H. Menardus, Praefatio ad Epistolam S. Barnabae

II

(Hugo Ménard, Preface to the Epistle of Saint Barnabas, published in the year 1645 under the care of Luc d'Achery.)

Saint Barnabas, a Cypriot by nation, a Jew by race, a Levite by tribe, who was also called Joseph, was one of the seventy-two disciples of Christ, as Clement of Alexandria teaches, Book II of the Stromata, and Eusebius, Book I of the Ecclesiastical History, chap. 12, and Book II, chap. 1. He sold the field which he had, and brought the price, and laid it before the feet of the apostles, as is written in Acts 4; together with Saint Paul he was declared apostle of the Gentiles by the prophets and teachers who were at Antioch, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Acts 13. He traversed many lands and seas to disseminate the faith of Christ, having undergone many and varied labours. He founded many Churches, among them that of Milan. Concerning the time when he suffered, nothing certain can be established, since no ancient writer of any note is extant who wrote of his death, as Baronius notes. They say that a certain epistle was written by him, which is not reckoned among the canonical Scriptures; which, although Clement of Alexandria and Origen cite it, is nevertheless numbered among the doubtful, spurious, and apocryphal scriptures, since it was never received as canonical by the authority of the Church. Which is sufficiently established by experience,

and from Eusebius, Book III of the Ecclesiastical History, chap. 19, who reckons it among the scriptures by no means genuine. Among the scriptures by no means legitimate are numbered the Acts of Paul, and the book which is called the Shepherd, and the Apocalypse of Peter, and besides these the so-called Epistle of Barnabas, that is, to which let there be added the Epistle that goes under the name of Barnabas. The divine Jerome judges the same, in his book On Ecclesiastical Writers: Barnabas the Cypriot, who is also Joseph the Levite, having been ordained apostle of the Gentiles with Paul, composed one epistle pertaining to the edification of the Church, which is read among the apocryphal scriptures; and Book XIII of his Commentaries on Ezekiel, chap. 43: The epistle of Barnabas, which is reckoned among the apocryphal scriptures... Of the same opinion is Nicephorus Callistus, Book II, chap. 46, and Book IV, chap. 33. Nicephorus, patriarch of Constantinople, in his Canon of the Scriptures reckons it among the Scriptures of the New Testament which are spoken against, that is, which are disputed, and not among the apocrypha. The Roman synod under Pope Gelasius is silent concerning it, making mention only of the Gospel of Barnabas, which it numbers among the apocryphal scriptures.

The Alexandrian often makes mention of it, and brings forward many passages from it, just as Origen also does, all of which we have noted in our observations: and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus cites it in the Philocalia. Saint Jerome in his book On the Interpretation of Hebrew Names, after the explanation of those names which are found in the Apocalypse, interprets those which are extant in the Epistle of Saint Barnabas, in this manner: From the Epistle of Barnabas. Abraham, father seeing a people, etc.

These are the ancient authors who have written or made mention of this epistle. Which indeed is rightly numbered among the apocryphal scriptures by the cited authors, both because it is uncertain whether it be Barnabas's, and because some things are found in it which are by no means free from difficulty. Since indeed there are some rough places in it, at which the less cautious might stumble, which nevertheless according to my small measure I have explained; not indeed with that intention, as if I wished more obstinately to excuse it from every blemish; just as today I see some, who try to defend with such great contention of mind (though without reason) certain ancient monuments published by themselves, containing mere nurses' ditties, or rather a sick old man's dreams, which at first sight move learned men to nausea, that they wish them to be preferred to the authority of all ancient and modern writers. Nor ought this to move anyone, that Clement of Alexandria and Origen, when they cite this epistle, never said that it was apocryphal. Since indeed authors of that sort often use apocrypha: such as the book of Enoch, of the Shepherd, the book of the Traditions of Matthias, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Gospel of the Egyptians, and similar works. One thing, however, is certain, that this epistle, which now goes forth from us, is the same that Saint Jerome, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen formerly had in their hands; since all the passages cited by them from it can be found in this epistle which we publish. And this will be manifest from our observations: with one exception, which is brought forward by Clement of Alexandria, Book VI of the Stromata, when expounding this passage of the Psalmist: This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter through it, he speaks thus: Expounding the saying of the Prophet, Barnabas adds: While many gates are open, righteousness is this gate in Christ, into which blessed are all who have entered. That is: Expounding the saying of the Prophet, Barnabas adds: Since many gates are open, that which is righteousness is in Christ, into which blessed are all who have entered. But I think that either Clement of Alexandria slipped in memory, or certainly the passage is corrupted, and that we must read Clement, not Barnabas. For this passage is found in the Epistle of Saint Clement to the Corinthians, where the same passage of the Psalmist is expounded: "This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it." Since therefore many gates are open, this gate in righteousness is that in Christ, into which blessed are all who have entered. That is: "This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it." Since therefore many gates are open, that which is in righteousness is the same also in

