Whence the giant jesus and his talking cross? The resurrection in Gospel of Peter 10.39-42 as prophetic fulfilment of LXX psalm 18

Abstract

The curious resurrection account in the Gospel of Peter (10.39-42) is not simply the author's creative innovation, but is based on a Christocentric interpretation of LXX Ps 18.1-7. The Gospel of Peter's unusual description of Jesus' exit from the tomb, whereupon he expands gigantically so that his head enters heaven (GPet 10.39-40), derives from an early Christian interpretation of LXX Ps 18.5c-7. The following conversation between God and the glorified cosmic cross (GPet 10.41-2) derives from a Christocentric interpretation of LXX Ps 18.2. In addition, the cross's verbal affirmation that it had preached to the dead (GPet 10.42) follows from a literalising yet Christocentric reading of LXX Ps 18.2b.