Muslim: The Bible has been changed many times, so it cannot be considered the original Scripture revealed to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. What evidence do you have that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy?
Many years ago, a young Muslim woman asked me, “Has the Bible ever changed?” I told her: “Of course not.” To this she said: “But doesn’t she teach that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?” I confirmed: “Teaches again and again.” In response, she stated: “Then she had to change.”
Any Christian who reads the works of Muslim authors will be surprised to find that the arguments put forward in them to refute the authenticity of the Bible texts are often extremely weak and unconvincing. This happens for one reason only - Muslims do not believe in the complete preservation of the Bible, not because they have found adequate evidence that changes were made to its text, but because they must deny its authenticity in order to support their conviction that The Qur'an is the Word of God. Two Books that conflict with each other cannot both be the Word of God. When Muslims discovered in the early centuries of Islamic history that the Bible clearly and definitively set forth basic Christian doctrines, such as the divinity of Jesus Christ and His atonement, they could no longer approach it objectively. Since then, they have striven to prove what is in fact nothing more than an assumption - the Bible must have changed! Main reason Muslims' disbelief in the authenticity of the Bible lies in the lack of choice: they cannot believe the Bible if they must be faithful to the Koran.
It is important to know the evidence for the unchangeability of the biblical texts, especially the fact that there are authentic manuscripts that predate the birth of Islam by many centuries and prove that the Bible we hold in our hands today is the same Bible that the Jews and early Christians revered as their only Holy Scripture .
Three major manuscript copies of the Bible
There are still three major manuscript copies of the Bible in Greek (including the Septuagint (Old Testament) and the original text of the New Testament), predating the appearance of the Koran by several centuries.
1. Alexandrian list. This volume, written in the 5th century AD. BC, contains the entire Bible with the exception of a few lost leaves from the New Testament (namely: Matt. 1:1–25:6, John 6:50–8:52 and 2 Cor. 4:13–12:6). It does not include anything that is not part of the modern Bible. The manuscript is kept in the British Museum in London.
2. Sinai list. This is very ancient manuscript, dating from the end of the 4th century. It contains everything New Testament and a significant part of the Old Testament. For centuries it was kept in the St. Petersburg Imperial Library and was sold to the British government for one hundred thousand pounds. Currently also in the British Museum.
3. Vatican list. This is probably the oldest surviving complete manuscript copy of the Bible. It dates from the 4th century and is kept in the Vatican Library in Rome. The last part of the New Testament (Heb. 9:14 to the end of Revelation) is written in a different hand than the rest of the manuscript (probably the scribe who began copying the text for some reason was unable to complete the work).
These manuscripts convincingly prove that the only Scripture given to the Church at least two centuries before the birth of Muhammad is the Old and New Testaments known to us.
Other Evidence of the Bible's Authenticity
There are many other pieces of evidence that prove the authenticity of the Bible, going back several centuries to the time of the birth of Islam. The following points should be highlighted in discussions with Muslims.
1. Masoretic texts. Ancient biblical manuscripts belong not only to Christians, but also to Jews, who revere the Old Testament as the only Scripture given to them. These are texts written in Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament, and are at least a thousand years old. These are known as the Masoretic Texts.
2. Dead Sea Scrolls. First discovered in the caves of the Qumran desert near the Dead Sea in Israel, these scrolls contain many passages from the Old Testament in Hebrew and date back to the 2nd century BC. e. They include two copies of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, containing prophecies about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see: Is. 53: 1-12), about His immaculate conception(see: Is. 7:14) and about His divinity (see: Is. 9:6–7).
3. Septuagint. The Septuagint is the name of the first translation into Greek Old Testament. It was copied in the 2nd century BC. e. and contains all the main prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, the statement that He is the Son of God (see: Ps. 2:7; 1 Chron. 17:11–14), and some details of His suffering and atoning death (see: Ps. 21, 68). The early Church made extensive use of the Septuagint.
4. Vulgate. In the 4th century AD e. The Roman Catholic Church translated the entire Bible into Latin, using the Septuagint and ancient Greek manuscript copies of the New Testament. This list is known as the Vulgate and contains all the Books of the Old and New Testaments as we know them. This translation has been approved as the standard text for the Roman Catholic Church.
5. Excerpts from the Greek text of the New Testament. There are many fragments of the original Greek text of the New Testament surviving from the 2nd century AD. e. All of them, collected together, constitute the content of the New Testament in the form that we know. It is very interesting to compare the abundance of this evidence with the texts of ancient Greek and Roman classical works, many of which were written no earlier than a thousand years after Christ. Truly, there are no other literary works of the same era that would have such a wealth of manuscript evidence as the Greek text of the New Testament.
