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Ancient texts nearly erased
from history.
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Shocking revelations
from eyewitness accounts.
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And forbidden knowledge
that could forever change
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our very notion of god.
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To billions of faithful
around the world,
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the bible is the single
most important document
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in human history.
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Its contents are believed
to be authoritative,
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infallible and unquestionable.
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The word of god.
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But is it possible that the
bible we've been reading
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for thousands of years
has been compromised
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by everything from
flawed translations
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to conflicting
religious agendas?
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Well,
that is what we'll try and find out.
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According to scholars,
the book known as the bible
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began as a series of stories
that were first written down
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thousands of years ago.
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But given the fact
that these stories
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have been continuing,
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subjected to centuries of editing,
translation
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and reinterpretation,
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just who was the
bible's original author,
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and how close are
today's versions of it
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to the original texts?
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Many people
would take it on faith
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that the text that
they're reading,
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the received tradition
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is actually somehow
inspired by god.
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And the hebrew
bible is ascribed...
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At least the torah portion...
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Is ascribed to moses.
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And then other prophets
wrote their prophetic books,
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but this old testament
was written over a very
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long period of time by
multiple different people.
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As far as the
faithful are concerned,
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the bible was
inspired and authored
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not by man, but by god.
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But even if that's true,
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is there any way to prove it?
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Qumran. The british
mandate of palestine. 1946.
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In the arid hills along
the northwest shores
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of the dead sea,
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a bedouin shepherd tending
his flock stumbles upon
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a long-lost cave.
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Once inside,
he makes an incredible discovery.
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A number of sand-covered clay jars,
each containing
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numerous scrolls of parchment
and papyrus written in hebrew,
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aramaic and greek,
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and each more
than 2,000 years old.
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The ancient texts contain
fragments of all but one
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of the 39 books of
the old testament,
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and eventually come to be
known as the dead sea scrolls.
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The most significant
archeological discovery
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of the 20th century,
in fact of modern times,
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has been the dead sea scrolls.
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This was a collection of
writings that was produced
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by a group of jews living
in about the same time
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and about the same
place as jesus himself.
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With the discovery of
the dead sea scrolls,
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scholars got a glimpse
of actual biblical texts...
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Hand-written texts that
were a thousand years older
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than the previously
oldest text that we had.
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Of the 972 manuscripts
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that make up the
dead sea scrolls,
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many contradict what is found
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in more modern
versions of the bible.
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These discrepancies have
left generations of scholars
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and theologians
scratching their heads,
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and have also invited some to
question whether the holy book
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is the work of god or man.
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One thing that came clear
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when the dead sea
scrolls were discovered is
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there is not just
one textual tradition.
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For example, in cave 1,
where the great isaiah scroll
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was discovered,
this almost perfectly-preserved scroll
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contains all 66 chapters
of the book of isaiah
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and is virtually identical
to the text of isaiah
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that we have in our english
translations of the bible today.
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However,
there was a second scroll of isaiah
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found in the same cave
that represents almost
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an entirely different
edition of the book
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than what we have in our bibles.
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And scholars today have to
look at these little fragments
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and say,
"which one is more authentic?"
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which is a hard question.
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One of the
reasons the bible's origins
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remain a mystery isn't
merely a matter of who
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or how many people wrote it,
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but what language it
was originally written in.
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00:05:02,344 --> 00:05:04,531
One of the secrets
among scholars and those who do
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the study of ancient
language and the translation
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is that there wasn't a lot
of punctuation in hebrew,
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and many greek manuscripts,
there weren't spaces.
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So the classic
example is the phrase,
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"god is now here,"
or "god is nowhere."
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if you write all those
letters together,
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you don't know whether the
text is saying "god is now here"
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or "god is nowhere."
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depending on how you
break up the word "now here"
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or "nowhere,"
that says the opposite.
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I mean it's, is god here,
or is he not?
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And depending on how you
break that word up, it's a big deal.
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As if questions
of mistranslation
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aren't confusing enough,
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we also know that for
more than 1,000 years,
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the official bible was one
that had been translated
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into yet another language.
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A language that most
people couldn't even read:
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Latin.
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The roman catholic
church wanted the latin bible
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to be the bible,
and the idea of putting the bible
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into a vernacular language so
an average person could read it
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was strictly forbidden.
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The church wanted
to keep control
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over the message of the bible.
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And so there was
an official translation
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that was the only one
that was to be used,
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and the priests were
the ones that were to do
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the interpretation and so forth.
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Even as late as 16th century,
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possession of an unlicensed
bible carried a death sentence.
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In 1536, english scholar
and linguist william tyndale
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was executed for the
crime of translating the bible
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from the vulgate,
or the traditional latin,
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into english.
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But all this changed
when the english monarch
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king henry viii became
embroiled in a bitter battle
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with pope clement vii
over the king's request
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for an annulment to
the king's marriage
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to queen catherine of aragon.
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Henry's desire to
take on a new wife
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would eventually lead
to a break with rome
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and the creation of
the church of England.
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As different countries,
different kings came to power,
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they needed the blessing
of the pope at the vatican
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to do certain things, like,
for instance, get divorced.
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And when the pope said no,
there were some,
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like henry viii, who said,
"you know what?
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"I'm gonna form my own church,
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"and we're gonna
have our own clergy
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"and our own hierarchy,
and we're gonna use the bible
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as the foundation of it,
and we're gonna do our own thing."
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In 1539,
henry viii commissioned the publication
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of what was then
called the great bible.
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Translated into english,
it contained much
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that was nearly identical
to the tyndale translation,
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minus some of that version's
more controversial passages.
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And in 1539, henry brings out,
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with his picture on the title page,
a bible
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that has been
commissioned by him,
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and it's called the great bible,
or the king's bible.
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It shows the king
in what we think of
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as the prime real estate
place of a title page:
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Top and center.
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And he is holding out
copies of the translated bible
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to his statesmen on one side
and his churchmen on the other.
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And they are receiving it,
some of them on their knees.
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So it is definitely
a portrait of power.
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And after him, all monarchs
want their own bible in England.
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We know these
books have discrepancies in them
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and contradictions
among themselves.
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They are at odds
with one another.
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They're not
disinterested history
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the way we would
think of it today.
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These authors
had a goal in mind.
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They had an agenda.
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And they included
only those stories
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that made their point.
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There comes a point
when you realize
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that interpretation is
nine-tenths of the law.
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But if you believe that
the bible is inerrant,
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infallible,
the verbatim word of god,
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that causes a problem.
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Because now we have to
ask what did god really say?
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While the stories of the
bible may have been divinely inspired,
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it seems that the book
we read today has more of
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man's fingerprints
on it than god's.
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So, if this is the case,
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how can one know which
is the true word of god?
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Perhaps for the answer,
it's best to search
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not within the
pages of the bible,
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but outside of them,
in the pages
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of the parts of the bible
that were edited out.
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It is estimated
that 100 million bibles
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are printed and
purchased every year,
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all across the world.
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But not all bibles are the same.
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The most obvious difference,
of course,
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is that judaism only recognizes
what christians refer to
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as the old testament.
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But even christians
use different versions
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of the old and new testaments.
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These vary not only in
language and translation,
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but in terms of what is
included and what is not.
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For example,
most protestant bibles,
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including the king
james version,
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contain 66 books.
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The catholic bible includes 73.
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But the bible of the
ethiopian orthodox church,
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a christian denomination of
36 million followers in africa,
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00:10:38,347 --> 00:10:40,639
has 81.
