my theory is that Jesus Christ is the author of Odes of Solomon

Tue Sep 24, 2024 9:37 pm

the weather has been very nice so I've been walking outside for health. last week it was 95F but then a cold front came in and its now 60F.

when the weather is nice and cool I generally prefer to be outside walking rather than in front of my computer typing

While I was walking I just thought of something, that popped in my head today

Not only am I familiar with the New Testament but I've read some of the Gnostic Gospels and non-canonical first century Christian writings, including the Odes of Solomon


this is some of Odes of Solomon

The Odes of Solomon
Ode 1

   The Lord is on my head like a crown, and I shall never be without Him.
   Plaited for me is the crown of truth, and it caused Your branches to blossom in me.
   For it is not like a parched crown that blossoms not;
   For You live upon my head, and have blossomed upon me.
   Your fruits are full and complete; they are full of Your salvation....
Ode 3

   ... I am putting on the love of the Lord.
   And His members are with Him, and I am dependent on them; and He loves me.
   For I should not have known how to love the Lord, if He had not continuously loved me.
   Who is able to distinguish love, except him who is loved?
   I love the Beloved and I myself love Him, and where His rest is, there also am I.
   And I shall be no stranger, because there is no jealousy with the Lord Most High and Merciful.
   I have been united to Him, because the lover has found the Beloved, because I love Him that is the Son, I shall become a son.
   Indeed he who is joined to Him who is immortal, truly shall be immortal.
   And he who delights in the Life will become living.
   This is the Spirit of the Lord, which is not false, which teaches the sons of men to know His ways.
   Be wise and understanding and awakened.
   Hallelujah.
http://gnosis.org/library/odes.htm

compare with Jesus prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

so what popped in my head while I was walking was, who wrote the Odes of Solomon?

and it occurred to me, the author was none other than Jesus of Nazareth, aka Jesus Christ, same guy as the Gospels of the New Testament


so I'm reading the wikipedia article on the Odes of Solomon

The Odes of Solomon are a collection of 42 odes attributed to Solomon. There used to be confusion among scholars on the dating of the Odes of Solomon; however, most scholars date it to somewhere between 70-125 AD.[1][2][3] The original language of the Odes is thought to have been either Greek or Syriac, and the majority of scholars believe it to have been written by a Jewish Christian, very likely a convert from the Essene community to Christianity, because it contains multiple similarities to writings found in Qumran and to the Gospel of John.[2][4][5][6][1] Some have argued that the writer had even personally seen John the Baptist [3]

Language and date

Although earlier scholars thought the Odes were originally written in Greek[8] or Hebrew,[9] there is now a consensus that Syriac/Aramaic was the original language.[10] Their place of origin seems likely to have been the region of Syria. Estimates of the date of composition range from the first[4] to the third[11] century AD, with many settling on the second century
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odes_of_Solomon

my theory is that the author of the Odes of Solomon is none other than Jesus Christ!

evidence

Odes of Solomon Aramaic was the original language.

Jesus spoke Aramaic

Odes of Solomon written by a Jewish Christian, very likely a convert from the Essene community to Christianity, because it contains multiple similarities to writings found in Qumran and to the Gospel of John.

Odes of Solomon
Jesus may have been part of the Essene community, and is claimed to have said things based on the Gospel of John. There are similarities to Jesus teachings and the Essenes beliefs.

The Essenes and Sadducees were destroyed by 70CE during the Jewish Roman war, so Odes probably were written before 70CE. Jesus dates are 0-30CE when the Essenes were still active.

Odes of Solomon
Estimates of the date of composition range from the first[4] to the third[11] century AD

Jesus was first century

Some have argued that the writer had even personally seen John the Baptist [3]

Jesus personally seen John the Baptist

Jesus is famous for parables Lord's and discourses in John.

The author of Odes of Solomon was clearly talented in literature and metaphors and mystical. Jesus was mystical and talented with words and language

there is strong similarity in language to the Gospel of John and Odes of Solomon.

Baptism

The book also apparently makes allusions to baptism but not to the Eucharist.[3] Possible baptismal themes include renewal (Ode 36:5), new creation (Ode 15:8, 21:3), the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ode 4:7), entry into paradise (Ode 11:16), the Trinitarian formula (Ode 23:22), and circumcision (Ode 11). The presence of these themes has led some scholars to argue that the Odes are a collection of baptismal hymns.[38] The writer seems to have been influenced by Jewish apocalyptic thought and mysticism.[39][7]

Baptism is present in Jesus teachings and Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist

Jesus seems to have been influenced by Jewish apocalyptic thought and mysticism


none of these by individually show Jesus as the author of Odes of Solomon, but all of these together present compelling case that Jesus did author the Odes. Certainly Jesus had a way with words.

