The Secret Gospel of Mark

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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#1
Hi all, I've just done my second read through of The Gospels and then took to the internet for some supporting research and came across The Secret Gospel of Mark. Sort of an extended version of Mark.

There are divided opinions on it and the controversial content within. Is anyone familiar with this?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
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#2
Allan,

Are you a Christian?
 
B

bowharp

Guest
#3
Hi all, I've just done my second read through of The Gospels and then took to the internet for some supporting research and came across The Secret Gospel of Mark. Sort of an extended version of Mark.

There are divided opinions on it and the controversial content within. Is anyone familiar with this?
Here's a tip: Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Go to the source, the Bible.. If you want more clarification go STRAIGHT to the source, God. Pray. Hope you have a good communication reception with Him.

Plus...You can across The Secret Gospel of Mark.....Hmm, doesn't SEEM to be all that SECRET if you found out about it. :p sounds like a bunch of quack.
 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#4
Allan,

Are you a Christian?
No, but I've started to read the bible because I feel maybe something is drawing me to it.
 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#5
Here's a tip: Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Go to the source, the Bible.. If you want more clarification go STRAIGHT to the source, God. Pray. Hope you have a good communication reception with Him.

Plus...You can across The Secret Gospel of Mark.....Hmm, doesn't SEEM to be all that SECRET if you found out about it. :p sounds like a bunch of quack.
I know not to read everything on the internet. I may not be versed in the bible but I pretty well versed in other ways of life. I just read the gospels and done some more research and I came across this. I didn't say I believed it, I asked if anyone else was familiar with it.

I seem to have great difficulty getting some straight answers and genuine replies around here.
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#6
Hi all, I've just done my second read through of The Gospels and then took to the internet for some supporting research and came across The Secret Gospel of Mark. Sort of an extended version of Mark.

There are divided opinions on it and the controversial content within. Is anyone familiar with this?
I've heard about several Gnostic gospels, but they were the equivalent of thinking the National Enquirer (our worst tabloid "newspaper") is real news. (Some people wondered, but that issue was resolved in the 4th century. Fakes. lol) I haven't hear of any secret ones, but I have to laugh about how secret it is if it's on the web? lol
 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#7
I've heard about several Gnostic gospels, but they were the equivalent of thinking the National Enquirer (our worst tabloid "newspaper") is real news. (Some people wondered, but that issue was resolved in the 4th century. Fakes. lol) I haven't hear of any secret ones, but I have to laugh about how secret it is if it's on the web? lol
Well, it was apparently found in the 17th Century, and I don't think there was an internet back then.

Is anyone actually familiar with it? Or is everyone just hung up on the name lol
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
113
#8
I know not to read everything on the internet. I may not be versed in the bible but I pretty well versed in other ways of life. I just read the gospels and done some more research and I came across this. I didn't say I believed it, I asked if anyone else was familiar with it.

I seem to have great difficulty getting some straight answers and genuine replies around here.
Straight answer for you: most orthodox Christians consider the non-canonical books to be rubbish.

There are a variety of reasons for this, if you want to study it out.
 
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bowharp

Guest
#9
No, but I've started to read the bible because I feel maybe something is drawing me to it.
Good on ya AllanSnackbar for reading the bible. Good to be intimate with the Word first.

Hope you don't get others bring noise in your communication with God when you read your bible.

I try to filter out the noises like The Secret Gospel of Mark.. if I were you.. makes what God is trying to say to you Un-audioable/ not a clear signal.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,142
612
113
69
Alabama
#10
Hi all, I've just done my second read through of The Gospels and then took to the internet for some supporting research and came across The Secret Gospel of Mark. Sort of an extended version of Mark.

There are divided opinions on it and the controversial content within. Is anyone familiar with this?
This pericope is very well supported from no less than 620 ancient manuscripts including the Byzantine Text fifth century, the A 02 Alexandrinus Fifth century, the C 04 Ephraemi Rescriptus Fifth century, the D 05 Bezae Cantabrigiensis Fifth century, and the W 032 Fourth/fifth century. This is VERY good support for this text.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
113
#11
You can start with this:

Secret Gospel of Mark Hoax
http.com
 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#13
Good on ya AllanSnackbar for reading the bible. Good to be intimate with the Word first.

Hope you don't get others bring noise in your communication with God when you read your bible.

