“Engaging and scholarly. This is a fine piece of work”
–Professor Robert Eisenman, author of James the Brother of Jesus

If you have been stretched and stimulated by ‘The Invention of Jesus’, then you will also want to read ‘The Lost Narrative of Jesus’, published by John Hunt Publishing (JHP). The author tackles the vexed question of the transfiguration narrative, present in Mark and also many subsequent canonical and non-canonical sources. Just how did this story arise and what does it represent? The answer clears up the confusion, throws more light on the construction of a Christian narrative from Jewish sources – and offers a major surprise!

Possibly the biggest unresolved New Testment textual question is the relationship between Simon, called ‘Peter’ in Mark and the character identified in two of the letters attributed to Saul (aka Paul) as ‘Cephas’. Some analysts and apologists have sought to make these two, one and the same. But the evidence indicates that at least two separate characters are entangled in this narrative.

Early Christian writers were slipshod and often uncomprehending in their use of Jewish sources, hampered also in their understanding by the difficulties of translating and transliterating from Aramaic. Peter Cresswell has conducted a detailed analysis and provides answers that have previously eluded others.

His article, ‘Simon Peter and Cephas: Two Persons and One Fiction? is available on this website. For a more wide-ranging analysis, read his latest book, ‘Who Was Cephas?’

The question of editorial amendments made to Paul’s letters is discussed in ‘God’s Wrath and the Brother of the Lord’, also available to read here.

NEW! Don’t miss the ground-breaking analysis in ‘Who was Cephas?’, published by Blue Cedar Printworks.

READ! Instalments monthly of The ‘Textual Time Traveller’.