Anachronisms

In several episodes the narrative of Maria Valtorta states knowledge that is out of sync with contemporary knowledge. These Anachronisms may be an anticipation of discoveries, a desire to be understood, or the interpretation of Maria Valtorta or the translator.

False Anachronisms

Biblical citation

In EMV 40.6, Jesus quotes the "fourth Book of Kings, chapter XXII, verse 10." There are only two Books of Kings. But Jesus commits no anachronism: in the Septuagint, a Greek version of the "Old Testament" current at the time of Jesus, there were indeed four Books of Kings (or Reigns). The cited passage is therefore found in our Bible at 2 Kings 22:10.

Prickly pear

Maria Valtorta mentions this emblematic Mediterranean plant seven times. It is argued that cacti come from Mexico, imported by Christopher Columbus. But this plant was known to the ancient Greeks.

Galen

In EMV 129.2, Jesus quotes sayings attributed to a Roman writer Galen (Galeno in Italian). But Claudius Galenus lived later, from the year 129 to 216. Therefore, this would be a gross anachronism. This significant objection weighed on the work of Maria Valtorta for more than 40 years until Professor Fernando La Greca published his academic study justifying that this mention was actually rare knowledge.

Egyptian Pyramids

In EMV 36.1, Maria Valtorta describes a single pyramid seen from Matharaea while there are three. This apparent anachronism comes from the fact that from Matharaea, the three pyramids are perfectly aligned, the first and largest, that of Khufu, completely hides the other two. Only an observer could note this. (Cf. excerpts of the Valtorta Enigma by Jean-François Lavère).

Use of Modern Vocabulary

In the work, Jesus uses contemporary language, resorting to expressions that were invented later. He also uses specialized words of his time, or implicit references, taken for granted, to laws and practices of Judaism. This is explained by the desire to make the initial acts and teachings understandable to all, but at the same time to demonstrate to the "doctors" that this narration of the Gospel is made for the "simple". Thus, concerning the location of Antioch in Syria where he sends two pursued Disciples to take refuge, Jesus comments:

"I had, to give an indication to readers, indicated the place of John's imprisonment by the names now in use. Objections were raised. Now I specify: 'Bithynia and Mysia' for those who want the old names. But this Gospel is for the simple and the little ones, not for the doctors for whom, in majority, it is unacceptable and useless. The simple and the little ones will understand 'Anatolia' better than 'Bithynia or Mysia'." (EMV 312.14)

Alberto Vaccari, in his critical report for the Holy Office, translates this pastoral concern as: "in short: only the ignorant can To Believe". A judgment not demonstrated by the facts.

Catholic, Catholicism

In EMV 44.5, Jesus describes the end of times and his universal reign: "Do not imagine that Charity can be unjust, that just because many will not have belonged to Israel or to Christ, while practicing virtue in the Religion they follow, convinced it is the true one, they must remain eternally without reward. After the end of the world, no virtue will survive except Charity, that is Union with the Creator of all creatures who will have lived justly." The Greek adjective katholikos means universal. They are found in EMV 475.4 but this is a comment by Maria on our era. The Greek language was widely used at the time of Jesus as demonstrated notably by the plaque nailed above his Cross (John 19:20).

Christians

In EMV 157.2, Jesus says: "there will be one name which will unite them under a single sign: Christians." The "official" origin of the word "christiani" is mentioned in Acts 11:26. The usage dates back to 42 or 43 AD, in Antioch of Syria. But nothing forbids thinking that Jesus Himself mentioned this term to His Disciples, as appears repeatedly in the work. This term refers to the Messiah. The term Christians is used several times in the work: in EMV 44.11 | EMV 280.5 | EMV 362.3 | EMV 596.17 | EMV 618.5.

Eucharist

In EMV 612.1, speaking of the Relics of the Last Supper, Mary of Alphaeus talks about the cup and bread used for the Eucharist, this term, which means action of Grace, is well known to Christians. It is found in the same context in EMV 615.9 | EMV 629.7 | EMV 635.15.

