Remarkable Blending
of Luke and John
in Infancy Thomas,
Protevangelium of James,
and Acts of John
Presentation by Vernon K. Robbins
Opening of Infancy Thomas:
Playing Creation on
the Sabbath:
Reconfiguring John 1
John 1:1-2
Genesis 1:1: IN THE BEGINNING when IN THE BEGINNING was
GOD created the heavens and the earth… THE WORD,
Philo, Conf. Ling. 146-147: God’s Firstborn [is] THE WORD [logos] … he is
called “THE BEGINNING,” and the
Name of God, and HIS WORD, and the
Man after his image … we may be sons of
His invisible image, THE most holy
WORD. For THE WORD is the eldestborn image of God.
Wisdom 9:9: WITH you [GOD] is
wisdom, she who knows your works and
was present when you made the
world.
and THE WORD was WITH
GOD, and the Word was GOD.
2He was IN THE BEGINNING
WITH GOD.
John 1:3, 14
Wisdom 9:1: O God of my
ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made ALL THINGS
THROUGH your WORD.
Wisdom 7:22: Wisdom, the
fashioner of ALL THINGS,
taught me.
3ALL
THINGS came into being
THROUGH him, and without
him not one thing came into
being.
Philo, Gaium 16.118: God would 14And THE WORD became flesh
sooner change into a man than and lived among us,
a man into a god.
and we have seen his glory, the
glory as of a father’s only son,*
full of grace and truth.
Infancy Thomas 2:1-2
1When
this BOY, JESUS, was FIVE YEARS OLD, he was
playing at the ford of a rushing stream.
2He
was COLLECTING THE FLOWING WATER INTO
PONDS
and MADE THE WATER INSTANTLY PURE.
He did this WITH A SINGLE COMMAND.
Genesis
Infancy Thomas 2:1-2
Jesus Separates Earth from
Water
1When
this boy, Jesus, was five
years old, he was playing at the
ford of a rushing stream.
1:9: And God said,
‘Let the WATERS
under the sky be
GATHERED together
into one place, and let
the dry land appear.’
And it was so.
2He
was GATHERING the
flowing WATER into ponds and
made the WATER instantly
pure. He did this with a single
command.
Genesis
Infancy Thomas 2:3, 6
Jesus Shapes Birds from
Earth
2:19: So out of the ground
the LORD God SHAPED
(eplasen) every animal of the
field and every bird of the
air.
3He
then made soft clay and
SHAPED (eplasen) it into twelve
sparrows. He did this on the
sabbath day, and many other
boys were playing with him…
1:20-21: 20And God said, ‘…
let birds FLY above the earth
across the dome of the sky.’
21So God created … every
winged bird of every kind.
And God saw that it was good.
6Jesus
simply clapped his hands
and shouted to the sparrows:
"Be off, FLY away, and remember
me, you who are now alive!" And
the sparrows took off and flew
away noisily.
Age Five: Three Negative Miracles
3:1-4: JESUS CURSES the SON OF ANNAS THE
SCHOLAR, turning him into a WITHERED CORPSE.
4:1-3: JESUS CURSES A BOY, causing him to FALL
DOWN AND DIE.
4:4—5:2: JESUS MAKES THE PARENTS OF THE
DEAD BOY BLIND, because THEY ACCUSED HIM.
Middle of Infancy Thomas:
“Can Anyone Teach
Jesus to Read?”
(Reconfiguring Luke 4)
Three Teachers for Jesus: Infancy Thomas
Age 5:
6:1—8:4: A teacher named ZACCHEUS
tries to TEACH JESUS “HIS LETTERS”
– the GREEK ALPHABET.
Age 8:
14:1-5: “Another teacher” tries to teach Jesus
FIRST GREEK THEN HEBREW.
Age 8:
15:1-7: Another teacher,
“a CLOSE FRIEND OF JOSEPH,”
OFFERS TO TEACH JESUS.
Infancy Thomas 6:1-2, 4, 6
1A
TEACHER BY THE NAME OF ZACCHAEUS … 2 … summoned
Joseph and said to him,
"… Hand him over to me SO HE CAN LEARN HIS LETTERS.
I'll teach him EVERYTHING HE NEEDS TO KNOW
SO AS NOT TO BE UNRULY."
4…
JESUS … SAID TO ZACCHAEUS, "…
6I KNOW WHERE YOU'VE COME FROM
and HOW MANY YEARS YOU'LL LIVE …
I EXISTED WHEN YOU WERE BORN.
