RT Article
T1 Did Ancients Know the Testaments Were Pseudepigraphic?: Implications for 2 Peter
JF Bulletin for biblical research
VO 30
IS 3
SP 403
OP 423
A1 Richards, E. Randolph 1958-
A1 Boyle, Kevin J.
LA English
PB Eisenbrauns
YR 2020
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1740226577
AB Richard Bauckham argues for the pseudonymity of 2 Peter on the basis of its genre. He argues that 2 Peter was written as a "testament" of Peter, and since other ancient Jewish testaments are clearly pseudonymous, 2 Peter’s testamental genre indicates its pseudonymity. Moreover, since it was well known in antiquity that the testaments were pseudonymous, those who wrote them did not intend to deceive. Petrine authorship of 2 Peter is thus, in Bauckham’s words, a "transparent fiction." But did ancients know the testaments were pseudepigraphic? Bauckham provides no evidence. He only suggests that the pseudonymity of the testaments is so obvious that it was "self-evident." The authors of this paper examined ancient authors who cited material from the testaments or testamental-type material. They found no evidence the authors or their audiences knew the testaments were pseudepigraphic. Rather, they appear to cite the testamentary material as authentic, reliable, even authoritative material.
DO 10.5325/bullbiblrese.30.3.0403