Apocalypse of Thomas
Home > Apocrypha > Apocalypse of Thomas Apocalypse of Thomas At a Glance Treatise Genre: (5/5) ***** Reliability of Dating: (5/5) ***** Length of Text: Greek Original Language: Ancient Translations: Modern Translations: English Estimated Range of Dating: 300-400 A.D. Chronological List of Early Christian Writings Discuss this text on the Early Writings forum. Text M. R. James Translation: The Apocalypse of Thomas Offsite Links Trowbridge: The Apocalypse of Thomas Zondervan Encyclopedia: Apocalypse of Thomas The Apocryphal New Testament Book Wilhelm Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. 2, pp. 748-749 Recommended Books for the Study of Early Christian Writings Information on the Apocalypse of Thomas A.
de Santos Otero comments (New Testament Apocrypha, vol. 2, pp. 748-749): For centuries the Apocalypse of Thomas was known only through the notice of it in the Decretum Gelasianum (Item 27, cf. vol. 1, p. 39). In 1908 C. Frick (ZNW 9, 1908, 172) drew attention to another reference which is contanied in the Chronicle of Jerome of the Codex Philippsianus No. 1829 in Berlin. In this it says in reference to the 18th year of Tiberius Caesar: in libro quodam apocrypho qui dicitur Thomae apostoli scriptum est dominum iesum ad eum dixisse ab ascensu suo ad celum usque in secundum adventum eius novem iobeleus contineri. Today two versions of the Apocalypse of Thomas exist. The longer is represented by: a) Cod.
Clm 4585 fol. 66-67 (9th cent.) of Benediktbeuern. This text has been edited by Fr. Wilhelm in his book: Deutsche Legenden und Legendare, 1907; b) a manuscript from the Library of the Chapter of Verona (8th cent.) which has been published by M. R. James in JTS 11, 1910, 288-290; c) Cod. Vatic. Palat. no. 220, discovered by E. v. Dobschtz and used by Bihlmeyer in his edition of Cod. Clm 4563. An early English form of this version is found in the fifteenth sermon of the famous Anglo-Saxon manuscript of Vercelli (9th cent.), cf. M.R. James, Apoc. NT, 556ff. This version consists of two different parts. The first is concerned with the events and signs which are to precede the last judgment. In this it reveals a close dependence on similar descriptions of other apocrypha of an apocalyptic nature, e.g.
the Assumption of Moses, the Ascension of Isaiah and the Sibylline Books. This part should be regarded as an interpolation; its origin can be dated to the first or second half of the 5th century because of some historical references in the text (e.g. to the Emperor Theodosius and his two sons Arcadius and Honorius). Cf. Bihlmeyer in Rev. Bnd. 28, 1911, 277. The second part corresponds in range and content with the shorter version of the Apocalypse of Thomas. This version is represented by: a) Cod. Vindob. Palatinus 16 (formerly Bobbiensis) fol. 60r-60v from the 5th century. This text was first discovered by J. Bick (SWA 159, 1908, 90-100) and identified by E. Hauler (Wiener Studien 30, 1908, 308-340) as a fragment of the Apocalypse of Thomas.
It is the oldest witness of all to our Apocalypse; b) Cod. Clm 4563 fol. 40r-40v (11th/12th century) from Benediktbeuern, discovered and edited by Bihlmeyer (Rev. Bnd. 28, 1911, 272-276). This text agrees basically with Vindob. Palat. 16, has been fully preserved and reveals no interpolations. The shorter version is our oldest witness to the original Apocalypse of Thomas, which should have been subject in the course of time to various orthodox and heretical revisions. We must associate this development above all with Manichean and Priscillianist currents of thought. In favour of that there is not only the mention of the Apocalypse of Thomas in the Decretum Gelasianum but also some parallel places in Priscillianist writings; cf.