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

The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter

“And when I said these things, the Savior said, “I have told you that these (people) are blind and deaf. Now then, listen to the things which they are telling you in a mystery, and guard them, Do not tell them to the sons of this age. For they shall blaspheme you in these ages since they are ignorant of you, but they will praise you in knowledge.” “For many will accept our teaching in the beginning. And they will turn from them again by the will of the Father of their error, because they have done what he wanted. And he will reveal them in his judgment, i.e., the servants of the Word. But those who became mingled with these shall become their prisoners, since they are without perception. And the guileless, good, pure one they push to the worker of death, and to the kingdom of those who praise Christ in a restoration. And they praise the men of the propagation of falsehood, those who will come after you. And they will cleave to the name of a dead man, thinking that they will become pure. But they will become greatly defiled and they will fall into a name of error, and into the hand of an evil, cunning man and a manifold dogma, and they will be ruled without law.” “For some of them will blaspheme the truth and proclaim evil teaching. And those who say these things will ask about dreams. And if they say that a dream came from a demon worthy of their error, then they shall be given perdition instead of incorruption.”

The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter is an early Christian apocalypse, written pseudonymously in Peter’s name. A text that is titled as “Pseudonymous” means it was falsely attributed to Peter – someone other than Peter wrote the apocalypse. Since it shares terminology and concepts with related second- and third-century traditions, including other Nag Hammadi writings, it is typically characterized as “gnostic.” Interpreting a series of visions, Jesus—“the Savior”—issues dire warnings against the teaching of heretics. These heretics are named as the bishop and deacons of the orthodox church. Their “false” teaching is that Christ suffered on the cross. This author believes that, though Christ’s flesh was killed, Christ was far removed from suffering. Those with the right “gnosis” or knowledge did not see the suffering Jesus on the cross, but the living Christ who was laughing at the entire proceeding. Do you find it interesting that there would be people of the second and third century who would be aligning themselves with a version of the crucifixion where Jesus did not suffer? I am not surprised at all. Of course I see how the “Orthodox” church would deem these writings (where Jesus did not suffer) heretical, yet even today we know there would be people who would not be able to bear to think that their “Savior” would suffer on a cross – that either his suffering was symbolic, or his divine nature prevented him actually suffering pain.

How do you view the suffering of Jesus – and does it matter to you?

Pastor Dave