Narratio Iosephi de Arimathaea (georgice)
Standard abbreviation: Story Jos. Arim.
Other titles: (Georgian) Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea
Clavis numbers: ECCA 168; CANT 77
Category: Pilate Cycle
Related literature: Acts of Pilate, Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea, Homily on the Building of the First Church of the Virgin by Pseudo-Basil of Caesarea
Compiled by Bradley N. Rice, McGill University ([email protected])
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Rice, Bradley. “Story of Joseph of Arimathea.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/story-of-joseph-of-arimathea/.
Created November 2018. Current as of March 2023.
1. SUMMARY
The Story of Joseph of Arimathea recounts the role of Joseph of Arimathea and other disciples in building a church dedicated to Mary in Lydda, near Arimathea. It purports to be a story told by Joseph rather than about Joseph; in fact, the longer title of the text found in most manuscripts reads “The Book Written by Joseph of Arimathea, Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Story of the Construction of the Church of Our Queen Mary, the Holy Theotokos, which is in the City of Lydda.”
Joseph’s account begins with the appearance of the risen Jesus to him while he was in prison, during which he praises him for his steadfast faith (1–13). Joseph then miraculously escapes from prison, and Jesus takes him to Golgotha, where he then collects Jesus’ blood with the burial wrappings left behind after his resurrection (14–16). Afterwards Joseph goes back to Arimathea, where Jesus appears to him again, this time in the company of his companions Seleucus, Nicanor, Habibo, Nicodemus, Palladius, and Ereos (17–25). Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon them and tasks Joseph with proclaiming the gospel in Lydda (26–27). Joseph expresses concern over his safety in Lydda, given both the prominence of the Lydda synagogue and the troubles caused by one Saul of Tarsus, but Jesus assures him that this Saul will also become a believer and that the apostle Philip will come to help (28–36). Joseph then sets out with Nicodemus and Seleucus to preach the gospel in Lydda (37–40). Philip does indeed arrive, and he baptizes some 5000 believers before going on to Caesarea (41–44).
The Christian community in Lydda now recognizes the need for a church building, and after Peter is brought in for guidance, it is determined that the Lydda synagogue itself is to be the site of the new church (45–48). Nicodemus therefore goes to the Jewish leaders and craftily persuades them to let him expand their small synagogue (49–52). The synagogue is torn down, Peter himself begins the construction, and Joseph is entrusted with its completion (53–57). Saul, meanwhile, encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus (58–61). Peter then returns to Lydda, heals a paralytic named Aeneas, and appoints him to assist in building the church (62–72). Saul, now Paul, also comes to help with the building, and with his aid the church is finally finished (73–74). Peter, Paul, John, Andrew, and Thomas come down from Jerusalem to perform the first services and they appoint Aeneas bishop (75–80).
The new building, however, provokes the ire of the Jewish leaders in Lydda, who forcibly remove the Christians from the church, imprison them, and write a letter of accusation to the governor in Caesarea (81–86). The governor orders that the church be sealed for forty days and that the disputing parties await a divine sign (86–88). Aeneas appeals to the apostles in Jerusalem for assistance, and Mary promises that her image will appear inside the church as a sign (89–91). When the fortieth day arrives, the governor opens the doors of the church and sees the image of a woman inside (92–95). He then allows others to enter, whereupon Peter sees that it is an image of Mary, meaning that the building will belong to the Christians (96–99).
Named historical figures and characters: Aeneas, Ananias (disciple), Andrew (apostle), Annas (scribe/high priest), Balianus, Caiaphas, Cleopas, Ereos, Gamaliel, Habibo (son of Gamaliel), Herod (the Great), Herod Antipas, James (the Righteous), Jesus Christ, John (son of Zebedee), Joseph of Arimathea, Mark (John Mark?), Mary (Virgin), Nicanor, Nicodemus, Palladius, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Philip (apostle), Phoros, Pontius Pilate, Rufus (senator), Seleucus, Thomas (apostle), Tiberius (emperor).
Geographical locations: Antioch, Arimathea, Betheloe, Caesarea, Damascus, Galilee, Golgotha, Hades, Jerusalem, Lydda, Salim, Samaria, Sharon, Tarsus.
2. RESOURCES
2.1 Online Resources
“Basilica of the Holy Blood.” Wikipedia.
“Joseph of Arimathea.” Wikipedia.
“Robert de Boron.” Wikipedia.
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Georgian
3.1.1.1 Recension GeoA
Mount Athos, Iviron, Geor. 9, fols. 155v–162r (977)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, A-144, fols. 91v–97r (10th cent.)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, A-249, fols. 76r–93v (10th/11th cent.)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, A-56, fols. 135v–144r (18th cent.)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, A-1142, fols. 171–181 (1915)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, S-3343, fols. 1r–6r (19th/20th cent.)
