Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament by [edited by] Bart D. Ehrman Page B

Pilate’s washing of his hands at Jesus’ trial. The narrative that follows bears a close relationship with the accounts found in the New Testament Gospels, especially Matthew, including descriptions of Jesus’ crucifixion, his burial, the posting of a guard, and the events surrounding the resurrection. Some of the details here, however, are strikingly different. During the crucifixion, for example, Jesus is said to have been “silent as if he had no pain” (v. 10). In addition, some of the stories found here occur nowhere else among our early Christian Gospels.
    Most significantly, the Gospel narrates an account of Jesus’ emergence from his tomb. He is supported by two gigantic angels whose heads reach up to heaven; his own head reaches above the heavens. Behind them emerges the cross. A voice then speaks from heaven, “Have you preached to those who are sleeping?” The cross replies, “Yes” (vv. 39–42).
    At the conclusion of the narrative the story breaks off in the middle of a sentence in which the author reveals his name: “But I, Simon Peter, and Andrew my brother, took our nets and went off to the sea . . .” (v. 60).
    It appears that the complete Gospel of Peter contained a full narrative of Jesus’ ministry, not just of his passion, for several other Gospel fragments discovered in Egypt recount conversations between Jesus and Peter, recorded in the first person, plausibly from an earlier portion of the same Gospel.
    1For a full discussion, see Ehrman, Lost Christianities , 13–28.
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    Translation by Bart D. Ehrman, based on the text in M. G. Mara, Evangile de Pierre: Introduction, texte critique, traduction, commentaire et index (SC 201; Paris: Cerf, 1973).
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    32
    NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS
    One of this Gospel’s principal concerns is to incriminate Jews for the death of Jesus. Here, for instance, after Jesus’ crucifixion, the Jewish people bewail their guilt and lament the certain fate of their beloved sacred city Jerusalem, which God will now destroy as retribution for their disobedience (v. 25). This anti-Judaic slant can perhaps be used to help date the Gospel in its final form, for such themes became common among Christian authors in the second century. The author was possibly writing at the beginning of the century, utilizing oral and written traditions that were themselves much older. It is not clear whether or not he had access to the accounts now found in the canonical Gospels.
    1 . . . but none of the Jews washed his
    began to flog him, saying, “This is how
    hands, nor did Herod or any of his judges.
    we should honor the Son of God!”
    Since they did not wish to wash, Pilate
    10 They brought forward two evildoers
    stood up. 2 The kind Herod ordered the
    and crucified the Lord between them. But
    Lord to be taken away and said to them,
    he was silent, as if he had no pain.
    “Do everything that I ordered you to do
    11 When they had set the cross upright,
    to him.”
    they wrote an inscription: “This is the
    3 Standing there was Joseph, a friend
    King of Israel.” 12 Putting his clothes in
    of both Pilate and the Lord; when he
    front of him they divided them up and
    knew that they were about to crucify him,
    cast a lot for them. 13 But one of the
    he came to Pilate and asked for the Lord’s
    evildoers reviled them, “We have sufbody for burial. 4 Pilate sent word to fered like this for the evil things we did;
    Herod, asking for the body. 5 Herod said,
    but this one, the Savior of the people—
    “Brother Pilate, even if no one had asked
    what wrong has he done you?” 14 They
    for him we would have buried him, since
    became angry at him and ordered that his
    the Sabbath is dawning. For it is written
    legs not be broken, so that he would die
    in the Law that the sun must not set on
    in torment.
    one who has been killed.”2 And he deliv
    15 It was noon and darkness came
    ered him over to the people the day beover all of Judea. They were disturbed fore their Feast of Unleavened