Personal Expressions

The modern terms used in Maria Valtorta's personal expressions are not anachronistic by definition, such as those noted in EMV 419.5 and EMV 531.20.

Days of the Week

In EMV 591.6, Jesus says to Judas: "on Thursday evening the Lamb must be delivered." This name did not exist. Thursday was day 5 (Yom Chamishi), but its use is more understandable in the context of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, ...).

Kilometers

In EMV 335.12, the dropsical man of Luc 14:1-24 says he traveled kilometers to find Jesus. The first translation rendered the term chilometri as miles.

Contemporary Theological Language

According to critics, the Jesus of two thousand years ago cannot "make theological presentations in the very terms that a professor of nowadays would use."

The Blessed Gabriele Allegra, an authoritative exegete now honored by the Church, also faced this question. He justifies why it is rather possible and desirable:

"Obviously, at the time of his mortal life, Jesus did not employ theological terms that came later [...] How to explain this fact? I would answer this: after twenty centuries, Jesus repeats and explains his Gospel using all the theological Terminology of his Church, to tell us that its teaching is already implicitly in his Gospel — Mr. PouGath would have said: equivalently — and that this teaching is not different from the authoritative and infallible explanation that the Church gives and alone can give, since it is guided and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. In his lifetime, Jesus already spoke more clearly about certain truths, such as the Eucharist or the dignity and Mission of the Virgin Mary, than the Church did for centuries, so that the dogmatic progress concerning them and other truths is a return to the fullness of the source

Further, he explains how this way of doing is judicious and proof of an inspired origin:

But there is another surprise: this Woman of the twentieth century confined to her sickbed, having become the happy contemporary and disciple of Christ, hears Jesus and the Apostles speaking in Italian, an Italian influenced by Aramaic. Some moments carefully noted are exceptions, notably when they pray in Hebrew or Aramaic. Moreover, when the Lord, the Holy Virgin or the Apostles address topics drawn from the New Testament, they use today’s theological language, in other words the one initiated by Saint Paul, the first great theologian, which over centuries of reflection and meditation became precise, clear, irreplaceable. The Poem thus reveals a transposition, a translation of the Good News announced by Jesus into the language of the contemporary Church. It is He who wanted this transposition, since the visionary was devoid of any technical theological training and this, I think, in order to make us understand that the evangelical message announced currently, in his Church of today, in our modern language, is substantially identical to his preaching of twenty centuries ago.

This way of proceeding proves relevant for the general public: this gift is indeed intended for the greatest number as is and remains the announcement of the "eternal Gospel". It is also relevant for a specialist audience who get lost outside the codes with which they are familiar. It is noticed in the report by Father Augustin Bea where he classifies among "Errors and doctrinal inaccuracies" the expression "God engenders only another Himself." He wonders: "(so another God?)". He does not identify that this is an affirmation already present in the Psalms and which is taken up in the Nicene Creed (Credo). The same is noticed in Don Chevallier's study. According to him, the expression "Love made God" would indicate a process of divinization of a preexisting love. It is impossible to "become God," he writes. God is the Being itself existing from all eternity. He is love by essence and eternally. It makes no sense to say that love became God. He does not identify the reference to the Nicene Creed where the begetting of the Son, from all eternity, from a Father who is Love is affirmed (1 John 4:16).

Months of the Year

During the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a character exclaims: "A good October month, as rarely seen!" (EMV 3.2). But the month of October did not exist. The Feast of Tabernacles that year took place on 24 Tishri 3740 (Monday, October 1, 22 BC). Maria Valtorta knows this but does not correct it. She simply notes on a typed copy: "Sometimes the names are expressed in Italian so the reader understands better."

Kinship

In EMV 323.5, old Philip calls Tolmai my son, while he is his grandfather, the father of his father Joseph. Jews called their grandchildren sons or daughters, just as grandparents were called father and mother; cousins and brothers- and sisters-in-law were called brothers or sisters. They did not use uncle and aunt (as in EMV 100.12). In the work of Maria Valtorta, degrees of kinship are sometimes expressed as in the time of Jesus, and sometimes as nowadays (in particular "aunt" in EMV 95.5/6).

