does Barnabas quote Matthew as scripture in its original Greek? Or is that Sinaiticus circularity? - as it is written, “many called, but few chosen.”

Steven Avery

Administrator
Last edited:

Steven Avery

Administrator
Barnabasa 4:14 and 5:9

4:14 quotes
Matthew 22:14 (AV)
For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Epistle of Barnabas and the Gospel of Matthew (2017)
Jimmy Akin
https://jimmyakin.com/2017/02/the-epistle-of-barnabas-and-the-gospel-of-matthew.html


barnabusb
In its entry on the (apocryphal) Epistle of Barnabas, the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary states:

Although Barnabas 4:14 appears to quote Matt 22:14, it must remain an open question whether the Barnabas circle knew written gospels. Based on Koester’s analysis (1957:125–27, 157), it appears more likely that Barnabas stood in the living oral tradition used by the written gospels (Treat, J. C. (1992). Barnabas, Epistle of. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 614). New York: Doubleday).

The connection between Barnabas 4:14 and Matthew is, indeed, striking. Barnabas 4:14 states:

Moreover, consider this as well, my brothers: when you see that after such extraordinary signs and wonders were done in Israel, even then they were abandoned, let us be on guard lest we should be found to be, as it is written, “many called, but few chosen.” (Holmes, M. W. (1999). The Apostolic Fathers: Greek texts and English translations (Updated ed., p. 283). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)

If the last bit of this is a quotation from one of the Gospels, it can only be from Matthew 22:14, for this verse has no parallels in the other Gospels.
However, the idea that Barnabas is borrowing this from oral tradition is extremely implausible. The author introduces the quotation with the formula “as it is written”–not “as it is said.” This not only implies he is using a written source but also that he regarded it as scripture, for “it is written” is a standard formula for introducing scripture quotations.

The probability is thus that Barnabas was quoting Matthew’s Gospel, and that would let us establish a terminus ad quem (roughly, a latest possible date) for Matthew if we could establish when Barnabas was written.

It was clearly written after the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, for Barnabas 16:3-5 refers to that event:

(3) Furthermore, again he says: “Behold, those who tore down this temple will build it themselves.” (4) This is happening now. For because they went to war, it was torn down by their enemies, and now the very servants of their enemies will re-build it. (5) Again, it was revealed that the city and the temple and the people of Israel were destined to be handed over. For the Scripture says: “And it will happen in the last days that the Lord will hand over the sheep of the pasture and the sheepfold and their watchtower to destruction.” And it happened just as the Lord said.
Precisely how long afterwards Barnabas was written is not clear, but it is certainly early. In fact, it is likely the first surviving piece of Christian literature written after the destruction of the temple. In The Fathers Know Best, I date it to around A.D. 75.

The fact that Barnabas records the destruction of the temple as a past fact (“And it happened just as the Lord said”) but Matthew presents it only as a future fact, with no notice of the prophecy’s fulfillment, suggests Matthew was written before 70.
 
Last edited:

Steven Avery

Administrator

"... There are few references to Jesus traditions in the Epistle of Barnabas. Given this letter’s concentration on the interpretation of OT passages, this is not surprising (see Old Testament in Apostolic Fathers). In Barnabas 4:14 a terse saying, “many are called but few chosen,” is introduced by a phrase that points to use of a written document: “it is written.” This may well be a reference to Matthew 22:14 in its written form, but since there is a similar proverbial saying in 4 Ezra 8:3, the question cannot be readily answered. In Barnabas 5:9 the writer states that Jesus “came not to call the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17 and parallels). There is no indication in the context that this is a Jesus tradition. Perhaps readers of Barnabas were so familiar with this saying that they would have recognized it immediately as a saying of Jesus. Or perhaps the writer knows many Jesus traditions and quotes one here instinctively, without any awareness that it is a saying of Jesus ..."

Martin, Ralph P. Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (p. 759) InterVarsity Press, 1997
 
Last edited:

Steven Avery

Administrator
Lookadoo

Many are called, but few are chosen
(πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί).

1710562406686.png
 

Steven Avery

Administrator

 

Steven Avery

Administrator
1990
Edward Massaux

Έτι δέ κάκείνο, άδελφοί μου, νοείτε' όταν βλέπετε μετά τηλικαϋτα
σημεία καί τέρατα γεγονότα έν τώ ’Ισραήλ, καί οΰτως έγκαταλελείφ-
θαι αύτούς' προσέχωμεν, μήποτε, ώς γέγραπται, πολλοί κλητοί, όλί-
γοι δέ έκλεκτοί εύρεθώμεν.

ώς γέγραπται,
πολλοί κλητοί, όλίγοι δέ έκλεκτοί εύρεθώμεν.

1710562927354.png
 
Top