![Epistola Apostolorum Manuscript Schmidt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Epistola_Apostolorum_Manuscript_Schmidt.png)
The Epistle of the Apostles ( la, Epistula Apostolorum, italic=no) is a work of
New Testament apocrypha
The New Testament apocrypha (singular apocryphon) are a number of writings by early Christians that give accounts of Jesus and his teachings, the nature of God, or the teachings of his apostles and of their lives. Some of these writings were cite ...
. Despite its name, it is more a
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
or an
apocalypse than an
epistle. The work takes the form of an open letter purportedly from the remaining
eleven apostles describing key events of the life of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
, followed by a dialogue between the resurrected Jesus and the apostles where Jesus reveals apocalyptic secrets of reality and the future. It is 51 chapters long. The epistle was likely written in the 2nd century CE in
Koine Greek
Koine Greek (; Koine el, ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinè diálektos, the common dialect; ), also known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-reg ...
, but was lost for many centuries. A partial
Coptic language manuscript was discovered in 1895, a more complete
Ethiopic language manuscript was published in 1913, and a full Coptic-Ethiopic-German edition was published in 1919.
The work's intent is to uphold early orthodox Christian doctrine, refuting
Gnosticism
Gnosticism (from grc, γνωστικός, gnōstikós, , 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems which coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized pe ...
and
docetism
In the history of Christianity, docetism (from the grc-koi, δοκεῖν/δόκησις ''dokeĩn'' "to seem", ''dókēsis'' "apparition, phantom") is the heterodox doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily existence, a ...
. The teachings of the Gnostics
Cerinthus and
Simon Magus
Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in Acts . The act of simony, or paying for position, is ...
are denounced as false. In the debate on the nature of Jesus's existence of the 2nd century, the Epistle of the Apostles firmly advocates that the
incarnation of Jesus was of flesh and blood, and that the future resurrection in the Kingdom of God would also be a fleshly experience. The work is presented as having been written shortly after the
Resurrection of Jesus
The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lo ...
, and offers predictions of the coming of
Paul of Tarsus
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
, the fall of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, and of the
Second Coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messian ...
happening imminently in the 2nd century CE.
History
The text is commonly dated to the 2nd century, perhaps towards the first half of it.
[Duensing 1963, p. 189–191] Charles E. Hill dates the Epistle to "just before 120, or in the 140s".
[Hill 1999, p. 1–6] Francis Watson dates it to around 170, after the
Antonine plague, due to the references to death and disease as a sign of the end times. Most scholars favor an origin of
Roman Egypt; other possibilities include
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
and
Roman Syria.
The work was seemingly not widely distributed; no surviving ancient Christian writings seem to refer to it, suggesting its circulation was limited.
The work was lost to most of the world; copies were still produced and maintained in certain Ethiopian monasteries as late as the 16th century, but it was a minor and obscure work there, and completely unknown elsewhere. In 1895, major portions of it were discovered in the
Coptic language from a 4th–5th century manuscript by
Carl Schmidt, a German
Coptologist.
In 1910, the English scholar
M. R. James
Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...
spotted similarities between the initial Coptic translations provided by Schmidt and various translations of unclassified Ethiopic documents; he realized that the Ethiopic manuscripts were likely from the same work as the Coptic manuscript.
This
Ethiopic language version also was more complete, including sections that were too damaged to read in the Coptic manuscripts. A French-Ethiopic edition was published in 1913, and a combined German-Coptic-Ethiopic work published by Schmidt in 1919.
The fragmentary Coptic manuscript is believed to be translated directly from the original Greek; the Ethiopic may also have been directly translated, although less certainty exists. M. R. James also identified that one leaf of a Latin
palimpsest
In textual studies, a palimpsest () is a manuscript page, either from a scroll or a book, from which the text has been scraped or washed off so that the page can be reused for another document. Parchment was made of lamb, calf, or kid skin an ...
, dating to the 5th century, was derived from the same text.
The original title of the work, if any, is unknown.
[Watson 2020, p. 1–4] The 1913 French-Ethiopic edition called it the (The Testament in Galilee of Our Lord Jesus Christ), but the name did not catch on. Schmidt used the Latin to name the text (with an 'o' rather than a 'u'), despite the work not having a strong affinity for Latin; that title has proven more popular in later works, and it is frequently translated into whatever language the author is using (Epistle of the Apostles, , etc.).
Content
The text is initially framed as an open letter from the 11 apostles after Jesus's resurrection but before his ascension, but it rapidly sheds this structure, and the work as a whole cannot be accurately described as an epistle.
[Elliott 1993, p. 555–556] Rather, the work becomes a
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
that describes the life and miracles of Jesus, then becomes an
apocalypse where the risen Christ tells of revelations of hidden truths in response to questions from the disciples.
The first 10 chapters begin by describing the
nativity,
resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, whic ...
, and
miracles of Jesus
The miracles of Jesus are miraculous deeds attributed to Jesus in Christian and Islamic texts. The majority are faith healings, exorcisms, resurrections, and control over nature.
