Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/110

cvi printed by Fabricius. The text as usual varies considerably, and on this account Tischendorf has published it in two forms, both of which I have translated. The first copy is from a MS. of about the twelfth century. The second is also from a MS. of about the same date. No great antiquity has been assigned to the fiction, which seems to have had a Grreek origin. Whatever its source, it is based upon the ancient opinion that Pilate sent to Rome a report concerning Christ. I am not able to suggest a date for the production, but the variations in the ancient copies show that it must have been often transcribed. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Job, are all spoken of as being dead 3500 years. If this may be construed as indicating the date of this composition, it will not allow us to go back beyond the ninth century, which is probably not far wrong.

The Greek Paradosis denotes the handing over of something, and may therefore mean Pilate's being delivered into the hands of justice. It contains an account of Pilate's trial before Cæsar at Rome, of his