Hymn of the Pearl and the Shroud of Turin - 1st Century description

http://www.shroudofturin4journalists.com/pearl.htm ^ | Shroudie

[Swordmaker]

Shroud of Turin and the Resurrection of Jesus : Voice from the Past   The Hymn of the Pearl Deep within the Hymn of the Pearl, itself deep within the Acts of Thomas, some very interesting lines of poetry are found. These words are translated, and understood, many ways. This is but one interpretation, one reflection, one point of view interpolated from different translations and analyses:   TWO IMAGE - Within the Hymn of the Pearl - Suddenly, I saw my image on my [burial a] garment like in a mirror Myself and myself through myself [or myself facing outward and inward b] As though divided, yet one likeness Two images but one likeness of the King[ of kings c]   Pondering a connection to the Shroud Biblical scholar Albert Dreisbach poses asks us . . . to ponder what these seemingly strange expressions might mean, if they do NOT have reference to the Turin Shroud . . . The images on the garment described, which by historical circumstance seems to be the Shroud of Turin, are said to be "like in a mirror." The images on the Shroud of Turin, while ghostly and negative are also presumably mirror images. There are two images on the garment. Are they the  head to head positioned ventral and dorsal images we see on the Shroud of Turin? We need not be concerned, for our purposes here, with shades of Gnosticism of the Act of Thomas; for in all Christian traditions there are kernels of history. It is history that is our concern. We need not join the debate among scholars about when the Act of Thomas were written or how much if the epic story is allegorical. The Hymn of the Pearl is our concern. It doesn't matter if the Hymn, specifically, was first written in Syriac or Greek, or if the version in Acts is an evolved version. Many scholar think that the Hymn of the Pearl might be early 1st Century. When is not our concern. What it says is. There is little question that the Hymn of the Pearl, at least as it was written down, originates in the Mesopotamian city of Edessa. And it was in Edessa, in 544 AD, that the Edessa Cloth was discovered -- the cloth that we now know, from solid historical records, was a full burial cloth in which . . . You can see [not only] the figure of a face, but [also] the figure of the whole body. - The Codex Vossianus Latinus    Note on this interpretation: justifiably, burial garment from other prior references to burial garment. And this phrase is pregnant with meaning: "And when I had put it on, I was lifted up unto the place of peace (sahltation) and homage." possibly, myself facing out and facing in as in frontal and dorsal views. possibly, the "King of king" as in Hans Jonas translation.

Translation by Hans Jonas:

(The Two Images Segment)

it seemed to me suddenly to become a mirror-image of myself: myself entire I saw in it, and it entire I saw in myself, that we were two in separateness, and yet again one in the sameness of our forms?And the image of the King of kings was depicted all over it.

 

Translation by M. R. James:

(The Two Images Segment)

but suddenly, [when] I saw the garment made like unto me as it had been in a mirror.

And I beheld upon it all myself (or saw it wholly in myself) and I knew and saw myself through it,

that we were divided asunder, being of one; and again were one in one shape.

Yea, the treasurers also which brought me the garment

I beheld, that they were two, yet one shape was upon both, one royal sign was set upon both of them.

 

Translation by William Wright:

(The Two Images Segment)

on a sudden, when I received it,
the garment seemed to me to become like a mirror of myself.

I saw it all in all,
and I to received all in it,

for we were two in distinction
and yet gain one in one likeness.

And the treasurers too,
who brought it to me, I saw in like manner

to be two (and yet) one likeness,
for one sign of the king was written on them (both),

 

From a version edited by Quaker scholar Hugh McGregor Ross:

(The Two Images Segment)

But suddenly when I saw my garment reflected as in a mirror,

I perceived it was my whole Self as well,

and through it I recognized and saw myself.

For, though we derived from one and the same we were partially divided;

and then again we were One, with a single form.

 

Unknown Popular Translation:

(The Two Images Segment)

But all in the moment I faced it
This robe seemed to me like a mirror,

And in it I saw my whole self
Moreover I faced myself facing into it.

For we were two together divided
Yet in one we stood in one likeness.   

 

 

 

 

[Swordmaker]

[Swordmaker]

Shroudie has an interesting page about the translations of the Hymn of the Pearl in the First Century apocryphal book The Acts of Thomas in which it appears the Shroud of Turin is described. Very interesting PING!

Great article, Shroudie!

If you want on or off the Shroud of Turin Ping List, Freepmail me.

[muawiyah]

Anything that talks about a mirror image on a sheet of cloth in the First Century has just gotta' be interesting.

Now, if they can get off their duffs and do a bit of dating on the "original" parts of the Shroud instead of on the "repaired" parts added in the Middle Ages.

NOTE: The radio carbon dating for the Medieval segment was perfect.

[NYer]

Absolutely fascinating! Thanks for the ping.

[Swordmaker]

NOTE: The radio carbon dating for the Medieval segment was perfect.

Actually, the test was accurate and returned an accurate average dating for the sample that was tested: original shroud combined with mid 16th Century patch material. The original protocol called for 8 samples to be taken from eight separate areas of the shroud. Unfortunately, the protocol was literally tossed out at the last minute and only one master sample was cut from the Shroud... from the area all advisors had recommended be avoided. From that 1 cm x 5cm master sample, five sub-samples were cut. Two ~ 1cm x 1cm sub-samples cut ends of the master were given to the Arizona C-14 Lab, the next two on either end were given to Zurich and London, and the center sub-sample was retained for future reference... which later proved to be invaluable in discrediting the C-14 ages reported from the other four samples!