Most importantly, and this should be emphasized when talking to Muslims, there is no source suggesting that the Bible misrepresents the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. All apocryphal books rejected by the Church, at least in general outline, follow the same narrative line as the New Testament manuscripts. There is certainly no historical evidence to suggest that Jesus was in fact the prophet of Islam, as the Qur'an makes Him out to be.
Finally, it would be a good idea to ask Muslims to bring historical facts to support their claim that the Bible we read is a modified Bible. What was it like originally? What was changed about it that made it the Book we have today? Who made these changes? When was this done? Ask your interlocutor to name real people who he suggests corrupted the Bible, the time it occurred, the specific changes made to the original text of the Bible, and you will find that he is unable to do so because such evidence simply does not exist. Always remember that the vicious attack of Muslims is not based on the scientific evidence they have, but on assumptions. The Bible, in their opinion, had to change since it contradicts the Koran. Unfortunately, too often Muslims approach the Bible not with a desire to understand its teachings, but solely with the goal of finding errors in it that justify their prejudice against it.
John Gilchrist "God or Prophet?"
Erica Orloff
The Mystery of the Ancient Manuscript
To my children. May each of you have something as meaningful as the Book.
I saw another dream...
The inscription, like a trace of someone’s ghostly breath on the window, quietly whispers its message to us through the centuries.
Even books have their secrets. Come on, tell us something else,” said Uncle Harry, turning to the manuscript. He seemed to want to get her to talk. Bending over the crumbling pages, he carefully studied the manuscript like a true scientist of antiquity.
Secrets? - I asked, and my question echoed in the spacious hall auction house. In this building with marble floors and high ceilings, even a small noise turned into a measured rustling of the leaves of the trees.
Callie, every object, like a person, has its own secrets. Including books. And my task is to lure them out.
He brought the ultraviolet lamp closer to the pages of the manuscript and suddenly exhaled loudly.
What's there? - I whispered, looking over his shoulder. I felt a shiver run down my spine.
He pointed with his finger:
Look at the fields!
In the bluish light of the lamp, I could barely discern a thin web of illegible and seemingly unearthly words.
It seems that the lines of the manuscript were already written on top of this inscription,” I said quietly and squinted to get a better look at the find.
I knew that Uncle Harry, working at the Royal auction house Manhattan, as an expert on medieval illuminated manuscripts, lived by these ancient works of the monks. Ancient legends could be heard in the rustle of their pages. He could talk endlessly about them over breakfast and dinner. He read about them. He studied them. And no matter what was written in the margins, it was the realization of my uncle’s dream.
Do you know what this is? This is a palimpsest!
Palimp... what?
In response, he smiled widely, and dimples immediately appeared on his cheeks, and his azure eyes glowed with happiness. Uncle Harry was a tall man, six feet tall, and the first streaks of silver were already beginning to appear in his blond hair. He's the one smart man of everyone I know. He has an amazing photographic memory and an encyclopedic knowledge of history. But I’m never bored with him: it seems that history comes to life in his mouth.
Palimpsest! A thousand years ago, paper was still rare. People wrote on parchment or vellum, that is, on pieces of animal skin. When the book itself or part of it was no longer needed, they washed off the inscription with a mixture of oat bran soaked in milk, or simply erased it with a pumice stone. And the pages could be used again, because the inscriptions disappeared. People believed it was without a trace.
I began to carefully examine the squiggle, barely noticeable in the light of the lamp, similar to the stroke of a pen.
So, then, I see an inscription that is a thousand years old? And someone wanted to hide it? Maybe this is a secret message? - I asked my uncle.
He nodded.
Sometimes fortune smiles on us. The stars align, and fate gives us a gift... in the form of such a miracle. It's priceless. Usually time and nature destroy all traces.
I looked at the manuscript again. The black lines were drawn with a skilled hand, they were so even that each was a work of art. Not a single letter was out of order, not a single blot - perfection itself. At the top of the page was a golden miniature that time had passed by. The knight and lady were painted in shades of dark blue and green, as bright as peacock feathers.
What a beauty! - I said.
But what makes this thing special is the lettering. All the secrets are coming out, Callie. This is true. Traces always remain, even a thousand years later.
Does the person who put the manuscript up for auction know that it is a palimpsest?
Uncle Harry shook his head.
The owner of the lot inherited from his father a collection of rare books and manuscripts. But my son is only interested in money. - Uncle again glanced with envy at the ancient lines: - He can’t even imagine what secrets these pages hide. The price will reach hundreds of thousands, and maybe even millions of dollars. I will be able to evaluate the book more accurately once I know more about its fate.
He fell silent and shook his head again:
It's sad, isn't it?
Some people spend their entire lives building a collection of books or antiques. They think this will help them stay in people's memories. And then their children come, who simply don’t care about the parents’ efforts, and they sell everything out. Apparently, passion for a hobby cannot be instilled.
