There have always been these “alternate” gospels, and frankly, we can’t really vouch for the veracity of any of them — including the originals. So what harm does it do?
Jesus was a devoted family man with two kids and Mary Magdalene for his wife, a new history book based on an ancient manuscript claims.
According to the 1,500-year-old text, there was a previously unknown plot on Jesus’s life 13 years prior to the crucifixion. The revelations were made by Professor of Religious Studies at Toronto’s York University, Barrie Wilson, and an Israeli-Canadian historical writer and filmmaker, Simcha Jacobovici.
One of the most astounding claims in the book is that Mary Magdalene was the same person as the Virgin Mary. The authors of The Lost Gospel assert that the manuscript features the names of the two children of Christ and Mary Magdalene – and even recites an assassination attempt against Mary and the children.
The book also chronicles Jesus’s connections to Emperor Tiberius and his best friend, the soldier Sejanus.
The manuscript, known as “The Ecclesiastical History of Zacharias Rhetor (of Mytilene)” has been with the British Museum and then the British Library for nearly 170 years, according to The Sunday Times. It was purchased by the British Museum in 1847 before being transferred to the British Library some 20 years ago.
The Lost Gospel, which has been translated from Aramaic, is set to come out later this month; details of the manuscript are expected to be revealed at a press conference at the British Library on Wednesday.
Some religious scholars are not enthusiastic about the upcoming release. “We’re basically looking at a sensationalist money-making scheme here,” Professor of New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary Greg Carey told the Huffington Post.
Arguing that the text has not been “uncovered” by Jacobovici and Wilson, as they claim, the professor says “over three hundred scholarly books and articles devoted to this text” can be found online, with over twenty manuscripts of the story. The ancient novel needs no “decoding,” Carey says, as it simply has no secret meaning.
Actually shows the amazing diversity of the early Christian church. Very interesting decision process that went into deciding what would become canon and what would be heresy.
I’m pretty much an atheist or secular humanist – whatever – but this stuff fascinates me. I love history and am inclined to believe Jesus was a real person. I watch shows such as “Bible Hunters” on PBS all the time and Simcha Jacobovici is always interesting. Not getting how Mary Magdalene could be the virgin Mary, though. I would like to more about the theory of the “virgin” Mary and the Roman soldier Panthera. James Tabor is also interesting to read on this subject.
P.S. Discovery Channel calling Jacobovici a hoaxer is rich – they of the two hours of Megalodon, right? Let’s not forget Naked and Afraid and Moonshiners. And he’s one of the biggest hoaxsters OF ALL TIME