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One of the secrets
of ancient christianity
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is that different ethnic
and religious groups
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had different bibles.
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00:10:46,855 --> 00:10:49,773
So, there are different groups,
like the coptics
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or the ethiopian church.
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They actually have some
of these inspired books,
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whereas other groups do not.
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00:10:54,863 --> 00:10:58,323
So we shouldn't just ask which
version of the bible is correct,
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00:10:58,408 --> 00:11:01,826
but it's which collection
of biblical books is correct.
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00:11:01,912 --> 00:11:05,016
To be included in
the official version of the bible,
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00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,498
or canon,
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00:11:06,541 --> 00:11:09,793
a book must be considered
to be divinely inspired.
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The word of god.
216
00:11:12,255 --> 00:11:14,839
But just who decides?
217
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There were a group
of men with specific agendas
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00:11:17,844 --> 00:11:21,304
determining what would and
what would not become canon.
219
00:11:21,390 --> 00:11:23,242
And this agenda
was about preserving
220
00:11:23,266 --> 00:11:25,433
the power of the church.
221
00:11:25,519 --> 00:11:28,520
The agenda here is
politics and economics.
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00:11:28,605 --> 00:11:30,355
It's not spirituality.
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00:11:32,025 --> 00:11:33,336
It is well-known
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that there's certain
numbers of texts
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which are just not made
available to the public.
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00:11:38,907 --> 00:11:41,366
Some are actually
denied to even exist,
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but most are said to
be secret knowledge.
228
00:11:44,830 --> 00:11:46,705
Why? What is so secret?
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00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:48,540
What is being concealed?
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Until the mid-1800s,
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many early bibles... Even
the king james version...
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Contained a number of books
that have since been edited out.
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These are known
as the apocrypha.
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00:12:00,762 --> 00:12:03,054
The word
"apocrypha" literally means
235
00:12:03,140 --> 00:12:04,681
"hidden things."
236
00:12:04,766 --> 00:12:07,392
and so, these are books
that allegedly were providing
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00:12:07,436 --> 00:12:09,936
hidden or secret teachings.
238
00:12:10,021 --> 00:12:12,772
But the term "apocrypha"
came to mean books
239
00:12:12,858 --> 00:12:16,860
that were not accepted
as part of the official canon.
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00:12:16,945 --> 00:12:19,924
There was a council
that would say, "this is the tradition,
241
00:12:19,948 --> 00:12:21,926
this is the proper interpretation,
this is how
242
00:12:21,950 --> 00:12:23,177
you should interpret
the scripture."
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00:12:23,201 --> 00:12:25,034
so any book that contradicts
244
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,706
what they've already decided
to believe gets cast out.
245
00:12:29,791 --> 00:12:32,584
But of all the apocrypha
246
00:12:32,669 --> 00:12:35,086
or hidden books of the bible,
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00:12:35,172 --> 00:12:38,715
one book in particular...
The book of enoch...
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00:12:38,759 --> 00:12:41,050
Is considered so controversial
249
00:12:41,136 --> 00:12:44,137
that many believe it
was deliberately omitted
250
00:12:44,222 --> 00:12:48,892
because of its bizarre
and outrageous contents.
251
00:12:48,935 --> 00:12:51,019
Ironically,
the character of enoch
252
00:12:51,104 --> 00:12:53,104
does appear in
the old testament,
253
00:12:53,148 --> 00:12:55,940
but only as a devoted
follower of god,
254
00:12:56,026 --> 00:12:59,235
one who lived hundreds of
years before the great flood.
255
00:12:59,321 --> 00:13:02,697
Who was this enoch?
256
00:13:02,783 --> 00:13:04,824
What's so peculiar about him?
257
00:13:04,910 --> 00:13:07,035
Because the bible
says about him,
258
00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,329
"that he walked
with god and was not,
259
00:13:09,414 --> 00:13:12,415
for god had taken him."
260
00:13:12,501 --> 00:13:16,085
taken him where?
Where did he go?
261
00:13:16,171 --> 00:13:19,798
The majority of traditions
say he was taken to heaven.
262
00:13:19,883 --> 00:13:23,968
Enoch is the only one in
heaven allowed to sit along with god,
263
00:13:24,012 --> 00:13:26,763
and he reveals
information to humanity.
264
00:13:26,848 --> 00:13:28,868
Believed to have been written
265
00:13:28,892 --> 00:13:32,143
sometime between
300 bc and 10 bc,
266
00:13:32,187 --> 00:13:33,873
the book of enoch
was traditionally thought
267
00:13:33,897 --> 00:13:36,981
to have been authored
by enoch himself,
268
00:13:37,067 --> 00:13:40,276
in order to share
secret knowledge
269
00:13:40,362 --> 00:13:42,904
given to him by god.
270
00:13:42,989 --> 00:13:44,989
Enoch was an
incredibly popular book
271
00:13:45,033 --> 00:13:48,993
in the time leading up to
the formation of christianity.
272
00:13:49,079 --> 00:13:52,163
In fact, we know that whoever
wrote the gospel of matthew
273
00:13:52,249 --> 00:13:55,333
very likely knew about
the book of enoch
274
00:13:55,418 --> 00:13:57,460
because there are
certain languages
275
00:13:57,504 --> 00:13:59,963
that we see in the
gospel of matthew
276
00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:02,632
and nowhere else
in the new testament.
277
00:14:02,717 --> 00:14:05,635
Of all the secret texts,
I think that the book of enoch
278
00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,179
in many ways is
the most forbidden.
279
00:14:08,265 --> 00:14:11,474
At some time
before the fourth century,
280
00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:14,143
the book of enoch was
excluded from the hebrew version
281
00:14:14,229 --> 00:14:16,688
of the bible,
and became discredited
282
00:14:16,773 --> 00:14:20,942
by all but two early
christian churches.
283
00:14:21,027 --> 00:14:22,735
But why?
284
00:14:22,821 --> 00:14:26,739
Could there be
clues in the text itself?
285
00:14:26,825 --> 00:14:29,033
Enoch becomes this seer
286
00:14:29,077 --> 00:14:32,453
who gives all kinds of
later prophecies to jews.
287
00:14:32,539 --> 00:14:35,540
He predicts the
end of the world.
288
00:14:35,584 --> 00:14:38,084
He predicts the
coming of the messiah.
289
00:14:38,169 --> 00:14:40,147
But one of the things
he does is he elaborates
290
00:14:40,171 --> 00:14:43,172
this story of the giants.
291
00:14:43,258 --> 00:14:45,341
According to the book of enoch,
292
00:14:45,427 --> 00:14:49,345
the giants, or watchers,
were a group of renegade angels
293
00:14:49,431 --> 00:14:53,933
sent to earth to guard man
more than 5,000 years ago.
294
00:14:54,019 --> 00:14:56,519
But instead of protecting
the human race,
295
00:14:56,605 --> 00:15:01,107
they lusted after women
and corrupted mankind.
296
00:15:01,192 --> 00:15:03,045
The watchers
mate with human women.
297
00:15:03,069 --> 00:15:05,256
But also what the watchers
do is they teach women
298
00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:10,033
all kinds of forbidden arts,
such as cosmetics.
299
00:15:10,118 --> 00:15:12,827
So,
makeup comes from the evil watchers
300
00:15:12,913 --> 00:15:15,079
who taught women how
to make up their faces.
301
00:15:15,123 --> 00:15:17,727
The book of
enoch is a real conundrum
302
00:15:17,751 --> 00:15:20,543
because this idea that
the rebellious angels
303
00:15:20,629 --> 00:15:24,380
have a power that can
rival god is something
304
00:15:24,466 --> 00:15:26,666
that is very threatening
to traditional church.