In the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), Jesus refus ...
. The remainder of the text recounts a vision and dialog between Jesus and the
apostles, consisting of about sixty questions, and 41 short chapters.
The text itself appears to be based on parts of the New Testament, in particular the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
, as well as the
Apocalypse of Peter
The Apocalypse of Peter (or Revelation of Peter) is an early Christian text of the 2nd century and an example of apocalyptic literature with Hellenistic overtones. It is not included in the standard canon of the New Testament, but is mentioned i ...
,
Epistle of Barnabas
The ''Epistle of Barnabas'' ( el, Βαρνάβα Ἐπιστολή) is a Greek epistle written between AD 70 and 132. The complete text is preserved in the 4th-century ''Codex Sinaiticus'', where it appears immediately after the New Testament a ...
, and
Shepherd of Hermas
A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...
, all of which were considered inspired by various groups or individuals during periods of the early church.
Countering Gnosticism
The whole text seems to have been intended as a refutation of the teachings of Cerinthus, although "Simon" (probably
Simon Magus
Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in Acts . The act of simony, or paying for position, is ...
) is also mentioned.
The content heavily criticizes Gnosticism. In particular the text uses the style of a discourse and series of questions with a vision of Jesus that was popular among Gnostic groups, wherein the apparition of Jesus would reveal new secret teachings propounded by the Gnostics. Examples of this genre (sometimes called a "Dialogue Gospel") within Gnosticism include the
Gospel of Mary
The Gospel of Mary is a non-canonical text discovered in 1896 in a 5th-century papyrus codex written in Sahidic Coptic. This Berlin Codex was purchased in Cairo by German diplomat Carl Reinhardt.
Although the work is popularly known as the Go ...
, the
Apocryphon of John
The ''Apocryphon of John'', also called the ''Secret Book of John'' or the ''Secret Revelation of John'', is a 2nd-century Sethian Gnostic Christian pseudographical text attributed to John the Apostle. It is one of the texts addressed b ...
, the
Sophia of Jesus Christ, and the
Pistis Sophia
''Pistis Sophia'' ( grc-koi, Πίστις Σοφία) is a Gnostic text discovered in 1773, possibly written between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The existing manuscript, which some scholars place in the late 4th century, relates one Gnostic g ...
. However, the Epistle of the Apostles repurposes this genre to use against Gnosticism, where the resurrected Jesus affirms early orthodox Christian belief on the nature of his flesh and the coming resurrection.
The text also affirms that it is not a secret teaching (it is "written (...) for the whole world") and its content applies universally rather than to one group and that everyone can easily come to learn its content, contradicting the esoteric mysteries popular in Gnosticism.
[Ehrman 2012, p. 449–451]
The
Parable of the Ten Virgins
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, also known as the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins or the Parable of the ten bridesmaids, is one of the parables of Jesus. According to , ten virgins await a bridegroom; five have brought enough oil f ...
is repurposed to more directly address Gnosticism in the Epistle of the Apostles. The apostles ask which of the virgins were wise and which were foolish; Jesus replies by saying that "The five wise are Faith and Love and Grace, Peace, and Hope" while the virgins who are shut out of the wedding are named "Knowledge (
Gnosis
Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge ( γνῶσις, ''gnōsis'', f.). The term was used among various Hellenistic religions and philosophies in the Greco-Roman world. It is best known for its implication within Gnosticism, where it ...
) and Wisdom (
Sophia), Obedience, Forbearance, and Mercy."
(Coptic version) Jesus then goes on to predict that the false Christians who fell asleep "will remain outside the kingdom and the fold of the shepherd and his sheep" and will be devoured by wolves.
[Elliott 1993, p. 584–585.] In other words, Gnostics will not be granted entrance into the
Kingdom of God.
Carl Schmidt, the scholar who rediscovered the work, believed that the work was more intended to shore up the faith of non-Gnostics against conversion to Gnosticism than attack Gnosticism directly. Later scholars have generally not agreed with such a distinction, as the method which the work confirms early catholic views was precisely by refuting Gnosticism.
A dissenting view is offered by
Francis Watson, who argues that the work does not have an anti-heretical or anti-Gnostic agenda.
On the flesh
The Epistle of the Apostles includes polemics emphasizing the physical nature of the resurrection. This is presumably to counter
docetism
In the history of Christianity, docetism (from the grc-koi, δοκεῖν/δόκησις ''dokeĩn'' "to seem", ''dókēsis'' "apparition, phantom") is the heterodox doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily existence, a ...
, the doctrine that Jesus had been a purely divine being separate from the corrupt mortal world common among Gnosticism, seen in works such as the
Book of Thomas the Contender
The ''Book of Thomas the Contender'', also known more simply as the ''Book of Thomas'' (not to be confused with the Gospel of Thomas and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas), is one of the books of the New Testament apocrypha represented in the Nag Hamma ...
