Oldest Known Manuscript of Jesus Christ's Childhood Deciphered

Researchers identify a 4th or 5th-century fragment as the earliest copy of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, revealing new insights into early Christian texts.

The manuscript was found in a German university library, previously mistaken for an everyday document due to its clumsy handwriting.
Dated between the 4th and 5th centuries, it predates the previously oldest known copy by about 600 years.
The fragment contains a story where a young Jesus brings clay sparrows to life, highlighting its apocryphal nature.
Experts believe the manuscript was likely a writing exercise in a school or monastery.
This discovery provides significant insights into the transmission and diversity of early Christian scripture.