Apocalypse of Abraham

A narrative and apocalypse centered on Abraham's rejection of idols and heavenly vision.

Historical English Source Edition

The reader presents the historical English source wording below.

M. Gaster, The Apocalypse of Abraham, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. 9 (1893) pp.196-226

M. Gaster, The Apocalypse of Abraham, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. 9 (1893) pp.196-226

From the Roumanian Text, Discovered and Translated

At the moment when the power of prophecy ceased, its place was taken by the mysterious metaphysical and emblematical vision, in which the future was likewise prognosticated, but in an allegorical and fantastical form.

There grew up the apocalyptical literature, especially in the period of time which elapsed between the Book of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John, and in the following two or three centuries.

Almost at as remote a period as it first arose, the apocalyptic, or rather the apocryphal literature, was seized upon by all who were desirous of exercising an influence on the masses. In the first instance, the heretical sects of Christianity utilized it. The populace, as a rule, understands nothing of the subtle and higher questions of dogmatism, and it is most easily approached by those who speak its accustomed language, by those who enter into its views, who use its word-pictures and metaphors. What could serve better to popularise creeds which branched off from the straight road of orthodoxy, than to present them in the guise of a religious story, of a biblical allegory, of an apocalyptic vision? Special books of religious and prophetical tendency were therefore ascribed to all the patriarchs from Adam onwards. Each sect had a special predilection for a, different personage, and various books were written, or in some cases ancient ones were altered to suit the requirements of the sects, and thus these works increased in number.

Contest with the ruling Church began at the same early period. Indices of these heretical books were drawn up, in which their destruction was urged as a sacred duty. |196

Strange to say, almost all the forbidden Apocryphas have nevertheless been preserved to us. To the explorer in the territory of folk-lore opportunities frequently present themselves of recognizing the ancient apocryphal stories amongst the popular literature of the middle ages. All, however, have not been preserved from destruction. Amongst others there has been missing until now an apocryphal story concerning the death of Abraham. It is referred to by Epiphanius (adv. haereses, 39, 5), and also by Athanasius (Synopsis). Nikephorus (Stichometria, No. (5) also speaks of an apocryphon of about 300 verses, with reference to Abraham.1

This apocryphal story, of which until now nothing certain has been known, has been preserved in the old Slavonian and in the old Roumanian language. In the former, as far as I know, it is only in two MSS. (of which one is a fragment), and in Roumanian it is in four MSS., of which one is the translation of the Slavonic fragment. The complete text, discovered by myself, in three MSS., which are all in my possession, I propose to give now in a literal translation.

Before I proceed, I should wish to say a few words concerning this text, the more ancient of the two fragments, and especially regarding the connection of this text with that of the Slavonic one of the sixteenth century.