Part 8

When the centurion and soldiers in Peter go to Pilate after witnessing the events described as occurring at the resurrection, “fearing greatly” (ἀγωνιῶντες μεγάλως), they say, “Truly he was a Son of God” (ἀληθῶς υἱὸς ἦν θεοῦ). It will be remembered that, in the first Synoptic, when the centurion and they that were watching Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that were done when he expired, they “feared exceedingly” (ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα), and said, “Truly this was a Son of God” (ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς ἦν οὗτος). The tradition of the astonished centurion bearing such testimony to Jesus is known to both writers, but under different circumstances, and independently treated. In similar fashion, the reply put into the mouth of Pilate in Peter, “I am pure of the blood (ἐγὼ καθαρεύω τοῦ αἵματος) of the Son of God, but thus it seemed good unto you,” is, to a certain extent, the same as Pilate’s declaration to the multitude after washing his hands (xxvii. 24 f.): “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man (ἀθῶός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ δικαίου τούτου): see ye to it;” but in this case, as well as the other, the details and the language show an independent use of a similar source. In the Synoptic, the centurion and soldiers do not go to Pilate at all, but are bribed by the chief priests and elders to say that his disciples stole him by night when they slept. They are warned by Pilate to be altogether silent, in Peter. As the desire of the author is represented to be to remove responsibility from Pilate and throw it all upon the Jews, it is difficult to conceive that, if he had this account before him, he could deliberately have left it unused, and preferred his own account.

We now come to the visit of the women to the sepulchre:

50. In the morning of the Lord’s day, Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord (through fear of the Jews, for they burnt with anger, she had not done at the grave of the Lord that which women are accustomed to do for those that die and are loved by them), 51. took her women friends with her and came to the grave where he was laid. 52. And they feared lest the Jews should see them, and said: “If we could not on that day on which he was crucified weep and lament, let us do these things even now at his grave. 53. But who will roll away the stone that is laid at the door of his grave (τίς δὲ ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν λίθον τὸν τεθέντα ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου) in order that we may enter and set ourselves by him and do the things that are due? 54. For great was the stone (μέγας γὰρ ἦν ὁ λίθος), and we fear lest some one should see us. And if we should not be able to do it, let us at least lay down before the door that which we bring in his memory, and let us weep and lament till we come to our home.” 55. And they went and found the tomb opened and, coming near, they stooped down and see there a certain young man sitting in the midst of the tomb, beautiful and clad in a shining garment (καὶ προσελθοῦσαι παρέκυψαν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ὁρῶσιν ἐκεῖ τινα νεανίσκον καθεζόμενον μέσῳ τοῦ τάφου, ὡραῖον καὶ περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λαμπροτάτην), who said to them: 56. “Why are ye come? Whom seek ye? Him who was crucified? He is risen and gone away. But if ye do not believe, stoop down and see the place where he lay, that he is not there; for he is risen and gone away whence he was sent” (τί ἤλθατε? τίνα ζητεῖτε? μὴ τὸν σταυρωθέντα ἐκεῖνον? ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν; εἰ δὲ μὴ πιστεύετε, παρακύψατε καὶ ἴδατε τὸν τόπον ἔνθα ἔκειτο, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν; ἀνέστη γὰρ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖ ὅθεναρυ ἀπεστάλη). Then the women, frightened, fled.

We need not remark that in all essential points the account given here is different from that in our Gospels.

In each of the three Synoptics, it is said that the women saw where Jesus was laid, and the first two name Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus (Mark “the other Mary”), Matt. xxvii. 61, Mark xv. 47, Luke xxiii. 55. All four canonical Gospels relate their coming to the sepulchre: Matthew (xxviii. 1), “late on the Sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week;” Mark (xvi. 1), “when the Sabbath was past;” Luke (xxiv. 1), “on the first day of the week at early dawn;” but only the second and third state that they bring spices to anoint Jesus; in Matthew the purpose stated being merely “to see the sepulchre.” In the fourth Gospel, only Mary Magdalene comes, and no reason is assigned. In Peter, Mary Magdalene only is named, but she takes her women friends, and though spices are not directly named, they are distinctly implied, and the object of the visit to the tomb, admirably described as “that which women are accustomed to do for those who die and are loved by them,” which they had not been able to do on the day of the crucifixion, through fear of the Jews. Even now the same fear is upon them; but nothing is said of it in the four Gospels.

