36 armin d. baum
the epistle of nebuchadnezzar was inserted in the volume of the prophet,
in order that the book might not afterwards be thought to have been manu-
factured by some other author, as the accuser (i.e., Porphyry) falsely asserts,
but the product of daniel himself.
Jerome, Commentarius in danielem on Dan 11:44–45
according to Porphyry, the pseudepigraphical author of the Book of dan-
iel had produced vaticina ex eventu on a large scale in order to delude his
readers.47
(Porphyry) claims that the person who composed the book under the name
of daniel made it all up in order to revive the hopes of his countrymen.
not that he was able to foreknow all of future history, but rather he records
events that had already taken place...
Jerome, epistulae 107.12.3
In a letter addressed to laeta on the education of her daughter, Jerome
gave a piece of advice concerning the use of pseudepigraphical books.48
let her avoid all apocryphal writings, and if she is led to read such not by
the truth of the doctrines which they contain but out of respect for the mir-
acles contained in them; let her understand that they are not really written
by those to whom they are ascribed, that many faulty elements have been
introduced into them, and that it requires infinite discretion to look for gold
in the midst of dirt.
Jerome, Prologus in libris salomonis
although Jerome regarded the Wisdom of solomon as orthodox, because
of its pseudepigraphical character he did not accept it as canonical. In this
regard he disagreed with the judgment of augustine.49
also included is the book of the model of virtue Jesus son of sirach, and
another falsely ascribed work which is titled Wisdom of solomon. the for-
mer of these I have also found in hebrew, titled not ecclesiasticus as among
the latins, but Parables, to which were joined ecclesiastes and song of
songs, as though it made of equal worth the likeness not only of the number
of the books of solomon, but also the kind of subjects. the second was never
among the hebrews, the very style of which reeks of greek eloquence. and
none of the ancient scribes affirm this one is of Philo Judaeus. therefore, just
47 trans. by archer, Jerome’s Commentary on Daniel, 142.
48 trans. in NPNF 2 6:194.
49 trans. by K. P. edgecomb, online: http://www.bombaxo.com/prologues.html.
