Epistle of Barnabas

The Epistle of Barnabas, not to be confused with a medieval forgery called the Gospel of Barnabas, is a writing from the first century, usually attributed to the Barnabas that accompanied Paul as recorded in the GNT (Greek New Testament), but no one knows for sure.

[Connecting dots, yoke of compulsion]
The date appears to be after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD and before the further destruction and dispersion about 135 AD.

Disputed letters
Hebrews	accepted
Barnabas	rejected

For various reasons, the disputed Epistle of Barnabas was not accepted into the GNT. Nevertheless, Barnabas makes many interesting points and provides many interesting ideas.

Discuss: Why might Barnabas have been rejected while Hebrews was accepted?

Details are left as a future topic.

The Gospel of Barnabas, not included in the Christian Bible, contains the Greek word for "type" 12 times (in 19 chapters) and uses as examples of types hints or ideas of Jesus in the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) and how those "types" were realized in the New Testament (writings). These were from writings since those writings had not yet been combined into what is now called the New Testament.

More: Type theory in the Bible and elsewhere

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1 God and food 1

2 God and food 2

3 God and food 3

In the Epistle of Barnabas, Barnabas interprets the writings of Moses not to eat animals such as the pig as a deviation from the original law in that one is, rather, not to act like the forbidden animals.

The laws for not eating certain types of food would have helped remember the rules that might have gone with it.

In the Epistle of Barnabas, Barnabas interprets the writings of Moses not to eat animals such as the pig a change from the original in that one is, rather, not to act like a pig in 10.3. He does this for other animals (omitted).

The Greek for "associate" is that of "attaching oneself" as if by "glue" as in being "joined together". The Greek for "forget" is that of "ignoring".

English: You must not associate, he means, with such people, who are like pigs. That is, when they are well off they forget the Lord, but when they are in need, they acknowledge the Lord, just as the pig ignores its owner when it is feeding, but when it is hungry, it starts to squeal and falls silent only after being fed again. Holmes, 2007, p. 411

Greek: τὸ οὖν χοιρίον πρὸς τοῦτο εἶπεν· οὐ κολληθήσῃ, φησίν, ἄθρώποις τοιούτοις, οἵτινές εἰσιν ὅμοιοι χοίρων· τουτέστιν ὅταν σπαταλῶσιν, ἐπιλανθάνονται τοῦ κυρίου, ὅταν δὲ ὑστεροῦνται, ἐπιγινώσκουσιν τὸν κύριον, ὡς καὶ ὁ χοῖρος ὅταν τρώγει τὸν κύριον οὐκ οἶδεν, ὅταν δὲ πεινᾷ κραυγάζει, καὶ λαβὼν πάλιν σιωπᾷ.

Would you rather have been a "pig" or a "sheep" or a member of Herod's family in Judea at the time of Christ?

English: The last stumbling block is at hand, concerning which the scriptures speak, as Enoch speaks. Holmes (2007, p. 387)

The "at hand" means "near".

Church fathers: Epistolh_barnaba 1 4:4 … σκάνδαλον ἤγγικεν… [churchfathers]

Which meaning fits the best?

offend, offended (attacks or annoys or bothers)
stumbling block (someone else set it up, tripped up)
ensnare, entrap (verbal or physical, get caught in it)
misinterpret, misunderstand (verbal, self-deception), misrepresent

More: Matthew 11:6: Idiomatic misinterpretations that offend

English: Consequently, let us be on guard in the last days, for the whole time of our faith will do us no good unless now, in the age of lawlessness, we also resist, as befits God's children, the coming stumbling block, lest the black one find an opportunity to sneak in. Holmes (2007, p. 391)

The Greek translated "black" means "dark" as in "not light".

Church fathers: Epistolh_barnaba 1 4:16 … ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις… ἀνόμῳ καιρῷ … μέλλουσιν σκανδάλοις… [churchfathers]

Which meaning fits the best?

offend, offended (attacks or annoys or bothers)
stumbling block (someone else set it up, tripped up)
ensnare, entrap (verbal or physical, get caught in it)
misinterpret, misunderstand (verbal, self-deception), misrepresent

What might a "coming misinterpretation" be?

More: Matthew 5:33-37: Hairs of the head - yes no

More: Matthew 11:6: Idiomatic misinterpretations that offend

The word for "longed for" or "long desired" does not appear often in Greek texts. It does appear in the introduction of The Epistle of Barnabas, at the end of 1.3.

