Bikewer
25th July 2007, 09:27 AM
Another interesting book from Ehrman. (Lost Christianities, others)
He relates the discovery of this long-lost Gospel, and its rather torturous journey from the deserts of the Middle East through the hands of various speculators (including a long stint in a non-climate-controlled safe deposit box) and finally to the scholars that have been engaged in the translation and authentication of the volume.
Just that part alone is very interesting; many of these "lost" works have gone through similar difficulties, and if there's any miracles involved it's that we have as much as we do.
The gospel itself is a Gnostic work, dating from the 2nd century, and gives an entirely different view of the story of Judas. In this view, Judas was the favored Apostle, the only one that actually understood Jesus' purpose, and the one who "betrayed" Jesus as part of the plan to bring about the desired end of the story.
Ehrman describes Gnostic beliefs more fully in this book than in any of the others I've read, and they are quite bizarre.
Finally, Ehrman gives us his own take on the historical Jesus, who he sees as an apocalyptic preacher who began to attract large enough of a following to be worrysome not only to the Jewish establishment but to the Romans.
The last straw being an open declaration of his kingship-to-come after the Son of Man descended from Heaven to start the Apocalypse.
Too much for the Romans....
A good read.
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He relates the discovery of this long-lost Gospel, and its rather torturous journey from the deserts of the Middle East through the hands of various speculators (including a long stint in a non-climate-controlled safe deposit box) and finally to the scholars that have been engaged in the translation and authentication of the volume.
Just that part alone is very interesting; many of these "lost" works have gone through similar difficulties, and if there's any miracles involved it's that we have as much as we do.
The gospel itself is a Gnostic work, dating from the 2nd century, and gives an entirely different view of the story of Judas. In this view, Judas was the favored Apostle, the only one that actually understood Jesus' purpose, and the one who "betrayed" Jesus as part of the plan to bring about the desired end of the story.
Ehrman describes Gnostic beliefs more fully in this book than in any of the others I've read, and they are quite bizarre.
Finally, Ehrman gives us his own take on the historical Jesus, who he sees as an apocalyptic preacher who began to attract large enough of a following to be worrysome not only to the Jewish establishment but to the Romans.
The last straw being an open declaration of his kingship-to-come after the Son of Man descended from Heaven to start the Apocalypse.
Too much for the Romans....
A good read.
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