After yr of lying in a dust-covered archive , two biblical scholars have discovered a rare Greek copy of a heretical Christian text key out Jesus ’ secret teachings to his " chum " James . Thediscovered text is one of the only copies of this other Christian news report that is write in Greek , the original language of physical composition .
Over 1,400 years ago , a collection of Coptic Gnostic texts were buried in Upper Egypt . They stay turn a loss for centuries until archaeologist unearth 13 of the books curb the 52 texts in 1945 , now make love as the Nag Hammadi depository library . Scholars have studied these documents for years , however two researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have somehow trip up across a schoolbook that evaded their attention . Within the archives at Oxford University in the UK , they recover one of the only make out copies of the First Apocalypse of James that ’s not written in its later Coptic rendering .
“ To say that we were excited once we realized what we ’d found is an understatement , ” Geoffrey Smith , an assistant prof of religious work , say in astatement . “ We never suspected that Hellenic sherd of the First Apocalypse of James survived from ancientness . But there they were , in good order in front of us . ”
“ The text supplements the scriptural account of Jesus ’ liveliness and ministry by allowing us approach to conversation that purportedly took place between Jesus and his brother , James – secret teachings that allowed James to be a good teacher after Jesus ’ destruction , ” Smith said .
The two researcher believe this original holograph was perhaps used by a instructor to train students how to read and write , as the handwriting is outstandingly swell and the Scripture are separated into syllable .
“ The scribe has divided most of the text into syllables by using mid - loony toons . Such division are very uncommon in ancient manuscript , but they do show up frequently in manuscripts that were used in educational contexts , ” added Brent Landau , the other half of the duo .
This textbook would have been view heterodox from the 4th hundred CE onwards . Athanasius , Bishop of Alexandria , set strict guidelines of what can and can not be included in the New Testament , saying : " No one may add to them , and nothing may be taken away from them . "
As such , this text would not have been regard kindly at the prison term . Nevertheless , the researchers note that the original scribe appear to have " had a particular affinity for the textbook . "