English: ... How overwhelmed I was, on your account, by the long-desired sight of you! Holmes (2007, p. 381)

Greek: … οὕτω με ἐξέπληξεν ἐπὶ ὑμῶν ἡ ἐμοὶ ἐπιποθήτη ὄψις ὑμῶν.

The Epistle of Barnabas appears to have been written after 70 AD (mentions the destruction of the temple) and before 135 AD (does not mention these events). It was rejected by the church. It appears to have a lot of good verse references and observations (as research) though a few conclusions appear not to be fully valid.

More: Philippians 4:1-5 Names have meaning

The Epistle of Barnabas was not accepted into the GNT. Early church historian Eusebius (4th century) lists it among the disputed books. Some were for it being included. Some were against it being included. Some were neutral. Here we look at some possible controversial passages that may have influenced it not being included.

Some of the reasons included the reason that there was no clear authorship nor direct association with Jesus. Here we look only at the following.

Parts that may have contradicted what Jesus said.
Parts that may corroborate what Jesus said but might not have been popular.
Parts that may have been misunderstood.

Barnabas opens his epistle addressed to both "sons and daughters". Thereafter, he often uses the plural for "brothers". In Greek, this refers to "male brothers" but, if the context is that of both "male" and "female", the masculine is still used with the understanding that it refers to both "male" and "female".

This opening line may have offended those who wanted a male-dominated church, especially in Rome.

This attitude is seen in the church in Rome when the name of a female apostle was changed to a male name about one thousand years after the event.

More: Romans 16: A woman apostle

More: Tracking down the scent of apostles and messages

Proverbs 1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. [kjv]

ου γαρ αδικως εκτεινεται δικτυα πτερωτοις [lxx]

for nets are not without cause spread for birds. [bs3]

The Epistle of Barnabas interprets birds and nets from Proverbs 1:17 in the LXX (Septuagint).

A bird net works much better if there is some food on which the birds desire to eat. It might be "deceptive" food.

English: Now the scripture says: "Not unjustly are nets spread out for the birds". This means that people deserve to perish if, having knowledge of the way of righteousness, they ensnare themselves in the way of darkness. (1.4, Holmes, p. 393)

Greek: [1.4] λέγει δὲ ἡ γραφή Οὐκ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς. τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι δικαιως ἀπολεῖται ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἔχων ὁδοῦ δικαιοσύνης γνῶσιν ἑαυτὸν εἰς ὁδὸν σκότους ἀποσυνέχει.

More: The taste of false teaching

Proverbs 1:17

All

KJV: Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

Hebrew: כי חנם מזרה הרשת בעיני כל בעל כנף׃

Greek: ου γαρ αδικως εκτεινεται δικτυα πτερωτοις

Brenton: for nets are not without cause spread for birds.

... more to be added ...

English: Neither shall you eat the eagle or the hawk or the kite or the crow. You must not, he means, associate or even resemble such people, who do not know how to provide food for themselves by labor and sweat but lawlessly plunder other people's property; indeed, though they walk about with the appearance of innocence, they are carefully watching and looking around for someone to rob in their greed, just as these birds alone do not provide food for themselves but sit idle and look for ways to eat the flesh of others - they are nothing more than pests in their wickedness. (10.4, Holmes, p. 411)

Barnabas makes the case that the Jews changed the "moral" laws given by God to Moses into "dietary" laws to circumvent what God wanted. The word "associate" is the Greek word for "glued to" or "joined together", the same word Jesus uses for husband and wife becoming "one flesh".

Greek: [10.4] Οὐδὲ φάγῃ τὸν ἀετὸν οὐδὲ τὸν ὀξύπτερον οὐδὲ τὸν ἰκτῖνα οὐδὲ τὸν κόρακα οὐ μή, φησίν, κολληθήσῃ οὐδὲ ὁμοιωθήσῃ ἀνθρώποις τοιούτοις, οἵτινες οὐκ οἴδασιν διὰ κόπου καὶ ἰδρῶτος προίζειν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν τροφήν, ἀλλὰ ἁρπάζουσιν ὡς καὶ τὰ ἀλλότρια ἐν ἀνομίᾳ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιτηροῦσιν ὡς ἐν ἀκεραιοσύνῃ περιπατοῦντες καὶ περιβλέπονται, τίνα ἐκδύσωσιν διὰ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ὡς καὶ τὰ ὄρνεα ταῦτα μόνα ἑαυτοῖς οὐ προίζει τὴν τροφήν, ἀλλὰ ἀργὰ καθήμενα ἐκζητεῖ, πῶς ἀλλοτρίας σάρκας καταφάγῃ, ὄντα λοιμὰ τῇ πονηρίᾳ αὐτῶν.

