The Apocryphal New Testament (1924)/Agrapha
AGRAPHA
By this curious name, which means ‘unwritten things’, it is usual to designate sayings and traditions of Christ which are not recorded in our Gospels, and are not capable of being traced to their source. But collectors of them—especially Resch—have swept into their net all manner of fragments which do not come under the original definition.
Many of these appear in other parts of this volume: but there is a residue for which a place must be found here.
I distinguish two classes. First, those which are found as additions to the text of our Gospels, in manuscripts of the Gospels; second, those which are quoted by other writers.
A
1. At Matt. xx. 28, Codex Bezae (D of the Gospels, at Cambridge) and some Latin and Syriac authorities add: But ye seek (or seek ye) to increase from smallness and from the greater to become less. And when ye go in and are invited to dine, do not recline in the prominent place lest haply one more illustrious than thou come in, and he that bade thee to dinner say to thee: Go yet lower down; and thou shalt be put to shame. But if thou recline in the lesser place, and a lesser man come in, he that bade thee to dinner will say to thee: Get thee yet higher up; and this will be profitable to thee.
Cf. Luke xiv. 8-10.
2. At Luke vi. 4, Codex Bezae has: On the same day, seeing one working on the sabbath, he said unto him: Man, if indeed thou knowest what thou doest, thou art blessed: but if thou knowest not, thou art cursed, and a transgressor of the law.
3. At Matt. iii. 17, the fourth-century Latin Codex Vercellensis has: And when he was being baptized, a very great light shone round about from the water, so that all that had come thither feared.
The Codex Sangermanensis (g1) has: And when Jesus was being baptized, a great light shone from the water, so that all that were gathered together feared.
The same addition is found in many early writers. Justin Martyr (Dialogue with Trypho, 88) says, ‘a fire was kindled in Jordan’. Ephraem Syrus (fourth century) has, ‘a light rising over the water’. See also the Gospel of the Ebionites.
4. At Mark xvi. 3, after the words “roll away the stone from the door of the sepulchre’, the early Codex Bobiensis k (at Turin) has: But suddenly at the third hour of the day (or by day) there came darkness throughout all the globe of the earth; and angels came down from the heavens, and rising in the glory (brightness) of the living God they went up together with him, and immediately there was light. Then the women drew near to the sepulchre and saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Compare the account of the resurrection in the Gospel of Peter.
5. The ‘Freer-logion’.
At Mark xvi. 14, W, a fifth-century uncial Greek manuscript of Mark discovered in recent years in Egypt, and purchased by Mr. Freer of Detroit, has: (Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen) and they made excuse (defended themselves), saying: This age of wickedness and unbelief is under Satan who, by means of unclean spirits, permitteth not men to apprehend the true power of God: therefore do thou now reveal thy righteousness. They, then, said these things unto Christ. And Christ said unto them: The limit of the years of the power of Satan is fulfilled: but other fearful things draw near even upon them for whom, because they had sinned, I was delivered unto death that they may/return unto the truth and sin no more: that they may inherit the spiritual and incorruptible glory of righteousness which is in heaven. But go ye into all the world, &c.
Part of this remarkable addition was already known through St. Jerome, who in the Dialogue against Pelagius, ii. 15, says that it was found in some copies, and especially Greek manuscripts. He has: And they excused themselves (lit. made satisfaction) saying: This age of iniquity and unbelief is under Satan who (which) by unclean spirits suffereth not the true power of God to be perceived: therefore now forthwith reveal thou thy righteousness.
Dr. Swete observes: ‘It seems probable that almost from the beginning there were two recensions (of the Last Twelve Verses) of which one contained our passage and the other did not, and that the latter for some reason was commonly preferred.’ ... ‘The style of the addition does not differ markedly from the language of the rest of the Appendix.’
It is hardly necessary, perhaps, to observe that the Last Twelve Verses of St. Mark and the story of the woman taken in adultery (John vii. 58–viii. 11) form no part of the original text of the Gospels.
To discuss other small additions or supposed additions to the text would take us into the sphere of textual criticism.
B
Of sayings, &c., preserved in other sources the following are the most important:
1. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Quoted by Paul at Miletus, Acts xx. 35.
2. Wherein I find you, there will I judge you.
Quoted by Justin Martyr (Dialogue with Trypho, 47), by Clement of Alexandria, and by many others; one writer attributes it to the prophet Ezekiel.
3. Ask ye for the greater things, and the small shall be added unto you: and ask for the heavenly things, and the earthly shall be added unto you.
Origen (on prayer, 2) quotes both parts of this saying; Clement of Alexandria (Strom. i. 24. 158) the first part only.
4. Be ye approved (or tried) money-changers (bankers).
Quoted by Clement of Alexandria (Strom. i. 28. 177) and many others. Paul’s words in 1 Thess. v. 21, ‘Prove all things, hold fast that which is good’, are really a comment on the saying, and show its meaning.
5. The ‘Second Epistle of Clement’, v. 2–4 has: For the Lord saith: Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves. And Peter answering saith unto him: If then the wolves tear the lambs in pieces? Jesus said unto Peter: Let not the lambs fear the wolves, after they are dead. And do not ye fear them that kill you, and can do nothing unto you, but fear him who, after ye are dead, hath power over soul and body, to cast them into the hell of fire.
6. Clement of Alexandria, Excerpts from Theodotus, 2: As the Valentinians say ... on this account the Saviour saith: Be thou saved (or Save thyself, thou) and thy soul.
7. Tertullian on Baptism, 20. The disciples were tempted because they fell asleep, so that they forsook the Lord when he was taken, and even he who abode with him and used the sword, so that he even denied thrice: for the saying had gone before, that: No man that is not tempted shall obtain the kingdom of heaven.
