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Abgar, King, 162–163
Abraham, 30, 42, 194–196
abstinence teachings. See sexual abstinence teachings
Acts of Paul (and Thecla), 18, 81–83, 88, 103–104, 128–129, 233, 262, 270n27
Acts of Peter, 18, 50–52, 233
Acts of Peter and Paul, 155
Acts of Pilate, 172–173
Acts of the Apostles, 202–209; authorship of, 23, 206–209, 220–221, 286n7; differing from Paul’s writings, 204–206, 208; as a forgery, 208–209; inaccurately aligning Paul with apostles, 63, 202–206; noting Peter’s illiteracy, 75; Paul’s conversion account, 191; summary of, 202–204
Adam, 30, 94
Aeschines, 247
afterlife, 6, 8, 64–65, 89, 106, 213. See also second coming beliefs
Against All Heresies, 221–222
Against Heresies (Irenaeus), 225
Aland, Kurt, 124
Alexander (son of Herod), 27, 40
Alexander the False Prophet (Lucian), 28
Anaximenes, 29
Ancient Literacy (Harris), 70–71
ancient world: copying texts, 240–241; historical writing, 47–49; libraries, 26–27; literacy and education, 70–73; notions of fiction, 45–48; plagiarism, 246–247; religion, 5–7; use of secretaries, 134; view of “noble lie,” 41, 42, 263. See also forgery in the ancient world; Roman Empire
angels, 89, 112, 185
anonymous writing: to boost authority, 223–225; as equivalent to forgery, 119–120; included in New Testament, 10, 23, 220; wrongly attributed, 24, 140, 221–222, 249–250
anti-Semitism, 55–56, 59, 151–152
Antitheses (Marcion), 85–86
Apocalypse of John (Revelation), 21, 30, 64, 105
Apocalypse of Paul, 213
Apocalypse of Peter, 18, 30, 63–65, 274n16
apocalyptic forgeries, 18, 29–31
apocalyptic teachings, evangelical, 105–106
apologetics/apologists, 4, 169–170
apostles: apostolic succession, 7–8; forgeries associated with, 20, 217; Gospels formerly “memoirs of the,” 225; as illiterate, 8; Paul’s relationship to the, 61, 89, 199, 202–203, 205, 206; spirit-inspired writing from the, 123–125
Apostolic Constitutions, 20, 22, 35, 37, 160, 248–249
Apostolic Tradition, 249
Aramaic, 72, 74, 75, 76, 198
Aristotle, 26, 27, 31
asceticism, 32, 49, 94, 96, 185
Athenagoras, 169
Augustine, 41–42, 160–161, 263
Aurelian, Emperor, 27–28
authority, attribution and, 222–224
Babylon, 68
baptism, 82, 83, 111
Barnabas, 149, 229–232
Beker, J. Christiaan, 109
Beskow, Per, 252, 254
Bible. See New Testament; Old Testament
biblical “conduct codes,” 2, 94
biblical infallibility, 3, 5, 115–117
biography, 46, 47
Birth of Mary, 213
Book of Thomas the Contender, 215–216
Brox, Norbert, 102, 123
Bruce, F. F., 109
Brutus, 134, 137
Buddhism and Jesus hoax, 252–254
Bujard, Walter, 113
Caldwell, Taylor, 79–81
canonical Gospels: as anonymous, 23, 24, 220–221; cast as continuous with Old Testament, 224–225; and the Gospel of Peter, 55–59; lack of resurrection accounts, 17, 57–58; misattributions of, 223–228; possible plagiarism in, 248
Capernaum, 74
celibacy teachings. See sexual abstinence teachings
Cerinthus, 21, 217
childbearing, 94, 100, 103
Christ. See Jesus
Christian apologists, 4, 169–170
Christianity: evangelical, 2–4, 105–106, 115–117, 145–146; legacy of lies and deceptions, 40–42, 261–265; messianic claims, 145–149; second coming beliefs, 105–106; violence and conflict in, 143–145, 176–178. See also early Christianity; modern forgeries and hoaxes
Church History (Eusebius), 52–53, 54, 156, 162
church leaders: authorship of 1 Clement, 222; debates over suspicious documents, 18–19, 21; development of hierarchy, 101–102; encouraging marriage of, 99–100, 103; forged documents to direct, 103; on lying, 41–42; on role of women, 82–83, 94, 103–105
Cicero, 134, 136, 137, 138