My theory is that Jesus Christ wrote the Odes of Solomon in Aramaic in the first century some time before his mission. (or he dictated it and his follower wrote it down, if Jesus was illiterate)

scholars have come up with theorists as to original language, dating, place, and similar literature of the author of Odes of Solomon. All of these taken together uniquely identifies Jesus as the author.

Like  Theodore Kaczynski and the Unabomber manifesto, Odes of Solomon was Jesus manifesto of mystical vision.

whoever wrote the Odes of Solomon has quite a bit of literary talent in Aramaic, in the first century, and Jesus is the one person we know who fits all of these criteria.

so not only did Jesus exist, but he's the author of the Odes of Solomon, (either his own hand or dictated it to a follower) and many of the statements Jesus makes in the Gospels of John and Thomas, did indeed come from Jesus as they also overlap with the Odes of Solomon

compare Odes of Solomon with Jesus in Gospel of John

Ode 6

   As the wind glides through the harp and the strings speak,
   So the Spirit of the Lord speaks through my members, and I speak through His love.
   For He destroys whatever is alien, and everything is of the Lord.
   For thus it was from the beginning, and will be until the end.
   So that nothing shall be contrary, and nothing shall rise up against Him.
   The Lord has multiplied his knowledge, and He was zealous that those things should be known which through His grace have been given to us.
   And His praise He gave us on account of His name, our spirits praise His Holy Spirit.
   For there went forth a stream, and it became a river great and broad; indeed it carried away everything, and it shattered and brought it to the Temple.
   And the barriers which were built by men were not able to restrain it, nor even the arts of them who habitually restrain water.
   For it spread over the surface of all the earth, and it filled everything.
   Then all the thirsty upon the earth drank, and thirst was relieved and quenched;
   For from the Most High the drink was given.
   Blessed, therefore, are the ministers of that drink, who have been entrusted with His water.
   They have refreshed the parched lips, and have aroused the paralyzed will.
   Even living persons who were about to expire, they have held back from death.
   And limbs which have collapsed, they have restored and set up.
   They gave strength for their coming, and light for their eyes.
   Because everyone recognized them as the Lord's, and lived by the living water of eternity.
   Hallelujah.
http://gnosis.org/library/odes.htm

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[a] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 7:37-39 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus talks about being thirsty and drinking water and rivers of water.

Odes of Solomon also talks about  being thirsty and drinking water and rivers of water.

coincidence? I think not.

Jesus is the author of the Odes of Solomon.


therefore the Odes of Solomon, being written by Jesus of Nazareth, tells us more about the historical Jesus, his talents, his literary ability, his personality, his intellect.

if my theory is correct,  Jesus is the literary equivalent to a William Shakespeare, with mystical poetry rather than plays and sonnets, being his preferred mode of expression. Like Shakespeare Jesus was gifted in the creative use of language.

William Shakespeare wrote plays, Jesus spoke in mystical teachings, but both excel at the genius level in what they did, using language. The difference is that Shakespeare wrote plays for theater and actors, Jesus used his language abilities to convince his followers he was God in human form.

And clearly his followers were awed by his speech and language and called him messiah and Son of God.

Just to be clear I can't make a scholarly case as I don't speak Aramaic Jesus native language, nor Greek, language of the New Testament, but I do rely on scholars and their conclusions as stated in the wikipedia article on the Odes of Solomon.

I think a forensic linguistic authorship identification comparison, taking into account Aramaic of the first century, Jesus native language, between Jesus known statements in the Gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas, and other gospels, and Odes of Solomon, might show same authorship.

basically everything has to be translated into Aramaic, and taking into account first century, see if there is a forensic linguistics match of same authorship.

so what I think happened is that Jesus was a mystic and holy man. Either in his own handwriting or his disciples, he had mystical visions and uttered, while under inspiration, the words that became the Odes of Solomon. Similar statements are present in the Gospels and especially Gospel of John and Thomas.

If I'm right you read it here first. I google and I found no one suggesting that Jesus is the author of the Odes of Solomon. I believe I am the first person to suggest it.

if you are a scholar and you want to develop this theory and publish it in scholarly journals, please appropriate cite me and my post, or else you may be guilty of plagiarism