Read Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament Online
Authors: [edited by] Bart D. Ehrman
Tags: #Biblical Reference, #Bible Study Guides, #Bibles, #Other Translations, #Apocryphal books (New Testament), #New Testament, #Christianity, #Religion, #Biblical Commentary, #Biblical Studies, #General, #History
went up into the mountains, looking for
until his avenger comes.” When he heard
a place to hide him. But there was no
this word he was afraid and went outside
hiding place. Elizabeth moaned and said
to report to the priests what he had seen
with a loud voice, “Mountain of God,
and heard.
receive a mother with her child.” For
3
Taking courage they entered and saw
Elizabeth was not able to climb the
what had happened, and the paneling
mountain. And straight away the mounaround the temple cried out aloud; and tain split open and received her. And a
they ripped their clothes from top to botlight was shining around them, for an tom. They did not find his body, but they
angel of the Lord was with them, profound his blood turned to stone. They left tecting them.
in fear, and reported to all the people that
Zacharias had been murdered. All the
23 Herod was looking for John, tribes of the people heard and grieved for and he sent servants to Zachahim, mourning for three days and nights.
rias, saying, “Where have you hidden
4
After three days the priests decided to
your son?” He answered them, “I am a
put someone in his place, and the lot fell
minister of God, constantly attending his
to Simeon. For this is the one who
temple. How could I know where my son
learned from a revelation of the Holy
is?”
2
The servants returned and reported
Spirit that he would not see death until
everything to Herod. Herod became anhe should see the messiah in the flesh.
gry and said, “His son is about to rule
Israel.” He sent his servants to him a
25
second time to say, “Tell me the truth:
But I James, the one who has
written this account in Jerusa
72
NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS
lem, hid myself away in the wilderness
rified God, the Master, who gave me the
when there was a disturbance at the death
gift and the wisdom to write this account.
of Herod, until the disturbance in Jeru
2
Grace be with all those who fear the
salem came to an end. There I glo-
Lord. Amen.
The Epistle of the Apostles
The “Epistle of the Apostles” is a bit of a misnomer in that it is not really an epistle but a Gospel. The book does start out as a letter, written by the apostles to the churches around the world; but its content involves a conversation between Jesus and his eleven remaining disciples after his resurrection—Judas having already hanged himself.
This kind of Gospel, containing a post-resurrection “dialogue” of Jesus and his followers, was quite popular among Gnostic Christians, in that it allowed them to indicate that Jesus provided secret teachings to his disciples that were different from his public teachings delivered during the course of his ministry. These secret teachings, then, could become the basis for the
“true” understanding of the religion that the Gnostics set forth.
But the orientation of this particular book is completely anti-gnostic.
In particular, it seeks to counter the views of Simon Magus and Cerinthus, two Gnostics most despised among the proto-orthodox heresy-hunters of the second century, by insisting on the fleshly nature of Christ’s body, the reality of his incarnation, death, resurrection, and future return in glory, and the importance of his followers’ fleshly existence in this world and in the world to come.1 It appears, then, that a proto-orthodox Christian has taken over a genre beloved among the Gnostics and turned it against them, to show that even after his resurrection Jesus proclaimed not a Gnostic myth but a proto-orthodox understanding of the flesh.
The “Epistle of the Apostles” was unknown through the Middle Ages down into the modern period, until a Coptic version was uncovered in Cairo near the end of the nineteenth century. Later a fuller and more accurate Ethiopic version was found.
The book was originally written in Greek, probably in the middle of the second century. The following excerpt is drawn from the Ethiopic translation.
1On the importance of Simon Magus for the early proto-orthodox heresy-hunters, see Ehrman,
Lost
Christianities
, 165–67.
Translation by C. Detlef G. Muller in Wilhelm Schneemelcher,
New
Testament
Apocrypha
, vol. 1 (rev. ed.; Cambridge/ Louisville: Lutterworth/Westminster/John Knox, 1991) 252–64; used with permission.
73
74
NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS
What Jesus Christ revealed to his
1
true word and deed, namely Jesus Christ.
disciples as a letter, and how Jesus
Therefore take care and beware of them,
Christ revealed the letter of the council
for in them is affliction and contaminaof the apostles, the disciples of Jesus tion and death, the end of which will be
Christ, to the Catholics; which was writdestruction and judgment.
ten because of the false apostles Simon
and Cerinthus, that no one should follow
Because of that we have not hesithem—for in them is deceit with which 8 tated with the true testimony of our
they kill people—that you may be estab
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, how he
lished and not waver, not be shaken, and
acted while we saw him, and how he
not turn away from the word of the Gosconstantly both explained and caused our pel that you have heard. As we have
thoughts within us.
heard (it), kept (it), and have written (it)
for the whole world, so we entrust (it) to
you, our sons and daughters, in joy and
9 He of whom we are witnesses we
know as the one crucified in the
in the name of God the Father, the ruler
days of Pontius Pilate and of the prince
of the world, and in Jesus Christ. May
Archelaus, who was crucified between
grace increase upon you.
two thieves;2 and was taken down from
the wood of the cross together with them;
(We,) John and Thomas and Peter
2
and he was buried in a place which is
and Andrew and James and Philip
called the place of the skull, to which
and Bartholomew and Matthew and Nathree women came, Sarah, Martha, and thanael and Judas Zelotes and Cephas,
Mary Magdalene. They carried ointment
we have written to the churches of the
to pour out upon his body, weeping and
East and West, towards North and South,
mourning over what had happened. And
recounting and proclaiming to you conthey approached the tomb and found the cerning our Lord Jesus Christ, as we have
stone where it had been rolled away from
written; and we have heard and felt him
the tomb, and they opened the door and
after he had risen from the dead; and how
did not find his body.
he has revealed to us things great, astonishing, real. . . .
