Every so often there will be a headline about researchers unearthing new manuscripts, like this one from CBS News: “Newly deciphered manuscript is oldest written record of Jesus Christ’s childhood, experts say.”
Without additional context, it can be difficult to know how to contextualize this kind of news. So, how can you peer through the headlines and dig deeper? Let’s talk about this news first and then get into some steps you can take when you see news like this.
In this case, the headline referred to the earliest copy of a text called the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. It did not make it into the Bible and no one knows who actually wrote the text. Some manuscripts identify the author as Thomas the Israelite, but the author is still considered unknown.
Several scholars consider the Infancy Gospel of Thomas to have accuracy issues both theologically and historically. Some early Christians took issue with it — Pope Gelasius I placed it firmly outside the biblical canon.
In other words, it is generally considered a literary work, maybe even a way for parents to teach their children. Many scholars consider it theologically inaccurate while still interesting to read and consider.
“It is difficult to get beyond the impression that the text seems relatively devoid of theological insight and morally vacuous in its handling of inexplicable miracles,” wrote Canadian biblical scholar Markus Bockmuehl in “Ancient Apocryphal Gospels.” “Its intention is evidently to entertain and amuse a fairly unsophisticated, immature audience.”
The work is different from the Gospel of Thomas, which is another text that is not in the Bible with an unknown author. Scholars believe the Infancy Gospel of Thomas was written sometime during the second century A.D., according to Oxford Bibliographies.
So, what does this mean?
Well, it is the earliest copy of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and so it is a significant discovery for scholars. It can help scholars get an accurate picture of what language it was written in — Greek — and it will also be used for research purposes.
Let’s take a closer look at what you can do when you see a headline about a new manuscript to help you get more context about what this means.
Figure out what the manuscript is
Most of the time, news organizations will tell you the name of the manuscript. That will be important information for you to know in order to figure out how to approach the manuscript.
Once you know what the manuscript is, try going to Oxford Bibliographies and typing the name in. This website can give a general overview of the text, but also help you find reliable sources to find more information about the work in question.
After you read the overview, Oxford Bibliographies lists a variety of books and articles you could read to find out more information about the text. If you want to go deeper, reading a variety of different sources can be helpful since you will encounter different perspectives.
Not all sources about biblical manuscripts on the internet are accurate. Asking if the source comes from a trusted person or institution with a history of dealing with ancient texts and if the source shows its work by correctly citing other previous works can help you determine a manuscript’s credibility.
Ask: The five W’s
The five W’s are: who, what, when, where and why?
There are a couple of ways you can ask these sorts of questions. First, ask who wrote it? Ancient manuscripts do not always have clear authorship, so learning that early on can be important. What is the content of the manuscript? Where was the manuscript written? When was the manuscript written? Why was the manuscript written? Where was the manuscript popular? What is the purpose of the text? Who may have the text been written for? Why may this text have been preserved?
Sources from Oxford Bibliographies may be able to help you answer these questions. Gaining the additional context to these questions will give you may help you better understand how to approach the manuscript.
Recognize differences
Ancient manuscripts offer a window into what kinds of discussions early Christians had among themselves.
“As Christianity developed and faced new challenges, some imaginative Christians wrote new gospels to deal with those challenges, to present new theological understandings of Christ, or to address gaps of knowledge in the earliest accounts,” wrote Brigham Young University professor Jason Combs in “New Testament History, Culture, and Society.”
Combs said these writings can be valuable to read regardless of theological differences because reading them can aid in seeing the debates early Christians had and understanding the diversity of thought that existed.
Another area where there may be differences is in the text itself. Sometimes there will be slight word variation from one manuscript to the next because of the transcript process. Studying these differences can spark interest.