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Revelations from Gnosticism:

The Complete Jesus

Jay Barrymore

The Origins of Christmas

For most of the Western World, Christmas is the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ. Just about everyone is familiar with the Nativity story, how Joseph and Mary could find no room at the Inn, and ended up sleeping in a stable. Most scholars, though, accept the premises that Jesus' birth did not take place in the Winter (specifically December 25th), and that this was a creation of the Christian Church to align their religious celebration with various other Pagan observances at that time of the year.

Pagan celebrations at Wintertime included the Romans Saturnalia, an ancient harvest festival that honored Saturn, the god of agriculture. Freedom and equality were aspects of this celebration, where slaves were allowed to ridicule their masters, and all elements of aggression were to be put aside. Debauchery, festive rejoicing and gift exchanging were all part of this predecessor to Mardi Gras.

Pagans in various locales throughout the world (past and present) celebrate the observance of Yule, which honors the rebirth of the Sun at the Winter Solstice. The Christian Church, attempting to usurp all Pagan rituals and holy days, placed its major observances in conjunction with the Pagan festivals. The Church even built its sanctuaries on the Pagan holy places. The Pagans were hard to win over to the Christian belief and structure system, so early Church leaders compromised and celebrated religious observances at Pagan holy times. The name of a Saint or a Christian religious event often replaced the Pagan name of the holiday.

It is fitting that the Christians should place the birth of Christ at the Winter Solstice. Whether they admit it or not, the Christian religion follows suit with the Pagan religions with the Sacrificial King cycle, having the new god born at Yuletide, grow up and die as a sacrifice for the people. Christ was another aspect of the Sun-King; however, his sacrifice created a whole new religion and ushered in the Age of Pisces.

The Temperamental Jesus

Jesus was a divine person. His appearance upon the earth was such a major event that it attracted the three Wise Men (Magi) who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Even the Pagans could appreciate the spiritual and political mission of Jesus Christ. Jesus, though divine, was also human.

The gospels record the birth of Jesus, but then give only a scant mention of his childhood. All four writers skip his entire early years and pick up again when he's ready to begin his ministry while in his 30's. Many people have asked, What of Jesus' adolescence? Some have conjectured that he went off to the East, either to China or India, to receive teaching and training from spiritual teachers there, to later come back and meet his fate at Golgotha.

Most of the truth of Jesus' early years and his personality have been altered and lost. However, there are Christian references to Jesus' childhood (some of them very detailed) in other Biblical books that were not included in the Bible. The early Church Fathers rejected these books when compiling the Biblical Canon. The books they left out they regarded as spurious and of questionable origin. It was their intention to make sure that the Biblical Canon (the true Word of God), met their dogmatic requirements and exegesis.* Some of these books contain a good deal of insight into various aspects of Jesus' life, especially when he was just a boy. Though Jesus had divine and magickal ability, he was subject to the law of learning. It did not suit the Christian Fathers to admit that Jesus was human, and subject to many of the failings of mortals.

In one of these spurious books, Infancy I, are references that show the more human side of Jesus (which might make many of his present day followers feel uncomfortable). This article is not meant to be blasphemous or sacrilegious, but there are some insights and conjectures that should be addressed to come to know Jesus in a more complete way.

Jesus was a religious and political leader. Despite the meek and gentle nature that most people envision him displaying, he had to have a charismatic and energetic approach to gain the attention of the crowds. He lived when there were no microphones and loud speakers; to be able to captivate the multitudes, this man had to speak (shout) loudly, and say things that the people wanted to hear. He was a radical, and the religious and political leaders of his day were angered and concerned by his power of persuasion; hence, the well known story of his trial and execution.

The little known childhood of Jesus does give some insight into his character. In one instance Infancy I describes the child Jesus playing with other boys his age. Jesus, being aware of his power and position, declared himself as king and gave his playmates ranks. He was fashioned a crown of flowers, and the others spread their garments upon the ground for him to sit upon, while they flanked him on each side. When a passerby happened along, Jesus' soldiers would take the person by force and make them pay homage to the boy-king.

The same book relates that when Jesus was seven years old, he and the other boys made clay figures of animals, and lined them up together. Each began to boast whose was better, and Jesus, in an effort to out do them all, commanded his to become alive, and so beat them all.

Jesus was a schoolteacher's nightmare. During a session where a master was trying to teach Jesus the Hebrew alphabet, he asked Christ to pronounce the letter Aleph, and then the letter Beth. When Jesus balked at saying the second letter, and demanded the meaning of the first, the schoolmaster raised his hand to admonish the boy. Jesus immediately caused the master's hand to whither, and he subsequently died.

There is also another reference where one boy was running so hard that he knocked Jesus down. Jesus, after picking himself up, cursed the boy by saying, As thou hast thrown me down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever rise. Immediately, the boy fell dead on the spot. Joseph is later recorded telling Mary that maybe they shouldn't let Jesus out of the house anymore, since anyone that displeases him is killed.

One should not paint a picture of Jesus only being a spoiled brat who misused his powers to please himself. In fact, these other gospels record Jesus, as an adolescent, performing many more miracles than the four New Testament Gospels mention. Jesus healed a large number of ailing and injured people (it's just that he apparently caused a few hurts also). Jesus had a temper. The above references point this out, however, his emotional displeasures have also been indicated in the New Testament. Jesus throwing the sellers and moneylenders out of the Temple is one well known example, but his actions are very understandable. One temperamental act that is a little harder to understand is his cursing the fig tree. When Jesus went over to the tree to draw a fig from it, he discovered that it was bare. He then angrily cursed the tree and it withered and died. When one puts the above apocryphal acts into perspective with these several Canonical ones, it becomes apparent that a little of Jesus' true nature was actually recorded in the New Testament.

Another matter is Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene. It's foolish to think that these two people had on a platonic attraction, especially when one considers Mary's alleged occupation. Jesus stood up and defended her from her accusers, and became her mentor and guide. It's only natural for a student to become infatuated with a teacher, and visa versa, especially when he showed admirable strength in a difficult situation. It happens all the time, whether in a secular or religious setting. Jesus was human. Why should a romantic and sexual aspect not be part of his nature? Also, why would having a romantic involvement with Mary Magdalene make his mission here on earth any less important? The Gospel of Philip states there were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, her sister, and Magdalene (who was called his companion). Later, it is reiterated that Mary Magdalene is Jesus' companion when she is referred to solely by that title.

In many other religions, sex is a Mystery. Since Christianity has much in common with many of these religions, it seems that the removal of sex brings an unnatural sterility. Since the holy scriptures have been altered to suit the scribes and Church Fathers of the past, one can only wonder about all the information about Jesus and his life on earth that have been deleted and lost forever.

Though these apocryphal and Gnostic books also have inaccuracies, they do give a little more ground for speculation and some enlightenment about Jesus and other religious personages of the past. The Bible has a multitude of stories and parables that can teach much, if one will be receptive. However, the number of references between its covers must pale in comparison with all that has been left out or lost.

*— An interesting note: one of these books that did not make it into the Biblical Canon, The Book of Enoch, is mentioned in the New Testament. The organizers of scripture had decided that 66 books were to comprise The Bible, and The Book of Revelations and The Book of Enoch vied for the last spot. We all know which one they chose.