Gospel of the Twelve

For the Syriac gospel, see Gospel of the Twelve Apostles.

Not to be confused with The Gospel of the Holy Twelve.

The Gospel of the Twelve (Greek: τὸ τῶν δώδεκα εὐαγγέλιον),^[1] possibly also referred to as the Gospel of the Apostles, is a lost gospel mentioned by Origen in Homilies on Luke as part of a list of heretical works.

Origen who lists the Gospel of the Twelve

Schneemelcher's standard edition of the New Testament Apocrypha states that Jerome incorrectly identified the Gospel of the Twelve, which he referred to as the Gospel according to the Apostles, with the Gospel of the Hebrews (Dial. adv. Pelag. III 2), whereas Origen clearly distinguished between them (Homilies on Luke 1.1). Ambrose and Bede may have also made allusions to it. A relationship has been postulated between this otherwise unknown gospel and the Gospel of the Ebionites.^[2]

See also

• Jewish-Christian Gospels
• List of Gospels

References

1. Origenes, Homilia in Lucam 1 p. 5.2-4 Rauer.
2. New Testament Apocrypha. John Knox Press, Wilhelm Schneemelcher and Robert McLachlan Wilson eds. 2003. ISBN 0-664-22721-X., p.166 - "Against Jerome, ... Origen clearly distinguishes between the GH and the Gospel of the Twelve", p.374 - "On the basis of a wrongly interpreted passage in Jerome (Dial. adv. Pelag. III 2) an abortive attempt was made to link the Gospel of the Twelve with the Gospel of the Hebrews, but the majority of critics today are inclined to identify it with the Gospel of the Ebionites", cf. Vol 2 Writings relating to the Apostles 2003 p17 "In gnostic and Manichean literature there are references to a Gospel of the Twelve (cf. vol. I, pp.374ff.), where the title is evidently intended to underline the comprehensive revelation content"