authorship and pseudepigraphy in early christian literature 37
as the Church also reads the books of Judith, tobias, and the Maccabees, but
does not receive them among the canonical scriptures, so also one may read
these two scrolls for the strengthening of the people, (but) not for confirm-
ing the authority of ecclesiastical dogmas.
John Chrysostomus, homiliae in epistulam ad romanos 1.1
In his Homilies on the Letter to the Romans, John Chrysostomus offered a
(questionable and incomplete) explanation of the anonymity of the five
books of Moses and the four gospels as well as of the authorial attribu-
tions in old testament prophetic and wisdom literature and in most of
the new testament letters.50
Moses having written five books, has nowhere put his own name to them,
neither have they who after him put together the history of events after
him, nor yet has Matthew, nor John, nor Mark, nor luke; but the blessed
Paul everywhere in his epistles sets his own name.
now why was this? Because they were writing to people, who were pres-
ent, and it had been superfluous to show themselves when they were
present. But this man sent his writings from afar and in the form of a letter,
for which cause also the addition of the name was necessary.
But if in the epistle to the hebrews he does not do the same, this too is
after his own wise judgment. for since they felt prejudiced against him, lest
on hearing the name at the outstart, they should stop up all admission to his
discourse, he subtly won their attention by concealing the name.
But if some Prophets and solomon have put their names, this I leave as
a subject for you to look further into hereafter, why some of them wished
to put it so, and some not. for you are not to learn everything from me,
but to take pains yourselves also and enquire further, lest ye become more
dull-witted.
Josephus, antiquitates 1.68–70
In his Antiquities (93/4 ce), the Jewish historian Josephus told the story of
the progeny of seth. In this context he mentioned inscriptions in which
the descendants of seth had recorded their astronomical discoveries. Jose-
phus appears to have understood this report as speaking about literary
attribution which he took at face value.51
he (i.e., seth), after being brought up and attaining to years of discretion,
cultivated virtue, excelled in it himself, and left descendants who imitated
his ways.
50 trans. in NPNF 1 11:338.
51 trans. by h. st. J. thackeray, lCl 242:33.
