Apocalypse of Peter

For the similarly-titled Nag Hammâdi text, see Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter.

The recovered Apocalypse of Peter or Revelation of Peter is an example of a popular early Christian apocalyptic literature. It was once a serious candidate for inclusion in the New Testament.

Probably written by a Christian author in Peter's name during the second century CE the text exists in two translations of a lost Greek original, one Koine Greek, one Ethiopic. The two versions diverge considerably. The Greek manuscript was unknown except in references from other sources until it was discovered in a desert necropolis at Akhmim in Upper Egypt, during excavations directed by Sylvain Grébaut during the 1886-87 season. The fragmentary text consisted of parchment leaves that had been carefully deposited in the grave of a Christian monk of the eighth or ninth century. This manuscript is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The Ethiopic version was discovered in 1910.

Before these discoveries, the work had been known only through copious quotes in early Christian writings. In addition, some common lost source had been necessary to account for closely parallel passages in such apocalyptic literature as the (Christian) Apocalypse of Esdras, the Vision of Paul, and the Passion of Saint Perpetua.

Career of the Apocalypse of Peter

The Apocalypse of Peter was apparently widely read in the Christian churches of the second century and was considered holy scripture by several authorities. Others questions whether it was truly written by Peter and were suspicious of its dramatic apocalyptic character. The Book of Revelation by John of Patmos, which was also controversial, was ultimately accepted, but barely.

The late second century church father Clement of Alexandria considered the Apocalypse of Peter to be holy scripture and is known to have quoted from it. The Muratorian Fragment, a list of canonical scripture composed in the Roman Church in the last quarter of the second century, also includes Peter's apocalypse, although with a disclaimer. It reads: "The Apocalypses of John and Peter only do we receive, which (latter) some among us would not have read in church." Thus, the work must have existed by the middle of the second century, which is also the commonly accepted date of the canonical Second Epistle of Peter.

The Catalogue Claromontanus, an eastern list of sacred scriptures, belonging to the third century, names the Revelation of Peter and specifies its rather lengthy character. Eusebius (c. 339 C.E.), in his Ecclesiastical History, iii., 25, mentions the Revelation of Peter along with the Acts of Paul and the Shepherd of Hermas as disputed books, while admitting elsewhere that Clement of Alexandria had quoted from it as scripture. Although began to turn against it through the work of Athanasius (mid fourth century) and others, Macarius Magnes (early fifth century) still cites the Apocalypse of Peter as scripture (Apocritica, iv., 6)

By the mid fifth century, however, it was clear that the Apocalypse of Peter would not accepted into the Christian canon. It began to be included in lists of the New Testament apocrypha, where it thus remains today. The disappearance of every single manuscript of the work until recently is perhaps not entirely coincidental, as there seems to have been an effort to destroy manuscripts considered controversial, as well as those deemed heretical.

Dating

The terminus post quem—the point after which the Apocalypse of Peter was written—is revealed by its use of 4 Esther, the fourth book continuing Esther, which was written about 100 C.E.; it is used in Chapter 3 of the Apocalypse. The intellectually simple Apocalypse of Peter, with its Hellenistic Greek overtones, belongs to the same genre as the Clementine literature that was popular in Alexandria. Like the Clementine literature, the Apocalypse of Peter was written for a popular audience and had a wide readership. The Muratorian fragment, the earliest existing list of canonic sacred writings of the New Testament, which is assigned on internal evidence to the last quarter of the second century (i.e. ca 175-200), gives a list of works read in the Christian churches that is similar to the modern accepted canon; however, it also includes the Apocalypse of Peter. The Muratorian fragment states: "the Apocalypses also of John and Peter only do we receive, which some among us would not have read in church." The Muratorian fragment is ambiguous whether both books of Revelations were meant as not received, or just Peter's. (It is interesting that the existence of other Apocalypses is implied, for several early apocryphal ones are known: see Apocalyptic literature.)

Content

The Apocalypse of Peter is framed as a vision granted to Peter by Jesus, first of heaven, and then of hell. It provides graphic descriptions of both, especially of hell, where the punishment of various types of sinners is spelled out in sometime excruciating detail.

The revelation begins with a warning from Jesus about false prophets who will come to "my faithful ones" in order to lead them astray. Jesus then invites the disciples to come to mountain with him to pray. The Twelve ask Jesus to show them the appearance of one of the "righteous ones" who has passed into the next world. He shows them a magnificent vision of two men facing east, toward God. Their radiance is so magnificent that the author admits he is lost for words. Specifically described are:

• People whose bodies are "white than snow yet ruddier than any rose." They possess long, curly hair, woven with flowers that resemble a rainbow. They are astonishingly beautiful.
• The earth blooms with everlasting flowers, fruits, and spices.
• People wear shining clothes made of light, like the angels.
• The glorious residents join in songs of praise to God, taking turns yet singing "with one voice."
• The place is described as the dwelling place of righteous men who are also high priets.

It goes into elaborate detail about the punishment in hell for each type of crime, later to be depicted by Hieronymus Bosch, and the pleasures given in heaven for each virtue.

Some of the punishments in hell according to the vision include:

• Blasphemers are hung by the tongue.
• Women who use makeup, or dress in a sexually suggestive manner, are hung by the hair over a bubbling mire (and men that had sex with them are hung by the feet next to them).
• Murderers are set in a pit of poisoned snakes
• Men who take the passive role in anal sex, and sexually active lesbians, are hurled off a great cliff, and then made to climb it again, ceaselessly.
• Women who have abortions are set in a lake formed from the blood and gore from all the other punishments, up to their necks. They are also tormented by the spirits of their children or fetuses, which shoot fire at them.

"The Revelation of Peter shows remarkable kinship in ideas with the Second Epistle of Peter... It also presents notable parallels to the Sibylline Oracles while its influence has been conjectured, almost with certainty, in the Acts of Perpetua and the visions narrated in the Acts of Thomas and the History of Barlaam and Josaphat. It certainly was one of the sources from which the writer of the Vision of Paul drew. And directly or indirectly it may be regarded as the parent of all the mediaeval visions of the other world."

There is also a highly contentious section which explains that in the end God will save all sinners from their plight in Hell:

"My Father will give unto them all the life, the glory, and the kingdom that passeth not away, ... It is because of them that have believed in me that I am come. It is also because of them that have believed in me, that, at their word, I shall have pity on men... "[1][2][3]

Thus, sinners will finally be saved by the prayers of those in heaven. Peter then orders his son Clement not to speak of this revelation since God had told Peter to keep it secret:

[and God said]"... thou must not tell that which thou hearest unto the sinners lest they transgress the more, and sin."[4][5][6]

The Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter

Another text, given the modern title the Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter, was found in the Nag Hammadi library.

External links

• Early Christian Writings: Apocalypse of Peter
• Development of the Canon of the new testament: Apocalypse of Peter
• M. R. James' 1924 introduction

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