Epistula ad Quadratum
Standard abbreviation: Ep. Jas. Quad.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 490; CANT 308
Category: Epistles
Related literature: Epistle of Pilate to Claudius
Compiled by J. Edward Walters, Hill Museum and Manuscript Library ([email protected])
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Walters, J. Edward. “Epistle of James to Quadratus” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/epistle-of-james-to-quadratus/.
Created January 2021. Current as of Sept. 2022.
1. SUMMARY
The Epistle of James to Quadratus is a letter that claims to be written by James, the brother of Jesus, to a certain Quadratus, who is presumably located in Rome. Although the letter does not specify exactly where Quadratus is located, his geographic proximity to the Emperor Tiberius is an important feature of the text. James writes to Quadratus to inform him of certain developments that have taken place in and around Jerusalem since the death of Jesus, and he asks Quadratus to report back to him regarding any decrees or commands that Tiberius might make concerning the Jews. The Quadratus of this letter exchange should not be confused with the early second-century apologist, Quadratus of Athens, who is mentioned by Eusebius (Hist. eccl. 4.3.1; 4.23.3). James also makes mention of a letter that was written from Pilate to the Emperor regarding the aftermath of Jesus’ death. The letter has some obvious anachronistic features, such as James referring to himself as the “bishop of Jerusalem” in the letter’s greeting. The letter expresses an anti-Jewish sentiment that is common throughout early Christian literature, as Quadratus is praised for contending against the Jews. The letter is preserved in both Syriac and Armenian, though there is likely a (non-extant) Greek original. The Syriac and Armenian versions are quite closely related, though there are several small, but interesting differences.
Named historical figures and characters: Aetius (tomb guard), Annas (scribe/high priest), Aristides (tomb guard), Benjamin (Jewish leader), Caiaphas, Ephres (bishop), Gamaliel, James (son of Zebedee), Jesus Christ, Justus (bishop), Levi (bishop), Mark (evangelist), Nachmael (Jewish leader), Nicanor, Onesiphorus, Parmenas, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Philip (bishop), Pontius Pilate, Quadratus, Senica (bishop), Tiberius (emperor).
Geographical locations: Alexandria, Antioch, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Rome, Thessalonica.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Arabic
‘Aynkāwah (Iraq), Private Library of Bishop Jāk Isḥāq, 53, fols. 178r–178v (1960)
“A Historical Letter Sent by James, Bishop of Jerusalem to Quadratus.” Al-Ḥikmah 5.3 (1931): 117–21 (Arabic translation, pp. 117–18, reproduced in ‘Aynkāwah 53).
3.1.2 Armenian
Tashean, Hakovbos. Vardapetutʻiwn Aṛakʻelotsʻ anvawerakan kanonatsʻ mateaně: Tʻughtʻ Hakobay aṛ Kodratos ew Kanonkʻ Tʻaddēi: Kʻnnutʻiwn ew bnagirkʻ. Azgayin Matenadaran 20. Vienna: Mkhit‘arean tparan, 1896 (Armenian edition from an unidentified manuscript, pp. 386–91).
3.1.3 Syriac
Cambridge (Mass.), Harvard Houghton Library, Syr. 99, fols. 92v–93v (1899)
Charfeh, Syrian-Catholic Patriarchate, Fonds. Patr. 79, fols. 9r–9v (1901) ~ copied from an unnamed fourteenth-century manuscript from Mosul
Charfeh, Syrian-Catholic Patriarchate, Fonds. Patr. 87, fols. 83v–84v (1907)
Edgbaston, University of Birmingham, Mingana Syr. 4, fols. 51v–52r (1895)
Mardin, Dayr al-Zaʿfarān, 203, fols. 79r–80r (20th cent.)
Midyat, Gülçe, 4, fols. 103v–114v (20th cent.)
Midyat, Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, 21, pp. 76–77 (1971)
Midyat, Mar Barṣawmo Library, 16, pp. 136–138 (1972)
Brock, Sebastian P. “Notes on Some Texts in the Mingana Collection.” JSS 14 (1969): 205–26 (discussion of Charfeh, Fonds Patr. 79 and Mingana Syr. 4, pp. 211–15).
Rahmani, Ignatius E., ed. Studia Syriaca, seu collectio documentorum hactenus ineditorum ex codicibus Syriacis. Vol. 1: Documenta varia. Charfeh: Charfeh Patriarchal Seminary, 1904 (Syriac text based on Charfeh Fonds Patr. 79, pp. 1–2 [Syriac numbering] with Latin translation, pp. 1–2).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 Arabic (Modern)
“A Historical Letter Sent by James, Bishop of Jerusalem to Quadratus.” Al-Ḥikmah 5.3 (1931): 117–21 (Arabic translation, pp. 117–18; Syriac text, pp. 119–21; source not provided).
3.2.2 English
Walters, J. Edward, Brent Landau, and Bradley Rice. “The Epistle of James to Quadratus.” Pages 525–34 in vol. 3 of New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. 3 vols. Edited by Tony Burke with Brent Landau. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2016–2023 (translations of Syriac and Armenian texts).
3.2.3 German
Haase, Felix. Altchristliche Kirchengeschichte nach orientalischen Quellen. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1925 (German translation of Syriac version, pp. 41–43).
Sedlácek, Jaroslav. “Neue Pilatusakten: Besprochen und Übersetzt.” Sitzungsberichte der Königlich Böhmischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften in Prag 11 (1908): 1–18 (German translation of Syriac version, pp. 16–18).
Vetter, Paul. “Armenische Texte zur Apostellehre.” Literarischen Rundschau für das katholische Deutschland 22 (1896): 257–262 (German translation of Daschean’s Armenian text, pp. 259–60).
3.2.4 Italian
Erbetta, Mario. Gli Apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. in 4. Turin: Marietti, 1966–1981 (Italian translation of the Syriac version, vol. 3, pp. 134–35).
3.3 General Works
Bardenhewer, Otto. Geschichte der altkirchlichen literatur. 5 vols. Freiburgh im Breisgau: Herder, 1913–1932 (vol. 1, p. 187).
Bauckham, Richard. Jude and the Relatives of Jesus in the Early Church. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1990 (see pp. 70–79).
Baumstark, Anton. Geschichte der syrischen Literatur: mit Ausschluß der christlich-palästinensichen Texte. Bonn: Verlag, 1922 (p. 69).
Broek, Roelof van den. “Der Brief des Jakobus an Quadratus und das Problem des judenchristlichen Bischöfe von Jerusalem (Eusebius, HE IV, 5, 1–3).” Pages 56–65 in Text and Testimony: Essays on New Testament and Apocryphal Literature in Honour of A.F.J. Klijn. Edited by Tjitze Baarda and A. F. J. Klijn. Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1988.
Mimouni, Simon C. “La tradition des évêques chrétiens d’origine juive de Jérusalem.” Pages 447–66 in Studia Patristica XL: Papers presented at the fourteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies held in Oxford 2003. Edited by Frances Young, Mark Edwards, and Paul Parvis. Leuven: Peeters, 2006.
Zahn, Theodor. Forschungen zur Geschichte des neutestamentalischen Kanons und der altkirchlichen Literatur. Bd. 1: Apostel und Apostelschüler in der Proviz Asien. Leipzig: Deichert, 1900 (p. 42).