Perhaps you're right. But on the other hand... here we are,” I said, “and here are the words in the margins.” And you care.
I still can't believe it. And I know one more person who will be delighted with the find. I need to call Peter Sokolov.
Who is this?
World renowned specialist in rare books and medieval manuscripts.
Even more special than you? I doubt.
He was my supervisor. And yes, he knows much more than me. He is the only one who understands your crazy uncle and shares his love for ancient documents. - Uncle Harry kissed the top of my head: - I told you that this summer would be memorable.
I rolled my eyes.
Great. You found an old manuscript. And really very ancient. From parchment or vellum. And with its secrets. But I don't think that makes it a successful summer - at least not for me. Dad left me and went to Europe with his next blonde passion. Are they really getting younger and blonder, or is it just me?
You're not the only one who thinks so. I could never understand your father either. Just as I didn’t understand why my sister married him. - Uncle Harry frowned. - Although I shouldn’t have told you that.
Why? It's true. And only the mystery of an old dusty manuscript can compare with this mystery.
How could I tell him that I was hoping for a romantic acquaintance this summer. Or even an adventure.
Patience, Callie,” my uncle winked at me. - Remember what I said about secrets.
What does it mean?
You never know where a secret will lead you. It's like playing hide and seek through the centuries. - He said these words in a mysterious and playfully disgusting voice. - I need to call. You can stay here for now and study the manuscript. But don't touch it with your hands!
He headed to his office and, without looking back, called after him:
And don't breathe on her!
I leaned over the table and began to examine the tiny, barely visible squiggle. However, I could not make out the words.
And then I saw her. There was a signature at the bottom.
...
I also saw another dream: behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars worship me...
Touch the stars. Dream about them.
My mother has always been a palimpsest for me. She died when I was six years old, and all my life I searched for secret messages from her, hoping that she would convey them to me in the same way that the marginal notes spoke to Uncle Harry. It's a passion that has never left me. Sometimes when I see one of my friends hugging their mother, I feel sharp pain in the heart. And that night I again sat alone in my room in Harry’s apartment, legs tucked under me, looking at old photographs of my mother.
My “room”—and I should put quotation marks here—was what Manhattan realtors call a second bedroom, although in truth it was more like a niche in the wall with another wall attached to it. But I had enough space, especially since Uncle Harry kept photographs of my mother here and here I hoped to find secret messages from her. He was her brother, and so I constantly asked him questions about her. I always wondered if I looked like her... I know I’m not like my father.
My father and I have spent our entire lives trying to avoid each other - in some ways, we are terribly lucky that he is almost never at home. During my studies, I tolerated his presence in our home in the Boston suburbs. Luckily, he traveled a lot, so I spent half of my time with my friend Sofia's family. Or I was left in the care of a neighbor living opposite our apartment. But my favorite time of year is summer, because I always reserve it for Uncle Harry, his friend Gabe and New York. We usually spent our time playing games and going to the beach, and one day we even went to Toronto.
And this year? Oh, I was especially glad to get out of the house. I was facing a summer code-named “Meeting My Stepmom,” as my father was already looking for diamond rings for his newest and blondest girlfriend, Sharon. I felt sick just thinking about the upcoming celebration.
After looking at photos and chatting on Facebook with Sophia, who was spending the summer at a sports camp, I fell asleep without turning off the TV.
When I woke up, I stared at the ceiling, then turned my gaze to the plasma screen hanging on the wall. The morning news anchor, her hair perfectly styled and styled, cheerfully announced that it was already six o'clock in the morning.
Mmmrmrrmrr! - I purred to Uncle Harry’s cat. His name was Aggi, short for Agamemnon. He is a Silver Persian by breed, and one eye is green and the other yellow. As befits his breed, he leaves his fur everywhere. - It's summer now, I can finally get some sleep. Why on earth am I awake?
In response, I heard the meow of Aggie, who began to stomp on my stomach until he lay down, purring like a car engine. Reaching for the remote control, I switched channels. I was too lazy to get up, but I was already so awake that now I definitely couldn’t fall asleep.
About twenty minutes later Uncle Harry knocked on the door.
Are you up? - he called me.
Unfortunately, yes.
He stuck his head through the door.
What will you wear to work today?
I looked at my closet: its doors were wide open, clothes were lying around on the floor.
Mmm... I don't know. Pants with some sweater: it’s so cold in your office. And since when are you interested in my appearance? I'm just bringing you coffee. In general, I haven't decided yet. It's too early to decide anything.
How about this? - And he threw a branded bag from the Barney's store on my bed.