305
00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:28,988
In the book of enoch,
306
00:15:29,012 --> 00:15:31,596
the offspring of the
watchers and mortal women
307
00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:36,434
are described as giant
warriors called nephilim.
308
00:15:36,519 --> 00:15:39,646
The watchers came
down and took for themselves
309
00:15:39,731 --> 00:15:42,523
the daughters of
men and give birth
310
00:15:42,609 --> 00:15:45,151
to a generation of titans
311
00:15:45,236 --> 00:15:47,987
called the fallen ones,
nephilim.
312
00:15:48,073 --> 00:15:51,407
These hybrid
between the watchers
313
00:15:51,451 --> 00:15:53,993
and the daughters of men
314
00:15:54,079 --> 00:15:57,622
created tremendous
havoc in the human race.
315
00:15:57,666 --> 00:16:00,124
The nephilim...
316
00:16:00,210 --> 00:16:03,461
These are these
grotesque giants.
317
00:16:03,505 --> 00:16:07,298
They are neither
angels nor people.
318
00:16:07,384 --> 00:16:12,178
They are described
as monstrous beings.
319
00:16:12,263 --> 00:16:14,764
And there were apparently
thousands of them
320
00:16:14,849 --> 00:16:16,391
that populated the earth.
321
00:16:16,476 --> 00:16:18,643
In fact,
there were so many of them,
322
00:16:18,687 --> 00:16:20,665
that at a certain point,
god had to destroy
323
00:16:20,689 --> 00:16:23,272
all of humanity in
order to get rid of them.
324
00:16:23,358 --> 00:16:26,818
One of the things
that people don't realize is that
325
00:16:26,861 --> 00:16:29,404
when god sends the flood
during the days of noah,
326
00:16:29,489 --> 00:16:32,115
that in one
version of the story,
327
00:16:32,158 --> 00:16:34,909
is that the reason god
decides to destroy the earth
328
00:16:34,995 --> 00:16:37,829
is because these
nephilim were on the earth.
329
00:16:37,872 --> 00:16:41,833
Grotesque
giants attacking humans?
330
00:16:41,876 --> 00:16:44,502
And the giants, in turn,
being destroyed by god
331
00:16:44,546 --> 00:16:46,504
in the great flood?
332
00:16:46,589 --> 00:16:49,799
Was the book of enoch purged
from the standard biblical texts
333
00:16:49,884 --> 00:16:52,969
because it was
considered too far-fetched?
334
00:16:53,054 --> 00:16:56,180
Too outrageous?
335
00:16:56,266 --> 00:16:58,202
Or was it because
it portrayed god
336
00:16:58,226 --> 00:16:59,370
as a compassionate creator,
337
00:16:59,394 --> 00:17:02,353
one who forgave
338
00:17:02,439 --> 00:17:06,482
rather than punished
mankind for its sins?
339
00:17:06,568 --> 00:17:09,488
God is protecting
us in the book of enoch.
340
00:17:09,529 --> 00:17:12,864
It is a very different god
than the spiteful, wrathful god
341
00:17:12,907 --> 00:17:15,199
that we see in the
genesis account.
342
00:17:15,285 --> 00:17:18,703
The church derives great
benefit from having us
343
00:17:18,747 --> 00:17:20,955
be very, very afraid of god
344
00:17:21,041 --> 00:17:23,833
and of god wiping us all
out if we're not obedient.
345
00:17:23,918 --> 00:17:26,063
But if the
early editors of the bible
346
00:17:26,087 --> 00:17:28,838
intended to purge
it of far-fetched tales
347
00:17:28,923 --> 00:17:32,383
containing references
to fantastical devices
348
00:17:32,469 --> 00:17:36,387
and devastating weapons,
then why did they leave in
349
00:17:36,431 --> 00:17:39,974
what is perhaps the most
audacious story of all?
350
00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:42,393
One which involves
a man named moses
351
00:17:42,479 --> 00:17:44,854
and a device so powerful
352
00:17:44,898 --> 00:17:48,191
it can destroy entire armies...
353
00:17:48,234 --> 00:17:51,861
The ark of the covenant.
354
00:17:55,825 --> 00:17:57,575
In the beginning,
355
00:17:57,660 --> 00:18:00,661
god created the
heavens and the earth.
356
00:18:00,747 --> 00:18:03,998
He said, "let there be light,"
and there was light.
357
00:18:04,084 --> 00:18:07,210
Then darkness.
358
00:18:07,253 --> 00:18:10,797
The firmament,
the oceans. Plants and trees.
359
00:18:10,882 --> 00:18:13,591
Animals that fly
and slither and swim.
360
00:18:13,635 --> 00:18:16,844
And last but not least,
361
00:18:16,930 --> 00:18:19,305
male and female.
362
00:18:19,390 --> 00:18:22,892
The book of genesis. It's a nice story,
of course.
363
00:18:22,977 --> 00:18:26,437
One that we're all
undoubtedly familiar with.
364
00:18:26,523 --> 00:18:29,941
But could it be true?
365
00:18:31,861 --> 00:18:33,506
Some people
say that they believe
366
00:18:33,530 --> 00:18:36,823
that there should never
ever be any conflict
367
00:18:36,908 --> 00:18:38,866
between science and religion.
368
00:18:38,952 --> 00:18:41,953
But if we accept genesis
as being historical,
369
00:18:42,038 --> 00:18:43,933
which according to faith,
of course we do,
370
00:18:43,957 --> 00:18:48,167
then we need to ask the
other realistic questions:
371
00:18:48,253 --> 00:18:50,169
How and what really happened?
372
00:18:50,255 --> 00:18:52,900
While mainstream
scientists are understandably skeptical
373
00:18:52,924 --> 00:18:57,301
that god, as described in the
old testament book of genesis,
374
00:18:57,387 --> 00:19:02,265
created the earth and
everything on it in only six days,
375
00:19:02,350 --> 00:19:04,976
there is surprising
evidence to suggest that
376
00:19:05,061 --> 00:19:07,645
the second book of the bible,
exodus,
377
00:19:07,730 --> 00:19:10,898
is based on historical fact.
378
00:19:10,984 --> 00:19:13,693
In the book of exodus,
379
00:19:13,778 --> 00:19:17,280
the, uh, children of israel
have been enslaved in egypt
380
00:19:17,365 --> 00:19:21,868
and god has told moses to
go and set his people free.
381
00:19:21,953 --> 00:19:24,370
Moses demands that
pharaoh lets the people free.
382
00:19:24,455 --> 00:19:26,164
Pharaoh refuses,
383
00:19:26,249 --> 00:19:30,960
and so god empowers moses to
do plagues against the egyptians,
384
00:19:31,004 --> 00:19:34,714
and finally the pharaoh relents,
lets the people go.
385
00:19:34,799 --> 00:19:38,301
Israel's
origins as a slave nation
386
00:19:38,386 --> 00:19:41,095
is not the sort of thing
people would make up.
387
00:19:41,181 --> 00:19:43,973
So even many of
the most critical,
388
00:19:44,058 --> 00:19:48,144
historical scholars
of the bible would say,
389
00:19:48,229 --> 00:19:50,104
"there's something to this."
390
00:19:50,190 --> 00:19:54,025
we do know from egyptian history,
both from ancient texts
391
00:19:54,110 --> 00:19:57,028
and archaeological
evidence through excavations,
392
00:19:57,113 --> 00:20:01,657
that somewhere
around 1700 to 1650 bc,
393
00:20:01,743 --> 00:20:04,827
there was an influx of
foreigners into egypt.
