The Lost Scriptures – books that did not make it into the New Testament.

Papyrus Egerton 2: The Unknown Gospel

 The Unknown Gospel Egerton Papyrus 2 + Cologne Papyrus 255 Fragment 1: Verso 
. . . ? And Jesus said] unto the lawyers, [Punish] every wrongdoer and transgessor, and not me; . . . . . And turning to the rulers of the people he spake this saying, Search the scriptures, in which ye think that ye have life; these are they which bear witness of me. Think not that I came to accuse you to my Father; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope. And when they said, We know well that God spake unto Moses, but as for thee, we know not whence thou art, Jesus answered and said unto them, Now is your unbelief accused . . .

Fragment 1: Recto 
. . . . they gave counsel to] the multitude to [ carry the] stones together and stone him. And the rulers sought to lay their hands on him that they might take him and [hand him over] to the multitude; and they could not take him, because the hour of his betrayal was not yet come. But he himself, even the Lord, going out through the midst of them, departed from them. And behold, there cometh unto him a leper and saith, Master Jesus, journeying with lepers and eating with them in the inn I myself also became a leper. If therefore thou wilt, I am made clean. The Lord then said unto him, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. [And the Lord said unto him], Go [and shew thyself] unto the [priests . . .

Fragment 2: Recto 
. . . coming unto him began to tempt him with a question, saying, Master Jesus, we know that thou art come from God, for the things which thou doest testify above all the prophets. Tell us therefore: Is it lawful [to render] unto kings that which pertaineth unto their rule? [Shall we render unto them], or not? But Jesus, knowing their thought, being moved with indignation, said unto them, Why call ye me with your mouth Master, when ye hear not what I say? Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, [teaching as their doctrines the] precepts [of men] . . .

The Egerton Gospel refers to a collection of three fragments of a gospel codex previously unknown, found in Egypt and sold to the British Museum in 1934; the physical fragments are now dated to the very end of the 2nd century CE. Together they comprise one of the oldest surviving witnesses to any gospel, or any codex. The British Museum published the text in 1935. It is also called the Unknown Gospel very simply because there are no ancient sources that makes reference to it – and it was entirely unknown before its publication. It is also known as the Egerton Collection because it is part of the Egerton Collection in the British Library. A fourth fragment of the same manuscript has since been identified in the papyrus collection of the University of Cologne.

The text consists of four pericopes, the first of which seem to be similar to the character of the Gospel of John; the second and third of which seem to be parallels to all three Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. The main importance of these manuscripts (or the bits of manuscripts we currently have) is clearly the early dating of the manuscripts – from the middle of the second century. The oldest complete codices of the New Testament gospels is dated to the fourth century. The oldest bits of manuscripts of the synoptics dates to the later part of the second century. Why is this important? You see, the closer we get to having actual manuscripts that date to the life and time of Jesus and his disciples, the closer we might be to actual original writings – writings that would not have possibly been altered due to mistakes or preferences.

There is a lot of territory that has not yet been open to archeological exploration throughout the areas where Jesus taught, walked, and lived. Many more manuscripts remain in boxes in warehouses throughout Europe, Egypt and Israel. Every decade there is a discovery that rocks the world of biblical scholars. And one day, we may just find such a manuscript – a first generation Gospel.

Pastor Dave