Christ, into which blessed are all who have entered. From which passage we must read in Clement of Alexandria he en dikaiosyne, and explain it, that which is in righteousness. This is also clear from Clement of Alexandria himself, Book I of the Stromata, where the same passage, but longer, is cited from the same Epistle of Saint Clement to the Corinthians, Saint Clement being named only towards the end of the context, with a few words changed, in this manner: "This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it:" Since therefore many gates are open in righteousness, this was the gate in Christ, into which blessed are all who have entered, and have directed their way in holiness endowed with the power of knowing. Straightway Clement in the Epistle to the Corinthians says word for word, setting forth the differences of those who are approved throughout the Church: "Let someone be faithful, let someone be powerful to utter knowledge, let him be wise in the discernment of words, let him be strenuous in deeds." That is: Now Clement in the Epistle to the Corinthians speaks in these words, setting forth the difference of those who are approved in the Church: "Let someone be faithful, let him be powerful in explaining knowledge, let him be wise in the discernment of discourses, let him be admirable in works." Finally it is to be noted that some have thought that these words of Clement of Alexandria in Book II of the Stromata, the law forbids to lend at usury to a brother, that is, the law forbids to lend at interest to a brother, etc., are cited from the Epistle of Barnabas, which is not so: but a little before, these words are cited from Barnabas, which are found in this Epistle towards the end of it, Doubtless mystically Barnabas: And may God Who rules over the whole world, he says, grant to you also knowledge, etc., down to those words, children of love and peace, etc., which are from the text of Clement of Alexandria, who finally subjoins, it suffices to say this, that the law forbids to lend at interest to a brother, which words indeed are not extant in this epistle which is ascribed to Saint Barnabas. A certain slight difficulty remains concerning the Hebrew names which Saint Jerome brings forward from the Epistle of Saint Barnabas in his book On Hebrew Names. Since indeed one of them, namely Nahum, is lacking in the epistle: for thus says Saint Jerome, Manasses, forgetful; Nahum, sprout. But an error has crept in, and we must read, Nave, as is found in this Epistle, who was the father of Joshua, according to the Septuagint; or Nun, which is the same according to the Hebrew text. And the reason is, because Nahum does not signify sprout, but comforter, as the same Jerome witnesses in the chapter of the cited book on Jonah and Nahum. Nahum, he says, comforter, from the root נחם, that is, to comfort. But Nave, or Nun, is sprout, according to the same Jerome, chap. 1 of the same book: Nave, seed, sprout, or beauty, from the verb of the Niphal conjugation ינן, that is, it shall sprout.

Moreover, although this is circulated as the only Epistle of Saint Barnabas, nevertheless I have thought that it should be noted that the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews is attributed to Saint Barnabas by Tertullian, in his book On Modesty, as is clear from his words: For there is extant also a work inscribed with the name of Barnabas To the Hebrews; a man of sufficient authority, inasmuch as Paul placed him next to himself in the observance of abstinence: "Or do only I

and Barnabas not have the power to do this (1 Cor. 9)?" And certainly the Epistle of Barnabas is more received among the Churches than that apocryphal Shepherd of adulterers. Warning therefore the disciples, having left behind all first principles, to strive rather towards perfection, and not to lay again the foundations of repentance from dead works: "For it is impossible," he says, "for those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the sweet word of God," etc., which words one may read in the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, chap. 6. Hence is to be understood Philastrius, in his book On Heresies, chap. 60: There are others who assert that the Epistle to the Hebrews is not Blessed Paul's, but say that it is either the blessed apostle Barnabas's, or Clement's. Where doubtless he understands Tertullian. But enough of these things: it now remains for me to treat briefly of its argument, or subject.

Argument and division of the Epistle. Since certain Jews converted to the faith of Christ were "Galaticizing" (to speak with Tertullian), that is, thought that the Mosaic law ought to be retained together with the Gospel, and were persuading many Christians of this, Saint Barnabas, or someone else, imitating Saint Paul, endeavours in this epistle to overthrow their teaching, and teaches by many passages of Scripture, and figures, that the law of Moses has now been abrogated, and that the Gospel has succeeded to it. This is the aim of this epistle; to which some things here, which do not belong to the primary or principal argument, but are as it were secondary treatises, such as concerning the coming of Christ, His passion, etc., are referred: for they are treated for its sake, since they contribute not a little to the understanding of it, after the custom of orators, who sometimes digress elsewhere, not uselessly indeed, since they are accustomed to do this for the sake of fuller elucidation. Towards the end of the epistle he teaches Christians many things which conduce very much to the right ordering of life. Hence it comes about that this epistle can be conveniently divided into two parts: of which the one is didactic, which teaches by many arguments that there is no longer any use of the Mosaic law and of Jewish ceremonies;

the other paraenetic, in which admirable and useful admonitions and precepts of salvation are given.

First part of the epistle. The first part comprises twelve chapters. In the first it treats of the cessation of the sacrifices of the Mosaic law; in the second of the abolition of the fasts of the same law; in the third it treats of the impending calamities, and the faithful are admonished to the pursuit of virtues, which the Jews esteemed less than their fasts and ceremonies; in the fourth it treats of the coming of Christ, the mission of the apostles, and the passion and exaltation of Christ; in the fifth it disputes concerning the restoration of man; in the sixth again of the passion of Christ, and of certain circumstances thereof; in the seventh of the antiquation of the old circumcision, and of the circumcision of the ears and heart; in the eighth of the meats forbidden in the old law, and of their mystical interpretation; in the ninth of baptism and the cross; in the tenth of the rejection of the Jewish people, and the election of the Gentiles; in the eleventh of the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath; in the twelfth of the rejection and demolition of the Jewish temple, and of the building of the spiritual temple.

Second part of the epistle. The second part is completed in two chapters. In the first it treats of the way of light, that is, of those things which are to be done by a Christian; in the other of the way of darkness, that is, of those things which are to be shunned and avoided by a faithful soul: then finally follows the epilogue.

Moreover this epistle is called by Origen, towards the end of Book I Against Celsus, Catholic, that is, universal: Truly there is extant written in the Catholic Epistle of Barnabas, etc., because it was written not to one certain race or nation, but to all Christians: for thus are defined the Catholic Epistles of the apostles, as is manifest from Leontius, in his book On Sects, chap. 2: And they were called Catholic because they were not written to one nation, like those of Paul, but generally to all, that is, They were called Catholic because they were not written to one race, like the Epistles of Paul, but generally to all.