Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

The disputed text has several parallels to the "Gospel of Jesus Wife."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Escalada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus%27_Wife

(1) Both were privately tendered directly to a scholar who was calculated to be sympathetic (Father Escalada, Karen King).

(2) Both addressed relevant current-day concerns (existence of Juan Diego, Jesus' wife speculations) and are otherwise nothing new.

(3) Both are on a single page of material that is demonstrably old
(3)(a) It's easier to get hold of a single page to use as a canvas
(3)(b) It takes less work to finish the fraud
(3)(c) There is less chance of making an inadvertent error in a smaller text

(4) Both have implausibilities and unlikely coincidences for authenticity (of a non-physical-test sort)

Given that the review process for authenticating finds is well-known, to the extent that some characteristic signs of authenticity can be faked (like using an old parchment), many tests may only prove consistency either with authenticity or with fraud. I wonder how many other frauds like this are out there.

I remember reading on Bart Ehrman's blog about the Gospel of Jesus' wife a few days later. It was amazing how quickly the were able to date when it was forged, based upon the exact copy of a critical text.

It is possible that the 1548 date on the manuscript is a later addition. The manuscript may be authentic in the sense of a genuine 16th century witness to the Marian apparitions, but date from the late 16th century rather than the mid 16th century.

Andrew Criddle