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Bible Encyclopedias
Silas
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Σίλας ), an eminent member of the early Christian Church, described under that name in the Acts, but probably as Silvanus (q.v.) in Paul's epistles, B.C. 47-55. The Alexandrine writers adopted somewhat bold abbreviations of proper names, such as Zenas for Zenodorus, Apollos for Apollonius, Hermas for Hermodorus. The method by which they arrived at these forms is not very apparent. Silas first appears as one of the leaders (ἡγούμενοι, ) of the Church at Jerusalem, (Acts 15:22), holding the office of an inspired teacher (προφήτης, Acts 15:32). His name, derived from the Latin silva, "wood," betokens him a Hellenistic Jew, and he appears to have been a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). He was appointed as a delegate to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return to Antioch with the decree of the Council of Jerusalem (Romans 15:22; Romans 15:32). Having accomplished this mission, he returned to Jerusalem (Romans 15:33; the following verse, ἔδοξε δὲ τῷ Σίλᾷ ἐπιμεῖναι αὐτοῦ, is perhaps an interpolation introduced to harmonize the passage with Acts 15:40). He, must, however, have immediately revisited Antioch, for we find him selected by Paul as the companion of his second missionary journey (Acts 15:40;). At Beroea he was left behind with Timothy while Paul, proceeded to Athens (Acts 17:14), and we hear nothing more of his movements until he rejoined the apostle:at Corinth (Acts 18:5). Whether he had followed Paul to Athens in obedience to the injunction to do so (Acts 17:15), and had been sent thence with Timothy to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:2), or whether his movements, were wholly independent of Timothy's, is uncertain (Conybeare and Howson, Life of St. Paul, 1, 458, note). His presence at Corinth is several times noticed (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). He probably returned to Jerusalem with Paul, and from that time the connection between them appears to have terminated. Whether he was the Silvanus who conveyed Peter's first epistle to Asia Minor (1 Peter 5:12) is doubtful; the probabilities are in favor of the identity, the question is chiefly interesting as bearing upon the Pauline character of Peter's epistles (De, Wette. Einleit. § 4). We have to notice, for the purpose of rejecting, the theories which identify Silas with Tertius (Romans 16:22) through a Hebrew explanation of the name (שָׁלְישׁ ), and again with Luke, or at all events with the author of the Acts (Alford, Prolegom. in Acts 1:1). The traditions (ap. Dorothaeum et Hippolytum) regard Silas and Silvanus as different persons, making the former bishop of Corinth, and the latter bishop of Thessalonica (see Fabricins, Lux Evang. p. 117; Cellarius, Diss. de Sila Viro Apostol. Jen. 1773). (See PAUL).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Silas'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/silas.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
