Scholarly Reflections
Pick, Bernhard. "Chapter Eleven: Four Coptic Gospel Fragments." Paralipomena: Remains of Gospels and Sayings of Christ. Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company, 1908, 53-59.
Pick provides an English version of four fragments from the fourth or fifth century, thought to be a portion of the gospel of the Ebionites (Pick 1908, 53-54). The numerous ellipses and bracketed words suggest the damaged condition of the first fragment. The contents mostly refer to the final exaltation of Christ, though possibly set in words of Jesus to his disciples before his arrest. The second fragment, only one "mutilated" leave, has rather fewer questionable readings (Pick 1908, 55-56). Here Jesus recounts a number of his miracles to his discioples, explaining that the demonstrate his greatness. The third fragment, consisting of 32 pages, had not yet been published at the time of Pick's writing (Pick 1908, 56). It consists of a discourse of Jesus with disciples, as an epistle from the apostles. Harnack dates it to about 150-180 (Pick 1908, 57). Pick provides an English version of the small portion which had been published. Here Jesus sends the women as witnesses of his resurrection to the apostles, who refuse to believe several times. Then he appears to the apostles himself (Pick 1908, 57-58). The fourth fragment is a version of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Pick 1908, 58-59). Here it is a mule being beaten. Jesus intervenes and heals the mule so the owner can go his way.