passion traditions reinterpreted As such, the passage suggests that the gospel from which it was taken
included a passion narrative akin to the narratives in the synoptic gospels.
It must have included at least the Last Supper, (most likely) a description
of Jesus’ death, and a story about his burial. The fragment suggests a
setting where there are several witnessesto the resurrection, among them
a servant of the (high?) priest, to whom Jesus gives the linen cloth that
has been used for burial, presumably as evidence of resurrection.^52
The witnesses to the resurrection bring to mind theGospel of Peter
(–) where Roman solders are keeping watch at the tomb with a
centurion and the elders of the people. They testify how three men with
their heads reaching to heaven come out of the tomb, followed by a cross.
A voice from heaven asks: “Have you preached to those who sleep?” A
voice from the cross replies: “Yes.” TheGospel of the Hebrewsobvious
shares with theGospel of Peterthe multiple witnesses and a reference to
those who sleep. In theGospel of the Hebrews, Jesus “is risen from those
who sleep.”
Within the synoptic tradition there is a parallel in Matthew’s story
about the guards at the tomb. It also contains elements that seem to
resemble the setting we have in theGospel of the Hebrews.InMatthew
(:–; :, –), the outside witnesses are Roman soldiers but
they are there under the commission of the “high priests and the Phar-
isees” who managed to convince Pilate that it is necessary to keep an eye
on Jesus’ tomb. Interestingly, when the soldiers go to give their report
after the resurrection, they go to the high priests. Pharisees are no longer
mentioned. Thus, the soldiers are not exactly the servants of the high
priest as in theGospel of the Hebrews, but not very far from it either.
Finally, there is a parallel in the minuscule which includes in its
margin a quotation from a Jewish gospel: “The Jewish gospel: And he
gave them armed men that they sat opposite the tomb and kept watch
over him days and nights.”^53
Thus, we have a total of three references to soldiers watching the tomb,
in theGospel of Peter, in Matthew and in a Jewish gospel, A priest or
priests are connected to the appearance story both in Matthew and in
theGospel of the Hebrews. Although there are thematic connections,
there are no clear verbal parallels between these passages. This shows
that the idea about the soldiers and Jewish leaders, either high priests or
elders, testifying to the resurrection became relatively widespread after
the composition of the Gospel of Matthew.
(^52) Thus, Klauck , –, following Waitz d, .
(^53) See, Klijn , .