I try to filter out the noises like The Secret Gospel of Mark.. if I were you.. makes what God is trying to say to you Un-audioable/ not a clear signal.
I realise that. But I also realise that man selected what went into the bible and man selected what wouldn't go into the bible. I also have developed an interested into why things were included or omitted. Because as far as I know, there is nothing in the bible that says how a bible should be compiled. I think it's an interesting little diversion to find out how it was all decided
 

Billyd

Senior Member
May 8, 2014
5,036
1,473
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#14
Allan, if this is the first time that you are studying the Bible, please seek a Christian partner, or bible study group, to guide your study. There is too much noise on the internet for a first time study.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#15
I realise that. But I also realise that man selected what went into the bible and man selected what wouldn't go into the bible. I also have developed an interested into why things were included or omitted. Because as far as I know, there is nothing in the bible that says how a bible should be compiled. I think it's an interesting little diversion to find out how it was all decided
There is no Theologian who has not read all 150-200 (or more) of the non-canonical books. Enjoy them, but don't let them get you mixed up.

Remember, even the Bible doesn't say everything found in it is "the accurate truth"... it just claims to be inspired and useful as recorded.
 
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maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
113
#16
I realise that. But I also realise that man selected what went into the bible and man selected what wouldn't go into the bible. I also have developed an interested into why things were included or omitted. Because as far as I know, there is nothing in the bible that says how a bible should be compiled. I think it's an interesting little diversion to find out how it was all decided
Allan,

It's a bit more than an "interesting little study".

It is a very complex, scholarly, and time consuming study, that you can spend years on, if you really want to dig into it.


Is the development of the canon really an issue for you?
You say that as far as you know, there is nothing in the bible explaining how books of the bible should be compiled.
My question to you is, what does that matter?
Would you believe that information if it WAS in there?
It seems to me that you most likely have no belief in the bible at all.
Therefore, it wouldn't matter if the bible contained this information or not.

So... if you don't believe the bible anyway, then all you're doing is looking at extra-canonical books you don't believe, and comparing them with canonical books which you also don't believe.

A bit circuitous and pointless isn't it?

Maybe you should spend some time thinking about more foundational questions:
- Is there a God?

If you conclude that there IS a God, that raises other foundational questions:
- Is there such thing as Sin?
- Am I a sinner?
- If I'm a sinner, how do I get rid of my sin, so I can be just before God?


If you are not a Christian, and you currently have no relationship through Christ with the creator, then you have much bigger issues than the development of the canon.






 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#17
Allan,

It's a bit more than an "interesting little study".

It is a very complex, scholarly, and time consuming study, that you can spend years on, if you really want to dig into it.


Is the development of the canon really an issue for you?
You say that as far as you know, there is nothing in the bible explaining how books of the bible should be compiled.
My question to you is, what does that matter?
Would you believe that information if it WAS in there?
It seems to me that you most likely have no belief in the bible at all.
Therefore, it wouldn't matter if the bible contained this information or not.

So... if you don't believe the bible anyway, then all you're doing is looking at extra-canonical books you don't believe, and comparing them with canonical books which you also don't believe.

A bit circuitous and pointless isn't it?

Maybe you should spend some time thinking about more foundational questions:
- Is there a God?

If you conclude that there IS a God, that raises other foundational questions:
- Is there such thing as Sin?
- Am I a sinner?
- If I'm a sinner, how do I get rid of my sin, so I can be just before God?


If you are not a Christian, and you currently have no relationship through Christ with the creator, then you have much bigger issues than the development of the canon.






In my discussions with with believers, I've been told to read the bible. Now that I am reading it you say its pointless?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
113
#18
1. If you're studying the extra canonical books... that isn't reading the bible.
That is doing something entirely different.
So... that isn't at all doing what believers have suggested to you.

2. If you're spending your time doing scholarly dabbling with extra-canonical books, instead of dealing with critical questions of life, then yes, it's pointless.

You don't need to investigate the canon to contemplate the existence of God.

You don't need to investigation the canon to contemplate the existence of sin.


It's easy in life to get sidetracked by all kinds of non-essential things.
 
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AllanSnackbar

Guest
#19
So how it was compiled, who compiled it, why it was compiled etc are not important?

Its not important why some books are in and some books are out?

Its not important who set the standard for what should be included?

Surely this should be investigated aswell. Rather than saying "Here's a book, read it! Its true!"

I need more than that.
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#20
This pericope is very well supported from no less than 620 ancient manuscripts including the Byzantine Text fifth century, the A 02 Alexandrinus Fifth century, the C 04 Ephraemi Rescriptus Fifth century, the D 05 Bezae Cantabrigiensis Fifth century, and the W 032 Fourth/fifth century. This is VERY good support for this text.
Psssst, can you translate that into stuff normal people understand? I had to look up pericope, so I could get all the way to Byzantine before going, "huh?" (And, yes, I get Byzantine is an earlier version of the Bible, but that doesn't tell me if it is trustworthy or not. Alexandrinus -- if that's from Alexandria, Egypt -- makes my eye twitch a bit, since those Christians were wiped out so quickly after Christ died. So I'm really catching about 25% of what you're saying. lol) I'm thinking you're saying it's really something, but outside of that, huh?

And, if I'm right, according to the word pericope, sounds like it's a little slice instead of a full "secret" gospel.