This caught my attention today..

This caught my attention as it states something I had never thought of before:

"Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Voice of the Messiah: My Best Seller by Raygene Kuykendall, which is the author’s most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Christianity - Theology - Anthropology category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $16.95. Voice of the Messiah is also available in its 5.5 x 8.5 Hardback w/ Jacket edition for $24.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/voiceofthemessiah was launched simultaneously with the book’s publication."

Further down in the presentation of the book it is said:

"After two years of intense research, and many book reviews later, Raygene was inspired to write a “visionary” story of Jesus and his family, set in the “recorded” era of Augustus Caesar and the Roman Empire It is a story that depicts Hebrew life and family relationships at home in Nazareth as well as Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The story Includes the wedding of Mary, at thirteen years of age, to Joseph, who was nearing fifty, and eventually, Jesus’ 17 years of continuing education in the Essene community at Qumran under the tutorship of Philo of Alexandria. “Voice of the Messiah” is a compendium of the life of Jesus, from the time of the “immaculate” conception, until the beginning of his ministry. It is a story filled with intrigue, mystery, guile, murder, adultery, love, hate, and power. It is also an account of life, faith, and traditions that will leave you pleasantly filled with new views of Christianity, Judaism, Essenes, and the many other religions practiced during the life of Jesus of Nazareth."

Yeah, I have no doubts that thus book is really filled with "intrigue, mystery" etc etc. Such things sell!

But how come I never came upon the idea that Philo of Alexandria was the essene tutor of Jesus of Nazareth? This discovery would be great news at the upcoming Philo seminar at the SBL Annual Meeting in San Diego this fall...

Or,- well, I really don't think so.........