Claudius, Emperor, 155
Clement of Alexandria, 42, 261
Clement of Rome, 20, 62, 190, 222
Cleobius, 88, 89, 160
coauthoring theories, 77, 114, 136–137
Colossians, 112–114, 121, 128, 129, 185, 207
“conduct codes,” 2, 94
Confession of Pontius Pilate, The, 259
Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, 213–214
Coptic church, 153
copying texts, 87, 240–242
Corinthian church, 101, 181, 222
creation, 88–89, 95–96
credibility motive, 8–9, 31–32
creeds, 6, 7
crucifixion of Jesus. See Jesus, crucifixion of
Crucifixion of Jesus, by an Eye-Witness, The, 254–256
Daniel, 30, 117, 131
Dante, 64
David (Aristotle commentator), 31
David, King, 146, 224
Dead Sea Scrolls, 255
debates, early Christian, 180–183, 218. See also false teachings
deceptions. See lies and deceptions
Decius, Emperor, 164
deicide, 149
deutero-Pauline letters, 92–93
Dibelius, Martin, 256
Didache, 248–249
Didascalia, 249
Didymus the Blind, 22
Diogenes Laertius, 29, 247
Dionysius (3rd-century scholar), 21
Dionysius the Renegade, 16–17, 27, 29
Diotimus, 29, 40
discovery narrative, 35
divine authority, 7–8
Divine Comedy (Dante), 64
divine knowledge/spark, 96, 210, 211, 214, 215
docetism, 53–54, 57, 59–60, 86, 89
Douglas, J. Archibald, 254
early Christian forgery: blaming Jews for crucifixion, 55–57, 148, 149–152, 171; church leader debates over, 18–19, 21, 22; emergence of, 8–11; evangelical views on, 115–117; false teachings put down by, 88–90, 94, 95, 103, 183–188, 216–218; falsehood to promote “truth,” 144, 216, 217, 218, 250, 265; to fend off pagan attacks, 145, 170–173, 177–178; by Gnostics, 212–216; miracles in, 49–52; New Testament, 9–10, 65–70, 118, 262; noncanonical books, 17–19; overview on, 19–22, 139–141, 262; possible justifications for, 40–42, 262–265; in support of Paul, 87, 199–202; writings of Jesus, 159–163. See also pastoral letter forgeries; Pauline forgeries; Petrine forgeries; scholarly justification of forgery
early Christian forgery list: Acts of Peter, 50–52, 233; Apocalypse of Peter, 18, 30, 63–65; Apostolic Constitutions, 20, 22, 35, 37, 160; Book of Thomas the Contender, 215–216; Colossians, 112–114, 129–130, 185; Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, 213–214; Ephesians, 108–112, 129–130, 143–144; Epistle of Peter, 62–63; Epistula Apostolorum, 217; Gospel of Nicodemus, 150–152, 172–173; Hebrews, 22, 221, 229; James, 192–198; Jude, 186–188; Letters of Paul and Seneca, 18, 90–92, 114, 171; Pseudo-Clementine Writings, 62–63, 190–192; Second Treatise of the Great Seth, 161; Sibylline oracles, 174–176; 3 Corinthians, 88–90, 216; Timothy to the Church, 32–33. See also Acts of the Apostles; Gospel of Peter; pastoral letter forgeries; Pilate Gospels
early Christianity: based on conflict, 143–145; challenges of apostolic succession, 7–8; faith and works debate, 194–198; falsifications in, 240–245; marriage beliefs, 18, 82–83, 94, 99–100, 103–104, 105; overview on debates in, 180–183, 218; pagan opposition to, 67, 145, 165–170, 177; question of plagiarism, 247–249; and the Roman Empire, 163–164; rooted in truth claims, 5–7; salvation through Jesus in, 61, 81, 85, 99, 100, 109–111, 200; spiritual gifts and equality, 100–101; splits over sex, marriage, role of women, 82–83, 103–105. See also church leaders; early Christian forgery; fabrications; false attribution; false teachings; Gnosticism; Jewish/Christian conflicts; Jewish law and Christians; second coming beliefs; sexual abstinence teachings
Ecclesiastes, 117
Edessa, 162–163
Egeria, 163
Empedocles, 247
Enoch, 30
Ephesians, 108–113, 120, 128, 129, 136, 137, 138, 143–144, 197–198
