The Epistle of the Apostles Overview

THE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES / “EPISTULA APOSTOLORUM”

• Date: 167-200

• Sect: Anti-Gnostic

• Provence: Asia Minor? Egypt?

• Original Language: Greek

• References: None! Surprisingly…

• This isn’t really an epistle - Shortly after the beginning, it becomes purely apocalyptic

pgs. 558-588 & https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/apostolorum.html

Portions only preserved in Ethiopic

1-2. The letter claims to be “what Jesus Christ revealed” to the apostles (specifically John, Thomas, Peter, Andrew, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Nathaniel, Judas Zelotes, and Cephas) for “the Catholics” (Christians) so that no one should follow false apostles such as Simon and Cerinthus. They proclaim that they have seen Jesus risen from the dead. This letter establishes itself as being revealed by Jesus and written by the Apostles. Cephas is considered to be a different person from Peter. This letter will be an apology against Simon the Sorcerer and Cerinthus, a proto-Gnostic from the end of the first century.

3-4. The letter goes on to describe how God is greater than all creatures, created and sustains all things, and sent His Son Jesus to be conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary. He was taught to read and write. His teacher told him to “say ‘Alpha’”, but he responded, “first you tell me what Beta is.” Gnosticism is ruled out as God the Father is explained to be good and Jesus co-existing with the Father. Just like in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Jesus asks his teacher about Beta.

5. The letter goes on to explain Cana as Jesus’ first miracle and follows it with many of his other miracles, healings, and exorcisms. It explains how he fed 5,000 men (explicitly noting that this count does not include women and children) and that the five loaves of bread represent 1) the Father, 2) Jesus Christ, 3) the Holy Spirit, 4) the holy Church, and 5) forgiveness of Sins. This interprets the five loaves of bread used to feed the 5,000 as referring to 5 main points from the 7 listed in the Apostles’ Creed (it doesn’t include the communion of the saints or the bodily resurrection).

Portions Extent in Coptic

7. Cerinthius and Simon go through the world perverting Jesus’ words.

8-9. The Apostles explain that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate and how the women saw him risen.

10. Mary goes to tell the disciples, but they don’t believe her. She tells Jesus they didn’t believe, and he says to let another go. The other Mary (Sarah in Ethiopic) goes and tells them, but they don’t believe her either, so she goes back to tell Jesus.

11. Jesus goes to the disciples, but they think he’s a ghost. Jesus asks if Peter, who denied him thrice, will deny him again. As they continue to doubt, Jesus invites Peter to touch his hands, Thomas to put his hand in his side, and Andrew to see if he leaves footprints. Peter denying the women’s report and Jesus’ appearance is connected to his denial at Jesus’ death. Instead of appearing to the 10 without Thomas first, and then Thomas doubting and having to touch Jesus’ side and hands, Jesus reveals himself to all of them at once, and Andrew should even check for footprints.

12. The disciples touch Jesus, recognize he’s really risen, and fall on their faces, confessing their doubt as sin. Jesus tells them to rise up and says his Father has permitted him to reveal to them what is above and in the kingdom of heaven.

13-14. Jesus explains how he passed down through all the heavens with the glory and power of the nature of the Father, but in the form of an angel, and Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael followed him to the fifth firmament, but didn’t notice him. He appeared to Mary as Gabriel and made his announcement to her, and then formed himself in her womb and became flesh. Jesus explains his humiliation in going from the form of an angel to the form of a human. He presented himself as Gabriel the Angel to Mary.

16-17. The disciples ask how Jesus will come. “...as does the sun that shines…seven times brighter than it in my brightness; with the wings of the clouds carrying me…and the sign of the cross before me, I will come…to judge the living and the dead.” The disciples ask “after how many years…will this happen?” The Father will come “when the hundredth part and the twentieth part is completed, between pentecost and the feast of unleavened bread”. The disciples ask why he now says his Father will come this time and he says, “I am wholly in my Father and my Father is in me with regard to the resemblance of form and of power and of perfection and of light and with regard to the full measure and the voice. I am the word.” Jesus explains how he shares the Father’s substance.

