Posted on 06/13/2024 4:02:54 PM PDT by Twotone
A newly deciphered manuscript dating back more than 1,600 years has been identified as the earliest known account of Jesus Christ’s childhood.
The manuscript, written on papyrus in either the 4th or 5th century, had been stored at a library in Hamburg, Germany, for decades and was long believed to be an insignificant document.
However, two experts have now decoded the text and say it is the earliest surviving copy of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
“The papyrus fragment is of extraordinary interest for research,” Lajos Berkes, a theology lecturer and one of the two men who deciphered the document, declared in a press release.
“It was thought to be part of an everyday document, such as a private letter or a shopping list, because the handwriting seems so clumsy,” the expert explained. “We first noticed the word Jesus in the text. Then, by comparing it with numerous other digitized papyri, we deciphered it letter by letter and quickly realized that it could not be an everyday document.”
The piece of papyrus contains a total of 13 lines in Greek letters and originates from late antique Egypt, which was a Christian society at that time.
The manuscript describes the beginning of the “vivification of the sparrows” — a story from Jesus’ childhood in which he turns 12 clay sparrows into live birds.
According to the text, Jesus was playing beside a rushing stream where he molded the sparrows from soft clay. When rebuked by his father, Joseph, the 5-year-old Jesus clapped his hands and brought the clay figures to life.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
That’s a Roman myth, the Council of Nicaea didn’t assemble the New Testament. It simply codified what was already recognized as the New Testament, largely due to people trying to add gnostic books to it.
I believe bringing the clay birds to life is an old the Gospel of Thomas story that actually ended up in one form or another in the quran.
It’s other utter bologna which is why the Gospel of Thomas is not part of canon.
Depends. How many times do you have to clap your hands?
Exodus :
And Mark twain wrote “The Mysterious Stranger” who performed the same miracle. I wonder if this is where they actually go the idea?
There was a thread about this topic a day or two ago. This gnostic gospel may predate A.D. 180, but it is still later than Luke’s Gospel which has a story about Jesus when he was 12 years old (2.41-52).
If you don't want a snark answer but a serious one, most of us Protestants who love church history disagree with your premise that the Roman Catholic Church existed back in the 4th century, at least nothing like it's been like for the past thousand years. When I read the Book of Acts I see neither a pope nor a Martin Luther in the first century church.
I also assert that the 4th century Council of Nicaea was at a time when the western Christians were much more of a conciliar structure, long before people like Leo pushed for papacy power and such. Basically, Constantine called on church leaders to pray and come together to discus the big issues instead of deciding the canon on his own. In many ways, that sounds more like leadership structure in some modern Protestant churches than the modern RCC.
If you don't want a snark answer but a serious one, most of us Protestants who love church history disagree with your premise that the Roman Catholic Church existed back in the 4th century, at least nothing like it's been like for the past thousand years. When I read the Book of Acts I see neither a pope nor a Martin Luther in the first century church.
I also assert that the 4th century Council of Nicaea was at a time when the western Christians were much more of a conciliar structure, long before people like Leo pushed for papacy power and such. Basically, Constantine called on church leaders to pray and come together to discus the big issues instead of deciding the canon on his own. In many ways, that sounds more like leadership structure in some modern Protestant churches than the modern RCC.
Garbage. This is nothing more than old, rehashed apocrypha.
Like so many things these Days!
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THE CHOSEN is airing Season 4 EP. 4 and it has some issues but it’s Good Soap Opera.
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Just confusing folks is the Devils Best trick as he’s been at it awhile.
The Bible that was editd and assembled by Catholic monks and popes
This “lost manuscript “ has been discovered about 20 times in the last 100 years. All of these lost gospels are bogus.
Don’t need extra info than we already have available. A person either believes Jesus is the Christ, or doesn’t believe. All sorts of other details unnecessary.
Absolutely true. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic trash.
It still isn’t contemporary.
Yes they did! The earliest Church fathers consigned this to the long list of garbage non-canonical books. Not one of the early great fathers of the church thought this was inspired scripture. They saw right through it.
The correct expression is "who couldn't care less." For if one could care less, one would.
Who assembled Scripture into one volume is totally irrelevant.
They didn’t write it and they don’t own it and claiming to be the ones who assembled it, doesn’t give them the ability to claim either one.
Does that count?
It depends on whether or not, when you clap your hands, (1) you’re happy, and (2) you know it.
It said 12 lines of text. 12?
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