Epicurus, 29, 40
Epiphanius, 212, 213
Epistle of Barnabas, 149, 229–232
Epistle of Peter, 62–63, 189–190, 204
Epistula Apostolorum, 217
equality, 101, 104
Eros, 27–28
Essenes, 255–256
ethical views, 40–42
Euripides, 26, 27
Eusebius, 21, 52–53, 54, 64, 156, 162, 173
evangelical Christians, 2–4, 105–106, 115–117, 145–146
Eve, 94
evidence, 4
exclusivity, religious, 6, 7
fabrications, 232–240; about Peter, 49–52; Acts of Paul, 81–83; Acts of Peter and Paul, 155; Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 236–237; Infancy Gospel of Thomas, 237–239; in the New Testament, 239–240; overview on, 232–234; Proto-Gospel of James, 234–236
faith, and works, 194–198
false attribution, 220–232; Epistle of Barnabas, 229–232; to increase authority of writing, 222–223; misattribution of the Gospels, 223–228; mistaken, 221–222; New Testament, 220–221, 229; as pseudepigraphy, 24
false teachings, 180–218; attribution of the Gospels and, 225–226, 227; context and authorship, 267n3; and controversy surrounding Paul, 180–182, 188–189, 199–202; early Christian debates overview, 180–183, 218; forgeries to put down, 88–90, 94, 95, 103, 183–188, 216–218; forgery to promote, 8–9; of Marcion, 84–88; targeting Judaism / aligned with Paul, 229–232. See also Gnosticism; Paul, forgeries in opposition to
falsehood. See lies and deceptions falsifications, 240–245
fiction, 45–48
1 Clement, 222
1 Corinthians, 93, 99, 100–101, 111, 193, 244–245
1 John, 23, 221, 223, 229
1 Kings, 224
1 Peter, 66–68, 75–76, 131, 134–139, 171–172, 199–200, 204
1 Samuel, 115, 224
1 Thessalonians, 93, 106–108, 113, 200
1 Timothy, 22, 94–100, 102–103, 138, 188, 208, 232, 244
Five Gospels, The (Jesus Seminar), 246
flesh, 88–90, 96, 211–212, 214–217
the flesh, 89–90, 96
forgery, literary: as deceptive, 9, 10, 25, 36, 37–38, 40; defining, 24–25; detection of, 33; Hitler diaries, 13–15; “honest,” 121; intention of, 25–26, 38–39, 141, 249; as multifunctional, 170–171; techniques of forgers, 19–20, 33–35. See also early Christian forgery; modern forgeries and hoaxes; motivation for forgery; scholarly justification of forgery
forgery in the ancient world: as accepted practice, 119–120, 123–125; apocalyptic, 30–31; condemnation of, 9, 25, 36–37, 39, 140–141, 262; Dionysius’s ruse, 16–17; intention to deceive, 38–39, 119–123, 126; methods of, 33–35; negative words to describe, 37–38, 140; prevalence of, 15, 36; punishment for, 39–40. See also early Christian forgery
fundamentalist Christians, 2–4, 105–106, 115–117, 145–146
Galatians, 61, 93, 99, 101, 110, 113, 134, 189, 191, 193, 195, 204–205
Galen, 26–27, 36–37, 39
Galilee, 73–74
Genesis, 195, 196
genre, literary, 46
Gentile Christians and the law. See Jewish law and Christians
George Washington illustration, 44–45
Gnosticism, 209–217; divine knowledge/spark in, 96, 210, 211, 214, 215; forgeries in opposition to, 216–217; forgeries to promote, 161, 212–216; overview on, 209–212; pastoral letter forgeries linked to, 95–96; salvation through transcendence of the flesh, 96, 211, 214; views on Jesus, 96, 182, 210, 211–212, 214
God: in apocalyptic writings, 30; Bible as inspired by, 115–116, 117; gift of the Spirit of, 100; in Gnosticism, 95–96, 210–211; Marcion’s beliefs on, 85–89, 95, 231; messiah from, 146–149; objective knowledge of, 3; as truth, 41; use of deception by, 42
Golden Rule, 265
“good works” teachings, 99, 110, 194–198
Goodspeed, Edgar, 252, 254, 258
Gospel of Nicodemus, 150–152, 172–173