The only part of the words put into their mouths by the author which at all corresponds with anything in the canonical narratives is that regarding the opening of the sepulchre. “But who will roll us away the stone that is laid at the door of the grave?” (τίς δὲ ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν λίθον τὸν τεθέντα, ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου?). In Matthew, an angel had rolled away the stone, but in Mark the women are represented as asking the same question among themselves (xvi. 3), “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the grave?” (τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου?) practically in the same words. To appreciate the relative importance of the similarity in this detail it should be remembered that the same words are used with slight grammatical changes in the other two Synoptics: Matt. xxviii. 2, the angel “rolled away the stone” (ἀπεκύλισε τὸν λίθον); and Luke xxiv. 2, they found “the stone rolled away from the grave” (τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου). The privilege of using a similar source of tradition must also be accorded to the author of the fragment.

The women in Peter, after a few more words explanatory of their purpose in going to the sepulchre, use an expression to which so much importance has been attached by Zahn that, to render it intelligible, it must be connected with the context just discussed. “But who will roll away the stone that is laid at the door of the grave, in order that we may enter and set ourselves by him, and do the things that are due? For great was the stone (μέγας γὰρ ἦν ὁ λίθος), and we fear lest some one should see us.” Now in the second Synoptic (xvi. 4) we read that the women, looking up, “see that the stone (λίθος) is rolled back; for it was exceeding great” (ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα). Zahn says: “Just as certainly can the dependence of the Gospel of Peter on Mark be proved. A proof scarcely to be refuted lies even in the one little word ἦν, which is mechanically taken from Mark xvi. 3.”(116) To one so willing to be convinced, what might not be proved by many little words in the canonical Gospels? It must be remembered that none of our Synoptics sprang full-fledged from the original tradition, but, as is recognised by every critic competent to form an opinion, is based on previous works and records of tradition, which gradually grew into this more complete form. Any one who wishes to realise this should examine Rushbrooke’s “Synopticon,” which, at a glance, will show the matter and the language common to our first three Gospels, and leave little doubt as to the common origin of these works. It may be useful towards a proper understanding of the problem before us if we give a single illustration of the construction of the Synoptics taken from the very part of the narrative at which we have arrived. We shall arrange it in parallel columns for facility of comparison.

