Any Quote by Elaine Pagels
“There is no evidence that the author of the Book of Revelation, John of Patmos, read anything that we think of as a New Testament book. I don't see any evidence that he knew what was in the Gospels, or the letters of Paul, which I don't think he would have liked at all.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gnostic Gospels, 1979
The author of Revelation likely lacked knowledge of the New Testament canon, suggesting early Christian texts were not unified.
In simple terms: Revelation’s author didn’t know later texts.
Key Takeaway
Recognize early Christian diversity.
Themes
history
religion
canon formation
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
scholarly
informative
When to use this quote
- biblical studies
- theological debates
- academic courses
- interfaith dialogues
Key Concepts
early Christianity
textual criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this imply about early Christian beliefs?
- How does this affect modern faith interpretations?
A Different Perspective
Some argue later canon influenced earlier writers.
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![“Augustine reflects that “what made me a slave to it was the habit [consuetudo] of satisfying an insatiable lust.”31” quote by Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c77/elaine-pagels-8423_habits_augustine-reflects-that-what-made-me-a-s_240814.jpg)
