Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Lycan Jesus

Here's a fascinating reminder that the "one true word of God" that has come down to us is far from the only version of the Jesus stories that existed in the distant past. A newly deciphered Egyptian text, written in the Coptic language, tells a story of Pontius Pilate offering to sacrifice his own son for the shapechanging Jesus. Yes, in this story Jesus was a shapechanger (he also becomes incorporeal elsewhere in the story):

"Then the Jews said to Judas: How shall we arrest him [Jesus], for he does not have a single shape but his appearance changes. Sometimes he is ruddy, sometimes he is white, sometimes he is red, sometimes he is wheat coloured, sometimes he is pallid like ascetics, sometimes he is a youth, sometimes an old man ..."

If you've ever read about the Gnostic gospels, then it's no surprise to you that early Christians had widely divergent views of who and what Jesus was, and of his supposed significance to the world. This is just another reminder of that fact, but an unusual one. Imagine if Jesus could turn into wolf form as well as varied human forms. If another group of Christians had won out when the "Gospels" were being put together, then nowadays people might be worshipping at the First Lycan Church and reciting the Lycan Creed.

2 comments:

  1. Jesus a shapeshifter? It all makes sense now! Jesus was one of the hundred Changelings sent to explore the Alpha Quadrant! (Brownie points to anyone who gets the sci-fi reference.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hee hee. I thought about titling this post "Odo Jesus," but I wasn't sure most people would get it:-).

    ReplyDelete