MATTHEW xxvii. MARK xv. LUKE xxiii. 55. And many women 40. And there were 49. And all his were there beholding also women beholding acquaintance, and from afar, which had from afar: among the women that followed Jesus from whom were both Mary followed him from Galilee, ministering Magdalene and Mary Galilee, stood afar unto him: 56. among the mother of James off, seeing these whom was Mary the less and of things, xxiv. 10. Magdalene, and Mary Joses, and Salome; Now they were Mary the mother of James 41. who, when he was Magdalene and and Joses, and the in Galilee, followed Joanna, and Mary mother of the sons him, and ministered [the mother] of of Zebedee. unto him.... James, and other women with them, xxiii. 50. 57. And when even 42. And when even 50. And behold a man was come, there came was now come, ... named Joseph, who a rich man from 43. there came was a councillor, a Arimathaea, who also Joseph of good man and a himself was Jesus’ Arimathaea, a righteous, 51. ... disciple: 58. this councillor of of Arimathaea, a man went to Pilate, honourable estate, city of the Jews, and asked for the who also himself was who was looking for body of Jesus. looking for the the kingdom of God: kingdom of God: and 52. this man went to he boldly went in Pilate, and asked unto Pilate and for the body of asked for the body Jesus. of Jesus. 55. Ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ 40. Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ 49. Εἱστήκεισαν δὲ γυναῖκες πολλαὶ ἀπὸ γυναῖκες ἀπὸ πάντες οἱ γνωστοὶ μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι, μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι, αὐτῷ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν, αἵτινες ἠκολούθησαν ἐν αἷς καὶ Μαρία ἡ καὶ γυναῖκες αἱ τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία συνακολουθοῦσαι αὐτῷ Γαλιλαίας ἡ Ἰακώβου τοῦ μικροῦ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, διακονοῦσαι αὐτῷ, καὶ Ἰωσῆτος μήτηρ ὁρῶσαι ταῦτα. (xxiv. (56) ἐν αἷς ἦν Μαρία καὶ Σαλώμη, (41) αἳ 10) ἦσαν δὲ ἡ ἡ Μαγδαληνή, καὶ ὅτε ἦν ἐν τῇ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Ἰακώβου Γαλιλαίᾳ ἠκολούθουν Ἰωάννα καὶ Μαρία ἡ καὶ Ἰωσὴ μήτηρ, καὶ ἀυτῷ καὶ διηκόνουν Ἰακώβου καὶ αἱ ἡ μήτηρ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῷ, ... λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς Ζεβεδαίου. ... 57. Ὀψίας δὲ 42. καὶ ἤδη ὀψίας 50. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ γενομένης ἦλθεν γενομένης, ... (43) ὀνόματι Ἰωσὴφ ἄνθρωπος πλούσιος ἐλθὼν Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ βουλευτὴς ὑπάρχων, ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας, Ἀριμαθαίας, εὐσχήμων ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ τούνομα Ἰωσήφ, ὅς βουλευτής, ὃς καὶ δίκαιος, 51. ... ἀπὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐμαθητεύθη αὐτὸς ἦν Ἀριμαθαίας πόλεως τῷ Ἰησοῦ; 58. οὗτος προσδεχόμενος τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων. ὃς προσελθὼν τῷ Πειλάτῳ βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, προσεδέχετο τὴν ᾐτήσατο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ τολμήσας εἰσῆλθεν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἰησοῦ. πρὸς τὸν Πειλᾶτον 52. οὗτος προσελθὼν καὶ ᾐτήσατο τὸ σῶμα τῷ Πειλάτῳ ᾐτήσατο τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Ἰησοῦ.

Or take, for instance, a few verses giving the arrest of Jesus as narrated by the three Synoptists:

