Literati-re. — Tischendorf, Wright, Forbes Robinson, Orr (opp. citL)\ Mrs. Lewis, 'Apocrypha.' (Shui. Sinaitica, xi.).
C. (6) 1. The Gospel of Nicodemus.— This Gospel, dealing with the Trial, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, and with His Descent into Hades, is a com- bination of two earlier writings— (1) Acta Pilati, and (2) Descensus Christi ad inferos. The older Greek MSS contain only ( 1 ) with an independent conclusion, while there are clear signs that the com- piler had not thoroughly mastered all his material. The earliest form is found in a Latin version, pro- bably of the 5th or 6th cent. ; but it was not until the 13tli cent, that the name of Nicodeinus was asso- ciated \vith it. The writing claimed to have been written in Hebrew by Nicodemus, and to have been translated into Greek by Ananias or .Eneas Protector.
The contents ot the Gospel are as follows :
(1) Jesus is accused by tlie Jews. Pilate orders Jesus to be brought before him. The messen<?er, by Pil.ite's instructions, shows Jesus great respect. As Jesus enters the judi^ment-hall, the tops of the Roman standards bow down before Him (ch. 1). The charge that Jesus was 'born of fornication' is disproved (ch. 2). Pilate privately examines Hira,— the passage is b,ised on John 183»-38,— and declares Him not worthy of death (chs. 3. 4). Various witnesses, among them Nicodenm's and some who had been healed by Jesus, come forward and speak on His behalf (chs. 5-8). The Jews choose Barabbas instead of Jesus, and are reproached for their ingratitude by Pilate. Pilat* washes hands, and suffers Jesus to be led forth to crucifixion (ch. 9). f the crucifixion and burial, based ph of Ariiiiathjea is put into prison
Then follows on Lk 23 (chs. 10. by the Jews for 1 (ch. 12). The u'ua. to the Sanhedriii, : the bodv (ch. 13). witness'to Christ's
miraculously delivered •■port the resurrection that the disciples stole (■\ ite from Galilee bear barged to keep silent, I the pro]X)sal of Nico-
demus, search is made for Jesus, In more given of His ascension (chs. In. 1(1).
(2) This purports to have been written down by Carinus and Leucius, sons of the aged Simeon, who had been raised from the dead by Jesus(ch. 17). ' A purple royal light ' appears in Hades ; John the Baptist announces the near approach of Christ to visit those ' sitting in darkness and the shadow of death ' (ch. 18). Seth tells of his prayer for oil from the tree of mercy to heal his father, and of Michael's promise that he should receive it when the Son of fiod came to earth (ch. Ifl). A conversation takes place between Satan and Tartarus, who dread Christ's coming (ch. 20). The summons is made (Ps 24") in a voice of thunder to grant Jesus admission : Satan and Tartarus are powerless to exclude Ilini (nh. 2i). Satan is (irli\frf(l into the iiower of Hades, uli^. :■■-■■■.'.,■• > ■ . i :,„ ,,,,,i,.,._
that had
isepll and Nicodenm: ip an account of 'al Jesus by the Jews,
The first part of the Go.y>e/. of Niroflemu.<i~{\io. Acts of Pilate— exista in various recensions, the earliest of which cannot be much older than
the beginning of the 5th century. The question, however, is raised by references in Justin and Tertullian, whether these Acts are not based on much older documents. In his first Apology (ch. 35) Justin, after describing the crucifixion of Jesus, declares : ' And that these things happened, one may learn from the Acts drawn uji under Pontius Pilate ' ; and again (ch. 48), when speaking of miracles which Jesus wrought, he adds a like testimony. Moreover, Tertullian in two passages (Ajjul. 5 and 21) speaks of a report sent to Tiberius by Pilate dealing with Christ ; and in the latter passage, after giving a brief account of Christ's life and a detailed description of His death, resur- rection, and ascension, he states : ' Pilate, who in his heart was already a Christian, reported all these things about Christ to Tiberius, who was emperor at that time. ' Many scholars believe that the report referred to by Tertullian is preserved in the Letter of Pilate to Claudius (ch. 29 of the Gospel of A'ieodemus). On the other hand, Hamack holds the Letter to be later than Tertullian (Chron. i. 607 tf.). On the ground of Justin's references, Tischendorf (Evang. Apocr. Ixiv), followed by Hof- mann {PRE'' i. 659), dates our extant Acts of Pilate in the 2nd centuiy. Lipsius {Die Pilatusakten, 14ft.), however, Hamack (Chron. i. ClOff'.), and others believe that Justin had no knowledge of any Acts of Pilate, and simply assumed their existence'; wliile von Schubert, followed by StUleken (Henn. Handb. 146 f. ), maintains that Justin was ac- quainted with Acts of Pilate which probably formed the basis of the present Acts. The question is an intricate one, and cannot be fully discussed here. Tischendorf's conclusion may, however, safely be set aside. Haraack bases his judgment mainly on the ground that, if Justin had had any real knowledge oi Acts of Pilate dealing with the facts which he narrates, he would have quoted from them, while, as a matter of fact, his quotations are from the Prophets and the Gospels. Against this it must, however, be urged that, if Justin had not had some definite kno%vledge to go upon, he would never have ilnrfd in an .iddress to the Emperor to ground liis .'nM^ ..u .lonuuents whicli presumably were in the piiMir aivlii\e>.. The present writer inclines to thi: \ ie\\ thai Arts of Pilate, at least believed to be genuine, were in existence in the 2nd cent., and that our present Acts were in- fluenced by them. Whether the 2nd cent. Acts were based on any authentic report by Pilate, it is impossible to say.