The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-14
GOSPEL
BY ST. PETER
Fragments of Epis,le to
Egyptians Written in
Coptic

In our issue of December 80, 1899 we
recorded the discovery, by Prof. j. Rem
/ dell Harris, of a composite new gospel
named the Gospel of the Twelve Apos-
ties" Biblical students are now interest
ed in the recent discovery of a small
/ fragment of what may prove to be the
lost gospel of ST. Peter to the Egyptians,
mentioned by many early Christian writ
ers- The fragment, If genuine portion
OF tins document, will be a discovery of
the highest Importance, doubtless even
surprising that of the "Logia," found not
long ago by the Egyptian Exploration
Fund. Z From the New York Journal
| (April 29) We quote the following account
| OF this ind, which must, however, be
accepted cum grano sails until some con-
sensus of opinion has been reached by
| Biblical scholars:
1T was just year ago that a number
OF moldy papyrus manuscripts were pur-
chased IN Cairo, Egypt. for the great IL
brary Of the University of Strassburg, in
Germany. When these papyri We're ex-
amined IT was found that among them
| were two leaves wri.ten in Coptic, the
later form of the ancient Egyptian lam
guage, and that which was spoken DUR
Ing the early centuries of the Christian
era. Prof. W. SpiegeIberg. of the Strass-
burg University, one of the best-known
Egyptologfsts in Germany, put the frag-
ments together and deciphered their
meaning after an immense amount of
labor. DIR. X. Schm.ut, an expert in Cos
pei manuscripts ana early Christian lit
erature, then studied them and recognized
these leaves as fragments of new and
hitherto unknown gospel. Originally the
pages were eight inches tall and six
inches broad. but none of these were COM
plete. Upon further examination it was
decided from the form of the writing and
some of the words used that these pages
were written in the fifth century, or some
where between the years 400 and 500 ~
d.; but II was also apparent that they
were TRANSACTIONS of a Greek original for
many of the words had been borrowed
from the Greek. These two facts proved
the extremely ancient origin of the man.
uscript. The scholars agreed that the
date OF the Greek text must be the Sec
ond century, which is earlier than the
Oldest known manuscript of the Bible
. that of the Vatican-which dates from
the fourth century. Long and deep
study led the students TO the conclusion
that they are part of the lost Gospel
to the Egyptians, of which no transla-
ton or part has hitherto been found, al
though IL is mentioned and quoted by ear
ly fathers of the church. The fact that
IL was written in Coptic was strong. evil
dence that this was SO. Egypt was the
refuge of many Christians during the
first and second centuries. 1t was espe-
cially noteworthy that an the top of two
OF the pages were written Coptic figures
meaning 157 and 15s Thi: indicated that
they were leaves from what must have
been a large book, such as "A complete
! gospel or life OF Christ would be. 1t has
not yet been possible to find where the
leaves came from or what their history
has been during the many centuries in
which they have lain hidden, but an en-
ergetic search will be carried on.
Among the scholars who have thus FAR
OF this discovery are Prof. X. Schmidt, of
| the University of Strassburg, whose opin-
ion Is perhaps not wholly unbiased. since
he is one of the discoveries, and the
American scholar, Prof. Clifton Hardy
Levy. The former says:
After a careful examination of these
! Coptic fragments / find that they are
without doubt portions of a new and I'M
/ known gospel. That this gospel was the
one referred to by the fathers of the
church as the Gospel to .-.e Egyptians
seems certain, judging from its form and
contents. 1t is valuable bit of the ear
Hest Christian literature, the Importance
{ OF which 1T is difficult to exaggerate. That
!, IL Is translation of a Greek original OF
= the second century seems clear from
u The style of the Coptic is classical. and
!. the use of certain words, later discarded
proves that the fragments belong to tn
e fifth century"
e Professor Levy writes:
n "The discovery of genuine fragments o
s a lost gospel Is of great moment, espe
n cially when they are portions of one re
=. ferred to by early Christian writers o
1t authority. Since Prof. Spiegelberg an
DIR. Schmidt support the fragments b
L. oil etxfx. and u~1l
lie men, they must be accepted as real POI
Is tions of the Egyptian Gospel. Sma
"a though the portions are, they still al
IN much to our knowledge of the PERSONAL
st ty OF Jesus, and help to complete the pic
er ture of thu Founder of Christianity.
to the same time these fragments serve
supplement the account given by the az
cepted gospels. and furnish additional IL
: formation about the development of Chris
a. tian thought 1t is to be hoped that otht
parts of this book will now be brousf
- to light, SO that they may be compare
III with existing accounts of the events
- Jesus life. The portion dealing with II
- scene in Gethsemane, furnishing sever
NC notifications of the speech of Jesus {
that occasion, Is an instance OF what ma
be expected when the other parts of Il
" gospel are found. 1t Is more than pro-
We able that the excavators, spurred on |
dis these identifications will add leaf by lea
er until the gospel Is completed.
IT. The following Is a translation OF 81
- two fragments of the new gospel
'S FRONT PAGE OF FIRST FRAGMEN
it (he tree) will be known by
ge own fruits so that II will be praised
st. for its fruits. because
"a II is more excellent than many frui
Ia 5 OF the garden. Verify, give me al
ers thine power, my Father, with whi'
on the, who love
al Verify, 1
have taken the crown OF dominion,
10 the crown of those who,
as living, while they are despised
he in their humility, yet unto them
ib- can none be likened. / am become XII
lat through thee, my Father. Thou make
al Is this enemy subdued before me.
nd Verify, through whom,
ice will the enemy be annihilated? Throu
i'm the Amounted CChrisD. Verify, throu
a whom VIII the fangs of death be draw
ds 20 Through the only-begotten. Veri-
ly, to whom belongeth the dominion!
1t belongs to the Son. Verify, throusi
te: whom is all come to pass! through
IN the first-born--
ust BACK PAGE OF FIRST FRAGMEN
lila when no then
~.