pseudepigrapha
Wrongly credited writings
Pseudepigrapha are writings falsely attributed to someone other than their actual author, typically a famous or authoritative figure.
The term applies especially to Jewish and Christian texts from antiquity not included in biblical canons—works attributed to Enoch, Moses, or Solomon but written centuries later.
More broadly, any text with false authorship claims qualifies: The letter turned out to be pseudepigrapha, not written by Paul at all.
The singular is pseudepigraphon, though pseudepigrapha often functions as both.
Incorrectly assigned origin
- spuriousFalse though appearing genuine
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- scribalOf professional copyists
- redactionObscuring sensitive text
interpolation · authenticity · canonical · noncanonical · deuterocanonical · pseudonymity · amanuensis
Pertaining to ultimate devastation
- eschatologyStudy of ultimate destiny
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- prophecyForetelling of future events
- angelologyStudy of celestial beings
demonology · cosmology · theodicy · messianic · covenant · final judgment · resurrection · visionary
Rebuilt Jerusalem sanctuary
- Dead Sea ScrollsAncient manuscripts from Judean caves
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
- codexAncient bound manuscript
scrolls · Hellenistic · Septuagint · Aramaic · Hebrew · Greek · rabbinic · paleography
misattributed
Incorrectly assigned origin
redaction · interpolation · authenticity · canonical · noncanonical · deuterocanonical · pseudonymity · amanuensis
apocalyptic
Pertaining to ultimate devastation
- eschatologyStudy of ultimate destiny
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- prophecyForetelling of future events
angelology · demonology · cosmology · theodicy · messianic · covenant · final judgment · resurrection · visionary · mystical
Second Temple
Rebuilt Jerusalem sanctuary
- Dead Sea ScrollsAncient manuscripts from Judean caves
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
codex · scrolls · Hellenistic · Septuagint · Aramaic · Hebrew · Greek · rabbinic · paleography · antiquity
apocalypse
Total civilizational collapse
vision · parable · hymn · prayer · narrative · farewell speech · prophetic · hagiography
Enoch
Biblical figure, ascended alive
- authorshipauthorship, author bio, byline, attributed, credited
- Ancient ScripturesDead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Enoch, Judith, Maccabees
- ApocryphaGospel of Thomas, Judith, Susanna, non-canonical, ancient texts
- Jewish studiesTorah study, Jewish learning, yeshiva, Jewish history, rabbinical school
- Attribution Errorsmisquote, source confusion
- forgeriesforged passport, forged signature, forged check, fake passport, fake ID