The letter was a "pious fraud" written in the 2nd or 3rd century to trick rival Christian groups.
The text implies a private initiation rite between Jesus and the young man, which has led to various modern interpretations. Current Scholarly Standing The academic world is split into three main camps: Clement of Alexandria and a Secret Gospel of Mark
The letter quotes two passages, including a story of Jesus raising a young man from the dead (similar to Lazarus). The Controversy The letter was a "pious fraud" written in
The letter is a genuine copy of a lost work by Clement, proving multiple versions of Mark existed. The Controversy The letter is a genuine copy
The letter's authenticity is hotly debated for several reasons:
Clement of Alexandria and the Secret Gospel of Mark remain one of the most controversial topics in biblical archaeology and church history. The Discovery
In 1958, Columbia University professor traveled to the Mar Saba monastery near Jerusalem. There, he claimed to find a hand-copied letter written into the back of a 17th-century book.