I sat up in bed and ran my hand through my curls. I heard Gabe in the shower singing another hit from the musical Guys and Dolls, in which he played the role of the inveterate debater Sky Masterson. My uncle went to this show twenty times and always sat in the first row of the stalls in the middle. If you count, he spent a small fortune on this, and after each performance he stood at the door of the theater with a yellow and black program in his hands to get Gabe's autograph. It was a sickeningly touching story from the “How We Met” series. And the rest, as they say, is history.
It's sad when your uncle's love life is as good as it will never be for you. The fact that I am an honorary member of the Smart Club already means that there is something wonderful missing in my personal life. Of course, my grandmother still believes that the whole point is that Uncle Harry simply did not meet “the right” girl. But at least he is now definitely in the trend of all fashionable new items.
I pulled the box out of the bag, tore off the gift wrapping and looked at Uncle Harry.
Are you kidding?
I took the package out of the box and unwrapped it. I had a small one in my hands black dress. It truly was amazing. I looked at the price tag.
Three hundred fifty dollars? Are you crazy?
No, I didn't. I've always wanted to buy a dress inspired by Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's. But I had no one to give it to. Until you showed up. Come on, don't you like it?
I nodded dumbfounded. This is probably the most chic thing in my wardrobe.
It's amazing! It’s just a pity that only your dusty manuscripts will see me in it.
You can never look too good to work with parchment.
I grinned.
Thanks, I really really like it.
After the shower, I decided not to straighten my hair and leave the curls. The weather forecast promised high humidity, which meant there was no point in fighting the true nature of my hair. They will tangle anyway, and the result will be something between asparagus bushes and steel wool.
After applying lip gloss and eyelashes, I put on black ballet flats - I also decided that I wouldn't struggle with being five foot three. But really, I'm kidding myself because I'm five foot two and add a little hair on my head. I have naturally pale skin, dotted with freckles, which I also don’t bother hiding, and my eyes are bright gray. I glanced at the bookshelf where my uncle had framed black and white photographs of my mother. She looks straight into the camera lens and laughs as the wind blows through her hair. In the photo she is dressed exactly like Madonna from the 80s, and in some amazing way it all suits her mother.
I wish I knew what made her laugh so much. Uncle Harry doesn't remember this. I look a lot like her - just a different hair color, but the same pale skin type. Alas, the sun's rays immediately turn me into boiled crayfish. But that seems to be where the similarities end. Because in every photo, mom looks like a model, or like a bohemian artist, or like someone glamorous from a life like a fairy tale.
I looked at myself again from head to toe in the closet mirror in my room. I looked... almost like an adult. Smiling at my reflection, I walked out into the narrow corridor. It was covered with posters and posters of Uncle Harry and Gabe's favorite musicals - Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, Contact, Chicago, Spamalot. I turned right and walked into the kitchen. It was huge by Manhattan standards, tiny by Boston standards, with shiny and sparkling appliances, maple-colored cabinets and granite-topped kitchen tables. I reached for the coffee grinder.
“There’s no time, darling,” said Harry. - We'll stop at Starbucks on the way. We have to go.
Gabe came up to me.
Are you wearing a kimono? - I asked, touching the blue and green silk.
Cool, can I borrow it from you sometime?
If I were you, I would never take off this dress. Yes, it’s not a pity to die for him. You look incredible.
Thank you. - I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him goodbye. - By the way, I liked your shower chants today.
Did you hear me sing?
Every note.
Harry rolled his eyes playfully.
Holy innocence! He knows very well that we can hear him.
Having gone down the elevator from the fortieth floor and looked into Starbucks (I will die if I don’t drink coffee in the morning, this is the source of life for me), my uncle and I rushed into the morning crowd of people rushing to work - but we did not go to the auction house.
Where are we going?
Home to Dr. Sokolov.
I thought he would come to your work to see the manuscript. Isn't this manuscript what all your medieval specialists live for?
Harry threw back his head and laughed.
I'm afraid this is impossible.
He has agoraphobia.
I tried to remember what kind of phobia this was.
Harry turned around and looked at me:
He never leaves his home. Never.
At all? Does it work?
Yes, he writes scientific articles, conducts research. Gives lectures via video link and records podcasts. Modern technologies make friends with people like him. People bring books to his house. Well, or in my case, I'll show him the video.
Strange... Never go outside. Where does he get his food from?
Callie, honey. We're in New York. Here everything can be ordered to your home.
Well, okay, but there must be things for which he leaves the apartment?
Probably yes. But for such cases he has an assistant.
We got into a yellow taxi and ten minutes later, having barely avoided a dozen accidents, pale and completely sick, we were already leaving at the gates of a four-story mansion in Greenwich Village. On the other side of the street, trees raised their branches to the sky, spreading them over the road and trying to overcome the concrete barriers. Two long, highly polished limousines were parked next to the houses.
“It’s an amazing street,” I said, getting out of the taxi. - This part of the city seems so quiet and secluded.
I looked at my uncle.
