I find it fascinating, at the frenzy that people get themselves into over "biblical" things, especially when it is so evident that they have not taken the time to look at or read the scriptures themselves in their relative contexts. In the flair for the dramatic, they announce "Long-buried non-Biblical sources, such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Secret Revelation of John and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus yield astonishing information and detail about these seemingly lost 40 days. Could Jesus’ words in these ancient manuscripts contain some of his most important teachings, even though they were not included in the New Testament?"
It has always interested me that people make comments like this without considering what the Bible DOES say. They always want to assume that these other sources reveal more and reveal "secret things" that weren't included in the New Testament. This is the same tactic that the "Snake Oil" sellers use, "My book, ointment, tonic contains things that the doctors don't want you to know." It is not a new ploy and it is what Satan used in the garden of Eden to deceive Eve (Gen.3:4,5). As to these extraneous extra-biblical sources there are two things we need to remember FROM THE BIBLE!
- Heb.1:1-3 "God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son...."
- Gal.1:8 "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. "
What does the Bible say about the 40 days between the time that Jesus comes out of the tomb and the time that He ascends? Let's trace the steps.
Jesus told His disciples before anything even occurred, that because of what was going to happen to Him in the coming days, trials, and ultimately the crucifixion itself, that they would be scattered (Mt.26:31). Jesus said that this was in fulfillment of prophesy in Zech.13:7. And so they were. In fact, while it is not a conclusive statement, some commentators even suggest that some of them went back to their old occupations during this "month" (Jn.21:2,3). Whether they were or they weren't is not a relevant thing. What is relevant, is that they did go back to Galilee as they were instructed to do, not only by the Lord, but by the angel at the Tomb (Mt.28:7,10,16), a distance of about 68 miles. It is here, that the encounters of Jesus after He is risen begin. Luke records in Act 1:3 "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God." And...he doesn't appear to just the 12, but to MANY others. He instructs them (Acts.1:3) not to depart from Jerusalem and the "Great Commission" is given to them and they return to Jerusalem (Acts 1:8,12).
What does Jesus teach them during this time? Luke simply states, "speaking about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)." People may ask, What did He say? What did He teach? There might be some secret thing, that we don't know about, but we're supposed to know, but don't know because the New Testament doesn't record it. Well...the rule here is simple, and it is as relevant today as when he stated it to the disciples in Acts 1:7 "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority." If God wanted us to know more, He would have stated more. What we have is sufficient (2 Cor.12:9) and what God HAS SAID is enough (Heb.1:2; Gal.1:8).
The other extraneous sources that were mentioned above, "Long-buried non-Biblical sources, such as the Gospel of Thomas [written latter half of the 1st Century or into 2nd Century long after Thomas is dead] , the Gospel of Mary Magdalene [again written sometime 2nd Century], the Secret Revelation of John [written sometime 180 A.D. up through 2nd Century]" do record many things, and a LOT of things that the scriptures don't even mention. Yet, if their teaching is compared to the New Testament that we have and know, they are radically different!
What then do we do?
Paul states it - "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." Why? Because if you stop, get quiet, and sniff the air, you'll smell Snake Oil - from the original snake in the Garden of Eden saying the same things to you that he did to Eve. And look what listening to that brought upon her.
Act 17:11
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Jim
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