Epistle of Barnabas
The Epistle of Barnabas is an early Christian text that argues Christians, not Jews who did not follow Jesus Messiah, are the true inheritors of God's covenant, interpreting the Old Testament allegorically to show it foreshadows Jesus. It asserts that the Jews by the time of the 1st century forfeited the covenant from the start by misinterpreting the Law and failing to follow God. The text concludes with a moral instruction on the "Way of Light" versus the "Way of Darkness," which is similar to teachings found in the Didache. I recommend reading both the Epistle of Barnabas, the Didache, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Divine Liturgy of St James, the Apocalypse of John, the Apocalypse of Peter, and Apostolic Constitutions - in that order - to get an overall picture on the view of Christians on post-Second Temple Judaism after 70 AD before 150 AD.
Title - Thesis | Scroll | Short Description | Synthesis 2nd Temple | Antithesis | Synthesis Apostolic | Synthesis Amoraim | Continent Origin | Southern Worldview | Northern Worldview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Epistle of Barnabas | Scroll 99 | God's Covenant | Letter of Barnabas | Barnava Epistol | Didactic | NA | Africa | Epistle | Midrash |
Category Reference Guide
Title/Thesis - The name of the book in American English
Synthesis 2nd Temple - The name of the book in order of its presentation other than the Apostles, ranging from 2nd temple Judaism up to the 1st century
Antithesis - The name of the book in another language
Synthesis Apostolic - The identity of the book in order of its presentation according to Tradition in the church after the 3rd century
Synthesis Amoraim - The name of the book in order of its presentation other than the Apostles, ranging from Tannaim up to the 5th century
Continent Origin - Continent from where the Text Type Source comes from
Southern Worldview - Catalog strategy for storing the scrolls include the interpretation. South means Africa or Egypt (Alexandrian) such as LXX. South of Palestine.
Northern Worldview - Catalog strategy for storing the scrolls include the interpretation. North means Asia or Persia (Babylonian) such as Masoretic. North of Palestine.
Here are additional resources for those who want to continue learning and exploring:
Link to some reference to a reading to the Epistle of Barnabas (son of encouragement)