In fact, the range of the average datings of the four tested sub-sample showed up a major discrepency that should have raised red flags for the C14 physicists and chemists who did the test. NONE of the four tested samples dates and ranges of confidence (from 20 to 29 years plus of minus on either side of each sub-sample's average test dates) overlapped any of the other sample's dates! This should not be.

But, because the false average age fell so nicely into what they wanted it to be, none of the scientists bothered to ask themselves why there was a discrepency in something that should report the same age, regardless of the lab performing the tests.

In fact the range of reported ages for the unitary master sample, only 1 cm by 5 cm or so, spanned over an extraordinary possible 150 years... but each individual sample had only a 25 year +/- degree of confidence... which should have made the scientists sit up and take notice of something very strange.

They should have asked themselves WHY the sub-sample cut from end of the master sample closest to the main body of the Shroud would test 130 years YOUNGER than the sub-sample cut from the part of the master sample closest to the edge of the cloth. When they saw that the two in-between samples were progressively younger the farther away from the edge their position, the scientists should have again asked why and started looking at the physical make-up of their master sample (which was required by the established original test protocols but was totally ignored by those actually doing the testing!).

They would have seen what the late chemist Ray Rodgers saw and proved when he analyzed the remaining sub-sample: The sample was not homogenous! They would have found that left side of the sample was not the same as the right side and that there was a diagonal line/area running length-wise down the middle of the master sample of combined "newer" material on the left side interwoven into the older, "original" Shroud material on the right side... and that the proportions of each (running between ~65% new to ~50% new (depending on the sub-sample's distance from the edge) was directly proportional to the age discrepencies (the more newer material the younger the cloth's age was reported to be).

One of the Arizona lab's C-14 specialists, when asked "Assuming that the newer material was harvested in 1550AD, how old would the original material have to be for that much "newer" material to skew the dates to ~1260AD to ~1390AD?" replied, after doing some quick math on a calculator, "It would have to be 1st Century plus or minus 100 years."

In Shroud research and scholarship circles, a unpublished report has been circulating for many years about an unauthorized C-14 test of one of the threads taken from the Shroud in the 1978 test. That unauthorized test also returned an origin date of about 50 AD (+/- 75 years).

[BlackVeil]

That is interesting to read, but I would say that the gnostic text could have several interpretations.

Wearing a shroud on significant days is an ancient Middle Eastern custom. By co-incidence, at this time, the eve of the Persian new year, some Iranian children parade around in shrouds to commemorate the death of the old year, and also the visits from the spirits of the dead which are thought to occur at this time. (I am pinging Freedom44 to this thread, he will be able to inform us about this.)

Shrouds have also been worn by Sufis, Islamic martyrs, etc. in order to symbolise their death to the world. They are said to "see themselves" in these symbols of death. Sometimes there are folkloric stories about images and words appearing on the linen shrouds as miraculous portents. I wonder if the Edessa text does not refer to religious customs of this sort.

[Fractal Trader]

GGG material?

[Swordmaker]

I wonder if the Edessa text does not refer to religious customs of this sort.

It might... but then the Muslim traditions would have to have pre-dated the founding of their religion by about 600 years.

I agree with you that the text could have different interpretations... look at the various translations that Shroudie has provided... but the context of where it appears (in a omitted book of the New Testament now part of the apochrypha) and its association with Christ, the Books association with Edessa, along with the reference to a double image, is very suggestive.

I would like to see the original Greek...

[muawiyah]

Islam came along much later.

[Grn_Lantern]

Not to be the party pooper, and admittedly I don't know the context of this statement in the Acts of Thomas, but knowning that it comes from a Gnostic text, it sounds an aweful lot like a Gnostic metaphor, possibly for the moment of realization of the great knowledge of Gnostism. It seems like something that might refer to the moment in time where a person with the spark of knowledge realizes the evil and vapidness of the natural world.

Just a thought.

[BlackVeil]

but then the Muslim traditions would have to have pre-dated the founding of their religion by about 600 years.

True. But it is quite possible that these "Islamic" customs, which are marked among the Shia and Sufis, have taken over folk traditions which long existed before them.

Also, the Zorastrian traditions of the Persian festivals, would, I suppose, have predated Christianity. And the Persians had their empire in the Holy Land several times.

[muawiyah]

As Freud once said "Madame, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

Ol' what'shisname, Ockham, would probably side with the verse being about the shroud than that it was a pre-reflection of Islamic customs far in the future somehow tied to Persian beliefs.

[Swordmaker]

Not to be the party pooper,

No party pooper... just discussing. It very well could be Gnostic metaphore... but then it does seem to refer to a shroud with a mirror image on it, if you accept that translation.

[Swordmaker]

True. But it is quite possible that these "Islamic" customs, which are marked among the Shia and Sufis, have taken over folk traditions which long existed before them.

Gee... do you REALLY think a religion would conscript the customs of older religions... nah... ;^)>

[BlackVeil]

do you REALLY think a religion would conscript the customs of older religions ...

Of course not!

Now excuse me, I have to help arrange a display of Easter eggs and bunnies ... (wink!)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Swordmaker]

Now excuse me, I have to help arrange a display of Easter eggs and bunnies ... (wink!)

Don't forget to throw out that withered and sere Christmas Tree first.... and while your at it, it really is time to take down the mistletoe. < Grin! >

[SunkenCiv]

Sometimes, maybe, yeah, possibly. Thanks.

[solitas]

Howzabout we unravel the whole thing for testing? That ought to put all the debate to bed, no? :)

Now the serious part: does there exist a map of what-was-taken-from-where-when?

[Angelas]

Great article. Thanks!