That building over there is a typical house highly paid actress. I can't even tell you how many times I've met Uma Thurman here. Oh, or my idol Anderson Cooper. One day I saw him speeding by on his bike. - The uncle nodded towards the three-story stone mansion located on the other side of the road. - I think someone lives there famous writer. One way or another, Doctor Sokolov, as they say, has golden blood. This house has belonged to his family for more than a hundred years, since the days when carriages drove along this street. Do you want me to tell you about incredible fact from history?
I'm not sure.
But this is absolutely necessary when it comes to such a luxurious home. For example, the reason why it is multi-story is rooted deep in history, in a time when the rich could only live on the upper floors, away from the stench of horse manure. It was...
Better stop there,” I moaned. Sometimes Uncle Harry's love of history was too obvious for me.
I looked around the street and wondered what it would be like to live here. The street was calm and serene, and for a second I felt like I had stepped back in time. I even heard the chirping of birds hiding in the trees. Approaching the door of Dr. Sokolov's house, I noticed a sign hanging next to the doorbell. It read: “Sokolov and Sons, antiques experts.” My uncle called, and we heard the overflowing ringing of a bell echo through the house.
The massive door, four meters high, polished to a shine, opened, but instead of an agoraphobic elderly expert on antiquities, I found myself face to face with the most handsome guy the one I've ever seen. At that very moment I felt myself blush.
Oh, hello, Harry,” he smiled at my uncle, two dimples appeared on his cheeks. Then he looked at me, and it seemed to me that he saw something through me. Or inside. I backed away and bumped into my uncle.
Calliope, meet August Sokolov, Professor Sokolov’s invaluable assistant and also his son.
Hello! - I tried to find my breath again.
There was a long pause. I managed to get a good look at August: he had green eyes, brown hair curled slightly at the collar of his shirt. One ear was pierced - there was an earring with the Yin-Yang symbol. The left eye had a scar that resembled a horseshoe. The guy stared at me and, blinking, said:
Come in, my father is waiting for you.
I stepped over the threshold, Uncle Harry followed me. August led us through the marble foyer; As we walked past paintings and real (really, really) knight's armor, I glanced over my shoulder at my uncle.
"What?" - Uncle Harry said silently with the most innocent look.
But I didn't take my eyes off him.
The historical past today is practically systematized. Science knows the periods, main events and outstanding personalities. However, centuries continue to keep secrets. Gaps in knowledge about the existence and life of previous generations are contained in secret manuscripts of history that have not yet been understood or deciphered by scientists. Perhaps their discovery will change the understanding of the universe and time. Today, of the most famous specimens, ten of the most mysterious ones are distinguished.
1. Voynich manuscript
The 250-page book, found in the 15th century, contains images of plants, space objects and naked women. The plot of the story or individual stories has never been solved by historians and other scientists. Although one researcher claims to have deciphered 10 words from the text of an ancient publication.
The antique book was discovered in 1912 by Wilfid Voynich. Content analysis showed that some of the symbols have distinctive features real language. Whether Voynich was speculating on the find, presenting it as a valuable artifact, or whether this document is a real cultural treasure, remains a mystery. The object is in storage at Yale University.
Voynich manuscript
2. Guide to ritual rites
The history of the ancient 20-page manuscript began approximately 1,300 years ago. It is written in the ancient Coptic language, which belongs to the Egyptian Christians. It contains many magical spells and formulas, including love spells, also spells for black jaundice and instructions for conducting exorcism sessions.
The text may have been written by a group of Setians, an ancient Christian sect led by Sepha, who called himself the third son of Adam and Eve. IN ancient message there is an indication of a certain mysterious figure - Baktiot, whose identity is unknown.
Researchers who translated and analyzed the text ancient book-manuscript, called it conditionally " Directory of ritual rites". It is currently housed in the Museum of Ancient Cultures at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The manuscript was transferred in 1981 from private collection Michael Fackelmann. Where he received the text from is not disclosed.
Directory of ritual rites 3. Grolier Code
The so-called Grolier Codex, named after the New York club where the copy was exhibited, presents the writings of the Mayans with ancient hieroglyphs demonstrating the number system and religious beliefs civilization. The content contains a description of observations of the movement of the planet Venus. A Mexican collector named Josue Saenz claims that he acquired the manuscript from the Madoders in the 1960s. Scientists are still debating the authenticity of the artifact.
Recent research has shown that the paper on which the Codex is written is approximately 800 years old. The illustrations are written in blue paint, characteristic of Maya, which still cannot be synthesized in the laboratory. This confirms the value of the historical document. Along with other signs, for example, the content of hieroglyphs and images, such a conclusion speaks about the authenticity of the ancient message.
