Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (10 page)

Throughout much of the work the Christian sacraments figure prominently. Five are explicitly named: baptism, anointing, eucharist, salvation, and bridal chamber (v. 68). It is hard to know what deeper meaning these rituals had for the author (especially the “bridal chamber,” which has stirred considerable debate among scholars), or even what he imagined them to entail when practiced literally.

It is difficult to assign a date to this work, but it was probably compiled during the third century, although it draws on earlier sources.

Translation of David Cartlidge and David Dungan,
Documents
for
the
Study
of
the
Gospels
, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994) 56–75; used with permission.

38

THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP

39

1
A Hebrew person makes a Hebrew,

These he made as securities in his will.

and he is called a proselyte. But a pros

Not only when he appeared did he lay

elyte does not make a proselyte . . . there

aside his life as he wished, but at the

are those who are as they are . . . and they

establishment of the world he laid aside

make others . . . it is enough for them that

his life. He came to take it when he

they exist.

wished to, because it had been set aside

2
The slave seeks only to be free. Howas a pledge. It came under the control of ever, he does not seek after his lord’s

robbers, and it was held prisoner. But

properties. The son, however, is not only

he saved it, and he ransomed the good

a son but writes himself into the inheriones and the evil ones who were in the tance of the father.

world.

3
Those who inherit the dead are dead

10
Light and darkness, life and death,

and inherit the dead. Those who inherit

the right and the left are each other’s

living things are alive, and they inherit

brothers. They cannot separate from one

the living and the dead. Those who are

another. Therefore, the good are not good

dead inherit nothing. For how will the

nor are the evil evil, nor is life life,

one who is dead inherit? If the dead one

nor death death. On account of this,

inherits the living he will not die, but the

each one will dissolve into its beginning

dead one will live more.

origin. But those who are exalted above

4
A Gentile does not die. He has not

the world cannot dissolve; they are

lived, so he cannot die. He lives who has

eternal.

believed the truth; and he is in danger

11
The names which are given to the

that he will die, for he is alive. Now that

worldly things contain a great occasion

Christ has come

for error. For they twist our consideration

5
the world is created, the cities are

from the right meaning to the wrong

bedecked, the dead are carried out.

meaning. For whoever hears (the word)

6
When we were Hebrews, we were

“God,” does not know the right meaning

orphans. We had only our mother. But

but the wrong meaning. It is the same

when we became Christians, we gained

way with (such words as) “the Father”

a father and mother.

and “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” and

7
Those who sow in winter reap in

“the life” and “the light” and “the resursummer. The winter is the world; the rection” and “the Church” and all the

summer is the other aeon. Let us sow in

other names. Folk do not know the right

the world so that we may reap in the

meaning; rather they know the wrong

summer. On account of this it is seemly

meaning [unless] they have come to

for us not to pray in the winter. That

know the right meaning . . . they are in

which comes out of the winter is the

the world . . . in the aeon they would

summer. But if someone reaps in the winnever be used as names in the world, nor ter, he really will not be reaping, but he

would they list them under worldly

will be tearing things out,

things. They have an end in the aeon.

8
since this will not produce . . . not

12
There is only one name which one

only will it [not] produce . . . but on the

does not speak out in the world, the name

Sabbath [his field] is unfruitful.

which the Father gave to the Son. It is

9
Christ came to ransom some, but othabove everything. It is the name of the ers he saved, others he redeemed. Those

Father. For the Son will not become the

who were strangers he ransomed and

Father, if he does not put on the name of

made them his, and he set them apart.

the Father. Those who have this name

40

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

truly know it, but they do not speak

virgin whom no power defiled . . . the

it. Those who do not have it do not

powers defiled them (or, themselves).

know it.

The Lord (would) not have said, “My

But the truth engendered names in the

[Father who is in] Heaven,” if he had not

world for us, because it is impossible to

had another Father. But he would have

know it (the truth) without names. The

simply said: [“My Father.”]

truth is a single thing and is many things.

18
The Lord said to the disciples . . .

It is this way for our sake, in order to

“Enter the Father’s house, but do not take

teach us this one thing in love through its

anything in the Father’s house, nor remany-ness.

move anything.”

13
The archons wanted to deceive the

19
“Jesus” is a secret name; “Christ”

human because they saw that he was kinis a revealed name. For this reason, “Jedred to the truly good ones. They took sus” does not exist in any (other) lanthe name of the good ones and gave it to guage, but his name is always “Jesus,” as

those that are not good, so that by names

they say. “Christ” is also his name; in

they could deceive him and bind them to

Syriac, it is “Messiah,” but, in Greek, it

the ones that are not good. If they do

is “Christ.” Actually, everyone has it acthem a favor, they are taken away from cording to his own language. “The Nazthose who are not good and given their arene” is the one who reveals secret

place among those that are good. They

things.

knew these things. For they (the archons)

20
The Christ has everything in himwished to take the free person and enself: man, angel, mystery, and the Father.

slave him forever. . . .