Gospel of Peter, 52–60; account of Jesus’s death and resurrection, 17, 55–59; blaming Jews for crucifixion, 55–57, 149–150; early source information on, 52–54; fabrication in, 233; as forgery, 54, 59–60, 233; as fragmentary, 55, 59; as heretical, 88; intention of author, 38; rediscovery of, 52, 54–55
Gospel of Philip, 17, 31, 212, 213
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 236–237, 248
Gospel of the Holy Twelve, The, 259
Gospel of Thomas, 17, 31, 213
Gospels, New Testament. See canonical Gospels
Gospels, noncanonical, 17
Grafton, Anthony, 33
Great Lion of God (Caldwell), 79–81
Greek language proficiency, 71–76, 138–139, 198
Greek Septuagint, 67, 75, 76
Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan, 258–259
Handing Over of Pilate, 157–159
Harris, William, 71
Harrison, A. N., 98
Hebrew Bible. See Old Testament
Hebrew language, 72–73, 75, 198
Hebrews, book of, 22, 23, 115, 221, 229
Heliodorus, 41
hell, 7, 18, 65
Hemis monastery, 252–253, 254
Heraclides of Pontus, 16–17, 27, 247
heresiologists, 221
heretical views. See false teachings
Herod, King, 27, 29, 40, 56, 149, 239
Herod Antipas, 153–154
Herodotus, 39
Hesiod, 247
Hezser, Catherine, 72–73
historical writing, 44–45, 47–49, 232–234
Hitler diaries, 13–15
Holy Spirit, gifts of the, 100–101
Holy Spirit-inspired forgery, 123–125
Homer, 247
Homilies, 190–192, 204
homonymous writing, 23
homosexual acts by Jesus, 261
hope, forgery to inspire, 29–31
Hosea, 145, 200
human body/flesh, 88–90, 96, 211–212, 214–217
humiliation of rival, 27
humility of disciple, writing to demonstrate, 129–133
Iamblichus, 131–133
India, accounts of Jesus in, 253–254
Infancy Gospel of Thomas, 237–239
influence, forgery increasing, 8–9, 31–32
intention to deceive, 25–26, 38–39, 122
Irenaeus, 207, 212, 213, 225–226
Isaiah, 30, 127–128, 145, 146, 162
Israel, king of, 146–147, 224
Issa stories, 252–254
James, book of, 192–198
James, brother of Jesus, 60, 61, 62, 187, 193, 197–199, 203, 205, 206, 209, 213, 234, 236
Jenkins, Jerry, 105
Jeremiah, 145
Jerome, 21
Jerusalem’s destruction, 56–57, 59, 68, 149–150
Jesus: and the adulterous woman, 160, 242; birth of, 89, 235–236, 239; bringing the sword, 143; childhood miracle accounts, 236–239; divine revelation through, 7; docetists views of, 53–54, 57, 59–60, 86, 89; early church schisms and, 61–63, 182, 183; as engaging in homosexuality, 261; in forged apocalypse, 18; Gnostic views of, 96, 182, 210, 211–212, 214; Golden Rule, 265; in Gospel of Nicodemus, 150–152, 172–173; James’s relationship to, 193–194; as Jewish messiah, 145–149, 224–225; “lost years” stories, 252–254; as misinterpreted, 87; in modern-day hoaxes, 252–254, 259–261; pagan views of, 166, 169; and Paul’s conversion, 79–81, 191–192, 202; questioned about the afterlife, 64–65; salvation through, 61, 81, 85, 99, 100, 109–111, 200; in the Sibylline oracles, 175–176; teachings in Gnostic forgeries, 161, 212–215; transfiguration of, 68–69; as truth, 3; as vegetarian, 259; writings attributed to, 8, 18, 31, 159–163. See also second coming beliefs
Jesus, crucifixion of: blaming Jews for the, 55–57, 148, 149–152, 163, 171; Crucifixion of Jesus, by an Eye-Witness, The, 254–256; Gnostic account of, 213–214; Pilate’s Death Sentence hoax, 257–258; Roman Empire in accounts of, 55–58, 151, 152, 156. See also Pilate Gospels
Jesus, resurrection of: account in Gospel of Peter, 17, 57–59; adding to the account in Mark, 242–243; as of the flesh, 211–212, 217; in Gospel of Nicodemus, 152; modern forgery discounting, 254–256
Jesus Seminar, 246
