The young man came to him “wearing only a linen cloth over his naked body”. The homoerotic overtones either amused or scandalised the biblical world and duly sparked a prolonged investigation, to which these two reputable scholars suggest their own solution. (A tissue of Gospel phrases, especially Mark 14.51-52 about the young man, naked but for a linen sheet). No doubt, some of these partnerships were affectionate, but no evidence is given to suggest that they were homoerotic in the sense suggested by the Secret Gospel. The Secret Gospel of Mark: A controversial scholar, a scandalous gospel of Jesus, and the fierce debate over its authenticityGeoffrey S. Smith and Brent C. LandauYale £30(978-0-300-25493-8)Church Times Bookshop £27

Source: The Times December 22, 2023 00:17 UTC