18. Jesus says that he is “the perfect thought in the type” and that he “came into being on the eighth day, which is the day of the Lord”, but that they will see him as he goes to the Father in heaven. He then commands the disciples to love and obey one another, love their enemies, and not do to others what they wouldn’t want done to them. Jesus claims to come into being on the eighth day. Perhaps he is referring to his resurrection or how his incarnation completes the seven days of creation? Otherwise, he is claiming to have been created (which would contradict later in chapter 21, as well as Christian orthodoxy, of course).

19. Jesus explains how the disciples will enter into a rest “where there is no eating and drinking and no mourning and singing (or care) and neither earthly garment nor perishing” and that they will be incorruptible.

21. Jesus explains that the disciples will rise in the flesh and up to heaven as he arose in the flesh and will ascend into heaven. “For his cause [he] perfected all mercy: without being begotten I was begotten of man, and without having flesh I put on flesh and grew up, that I might regenerate you who were begotten in the flesh and in regeneration you obtain the resurrection in your flesh, a garment that will not pass away, with all who hope and believe in him who sent me.” Jesus here explains that the disciples will follow his resurrection and ascension as well as the paradox of the Hypostatic Union.

24. The disciples ask if it’s possible for what has been destroyed or scattered to be made whole again—though they clarify that they don’t doubt but want to know how it will work. Jesus becomes angry and tells them that he will respond to them; they ought to only keep his commandments. This question represents a question by early Christians who would have seen many Christians incinerated or with their bodies totally torn apart, and wondering whether even these destroyed bodies would come back together.

26-27. Jesus explains how he will judge everyone with their soul and flesh so that they can account for their sins, and he will judge impartially according to how everyone lived according to his commandments. If anyone believed in him but didn’t do his commandments, they receive no benefit from acknowledging his name and have run the race in vain. Jesus explains the importance of not just believing in him, but also obeying his commandments.

31. Jesus tells the disciples about how they will encounter someone who goes by the name “Saul” (which it notes means “Paul”) and how he will persecute Christians, but encounter him, be blinded, they will heal him, and he will be a mighty witness. He commends them to teach him everything that he has taught them.

41. Jesus tells the disciples to go and preach and be good ministers and servants. They call him “father”, to which Jesus responds, “Are all fathers and all servants, all teachers?” The disciples ask why he said not to call anyone father or master except the Father and Teacher in Heaven. Jesus tells them that they will give the light of the seal in his hand to those who come to believe in him, and they will become fathers and teachers.

43. Jesus tells his disciples to be like the wise virgins who kept their light and didn’t sleep so that they could see the Lord. These five wise virgins are Faith, Love, Grace, Peace, and Hope. The five foolish virgins slept through the night and awoke too late, knocking and trying to get in, but they were locked out. These five foolish virgins are Knowledge (Gnosis), Wisdom, Obedience, Forbearance, and Mercy. Jesus emphasizes what the author believes to be 5 main virtues (Faith, Hope, and Love are said to remain in 1 Corinthians 13:13; Grace and Peace are greetings Paul repeatedly uses throughout his epistles); on the other hand, many will give up obeying, enduring, and doing acts of mercy. Rather, they will fall for a false knowledge (gnosis) known as Gnosticism.

45. The disciples point out that those who go to be with the bridegroom (the Lord) will be troubled for those who slept, even though they will rejoice that they go to be with the Lord. The disciples say to him, “O Lord, it suits your greatness that you show grace to their sisters.” Jesus says that “This thing is not yours, but his who sent me, and I also agree with him.” This passage demonstrates how early Christians struggled with others being condemned to Hell.

46-47. Jesus tells the disciples to preach “in uprightness and well” not fearing anyone - “but especially not the rich. Jesus then says how even those who are not rich will be called “a doer/ a benefactor” if they give to those who are needy. Jesus says that ultimately, “in that day I will neither fear the rich nor have sympathy with the poor.” Jesus holds a higher standard for the rich because they have more material to help others out, but also asks for everyone to be generous; on top of all of this, he still holds “have-nots” accountable as well.