"From its contents it seems unlikely that it was written by a companion
of Apostles and a Levite. In addition to this, it is probable that
Barnabas died before A.D. 62; and the letter contains not only an
allusion to the destruction of the Jewish temple, but also affirms the
abnegation of the Sabbath, and the general celebration of the Lord's
Day, which seems to show that it could not have been written before the
beginning of the second century" ("Westcott on the Canon," p. 41).
"Nothing certain is known as to the author of the following epistle. The
writer's name is Barnabas; but scarcely any scholars now ascribe it to
the illustrious friend and companion of St. Paul.... The internal
evidence is now generally regarded as conclusive against this
opinion.... The external evidence [ascribing it to Barnabas] is of
itself weak, and should not make us hesitate for a moment in refusing to
ascribe this writing to Barnabas, the apostle.... The general opinion
is, that its date is not later than the middle of the second century,
and that it cannot be placed earlier than some twenty or thirty years or
so before. In point of style, both as respects thought and expression, a
very low place must be assigned it. We know nothing certain of the
region in which the author lived, or where the first readers were to be
found" ("Apostolic Fathers," pp. 99, 100). The Epistle is not ascribed
to Barnabas at all until the close of the second century. Eusebius marks
it as "spurious" ("Eccles. Hist," bk. iii., chap. xxv). Lardner speaks
of it as "probably Barnabas's, and certainly ancient" ("Credibility,"
pt. ii., vol. ii., p. 30). When we see the utter conflict of evidence as
to the writings of all these "primitive" authors, we can scarcely wonder
at the frank avowal of the Rev. Dr. Giles: "The writings of the
Apostolical Fathers labour under a more heavy load of doubt and
suspicion than any other ancient compositions, either sacred or profane"
("Christian Records," p. 53).