Circa 540AD?
Posted on 09/05/2014 8:29:58 PM PDT by lbryce
A 1,500-year old piece of papyrus recently re-discovered in a U.K. university library contains some of the earliest documented references to the Last Supper and ‘manna from heaven.’
The papyrus fragment with Greek writing, held by the University of Manchester’s John Rylands library since 1901, has also been identified as one of the world’s earliest Christian charms. Experts believe that the fragment originated near the ancient Egyptian town of Hermoupolis.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Intresting stuff. I would suggest the Book of Acts presents and even earlier look at Christianity...but who am I to argue with Fox News...
Then of course you have the Apostolic Fathers writings, the Ante-Nicene Fathers, and Post- Nicene Fathers works all pre payprus from Egypt.
Freegards
LE
And, about 40 years before the Dark Ages.
Why wouldn’t the “amulet” be a phylactery (Tefillin)? Early Christians were also Jews, or had been Jews. Isn’t this just a phylactery Christian style? Why make it sound like a superstition?
“To this day, Christians use passages from the bible as protective charms”
Um...we do?
Circa 540AD?
No one seems interested in what it says. Well, for those who are:
The full text of the papyrus:
“Fear you all who rule over the earth.
Know you nations and peoples that Christ is our God.
For he spoke and they came to being, he commanded and they were created; he put everything under our feet and delivered us from the wish of our enemies.
Our God prepared a sacred table in the desert for the people and gave manna of the new covenant to eat, the Lord’s immortal body and the blood of Christ poured for us in remission of sins.”
Ping!
"behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him". (Matthew 2:13)
Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place where the Holy Family fled from Bethlehem to Egypt, seeking refuge from a bloodthirsty King Herod. They made an arduous 2,000km trek by donkey over four years which took them over 30 different places in Egypt, from Al-Farma down to the Al-Muharraq monastery.
From 1st century with the arrival of Saint Mark in Alexandria, Christianity quickly spread throughout Egypt. Monasticism was born in Egypt and by the 4th century there were hundreds of monasteries, and thousands of cells and caves scattered throughout the Egyptian desert and around places where the Holy Family was supposed to have stayed. A great number of these monasteries are still flourishing to this day.
The kingdom of God was an external thing in the Old Testament, the phylacteries for instance, certain scriptures attached to their heads and arms; as opposed to the New Testament which is the kingdom of God internalized, Luke 17:20, 21. i.e., the revelation of Jesus Christ.
My first sentence should have been broken down thusly:
The early Christians in the book of Acts were very much aware of phylacteries, being as they were Jews.
They were heavily persecuted by their fellow Jews and the Romans, yet we read nowhere in the book of Acts that they strapped phylacteries on their head and arm as protective amulets. Neither do we see directives in the epistles for their readers when threatened with persecution to do so.
This article was posted earlier this week: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3199682/posts
My thanks to Tilted Irish Kilt for the explanation that “the magic charms” are not magic but faith reminders:
“..the Jewish practice of wearing a piece of scripture as part of one’s clothing; unfortunately I do not know the proper name for this item/practice.”
I knew of the term wearing phalacteries among Orthodox Hassidic Jews, as I grew up in predominately Jewish neighborhoods.
I was occassionaly the “shabot goy (Sabboth Gentile-worker)” as truely Orthodox don’t work on the Sabboth.
SOURCE :en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefillin
Info :” efillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers.
Also
SOURCE:judaism.about.com/od/prayersworship/a/What-Are-Tefillin.htm
INFO: Tefillin are two small leather boxes that are worn by observant Jewish men during morning services. One box is attached to an arm and the other is affixed between the eyes, just above the forehead.
Thanks for the post and ping. Like you, I also grew up in a Jewish neighborhood. To this day, I cherish many happy memories from those years.
Actually it was Tilted Irish Kilt who grew up in a Jewish neighborhood. I grew up in the corn, potatoe, onion, and soy bean fields of Indiana.
Aye, darker than we imagined.
Is this where Gabriel got the rock that's at Kaaba?
Sounds like the garment version of the mezuzah, the little holder of a tiny prayer scroll that Jewish people attach by their front doors. They will kiss their hands and touch the mezuzah on entering the house, as a prayerful gesture asking for God’s protection and blessing.
If it was part of their custom/command, there was no need for the Apostle Paul, or others to suggest that the item be worn. They were doing it anyway, most likely Paul included. Paul and Peter were still Jews with the Kingdom of God "internalized."
Oh my, sounds Catholic to me. ;-)
Some evangelical preachers try to sell things like paper printed prayer rugs and similar items, wouldn’t these count a protective charms, and if wearable, amulets.
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