394
00:20:04,913 --> 00:20:07,580
They spoke a dialect
very similar to hebrew.
395
00:20:07,665 --> 00:20:12,001
And when ramesses ii comes
along in the 13th century,
396
00:20:12,086 --> 00:20:14,795
he decided to move
his base of operations
397
00:20:14,881 --> 00:20:17,798
to a new city that
he named ramesses,
398
00:20:17,884 --> 00:20:19,926
pi-ramesses,
the house of ramesses.
399
00:20:20,011 --> 00:20:21,614
And according to
the book of exodus,
400
00:20:21,638 --> 00:20:25,223
that's why I would place
this event in the 13th century,
401
00:20:25,308 --> 00:20:28,017
sort of as they finally get
fed up with years and years
402
00:20:28,061 --> 00:20:31,395
of being abused and used
to build pharaoh's projects.
403
00:20:31,481 --> 00:20:33,606
But if the book of exodus
404
00:20:33,691 --> 00:20:36,442
was based on real
events and people,
405
00:20:36,527 --> 00:20:38,069
then wouldn't there be some kind
406
00:20:38,154 --> 00:20:40,863
of physical
evidence left behind...
407
00:20:40,949 --> 00:20:43,824
A relic of their
journey out of egypt...
408
00:20:43,910 --> 00:20:46,410
That would validate
this incredible story?
409
00:20:46,496 --> 00:20:48,287
According to some scholars,
410
00:20:48,373 --> 00:20:51,832
such a relic could
actually exist:
411
00:20:51,918 --> 00:20:54,835
The ark of the covenant.
412
00:20:54,921 --> 00:20:56,565
The ark of the
covenant is probably
413
00:20:56,589 --> 00:20:59,340
one of the best-kept
mysteries in the world today.
414
00:20:59,425 --> 00:21:02,051
We know,
according to the biblical description,
415
00:21:02,136 --> 00:21:05,012
that the commandments
which moses brought down
416
00:21:05,098 --> 00:21:08,432
from mount sinai were
placed inside the ark.
417
00:21:08,518 --> 00:21:10,977
As well as a portion
of the manna,
418
00:21:11,062 --> 00:21:13,479
which they collected
in the desert,
419
00:21:13,564 --> 00:21:17,191
and aaron's rod,
which had blossomed with almonds
420
00:21:17,277 --> 00:21:21,487
in the great test of the tribes.
421
00:21:21,572 --> 00:21:26,492
It was a box of gold
which had inside it a box of wood.
422
00:21:26,577 --> 00:21:30,621
And then another box of
gold with a golden cover.
423
00:21:30,707 --> 00:21:33,708
The ark of the
covenant represents
424
00:21:33,793 --> 00:21:37,920
the giving of the
torah at sinai from god.
425
00:21:38,006 --> 00:21:39,547
It's the holiest object
426
00:21:39,632 --> 00:21:42,091
that ever existed in
the jewish tradition.
427
00:21:42,176 --> 00:21:44,927
And there are people who,
because their belief
428
00:21:44,971 --> 00:21:48,347
somehow needs to be
palpable and physical,
429
00:21:48,433 --> 00:21:51,142
feel as though if
they could see it,
430
00:21:51,227 --> 00:21:54,020
that would prove
god's will in this world.
431
00:21:54,105 --> 00:21:57,815
But if the ark of
the covenant was not only real
432
00:21:57,900 --> 00:22:02,486
but still exists,
where could it be?
433
00:22:02,572 --> 00:22:06,449
According to the hebrew bible,
the ark was once housed
434
00:22:06,534 --> 00:22:09,076
inside a secret inner sanctuary
435
00:22:09,162 --> 00:22:13,039
of king solomon's
temple in jerusalem.
436
00:22:13,124 --> 00:22:17,752
But after the temple was
destroyed around 586 bc,
437
00:22:17,837 --> 00:22:19,170
the whereabouts of the ark
438
00:22:19,213 --> 00:22:24,008
and its precious contents
became unknown.
439
00:22:24,093 --> 00:22:26,155
One tradition,
of course, is that
440
00:22:26,179 --> 00:22:28,512
it was simply destroyed
by the babylonians
441
00:22:28,556 --> 00:22:31,682
when the temple was burnt and
melted and that's the end of it.
442
00:22:31,768 --> 00:22:35,519
However,
because the ark never showed up again,
443
00:22:35,605 --> 00:22:39,523
people have often wondered
what really did happen to the ark.
444
00:22:39,567 --> 00:22:42,943
For centuries,
the search for the ark of the covenant
445
00:22:43,029 --> 00:22:47,865
has consumed both
archaeologists and bible scholars.
446
00:22:47,950 --> 00:22:50,242
If it were ever found,
it would not only prove
447
00:22:50,328 --> 00:22:52,578
that the biblical accounts
in the book of exodus
448
00:22:52,663 --> 00:22:54,622
were based on historical events,
449
00:22:54,707 --> 00:22:58,959
it could also unleash
incredible power.
450
00:22:59,045 --> 00:23:02,213
I'm a great believer
in trying to find out
451
00:23:02,256 --> 00:23:04,590
as much as we
can archaeologically
452
00:23:04,675 --> 00:23:07,593
about what happened
in biblical history,
453
00:23:07,678 --> 00:23:09,656
and the way in which
we can validate it,
454
00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,181
as long as we're
intellectually honest.
455
00:23:12,266 --> 00:23:14,308
Some things we'll
be able to prove,
456
00:23:14,394 --> 00:23:18,729
some things we will disprove.
And much we will never know.
457
00:23:18,815 --> 00:23:22,775
In recent years, some
scholars and theologians have suggested
458
00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:24,944
that the ark isn't lost,
459
00:23:25,029 --> 00:23:27,696
but was deliberately hidden.
460
00:23:27,782 --> 00:23:30,908
Kept away from those
who might wish to exploit
461
00:23:30,993 --> 00:23:33,035
its awesome power.
462
00:23:33,121 --> 00:23:37,123
For many, to find a relic
like the ark of the covenant
463
00:23:37,208 --> 00:23:38,582
is extremely important.
464
00:23:39,669 --> 00:23:42,753
It was viewed as god's throne,
465
00:23:42,839 --> 00:23:46,424
and these ideas are most
likely connected to scriptures
466
00:23:46,509 --> 00:23:49,218
that refer to the ark
being carried into battle
467
00:23:49,303 --> 00:23:52,471
and the enemies are
scattering before them.
468
00:23:52,557 --> 00:23:56,225
It is said that
the ark housed kavod,
469
00:23:56,269 --> 00:23:58,978
or glory of god.
470
00:23:59,063 --> 00:24:01,230
Now,
this in quote "glory of god"
471
00:24:01,274 --> 00:24:04,984
was not something symbolic,
it was something actual,
472
00:24:05,069 --> 00:24:06,819
something tangible,
473
00:24:06,904 --> 00:24:10,072
something energetic.
474
00:24:10,158 --> 00:24:13,325
What are we missing here
in the biblical understanding
475
00:24:13,411 --> 00:24:16,745
of this mysterious box?
476
00:24:16,831 --> 00:24:21,292
It was clearly far more
than just a religious icon.
477
00:24:21,377 --> 00:24:24,003
There was a technology involved,
478
00:24:24,088 --> 00:24:26,464
and that is what makes the ark,
to this day,
479
00:24:26,549 --> 00:24:29,675
one of the greatest
mysteries of our history.
