Page 511 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PSEUDEPIGRAPHA

variety of ways in which it could be used” (Paul writers, still, they were never actually adopted by the
McCommon, Music In the Bible). [See Harp, Music.] Church as inspired, or placed on a level with the
PSEUDEPIGRAPHA. Spurious Jewish or Jewish- acknowledged productions of the Evangelists and
Christian writings produced in the period extending Apostles. The best of these works are the first “Epistle
of Clement,” the “Epistle of Barnabas,” and the
from 200 years before to 200 years after Christ. J.H. “Shepherd of Hermas.” ...
Charlesworth included 52 writings and 13 fragments in ... admitting that the first epistle of Clement, for
this category. These include the Treatise of Shem; instance, was alluded to or quoted by Dionysius of
Apocryphon of Ezekiel; Apocalypse of Zephaniah; Vision Corinth (d. 176), Irenaeus (c. 130-200), Clement of
of Ezra; Apocalypse of Abraham; Apocalypse of Adam; Alexandria (165-220), with an honorary title (“the
Apocalypse of Elijah; Apocalypse of Daniel; Testament Apostolic”) for its author, and by Origen (186-254);
of Adam; Testament of Job; Testament of Moses; Life of that it was publicly read in the church at Corinth; is
Adam and Eve; Ladder of Jacob; Jannes and Jambres; found—though in connection with the confessedly
History of Joseph; 4 Maccabees; Prayer of Joseph; spurious epistle attributed to the same author—
Prayer of Jacob; Odes of Solomon (20th-Century). appended to some MSS. of the New Testament, and
While these possibly have historical and literary value, was possibly for a time co-ordinated with certain of the
none of these writings are Holy Scripture and have so-called antilegomena: the fact of a supposed indirect
Apostolic authority appertaining to it, as the supposed
never been included in the canon of the Bible. [See production of the Clement mentioned in Ph. 4:3, is
Apocrypha.] quite sufficient to account for all. It was certainly never
The Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas put in any catalogue of the Scriptures, but, on the
are pseudepigraphical or apocryphal writings which contrary, was definitely excluded from such catalogues
have received new interest by modernistic Bible scholars (Eusebius, Athanasius, and Jerome), and, little by
in recent years. These were included in the Sinaiticus little ... ceased to be classed even among writings of
manuscript discovered in the 19th century by doubtful canonicity.
Tischendorf at the St. Catherine’s monastery at Mt. The same is true of the Epistle of Barnabas, which
Sinai. [See Bible Versions.] Participants in the Jesus likewise got into circulation under cover of an honored
Seminar, for example, who do not believe the Gospels name, was even widely current for a time, especially at
Alexandria, where it probably originated, and is found
are genuine history, have given considerable weight to in connection with the “Shepherd” at the close of the
the authenticity of the Epistle of Barnabas and the famous Sinaitic manuscript. Clement of Alexandria
Shepherd of Hermas. The following important comment held it to be a genuine work of the “Apostle Barnabas.”
on these writings is from Cone Bissell’s The Historic But as we might expect from the character of the
Origin of the Bible, published in 1873: contents, which exhibit in all respects a complete
Very little need be said of the great mass of Apocryphal contrast to the New Testament literature, as soon as
literature called forth by the fame of Christ and his the mere superficial hearsay gave place to actual
Apostles, gaining currency, and still of interest, wholly discrimination through careful scrutiny, the churches
because of its association with his name. With respect were a unit in excluding it from the list of sacred
to most of these writings, there is and has ever been books. Eusebius pronounces it a forgery; and Jerome,
entire unanimity among all honest investigators in apocryphal. It never found a place in any of the early
discarding them as undoubted forgeries, even more catalogues of the books of Scripture.
clumsy than they are false. “The Shepherd,” a work purporting to be written by
Now, in addition to these and many similar works still another person, bearing the same name as one of
which cannot claim to any important extent even this Paul’s companions, on account of its peculiar doctrinal
doubtful support of direct allusion and respectful teachings, attained to a position of considerable
mention on the part of responsible Christian writers, importance in the early Church. Origen [a heretic]
there is another and quite distinct class of writings to directly identifies its author with the Hermas of Ro.
be considered, ascribed to the Apostolic Fathers, as 14:14, and, personally, thought the book to be
Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Hermas, Ignatius, and “divinely inspired” in an inferior sense, though
Polycarp (c. 80-120). What was their relation to the admitting that it was not generally so regarded.
New Testament literature? Why were they not included Irenaeus quotes it under the significant title of graph
among the canonical Scriptures? First, a large part of (sacred writing). And Clement of Alexandria [all of
the writings attributed to these persons are these men were heretics] also makes honorable
indisputably spurious. Then, that which has the best mention of it. But no one now believes that the Hermas
claim to being genuine lays no claim to canonical rank, of Ro. xvi. 14 wrote the book. The Canon of Muratori
but, on the contrary, virtually disclaims it. Moreover, (Rome, c. 160-170), whose author was likely to be
while for the most part agreeing in spirit and doctrine much better informed than Origen, or Clement of
with the canonical books, while often quoted, and Alexandria, says that it was written by a brother of
uniformly treated with respect by early Christian Pius, Bishop at Rome (142-157), and does not esteem

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