7 - Polymorphy

Summary

Various early Christian writings suggest that Jesus was capable of appearing in different forms simultaneously. Scholars created the term polymorphy to describe this phenomenon. The very idea of polymorphy involves an element of the grotesque, potentially evoking feelings of surprise, laughter, and fear. In addition, polymorphic appearances of Jesus include various grotesque images of his body, which makes these passages even more important for our study. Chapters 88–89 of the Acts of John provide an excellent example of polymorphy:

For when he had chosen Peter and Andrew, who were brothers, he came to me and to my brother James, saying, “I have need of you, come unto me.” And my brother said, “John, this child on the shore who called to us, what does he want?” And I said, “What child?” He replied, “The one who is beckoning to us.” And I answered, “Because of our long watch that we kept at sea you are not seeing straight, brother James: but do you not see the man who stands there, fair and comely and of a cheerful countenance?” But he said to me, “Him I do not see, brother; but let us go and we shall see what it means.” So we steered the boat in silence, and we saw him helping us to beach the ship.