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Newly deciphered manuscript is oldest written record of Jesus’ childhood: ‘Extraordinary’
NY Post ^ | June 11, 2024 | Andrew Court

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 ...


TOPICS: History; Religion
KEYWORDS: apocrypha; baretta; epigraphyandlanguage; faithandphilosophy; fakegospel; fakenews; gnosticnonsense; greek; heresy; humboldtuniversity; infancygospel; infancygospelthomas; islam; jesus; koran; lajosberkes; mahometanism; manuscript; nottheoldest; papyri; papyrology; papyrus; vivicationofsparrows
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To: TexasFreeper2009

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.


21 posted on 06/13/2024 4:58:50 PM PDT by fluffy
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To: Twotone

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.


22 posted on 06/13/2024 5:02:54 PM PDT by cuban leaf (2024 is going to be one for the history books, like 1939. And 2025 will be more so, like 1940-1945.)
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To: WeaslesRippedMyFlesh

Depends. How many times do you have to clap your hands?


23 posted on 06/13/2024 5:03:37 PM PDT by cuban leaf (2024 is going to be one for the history books, like 1939. And 2025 will be more so, like 1940-1945.)
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To: TribalPrincess2U
All the best to our favorite Tribal Princess!


Exodus :


24 posted on 06/13/2024 5:10:08 PM PDT by Candor7 (Ask not for whom the Trump Trolls,He trolls for thee!),<img src="" width=500</img><a href="">tag</a>)
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To: fidelis

And Mark twain wrote “The Mysterious Stranger” who performed the same miracle. I wonder if this is where they actually go the idea?


25 posted on 06/13/2024 5:11:41 PM PDT by SouthWall (Every morning when I look at the news, the first thing I look for is; has Hillary Epsteined herself?)
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To: Twotone

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).


26 posted on 06/13/2024 5:12:24 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: TexasFreeper2009
I always find it interesting that the same protestants who could care less about what Catholics believe, accept the New Testament as it was assembled by Catholics at the Council of Nicaea as divine and perfect.

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.

27 posted on 06/13/2024 5:13:57 PM PDT by Tell It Right (Galatians 6:14 -- May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...)
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To: TexasFreeper2009
I always find it interesting that the same protestants who could care less about what Catholics believe, accept the New Testament as it was assembled by Catholics at the Council of Nicaea as divine and perfect.

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.

28 posted on 06/13/2024 5:13:57 PM PDT by Tell It Right (Galatians 6:14 -- May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...)
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To: Twotone

Garbage. This is nothing more than old, rehashed apocrypha.


29 posted on 06/13/2024 5:17:43 PM PDT by Spacetrucker (George Washington didn't use his freedom of speech to defeat the British - HE SHOT THEM .. WITH GUNS)
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To: fidelis

Like so many things these Days!
.
THE CHOSEN is airing Season 4 EP. 4 and it has some issues but it’s Good Soap Opera.
.
Just confusing folks is the Devils Best trick as he’s been at it awhile.


30 posted on 06/13/2024 5:18:05 PM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: SoConPubbie

The Bible that was editd and assembled by Catholic monks and popes


31 posted on 06/13/2024 5:19:33 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: Twotone

This “lost manuscript “ has been discovered about 20 times in the last 100 years. All of these lost gospels are bogus.


32 posted on 06/13/2024 5:19:49 PM PDT by Trump_Triumphant ("They recognized Him in the breaking of the Bread”)
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To: Twotone

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.


33 posted on 06/13/2024 5:25:29 PM PDT by b4me
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To: Theo

Absolutely true. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic trash.


34 posted on 06/13/2024 5:31:15 PM PDT by ZULU (JUDGE JUAN MERSHAM IS A CRIMINAL.STRIP HIM OF CITIZENSHIP AND SEND HIM BACK TO COLOMBIA!!!)
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To: Twotone

It still isn’t contemporary.


35 posted on 06/13/2024 5:38:06 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: roving
They didn’t think so back then.

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.

36 posted on 06/13/2024 5:51:22 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: TexasFreeper2009
.... who could care less ....

The correct expression is "who couldn't care less." For if one could care less, one would.

37 posted on 06/13/2024 5:53:54 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: TexasFreeper2009
I always find it interesting that the same protestants who could care less about what Catholics believe, accept the New Testament as it was assembled by Catholics at the Council of Nicaea as divine and perfect.

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.

38 posted on 06/13/2024 5:57:40 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: WeaslesRippedMyFlesh
When I clap my hands, the nightstand light turns off.

Does that count?

It depends on whether or not, when you clap your hands, (1) you’re happy, and (2) you know it.

39 posted on 06/13/2024 6:00:22 PM PDT by pax_et_bonum (“Killer rabbit jokes have a long tradition in medieval literature.“ - Dr. James Wade)
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To: Twotone

It said 12 lines of text. 12?


40 posted on 06/13/2024 6:07:37 PM PDT by NetAddicted (MAGA2024)
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