The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 93 Jesus rebukes those who call him God: “I am man, born of mortal woman.” The scriptural case, the debate before Nicaea, and how doctrine hardened later:
Jesus Rebukes Those Who Call Him God
Then Jesus, having lifted his hand in token of silence, said: 'Verily ye have erred greatly, O Israelites, in calling me, a man, your God. And I fear that God may for this give heavy plague upon the holy city, handing it over in servitude to strangers. O a thousand times accursed Satan, that hath moved you to this!'
And having said this, Jesus smote his face with both his hands, whereupon arose such a noise of weeping that none could hear what Jesus was saying. Whereupon once more he lifted up his hand in token of silence, and the people being quieted from their weeping, he spake once more: 'I confess before heaven, and I call to witness everything that dwelleth upon the earth, that I am a stranger to all that ye have said: seeing that I am man, born of mortal woman, subject to the judgement of God, suffering the miseries of eating and sleeping, of cold and heat, like other men. Wherefore when God shall come to judge, my words like a sword shall pierce each one [of them] that believe me to be more than man.'
And having said this, Jesus saw a great multitude of horsemen, whereby he perceived that there were coming the governor with Herod and the high-priest.
Then said Jesus: 'Perchance they also are become mad.'
When the governor arrived there, with Herod and the priest, every one dismounted, and they made a circle round about Jesus, insomuch that the soldiery could not keep back the people that were desirous to hear Jesus speaking with the priest.
Jesus drew near to the priest with reverence, but he was wishful to bow himself down and worship Jesus, when Jesus cried out: 'Beware of that which thou doest, priest of the living God! Sin not against our God!'
The priest answered: 'Now is Judaea so greatly moved over thy signs and thy teaching that they cry out that thou art God; wherefore, constrained by the people, I am come hither with the Roman governor and king Herod. We pray thee therefore from our heart, that thou wilt be content to remove the sedition which is arisen on thy account. For some say thou art God, some say thou art son of God, and some say thou art a prophet.'
Jesus answered: 'And thou, O high-priest of God, wherefore hast thou not quieted this sedition? Art thou also, perchance, gone out of thy mind? Have the prophecies, with the law of God, so passed into oblivion, O wretched Judaea, deceived of Satan!'
Jesus raised his hand for silence and said: 'O Israelites, you have truly fallen into grave error by calling me, a man, your God. I fear that because of this God may bring a severe plague upon the holy city and deliver it into servitude to foreigners. O Satan, a thousand times accursed, who has moved you to this!'
After saying this, Jesus struck his face with both hands. Such a noise of weeping arose that no one could hear him. He again raised his hand for silence, and when the people had quieted, he said: 'Before heaven, and calling everything that dwells upon the earth as my witness, I declare that I have no part in anything you have said. I am a man, born of a mortal woman, subject to God’s judgment, and I suffer the needs of eating and sleeping, cold and heat, like other people. Therefore, when God comes to judge, my words will pierce like a sword everyone who believes me to be more than a man.'
After saying this, Jesus saw a great company of horsemen and understood that the governor, Herod, and the high priest were approaching.
Then Jesus said: 'Perhaps they too have become mad.'
When the governor arrived with Herod and the priest, they all dismounted and formed a circle around Jesus. The soldiers could not hold back the people who wished to hear Jesus speak with the priest.
Jesus approached the priest respectfully. But when the priest began to bow down and worship him, Jesus cried: 'Take care what you are doing, priest of the living God! Do not sin against our God!'
The priest answered: 'Judea is now so deeply stirred by your signs and teaching that the people cry out that you are God. Compelled by them, I have come here with the Roman governor and King Herod. We therefore ask you from our hearts to put an end to the unrest that has arisen on your account. Some say that you are God, some that you are the Son of God, and some that you are a prophet.'
Jesus answered: 'And you, O high priest of God, why have you not quieted this unrest? Have you also lost your senses? Have the prophecies and the law of God been so completely forgotten, O wretched Judea, deceived by Satan?'
Then Jesus, having lifted his hand in token of silence, said: 'Verily ye have erred greatly, O Israelites, in calling me, a man, your God. And I fear that God may for this give heavy plague upon the holy city, handing it over in servitude to strangers. O a thousand times accursed Satan, that hath moved you to this!'
And having said this, Jesus smote his face with both his hands, whereupon arose such a noise of weeping that none could hear what Jesus was saying. Whereupon once more he lifted up his hand in token of silence, and the people being quieted from their weeping, he spake once more: 'I confess before heaven, and I call to witness everything that dwelleth upon the earth, that I am a stranger to all that ye have said: seeing that I am man, born of mortal woman, subject to the judgement of God, suffering the miseries of eating and sleeping, of cold and heat, like other men. Wherefore when God shall come to judge, my words like a sword shall pierce each one [of them] that believe me to be more than man.'
And having said this, Jesus saw a great multitude of horsemen, whereby he perceived that there were coming the governor with Herod and the high-priest.
Then said Jesus: 'Perchance they also are become mad.'
When the governor arrived there, with Herod and the priest, every one dismounted, and they made a circle round about Jesus, insomuch that the soldiery could not keep back the people that were desirous to hear Jesus speaking with the priest.
Jesus drew near to the priest with reverence, but he was wishful to bow himself down and worship Jesus, when Jesus cried out: 'Beware of that which thou doest, priest of the living God! Sin not against our God!'
The priest answered: 'Now is Judaea so greatly moved over thy signs and thy teaching that they cry out that thou art God; wherefore, constrained by the people, I am come hither with the Roman governor and king Herod. We pray thee therefore from our heart, that thou wilt be content to remove the sedition which is arisen on thy account. For some say thou art God, some say thou art son of God, and some say thou art a prophet.'
Jesus answered: 'And thou, O high-priest of God, wherefore hast thou not quieted this sedition? Art thou also, perchance, gone out of thy mind? Have the prophecies, with the law of God, so passed into oblivion, O wretched Judaea, deceived of Satan!'