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Gospel of Peter

A gospel fragment in which soldiers see towering men emerge from the tomb, followed by a cross that speaks.1 2

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At a glance

Written
About AD 150 or later in M. R. James's judgment; the Catholic Encyclopedia allows an earlier second-century date.3 4
Narrator
Simon Peter, as the fragment identifies its speaker.5 6
Genre
Death and resurrection narrative.5 sources5 sources7. (tr.)8. (tr.)9. Mark 15:341. (tr.)2. 1 Peter 3:19
Found in
Akhmim, Upper Egypt, in winter 1886–87; published in 1892.10 11

Summary

Soldiers witness the resurrection in this gospel: towering figures leave the tomb, followed by a speaking cross. The surviving fragment begins during Jesus' trial and breaks off as Peter and his companions take their nets to the sea. The speaker identifies himself as Simon Peter. M. R. James reads the trial narrative as shifting blame onto Jews and clearing Pilate.13 sources13 sources1. (tr.)2. 1 Peter 3:1912. (tr.)13. Matthew 27:62–6614. (tr.)15. Matthew 27:2416. Luke 23:7–123. James5. (tr.)6. (tr.)7. (tr.)8. (tr.)9. Mark 15:34

Contents

  1. Herod's order and Jesus' death

    Chapters 1–5

    Herod orders Jesus handed over. On the cross Jesus is described as silent and apparently without pain; his final cry addresses his power, followed by his being taken up.7 sources7 sources14. (tr.)15. Matthew 27:2416. Luke 23:7–123. James7. (tr.)8. (tr.)9. Mark 15:34

  2. Soldiers witness a startling emergence

    Chapters 8–11

    Petronius and his soldiers guard the tomb, which is closed with seven seals. The soldiers see three men emerge, two supporting a third, followed by a cross that answers a heavenly voice.4 sources4 sources12. (tr.)13. Matthew 27:62–661. (tr.)2. 1 Peter 3:19

  3. Peter goes back to his nets

    Gospel of Peter 14:60

    Peter, Andrew and Levi head to the sea with their nets. The surviving text breaks off there.5 6

Stories

  • The cross answers

    Gospel of Peter 10:39–42

    Two figures reaching heaven support a third who reaches beyond it. A cross follows them and answers a voice asking about preaching to the dead.1 2

  • The report is silenced

    Gospel of Peter 11:46–49

    The Jewish leaders ask Pilate to silence the soldiers, fearing they will be stoned by the people. Pilate declares himself clear of Jesus' blood.17 15

Connections to the Bible

Echoes and allusions

Expansions

Shared figures

  • Matthew 13:55 · Origen's report about the book

    The early Greek Christian commentator Origen reports an explanation of Jesus' brothers as Joseph's children by an earlier wife, citing this gospel or the Book of James. That material is absent from the surviving fragment.21 22

Contrasts

Where each church stands

Gospel of Peter Full table →

Protestant
Not included

Article VI receives the NT books 'as they are commonly received'.

23 24
Catholic
Not included25
Greek Orthodox
Not included

The OSB contents list only the 27 NT books.

Confidence: medium26
Russian (Slavonic) Orthodox
Not included

No Russian NT source was read beyond the azbyka contents, which list the 27 books.

Confidence: medium27
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo
Not included

Not in either of Cowley's NT lists (27 books, or 35 with the church-order books).

28

Why was its authority disputed?

Around AD 200, Serapion of Antioch initially allowed a Gospel of Peter at Rhossus without reading it, then obtained a copy and objected to additions in it. Eusebius later rejected a gospel under Peter's name, as did the Latin Gelasian list. These are particular judgments, within the longer history of varying canon lists described by academic historian Lee Martin McDonald.8 sources8 sources29. Eusebius)30. Eusebius)31. Eusebius)32. Eusebius33. Eusebius34. 1912)35. James36. McDonald 2022

Why it was read

Early church: Greek

Serapion's initial permission shows a local willingness to read the book. Even after investigating it, he found much that agreed with what he regarded as true doctrine.29 30 31

Catholic

The Catholic Encyclopedia defends the recovered fragment against a plainly heretical reading, while acknowledging that some passages permit that interpretation.4

Why church writers rejected it

Early church: Greek

Serapion rejected falsely attributed apostolic writings and objected to additions in the copy he read, obtained through people linked with those called Docetae.29 30 31

Early church: Greek

Eusebius judged the gospel's style and teaching unworthy of apostolic authorship and denied that it had recognized church testimony in its favor.32 33 37

Misconceptions

  • Myth Constantine had this gospel removed at Nicaea.

    Actually: Reformed writer Michael Kruger rejects the claim that Constantine or Nicaea decided the New Testament canon. Serapion's objections to a Gospel of Peter already belong to around AD 200.4 sources4 sources39. Kruger 201329. Eusebius)30. Eusebius)31. Eusebius)

  • Myth The surviving fragment plainly teaches that Jesus only seemed to suffer.

    Actually: M. R. James reads the fragment as docetic, casting doubt on Jesus' real suffering and human body. The Catholic Encyclopedia finds no marked heresy, though it allows that some passages can bear such a meaning.3 4

  • Myth The fragment’s relationship to the four canonical gospels is settled.

    Actually: Academic writer M. R. James held that it used all four gospels. As reported by evangelical scholar Charles Quarles, critical scholar John Dominic Crossan instead proposed an earlier source behind all four death and resurrection accounts. Alan Kirk describes longstanding scholarly disagreement over dependence.4 sources4 sources3. James20. Quarles40. Kirk41. Kirk

Further reading

Sources

41 sources from 26 works

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