Jewish/Christian conflicts, 145–159; alleged cover-up of Jesus’s resurrection, 58, 59; blaming Jews for crucifixion, 55–57, 148–152, 163, 171; Christian forgeries in answer to, 149–152, 163, 177; Jewish reaction to Christian claims, 145–149, 176–177; maligning Judaism in Barnabas, 149, 229–231. See also Pilate Gospels
Jewish law and Christians: Barnabas discrediting, 149, 230; early church schism over, 60–63, 181, 218; forgeries addressing, 109–110, 112, 189–190, 195–198, 203–205, 208; James’s commitment to, 193; Marcion’s views on, 85, 231–232; Paul on salvation through Jesus over, 80–81, 85, 99, 191, 195–196, 231
Jews/Judaism: apocalyptic writing in, 29–30; king of Israel, 146–147, 224; linking Gospels with, 224–225; literacy and language skills, 72–75; pagan views of, 165, 169; as united with Gentile Christians, 109; varied messianic beliefs, 146–147; writing forgeries to support, 28–29, 174–175
John, Apostle (son of Zebedee), 21, 23, 227, 229
John, author of Revelation, 21, 23
John, Gospel of, 9, 10, 23, 56, 150, 160, 162, 193, 223–229, 242, 244, 250
John the Baptist, 153, 154
Jonah, 42
Joseph, husband of Mary, 234–239
Joseph of Arimathea, 255
Josephus, 27, 40, 73
Joshua, 86, 224
Jude, 21, 69, 186–188, 247–248
Judges, 224
justification of forgery. See scholarly justification of forgery
Justin Martyr, 149, 169, 176, 225, 226
Justus of Tiberius, 73
knowledge of the divine, 96, 210, 211, 214, 215
Kujau, Konrad, 13, 14, 15, 26
LaHaye, Timothy, 105
last days. See second coming beliefs
Late, Great Planet Earth, The (Lindsey), 105
Left Behind series (Jenkins and LaHaye), 105
Letter of Aristeas, 28–29, 67
Letter of Herod to Pilate, 153–155
Letter of Pilate to Claudius, 155–156
Letter of Pilate to Herod, 154–155
Letters of Paul and Seneca, 18, 90–92, 114, 171
libraries, ancient, 26–27
lies and deceptions: ancient views on, 41–42; beyond literary forgery, 219–220, 249–250; Christianity’s legacy of, 40–42, 261–265; falsifications, 240–245; forgery as, 9, 10, 25, 36, 37–38, 40; George Washington illustration, 44–45; “noble/medicinal lie,” 41, 42, 263; nuances of falsehood, 45–46; plagiarism, 220, 245–249; to promote “truth,” 144, 216, 217, 218, 250, 265. See also early Christian forgery; fabrications; false attribution; modern forgeries and hoaxes
Lindsey, Hal, 105
literary genre, 46
Long-Lost Second Book of Acts, 258–259
Longinus, 154, 155
Lucian of Samosata, 28, 48
Luke, Gospel of, 23, 55, 86–87, 206, 220–221, 223, 225–228, 239, 248
Luke the physician, 206–209
Luther, Martin, 196
lying. See lies and deceptions
MacDonald, Dennis, 103, 104
Marcion, 84–89, 104, 182, 211, 216, 231–232
Marcion’s canon, 86–87
Marcus Aurelius, 134, 136, 137, 167
Mark, Gospel of, 23, 55, 57, 70, 223–228, 242–244, 248, 250, 260–261
marriage, 18, 82–83, 94, 99–100, 103–104, 105
Martial, 29, 37, 39, 247
Mary, mother of Jesus, 89, 234–239, 258–259
Mary Magdalene, 17, 259
Matthew (“Matthaias”), 215
Matthew, Gospel of, 9, 10, 23, 24, 55–58, 63, 69, 143, 151–152, 162, 193, 223–228, 239, 248
Maximin Daia, 173
Meade, David, 126–127, 129
“medicinal lie,” 41, 42, 263
Melito, 149
messianic claims, 145–149, 224–225
Metzger, Bruce, 4, 123
Micah, 145
military forgeries, 27
Minucius Felix, 167–168
miracles: accounts of Jesus’s childhood, 236–239; in forgeries about Peter, 49–52, 62; of Jesus, 152, 156, 157, 158, 172
misattribution, 24, 140, 221–222, 249–250
modern forgeries and hoaxes, 252–261; The Confession of Pontius Pilate, 259; The Crucifixion of Jesus, by an Eye-Witness, 254–256; The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, 259; Long-Lost Second Book of Acts, 258–259; The Passover Plot, 260; Pilate’s Death Sentence, 256–258; Smith’s “Secret Gospel” of Mark, 260–261; The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ, 252–254