Grolier Code 4. Copper scroll
The library of ancient manuscripts is presented in Hebrew text on several sheets. They were discovered in the Qumran cave in the Judean Desert along with other Dead Sea Scrolls. The text indicates storage locations huge amount treasures with silver, coins, gold and vessels. The message dates back to around 70 AD, the time when the Roman army besieged and destroyed the holy sites of Jerusalem. It is believed that this is the oldest manuscript, the contents of which are unknown to science.
Researchers never tire of arguing about the reality and mythical nature of the described treasure. To date, the jewelry mentioned in the text has not been found either in Israel or Palestine. If the scroll is genuine, then perhaps the treasures were found in ancient times.
Copper scroll 5. Popol Vuh
The title of this manuscript translates as " Legal Adviser's Book". It contains a mythical story told by the descendants of the Mayan peoples who settled in Guatemala. According to their legends, the forefathers of all living things, Tepev and Kukumatz, created the Earth from a watery void and endowed it with animals and plants. This was described by Michael Coe of Yale University in the book Maya, Thames and Hudson, 2011.
The book indicates that the founders of the world had difficulty creating people. At the end it is described that they got twin heroes Ahpu and Xbalanque. They traveled a lot and became the rulers of the underworld.
The earliest surviving copy of the Popol Vuh dates from 1701. The codex was written in Spanish priest Frasisco Jimenez from the Dominican Republic. A copy is kept at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Popol Vuh manuscript 6. Treaty of the Courts
The codex contains the first Hebrew text indicating the location of treasures from King Solomon's temple. It tells the story of the fate of the Ark of the Covenant. The scripture indicates that these artifacts " cannot be found until the coming of the Messiah, the son of David...«
The earliest copy dates from 1648. It was made by James Davile, a professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, who studied and translated this ancient manuscript.
In analyzing the contents, he relied on traditional methods of biblical exegesis (interpretation) to understand where the treasure might be located. Under his pen, the story took on the appearance of a fantastic adventure, rather than a real guide to finding valuable artifacts.
Treatise of Judgments - Ancient Manuscript 7. Gospel of Judas
In 2006, the National geographical society(National Geographic) has published a translation of a third-century text called The Gospel of Judas.
The secrets of the ancient manuscript are revealed regarding the biblical figure Judas Iscariot, who, according to the New Testament, betrayed Jesus. The manuscript, written in Coptic, the language used by Egyptian Christians, describes Jesus asking Judas to betray him so that he could be crucified so he could ascend to heaven.
However, experts disagree on the translation and interpretation of the text. April DeConick, a professor of religion at Rice University in Houston, says the text actually suggests that Judas was a "demon." Analysis of the manuscript and comparison of its contents with the Gospel confirmed that the text is authentic. The research was conducted by a team led by Joseph Barabe of the McCrone Association in Illinois.
Gospel of Judas 8. Dresden Code
The age of the artifact is about 800 years. It is composed of 39 illustrated pages with texts. Research, the results of which were published in 2016, indicates that the Codex records the phases of the planet Venus, according to which the ancient Mayans conducted their rituals.
“These people really had complex rituals, the implementation of which was strictly tied to the calendar,” said University of California, Santa Barbara historian Gerardo Aldan. “They were probably active, the periods of which were associated with the phases of Venus.”
The codex was transferred to the Royal Library of Dresden, Germany, in 1730. How it got to Europe is unknown. It is known that many texts belonging to the Mayan culture were destroyed by Christian missionaries seeking to eradicate any other mention of other faiths.
Dresden list 9. Gospel of Mary Lotta
The manuscript is written in Egyptian Coptic and is approximately 1,500 years old. The Gospel does not tell about the life of Jesus, but his name is mentioned in 37 predictions.
The text contains the story of the creation of the scripture: “ The Gospel of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, from Gabriel the Archangel, who brought good news from the One who will go forward and receive according to his own heart and will be exacted from him.”
The message of antiquity is kept at Harvard University. It was deciphered and the details published in 2014 by Anne Marie Luigendzic, a professor of religion at Princeton University. In his book " Forbidden Oracles. Gospel of Mary Lota“she says that the Gospel is a prediction, an attempt to predict the future. A person seeking an answer could choose one of 37 oracles to find a solution to their problem. How the system worked remains unknown.
The publication was transferred to Harvard in 1984.
Gospel of Mary Lote 10. Liber Linteus
Ancient texts were discovered in the silk covers of an Egyptian mummy. They were written in the Etruscan language used in Italy in ancient times. The artifact dates back to around 200 BC. A mummy with a robe is in the Zagreb Museum in Croatia.
The meaning of the ancient message is unclear. It is presented as a ritual calendar, although there are only six months, said Lammert Bouquet van der Meer, a professor at Leiden University in the book " Prayers, places and rituals in Etruscan religion"(Brill, 2008).
