Zenon Kosidovsky, "Bible Tales"

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The name of the Polish writer Zenon Kosidovsky is known for his popular science works, historical books about ancient civilizations and cultures. In the countries of the socialist bloc, they were sold in millions of copies. His works had everything to make Kosidovsky one of the pioneers of the popular-historical essay, especially in the field of antiquity: excellent storytelling, lively language, colorful characters, a distant past and a necessary pinch of historical materialism.

History cycle

The first "hit" was the book, published in 1956, "When the sun was a god." Zenon Kosidovsky tells about Mesopotamia, Egypt, Aegea and Central America and pursues one goal - to show colorfully and vividly how civilizations appeared, covered with layers of dust and sand. Introduces the reader to the finds of archaeologists and researchers.

Each of the four parts contains stories of people whowho sought to penetrate the thickness of the centuries and followed in the footsteps of ancient people. Over the decades, after modern research, the book has ceased to be a source of information, but it will be useful to those who love history, because the whole essence of history as a science is revealed in Kosidovsky's book.

Bible tales

But the most famous work was Zenon Kosidovsky's book "Bible Tales" published in 1963. The topic of this book was interesting and became the subject of many discussions. It is surprising that the writer provides in his works the historical and scientific substantiation of the Bible, but they do not feel anti-religious ideas.

The author considers the events described in the Bible as historical. Miracles, such as a burning bush, crossing the sea, and water flowing out of a rock, are trying to find a real or logical justification. Some of the author's arguments seem quite logical, some questions are not answered.

As readers of those years write, they expected a refutation from the church, but it did not follow. Perhaps this did not happen, because it was alien to the ideological policy of the communist states, which included the socialist countries, and this was not possible. But Kosidovsky's books for many years became a desktop for believers, because in addition to the author's arguments, they contained a complete retelling of the Bible, which in those years could not be found in the countries of the socialist camp.

Only at the end of the 90s did the reviews of Orthodox priests about the "Biblelegends" by Zenon Kosidovsky, where church ministers call the writer's works "pseudo-scientific reading", full of contradictions, myths and fairy tales written by a "layman". But on the part of ordinary people who want to find an answer to questions related to religion, interest in Kosidovsky's works has not decreased. Why?Let's try to find the answer.

Fairy tale or true story

The book "Bible stories" consists of 7 chapters. At the beginning of each chapter, the author retells the Bible in detail, at the end he cites historical facts, research results, and talks about archaeological finds. In the first part of "From the Creation of the World to the Tower of Babel" after a brief summary of the chapters from the Old Testament, Zenon Kosidovsky explains "The amazing discoveries concerning the creation of the world". Moreover, he does it very correctly, does not categorically deny the Scripture, but cites the conclusions and assumptions of scientists.

The Biblical story of the creation of the world is rooted in ancient myths. It would seem that what could be in common between sublime biblical stories and primitive Mesopotamian myths? But the archaeologist D. Smith, having read the Babylonian poem "Enuma Elish" on cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia, found a great similarity between them and is sure that the poem served as the basis for creating the biblical version. Paradise is also the result of Sumerian fantasy, as many legends are written in the tablets, similar to the Old Testament stories. But the legends about Abel and Cain belong exclusively to Hebrew fantasy, D. Smith is sure,deciphering the tablets from Nineveh, he found a fragment of the legend of the flood.

In the second chapter "Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" the writer offers the reader the research of scientists in the commentary "The Truth and the Legend of the Patriarchs". Historians claim that the biblical text appeared between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. e. and its authors were priests, whose duties were not to record events, but to teach the people. Scientist Yu. Velgause, having studied the Bible, noted that the history of the Jewish people was written not in fresh footsteps, but much later than the events that had occurred. Therefore, based on the legends of the patriarchs.

Archives found in Nineveh prove that the historical heritage was much older. Tablets found between Damascus and Mosul made it possible to learn that the names of the patriarchs correspond to the names of ancient cities and tribes. In the Qumran scrolls dating from the 2nd century BC. e., the beauty of Sarah is mentioned.

Old Testament stories

In the third part of the book, the writer retells the biblical "History of Joseph", and at the end he cites the study "People's Tradition or Glory". Here he writes that it is still a mystery whether Joseph was a historical figure? But the authors of the legend were people who knew Egypt thoroughly, because in the Old Testament stories the historical accuracy of Egyptian customs is striking.

In the next chapter, readers will learn the story of Moses. In the appendix "Moses in the halo of myths" the author explains that the legend of Moses was passed from mouth to mouth, overgrowndetails and acquired a mystical character. Scientists are trying to separate the core of truth from fiction and still cannot determine the exact date of the exodus.

Zenon Kosidovsky explains many "wonderful phenomena". According to the Bible, Moses spoke to God through a burning bush. Such a bush really exists and is called diptam. The plant produces an essential oil that ignites in the sun. Biblical manna is nothing more than a type of tamarisk that exudes a sweetish liquid and quickly hardens in the sun in the form of balls that look like hailstones.

The miraculous appearance of a spring from the rock that Moses struck with his staff also found an explanation. At the foot of the mountains, despite the long drought, water collects under the fragile crust of sand and, having broken this shell, it is easy to get to it.

Kingdom of Israel

After examining the biblical books "Jesus Nun" and "Judges", scientists came to the conclusion that this is a conglomeration of several documents relating to different times, as the author tells the reader about in the "Age of Struggle and Heroism" appendix.

In the chapter "Golden Age of Israel" Zenon Kosidovsky in his commentary "The Truth and the Legend about the Founders of the Kingdom of Israel" writes that the chronicles telling about the history of Israel were created in the second half of the 6th century BC. e. Describes in detail the best period of the united state, which lasted more than 100 years.

After the northern tribes break away from him, twowarring states, about which the author details in the next chapter "Israel and Judea". In the appendix "Am I my brother's keeper?" he writes about the research of scientists about the greatest tragedy of the Jewish people - the split of the state of David into Judea and Israel.

The final chapter of the book "Six Biblical Tales" introduces readers to the story of Job, Daniel, Jonah, Esther and Judith. Biblical characters under the pen of Kosidovsky come to life and invite you to get acquainted with the life of that era, talk about exploits and victories. And at the end of the story, the author in the commentary "Instructive folk tales" explains that the plot of all biblical tales is based on a conventional historical background, since they indicate facts known from other sources.

Tales of the Evangelists

The fascinating book "Bible Tales", written in a living language, colorfully told about the excavations in Mycenae, Syria, Anatolia, Palestine and Egypt. The writer presented readers with information about unexplored eras, about little-known finds of archaeologists. As readers write in their reviews, "Bible Tales" by Kosidovsky became the first book that turned, literally "blew up" their view of history in general.

In 1979, a book about New Testament stories was published - "Tales of the Evangelists". Zenon Kosidovsky in it vividly talks about the personality of Christ, about the Gospel epistles and apocrypha. Describes in detail the Romanempire, environment, attitude towards Christians. It cites the studies of theologians and theologians, the discoveries of archaeologists and historians. According to readers, although the book is marked by the publisher as popular science, it is read in one breath.

Not only books on the biblical theme were in great demand, but also "The Hours of Ages", "The Kingdom of Golden Tears", "The Poem about Stanislav Vysotsky" and many others.