Posted on 12/05/2017 11:12:13 AM PST by servo1969
Biblical scholars have discovered the first-known original Greek copy of an ancient forbidden Christian text that purportedly describes Jesus’ secret teachings to his “brother” James, an early leader of the Church.
Geoffrey Smith and Brent Landau, religious studies scholars at The University of Texas at Austin, located the rare text in Oxford University archives earlier this year. The experts found several fifth- or sixth-century A.D. Greek fragments of the First Apocalypse of James, one of the books from an ancient collection known as the Nag Hammadi library. Previously, the text was thought to be preserved only via translations in the Egyptian Coptic language.
Only a small number of texts from the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of 13 Coptic Gnostic books discovered in Egypt in 1945, have been found in Greek, their original language of composition. Also known as the “Gnostic Gospels,” the books are seen as key documents for understanding Gnosticism, an ancient belief system.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Blah, blah, blah.
Jesus had brothers. Real life brothers from his mother Mary. Who did not remain a virgin all her life.
Christ is also quoted as asking:
“Who are my brothers, sisters and mother?”
I’m not too interested in “many commentators”.
Yah, right! Do you have a family portrait to prove that? You do know that "brother" in the ancient Middle East could just mean any male relative, don't you? In Genesis 13:8, Abraham refers to his nephew, Lot, as his brother.
Quite simply, if it’s “secret” it is a LIE! End of discussion.
You can set your clock.
There is nothing to indicate that definitively. The wide application of the word “brother” is ancient Hebrew aside, Joseph may have had children from a previous marriage. Considering all the possible explanations besides full blood siblings, combined with what has been handed down continuously, that Mary remained ever virgin, AND the numerous foreshadowings in the OT of Mary’s purity, I fully believe that Mary bore no other children. YMMV
Well played! He signed it one time when he was eating at the local Falafel House.
This claim that Jesus had blood brothers is a curious one. Why did Jesus put his Mother’s welfare into the hands of John, the Evangelist?
There are several premises regarding there so-called “brothers.” They all are relat4ed to the various women who were in the entourage which accompanied Jesus and his disciples. These women were believed to be within the circle of Jesus’s relatives. Salome, the mother of John and James the Greater was possible an older sister to Mary or a half-sister, Salome was the wife of Zebedee. Then there were the other brothers James the Less and Jude, also called Thaddeus. They were traditionally believed to be cousins of some sort to Jesus. Mary, the wife of Clopus was possibly the mother of some of the disciples.
This is found in the gnostic gospels which were not accepted into the scriptures for various reasons, yet are filled with interesting facts in the life of Mary, the choice of Joseph as a spouse for Mary, etc., her parents Joachim and Anna, etc.,
The gnostic gospels were considered to be of interest to scholars, but with some stories of miracles performed by Jesus as a boy which seemed fantastic and added nothing to the treasure of Christian belief. That is why they were rejected as important in advancing Christian doctrine.
At least that is what I learned in HS theology class.
Why do we fight over such ridiculous things? There is NO proof either way on this and none of us will know definitely until we make it to Heaven. Screwtape and Wormwood are having a blast watching us all so wrapped around the axle in stuff like this.
‘Did he sign it Jesus D.A.?’
ha ha ha; you’re bad...
I guess to Catholics, consummate means a “peck on the cheek”.
If it’s true Mary remained a literal virgin, then Joseph’s contribution to Christianity is wildly understated. He gave up marital relations for life because of what might have been his wife’s religious nuttery.
Of course. Any born again believer is his “brother” or “sister”. From the cross, He indicated Mary standing with John, and told John, “She’s now your mother.” Whenever you feel the urge to venerate Christ’s mother inordinately high, remember what she said in her Magnificat, calling Him her Savior. Have a nice forever.
Yes, Nag Hamadi seems to have contained a general library, not solely things they considered valid. Scholars still find it useful to study odd assertions, partly to develop arguments against them.
I heard once that Gnosticism was not so much an “ism” (too many contradictions) as spiritual fiction publishing craze among bored ancient Egyptians. What do you think?
That’s exactly what I was clumsily attempting to say! :-)
It is interesting to note that Dan Brown drew from Gnostic spiritual ideas when he wrote the Da Vinci Code.
“Whenever you feel the urge to venerate Christ’s mother inordinately high, remember what she said in her Magnificat, calling Him her Savior. “
Where do you get off?
“inordinately high”?
Why would you suggest that I don’t know Christ is Mary’s Savior too?
Your original reply was the give away.
Giveaway to WHAT?
Your WRONG conclusions?
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