The ancient Greek word "κόλλα" ≈ "glue, flower paste".

The translation is that one should not "associate" with such people. The Greek is that of "glue yourself" to such people.

Somewhere between 40 and 100 years after the crucifixion, and while crucifixion was still used by the Romans, Barnabas compares the shape of the cross to the Greek letter "T" which is not the traditional shape of the Christian cross.
The Greek letter "T" had a gematria value of 300.

English: And because the cross, which is shaped like the T, was destined to convey grace, it mentions also the "three hundred". (Holmes, 2007, p. 409)

Greek: ὅτι δὲ ὁ σταυρὸς ἐν τῷ ταῦ ἤμελλεν ἔχειν τὴν χάριν, λέγει καὶ τοὺς τριακοσίους. [9.8]

Justin Martyr (100–165) explicitly says the cross of Christ was of two-beam shape: "That lamb which was commanded to be wholly roasted was a symbol of the suffering of the cross which Christ would undergo". Wikipedia.

English: And again in another prophet he says: All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient people who oppose my righteous way. (Holmes, 2007, p. 419)

Greek: καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ προφήτῃ λέγει· Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖρας μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθῆ καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα ὁδῷ δικαίᾳ μου. Epistle of Barnabas [12.4]

Barnabas uses the ancient Greek word "ἀντιλέγω" ≈ "contradict, reply in response, argue against". Holmes translates the word as "oppose" but the meaning "contradict" or "argue against" fits better. Barnabas is referring to Isaiah 65:2 where, in context, the "thoughts" are "opposed" or "contradict" or "argue against" that of God.

Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; [kjv]

εξεπετασα τας χειρας μου ολην την ημεραν προς λαον απειθουντα και αντιλεγοντα οι ουκ επορευθησαν οδω αληθινη αλλ οπισω των αμαρτιων αυτων [lxx]

More: James 1: Interpretation and misinterpretation

Genesis 14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. [kjv]

ακουσας δε αβραμ οτι ηχμαλωτευται λωτ ο αδελφος αυτου ηριθμησεν τους ιδιους οικογενεις αυτου τριακοσιους δεκα και οκτω και κατεδιωξεν οπισω αυτων εως δαν [lxx]

Using Greek gematria, Barnabas makes the connection of the "cross" and first two letters of "Jesus" to the story of Abraham and the number 318.

300: "τ" : "Τ" : "tau" : shape of the cross
10: "ι" : "Ι" : "iota" : first letter of "Jesus"
8: "η" : "Η" : "eta" : second letter of "Jesus"
"ιησούς" ≈ "Jesus"
"ΙΗΣΟΥΣ" ≈ "Jesus"

Is it reasonable to create a symbol or connection with an abbreviation of the name "Jesus" in Greek as "ΙΗ" or "ΙΗΣ"?

More: Shape of the cross

English: … There are two ways of teaching and power, one of light and one of darkness, and there is a great difference between these two ways. (Holmes, p. 433)

Greek: Ὁδοὶ δύο εἰσὶν διδαχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, ἥ τε τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἡ τοῦ σκότους. διαφορὰ δὲ πολλὴ τῶν δύο ὁδῶν Epistle of Barnabas [18.1]

This same idea is stated in the opening lines of the Didache.

More: Didache: The doctrine of teaching

More: Like a good neighbor, Jesus is there

In the Epistle of Barnabas, the writer explains at length, quoting verses such as found in Isaiah (and elsewhere), to point out that Jesus removes the "yoke of compulsion".

English: Therefore he has abolished these things, in order that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ which is free from the yoke of compulsion, might have its offering, one not made by humans. (Holmes, 2007, p. 383)

Greek: ταυτα ουν κατηργησεν, ινα ο καινος νομος του κυριου ὑμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης, ὤν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν. Epistle of Barnabas [2.6]

Any religious establishment that profits from that "yoke of compulsion" would not want the Epistle of Barnabas included in the canon. Another disputed book, Hebrews, was included. Interesting, Hebrews includes many verses that appear to support a "yoke of compulsion" while some verses in the Epistle of Barnabas appear to be mistranslated (to provide continued support for not including it in the canon).

More: Matthew 11:12-14 Exploring the Kingdom of Heaven

The lack of need for a religious hierarchy or "yoke" of "compulsion" as Barnabas explains, from the teachings of Jesus about the "kingdom of heaven", would not have appealed to a human sand hierarchy interested in secular power.

Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [kjv]

ο γαρ ζυγος μου χρηστος και το φορτιον μου ελαφρον εστιν [gnt]

The Greek for "easy" is that of being "useful" and is a play on words with the Greek word for "Christ". The word "yoke" means, literally, "two going together".

The ancient Greek word "χρηστός" ≈ "useful, good".
The ancient Greek word "χριστός" ≈ "anointed one, Christ".
Without the play on words: My yoke is useful.
With the play on words: My yoke is Christ.

The word for "burden" was also a word for "tax". What is the "tax" of the "yoke" of "compulsion"? Think "altars" and "sacrifices" and "money tables".

More: Romans 16 A belly-ache pun on useful Christ-like words

More: Matthew 17:24-27 Tacky attacks on a senseless tax

More: Matthew 5:23-24 Alterated gifts

More: Matthew 11:12-14 Exploring the Kingdom of Heaven

Barnabas appears to have understood that the parables of Jesus were, in part, to explain the "kingdom of heaven" or "kingdom of the air" (same words in Greek), both then and into the future. Barnabas tried to explain what was needed for salvation and what was not.

English: To the extent that it is possible clearly to explain those things to you, I hope, in accordance with my desire, that I have not omitted anything of the matters relating to salvation. (Holmes, 2007, p. 433)

Greek: Ἐφ’ ὅσον ἦν ἐν δυνατῷ καὶ ἁπλότητι δηλῶσαι ὑμῖν, ἐλπίζει μου ἡ ψυχὴ τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ μου μὴ παραλελοιπέναι τι τῶν ἀνηκόντων εἰς σωτηρίαν. Epistle of Barnabas [17:1]

English: For if I should write to you about things present or things to come, you would never understand, because they are found in parables. So much, then, for these things. (Holmes, 2007, p. 433)

Greek: ἐὰν γὰρ περὶ τῶν ἐνεστώτων ἢ μελλόντων γράφω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ νοήσητε διὰ τὸ ἐν παραβολαῖς κεῖσθαι. Epistle of Barnabas [17:2]

More: Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus

In Hebrew, the names "Jesus" and "Joshua" are the same. Some today will argue for a difference in the Hebrew names. In the first century, Barnabas considered those names the same.

English: Again, what does Moses say to "Jesus" the son of Nun when he gave him this name, since he was a prophet, for the sole purpose that all the people might hear that the Father was revealing everything about his Son Jesus. (Holmes, 2007, p. 421)

Greek: τί λέγει πάλιν Μωϋσῆς Ἰησοῦ, υἱῷ Ναυή, ἐπιθεὶς αὐτῳ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα, ὄντι προφήτῃ, ἵνα μόνον ἀκούσῃ πᾶς ὁ λαός; ὅτι πάντα ὁ πατὴρ φανεροῖ περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Epistle of Barnabas [12:8]

If the names were not the same, you would think that someone would have told Barnabas this whenever he mentioned it.

More: The battle between Joshua and Jesus

English: Moses said to "Jesus" the son of Nun when he gave him this name, as he sent him to spy out the land, "Take a book in your hands and write what the Lord says, that in the last days the Son of God will cot off by its roots all the house of Amalek". (Holmes, 2007, p. 421)

Greek: λέγει οὖν Μωϋσῆς Ἰησοῦ, υἱῷ Ναυή, ἐπιθεὶς τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα, ὁπότε ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν κατάσκοπον τῆς γῆς· Λαβε βιβλίον εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου καὶ γράψον, ἃ λέγει κύριος, ὅτι ἐκκόψει ἐκ ῥιζῶν τὸν οἶκον πάντα τοῦ Ἀμαλὴκ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν. Epistle of Barnabas [12:9]

More: The battle between Joshua and Jesus

Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? [kjv]

και ειπεν ενεκα τουτου καταλειψει ανθρωπος τον πατερα και την μητερα και κολληθησεται τη γυναικι αυτου και εσονται οι δυο εις σαρκα μιαν [gnt]

The ancient Greek word "κόλλα" ≈ "glue, flower paste". The KJV (King James Version) translates as "cleave" the Greek word that means "joined" as in "glued". Some use the English word "cling" for "cleave". Barnabas makes the observation that one should not be "glued" to "sinners". Some translators, having the effect of providing reasons not to accept Barnabas, translate the word "glued" as "associate".

Do not be "glued" to "sinners" (Barnabas)
Do not "associate" with "sinners" (some translators)

The English word "cleave" comes from the Middle English word "cleven" ≈ "cleave, split" but could mean "adhere", "cling", "stick fast", etc.

More: Matthew 5:27-28 Adulterated hearts

More: Matthew 19:1-12 Joined together