III. Methodius—Contender for Resurrection and Restoration

METHODIUS (c. 260-c. 311), a bishop connected by different writers with Olympus, Lycia, Patara, and Tyre, suffered martyrdom about 311, or earlier, in the fierce Diocletian persecution. Methodius is known chiefly as an antagonist of Origen, although he was definitely influenced by Origen’s allegorical interpretation of Scripture. He was also a believer in natural immortality. Six brief points summarize his none-too-vital contribution:PFF1 345.1

1. Woman of Revelation 12 Is the Church; the Child Represents the Saints. ^{52Methodius, The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, Discourse 8, chaps. 5-8, in ANF, vol. 6, pp. 336-338.}PFF1 345.2

2. 1260 Days Precede New Dispensation. ^{53Ibid., chap. 11, pp. 338, 339.}PFF1 345.3

3. New Earth Follows Present Earth. ^{54Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection, part 1, chap. 9, in ANF, vol. 6, p. 366.}PFF1 345.4

4. Contends Against Origen on tile Resurrection ^{55Ibid., part 1, chaps. 10-13 and part 3, chap. 1, secs. 1-4, pp. 366-370.}PFF1 345.5

5. Change of World to More Glorious Condition After the Conflagration. ^{56Ibid., part 1, chap. 9, p. 366.}PFF1 345.6

6. Bodies Received in the Resurrection Never Die. ^{57Ibid., part 3, chap. 2, sec. 7, pp. 374, 375.}PFF1 345.7