If you WISH TO BE A PERFECT TEACHER,
LISTEN TO ME and I'LL TEACH YOU A WISDOM
THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS EXCEPT FOR ME
AND THE ONE WHO SENT ME TO YOU …"
Infancy Thomas 6:22-23; 7:1-2, 4-5
22Then
while many were listening, he [JESUS] SAID TO
ZACCHAEUS, "Listen, teacher, and
OBSERVE THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FIRST LETTER:
23How
it has two straight lines or strokes proceeding to a point in
the middle, gathered together, elevated, dancing,
THREE-CORNERED, two-cornered, not antagonistic,
OF THE SAME FAMILY, providing the alpha has
LINES OF EQUAL MEASURE.“
1…
ZACCHAEUS … 2… SPOKE to those who were present: "…
4THIS CHILD IS NO ORDINARY MORTAL; … PERHAPS
HE WAS BORN BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.
5WHAT SORT OF WOMB BORE HIM,
WHAT SORT OF MOTHER NOURISHED HIM?
--I DON’T KNOW.
Luke 4:16-18
he came to Nazareth,
where he had been brought up,
HE WENT INTO THE
SYNAGOGUE.
Infancy Thomas 15: 3
16When
3JESUS
WENT BOLDLY INTO
THE SCHOOLROOM
HE STOOD UP TO READ, 17and and found A SCROLL lying on
the SCROLL of the prophet
the desk.
Isaiah was given to him.
He unrolled the SCROLL and
He took the SCROLL but DID
FOUND THE PLACE WHERE IT NOT READ THE LETTERS IN
WAS WRITTEN:
IT.
SPIRIT OF THE LORD is … he opened HIS MOUTH and
upon me…
SPOKE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
…
18‘The
Luke 4:22-23
Infancy Thomas 15:4, 6-7
4A
22All
testified of him and
MARVELED at the
GRACIOUS WORDS that CAME
FROM HIS MOUTH.
They said, ‘Is not this JOSEPH’S
SON?’
large crowd gathered and stood
listening to him, and they
MARVELED at the
MATURITY OF HIS TEACHING
and HIS READINESS OF HIS
WORDS - a mere child able to say
such things.
6But
the teacher said to JOSEPH,
"… already he is full of much
GRACE and WISDOM. So …
brother, to take him back HOME."
the child heard this, he
said to them, ‘Doubtless you
immediately smiled at him and
will recite to me this proverb,
said, "Because you have spoken
“Doctor, HEAL yourself!”
and testified rightly, that other
And you will say, “Do here also in
teacher who was struck down will
your HOME town the things that we be HEALED." And right away he
have heard you did at Capernaum.” was HEALED. JOSEPH took his
child and went HOME.
23He
7When
Healings after Third Teacher
Age Eight:
16:1-2: Heals his brother James from a snake bite
17:1-4: Raises a child from death by touching him on the chest
Age Nine:
18:3: Raises a construction worker who had fallen to his death
by taking his hand
This final healing concludes with:
3The
crowd saw this and marveled:
"THIS CHILD'S FROM HEAVEN - he must be, because
HE HAS SAVED MANY SOULS FROM DEATH,
and HE CAN GO ON SAVING ALL HIS LIFE."
Closing of Infancy Thomas:
12-year old Jesus in the
Temple (Luke 2) with Mary
at Cana touch (John 2)
Luke 2:41-44
41 Now every year his parents
went to Jerusalem for the
festival of the Passover. 42And
when he was twelve years old,
they went up as usual for the
festival.
Infancy James 19:1-3
1When
he was twelve years old
his parents went to Jerusalem,
as usual, for the Passover
festival, along with their fellow
travelers.
43When
the festival was ended and 2After Passover they started to
they started to return, the boy
return home. But while on their
Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, way, the boy Jesus went back up
but his parents did not know it.
to Jerusalem.
44Assuming
that he was in the
group of travellers, they went a
day’s journey. Then they started
to look for him among their
relatives and friends.
His parents, of course, assumed
that he was in the group of
travellers. 3After they had
traveled one day’s journey, they
started to look for him among
their relatives.
Luke 2:45-47
Infancy Thomas 19:3-5
45When
they did not find him,
they returned to Jerusalem to
search for him.
When they did not find him,
they were worried and returned
again to the city to search for
him.
46After
three days they found
him in the temple, sitting
among the teachers, listening
to them and asking them
questions.
