From:  (Ken Smith)
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian
Subject: New Testament Apocrypha
Date: 21 Aug 1998 06:52:26 GMT

The general discussion about whether or not the Apocrypha are to be
regarded as Scripture seems to have subsided.  In one post I mnetioned
that the Codex Sinaiticus contained some additional writings.  I have
just been to the UQ library and consulted the facsimile of this, which
is the oldest complete NT manuscript in existence.

The manuscript is written in four columns, both sides of the
parchment.  Each book starts at the top of a new column, and there are
a couple of places where the last column on the sheet is left blank so
that the next book starts on a fresh page.

The book of Revelation finishes part way down the first column of
folio 135.  This is followed by a note, in what might be described as
a schoolboy's hand (not nearly as nice as the main text) saying
"Apocalypse of John".
The Epistle of Barnabas starts at the top of the next column on the
same sheet (column 2).
The manuscript was written in the latter part of the 4th century AD,
and the writing in Barnabas appears (to my non-expert in paleography
eyes) to be the same as in Revelation.  Barnabas is followed by the
Shepherd of Hermas, but the last part of this is missing from the end
of the manuscript.

Since the writer simply continued on with Barnabas after finishing
Revelation, it is clear that in at least one Christian community at
that time Barnabas and the Shepherd were regarded as on pretty much
the same level as Revelation.

We have had a fairly lengthy discussion about the OT Apocrypha.  Does
anyone want to follow this up with some discussion on NT Apocrypha?

To indicate further my interest in writings which lie outside the usual
Protestant canon, yesterday I pulled out my copy of the Greek Synopsis
Quattuor, a layout of the gospels in Greek showing all the parallels
between them.  This has an appendix containing translations of the
Coptic Gospel of Thomas, and the marginal notes in the main body refer
to other NT apocrypha, the Apostolic Fathers, and some writings of the
early church Fathers.

Ken Smith
--
Dr Ken Smith  <> | "God, we know you are in charge, but why
Department of Mathematics,         |  don't you make it slightly more obvious?"
The University of Queensland,      |        Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 1990
St Lucia, Qld. 4072.  Australia.   |   (address to students at at West Point)

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