The rise of Gnostic philosphy?
Mr. Ehrman was part of a small team of scholars to authenticate this manuscript when it became available on the world market. The beginning reads like a spy novel, illuminating the shadowy world of ancient artifacts and the story of how this gospel was discovered, hidden, damaged, rediscoved, authenticated, restored, translated and published. Among the many things that are interesting about this gospel is its view of the apocalyptic teachings of Jesus (a very old and common Jewish tradition at the time). When the promised apocalypse DIDN'T come after the crucifixion, this fostered the rise of Gnostic thinking that looked for another explanation of how the universe works and our basic relationship to it. If you are a seeker who wants to understand the philosphical thinking as it was then, this is a great book. It is thought provoking and as ususal for Mr. Ehrman, he raises more questions than can be answered, by simply looking at scripture.