480
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,406
If the ark of the covenant did,
in fact,
481
00:24:32,430 --> 00:24:34,388
have extraordinary power,
482
00:24:34,474 --> 00:24:36,724
as described in the bible,
483
00:24:36,809 --> 00:24:40,186
is it simply too dangerous
to be possessed by man?
484
00:24:40,271 --> 00:24:41,562
And could that be why
485
00:24:41,647 --> 00:24:45,983
it has eluded
rediscovery for centuries?
486
00:24:46,068 --> 00:24:47,860
Perhaps.
487
00:24:47,945 --> 00:24:51,322
But not all bible mysteries
involve holy relics.
488
00:24:51,407 --> 00:24:53,199
Some concern people,
489
00:24:53,284 --> 00:24:56,160
including the man
who billions believe
490
00:24:56,245 --> 00:24:59,580
is the son of god.
491
00:25:05,087 --> 00:25:07,922
The ancient kingdom of judah,
492
00:25:08,007 --> 00:25:10,508
more than 2,000 years ago.
493
00:25:10,593 --> 00:25:12,343
It was here,
494
00:25:12,428 --> 00:25:15,596
according to the new testament
gospels of matthew and luke,
495
00:25:15,681 --> 00:25:19,475
that the infant jesus was born
to a young woman named mary
496
00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,685
and her husband joseph.
497
00:25:21,771 --> 00:25:23,479
But believe it or not,
498
00:25:23,523 --> 00:25:27,107
the actual year of jesus'
birth remains a mystery.
499
00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,779
For centuries, the year 1 ad,
500
00:25:31,864 --> 00:25:34,782
or anno domini,
the year of our lord,
501
00:25:34,867 --> 00:25:36,951
was assumed to be correct.
502
00:25:37,036 --> 00:25:41,205
But recent historical
research suggests otherwise.
503
00:25:42,667 --> 00:25:46,752
Jesus is born somewhere
between 4 and 7 bce,
504
00:25:46,837 --> 00:25:49,380
because herod the
great died in 4 bc
505
00:25:49,465 --> 00:25:52,091
and jesus was born
during herod the great.
506
00:25:52,176 --> 00:25:54,969
So this is one of the
secrets that scholars know
507
00:25:55,054 --> 00:25:56,698
but most people
don't think about.
508
00:25:56,722 --> 00:25:59,473
Those who made the
calendar screwed it up.
509
00:25:59,559 --> 00:26:03,102
They dated the birth
of jesus incorrectly.
510
00:26:03,187 --> 00:26:05,729
And we still live on a calendar
where jesus is actually born
511
00:26:05,773 --> 00:26:07,565
four to seven years bc.
512
00:26:07,650 --> 00:26:11,819
But as one can imagine,
the exact year of jesus' birth
513
00:26:11,904 --> 00:26:15,531
is not the only aspect of his
life that has been debated.
514
00:26:15,575 --> 00:26:17,908
The new testament
states that jesus was born
515
00:26:17,994 --> 00:26:21,787
in the town of bethlehem,
but recently even that
516
00:26:21,872 --> 00:26:26,667
has been questioned by both
historians and theologians.
517
00:26:28,671 --> 00:26:32,006
Pretty much the only thing
that we can be fairly certain of
518
00:26:32,091 --> 00:26:33,674
about jesus' childhood
519
00:26:33,759 --> 00:26:36,969
is that he was born and
raised in the city of nazareth.
520
00:26:37,054 --> 00:26:39,032
It was the only thing
that his followers
521
00:26:39,056 --> 00:26:40,598
and detractors agreed about.
522
00:26:40,683 --> 00:26:43,350
His name was the nazarene.
523
00:26:43,436 --> 00:26:47,021
The fact is, much of
what we know about the life of jesus
524
00:26:47,106 --> 00:26:50,524
comes from the four
gospels of the new testament.
525
00:26:50,610 --> 00:26:53,277
And even though they are
credited to the evangelists
526
00:26:53,362 --> 00:26:56,530
matthew, mark, luke and john,
527
00:26:56,616 --> 00:26:59,283
the gospels may
actually have been written
528
00:26:59,368 --> 00:27:02,202
decades after jesus' death.
529
00:27:05,458 --> 00:27:07,185
We would love to know answers to,
like,
530
00:27:07,209 --> 00:27:08,770
what was jesus
like as a teenager?
531
00:27:08,794 --> 00:27:11,795
And did jesus ever
have any girlfriends?
532
00:27:11,881 --> 00:27:13,066
Did he ever have
any relationships,
533
00:27:13,090 --> 00:27:14,840
anything like that?
534
00:27:14,925 --> 00:27:17,112
The gospels don't really
want to tell us any of that stuff
535
00:27:17,136 --> 00:27:19,281
because they're really
interested in just focusing
536
00:27:19,305 --> 00:27:23,474
on why jesus is who
he is and what he did.
537
00:27:25,436 --> 00:27:30,064
What really happened
during jesus' so-called lost years?
538
00:27:30,149 --> 00:27:32,983
Were the accounts
omitted deliberately?
539
00:27:33,027 --> 00:27:34,526
And if so, why?
540
00:27:34,612 --> 00:27:38,947
Well, as it turns out,
closer examination
541
00:27:39,033 --> 00:27:43,535
of the little that the gospels
do say about jesus' early life
542
00:27:43,621 --> 00:27:47,539
reveals some surprising facts.
543
00:27:47,625 --> 00:27:50,668
It's one of the biggest-kept
secrets about jesus,
544
00:27:50,753 --> 00:27:52,836
that he's one of
quite a large family.
545
00:27:52,922 --> 00:27:55,881
We know of at
least four brothers:
546
00:27:55,966 --> 00:27:59,009
James, joses, simon and judas.
547
00:27:59,053 --> 00:28:01,553
We know of at least
a couple of sisters.
548
00:28:01,639 --> 00:28:04,181
It's curious how they disappear,
though.
549
00:28:04,266 --> 00:28:07,434
We don't see much
of them later on.
550
00:28:10,439 --> 00:28:11,917
Perhaps one
of the most controversial
551
00:28:11,941 --> 00:28:15,526
and profound aspects
of the story of jesus
552
00:28:15,611 --> 00:28:17,945
is the belief that
his mother mary
553
00:28:18,030 --> 00:28:21,365
gave birth to him
while still a virgin.
554
00:28:21,409 --> 00:28:24,201
And as audacious
as that may seem,
555
00:28:24,286 --> 00:28:27,955
it is among the very
foundations of the christian faith.
556
00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,875
But curiously, the references
to jesus being born of a virgin
557
00:28:31,961 --> 00:28:35,546
can only be found
in two of the gospels:
558
00:28:35,589 --> 00:28:37,589
Matthew and luke.
559
00:28:37,675 --> 00:28:39,800
Wouldn't such a miraculous event
560
00:28:39,885 --> 00:28:43,762
have been recorded by
all four of the evangelists?
561
00:28:43,848 --> 00:28:46,640
Or was it,
as some scholars suggest,
562
00:28:46,726 --> 00:28:49,184
an attempt by some
of jesus' followers
563
00:28:49,270 --> 00:28:52,312
to justify their belief
that he was the fulfillment
564
00:28:52,398 --> 00:28:54,606
of the old testament prophecies,
565
00:28:54,692 --> 00:28:57,609
the hebrew messiah?