4After
47And
5All
everyone who heard him
was amazed at his understanding
and his answers.
three days they found
him in the temple area, sitting
among the teachers, listening
to the law and asking them
questions.
eyes were on him, and
everyone was astounded that he,
a mere child, could interrogate
the elders and teachers of the
people and explain the main
points of the law and the parables
of the prophets.
Luke 2:48-50
Infancy Thomas 19:6-10
48When
his parents saw him they were
astonished; and his mother said to
him, “Child, why have you treated
us like this? Look, your father and I
have been searching for you in
great anxiety.”
6HIS
49He
said to them, “Why were you
searching for me? Did you not
know that I must be in my
Father’s house?”
7Jesus
50But
8Then
they did not understand what he
said to them.
MOTHER MARY came up and
said to him, "Child, why have you
done this to us? Look, we have
been searching for you in great
anxiety."
said to them, "Why were
you searching for me? Did you
not know that I must be in my
father's house?"
the scholars and Pharisees said,
"Are you the mother of this child?"
9She
said, "I AM.“
10And
they said to her, "You more than
any woman are to be congratulated,
for God has blessed the fruit of your
womb! For we've never seen nor
heard SUCH GLORY and such virtue
and wisdom."
Luke 2:51-52
Infancy Thomas 19:11-13
51Then
he went down with them 11Jesus got up and went to his
and came to Nazareth, and was mother, and was obedient to
obedient to them.
his parents.
His mother treasured all
these things in her heart.
His mother treasured all that
had happened.
52 And Jesus continued to
grow in wisdom and in
years,* and in divine and
human favor.
12And
Jesus continued to
grow in wisdom and in years,
and HE WAS GLORIFIED BY
HIS [DIVINE] FATHER.
[Added later] 13SHE [MARY]
GLORIFIED HIM [JESUS] with
the Father and the holy spirit
both now and always and forever
and ever. Amen.
Opening of Infancy Thomas:
Playing Creation on
the Sabbath:
Reconfiguring John 1
Infancy Thomas 15:
“Can Anyone Teach
5-8 yr old Jesus to Read?”
(Reconfiguring Luke 4)
Closing of Infancy Thomas:
12-year old Jesus in the
Temple (Luke 2) with Mary
at Cana touch (John 2)
Protevangelium of James:
Commonly known as
Infancy James
Priestly Ritual Beginning: Infancy James
Reconfiguring Incense Offering
of Zechariah in Luke 1
InfJas 1:2–5: Joachim (future father of Mary) offered
double offerings to the Lord, but they were refused,
because he and his wife Anna were childless.
5:5–9: Through the Lord’s favor and appearance of the
Lord’s angel to both Joachim and Anna, a child Mary was
born.
7:4–10: When Mary turned three, her parents took her
to the Temple, where she grew up until twelve, when
she was assigned to Joseph.
Annunciation by Angel: Infancy James 11
Johannine Reconfiguring
of Annunciation
in Luke 1
InfJas 11:5: The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary.
Behold, you have found favor in the sight of the Lord of
all. You will conceive BY MEANS OF HIS WORD (EK
LOGOU AUTOU).
11:6: Mary asked, “Will I give birth the way women
usually do?” The angel said, “No, because the POWER
OF GOD (DYNAMIS TOU THEOU) will overshadow
you. ”
Birth of Jesus: Infancy James 19
Johannine Reconfiguring of Jesus’ Birth
in Luke 2
InfJas 19:12–13: The midwife went with Joseph. As they
stood in front of THE CAVE, A DARK CLOUD
OVERSHADOWED IT.
19:15–16: Suddenly the cloud withdrew from the cave
and an INTENSE LIGHT (PHOS MEGA) appeared
inside the cave, so that their eyes could not bear to
look. And a little later that LIGHT RECEDED until an
INFANT BECAME VISIBLE; he took the breast of his
mother Mary.
BABY JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD AS LIGHT AND
BECAME FLESH (John 1:9, 14).
Doubting Midwife: Infancy James
Reconfiguring of Doubting Thomas
in John 20:25
InfJas 19:18: The midwife met Salome and said to her,
“Salome, Salome, let me tell you about a new marvel
(theamai): A VIRGIN HAS GIVEN BIRTH, and you
know that is IMPOSSIBLE.”
19:19: And Salome replied, “As the Lord my God lives,
UNLESS I PUT MY FINGER (John 20:25: balo ton
daktylon mou) and examine her nature, I WILL NEVER
BELIEVE that a virgin has given birth.”