Marr, Nicholas. Skazanīe o postroeniĭ pervoĭ tserkvi v gorodie Liddie: Gruzinskīĭ tekst po rukopisiam X—XI viekov (s dvumia paleograficheskimi tablitsami). Teksty i razyskanīia po armiano-gruzinskoĭ filologīĭ 2: Izdanīia fakul’teta vostochnykh iazykov Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago universiteta 5. Saint Petersburg: Tipografīia V. F. Kirshbauma, 1900 (editio princeps of GeoA on the basis of Iviron, Geor. 9, Tbilisi A-144, and Tbilisi A-249).
Mgaloblishvili, Tamila. Klarjuli mravalt‘avi. Żveli k‘art‘uli mcerlobis żeglebi 12. Tbilisi: Mec‘niereba, 1991 (edition of the Klarjeti homiliary, Tblisi A-144).
3.1.1.2 Recension GeoB
Mount Athos, Iviron, Geor. 7, fols. 148r–154v (13th cent.)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, Q-835, fols. 25r–29r (1895)
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Rice, Bradley N. “The Story of Joseph of Arimathea: A New Translation and Introduction.” Pages 160–87 in vol. 2 of New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. Edited by Tony Burke (and Brent Landau, vol. 1). 3 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2016–2023 (translation of GeoA).
3.2.2 French
Esbroeck, Michel van. “L’histoire de l’église de Lydda dans deux textes géorgiens.” Bedi Kartlisa 35 (1977): 109–31 (translation of GeoA).
3.2.3 German
Harnack, Adolf von. “Ein in georgischer Sprache überliefertes Apokryphon des Joseph von Arimathia.” SPAW 39 (1901): 920–31 (translation of Marr’s Russian translation).
Kluge, Theodor. “Die apokryphe Erzählung des Joseph von Arimathäa über den Bau der ersten christlichen Kirche in Lydda.” OrChr 4 (1914): 24–38 (translation of GeoA).
3.2.4 Russian
Marr, Nicholas. Skazanīe o postroeniĭ pervoĭ tserkvi v gorodie Liddie: Gruzinskīĭ tekst po rukopisiam X—XI viekov (s dvumia paleograficheskimi tablitsami). Teksty i razyskanīia po armiano-gruzinskoĭ filologīĭ 2: Izdanīia fakul’teta vostochnykh iazykov Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago universiteta 5. Saint Petersburg: Tipografīia V. F. Kirshbauma, 1900 (translation of GeoA).
3.3 General Works
Č‘xikvaże, Nestan. “Une traduction géorgienne d’un original perdu: L’histoire de l’apocryphe de l’église de Lydda (CANT 77).” Apocrypha 8 (1997): 179–91.
Dilley, Paul. “Christian Icon Practice in Apocryphal Literature: Consecration and the Conversion of Synagogues into Churches.” JRA 23 (2010): 285–302.
__________. “The Invention of Christian Tradition: ‘Apocrypha,’ Imperial Policy, and Anti-Jewish Propaganda.” GRBS 50 (2010): 586–615.
Dobschütz, Ernst von. “Joseph von Arimathia.” ZKG 23 (1902): 1–17.
Esbroeck, Michel van. Les plus anciens homéliaires géorgiens: Étude descriptive et historique. Publications de l’Institut orientaliste de Louvain 10. Louvain-la-Neuve: Université catholique de Louvain, Institut orientaliste, 1975.
__________. “La première église de la Vierge bâtie par les apôtres.” Pages 1–18 in Aegyptus christiana: Mélanges d’hagiographie égyptienne et orientale dédiés à la mémoire du p. Paul Devos bollandiste. Edited by Ugo Zanetti and Enzo Lucchesi. Cahiers d’orientalisme 25. Geneva: Cramer, 2004.
Kekeliże, Korneli. K‘art‘uli literaturis istoria. 6 vols. 4th ed. Tbilisi: Saxelmcip‘o gamomc‘emloba “Sabčot‘a Sak‘art‘velo,” 1960.
Outtier, Bernard. “Les enseignements des pères: Un recueil géorgien traduit de l’arabe.” Bedi Kartlisa 31 (1973): 36–47.
__________. “Le manuscrit Tbilissi A-249: Un recueil traduit de l’arabe et sa physionomie primitive.” Bedi Kartlisa 35 (1977): 97–106.
Pataridze, Tamar. “Christian Literature Translated from Arabic into Georgian: A Review.” Annual of Medieval Studies at CEU 19 (2013): 47–65.
Peeters, Paul. “Traductions et traducteurs dans l’hagiographie orientale a l’époque byzantine.” AnBoll 40 (1922): 241–364.
Stengenšek, Avguštin. “Neuere russische Arbeiten zur armensich-georgischen Philologie.” OrChr 1 (1901): 373–78.
Tarchnišvili, Michael. Geschichte der kirchlichen georgischen Literatur, auf Grund des ersten Bandes der georgischen Literaturgeschichte von K. Kekelidze. Studi e testi 185. Vatican City: Biblioteca apostolica vaticana, 1955.