. The work does use a Gnostic-style construction of Jesus's descent through the heavens to Earth, but quickly affirms that he "became flesh" (Chapters 13–14).
The resurrected Jesus has the apostles place their fingers in the print of the nails, in the spear wound in his side, and checking for footprints; this is to "prove" that the future resurrection will be a fleshly and physical one.
[Ehrman 2012, p. 447–449] The story of the footprints is also in direct contradiction to a story in the docetic
Acts of John
The ''Acts of John'' refers to a collection of stories about John the Apostle that began circulating in written form as early as the 2nd-century AD. Translations of the ''Acts of John'' in modern languages have been reconstructed by scholars from ...
where the disciples realize that Jesus does not leave any footprints.
Predictions
The Epistle of the Apostles makes a number of statements of prophecy, albeit some appear to be ''
vaticinium ex eventu
''vāticinium ex ēventū'' (, "prophecy from the event") or ''post eventum'' ("after the event") is a technical theological or historiographical term referring to a prophecy written after the author already had information about the events bein ...
'' ("predictions" of events that already occurred). Notably, the conversion of
Paul the Apostle is predicted in Chapter 31. The work also seemingly sets a date for the
Second Coming of Jesus
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on mess ...
; chapter 17 says it will come "when the hundredth part and the twentieth part is completed" (Coptic) or "when the hundred and fiftieth year is completed" (Ethiopic), implying the Ethiopic manuscript might have been written after 120 years had already passed.
It is not entirely clear when Jesus is counting from (his death? his ascension?), but shows that the audience in the second century still expected a speedy apocalypse and the advent of the Kingdom of God within the next few decades.
The work also "predicts" the rise of Gnosticism in a hostile manner: Jesus declares that false teachers will attempt to subvert his message in the future.
Prayers for the dead
One passage in the Epistle of the Apostles appears to depend on the original form of the
Apocalypse of Peter
The Apocalypse of Peter (or Revelation of Peter) is an early Christian text of the 2nd century and an example of apocalyptic literature with Hellenistic overtones. It is not included in the standard canon of the New Testament, but is mentioned i ...
, suggesting that it may have been composed afterward. The Apostles tell Jesus that they are concerned on account of the damned; Jesus compliments them as the righteous too are anxious about sinners, and Jesus promises to hear requests concerning them. This particular theological idea, of the righteous being able to pray sinners into heaven, was later condemned during the
Origenist Controversies, but seems to have been common in 2nd century Christianity.
Errors
In the gospel portion recounting Jesus's life, it is said that he suffered during the days of Pontius Pilate and
Herod Archelaus
Herod Archelaus (, ''Hērōidēs Archelaos''; 23 BC – ) was ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, including the cities Caesarea and Jaffa, for a period of nine years (). He was the son of Herod the Great and Malthace the Samar ...
.
Archelaus was removed as ''ethnarch'' (governor, client-king) in 6 CE, however, and was dead by 18 CE - far earlier than Pilate's term as procurator. The work likely confused him with
Herod Antipas.
While not exactly an error, the epistle identifies "Peter" and "Cephas" as two different apostles. While some early traditions did hold that they were separate people, most later Christians were of the opinion that they were two names for the same person, as many Jews of the era had dual names (Cephas being his Aramaic name, Peter his Greek name).
Galilean discourse
In the Ethiopic manuscripts discovered, many of them are codices which start with an Ethipioc version of the ''
Testamentum Domini
''Testamentum Domini'' ("Testament of Our Lord") is a Christian treatise which belongs to the genre of the ancient church orders. The work can be dated about the 5th-century CE even if a 4th-century date is sometimes proposed. The provenience is ...
'', and then feature a bridge section, likely originally composed in Ethiopic, that connects the ''Testamentum Domini'' with the Epistle of the Apostles. Guerrier called it the (Testament of Our Lord and Our Savior Jesus Christ). Similar to the main work, it features a resurrected Jesus holding a discourse with his disciples and offering prophecies of the future.
[Watson 2020 p. 267–270]
See also
*
Apocryphon of James
The Apocryphon of James, also known by the translation of its title – the Secret Book of James, is a pseudonymous text amongst the New Testament apocrypha. It describes the secret teachings of Jesus to Peter and James, given after the ...
, a similar letter describing secret teachings of Jesus
References
Bibliography
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*
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*
* (1994), ''L'Épître des apôtres et le Testament de N.S. Jésus-Christ'', Turnhout, Brepols, « Apocryphes n° 5 »,
*
; Original publications
*
*
External links
* {{Wikisource-inline, links=
The Epistle of the Apostles, translation by
M. R. James
Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...
based on the initial French and German translations in the 1924 book ''The Apocryphal New Testament'', single=true
** (Disclaimer: Somewhat obsolete, more modern translations directly from Coptic / Ethiopic to English have been published since, avoiding the intermediary French / German)
Apostles
Christian anti-Gnosticism
2nd-century Christian texts