For ancient egypt was characterized by the reuse of materials for wrapping mummies or making death masks. At that time, trade in the Mediterranean Sea was widespread. There is nothing unusual in the fact that the fabric came from Italy to Egypt.
Liber Linteus They probably contained Egyptian magic spells, but the text is written in a language unknown to science. Who knows, maybe any of these ancient manuscripts will be able to revolutionize existing ideas about the universe and history.
OR RNB. F.p. I.5. Ostromir Gospel 1056–1057 L. 66 vol. Initial with a zoomorphic element.
OR RNB. F.p. I.5. Ostromir Gospel 1056–1057 L. 87 vol. Miniature depicting the Evangelist Luke.
At the end of the 10th century. Rus', simultaneously with the establishment of Christianity as state religion, adopted Cyrillic writing, which by that time was already widespread among the southern Slavs.
Collection of Old Russian manuscript books of the Russian National Library in the most in full reflects the history of the Russian handwritten book tradition - from the Ostromir Gospel of the 11th century. to the late Old Believer manuscripts of the early twentieth century.
The subject matter of the material is unusually wide. Here are richly decorated liturgical books and the most important historical monuments– chronicles and chronographic books, books for “spiritual” reading and for practical application- herbalists, medical books, treatises on military affairs, various areas of medieval knowledge, and even textbooks for reading texts written in cursive. Of particular interest are his collections, which contain works of various genres: theological treatises, monuments of teaching eloquence, hagiographic works, plot stories, church polemical works, monuments of Russian journalism, syllabic verses.
OR RNB. Erm. 20. Izbornik. 1076
OR RNB. F.p. I. 36
“Minea Dubrovsky” (Minea service for July).
The exceptional value of the ancient Russian collections of the National Library is emphasized by the fact that it is here that monuments are kept, to which the definition of “first” can rightfully be applied - in the sense of “the oldest that has survived to this day”). First of all, this is the famous Ostromir Gospel of 1056–1057 - the oldest surviving precisely dated Russian handwritten book. A manuscript created during an era of cultural upsurge and flourishing ancient Russian state for the St. Sophia Cathedral of Veliky Novgorod - the main temple of northwestern Rus' - and which witnessed a thousand-year development of Russian culture, is included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
OR RNB. Soph. 1.
Panteleimon's Gospel (Aprakos complete). Con. XII - beginning XIII century (?). Novgorod or Novgorod lands. Scribe Maxim Toshinich
If the Ostromir Gospel is a liturgical book, then the one stored in the Russian national library Izbornik 1076 is the oldest Russian precisely dated handwritten book that has survived to this day, that is, a book of literary content. It contains many articles of a moral and Christian nature, addressed to the secular part of ancient Russian society, primarily to the princely elite. These are the Stoslovets of Gennady of Constantinople, the Wisdom of Jesus' son Sirakhov, Athanasius' answers, etc. The collection was compiled in Rus' according to the model of the Izbornik of 1073, which is a copy of the Bulgarian original.
The key source of all Russian historiography is the Laurentian Chronicle of 1377, stored in the Library since 1811 - the oldest accurately dated Russian chronicle that has survived to this day. The Laurentian Chronicle is a date-forming monument Russian statehood– included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
OR RNB. OLDP. F.6.
Kyiv Psalter. 1397
The oldest precisely dated illustrated Russian handwritten book that has come down to us is also stored in the ancient Russian funds. This is the famous Kiev Psalter of 1397. The manuscript contains more than 300 miniatures illustrating the text or symbolically interpreting it. Before the Kyiv Psalter, Old Russian manuscripts had only “facial” miniatures depicting the author of the text (the evangelists, King David, etc.), members of the princely family, and patron saints of the customer of the manuscript.
OR RNB. F. p. I. 2. Psalter. XIV century
Stylistic sophistication decoration, miniatures, initials turn many monuments of ancient Russian writing into original works art. This is the Frolov Psalter of the 14th century, known to all art historians, decorated with headpieces and initials of the teratological style and interesting with the ornamentation of the initials, including numerous inclusions of human figures.
Unlike countries Western Europe, whose culture developed in cities and universities, in Rus' the most important centers of book culture were monasteries, in which book-writing workshops operated, created literary works, rich libraries were formed. The fact that the collections of the oldest Russian book depositories are located here is of particular value to the ancient Russian collections of the National Library. First of all, this is the library of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral, which contains manuscripts created in various book centers of north-eastern Rus', containing unique lists of monuments ancient Russian literature, for example, the author's list of the Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh by the famous hagiographer Pachomius Logofet. The ancient Panteleimon Gospel with a rare iconographic miniature of St. Panteleimon and St. Catherine, the Sofia set of the Great Menaions of the Fourth Metropolitan Macarius, and many other rarities. In the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library, the libraries of the largest Russian monasteries: Kirillo-Belozersky Uspensky and Solovetsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky are preserved in the integrity of their main array. These collections have brought to this day the most valuable monuments of Russian medieval monastic book culture, such as the manuscripts of the cell library of St. Cyril or the encyclopedic collections of the 15th century monk-scribe Euphrosynus.