Purgatory

In EMV 272.4, Jesus is questioned about his belief in "Purgatory". The word purgatory was not used as such at the time of Jesus, but the concept existed as evoked in 2 Maccabees 12:39-46. Paul speaks of Purification by Fire (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). In Judaism one can approach the notion of Purgatory from that of the Sheol, a place of waiting for the dead, distinct from the Gehenna which would be close to Hell. In any case, the terms Paradise, Hell, Purgatory, do not exist in Judaism to the point that the Sadducees, in the time of Jesus, did not believe in the afterlife because they found no explicit trace in the Torah, they thought.

Seminaries

In EMV 629.11, Jesus speaks about the Future: "Over the centuries, there will be seminaries, and in them Levites. Priests will come out of them." This is said during the appearance to the Apostles in the Presence of Thomas (John 20:26-29). Jesus teaches them about the dignity of the priesthood and future priests. Jesus here assimilates the Levites to seminarians. Priests (Cohanim) and Levites were a hereditary function, an image of what apostolic succession would be. They were trained in the Temple by oral and practical tradition. The scribes, a non-hereditary function, were mostly trained in the Beth Midrash.

Transubstantiation

In EMV 354.13, Jesus, in the discourse on the Bread of Life, states that he can transubstantiate himself out of love for men, and in EMV 635.3, that he transubstantiated bread and wine into his body and blood. In Church history, the use of the term transubstantiation was mostly from the Middle Ages. However, in Aramaic, there are three words which can be translated as "substance," one meaning "essence", another meaning "material good", and the last meaning "person". Thus, Jesus' contemporaries had in their language concepts allowing to express and understand what transubstantiation is.

Inappropriate Technical Terms

Bolts

In EMV 608.2, Maria Valtorta describes, carried on Jesus' shoulders, "a well-formed, solid cross, with the arms perfectly embedded in the main piece and well reinforced by nails and bolts." Maria Valtorta saw a Roman cross of military quality, solidly framed, with iron nails and rivets used to fix and reinforce the wooden pieces. Her use of the word "bolt" is a language anachronism, but not necessarily of observation.

The patibulum (crossbeam) was mortised (notched) into the stipes (vertical post), then firmly fixed by:

• Nails diagonally,
• Iron rivets,
• Possibly metal brackets (barely visible once in place).

This system could have visually resembled, for a 20th-century person, a bolted structure, hence the term used by Valtorta.

The "bolt" was a metal rod with a head on one side, inserted then hammered on the other to create a second head – which firmly fixes it between two beams. The variant with a plate inserted before bending the rod is typical of robust assemblies in ancient carpentry.

Carpenter’s Tools

In EMV 37.2, Maria Valtorta speaks of a screwdriver. An anachronistic term. She repeats it in EMV 42.2 and adds "it seems to me." Indeed, she was not a specialist in joiner's tools, even if they have not much changed since Antiquity. She used the references she knew. The tool resembling a screwdriver was probably a wood chisel, a gouge or a mortise chisel. Other descriptions of tools or joinery processes are found in EMV 306.1.

Translator Initiatives

• Poor cultural adaptations. In the first translation (1985), Félix Sauvage used the word "jockey" instead of the original word "auriga." Likewise, "factory" instead of "workshop." With good intentions, he wanted to make the visions of Maria Valtorta more accessible to the modern reader, but this initiative harmed the authenticity.

The Gospel as it was revealed to me (Maria Valtorta).

First part of the Bible from the book of Genesis until before the coming of Jesus Christ. Parallel

In-depth research on God, faith, religious Doctrine.

Person who analyzes the historical, cultural, and literary context of Biblical texts to better understand what they meant at the time they were written and how they can be interpreted today.

Second part of the Bible, from the coming of Jesus Christ until the Apocalypse.

In the Bible, it is the abode of the dead.

Change of the substance of bread and wine operated during Mass, at the Eucharist, by consecration into the real substance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (only the appearance of bread and wine remains). Nowadays, the term "Real Presence" is more commonly used. From Latin substantia: substance.