M. David Litwa > Quotes

“In fact they, like Saturninus, displayed open hostility to him. Citing John 8:44, they observed that the “ruler and creator of matter,” was “a murderer from the beginning.”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE

“The fact is, the seer of Revelation is thus the only author to mention “Nicolaitans” until about 170 CE.”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE

“The teaching is also reminiscent of a passage from the Gospel of Mary, which we know was read in Egypt. In this gospel, Peter asks Jesus about the sin of the world. Jesus replies that there is no such thing as sin. “Rather you yourselves are what produces sin when you act.”24”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE

“Today, these “evils” are sometimes translated by the words “woe” or “calamity” (Isa. 45:7). The underlying Hebrew term rā‘ includes disasters like famine, pestilence, and war; but it also encompasses morally perverse actions.”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE

“Philo in particular argued that certain “co-workers” (widely thought of as angels or powers) made the human body.17 There was nothing particularly radical about this idea.”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE

“Jesus tells the Judeans that the devil – or the devil’s father – is their sire (the Greek of John 8:44 is ambiguous).16 In this way, Jesus demotes the Judeans from their status as God’s children, though Jewish scripture, and the Judeans themselves (John 8:41) vociferously contend the opposite.17 Evidently, then, Jesus identifies Yahweh, the Judean god, with the devil, or identifies Yahweh as the devil’s father. In either interpretation, the Judean deity is not the Father of Jesus Christ.”
― M. David Litwa, Found Christianities: Remaking the World of the Second Century CE