Epistle of Tiberius to Pilate

Epistula Tiberii ad Pilatum

Standard abbreviation: Ep. Tib. Pil.

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 982; CANT 65 (see “Rescriptus”)

Category: Pilate Cycle

Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Epistle of Tiberius to Pilate.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/epistle-of-tiberius-to-pilate/.

Created January 2025.

1. SUMMARY

Ep. Tib. Pil. circulates with a branch of the Report of Pontius Pilate (Paradosis Pilati) as one of two responses from Tiberius to the Report (the other is the Handing Over of Pilate). A frame narrative states that it was delivered by the messenger Rahab, who was sent with 2,000 soldiers to bring Pilate to Rome. Tiberius states in the letter that Pilate must appear before him to answer for the crime of putting Jesus to death. Mary Magdalene had already appeared before the emperor and informed him about Jesus’ miraculous cures (this event is mentioned also in Acts of Pilate GrkB 11 and Life of Mary Magdalene, which also excerpts the letter). Tiberius warns that he will execute Pilate and those who conspired with him. Here the framing narrative resumes with a report of Tiberius’ orders to kill all of the Jews and to arrest Pilate, Archelaus, Philip, Annas, Caiaphas, and other Jewish leaders. Rahab and the soldiers slay all of the Jewish males and defile their wives. Caiaphas dies on the way to Rome and is buried in Crete. Annas is sewn into a bull’s-hide, which contracted, squeezing him to death. Archelaus and Philip are crucified and the other leaders of the Jews are beheaded.

Pilate is immediately imprisoned so that his face could not be seen by Tiberius—an old law states that if the emperor sees an imprisoned man’s face, he will be spared. One day the emperor goes on hunt and chases a deer past Pilate’s prison. Pilate looks out, hoping to see the emperor’s face, and is shot by his arrow.

Named historical figures and characters: Annas (scribe/high priest), Archelaus, Caiaphas, Herod Antipas, Mary Magdalene, Philip (tetrarch), Pontius Pilate, Rahab, Satan, Tiberius (emperor).

Geographical locations: Crete, Jerusalem, Rome.

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Church Slavic (Anaphora and Response)

Otero, Aurelio de Santos. Die handschriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen. 2 vols. PTS 20 and 23. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1978 and 1981 (manuscripts 62–63, 94, 106, 133, 143, and 149 listed in vol. 2, pp. 61–98).

Thomson, Francis J. Review of Aurelio de Santos Otero, Die handscriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen, vol. 2. Slavonic and East European Review 63.1 [1985]: 73–98 at 81 (corrections to de Santos Otero).

3.1.2 Greek (Epistle follows Anaphora; BHG 779xII)

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 2972, fols. 112^v–116^v (15th/16th cent.) ~ numbering includes the Anaphora, Response and the Paradosis; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, Metochiou tou Panagiou Taphou 303, fols. 158^r–159^v (14th/15th cent.) ~ numbering includes Anaphora; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados, 432 (130) (16th cent.) ~ includes Anaphora; Pinakes

Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Ellados 2069, fols. 96^r–104^r (18th/19th cent.) ~ numbering includes Anaphora; Pinakes; Athens

Jerusalem, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Panagiou Taphou, 238, fols. 62^v–64^v (18th cent.) ~ numbering includes Anaphora; Pinakes

London, British Library, Harley 5556, fols. 31^r–32^v (1714)

London, British Library, Burney 342, fols. 94^v–96^v (1709) ~ Pinakes

London, British Library, Add. 25881, fols. 257^v–260^v (16th cent.) ~ Pinakes

Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, H 22 Sup. (Martini-Bassi 426), fols. 8^r–8^v (15th cent.) ~ Pinakes

Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, K 64 (Eustratiades 1351), fols. 91^r–95^v (1634) ~ numbering includes Anaphora; Pinakes

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, suppl. gr. 1169, fols. 39^r–43^v (1685) ~ numbering includes Anaphora

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Grec 1771, fols. 282^v–283^r (15th cent.) ~ contains only Response; Pinakes; Gallica

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Suppl. gr. 78, fols. 202^r–203^v (1714)

St. Petersburg, Rossijskaâ Akademiâ Nauk. Biblioteka, 166, fols. 34^r–37^v (18th cent.) ~ numbering includes Anaphora; Pinakes

Turin, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria, C.II.5 or B.V.8 (Pasini gr. 302), fol. 61 (13th cent.) ~ lost in fire in 1904

Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, theol. gr. 247, fols. 151^r–152^v (15th cent.) ~ Pinakes

Birch, Andreas, ed. Auctarium codicis Apocryphi Novi Testamenti Fabriciani. Havniae: Arntzen & Hartier, 1804 (text from Vienna 246, pp. 172–75).

Ehrman, Bart D. and Zlatko Pleše, The Apocryphal Gospels: Texts and Translations. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2011 (edition of James’ Greek text with English translation, pp. 529–35).

Fleck, Ferdinand F. Wissenschaftliche Reise durch das südliche Deutschland, Italien, Sicilien und Frankreich. Leipzig: J. A. Barth, 1837 (text from Turin c. ii. 5, vol. 2.2, p.145–47).

James, Montague Rhodes. Apocrypha Anecdota 2. TS 5.1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1897 (edition based on editions of Birch and Fleck, pp. 78–81; introduction, pp. il–l).

Tischendorf, Constantin von, ed. Evangelia Apocrypha. Leipzig: Mendelssohn, 1853; 2nd ed. 1876 (mention of manuscripts but not included in volume, pp. lxxviii–lxxix).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Elliott, J. K. The Apocryphal New Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993 (summary, pp. 224–25).

James, Montague Rhodes. The Apocryphal New Testament: Being the Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses. Oxford: Clarendon, 1924; corrected edition, 1953 (English translation of Tischendorf’s Latin text, pp. 156–57).

3.2.2 French

Gounelle, Rémi. “Rapport de Pilate. Réponse de Tibère à Pilate. Cycle de Pilate.” Pages 299–327 in Écrits apocryphes chrétiens. Vol. 2. Edited by Pierre Geoltrain et Jean-Daniel Kaestli. Paris: Gallimard, 2005 (translation based on the edition of James, pp. 318–21).

3.2.3 Italian

Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (vol. 3, pp. 125–26).

Moraldi, Luigi. Apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 2 vols. Classici delle religioni, Sezione quarta, La religione cattolica 24. Turin: Unione Tipografico-Editrice Torinese, 1971 (vol. 1, pp. 707–709).

3.2.4 Spanish

de Santos Otero, Aurelio. Los Evangelios Apócrifos. Madrid: Biblioteca de Autores Christianos, 1988 (pp. 473–77).

3.3 General Works

Izydorczyk, Zbigniew. The Medieval Gospel of Nicodemus: Texts, Intertexts, and Contexts in Western Europe. Tempe, AZ: Medieval and Renaissance Texts & Studies, 1997 (p. 7).