Moody Bible Institute, 2, 3, 5
Moses, 229–230
motivation for forgery, 25–32; credibility and being heard, 8–9, 31–32; defending religion, 28–29; humiliation of rival, 27, 29; inspiring hope by apocalypse, 29–31; and intention, 25–26, 38–39, 122; political or military ends, 27–28; profit, 15, 26–27; pulling a ruse, 15–17, 27
Müller, Max, 254
Muratorian Canon, 87–88
mythology, 45, 233
Nag Hammadi library, 161, 212–213, 215
Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea, 161
Natural History of the Great Prophet of Nazareth (Venturini), 256
Nero, Emperor, 67, 68, 70, 91, 92, 155
New Testament: anonymous works of the, 10, 23, 220, 229; Apocalypse of Peter and, 63–64; containing fabrications, 239–240; discrepancies in, 5; falsifications in the, 242–245; forged out of conflict, 183; four literary genres, 17; overview on forgeries in, 9–10, 65–70, 118, 262. See also canonical Gospels
Nicodemus, 255
“noble lie,” 41, 42, 263
noncanonical books, 17–19
nothos (illegitimate child), 37, 38, 48
Notovitch, Nicolas, 252–254
Numbers, 115
objective truth, 3–4, 5
Old Testament: apocalypse in, 30; attempts to link Gospels with, 224–225; Barnabas on broken Jewish covenant, 149, 229–231; deception by God in, 42; forgeries in the, 117, 126–128, 131; Marcion rejecting the, 85–89, 231–232; on the messiah, 145–149; Septuagint, 67, 75, 76; varied early church views on, 182
Onomacritus of Athens, 39
Origen, 42, 169, 234
orthonymous writing, 22–23
pagans, 163–176; beliefs of, 6, 164–165; as bowing to Jesus, 151, 237; Christian forgeries to fend off, 145, 170–173, 177–178; converting to Christianity, 169–170, 202; opposition to Christians, 67, 145, 165–170, 177; and the Sibylline oracles, 173–176
Palestine, 72
Papias, 226–227
Parthenopaeus (play; Dionysius), 16–17, 27
Passover Plot, The (Schonfield), 260
pastoral letter forgeries, 93–105; absent from Marcion’s canon, 86–87; 1 and 2 Timothy copyist view, 97–98; first scholarly suspicions about, 95–96; Harrison’s statistics of word usage, 98; looking at historical context, 100–102; overview on, 93–97; possible reasons for, 103–105; and reactualizing the tradition, 128–129; verisimilitude in 1 and 2 Timothy, 102–103; word comparisons, 99–100, 278n14
Paul, Apostle: as aligned with Peter, 199–204, 209; ancient fabrications about, 81–83, 155; associating Barnabas with, 231–232; attribution of Luke and, 228; authentic letters by, 22–23, 93; beliefs on the flesh, 90; coauthoring by, 77, 114; controversy surrounding / opposition to, 60–63, 180–182, 188–189, 199–202; conversion of, 79–81, 191–192, 202; death of, 70, 92; on faith, 99, 195–198; falsification of writings of, 244–245; forgeries in support of, 87, 199–202; forgery of Jesus writing to, 161; linked to sexual abstinence teachings, 18, 82, 103–105, 233; modern fictions of, 79–81, 258; Peter and authority of, 190–192, 206; philosophers linked with, 18, 91–92; salvation through Jesus over Jewish law, 80–81, 85, 99, 191, 195–196, 231; second coming beliefs of, 90, 99–102, 106–108, 110–111. See also Acts of the Apostles
Paul, forgeries in opposition to, 188–198; book of James, 192–198; noncanonical Epistle of Peter, 189–190; overview, 188–189; the Pseudo-Clementine Writings, 190–192
