THE LETTER (EPISTLE) OF BARNABAS

This is probably one of the most important writings for the early proto-
orthodox Christians. This is easily proven because we can find it as
part of the early New Testament canon; it is included among the books
of the New Testament in the fourth-century Greek manuscript, Codex
Sinaiticus.

The book has been commonly called an “epistle” even though by

definition it probably would not qualify as one. Its opening has a brief
greeting, in which neither its author nor recipients are named. This is
notable because these types of ancient letters consistently made
mention of authors and recipients.

This letter is more of a theological treatise than a general letter, with a

specific target audience in mind. The premise of the letter shows that
the readers would have been receptive to the message. The second
and third century Christians who refer to the book attribute it to
Barnabas, the companion of the apostle Paul. However, this may have
involved some “journalistic license” since there is no historical proof to
this attestment. It does, richly deepen the acceptance of the letter if it
is thought to be apostolic in nature.

The book in fact was written long after the historical Barnabas would
have died. For example, it mentions the destruction of the Temple
(70CE) and refers to the possibility if it being rebuilt (16:3-4). During
the second century, the Jewish leaders were planning a rebuilding
effort that was quickly deposed when Emperor Hadrian (117-138CE)
built a Roman shrine over the Temple ruins. This leads most of us New
Testament historians to date the writing of this book during the first
half of the second century, around 130CE.
The writing in this letter is one of the strongest anti-Jewish writings of
its time. While is was not entirely selected as “canonized”, many of its
ideas and teachings are embraced today and fleshed out in doctrines
such as replacement theology and two-house theory.

Its basic thrust is that Judaism is, and has always has been, a false
religion. The author states that the Jews violated God’s covenant from
the very beginning (4:6-8); and since that time, they have never been
meant to be God’s elect or chosen. Accordingly, they have
misunderstood the entirety of the Scriptures. The Jewish sacred texts,
Torah, Wisdom Writings and the Prophets, can only be understood in
light of Christ. They were never meant to be a Jewish book, but a
Christian one.

Therefore, to explain how the Jews could be misled for nearly 2,000
years, the author introduces an evil angel that has persuaded the Jews
to take the Law of Moses literally (9:5). The attack goes even deeper,
striking at the heart of weekly worship for the Jews, the Sabbath. He
gives examples that these things were all designed to be
“foreshadows” of the Christ and the religion He was coming to
establish. The greatest part of the material of this book is dedicated to
show the supremacy of the Christian religion over Judaism and
Christianity’s rightful claim to the Old Testament.

The book changes gears towards the end, addressing the subject of the
“Two Paths”, one being the right-leading path of Christian doctrine,
instructing people to live a moral life and the “perverse” path of
darkness, which leads to eternal destruction. All people must choose
between the paths.

TEXTUAL OBSERVATIONS
4:6-7a.

“And so you should understand. And yet again, I am asking you this as
one who is from among you and who loves each and every one of you
more than my own soul: watch yourselves now and do not become like
some people by piling up your sins, saying that the covenant is both
theirs and ours. For it is ours. But they permanently lost it, in this
way, when Moses had just received it.”

Imploring his audience in a very passionate narrative, the author

dismisses the idea of two covenants. Israel, he confides to his readers,
lost their part of the covenant promises immediately after Moses had
received them. The covenant now, belongs to the followers of the
Christ. This is one of the arguments against the validity of the Jewish
covenant today, with many Christian denominations and doctrines
stating clearly that the day of the Jew is over; the day of the church is
now.

4:13-14

“As those who are called we must never lie down and lose
consciousness of sins, allowing the evil ruler to receive the authority
against us and force us out of the Lord’s Kingdom. And still, my
brothers, consider; when you observe that Israel was abandoned even
after such signs and wonders had occurred in it, we too should pay
close attention, lest, as it is written, many of us were found called, but
few chosen.”

Within 100 years of the time of Jesus, the concepts of “called and
chosen” became some of the biggest battlefields of the faith. When
the ideology of Israel being rejected from covenant status became
widely accepted, it brought with it a question of our status in the
covenant. This led to an immense amount of scholarship debating and
formulating an answer to this question. For Barnabas, you can be
ejected out f the Kingdom by the evil ruler gaining authority to force
you out, which he gets this power by the unruly conduct of your life.

Worse than that, you might be experiencing spiritual wonders and

miracles in your life and still be on the edge. The author writes here
that Israel was abandoned even though the miracles were present.

A “borrowing” of Jesus’ statement about called and chosen adds to the

apostolic strength of this passage.

16:1-4

“I will also speak to you about the Temple, since those wretches were
misguided in hoping in the building rather than in their God who made
them, as if the Temple were actually the house of God. For they
consecrated Him in the Temple like the Gentiles do. Nevertheless,
consider what the Lord says in order to invalidate it: Who has
measured the sky with the span of his hand or the earth with his
outstretched fingers? Is it not I, says the Lord> The sky is my throne
and the earth is my footstool for my feet. What sort of house will you
build me, or where is the place can rest? You knew that their hope was
in vain! Moreover, he says again, those who have destroyed this
Temple will themselves build it. This is happening. For because of
their war, their enemies destroyed it. And now the servants of the
enemies will themselves rebuild it.”

The portion of Scripture quoted here is from Isaiah 66 and again

quoted in the Book of Acts (7:49). Without laboring the point, the
author of these words (do not blame Barnabas) has probably no
understanding of the Hebrew Scripture. Just start reading from 2
Samuel 7:5 forward, where King David is asked by God if he would be
willing to build God a house. As the story moves forward, the vast
majority of the action surrounds the development and building of the
Temple. Even more amazing is all the previous Biblical history that
addresses the Tent of Meeting, which served as a portable station to
receive the Power and Guidance of God.

The endless disregard for the history of Israel and the Torah is virtually
indescribable. Time and space restraints do not allow a sufficient
explanation here, but suffice it to say the author has an agenda to re-
write Biblical history to better fit his own perception of how the Old
Testament fits into Christian practice, not how the Christian practice
was shaped by the Old Testament.

15:6

“Moreover, it says, Make it holy with pure hands and a pure heart. We
are very much mistaken if we think that at the present time anyone,
by having a pure heart, can make holy the day that the Lord has made
holy.”

This is a loose paraphrase of a combination of three or four Old

Testament quotes. The point is clear: Nothing you can do will make the
Lord’s Day holy. Stop with the observances and practices, they do not
provide righteousness.

CONCLUSIONS

The Letter of Barnabas is an anti-Jewish writing sent to confirm the

“right-ness” of an anti-Jewish group. Most of today’s historians and
scholars see this letter as an unrealistic and poorly produced piece of
pseudagraphia. Nevertheless, dismissing its authenticity does not
dismiss its legacy. At the base element of this writing, we can find
many of the concepts that will become cannon fodder for the anti-
Jewish movements within Christian circles.

Looking back, we have lost our connection with our adoptive spiritual
parents and have erased many of the deepest and most beautiful
verses of Paul’s writings. The challenge facing us today is re-uniting
with our Jewish friends, many who believe deeply in the Jesus of the
New Testament, the He is the risen Son of God, the Jewish Messiah, and
could in ways large and small; help us to understand Jesus in His
historical and spiritual element.