Jesus in Egypt

[Pavel Mosko]

I've noticed some Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglicans & Episcopals wishing that there was more activity on the OO board, so I decided to shift some of my own blogging and other posting internet posting impulses in that direction.


For this thread I present what probably is the most controversial end of the Coptic heritage namely the tradition that Christ did miracles in Egypt prior to his main ministry in Israel. I say this "controversial" because the few people that tend to typically talk about this sort of thing tend to so in purely in reference to some of the apocryphal and gnostic texts (and tend to take it as purely legendary, spurious etc.), but what they don't realize is that there is some extra evidence and orthodox Christian testimony that would corroborate that idea. Besides that point, historically and theologically speaking I can make a number of contextual points from the New Testament where I can argue why such a notion that many likely find troubling is actually in the realm of possibility.

Anyway I hope you find this article from Beliefnet.com interesting. It is also something I also lifted and used in my earlier days of Coptic Church Blogging.


Toddler Jesus Topples Egyptian Idols!

 

[Not David]

That's interesting, I just remember a book telling Christ made birds out of clay and killed/resurrected some children.

 

[Stranger36147]

Oh boy. All these stories about Jesus....being in Egypt. Being in India. Being in Japan.


Is there anywhere where he hasn't been?

 

[TheLostCoin]

Oh boy. All these stories about Jesus....being in Egypt. Being in India. Being in Japan.


Is there anywhere where he hasn't been?

The Americas, but the Mormons claim He has.

 

[Stranger36147]

The Americas, but the Mormons claim He has.

I was going to say the Americas too, but I don't want to offend any Mormons that might be here.

 

[TheLostCoin]

In all seriousness, Jesus was actually in Egypt, according to the Gospels during the Reign of Herod. It would make sense that there are some uniquely Egyptian traditions, because the Gospel says that they dwelt in Egypt for a significant period of time - until Herod passed away.

The Gospels don't say anything more than that, other than dwelling in Egypt

 

[Not David]

Oh boy. All these stories about Jesus....being in Egypt. Being in India. Being in Japan.


Is there anywhere where he hasn't been?

The North Pole.

 

[TheLostCoin]

It should also be noted that some Apocryphal books can be kind of murky, because a lot of them actually either reflect already existing Christian Tradition, or they are the sources of Christian Tradition. The Shepherd of Hermas was a very influential work but was later dismissed for its suggestions of Arianism; The story of the Virgin Mary's life can be found in the Proto-Evangelium of James; the Acts of Thomas tells the story of Saint Thomas's evangelism to India; the story of Saint Peter's martyrdom can be found in the Acts of Peter; the Book of Enoch was obvious influential in it's Trinitarian suggestions, despite it's weird theology on the materiality of angels; the Acts of Andrew have the story of Saint Andrew's martyrdom; the "Life of Adam and Eve" has the Roman Catholic (and Islamic) tradition of Satan refusing to venerate Adam and Eve; etc.

My priest said that one should approach these works in the same fashion as one would approach say something like C.S. Lewis; there may be a lot of good content, but be careful for stuff that you obviously won't agree with theologically.

 

[prodromos]

I was also under the impression that the Copts had a strong tradition regarding a young James accompanying his father Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus on their flight into Egypt, however a brief search of Coptic icons has not given much support to that idea.
Can anyone provide support from icons or hymns, or was I mistaken regarding this?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I was also under the impression that the Copts had a strong tradition regarding a young James accompanying his father Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus on their flight into Egypt, however a brief search of Coptic icons has not given much support to that idea.
Can anyone provide support from icons or hymns, or was I mistaken regarding this?

I guess that could be true but this is the first I've heard about it.