Pauline forgeries, 84–93; Apocalypse of Paul, 213; Colossians, 112–114, 129–130, 185; deutero-Pauline letters, 92–93; as disciples writing in name of Paul, 129–133; Ephesians, 108–112, 129–130, 143–144; Hebrews, 22, 221; Letters of Paul and Seneca, 18, 90–92, 114, 171; overview on New Testament, 92–93, 188; perpetrated by Marcion, 84–88; scholars’ reluctance to label forgeries, 118, 119; 2 Thessalonians, 19–21, 105–108, 120; secretary hypothesis and, 108, 114, 134–135; 3 Corinthians, 88–90, 216. See also pastoral letter forgeries
Pausanias, 29
pen names, 23–24
persecution, 66–67
Peter, Apostle: in Acts of Peter and Paul, 155; Acts of Peter fabrication, 18, 50–52, 233; ancient literacy and education, 70–73; attribution of Mark and, 223, 226, 227, 228; authority and Paul, 190–192, 206; death under Nero, 68, 70; forgeries aligning Paul with, 199–204, 209; forgery of Jesus writing to, 161; Gentile Christians and Jewish law, 60–63, 189–190, 203, 204; as illiterate, 75, 138; miracles allegedly performed by, 49–52, 62; possibility of Greek proficiency, 73–75, 138–139; stories about, 49–52; supposedly appointing Clement, 222
Petrine forgeries, 52–70; Apocalypse of Peter, 18, 30, 63–65; Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, 213–214; as disciples writing in name of Peter, 131–133; early church schism and, 60–63; Epistle of Peter, 62–63; 1 and 2 Peter, 65–70, 75–77, 199–202; and the secretary hypothesis, 118, 134–139. See also Gospel of Peter
Philemon, 93, 200, 207
Philippians, 80, 81, 93, 110, 113
philosophers: associating Paul with, 18, 91–92; converting to Christianity, 169–170; forgeries of works by, 26–27, 37; on lying, 41; plagiarism by, 247; story of Dionysius, 16; theory of disciples writing in name of, 129–133
Pilate Gospels, 152–159; Handing Over of Pilate, 157–159; Letter of Herod to Pilate, 153–155; Letter of Pilate to Claudius, 155–156; Letter of Pilate to Herod, 154–155; overview on, 152–153; purpose of, 159, 171; Report of Pontius Pilate, 156–157, 158
plagiarism, 220, 245–249
Plato, 26, 27, 31, 37, 39, 41, 42, 71
Plutarch, 34, 39, 269n13
poetry, epic tragic, 45–46, 48
political forgeries, 27–28
Polybius, 48, 246
polytheistic religions, 6
Pontius Pilate, 3, 55–56, 58, 150–153, 169, 172–173, 257–258, 259. See also Pilate Gospels
Porphyry, 130, 131
Procla, 154–155
profit motive, 15, 26–27
Proto-Gospel of James, 234–236, 248
Psalms, 145, 146, 236
pseudepigraphal writing, 24–25. See also forgery, literary
Pseudo-Clementine Writings, 62–63, 190–192
pseudonymous writing, 23–24, 140
pseudos (falsehood), 37–38
Pythagoras, 130–133, 247
Rahab, 42
rapture beliefs, 105–106
reactualizing tradition, 125–129
Reed, Jonathan, 74
reincarnation, 258–259
religion, ancient, 5–7
religious conflict, 143–145, 176–178
religious forgery, 28–29
Report of Pontius Pilate, 156–157, 158
resurrection of Jesus. See Jesus, resurrection of
resurrection of the faithful. See second coming beliefs
Revelation, 21, 30, 64, 105
Rhossus congregation, 53–54
Richards, E. Randolph, 134–138
Roman Empire: Christianity unique in, 6–7; consulting Sibylline oracles, 173–174; destruction of Jerusalem, 56–57, 68, 149–150; and Jesus’s trial and crucifixion, 55–58, 151, 152, 156; lack of records on Jesus, 256–257; literacy in, 72–73; Paul unknown in, 91; treatment of Christians in, 67, 163–164; use of secretaries, 134–138
romances, 45–46
Romans, book of, 86, 93, 99, 134, 138, 200
Rome, 68, 92
Salome, 235
salvation: Gnostic transcendence of the flesh, 96, 211, 214; through Jesus, 61, 81, 85, 99, 100, 109–111, 200
Salvian, 31–33, 262
Sarah, 42
Schleiermacher, Friedrich, 95–96
scholarly justification of forgery, 119–140; coauthoring theories, 77, 114, 136–137; disciples writing as act of humility, 129–133; nondeceptive intent view, 119–123, 126; overview on, 118, 139–140; pseudepigraphy in the Spirit, 123–125; reactualizing the tradition, 125–129. See also secretary hypothesis