566
00:28:57,695 --> 00:29:00,487
The new testament loves
to rely on the prophecies
567
00:29:00,573 --> 00:29:02,406
of-of the prophet isaiah,
568
00:29:02,491 --> 00:29:05,075
uh, for proof, if you will,
569
00:29:05,161 --> 00:29:09,079
of jesus', uh, messiah-ship.
570
00:29:10,875 --> 00:29:13,075
One of the prophecies
that became very popular
571
00:29:13,127 --> 00:29:16,086
was a prophecy during
the-the time of hezekiah.
572
00:29:16,172 --> 00:29:17,816
Jerusalem's under siege,
they don't know
573
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,651
if they're gonna survive,
and isaiah comes up with
574
00:29:19,675 --> 00:29:22,593
a prophecy that says, "look,
behold there's a virgin,
575
00:29:22,678 --> 00:29:25,596
and she will bear a son and
his name will be emmanuel,"
576
00:29:25,639 --> 00:29:27,431
which is "god with us."
577
00:29:27,475 --> 00:29:29,433
the christians come along
578
00:29:29,477 --> 00:29:31,852
and-and take that prophecy
579
00:29:31,937 --> 00:29:33,771
and they reinterpret it.
580
00:29:33,856 --> 00:29:37,608
And they say this prophecy
is actually a reference to mary,
581
00:29:37,693 --> 00:29:39,735
who's a real virgin.
582
00:29:39,820 --> 00:29:43,280
And the son that she's
going to bear is jesus.
583
00:29:45,034 --> 00:29:47,137
And jesus will be the
savior of all mankind,
584
00:29:47,161 --> 00:29:48,847
not just of jerusalem
in the eighth century,
585
00:29:48,871 --> 00:29:50,621
but of all mankind for all time.
586
00:29:52,458 --> 00:29:54,770
Whether you
believe that jesus' virgin birth
587
00:29:54,794 --> 00:29:57,294
was the fulfillment
of a prophecy
588
00:29:57,379 --> 00:30:01,757
or a story created to help
establish his divine origins,
589
00:30:01,842 --> 00:30:05,135
it is one of the key
mysteries of the christian faith.
590
00:30:05,221 --> 00:30:09,556
Just like the question posed by
many academics and theologians:
591
00:30:09,642 --> 00:30:12,726
Did jesus really think
he was the messiah,
592
00:30:12,812 --> 00:30:15,145
the actual son of god?
593
00:30:16,690 --> 00:30:20,609
The question of how
jesus perceived himself
594
00:30:20,694 --> 00:30:23,153
will likely remain
a secret for all time.
595
00:30:23,239 --> 00:30:26,573
Some people argue that
jesus understood himself
596
00:30:26,659 --> 00:30:28,200
to be the son of god.
597
00:30:28,285 --> 00:30:29,952
He knew who he was.
598
00:30:30,037 --> 00:30:32,621
And others, based on the text,
will say, "well, no."
599
00:30:32,706 --> 00:30:35,499
in the gospel of john,
jesus even uses a term
600
00:30:35,584 --> 00:30:37,668
to describe himself that's,
I think,
601
00:30:37,753 --> 00:30:39,294
intentionally ambiguous.
602
00:30:39,380 --> 00:30:41,880
He refers to himself
in the third person
603
00:30:41,966 --> 00:30:43,298
as the "son of man."
604
00:30:43,384 --> 00:30:47,177
well,
the secret about the word "son of man"
605
00:30:47,221 --> 00:30:51,265
is that, in aramaic,
it's just the way that you say "a person."
606
00:30:51,350 --> 00:30:53,934
so when jesus uses
the phrase "son of man"
607
00:30:54,019 --> 00:30:55,477
as a self-description,
608
00:30:55,563 --> 00:30:58,522
you don't know whether
he's just saying himself
609
00:30:58,607 --> 00:31:01,191
or whether he's actually
making a messianic claim.
610
00:31:01,277 --> 00:31:03,964
Although
many details of jesus' life
611
00:31:03,988 --> 00:31:07,823
remain unverified by history,
one fact is certain:
612
00:31:07,908 --> 00:31:12,452
He was a charismatic
teacher and prophet.
613
00:31:12,538 --> 00:31:14,830
If we read the biblical text,
614
00:31:14,915 --> 00:31:17,291
jesus created a great following
615
00:31:17,376 --> 00:31:18,917
because he performed miracles.
616
00:31:19,003 --> 00:31:21,211
He did magic deeds.
617
00:31:22,298 --> 00:31:24,423
He caused the blind to see.
618
00:31:24,508 --> 00:31:26,049
He was a healer.
619
00:31:26,093 --> 00:31:29,469
At the end of the day,
jesus was kind to those in need.
620
00:31:29,555 --> 00:31:31,889
He loved those who needed help,
621
00:31:31,974 --> 00:31:34,516
who no one else would love.
622
00:31:34,602 --> 00:31:38,186
At the wedding of cana,
jesus turns the water into wine.
623
00:31:38,230 --> 00:31:40,480
And he doesn't just
turn it into any wine.
624
00:31:40,566 --> 00:31:43,066
He turns it into the best wine.
625
00:31:43,152 --> 00:31:45,903
So this is jesus'
first public miracle.
626
00:31:45,988 --> 00:31:49,114
And once he comes
forward with his first miracle,
627
00:31:49,199 --> 00:31:50,782
the floodgates really open.
628
00:31:50,868 --> 00:31:52,743
The ministry has begun.
629
00:31:52,828 --> 00:31:56,955
Jesus has arrived
and he is the messiah
630
00:31:57,041 --> 00:31:58,206
and the miracle worker.
631
00:31:58,292 --> 00:32:00,751
But did the miracles of jesus,
632
00:32:00,836 --> 00:32:03,587
as reported in the gospels,
really happen?
633
00:32:03,672 --> 00:32:05,797
For instance,
did he really raise
634
00:32:05,883 --> 00:32:08,800
a man called
lazarus from the dead
635
00:32:08,886 --> 00:32:11,178
and feed 5,000 people
636
00:32:11,263 --> 00:32:14,514
with only two small fish
and five loaves of bread?
637
00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,809
Perhaps the answer can
be found by examining
638
00:32:17,895 --> 00:32:21,063
what are referred to
as the lost gospels,
639
00:32:21,148 --> 00:32:24,358
a collection of writings that
were supposedly authored
640
00:32:24,443 --> 00:32:28,612
by people who witnessed
jesus' life firsthand.
641
00:32:37,873 --> 00:32:39,976
A group of
farmers tilling their fields
642
00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,626
unearth a clay jar.
643
00:32:42,670 --> 00:32:46,046
It contains more
than 50 biblical scrolls
644
00:32:46,131 --> 00:32:48,423
dating back to the
third century ad,
645
00:32:48,467 --> 00:32:50,467
making them even older
646
00:32:50,511 --> 00:32:53,428
than the books of the
so-called new testament.
647
00:32:53,514 --> 00:32:57,474
Instead, these texts are
supposedly firsthand accounts
648
00:32:57,559 --> 00:33:00,268
written by friends
and followers of jesus,
649
00:33:00,312 --> 00:33:04,356
and were worshipped as fact
by a relatively obscure group
650
00:33:04,441 --> 00:33:08,986
of ancient christians
known as the gnostics.
651
00:33:09,071 --> 00:33:12,197
Gnosticism comes
from a direct oral tradition
652
00:33:12,282 --> 00:33:14,658
that is passed down
from the early christians
653
00:33:14,743 --> 00:33:18,328
and evolves separately from
the institutionalized church.