Didascalia, ii. 8. The scripture saith: A man that is not tempted is not approved.
8. Origen on Jeremiah, hom. 3. 3 (Latin). I have read somewhere that the Saviour said—and I question whether some one has assumed the person of the Saviour, or called the words to memory, or whether it be true that is said—but at any rate the Saviour himself says: He that is near me is near the fire. He that is far from me is far from the kingdom.
Didymus on Ps. lxxxviii. 8, quotes the same in Greek.
9. In the Apostolic Church Order is this curious passage. Peter said: We have gone too fast in making ordinances: let us signify accurately concerning the offering of the body and the blood.
John said: Ye have forgotten, brethren, when the Teacher asked for the bread and the cup, and blessed them, saying: This is my body and my blood, that he permitted not these women to be (stand) with us. Martha said: It was because of Mary, because he saw her smiling. Mary said: I laughed not yet (or I laughed no more): for he said unto us before that: That which is weak shall be saved by means of that which is strong.
(So the Greek and Latin texts. The Syriac, which seems better, has:) I did not verily laugh, but I remembered the words of our Lord, and was glad: for ye know that he said unto us aforetime, when he taught us, that, &c.
10. Clement of Alexandria, Strom. v. 10. 63. For the prophet saith: Who shall understand a parable of the Lord save he that is wise and knowledgeable and loveth his Lord? For it is given to few to contain all things: for it is not as grudging (saith he) that. the Lord commanded in a certain Gospel: My secret (mystery) for me and for the sons of mine house.
Clementine Homilies, xix. 20. For we remember our Lord and Teacher, how he charged us saying: Ye shall keep my secrets (mysteries) for me and for the sons of mine house.
The source of the words is Isa. xxiv. 16 (Greek).
11. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho, 35. For he said: Many shall come in my name clad outwardly with sheep skins, but within they are ravening wolves. And: There shall be divisions (schisms) and heresies.
12. Acts of Philip, 34. For the Lord said unto me: If ye make not that which is below in you to be above, and the left hand things to be right, ye shall not enter into my kingdom.
Linus, Martyrdom of Peter, 17. The Lord said in a mystery: If ye make not the left hand as the right and the right as the left, and the things that are above as those that are below, and the things that are before as those that are behind, ye shall not know the kingdom of God.
13. Irenaeus against Heresies, v. 33. 3. As the elders remember, which saw John the Lord’s disciple, that they heard from him how the Lord taught concerning those times, and said: The days shall come wherein vines shall grow each having ten thousand branches, and on one branch ten thousand shoots, and on every shoot ten thousand clusters, and in every cluster ten thousand grapes, and every grape when it is pressed shall yield five and twenty measures (metrētes) of wine. And when any of the saints taketh hold of one of the clusters, another will cry out: I am a better cluster, take me, through me bless thou the Lord. Likewise also he said that a grain of wheat shall bring forth ten thousand ears, and every ear shall have ten thousand grains, and every grain shall yield five double pounds of white clean flour; and all other fruits and seeds and plants according to the agreement that followeth with them (sc. in the same proportion): and all animals using those foods which are got from the earth shall be peaceable and in concord one with another, subject unto men with all obedience. These things Papias also, a hearer of John, and an associate of Polycarp, an ancient man, testifies in writing in the fourth of his books—for he wrote five. And he adds, saying: But these things are credible unto believers. And, he says, when Judas the traitor believed not, and asked: How then shall these growths be accomplished by the Lord? the Lord said: They shall see who shall come thereto.
Hippolytus on Daniel, 4. 60. So when the Lord was telling the disciples about the future kingdom of the saints, how glorious and wonderful it should be, Judas was struck by his words, and said: Who then shall see these things? And the Lord said: These things shall they see who are worthy.
In the Jewish Apocalypse of Baruch (xxix. 5) is a passage describing. the Messianic kingdom in similar terms: and other Rabbinic parallels are not uncommon. The words in Baruch are:
The earth also will yield its fruit ten thousand fold, and on one vine there will be a thousand branches, and each branch will produce a thousand clusters, and each cluster will produce a thousand grapes, and each grape will produce a cor of wine.
The Papias text is somewhat fuller.
One more parallel may be quoted, from one of the writings which I have omitted from the collection. In an Encomium on John the Baptist attributed—absurdly—to Chrysostom (Budge, Coptic Apocrypha, 1918, p. 348), an Apocalypse by James the Lord’s brother is quoted (pretended to have been found in a library at Jerusalem).
(The Saviour tells the apostles of the glories of John Baptist, who lives in the third heaven and ferries those who honour him on earth in a golden boat over the river of fire. He then takes the apostles to Paradise, and Thomas asks him how much fruit the trees bear.)
The Saviour said: I will hide nothing from you about the things concerning which ye have questioned me. As regardeth the vine, concerning the fruit of which ye have asked, there are ten thousand bunches of grapes upon it, and each bunch will produce six metrites (the same word as in Irenaeus) of wine. As regards the palm-trees in Paradise, each cluster yieldeth ten thousand dates, and each cluster is as long as a man is high. So likewise is it in the matter of the fig-trees: each shoot produceth ten thousand figs, and if three men were to partake of one fig, each of them would be satisfied. On each ear of the wheat which is in Paradise there are ten thousand grains, and each grain produceth six measures of flour. And the cedars also are on the same scale: each tree produceth ten thousand cones and is of a very great height. And the apple-tree and the thourakion-tree are of the same height; there are ten thousand apples on each shoot, and if three men were to partake of one apple, each of them would be satisfied.