Antilegomena

Eusebius

The first major church historian, Eusebius, who wrote his Church History c. AD 325, applied the Greek term antilegomena to the disputed writings of the Early Church:

Among the disputed writings [των αντιλεγομένων], which are nevertheless recognized by many, are extant the so-called epistle of James and that of Jude, also the second epistle of Peter, and those that are called the second and third of John, whether they belong to the [John the Evangelist

evangelist]] or to [[John the Presbyter

It is a matter of categorical discussion whether Eusebius divides his books into three groups—homologoumena (from [Greek ὁμολεγούμενα, "accepted"), antilegomena, and "heretical"—or into four by adding a notha ("spurious") group.

The Epistle to the Hebrews had earlier been listed:

It is not indeed right to overlook the fact that some have rejected the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying that it is disputed [αντιλέγεσθαι] by the [Bishop of Rome

Church of Rome]], on the ground that it was not written by Paul.

[Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century text and possibly one of the Fifty Bibles of Constantine, includes the Shepherd of Hermas and the Epistle of Barnabas. The original Peshitta (NT portion is c. 5th century) excluded 2 and 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation. Some modern editions, such as the Lee Peshitta of 1823, include them.

Reformation

During the Reformation, Luther brought up the issue of the antilegomena. Though he included the Letter to the Hebrews, the letters of James and Jude, and Revelation in his Bible translation, he put them into a separate grouping and questioned their legitimacy. Hence, these books are sometimes termed "Luther's Antilegomena" – a terminology that remains in use today. Current Lutheran usage expands this questioning to also include 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John.

F. C. Baur used the term in his classification of the Pauline Epistles, classing Romans, 1–2 Corinthians and Galatians as homologoumena; Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians and Philemon as antilegomena; and the Pastoral Epistles as notha (spurious writings).

Hebrew Bible

The term is sometimes applied also to certain books in the Hebrew Bible.

For instance, the Catholic Encyclopedia and discussions from institutions like Knox Theological Seminary have noted that certain Hebrew Bible books were subject to debate, thus fitting the broader definition of antilegomena.

Books such as Ecclesiastes, Esther, Song of Songs, Ezekiel, and Proverbs were among those whose inclusion in the canon was questioned at various times. Reasons for these debates ranged from theological concerns to perceived inconsistencies. For example, Ecclesiastes was seen by some as too skeptical, while Esther was noted for not mentioning God explicitly.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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References

1. "[[A Greek–English Lexicon]]".
2. Davis, Glenn. (2010). "The Development of the Canon of the New Testament".
3. "The Epistle of Barnabas".
4. Akin, Jimmy. "Omitting Doubted Books".
5. "Biblical Canon of Eusebius – The 4 Marks".
6. "CHURCH FATHERS: Church History, Book III (Eusebius)".
7. "Luther's Antilegomena".
8. "Philip Schaff: NPNF2-01. Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine - Christian Classics Ethereal Library".
9. (2022-11-18). "Effects of Luther's New Testament canon being adopted on Protestantism".
10. Michael D. Marlowe. "Luther's Treatment of the 'Disputed Books' of the New Testament".
11. "Lutheran Cyclopedia". LCMS.
12. (2024-07-30). "Antilegomena: Their Role in Shaping the Biblical Canon".
13. "HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE".
14. (2004-09-27). "The Apocrypha and the Biblical Canon/Part 5 - JA Show Articles". JA Show Articles.