Random Controversial Versions Of Popular Bible Stories (14 items)

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  (#13) The 'Gospel Of Philip' Says That Mary Was Never A Virgin Because The Holy Spirit Was A Woman

  The "Gospel of Philip" lays out a simple and forceful case against it. It claims the Holy Spirit is a female entity, stating:

  Some said, "Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit." They are in error. They do not know what they are saying. Whenever has a female been impregnated by a female?

  The "Gospel of Philip" is not the only Gnostic text that believes the Holy Spirit is female. In the "Gospel of Thomas," Jesus calls the Holy Spirit "mother." It's worth noting that early translations of the Bible also refer to the Holy Spirit with a feminine noun. It's likely many pseudo-Christian traditions included a female Holy Spirit because most pagan pantheons included a central male and his consort, like Zeus and Hera, or Odin and Frigg.
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  (#9) In The 'Gospel Of Mary,' Mary Is Jesus's Most Trusted Apostle

  Mary Magdalene is conventionally understood to have been a kind of holy groupie to Jesus, and mistakenly believed to be a former prostitute (there is no evidence of this in the canonical Bible). In the "Gospel of Mary," however, Mary herself is an apostle of Jesus who received special teaching and instruction.

  After Jesus returns from the afterlife and ascends to heaven, the other apostles are grief-stricken. They ask Mary what Jesus told her in their special instruction. Rather than tell them that, Mary tells them of a vision of Christ she had earlier that day.

  Much of the substance of this gospel remains lost. However, after Mary finishes relating her vision, the others argue about whether or not to believe her, with Peter being the most skeptical. However, an apostle named Levi shames Peter and they all agree to go out and preach this new vision to the world.
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  (#1) In The 'Hypostasis Of The Archons,' Noah's Wife Burns Down The Ark

  Noah's wife is unnamed in the Bible, but in the Gnostic gospels she is called Norea. She is Eve's first daughter and has special knowledge and powers. In the Gospel "Hypostasis of the Archons," Norea is a key player in the drama of Noah's ark.

  When Noah is first charged to construct an ark, Norea argues against it. In this gospel, God decides to end mankind not because humans are wicked but because they're growing too wise and God is jealous. Norea objects to the idea of the ark and eventually conspires to burn it down.

  Noah rebuilds the ark, and Norea is targeted by the forces of evil, which are bent on sexually assaulting her. At the last minute, she calls out to God, who sends an angel to protect her.
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  (#6) In The 'Infancy Gospel Of Thomas,' Jesus Causes A Young Boy To Wither Away

  This Gnostic text describes a story from Jesus's youth. One day, while playing near a brook, Jesus makes a series of little pools and molds 12 sparrows out of clay. Because it is the Sabbath (when Jews are prohibited from doing work), another child uses a stick to break up Jesus's pools of water, ruining his game.

  Now, the canonical Jesus would likely take this in stride and forgive the boy. But this is a much younger Jesus, with a child's temperament. Instead of forgiving his playmate, Jesus says, "O evil, ungodly, and foolish one, what hurt did the pools and the waters do thee? Behold, now also thou shalt be withered like a tree." The boy then withers up and expires.
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  (#12) The 'Gospel Of Thomas' Implies Thomas Was Jesus's Twin Brother

  Whether Jesus had siblings or not is a matter of debate among Catholics and Protestants. Some Protestant faiths believe Jesus had several siblings, or at least one brother, James. Catholic doctrine has generally held that Mary was a virgin her entire life, and any siblings of Jesus mentioned in the Bible were descended from Joseph by a previous marriage. The "Gospel of Thomas" states Thomas was not only Jesus's brother, but also his twin.

  The opening lines of the gospel say, "These are the secret words which the living Jesus spoke, and the twin, Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down." This is not subtle, as Thomas and Didymos mean "twin" in both Hebrew and Greek, respectively. It's akin to saying, "This is the gospel written by a twin whose name was Twin Judas Twin."

  If Thomas was Jesus's identical twin, it lends some weight to the substitution hypothesis (which says Jesus was substituted for someone else and never actually perished on the cross), as well as adding a new dimension to the story of Thomas doubting Jesus's passing.
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  (#5) The 'Gospel Of Judas' Claims Jesus Asked Judas To Turn Him Over To The Authorities

  Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver is a defining moment in the canonical gospels. Judas's sin is considered so great that Dante Alighieri, in his seminal poem Inferno, places Judas not only in the lowest circle of hell but in the eternally gnawing maw of Lucifer. However, in the "Gospel of Judas," Jesus's arrest at Gethsemane is given a completely different interpretation.

  This gospel claims its source to be one-on-one conversations with Judas himself. According to the text, the historical ill-treatment of Judas is entirely uncalled for, as he was working for Jesus all along. In this version of the story, the betrayal was planned.

  To free himself of his human body, Jesus chooses Judas, his closest friend, to set him up for the Romans. For the sake of his friend, Judas sacrifices himself and his reputation for all eternity.

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