Dr Daniel
Wallace has posted a new audio at his blog site, revealing a bit more about
the first century fragments that have been found. Special thanks to Brill
Publishing for releasing this first-ever look at the Lost Epistle from Paul to
the Galatians.
This is only a fragment, but this is what we found, but we
are greatly blessed by this new word from Scripture:
I am astonished that you are so quick
to assume that the prima facie contradiction that seems to be being preached by
the Judaizers is in fact an actual contradiction. You must have humility toward
the Tradition of the Judaizers. The appearance of an actual contradiction, in fact,
is due to your own ignorance or misunderstanding….
Before certain men came from James,
I applauded Cephas for eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he
began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid
of those who belonged to the circumcision group. But I took him aside like a
brother, and said Brother, we ought never to assume as part of our theological
methodology that a prima facie contradiction within the Tradition is an actual
contradiction. Out of humility toward the Tradition, we instead assume as a
working hypothesis that the appearance of a contradiction is due to our own
ignorance or misunderstanding. So from a Catholic point of view, if we have at
hand an explanation that integrates the apparently conflicting pieces of
evidence, we already have a good reason to accept it rather than conclude that
there is an actual contradiction… The other Jews joined him and Barnabas as
being led into all truth. I said, “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful
Gentiles know that sometimes a person is not justified by the works of the law,
but sometimes they are also saved by the works of the law, if they obey the
voice of God in their consciences. In this way, in virtue of our “both/and”
theology, all the many more may be saved …
Of course, these are merely fragments, but we are blessed to have discovered such a rich first-century resource. Dr. Michael J. Kruger has taken
the position that, given that these fragments could not be admitted to the
canon at this late date. “To state the obvious, the church cannot respond
(positively or negatively) to a book of which it has no knowledge. Christ’s
promise that his sheep will respond to his voice pertains only to the books
that have had their voice actually heard by the sheep (John 10:27, pgs 94-95).
The council of Trent was aware of this epistle and considered it when arriving at their decision.
ReplyDeleteIt's so obvious!
ReplyDeleteWHy isn't this bigger news than it its,same with the Mark fragment... I remember when the gospel of Judas was all over the front page newspapers here in England and the only place this is mentioned is on this blog?
ReplyDeleteBen, cause this particular post is just a joke.
ReplyDeleteI felt a distinct "burning in my bosom" as I read that inspired snippet of divine revelation...
ReplyDeletelol and the 'Mark' one too? If so you got me good!!
ReplyDeleteNah, the reports on the first century fragment from the Gospel of Mark are true.
ReplyDelete