Epistle of the Corinthians to Paul
Encyclopedia
The Epistle of the Corinthians to Paul is a work from the New Testament apocrypha
, and originally formed part of the Acts of Paul
, though it was later detached and circulated separately.
This writing claims to describe the teachings of Simon Magus
, including the ideas that God was not almighty, that the resurrection
was false, that Christ was not truly bodily incarnated God (i.e. Docetism
), that angels made the world (see Demiurge
), and that the prophets were inaccurate. A response to this letter from Paul also appears in the Acts of Paul
and is known as the Third Epistle to the Corinthians
.
Such an appeal to combat heresy is likely the work of an orthodox forger, attempting to create a biblical basis for their counter-arguments to their docetic and gnostic
enemies. Despite having been widely recognised as forgeries in ancient times, for a period this Epistle and its response appeared in the Armenian
Bible
.
New Testament apocrypha
The New Testament apocrypha are a number of writings by early Christians that claim to be accounts of Jesus and his teachings, the nature of God, or the teachings of his apostles and of their lives. These writings often have links with books regarded as "canonical"...
, and originally formed part of the Acts of Paul
Acts of Paul
The Acts of Paul is one of the major works and earliest pseudepigraphal series from the New Testament also known as Apocryphal Acts, an approximate date given to the Acts of Paul is 160 CE. The Acts were first mentioned by Tertullian. Tertullian found it heretical because it encouraged women to...
, though it was later detached and circulated separately.
This writing claims to describe the teachings of Simon Magus
Simon Magus
Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, in Latin Simon Magus, was a Samaritan magus or religious figure and a convert to Christianity, baptised by Philip the Apostle, whose later confrontation with Peter is recorded in . The sin of simony, or paying for position and influence in the church, is...
, including the ideas that God was not almighty, that the resurrection
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
was false, that Christ was not truly bodily incarnated God (i.e. Docetism
Docetism
In Christianity, docetism is the belief that Jesus' physical body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion; that is, Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and to physically die, but in reality he was incorporeal, a pure spirit, and hence could not physically die...
), that angels made the world (see Demiurge
Demiurge
The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics...
), and that the prophets were inaccurate. A response to this letter from Paul also appears in the Acts of Paul
Acts of Paul
The Acts of Paul is one of the major works and earliest pseudepigraphal series from the New Testament also known as Apocryphal Acts, an approximate date given to the Acts of Paul is 160 CE. The Acts were first mentioned by Tertullian. Tertullian found it heretical because it encouraged women to...
and is known as the Third Epistle to the Corinthians
Third Epistle to the Corinthians
The Third Epistle to the Corinthians is believed to be a pseudepigraphical text under the name of Paul of Tarsus. It is also found in the Acts of Paul, and was framed as Paul's response to the Epistle of the Corinthians to Paul. The earliest extant copy is Bodmer Papyrus X.In the West it was not...
.
Such an appeal to combat heresy is likely the work of an orthodox forger, attempting to create a biblical basis for their counter-arguments to their docetic and gnostic
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
enemies. Despite having been widely recognised as forgeries in ancient times, for a period this Epistle and its response appeared in the Armenian
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.