MATTHEW xxvi. MARK xiv. LUKE xxii. 47. And while he yet 43. And straightway, 47. While he yet spake, lo, Judas, while he yet spake, spake, lo, a one of the twelve, cometh Judas, one of multitude, and he came, and with him a the twelve, and with that was called great multitude with him a multitude with Judas, one of the swords and staves, swords and staves, twelve, went before from the chief from the chief them; priests and elders priests and the of the people. scribes and the elders. 48. Now he that 44. Now he that and he drew near betrayed him gave betrayed him had unto Jesus to kiss them a sign, saying, given them a token, him. Whomsoever I shall saying, Whomsoever I kiss, that is he: shall kiss, that is take him. he; take him, 49. And straightway 45. And when he was he came to Jesus, come, straightway he and said, Hail, came to him and Rabbi; and kissed saith, Rabbi; and him. kissed him. 50. And Jesus said 48. But Jesus said unto him, Friend, do unto him, Judas, that for which thou betrayest thou the art come. Son of man with a kiss? Then they came and 46. And they laid (54. And they seized laid hands on Jesus hands on him and him and led him and took him. took him. away.) 51. And lo, one of 47. But a certain 50. And a certain them that were with one of them that one of them smote Jesus stretched out stood by drew his the servant of the his hand, and drew sword, and smote the high priest, and his sword, and smote servant of the high struck off right the servant of the priest, and struck ear. high priest, and off his ear. struck off his ear. 47. Καὶ ἔτι αὐτοῦ 43. Καὶ εὐθὺς ἔτι 47. ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, ἰδοὺ αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος λαλοῦντος, ἰδοὺ Ἰούδας εἷς τῶν παραγίνεται Ἰούδας ὄχλος, καὶ ὁ δώδεκα ἦλθεν, καὶ εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, καὶ λεγόμενος Ἰούδας εἷς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὄχλος μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὄχλος τῶν δώδεκα προήρχετο πολὺς μετὰ μαχαιρῶν μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ αὐτούς, καὶ καὶ ξύλων ἀπό τῶν ξὺλων παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ ἀρχιερέων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ γραμματέων καὶ λαοῦ. πρεσβυτέρων. 48. ὁ δὲ παραδιδοὺς 44. δεδώκει δὲ ὁ ἤγγισεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν φιλῆσαι αὐτόν. σημεῖον λέγων: ὃν ἂν σύσσημον αὐτοῖς φιλήσω, αὐτός ἐστιν: λέγων: ὃν ἂν φιλήσω, κρατήσατε αὐτόν. αὐτός ἐστιν: κρατήσατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς. 49. Καὶ εὐθέως 45. Καἰ ἐλθὼν εὐθὺς προσελθὼν τῷ Ἰησοῦ προσελθὼν αὐτῷ εἶπεν: χαῖρε ῥαββεί, λέγει: ῥαββεί, καὶ καὶ κατεφίλησεν κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν. αὐτόν. 50. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς 46. οἱ δὲ ἐπέβαλαν 48. Ἰησοῦς δὲ εἶπεν εἶπεν αὐτῷ: ἑταῖρε, τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτῷ: Ἰούδα, ἐφ᾽ ὃ πάρει, τότε ἐκράτησαν αὐτὸν. φιλήματι τὸν υἱὸν προσελθόντες τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπέβαλον τας χεῖρας παραδίδως? (54. ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ συλλαβόντες δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκράτησαν αὐτόν. ἤγαγον.) 51. Καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς τῶν 47. εἷς δὲ τις τῶν 50. καὶ ἐπάταξεν εἷς μετὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐκτείνας παρεστηκότων τις ἐξ αὐτῶν τοῦ τὴν χεῖρα ἀπέσπασεν σπασάμενος τὴν ἀρχιερέως τὸν δοῦλον τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ, μάχαιραν ἔπαισεν τὸν καὶ ἀφεῖλεν τὸ οὖς καὶ πατάξας τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως αὐτοῦ τὸ δεξιόν. δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτάριον. ὠτίον.

Such close similarity as this, with occasional astonishing omissions of matter and flagrant contradictions where independent narrative is attempted, runs through the whole of the three Synoptics. This is not the place to enter upon any discussion of these phenomena, or any explanation of the origin of our Gospels, but apologists may be invited to consider the fact before passing judgment on the Gospel of Peter. Any coincidence of statement in the narrative of the fragment with any one of the four Gospels is promptly declared to be decisive evidence of dependence on that Gospel; and even the use of a word which has a parallel in them is sufficient reason for denouncing the author as a plagiarist. It would almost seem as if such critics had never read the prologue to the third Synoptic, and forgotten the πολλοί to which its author refers, when they limit the Christian tradition to these Gospels, which again, upon examination, must themselves be limited to two—the Synoptic and the Johannine, which in so great a degree contradict each other.

To return now to the passage which we have to examine. It will be observed that the second Synoptic treats the episode of the women in a manner different from the other two, but in the same style, though with very differing details, as Peter. We shall show reason for believing that both have drawn from the same source, but that the fragment has probably adhered more closely to the original source. In Mark (xvi. 3 f.) the women are, as in Peter, represented as speaking: “And they were saying among themselves, ‘Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb?’ ” Here the _spoken_ words stop, and the writer continues to narrate: “And looking up, they see that the stone _is_ rolled back (ἀνακεκύλισται): for it _was_ (ἦν) exceeding great.” It is obvious that the “was” here is quite out of place, and it seems impossible to avoid the conclusion that, originally, it must have stood with a different context. That different context we have in Peter. The women say amongst themselves: “Who will roll us away the stone that is laid at the door of the grave, in order that we may enter”—and, of course, in saying this they are supposed to have in their minds the stone which they had seen the evening before and, naturally, express their recollection of it in the past tense—“for it was exceeding great.” If the phrase has been mechanically introduced, it has been so by the second Synoptist, in whose text it is more out of place than in Peter. A prescriptive right to early traditions of this kind cannot reasonably be claimed for any writer, simply because his compilation has happened to secure a place in the Canon.

