In an Egyptian text recently translated, the time before Jesus's crucifixion is described in great detail with an interesting new twist. Apparently, Jesus was not only a magical man of works, but also a shape-shifter.
The text describes the reasons why Judas had to use a kiss in order to identify Jesus. Jesus did not appear the same to all men: "Then the Jews said to Judas: How shall we arrest him [Jesus], for he does not have a single shape but his appearance changes. Sometimes he is ruddy, sometimes he is white, sometimes he is red, sometimes he is wheat coloured, sometimes he is pallid like ascetics, sometimes he is a youth, sometimes an old man ..." Judas suggested the kiss as a means to signal Jesus's identity to the men wanting to arrest him because a description of his appearance would not have worked.
The idea of a shape-shifting Jesus (also given as an example when he becomes ghost-like and then disappears during a dinner with Pilates, and even later in a tidbit from Origen) suggests a more divine representation of Jesus that classically accepted. Instead of appearing completely human and merely completing divine works, this Egyptian Jesus was manifested with clear supernatural abilities evident in his appearance.
I'll be interested to find out if other works reflect this particular ability.
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