I found this to be very interesting for many reasons. As someone who grew up regularly going to church I know the gospels quite well, so I was interested to read a new perspective of some of the events. Especially the perspective of a woman.
What struck me initially was the response of the disciples to Mary’s words following Jesus’s departure. Their attitude was harsh and accusatory, responding in anger and fear to both her words and Jesus’s commands. In Chapter 9 verse 4 of the gospel, Peter asks the following: “Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?” His immediate reaction being that of questioning why the Savior went to a woman and questioning the truthfulness of her statements really drives home the point that the disciples did not truly understand or comprehend Jesus’s teachings. The omission of these details in the other gospels begs the question of what other details and responses integral to the character of the disciples may have been omitted. The question Karen L. King introduced posits this idea as well, saying that this response should make one “both wonder and worry what kind of gospel such proud and ignorant disciples will preach.” Reading this made me begin to wonder how Christianity may have been changed from its original form based on the teachings of the disciples.
I was also quite interested in the words of Jesus that were spoken to Mary, as well as those that remain missing. This account presents many new teachings and ideas such as the idea that there is no sin, sin is made when a person does things classified as sin. In Chapter 5 of the Gospel, it also begins to describe a vision that Mary had of Jesus – the one she presented to the disciples. In this vision, Mary begins to converse with Jesus, asking how one sees a vision – through the soul or through the spirit. Jesus responds, but the response is cut off, as we are missing pages 11-14 of the manuscript. Even though we have part of a fascinating account, we are still missing much of the exchange and the story told to the disciples that led them to react in such a way.
Along with the fact that multiple versions of this Gospel in different languages and conditions were discovered, I thoroughly enjoyed reading a new account of these events and contemplating the questions that arose while doing so.