I am posting here a worksheet I have prepared for my own ongoing reading around the Ascension of Isaiah. There are some good reasons to think that the “pocket gospel” in the Ascension of Isaiah, 11:2-22, is an interpolation and not part of the original text. But on the other hand there are others who are persuaded that 11:2-22 was part of the original text. That’s a question I will address, pros and cons, in a future post.
The following table expands on the gospel as found in chapter 11 by adding details mentioned in earlier chapters.
Just as fascinating is the account in Asc. Isa. of what happens after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. We read of a story of apostasy and some sort of Anti-Christ figure emerging on the eve of Christ’s return to resurrect and condemn all the wicked.
So the following highlights of the Asc. Isa. “gospel” are not presented with the suggestion that they were part of the original text. No, I really don’t know if they were or not. But either way they clearly are an early form of gospel that in many ways stands quite apart from our canonical gospels.
The table is hardly a comprehensive layout of the other early non-canonical gospels. I’ve only selected a few details that in some way relate to the Asc. Isa. and/or show other non-canonical parallels with Justin’s account of the gospel.
There are several quite interesting details in the Asc. Isa. gospel account when we read it carefully. For instance, Mary is said to be from the family of “David the Prophet”. Why is David said to be “the Prophet” and not the King? An answer may come to mind when we realize that a larger theme of the Asc. Isa. is false versus true prophets and the persecution, even martyrdom, of the true prophets. This is another little detail of a larger theme I have brought up in other posts — that the David motif in the intertestamental period was often wrapped in ideas of suffering, unjust persecution, righteousness, rather than conquering militarily.
Ascension of Isaiah3:13-18 9:5, 13-17 11:2-22 |
Gospel of Peter |
Infancy Gospel of James (Prot-
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JustinFA=First Apology |
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No angel appears to Mary to explain to her why she is pregnant |
Gabriel’s announcement to Mary; “Be it according to thy word” 11:2; 12:2 |
Gabriel’s announcement to Mary; “Be it according to thy word”
DT100 |
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| Isaiah is told in his heavenly ascent that he will be called Jesus and Christ
9:5, 13 |
Angel to virgin: …call his name Jesus for he shall save from sins 11:3 |
Angel to virgin: …call his name Jesus for he shall save from sins
FA33 |
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| “Born” of virgin Mary — but Jesus suddenly appears in front of Mary and she is no longer pregnant — no actual birth is described
11:13 |
Born of virgin Mary 19:3 |
Born of virgin
DT23,63,66,71,84,85 |
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| He will be appear like and be thought to be a man
9:13 |
No human generation
DT32, 43 FA51 Not descended from men, seed not from humans DT63, 68 |
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| Mary was of family of “David the Prophet”
11:2 |
Mary was of family of David
10:1 |
Mary was of house of David DT76 |
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| Joseph, a carpenter, was also of family of “righteous David”
11:2 |
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| Joseph “came into his lot” and Mary was “espoused” to him.
11:3 |
Joseph was chosen by lot to marry Mary 9:1; 19:1 |
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| Joseph wanted to put Mary away, but an angel appeared to him and changed his mind. Kept it a secret from everyone.
11:3-4 |
Joseph wanted to put Mary away; a dream changed this 14:1-2 |
Joseph wanted to put Mary away; a dream changed this DT78 |
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Census from Augustus 17:1 |
Census under Quirinius/Cyrenius FA34 |
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Joseph left home — no reference to Nazareth — for Bethlehem 17:1-2 |
Joseph left home in Nazareth to enrol in Bethlehem, since he was of the tribe of Judah in that region DT78 |
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| In Asc. Isa. Mary is “born” in a house |
Joseph found a cave for Mary; set his sons to protect her while he went to search Bethlehem for a midwife 18:1 |
No lodging room at Bethlehem So found a cave near village there DT78 |
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After two months, still a virgin, and with both Joseph and Mary alone in Joseph’s house in Bethlehem, Mary was astonished to suddenly saw a small babe in front of her, and she was still a virgin with her womb restored as before. 11:7-9 |
Herod learns Christ is to be born in Bethlehem 21:2 |
Jesus born at Bethlehem FA34 |
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Joseph could not understand Mary’s astonishment until his eyes “were opened” and then he, too, saw the child. A voice came to them both, “Tell this vision to no one.” 11:10-11 |
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But people nonetheless heard that a child had been born. But they were all confused with different accounts of what had happened: “they were all blinded respecting Him and they all knew regarding Him, though they knew not whence He was.” 11:12-14 |
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To hide the child from Herod Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and put him in an ox manger 22:2 |
Jesus placed in manger
DT78 |
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Star told Magi that a king had been born in Judea 21:2 |
Star told Magi that a king had been born in Judea
DT78 |
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Magi are from the East 21:1 |
Magi in/from Arabia
DT78 |
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Magi came to worship Jesus 21:2 |
Magi come to worship him at his birth | ||
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Magi first see Herod 21:2 |
Magi first see Herod | ||
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The wise men and high priests tell Herod Christ is to be born in Bethlehem 21:2 |
Herod learns from elders Christ to be born in Bethlehem | ||
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Magi present him with gold, frank, myrrh 21:3 |
Magi present him with gold, frank, myrrh
DT78 |
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Not to go through Judea, Herod tricked 21:4 |
Warned in dream not to return to Herod
DT78 |
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Herod plotted to kill him 22:1
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Herod plotted to kill him
DT102 |
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Herod killing all children, including seeking John the Baptist 22-23 |
With Jesus in Egypt Herod massacred children in Bethlehem born at same time DT103 – Jeremiah’s prophecy |
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Rama = Arabia- thus fulfilled prophecy to take power of Damascus and spoils of Samaria – releasing power of demon over Magi at his birth DT78 |
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Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Nazareth in Galilee. . . . 11:15 All of this happened unknown to all the heavens, princes and gods of this world. 11:16 |
Joseph in Egypt till another vision told him to return to Judea DT78 |
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| In Nazareth he “sucked the breast as a babe as is customary in order that he might not be recognized.”