When the women come to the tomb, they stoop down (παρέκυψαν) and see there (ὁρῶσιν ἐκεῖ) a certain young man (τινα νεανίσκον) sitting in the midst of the tomb, beautiful and clad in a shining garment (ὡραῖον καὶ περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λαμπροτάτην). This is the “certain man” who descended when the heavens were again opened, as described in _v._ 44. The realistic touch of the women stooping to look into the low entrance of the tomb is repeated when the “young man” bids them “stoop down” (παρακύψατε) and convince themselves that Jesus had risen. This does not occur in any of the Synoptics; but in the fourth Gospel (xx. 5), Peter, it is said, “stooping down” (παρακύψας) sees (βλέπει) the clothes. In Matthew, the angel sits upon the stone which he has rolled away, and not in the sepulchre, and his description is (xxviii. 3): “His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow” (ἦν δὲ ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴ, καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών). In Mark (xvi. 8), they see a “young man” (νεανίσκον) sitting on the right side, and not in the middle, and he is “clad in a white robe” (περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λευκήν). In Luke (xxiv. 4), two men (ἄνδρες δύο) stand by the women “in dazzling apparel” (ἐν ἐσθῆτι ἀστραπτούσῃ). In the fourth Gospel (xx. 12), Mary sees two angels sitting, the one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body had lain, but they are simply said to be “in white” (ἐν λευκοῖς).

The “young man” says to the women in Peter: “Why are ye come? (τί ἤλθατε?) Whom seek ye? (τίνα ζητεῖτε?) Him who was crucified? (μὴ τὸν σταυρωθέντα ἐκεῖνον?) He is risen and gone away (ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν). But if ye do not believe, stoop down, and see the place where he lay (παρακύψατε καὶ ἴδατε τὸν τόπον ἔνθα ἔκείτο), that he is not there, for he is risen and gone away thither whence he was sent (ἀνέστη γὰρ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖ ὅθεν ἀπεστάλη).” In Matthew (xxviii. 5 f.) the angel “answered and said unto the women” (who had not spoken to him, apparently) “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus which hath been crucified (οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ζητεῖτε). He is not here, for he rose (οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γάρ), even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay (δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο). And go quickly, and tell his disciples he rose from the dead (ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν); and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” In Mark (xvi. 6 f.), this “young man” in the tomb says: “Be not amazed; ye seek Jesus the Nazarene which hath been crucified (Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον). He rose (ἠγέρθη); he is not here; behold, the place where they laid him! (οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε; ἴδε ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν). But go tell his disciples and Peter, He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” The close resemblance of these two accounts in the first and second Gospels is striking, and scarcely less so is the resemblance, with important variations, of the third Synoptic (xxiv. 5 ff.). The “two men in dazzling apparel” say to the women, who stand with their faces bowed down towards the earth: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but he rose (οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἀλλὰ ἠγέρθη).(117) Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” The complete change in the reference to Galilee here will be observed.

The peculiar ending of the words of the “young man” in Peter is nowhere found in our Gospels: “He is risen and gone away thither whence he was sent.” Mr. Robinson compares with this a passage from the 20th Homily of Aphrahat (ed. Wright, p. 385): “And the angel said to Mary, he is risen and gone away to him that sent him.” Mr. Robinson adds: “There is reason to believe that Aphrahat, a Syrian writer, used Tatian’s Harmony: and thus we seem to have a second link between our Gospel and that important work.”(118) But is it not rather a curious position in which to place the supposed “Diatessaron,” to argue that a passage which it does not now contain was nevertheless in it because a Syrian writer who is supposed to have used the “Diatessaron” has quoted the passage? It shows how untrustworthy are all arguments regarding early works like the “Diatessaron.” Looking at the other instances which could be pointed out, and to some of which we have referred, we see that everything not agreeing with the Gospels of the Church has been gradually eliminated or corrected into agreement, and that thus the very probable use of the Gospel according to Peter by Tatian may be concealed. As Mr. Robinson further points out, however, the words of the angel in Peter are in direct contradiction to those put into the mouth of Jesus in the fourth Gospel (xx. 17): “I am not yet ascended to the Father.”