654
00:33:18,414 --> 00:33:22,332
And there's the tradition that
the gnostics have teachings
655
00:33:22,418 --> 00:33:24,167
that come directly from jesus
656
00:33:24,253 --> 00:33:27,796
through apostles,
followers, even family,
657
00:33:27,881 --> 00:33:30,507
who come from jesus.
658
00:33:30,551 --> 00:33:32,570
"gnostic" comes
from the word "gnosis,"
659
00:33:32,594 --> 00:33:35,804
which means a personal
revelation and experience.
660
00:33:35,889 --> 00:33:38,390
And when we look
at those texts today,
661
00:33:38,475 --> 00:33:41,435
we see secret learning,
662
00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:43,520
secret teachings.
663
00:33:44,732 --> 00:33:46,690
Secret teachings,
664
00:33:46,734 --> 00:33:50,068
directly from jesus himself,
665
00:33:50,154 --> 00:33:52,571
passed down through
his closest followers
666
00:33:52,656 --> 00:33:54,676
and potentially giving
us a firsthand account
667
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:57,200
of jesus' life and deeds?
668
00:33:57,244 --> 00:33:59,411
One might think such gospels
669
00:33:59,496 --> 00:34:02,247
would be held in high
regard by the church.
670
00:34:02,332 --> 00:34:06,793
But, in fact,
it was quite the opposite.
671
00:34:06,879 --> 00:34:10,213
When I first encountered what
are called the gnostic gospels,
672
00:34:10,257 --> 00:34:12,617
we were all surprised that
there were so many gospels
673
00:34:12,676 --> 00:34:14,636
that weren't in
the new testament.
674
00:34:15,846 --> 00:34:17,657
The reason
that a lot of these books
675
00:34:17,681 --> 00:34:20,807
didn't make it into the bible
is that they weren't congruent
676
00:34:20,893 --> 00:34:24,853
with the core message of
the books that did make it in.
677
00:34:26,106 --> 00:34:27,792
These texts were declared to be
678
00:34:27,816 --> 00:34:30,692
sort of full of errors and
they'll lead you astray.
679
00:34:30,778 --> 00:34:33,320
One famous bishop calls
them an abyss of madness
680
00:34:33,405 --> 00:34:35,072
and blasphemy against christ.
681
00:34:35,115 --> 00:34:37,908
So these were the
enemies of the early church.
682
00:34:37,951 --> 00:34:41,578
And christians thought they
must have horrible things in them.
683
00:34:43,457 --> 00:34:46,500
The penalty for copying
and... Or even keeping
684
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:48,543
any of the gnostic texts
685
00:34:48,629 --> 00:34:51,046
would have been
increasingly severe.
686
00:34:51,131 --> 00:34:54,966
It could have even led to
more severe punishment,
687
00:34:55,052 --> 00:34:57,094
like torture and death.
688
00:34:58,597 --> 00:35:00,931
These lost
books of the new testament
689
00:35:00,974 --> 00:35:03,892
include a number
of so-called gospels,
690
00:35:03,977 --> 00:35:07,687
including the gospel of thomas,
the gospel of philip,
691
00:35:07,773 --> 00:35:11,441
the gospel of the
egyptians and many others.
692
00:35:11,527 --> 00:35:15,612
But just what was it
in these gnostic texts
693
00:35:15,656 --> 00:35:18,990
that made many bible
scholars and clerics reject them
694
00:35:19,076 --> 00:35:23,745
as being not only too
controversial but too dangerous?
695
00:35:23,831 --> 00:35:25,308
The gospels of the new testament
696
00:35:25,332 --> 00:35:27,457
all tell you how
important jesus is.
697
00:35:27,501 --> 00:35:29,793
Jesus is the son of god,
the son of man,
698
00:35:29,878 --> 00:35:32,087
the king of israel, the messiah.
699
00:35:32,172 --> 00:35:35,048
I mean, you name it,
he's somebody very special.
700
00:35:35,134 --> 00:35:37,926
And he's not like you and me.
701
00:35:38,011 --> 00:35:41,096
Now,
the gospels of thomas or phillip,
702
00:35:41,181 --> 00:35:42,909
they say something
quite different.
703
00:35:42,933 --> 00:35:47,269
They say jesus, yes,
he may be speaking divine truth,
704
00:35:47,312 --> 00:35:49,980
but he's really like you and me.
705
00:35:51,358 --> 00:35:53,483
But of all the gnostic gospels,
706
00:35:53,527 --> 00:35:56,736
there is one that many
biblical scholars believe
707
00:35:56,822 --> 00:36:01,324
to be more significant and
more controversial than the rest:
708
00:36:01,368 --> 00:36:03,910
The gospel of mary.
709
00:36:05,622 --> 00:36:07,851
There's a lot of
controversy about mary magdalene.
710
00:36:07,875 --> 00:36:09,894
In the bible,
she's portrayed a certain way.
711
00:36:09,918 --> 00:36:12,038
She's-she's one of
the followers of jesus.
712
00:36:12,087 --> 00:36:14,838
Oftentimes she's
described as a prostitute,
713
00:36:14,882 --> 00:36:18,258
as one who jesus kind of
picked up from obscurity
714
00:36:18,343 --> 00:36:20,510
and made her
one of his followers.
715
00:36:20,554 --> 00:36:23,471
But the gospel of
mary specifically says
716
00:36:23,557 --> 00:36:27,350
that jesus loved mary
more than the other disciples.
717
00:36:27,394 --> 00:36:28,913
In fact,
they actually put that in the mouths
718
00:36:28,937 --> 00:36:30,373
"so don't you know
719
00:36:30,397 --> 00:36:32,856
that he loved her,
uh, more than us?"
720
00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:36,651
Although the actual
author of this gospel is unknown
721
00:36:36,737 --> 00:36:38,423
and several pages
of the original text
722
00:36:38,447 --> 00:36:39,779
have never been found,
723
00:36:39,865 --> 00:36:43,366
the text seems to
reveal astonishing details
724
00:36:43,410 --> 00:36:46,369
about mary magdalene's
relationship with jesus.
725
00:36:46,413 --> 00:36:48,955
There are even those who
are convinced that mary
726
00:36:49,041 --> 00:36:52,792
was not only one of jesus'
most devoted followers,
727
00:36:52,878 --> 00:36:55,003
but also perhaps his lover
728
00:36:55,088 --> 00:36:58,048
or even his wife.
729
00:37:00,344 --> 00:37:02,719
Certainly we discover
in the gnostic text
730
00:37:02,804 --> 00:37:04,763
that are many, many references
731
00:37:04,848 --> 00:37:07,265
to jesus' relationship
to mary magdalene.
732
00:37:07,351 --> 00:37:10,518
She is referred to
as his "beloved."
733
00:37:10,604 --> 00:37:13,813
she is referred to
in a sexual manner
734
00:37:13,899 --> 00:37:15,565
in the gnostic gospels.
735
00:37:15,651 --> 00:37:17,776
So not only was jesus married,
736
00:37:17,861 --> 00:37:20,195
but jesus was married
to mary magdalene.
737
00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:22,550
Because jesus was a rabbi,
it would have been required
738
00:37:22,574 --> 00:37:24,241
for jesus to be married.
739
00:37:24,284 --> 00:37:26,512
If jesus were not married,
this would have been something
740
00:37:26,536 --> 00:37:29,579
that would have been
remarked upon and talked about.
741
00:37:29,665 --> 00:37:33,500
And the fact that it is not
is actually one of the things
742
00:37:33,585 --> 00:37:36,044
that proves that
jesus was married,
743
00:37:36,129 --> 00:37:39,506
because it would have been very
normal for him to have been so.