Schonfield, Hugh, 260
scribes, 87, 240–244, 250
scribes, forgeries by. See secretary hypothesis
second coming beliefs: docetist, 89; Gnostic, 211–212; messianic predictions and, 148; mocked by scoffers, 69–70; modern rapture beliefs, 105–106; Paul’s views, 90, 99–102, 106–108, 110–111; as spiritual / already occurring, 111, 112, 113
2 Corinthians, 93
2 John, 23, 221, 223, 229
2 Kings, 86, 224 2
Peter, 21–22, 68–70, 75, 76, 127, 128, 131, 134, 135, 138, 201–202, 204, 247–248, 275n23
2 Samuel, 224 2
Thessalonians, 19–21, 22, 35, 37, 105–108, 120
2 Timothy, 22, 86, 93–98, 102–103, 115, 188
Second Treatise of the Great Seth, 161
Secret Book of John, 213
Secret Gospel of Mark, 27, 260–261
secretary hypothesis, 133–139; arguments against, 138–139; four uses of secretaries theory, 135–138; overview of, 133–134; and Pauline/Petrine forgeries, 108, 114, 134–139
self-knowledge, 96, 210, 211, 215
Seneca, 18, 91–92, 114, 171
Septuagint, 67, 75, 76
Serapion, 53, 54, 57, 59–60, 233
sexual abstinence teachings: apologists supporting, 170; divided views on, 82–83, 103–105; in forgeries about Peter, 49–50; forgers linking to Paul, 18, 82, 103–105, 233; of the Gnostics, 96
Sibylline oracles, 173–176
Silvanus, 76, 200
Simon Peter. See Peter, Apostle
Simon the Magician, 50–52, 62, 88, 89, 155, 160, 190, 191, 217, 233
Smith, Morton, 27, 260–261, 269n16
Socrates, 41, 71, 247
Solomon, 117
Sophocles, 16, 26
Speyer, Wolfgang, 40, 123
Spirit-inspired forgery, 123–125
Spirit of God, 100–101
spiritual battle, 144
Stern (magazine), 13, 14
Stoics, 16
stories, true. See true stories
subjectivity, 3
submissiveness in women, 83, 94, 103–104, 172, 244
suffering, 53–54, 57, 59–60, 66–67
techniques of forgers, 19–20, 33–35
Tertius, 134
Tertullian, 18, 83, 84, 156, 165–166, 169, 212, 213, 221–222, 233, 270n24
Thecla, 81, 82–83, 103, 104, 105, 262
Theopompus, 29
3 Corinthians, 88–90, 216
3 John, 23, 221, 223, 229
Thomas, Judas Didymus, 213, 215
Thucydides, 47, 48
Tiberius, Emperor, 155, 156, 158, 259
Tibetan Issa stories, 252–254
Timothy to the Church (Salvian), 32–33, 262
Tiro, 137
Titus, 49–50, 86, 93, 95, 96, 99, 101, 102, 103, 115, 188, 197
tradition, reactualizing, 125–129
tragic poetry, 45–46, 48
transfiguration scene, 68–69
Trevor-Roper, Hugh, 13, 14
true stories, 43–49; ancient historical writing, 47–49; ancient notions of fiction, 45–48; and falsehood, 45; George Washington illustration, 44–45; nature of, 43–44
truth: apostolic truth, 7–8; Christianity’s truth claims, 5–7; as complex, 43; evangelical Christians’ commitment to, 3–5; objective truth, 3–4; reconciling Christianity with, 4–5; use of falsehoods to promote, 144, 216, 217, 218, 250, 265
truth claims, 5–7, 44–45
Unknown Life of Jesus Christ, The, 252–254
vegetarianism, 259
Venturini, K. H., 256
verisimilitude, 34–35, 102–103
virgin birth story, 235–236
Vitruvius, 246
Washington, George, 44–45
Weems, Mason Locke, 44
women in the church, 82–83, 94, 100, 103–105, 172, 244–245
works, 99, 110, 194–198
writing: ancient literacy and, 70–73; biography, 46, 47; epic poetry, 45–46, 48; fabrication, 232; falsifications, 240–242; historical writing, 44–45, 47–49, 232–234; homonymous writing, 23; literary genre, 46; notions of fiction, 45–48; orthonymous writing, 22–23; plagiarism, 220, 245–249; pseudepigraphal writing, 24–25; pseudonymous writing, 23–24. See also anonymous writing; forgery, literary; scholarly justification of forgery; secretary hypothesis; true stories
Xenophon, 41
Zechariah, 145