And as they were mourning and
10
And these things our Lord and Sav6
weeping, the Lord appeared to
ior revealed and showed to us, and
them and said to them, “Do not weep; I
likewise we to you, that you, reflecting
am he whom you seek. But let one of
upon eternal life, may be associates in
you go to your brothers and say to them,
the grace of the Lord and in our service
‘Come, our Master has risen from the
and in our glory. Be firm, without wadead.’ ”
vering, in the knowledge and investiga
And Mary came to us and told us. And
tion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will
we said to her, “What have we to do with
prove gracious and will save always in
you, O woman? He that is dead and burall never-ending eternity.
ied, can he then live?” And we did not
believe her, that our Savior had risen
Cerinthus and Simon have come to
7
from the dead.
go through the world. But they are
enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in
reality alienate those who believe in the
2Matt 27–28; Mark 15–16; Luke 23–24; John 19–21.
THE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES
75
Then she went back to our Lord and
13
said to him, “None of them believed me
And what he revealed is this, as
he said to us, “While I was
concerning your resurrection.” And he
coming from the Father of all, passing by
said to her, “Let another one of you go
the heavens, wherein I put on the wisdom
saying this again to them.” And Sarah
of the Father and by his power clothed
came and gave us the same news, and we
myself in his power, I was like the heavaccused her of lying. And she returned ens. And passing by the angels and archto our Lord and spoke to him as Mary angels in their form and as one of them,
had.
I passed by the orders, dominions, and
princes, possessing the measure of the
wisdom of the Father who sent me. And
And then the Lord said to Mary
11
the archangels Michael and Gabriel,
and to her sisters, “Let us go to
Raphael and Uriel followed me until the
them.” And he came and found us inside,
fifth firmament of heaven, while I apveiled. And we doubted and did not bepeared as one of them. This kind of lieve. He came before us like a ghost and
power was given me by the Father. Then
we did not believe that it was he. But it
I made the archangels to become diswas he. And thus he said to us. “Come, tracted with the voice and go up to the
and do not be afraid. I am your teacher
altar of the Father and serve the Father
whom you, Peter, denied three times bein their work until I should return to him.
fore the cock crowed, and now do you
I did this thus in the likeness of his wisdeny again?” And we went to him, thinkdom. For I became all in all with them, ing and doubting whether it was he. And
that I, fulfilling the will of the mercy of
he said to us, “Why do you doubt and
the Father and the glory of him who sent
why are you not believing that I am he
me, might return to him.
who spoke to you concerning my flesh,
my death, and my resurrection? And that
“Do you know that the angel
you may know that it is I, lay your hand,
14 Gabriel came and brought the
Peter (and your finger) in the nailprint of
message to Mary?” And we said to him,
my hands; and you, Thomas, in my side;
“Yes, O Lord.” And he answered and said
and also you, Andrew, see whether my
to us, “Do you not remember that I prefoot steps on the ground and leaves a viously said to you that I became like an
footprint. For it is written: ‘But a ghost,
angel to the angels?” And we said to him,
a demon, leaves no print on the ground.’ ”
“Yes, O Lord.” And he said to us, “At
that time I appeared in the form of the
But now we felt him, that he
12
archangel Gabriel to the virgin Mary and
had truly risen in the flesh. And
spoke with her, and her heart received
then we fell on our faces before him,
(me); she believed and laughed; and I,
asked him for pardon, and entreated him
the Word, went into her and became
because we had not believed him. Then
flesh; and I myself was servant for myour Lord and Savior said to us, “Stand self; and in the likeness of an angel, like
up and I will reveal to you what is on
him will I do, and after it I will go to my
earth, and what is above heaven, and your
Father.
resurrection that is in the kingdom of
heaven, concerning which my Father has
“And you therefore celebrate
15
sent me, that I may take up you and those
the remembrance of my death,
who believe in me.”
which is the Passover; the one who stands
76
NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS
beside me will be thrown into prison for
sent me?” And we said to him, “O Lord,
my name’s sake, and he will be very
is it possible that you should be both here
grieved and sorrowful, for while you celand there?” And he said to us, “I am ebrate the passover he who is in custody
wholly in the Father and the Father in me
did not celebrate it with you. And I will
after his image and after his likeness and
send my power in the form of (my) angel,
after his power and after his perfection
and the door of the prison will open, and
and after his light, and I am his perfect
he will come out and come to you to
word.”
watch with you and to rest. And when
you complete my Agape and my remem
This is, when he was crucified,
brance at the crowing of the cock, he will