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Introduction
Barnabas [bar Naba, Son of Encouragement] was a companion and fellow-preacher with Paul. This Epistle lays a greater claim to canonical authority than most others. It has been cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, and many ancient Fathers. Cotelerius affirms that Origen (c. 185 – c. 254) and Jerome (340-420) esteemed it genuine and canonical;[1] but Cotelerius himself did not believe it to be either one or the other; on the contrary, he supposes it was written for the benefit of the Ebionites[2] who were tenacious of rites and ceremonies. Bishop Fell feared to own expressly what he seemed to be persuaded of, that it ought to be treated with the same respect as several of the books of the present canon. Dr. Bernard, Savilian professor at Oxford, not only believed it to be genuine, but that it was read throughout, in the churches at Alexandria, as the canonical scriptures were. Dodwell supposed it to have been published before the Epistle of Jude, and the writings of both the Johns. Vossius, Dupuis, Dr. Cane, Dr. Mill, Dr. S. Clark, Whiston, and Archbishop Wake also esteemed it genuine: Menardus, Archbishop Laud, Spanheim, and others, deemed it apocryphal.
The present version consists of 15 chapters, whereas many mss. of this epistle consist of 21 chapters. The content is the same; the only difference lies in the chapter/verse numbering.
1. The replacement theology and blatant antisemitism expressed in this document convinces me beyond question that it could not possibly have been written by Rav Shaul’s companion Bar Naba. The fact that “Origen and Jerome esteemed it genuine” testifies to how early this antisemitic heresy had crept early into the church. [BACK]
2. Ebionites: an early
Messianic Jewish sect.
“(Ancient Greek: Ἐβιωναῖοι, romanized:
Ebiōnaîoi, derived from Hebrew language אֶבְיוֹנִים, ʾEḇyōnīm, meaning 'the poor' or 'poor ones')
as a term refers to a nontrinitarian Mosaic Law-observant Jewish-Christian sect that existed
existed in ‘Palestine’ and Transjordan during the early centuries of the Common Era.”
(Wikipedia)
[BACK]
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
