The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 95 Jesus' confession of faith before the priest: one God, without beginning or end, whom “the heaven of heavens cannot contain.” The Christians who held to this reading:
Jesus Confesses His Faith Before the People
Accordingly the governor and the priest and the king prayed Jesus that in order to quiet the people he should mount up into a lofty place and speak to the people. Then went up Jesus on to one of the twelve stones which Joshua made the twelve tribes take up from the midst of Jordan, when all Israel passed over there dry shod; and he said with a loud voice: 'Let our priest go up into a high place whence he may confirm my words.' Thereupon the priest went up thither; to whom Jesus said distinctly, so that every one might hear: 'It is written in the testament and covenant of the living God that our God hath no beginning, neither shall he ever have an end.'
The priest answered: 'Even so is it written therein.'
Jesus said: 'It is written there that our God by his word alone hath created all things.'
'Even so it is,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there that God is invisible and hidden from the mind of man, seeing he is incorporeal and uncomposed, without variableness.'
'So it is, truly,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there how that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, seeing that our God is infinite.'
'So said Solomon the prophet,' said the priest. 'O Jesus.'
Said Jesus: 'It is written there that God hath no need, forasmuch as he eateth not, sleepeth not, and suffereth not from any deficiency.'
'So is it,' said the priest.
Said Jesus: 'It is written there that our God is everywhere, and that there is not any other god but he, who striketh down and maketh whole, and doeth all that pleaseth him.'
'So is it written,' replied the priest.
Then Jesus, having lifted up his hands, said: 'Lord our God, this is my faith wherewith I shall come to thy judgement: in testimony against every one that shall believe the contrary.' And turning himself towards the people, he said: 'Repent, for from all that of which the priest hath said that it is written in the book of Moses, the covenant of God for ever, ye may perceive your sin; for that I am a visible man and a morsel of clay that walketh upon the earth, mortal as are other men. And I have had a beginning, and shall have an end, and [am] such that I cannot create a fly over again.'
Thereupon the people raised their voices weeping, and said: 'We have sinned, Lord our God, against thee; have mercy upon us.' And they prayed Jesus, every one, that he would pray for the safety of the holy city, that our God in his anger should not give it over to be trodden down of the nations. Thereupon Jesus, having lifted up his hands, prayed for the holy city and for the people of God, every one crying: 'So be it.' 'Amen.'
The governor, priest, and king therefore asked Jesus to stand on a high place and speak to the people so that they might be quieted. Jesus climbed onto one of the twelve stones that Joshua had caused the twelve tribes to take from the middle of the Jordan when all Israel crossed on dry ground. He called out loudly: 'Let our priest also stand in a high place, so that he may confirm my words.' The priest went up, and Jesus said clearly enough for everyone to hear: 'It is written in the testament and covenant of the living God that our God had no beginning and will never have an end.'
The priest answered: 'So it is written.'
Jesus said: 'It is written there that our God by his word alone has created all things.'
'Even so it is,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there that God is invisible and beyond the human mind, since he is incorporeal, uncompounded, and without change.'
'So it is, truly,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there that even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, since our God is infinite.'
The priest said: 'So Solomon the prophet declared, O Jesus.'
Jesus said: 'It is written there that God has no need, because he does not eat or sleep and suffers no deficiency.'
'So is it,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there that our God is everywhere and that there is no other god besides him. He strikes down and makes whole, and he does whatever pleases him.'
'So is it written,' replied the priest.
Jesus lifted his hands and said: 'Lord our God, this is the faith with which I will come to your judgment, as a testimony against everyone who believes the contrary.' Turning to the people, he said: 'Repent. From everything the priest has confirmed as written in the book of Moses—the everlasting covenant of God—you can recognize your sin. I am a visible man, a piece of clay walking upon the earth, mortal like other people. I had a beginning and will have an end, and I cannot create even a single fly anew.'
Then all the people raised their voices, weeping, and said: 'We have sinned against you, Lord our God; have mercy upon us.' They all asked Jesus to pray for the safety of the holy city, so that in his anger our God would not give it over to be trampled by the nations. Jesus then lifted up his hands and prayed for the holy city and for the people of God, while everyone cried: 'So be it. Amen.'
Accordingly the governor and the priest and the king prayed Jesus that in order to quiet the people he should mount up into a lofty place and speak to the people. Then went up Jesus on to one of the twelve stones which Joshua made the twelve tribes take up from the midst of Jordan, when all Israel passed over there dry shod; and he said with a loud voice: 'Let our priest go up into a high place whence he may confirm my words.' Thereupon the priest went up thither; to whom Jesus said distinctly, so that every one might hear: 'It is written in the testament and covenant of the living God that our God hath no beginning, neither shall he ever have an end.'
The priest answered: 'Even so is it written therein.'
Jesus said: 'It is written there that our God by his word alone hath created all things.'
'Even so it is,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there that God is invisible and hidden from the mind of man, seeing he is incorporeal and uncomposed, without variableness.'
'So it is, truly,' said the priest.
Jesus said: 'It is written there how that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, seeing that our God is infinite.'
'So said Solomon the prophet,' said the priest. 'O Jesus.'
Said Jesus: 'It is written there that God hath no need, forasmuch as he eateth not, sleepeth not, and suffereth not from any deficiency.'
'So is it,' said the priest.
Said Jesus: 'It is written there that our God is everywhere, and that there is not any other god but he, who striketh down and maketh whole, and doeth all that pleaseth him.'
'So is it written,' replied the priest.
Then Jesus, having lifted up his hands, said: 'Lord our God, this is my faith wherewith I shall come to thy judgement: in testimony against every one that shall believe the contrary.' And turning himself towards the people, he said: 'Repent, for from all that of which the priest hath said that it is written in the book of Moses, the covenant of God for ever, ye may perceive your sin; for that I am a visible man and a morsel of clay that walketh upon the earth, mortal as are other men. And I have had a beginning, and shall have an end, and [am] such that I cannot create a fly over again.'
Thereupon the people raised their voices weeping, and said: 'We have sinned, Lord our God, against thee; have mercy upon us.' And they prayed Jesus, every one, that he would pray for the safety of the holy city, that our God in his anger should not give it over to be trodden down of the nations. Thereupon Jesus, having lifted up his hands, prayed for the holy city and for the people of God, every one crying: 'So be it.' 'Amen.'