege action, compounded with praising his idols, was the one that brought him destruction.