OR RNB. Q paragraph I. 32.
Blagoveshchensk Kondakar. Con. XII – beginning XIII century
OR RNB. OSRC. F.IV.233
Facial chronicle. Second half of the 16th century. Laptevsky volume.
Old Russian church singing is widely represented in the Sector's funds. These are more than 1000 notated singing codes of the 12th–20th centuries. (including Old Believers): irmology, octoechos, everyday life, stichirari, triodion, holidays; as well as singing ABCs, intended for the practical development of Znamenny singing. One of the five known manuscripts in the world, distinguished by a special system of musical notation, is kept here - the Annunciation Kontakari of the turn of the 12th–13th centuries.
OR RNB. F. XIV. 62.
Collection of Kirsha Danilov. Last quarter of the 18th century
The traditions of ancient Russian singing art were preserved in the Old Believer environment. Due to the large number and fragmentation of Old Believer communities, liturgical singing in almost each of them had its own local characteristics. The funds of the Sector contain manuscripts from the 18th – 20th centuries, representing the singing art of different centers of the Old Believers, differing not only in content, but also in artistic design.
A separate group of manuscripts consists of notolinear codices, which record both liturgical and secular works of the 17th–19th centuries. They contain panegyric cants and genres of spiritual lyrics. In these manuscripts, anonymous texts coexist with the original poetry of Simeon Polotsky, V.K. Trediakovsky, A.P. Sumarokov, M.V. Lomonosov. This group also includes the most valuable monument folk poetry– The collection of Kirsha Danilov is the first collection of Russian epics and historical songs in Russian folklore, provided with notes.
OR RNB. OSRC. F.IV.482
Journal of N.P. Rezanov’s travel from Kamchatka to Japan. 1804–1805
The Sector of Old Russian Funds also stores handwritten books and other handwritten materials of the 18th–19th centuries that are not specifically related to the Old Russian tradition. These are manuscripts of scientific, historical, literary content, works on military affairs, jurisprudence, and other branches of knowledge, personal diaries, maps, plans, travel albums, etc. The Hermitage contains a valuable set of copy materials - made in the 18th century. for Empress Catherine II, clerk's copies from ancient Russian handwritten books and documents.
In Germany, they were able to decipher a manuscript written in the 18th century and which at one time served as a guide for sorcerers. It is noteworthy that the library staff at the University of Kassel managed to find out the contents of the manuscript. It is known that this place also houses more than ten thousand other ancient documents of international importance.
At first, the employees decided that the text containing the secrets of acquiring wealth and love was written in Arabic, since the signs and symbols depicted in the manuscript were made in an oriental manner. But then a hypothesis was proposed that the document was written in German. In addition, the encryption scheme was not very complex - each letter of the alphabet corresponded to its own symbol. Thus, in just a week it was possible to decipher a 90-page manuscript.
The contents of the book consisted of descriptions of spells for summoning spirits, which were supposed to help one gain wealth, love, and be cured of illnesses. The manuscript also described in detail the procedure for performing each ritual, thereby achieving desired result. So, the document stated that one of the spells would only work if it was cast exactly three hours after midnight. Another spell stated that to achieve the effect, it is necessary to place stones in a circle, and then summon the spirit.
In addition, the ancient text contains a lot of Christian symbolism. In particular, in addition to the mention of angels, the name of Christ is also found there. It is noteworthy that it is written in several languages - Latin, German and Greek. Library staff found it difficult to explain this point, saying that this question is within the competence of historians of religion.
The ancient manuscript does not contain the name of a specific author. Apparently this is due to the fact that he was a member of one of the secret societies. According to scientists, at the end of the 18th century, the greatest interest in magic, alchemy and treasures was shown by Freemasons and Rosicrucians. However, from the contents of the manuscript it is difficult to determine which of them the author belonged to.
Let us remember that the most famous text in the whole world is the so-called Voynich manuscript. Famous cryptologists from all over the world are unsuccessfully trying to decipher it. The document received its name in honor of the antique dealer who acquired it in 1912.
The manuscript is an image codec written in unknown language. Radiocarbon dating of some pages of the document was carried out, as a result of which it was established that it was written between 1404 and 1438.
In 2003, a system was developed that can be used to create texts similar to the Voynich manuscript. Then scientists came to the conclusion that the ancient manuscript is just a set of random symbols that have no meaning. However, ten years later, physicists Marcelo Montemurro and Damiana Zanette conducted additional research, eventually providing evidence that the text has a semantic model, and is therefore an encrypted message.
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