6 Ezra and The Apocalypse of Thomas. With a previously unedited 'interpolated' text of Thomas

Charles D Wright

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The earliest previously known quotations from 6 Ezra are in the De excidio Britanniae by the British writer Gildas, who was writing probably between 530 and 545. Hitherto unrecognized quotations occur, however, in the Longer (“Interpolated”) Version of The Apocalypse of Thomas, which dates from the second half of the fifth century. A series of “woe oracles” added in the Longer Version freely adapts a sequence of verses from 6 Ezra and bears witness to a stage of transmission of 6 Ezra prior to the traditional division into two recensions (the so-called “French” and “Spanish” recensions). One of the oracles that borrows wording from 6 Ezra - a warning that those who marry in the endtimes will beget children into captivity and famine - has sometimes been regarded as reflecting Priscillianist encratism, but is instead a traditional prophetic element. An appendix to this article provides a semi-diplomatic edition of a recently discovered Longer Version of Thomas in an eighth-century Kassel manuscript.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9-55
Number of pages47
JournalApocrypha (Turnhout, Belgium)
Volume26
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2015

Keywords

  • Apocalypse of Thomas
  • Bible. Esdras II
  • Priscillianism
  • Manuscripts, Latin
  • Spain -- Church history -- 0030-600
  • Peer reviewed

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '6 Ezra and The Apocalypse of Thomas. With a previously unedited 'interpolated' text of Thomas'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this