11:17 |
Jesus escaped notice of others till adult
FA35 |
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Once an adult he performed miracles in the land of Israel and Jerusalem. 11:18 |
Jesus came to Jews, healed the maimed, deaf, lame from birth, blind, raised the dead
DT69, FA48,31 |
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He taught twelve disciples 3:13 |
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| The demonic power saw him performing signs and envied him so stirred up the children of Israel against him. . . not knowing who he was.
11:19 |
Seized and crucified on Passover
DT111 |
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| The children of Israel delivered him to the king
11:19 |
Arrested at night at Mt Olives by those sent by Pharisees and Scribes
DT103 |
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Herod and Jews use Pilate to cover their plot 8(28-30), 11(47-49) |
Pilate, Herod, Jews, Roman soldiers conspired against Christ
FA40 |
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Herod and his judges and Jews sentenced him to crucifixion 1(1-2) |
Jewish synagogue sentenced him to crucifixion
DT104 |
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Herod responsible for crucifixion; pierced by Jews, synagogue of wicked, under Pilate 1-7(1-25) |
Herod responsible for crucifixion; pierced by Jews, synagogue of wicked, under Pilate
DT32,85,104 FA13 |
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| Persecuted and tortured by children of Israel
3:13 |
Scourged 3(9) |
Scourged
DT89 |
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Jews pierce their king 1-7(1-25) |
Jews pierce their king
DT14,32,64,97,98,104,118, FA13 |
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| the day before the sabbath
3:13 crucified him on a tree in Jerusalem 11 He descended to the angel of Sheol 11:19 |
Crucified on tree
DT15 |
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| The Twelve who were with him were offended because of him
11:14 |
After crucified, all acquaintances and disciples denied him and forsook him and dispersed 7(26) |
After crucified, all acquaintances and disciples denied him and forsook him and dispersed
FA50 DT53 |
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Those who crucified him shook head, distorted lips, twisted noses to each other, mocking his claim: “He was the Son of God….!” 3(9) |
Those who crucified him shook head, distorted lips, twisted noses to each other, mocking his claim: “He was the Son of God….!”
DT101 |
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On cross: “My power” in place of “My God” 5(19) |
On cross: “Oh my God why have you forsaken me”
DT99 |
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On cross till buried at evening 2(5) 5(15) 6(22-23) |
On cross till buried at evening
DT97 104 |
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nails pierced hands 6(21) |
Nails pierced hands and feet
DT97,104 |
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Garments parted/lots 4(12) |
Garments parted/lots
DT 97, 104 |
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| A watch was placed on his sepulchre
11:14 |
Soldiers kept watch over sepulchre
9(35) |
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| Christ’s reign begins with his death
DT 73, FA 41 |
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| After the third day he rose again
11:21 |
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Resurrected Sunday first day of week
DT 41 |
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| Gabriel and Michael descend and open the sepulchre and escort the Beloved sitting on their shoulders
3:16-17 |
Two men descend from heaven, roll back the stone, and supporting Jesus bring him out of the tomb.
36-40 |
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| He remained some days
11:21 |
On resurrection Sunday taught his disciples weekly church meetings, the eucharist, Sunday prayers, readings, handouts for poor
FA 65-67 cf. DT 51 |
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| Christ gave believers bread & cup — These were to remind he had been flesh
DT70 |
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| He sent out the Twelve Apostles
11:22 who taught all nations of the cross, the resurrection and ascension. 3:18 |
The apostles went out from Jerusalem to preach about him
FA39, 49 |
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| Ascended to heaven
11:22 |
Ascended to heaven
FA 51, 46 |
Neil Godfrey
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