An ancient document gives new biblical accounts previously unheard of, such as Pontius Pilate offering his own son to take Jesus’s place on the cross.

NEW YORK, USA — A new Egyptian text, dating back over 1,200 years, has been recently deciphered and tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth in a manner quite different than that of the New Testament.

Written in the Coptic language, the ancient text describes how Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate had supper with Jesus before his crucifixion, and offered his own son to take his place on the cross. The story also adds other details, such as the changing of the date of Jesus’s arrest from a Tuesday to a Thursday.

According to Roelof van den Broek, the professor of Utrecht University in the Netherlands who translated the text, the discovery does not mean these events actually happened, only that some people living in this period believed they did.

There are two copies of the manuscript, one in the Morgan Library and Museum in New York and the other at the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. Most of the translation comes from the New York text, as the manuscript from Pennsylvania is mostly illegible.

Pontius Pilate and Jesus

Although Pontius Pilate’s story is well- known, van de Broek said that he has never before read a text in which Pilate offers his own son in the place of Jesus.

“Without further ado, Pilate prepared a table and he ate with Jesus on the fifth day of the week. And Jesus blessed Pilate and his whole house,” reads the text. Pilate later tells Jesus, “Well then, behold, the night has come… when the morning comes and they accuse me because of you, I shall give them the only son I have so that they may kill him in your place.”

In the text, Jesus replies, “Oh Pilate, you have been deemed worthy of great grace because you have shown a good disposition to me.”

Jesus also showed Pilate that he could escape if he wanted to. “Pilate, then, looked at Jesus, and behold! He became incorporeal… he did not see him for a long time …” the text reads.

That same night, Pilate and his wife dreamed about an eagle (representing Jesus) being killed.

According to van den Broek, Pilate is considered a saint in the Coptic and Ethiopian churches, which may explain the sympathetic portrayal in the text.

Judas and the kiss

In the canonical bible, the apostle Judas betrays Jesus for money and use a kiss to identify Jesus to the Jews. This new text explains that the reason for the kiss was because Jesus was a shapeshifter.

“Then the Jews said to Judas, ‘How shall we arrest him [Jesus], for he does not have a single shape, but his appearance changes. Sometimes he is ruddy, sometimes he is white, sometimes he is red, sometimes he is wheat colored, sometimes he is pallid like ascetics, sometimes he is a youth, sometimes an old man’ …” This compels Judas to use a kiss to identify him.

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

According to van den Broek’s book “Pseudo-Cyril of Jerusalem on the Life and the Passion of Christ”, the text is written in the name of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, who lived during the 4th century. In the story, Cyril tells the Easter story as part of a homily. A number of ancient texts are alleged homilies from St. Cyril, but were probably not written by the Saint while he was alive.

At the beginning of the text, Cyril (or the person writing in his name) points out that the book was found in Jerusalem and speaks of the lives of the Apostles and the crucifixion of Jesus.

“Listen to me, oh my honored children, and let me tell you something of what we found written in the house of Mary,” says the text.

According to van Broek, it is unlikely that the monk who wrote the story actually believed every single detail, but rather only some parts such as the supper that Pilate and Jesus shared.

“The people of that time, even if they were well-educated, did not have a critical historical attitude,” said the Dutch professor. “Miracles were quite possible, and why should an old story not be true?”

src : http://ilovebrazilnews.com/2013/03/22/egyptian-text-jesus-supper-pontius-pilate/947

doesn't the Kenyan text mention that He played ludo with Herod and Herodias' daughter? nonsense.

Image123: doesn't the Kenyan text mention that He played ludo with Herod and Herodias' daughter? nonsense.

i dont think ludo was around during Jesus ere

miqos02: i dont think ludo was around during Jesus ere

don't think, read the Kenyan text.

Image123:
don't think, read the Kenyan text.

do you have the link?

Image123:
don't think, read the Kenyan text.

coming from a Xtian, wow!!'

musKeeto:
coming from a Xtian, wow!!'

what do you mean

The bible is the final authoritative true account of the life and ministry of christ all others are deceptions of satan.

martinseme: The bible is the final authoritative true account of the life and ministry of christ all others are deceptions of satan.

i agree