Loading...To my surprise, I’ve never talked about the “agrapha” of Jesus before on the blog. It’s about time I did! This is an intriguing topic connected with the teachings of Jesus known to almost precisely No One!! (I’d bet a case of fine French wine that your pastor — if you’ve ever had one, in any kind of church whatsoever — wouldn’t be able to tell you what it’s all about!
Welcome to the world of the insiders.
Here is what I say about the agrapha (plural of agraphon) in the book I published with my colleague Zlatko Pleše, The Other Gospels (Oxford, 2014).
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The term “agrapha” has traditionally been applied to a group of “unrecorded” sayings allegedly delivered by the historical Jesus. The term is not altogether apt, since technically speaking these sayings have indeed been recorded–otherwise we would have no access to them. And so the term is more normally taken to mean sayings of Jesus that are not found in the canonical Gospels. Even this definition is problematic however, since it privileges books that eventually came to be included in the canon, a decision that involves theological, rather than historical judgments. And so perhaps it is best
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Hi, Bart,
By what means can people get rid of the fear of going to hell or fear of God’s wrath upon them leaving their faith?
What some people do is share their story with others and that may help gain confidence and sanity, but at the same time the core issue (fear of Hell, etc.) is not resolved solely by this.
People remain confused, very afraid and uncertain.
I think a powerful tool is to read/listen to a person like you that goes to the core of the text’s issues and alterations.
What other things can someone do about these fears? Very few psychologists are equiped to handle the religious trauma so what else is there to do?
In my case I just forced myself to be rational about it. Would a good God torture people for trillions and trillions of years, and that just the beginnig, becuase they made mistakes for, say, ten? I came to think that was simply not possible, and that someone had come up with the idea and then drove it into us. I just odn’t believe it could be true.
I heard today that there were 100billion people that lived on earth since the dawn of time.
the OT and actually the NT God is vindictive and choosy.
He’s the Creator.
dear Dr Ehrman U are walking the diligent & superb walk as this nation lacks civility & decency.
thank U
All the quotes listed are difficult, if not inscrutable. Having the context (where any survives) may — or may not — help clarify the meaning, and in turn, perhaps, authenticity of the saying.
OTOH, despite the fact that Acts is specifically noted as a potential source, the listing somehow omits the far less enigmatic (indeed, quite authentic *sounding*) one that Paul is quoted as attributing to Jesus at Acts 20:35.
Neither is there a single quote from the whole collection of sayings in the Gospel of Thomas — including, likewise, a number of seemingly quite credible ones, e.g., the also authentic sounding “Parable of the Broken Jar” at Th 97.
Thomas is, of course, a non-canonical (and BTW near-miraculously resurrected) work. But as you note, that is the result of “a decision that involves theological, rather than historical judgments.”
Further, the absence of evidence from Thomas is certainly not evidence of its absence. These putative quotes of Jesus have been known for nearly a century.
Isn’t exclusion of everything from every text that has been labeled by scholars as a “gospel” as arbitrary as the distinction itself?
I’m not sure what your question means!
Sorry. I’m whipsawed in the eternal battle between concise and cryptic. 😕
Preliminarily, I’m not nearly as sanguine as you about damage inflicted by the aborning RCC’s Holy Henchmen, aka “heresiologists.” Thus, I’m keenly interested in a collection of “sayings allegedly delivered by the historical Jesus […] that are not found in the canonical Gospels.”
In making such a compilation economy does suggest omitting any saying that:
1. appears to be a regurgitation of one found in the canonical gospels since these are probably just that. I would, however, regard this as being a rebuttable presumption. If scholars can make a case for the source *not* being derivative, that would not only provide independent attestation, but make any differences worth examining.
2. is pre-incarnate or post-resurrection, i.e., not from Jesus’ public ministry, as these would necessarily be apologetic and legendary.
3. from a non-Christian source as that is a double-edged sword. While such would not have to overcome the credibility hurdle of having been preserved by apologists, they perforce require prying open the worm can of that alternative (and also potentially agenda-driven) context.
All that said, I will aim for fewer birds per stone… 😉
First among the (triaged) “principal sources” you cite is the canonical, but non-gospel, book of Acts — a work that AFAIK provides only one, relevant candidate: Paul’s “remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35)
To my amateur ears this is the single, most authentic-sounding, unique quotation from *any* source outside of the gospels — canonical or non-. It is as pithy, powerful, and counterintuitive as any saying recorded in any source. It strikes me as being an absolutely classic, Jesus aphorism.
I can appreciate that your list cannot be “exhaustive.” But after first citing Acts as a specific example of non-gospel sources considered, how is it that ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” didn’t make the cut? 🤔
I dohn’t think authentic-sounding is a criterion? Sounding to whom?
And made the cut for what? It is indeed an agraphon.
Re: Luke 6:4 in ms D
Here’s a go. An analogy. James Joyce intentionally breaks the rules of grammar, transcending them, for artistic affect. Compared to the hapless beginner who breaks the rules of grammar out of ignorance of them.
Perhaps if he understands that the sabbath was made for man, then he is blessed, but if he believes as the Pharisees the opposite, then he is cursed?
[in other words, willing to work on the sabbath for the right reasons, those of Jesus’ view]
Thank you Dr Ehrman. This is an intriguing subject.
If I could ask an off topic question, please. I have to give a brief talk on early Christian communities to a group that I belong to. Is it fair to say that the early communities (say from around 40-70 AD) were quite small (? 10-20 people) and would meet in private houses? What would be the best sources on this subject? Many thanks.
They did meet in private houses, and so almost certainly could not number more than 40 or 50 — depending on the size of the house!
Thank you Dr Ehrman. That’s very helpful. When giving the talk (which I mentioned in my original question) I got a question I couldn’t answer. Perhaps you can.
‘ How did the earliest Christians (I guess we’re talking 1st century) keep tabs on, or know about, all the other various Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean? Was there some kind of central register?’
I suppose the variety of early Christianities is a factor here, but it is a good question. Do you have any thoughts on this, please Dr Ehrman?
No, there wsa no central organization at all. They knew of each other only by word of mouth and through written correspondence.