New Testament Apocrypha, vol. 1: More Noncanonical Scriptures

by Tony Burke (Editor), Brent Landau (Editor)

Overview

Compilation of little-known and never-before-published apocryphal Christian texts in English translation

This anthology of ancient nonbiblical Christian literature presents informed introductions to and readable translations of a wide range of little-known apocryphal texts, most of which have never before been translated into any modern language.

An introduction to the volume as a whole addresses the most significant features of the writings included and contextualizes them within the contemporary study of the Christian Apocrypha. The body of the book comprises thirty texts that have been carefully introduced, copiously annotated, and translated into English by eminent scholars. With dates of composition ranging from the second century CE to early in the second millennium, these fascinating texts provide a more complete picture of Christian thought and expression than canonical texts alone can offer.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802872890
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	12/02/2016
Pages:	635
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 16.90(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Tony Burke is professor of humanities at York University. His academic interests include the study of Christian biographical literature of the second century (infancy gospels), children and the family in Roman antiquity, curses, and noncanonical Jewish and Christian writings.

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Endurance of the Christian Apocrypha J. K. Elliott xi

Preface xviii

Introduction xx

Abbreviations xlvii

I Gospels and Related Traditions of New Testament Figures

The Legend of Aphroditianus Katharina Heyden 3

The Revelation of the Magi Brent Landau 19

The Hospitality of Dysmas Mark Glen Bilby 39

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (Syriac) Tony Burke 52

On the Priesthood of Jesus William Adler 69

Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 210 Brent Landau Stanley E. Porter 109

Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 5072 Ross P. Ponder 125

The Dialogue of the Paralytic with Christ Bradley N. Rice 140

The Toledot Yeshu (Aramaic Fragment) F. Stanley Jones 158

The Berlin-Strasbourg Apocryphon Alin Suciu 165

The Discourse of the Savior and the Dance of the Savior Paul C. Dilley 184

An Encomium on Mary Magdalene Christine Luckritz Marquis 197

An Encomium on John the Baptist Philip L. Tite 217

The Life and Martyrdom of John the Baptist Andrew Bernhard 247

The Life of John the Baptist by Serapion Slavomír Céplö 268

The Legend of the Thirty Pieces of Silver Tony Burke Slavomír Céplö 293

The Death of Judas according to Papias Geoffrey S. Smith 309

II Apocryphal Acts and Related Traditions

The Acts of Barnabas Glenn E. Snyder 317

The Acts of Cornelius the Centurion Tony Burke Witold Witakowski 337

John and the Robber Rick Brannan 362

The History of Simon Cephas, the Chief of the Apostles F. Stanley Jones 371

The Acts of Timothy Cavan W. Concannon 395

The Acts of Titus Richard I. Pervo 406

The Life and Conduct of the Holy Women Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca David L. Eastman 416

III Epistles

The Epistle of Christ from Heaven Calogero A. Miceli 455

The Epistle of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite to Timothy concerning the Deaths of the Apostles Peter and Paul David L. Eastman 464

IV Apocalypses

The (Latin) Revelation of John about Antichrist Charles D. Wright 483

The Apocalypse of the Virgin Stephen J. Shoemaker 492

The Tiburtine Sibyl Stephen J. Shoemaker 510

The Investiture of Abbaton, the Angel of Death Alin Suciu Ibrahim Saweros 526

Index of Modern Authors 555

Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Texts 562

Editorial Reviews

Calvin Theological Journal
“New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures . . . offer[s] us about 1,200 pages of modern English translation text, analysis, and bibliography. But rather than repeat what is already available, Burke and Landau are giving us new texts . . . that are only now coming to us in English. However, if these texts and their origin remain mysterious, the first volume’s forty-page introduction is an ideal place to begin to understand the problems and prospects for these collections.”

Bart D. Ehrman
— University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"In this masterful volume we find that greatest of rarities—a collection of ancient texts scarcely known (let alone studied) by scholars of Christian antiquity. With these fresh translations of some thirty apocryphal works, each with a gratifyingly full introduction and bibliography, Burke, Landau, and all the contributors have provided us with a rigorous but highly accessible volume that will long prove to be a scholarly vade mecum."

April D. DeConick
— Rice University
"A treasure trove of early Christian writings dating from the second century onward. Created by Tony Burke and Brent Landau as a supplement to more traditional collections of apocryphal literature, this book contains amazing stories from the Christian imagination about Jesus and other biblical characters whose legends were popular witnesses to the Christian faith in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Many of the texts introduced and translated here are being made available to us for the first time. A must-have collection."

Paul Foster
— University of Edinburgh
"Magnificent. . . . The thirty writings brought together here present a fascinating snapshot of the concerns, interests, and piety of various early believers expressed in the form of literary texts. This volume will become a standard work in the field; serious scholars of early Christianity and interested readers will learn much while being entertained and captivated by these enigmatic ancient texts."

Andrew Gregory
— University College, Oxford
"This fine collection brings together thirty recently published or long known but often neglected Christian texts, variously inspired by or responding to characters or events presented in the books of the New Testament, together with one Jewish parody of the life of Jesus. Editors and contributors alike are to be congratulated on their achievement, which paves the way for a wider appreciation and understanding of these varied, fascinating, and sometimes surprising texts, some of which may at times have been more popular than their biblical counterparts."

— Expository Times
"A wonderful collection of English translations and introductions to 30 almost completely unknown extracanonical writings. . . . Unlike those in many other US handbooks, the bibliographies show a clear awareness of German, French, Italian, Spanish and even Russian secondary literature."

From the Publisher