Touching, disbelief, punishment,
Restoration, worship: Infancy James 20
Johannine Reconfiguring of movement from
Disbelief to Worship of the Lord
InfJas 20:2: SALOME TOUCHED and her hand started
to disappear and be consumed by flames.
20:5: Then SALOME FELL ON HER KNEES in the
presence of the Lord, with these words: “God of my
ancestors, remember me because I am a descendant of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…” An angel of the Lord
appeared and said, “The Lord of all has heard your
prayer. HOLD OUT YOUR HAND TO THE CHILD, PICK
HIM UP, and you will have salvation and joy.”
Doubting Salome
is restored
InfJas 20:10: SALOME approached the child and picked
him up with these words: “I WILL WORSHIP HIM
(προσκυνήσω; cf. John 9:38) because he has been born
to be king of Israel.”
20:11: And Salome was instantly healed and left the
cave vindicated.
20:12: Then a voice said abruptly, “Salome, Salome, do
not report the marvels (paradoxa) you have seen until
the child goes to Jerusalem.”
Protevangelium of James:
Reconfigures Priestly Beginnings in
Luke 1–2
with Johannine Virgin Birth
through Logos who
Comes into the World
as Light who Becomes Flesh
Acts of John
87–105
Johannine Reconfiguration of
Transfiguration in Luke 9
Ajohn 90: We saw him at a distance PRAYING ON THE
MOUNTAIN. Then I, since he loved me, went quietly up
to him, as if he could not see, and stood looking at his
HIND PARTS; and I saw him not dressed in clothes at
all, but stripped of those we usually saw upon him, and
NOT LIKE A MAN AT All. And I saw that his FEET
WERE WHITER THAN SNOW, so that the GROUND
there was LIT UP BY HIS FEET; and his head stretched
up to heaven, so that I was afraid and cried out; and he,
turning about, appeared as a small man and caught hold
of my beard and pulled it and said to me, “John do not
be faithless, but believing, and not inquisitive.”
Johannine Reconfiguring of
Dinners in Luke 7, 11, 14
Ajohn 93: And if ever he were invited by one of the
Pharisees and went where he was invited, we went with
him; and one loaf was laid before each one of us by
those who had invited (us), and so he also would take
one; but he would bless his and divide it among us; and
every man was satisfied by that little piece, and our
loaves were kept intact, so that those who had invited
him were amazed.
Johannine Reconfiguration of
Crucifixion in John 19
Ajohn 97: I (John) fled to the Mount of Olives and wept.
And when he was hug upon the cross on Friday, at the
sixth hour of the day there came a darkness over the
whole earth. And MY LORD STOOD IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE CAVE AND GAVE LIGHT TO IT and said,
“John for the people below in Jerusalem I am being
crucified and pierced with lances and reeds, and given
vinegar and gall to drink. But to you I am speaking, and
listen to what I speak. I put into your mind to come up
to this mountain so you may hear what a disciple should
learn from his teacher and a man from God.”
Johannine Reconfiguration of
Crucifixion in John 19
Ajohn 98: When he had said this he showed me a
CROSS OF LIGHT … A sweet and gentle and truly voice
of God said to me, “John … the CROSS OF LIGHT is
sometimes called Logos by me for your sakes,
sometimes mind, sometimes Jesus, sometimes Christ,
sometimes a door, sometimes a way, sometimes bread,
sometimes seed, sometimes resurrection, sometimes
Son, sometimes Father, sometimes Spirit, sometimes
life, sometimes truth, sometimes faith, sometimes
grade; and so it is called for the sake of humans.
Johannine Reconfiguration of
Crucifixion in John 19 cont.
Ajohn 101: And the voice said, “You must know me as
the TORMENT OF THE LOGOS, the PIERCING of the
Logos, the BLOOD of the Logos, the WOUNDING of
the Logos, the FASTENING of the Logos, the DEATH of
the Logos.
And so I speak, discarding the man. The FIRST then
that you must KNOW is THE LOGOS; THEN you shall
know THE LORD, and THIRDLY THE MAN, and WHAT
HE HAS SUFFERED.”
Acts of John 87–105:
Johannine Reconfiguration
of Lukan Transfiguration,
Meals with Pharisees, Crucifixion, and
Ascension
with Johannine Cross of Light in Cave
on Mount of Olives
That's all!
Many thanks for
your attention and
interest!