21
They err who say, “The Lord first

15
Before the Christ came there was

died and then he arose.” First he arose,

no bread in the world. So also in paradise,

and then he died. If someone does not

the place where Adam was, there were

first achieve the resurrection, will he not

many trees as food for the animals, but

die? So truly as God lives, that one would

there was no wheat for human food. The

. . . [text uncertain].

human ate as the animals. But when the

22
No one will hide an extremely valu

Christ, the perfect man came, he brought

able thing in something of equal value.

bread from heaven so that people could

However, people often put things worth

eat in a human way.

countless thousands into a thing worth a

16
The archons believed that what they

penny. It is this way with the soul. It is a

did was by their own power and will.

precious thing which came into a worth

However, the Holy Spirit secretly worked

less body.

all through them as he willed. The truth

23
Some fear that they will arise nais sown in every place; she (the truth) ked. Therefore, they wish to arise in the

was from the beginning, and many see

flesh, and they do not know that those

her as she is sown. But only a few see

who carry the flesh are naked. They who

her being gathered in.

. . . who disrobe themselves are not

17
Some say Mary was impregnated

naked. Flesh [and blood can] not inherit

by the Holy Spirit. They err. They do not

the Kingdom [of God]. What is this

know what they say. When did a woman

which will not inherit? That which is on

become pregnant by a woman? Mary is

us. But what is this which will inherit?

the virgin whom no power corrupted. She

That which is of Jesus and of his blood.

is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who

Therefore he said: “The one who does

are the apostles and apostolic men. This

not eat my flesh and drink my blood does

THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP

41

not have life in him.”1 What is it? His

27
Do not scorn the Lamb. For without

flesh is the Logos, and his blood is the

it one cannot see the King. No one who

Holy Spirit. Whoever has received these

is naked will be able to find his way to

has food and drink and clothing. I blame

the King.

those who say it will not rise. Then they

28
The heavenly Man has many more

are both to blame. You say, “The flesh

children than the earthly man. If the chilwill not rise.” But tell me what will rise, dren of Adam are more numerous, and

so that we may praise you. You say, “The

still die, how much more the children of

spirit in the flesh and this light in the

the Perfect One who do not die but are

flesh.” This is also a Logos (or, saying)

always begotten. . . .

which is fleshly. Whatever you say, you

do not say anything outside the flesh. It

32
There were three who always

is necessary to rise in this flesh; everywalked with the Lord: Mary, his mother thing is in it.

and her sister and Magdalene, whom they

24
In this world those who put on

call his lover. A Mary is his sister and

clothes are worth more than the clothes.

his mother and his lover.

In the Kingdom of Heaven the clothes

33
“The Father” and “the Son” are sinare worth more than those who have put gle names. The “Holy Spirit” is a double

them on. Through water and fire, which

name. They are everywhere. They are

purify the whole place,

above; they are below; they are in the

25
those things which are revealed are

secret; they are in the revealed. The Holy

revealed by those which are manifest,

Spirit is in the revealed; it is below; it is

those which are secret by those which are

in the secret; it is above.

secret. Some are hidden through those

34
The saints are ministered to by the

which are manifest. There is water in

evil powers, for the powers are blind bewater; there is fire in anointing.

cause of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they

26
Jesus secretly stole them all. For he

will believe that they serve a man when

showed himself not to be as he really

they work for the saints. Because of this,

was, but he appeared in a way that they

one day a disciple sought from the Lord

could see him. To those . . . he appeared.

something from the world. He said to

[He appeared] to the great as great. [He

him, “Ask your mother, and she will give

appeared] to the small as small. [He apyou from a stranger’s (things).” . . .

peared] to the angels as an angel and to

humans as a human. Because of this, his

50
God is a man eater. On account of

Logos hid from everyone. Some, to be

this the Man [was killed] for him. Before

sure, saw him, and they thought that they

they killed the Man, they killed animals,

saw themselves. But, when he appeared

for those were not Gods for whom they

in glory to the disciples on the mountain

killed.

he was not small. He became great; how

51
Glass and pottery vessels are both

ever, he made the disciples great, so that

made with fire. But if glass vessels are

they were able to see him as he was,

broken they are made again, for they are

great.

created with a breath. But if pottery ves

He said on that day in the thanksgivsels are broken, they are destroyed, for ing, “You who have united with the perthey are created without a breath.