Aristobulus in Early Christian Writings
The early Christian writings do not give a clear teaching about Aristobulus. The main direct references are name mentions in Clement of Alexandria, Julius Africanus, and Romans 16:10, but they do not explain a doctrine or story about him. Most other hits are unrelated uses of similar words or names. This page is best read as a narrow name-reference dossier, not a strong belief topic.
147 early-church witnesses · 237 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about aristobulus?
The early Christian writings here do not give a clear teaching about a person or doctrine named Aristobulus. Most of the strongest matches are about Aristobulus the Jewish writer in Clement of Alexandria or Aristobulus as a historical name in Julius Africanus, not about Christian belief about him. Romans 16:10 is the only direct Bible passage with Aristobulus by name, but it only greets his household and does not explain who he was or what Christians believed about him.
Because the topic is mostly a name match and not a clear teaching topic, the evidence is thin and indirect. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Romans 16:10 names the household of Aristobulus, but it does not explain who Aristobulus was.
- Clement of Alexandria and Julius Africanus mention Aristobulus as a historical name, not as a Christian teaching topic.
- There is not enough direct early Christian evidence here for a strong doctrine claim.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Where do early Christian writers mention Aristobulus by name?
Early Christian writings mention Aristobulus mostly as a name, not as a clearly explained teaching topic. Clement of Alexandria cites an Aristobulus as a Jewish writer, Julius Africanus uses Aristobulus as part of a historical account, and Romans 16:10 greets the household of Aristobulus.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
...me inspired in the exercise of prophecy and restored again the whole of the ancient Scriptures. And Aristobulus, in his first book addressed to Philometor, writes these words: "And Plato followed the laws given to us, and had plainly studied all that is said in them. And before Demetrius, another translation had been made, before the rule of Alexander and of the Persians, of the account of the departure of our countrymen the Hebrews from Egypt, and the report of all that happened to them, and their taking possession of the land, and the account of the whole code of laws. So it is perfectly clear that the philosopher mentioned above drew a great deal from this source, for he was very learned, as Pythagoras also was, who transferred many things from our books into his own system of teachings." And Numenius, the Pythagorean philosopher, writes plainly: "For what is Plato, but Moses speaking in Attic Greek?" This Moses was a theologian and prophet, and, as some say, an interpreter of sacred laws. His family, his deeds, and his life are related by the Scriptures themselves, which are completely trustworthy. But we must also tell them ourselves as well as we can.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
And by Aristobulus, who lived in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, who is mentioned by the composer of the epitome of the books of the Maccabees, there were abundant books to show that the Peripatetic philosophy was derived from the law of Moses and from the other prophets. Let such be the case.
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Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
and having restored to him the kingdom which was being wasted by Aristobulus his brother, he was so fortunate as to obtain the title of procurator of Palestine.
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Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness
He seems to refer in these words to the works of Philo, or to those of still older writers, such as Aristobulus.
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Romans 16:10 Direct teaching
Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.
Common Questions
Who is Aristobulus in the early Christian writings?
He is mostly a name in a greeting in Romans 16:10 and a historical name in Clement of Alexandria and Julius Africanus. The texts here do not give a clear Christian teaching about him.
Do the early Christians teach anything specific about Aristobulus?
Not clearly. The strongest texts only mention the name, and they do not explain a belief or doctrine about Aristobulus.
Source Index for Aristobulus
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 237 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 147
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 90
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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Book 79 1:4