744
00:37:40,801 --> 00:37:43,176
Gnosticism was seen as a problem
745
00:37:43,262 --> 00:37:47,430
because there was a core
belief that had to be maintained,
746
00:37:47,516 --> 00:37:50,267
that there were certain
non-negotiable truths
747
00:37:50,310 --> 00:37:52,560
that were part of
the christian gospel.
748
00:37:52,646 --> 00:37:55,605
And so if anything was
contradictory to that,
749
00:37:55,691 --> 00:37:58,942
then it needed to be
suppressed or refuted.
750
00:37:58,986 --> 00:38:02,445
There is a
lot of gnostic material
751
00:38:02,531 --> 00:38:05,782
that tells us jesus was
married to mary magdalene.
752
00:38:05,826 --> 00:38:09,077
2,000 years of church
tradition is overturned
753
00:38:09,162 --> 00:38:13,415
by the gnostic gospels because
mary magdalene emerges
754
00:38:13,458 --> 00:38:15,333
as a successor of jesus.
755
00:38:15,419 --> 00:38:19,254
Did jesus, the son of god,
756
00:38:19,339 --> 00:38:23,675
really have a wife,
children and descendants?
757
00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,428
And if so,
would that contradict the faith
758
00:38:26,513 --> 00:38:28,513
that billions of
people have in him,
759
00:38:28,598 --> 00:38:30,307
or would it confirm it?
760
00:38:30,392 --> 00:38:34,144
Perhaps the answer can be
found by examining how the bible
761
00:38:34,187 --> 00:38:37,314
continues to fascinate
people around the world,
762
00:38:37,399 --> 00:38:40,442
long after it was first written.
763
00:38:44,906 --> 00:38:46,467
Although there
is sufficient evidence
764
00:38:46,491 --> 00:38:49,826
for scholars to conclude
that the bible we read today
765
00:38:49,911 --> 00:38:52,412
is quite different than the
bible people were reading
766
00:38:52,497 --> 00:38:56,666
thousands of years ago,
it doesn't seem to matter.
767
00:38:56,752 --> 00:38:59,294
In spite of centuries
of human tampering,
768
00:38:59,379 --> 00:39:01,546
or perhaps because of it,
769
00:39:01,631 --> 00:39:03,757
the bible is still
the most powerful
770
00:39:03,842 --> 00:39:07,260
and influential book the
world has ever known.
771
00:39:09,222 --> 00:39:11,973
The bible, without a doubt,
is the most important book
772
00:39:12,059 --> 00:39:14,078
in the history of
western civilization.
773
00:39:14,102 --> 00:39:16,644
People read it,
people revere it.
774
00:39:16,730 --> 00:39:20,815
People think of it as
god's word to humankind.
775
00:39:20,901 --> 00:39:24,277
And god had revealed the
secrets that could make sense
776
00:39:24,363 --> 00:39:27,989
of the real meaning of life
and the history of the world.
777
00:39:28,075 --> 00:39:31,951
Why is it that 5,000 years
778
00:39:32,037 --> 00:39:34,412
after these stories were written
779
00:39:34,498 --> 00:39:37,290
we still read them,
we still believe in them?
780
00:39:37,376 --> 00:39:39,501
It's not because they are true,
781
00:39:39,586 --> 00:39:41,753
though many people
believe them as true.
782
00:39:41,838 --> 00:39:44,923
It's because they are
infinitely malleable.
783
00:39:45,008 --> 00:39:47,717
That's the power of scripture,
784
00:39:47,803 --> 00:39:50,845
that it can mean
anything to anyone
785
00:39:50,889 --> 00:39:53,431
depending on the
time in which they live,
786
00:39:53,517 --> 00:39:55,536
depending on the
context in which they live.
787
00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:57,936
One of the
reasons that I think people just
788
00:39:58,021 --> 00:40:00,939
keep going back to the
bible over and over again
789
00:40:01,024 --> 00:40:04,359
is that it's just so full of
these fascinating mysteries,
790
00:40:04,444 --> 00:40:06,444
these fascinating enigmas.
791
00:40:06,530 --> 00:40:09,114
We will never know the
answers to lots of them,
792
00:40:09,199 --> 00:40:11,950
but what we do know
is that it really is a text
793
00:40:12,035 --> 00:40:13,952
that rewards repeated study,
794
00:40:14,037 --> 00:40:17,247
rewards going back
to over and over again.
795
00:40:17,332 --> 00:40:19,290
The bible says
about god himself,
796
00:40:19,376 --> 00:40:21,751
"my thoughts are higher
than your thoughts.
797
00:40:21,795 --> 00:40:23,837
My ways are higher
than your ways."
798
00:40:23,922 --> 00:40:25,733
this is something
people don't understand,
799
00:40:25,757 --> 00:40:28,091
because we come to the
bible from a point of view,
800
00:40:28,176 --> 00:40:30,427
which reads the
bible in a literal way.
801
00:40:30,512 --> 00:40:33,012
But when you actually
look at the greater whole
802
00:40:33,098 --> 00:40:35,473
of all of the stories,
803
00:40:35,559 --> 00:40:38,101
it is so beyond the limitations
804
00:40:38,145 --> 00:40:40,186
of that of which
we've understood.
805
00:40:40,272 --> 00:40:43,000
Look, the bible is a powerful,
powerful book,
806
00:40:43,024 --> 00:40:45,316
and it's revered by
millions around the world
807
00:40:45,402 --> 00:40:47,152
in judaism and christianity.
808
00:40:47,237 --> 00:40:49,612
It's a book that gives
tremendous meaning
809
00:40:49,656 --> 00:40:51,197
and tremendous identity
810
00:40:51,283 --> 00:40:54,534
to millions and billions of
people around the world.
811
00:40:54,619 --> 00:40:56,494
In that way, it's alive.
812
00:40:56,580 --> 00:40:59,247
It-it gives life to people.
813
00:40:59,332 --> 00:41:03,042
Every time I read the bible,
I'm struck not only
814
00:41:03,128 --> 00:41:06,379
by the beauty and
the depth of its stories,
815
00:41:06,465 --> 00:41:09,090
but by the way that
it gives me access,
816
00:41:09,176 --> 00:41:11,050
in my own life,
817
00:41:11,136 --> 00:41:13,261
to whatever it is that god is.
818
00:41:13,346 --> 00:41:17,140
And so, I read it not only
'cause it captivates my mind,
819
00:41:17,184 --> 00:41:19,225
but it elevates my spirit.
820
00:41:19,311 --> 00:41:22,562
And I know from the
fact that it is still with us,
821
00:41:22,647 --> 00:41:25,940
and has been read all over
the world for thousands of years,
822
00:41:26,026 --> 00:41:28,985
that in that feeling,
I am not alone.
823
00:41:30,780 --> 00:41:34,407
Does the bible continue
to inspire billions of people
824
00:41:34,493 --> 00:41:37,410
around the world not because
of the answers it provides
825
00:41:37,496 --> 00:41:41,372
but because of the
questions it inspires us to ask?
826
00:41:41,458 --> 00:41:44,000
Questions about what
many believe to be
827
00:41:44,044 --> 00:41:47,295
its inconsistencies
and contradictions.
828
00:41:47,380 --> 00:41:49,130
Questions about life
829
00:41:49,174 --> 00:41:53,801
and humankind's unique
place in the universe.
830
00:41:53,887 --> 00:41:58,264
Questions that may
forever remain unexplained.
831
00:41:58,350 --> 00:42:01,351
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