The Vetting of the Secret Gospel of Mark: A Journey of Controversy and Discovery
Initial Discoveries and Doubts
After his initial discovery of the letter attributed to Clement of Alexandria at the Mar Saba monastery, Smith continued his Mediterranean tour, all the while ruminating over the significance of his find. Upon arriving in Athens, he meticulously examined the photographs of the manuscript he had taken, uncovering even more tantalizing details. The letter hinted at a secret, more spiritual version of the Gospel of Mark, intended for the most advanced Christians. This version included a narrative where Jesus raises a young man from the dead, who then spends a week with Jesus, learning secret teachings while wearing only a linen cloth.
The Vetting Process
Smith’s elation at the discovery quickly turned to a mixture of excitement and doubt. He began to question the authenticity of the manuscript. Could it be a fake? If it was a forgery, who would have the knowledge and motive to create such a document? Smith embarked on a comprehensive vetting process to address these questions, following a fourfold strategy:
Assessing the Handwriting: Smith consulted leading paleographers to date the manuscript. The experts he approached, both in Greece and the United States, largely agreed that the handwriting belonged to the eighteenth century. This was within a generation or two of the printed book in which the manuscript was found.
Investigating the History: Smith aimed to trace the history of the text. He hoped to find references to the letter of Clement in other manuscripts, particularly those relocated to the Patriarchal Library in Jerusalem.
Authenticating the Letter: Smith needed to determine whether the letter was genuinely written by Clement of Alexandria or if it was a later forgery attributed to him. He conducted a meticulous comparison of the letter's language with Clement's known writings.
Verifying the Secret Gospel: Smith sought to establish whether the quoted passages from the Secret Gospel were authentic. He needed to determine if they represented an earlier version of Mark’s Gospel or were a later apocryphal addition.
Scholarly Consultations and Reactions
Smith reached out to prominent scholars to gather their insights on the manuscript. Erwin Goodenough and Arthur Darby Nock, both esteemed scholars, provided their assessments. Goodenough was intrigued, suggesting that the letter offered a glimpse into the esoteric side of early Christianity. Nock, while recognizing Clement’s style in the letter, was skeptical of the authenticity of the Secret Gospel, suspecting it to be a later apocryphal addition.
Smith also conducted a painstaking word-by-word analysis of the letter, comparing it with Clement’s authentic writings. This exhaustive study, taking up much of his time, reinforced Smith's belief in the letter’s authenticity. He found that the language and style closely matched those of Clement’s known works.
The Public Unveiling
In December 1960, Smith presented his findings at the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) annual meeting in New York City. His presentation caused a stir, with some scholars lauding his meticulous approach, while others were skeptical. Pierson Parker, a prominent New Testament scholar, voiced his doubts publicly, suggesting that the Secret Gospel was an ancient forgery that had misled Clement.
The controversy spilled into the public sphere, with media coverage amplifying the debate. The New York Times reported on the discovery, highlighting the potential implications for understanding early Christianity and the historical Jesus.
Continuing the Journey
Smith’s journey to publish his findings was fraught with challenges. Despite initial interest from Oxford University Press, his manuscript was ultimately rejected, possibly due to its controversial nature. Smith speculated that his interpretation of Jesus teaching a libertine gospel—a message of freedom from the Jewish law—might have been too radical for some conservative scholars.
Eventually, Harvard University Press agreed to publish Smith’s work, but it took another nine years before it saw the light of day. In 1973, Smith’s book was finally published, but the controversy was far from over. Critics continued to challenge his findings, and accusations of forgery emerged, casting a long shadow over his groundbreaking discovery.
Conclusion
The vetting of the Secret Gospel of Mark, as detailed in Brett Landau and Geoffrey Smith's book, highlights the complexities and controversies inherent in biblical scholarship. Morton Smith's meticulous efforts to authenticate his discovery demonstrate the rigorous process required to validate historical manuscripts. Despite ongoing debates and criticisms, Smith's work has undeniably left a lasting impact on the study of early Christianity, continuing to provoke discussion and intrigue within the scholarly community and beyond.
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