Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (13 page)

into the air though they do not even have

truly within him, they do not know him.

wings. Again, sometimes (it is as) if peo

But the Father is perfect, knowing every

ple were murdering them, though there

space within him. If he wishes, he manis no one even pursuing them, or they ifests whomever he wishes by giving him

themselves are killing their neighbors, for

form and giving him a name, and he gives

they have been stained with their blood.

a name to him and brings it about that

When those who are going through all

those come into existence who, before

these things wake up, they see nothing,

they come into existence, are ignorant of

they who were in the midst of all these

him who fashioned them.

disturbances, for they are nothing. Such

I do not say, then, that they are nothing

is the way of those who have cast igno

(at all) who have not yet come into exrance aside from them like sleep, not istence, but they are in him who will wish

esteeming it as anything, nor do they

that they come into existence when he

esteem its works as solid things either,

wishes, like the time that is to come.

but they leave them behind like a dream

Before all things appear, he knows what

in the night. The knowledge of the Father

he will produce. But the fruit which is

they value as the dawn. This is the way

not yet manifest does not know anything,

each one has acted, as though asleep at

nor does it do anything. Thus, also, every

the time when he was ignorant. And this

space which is itself in the Father is from

is the way he has �come to knowledge�,

50

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

as if he had awakened. {and} Good for

ninety-nine sheep which were not lost.

the one who will return and awaken. And

He went searching for the one which had

blessed is he who has opened the eyes of

gone astray. He rejoiced when he found

the blind.

it, for ninety-nine is a number that is in

And the Spirit ran after him, hastening

the left hand which holds it. But when

from waking him up. Having extended

the one is found, the entire number passes

his hand to him who lay upon the ground,

to the right (hand). As that which lacks

he set him up on his feet, for he had not

the one—that is, the entire right (hand)—

yet risen. He gave them the means of

draws what was deficient and takes it

knowing the knowledge of the Father and

from the left-hand side and brings (it) to

the revelation of his Son. For, when they

the right, so too the number becomes one

had seen him and had heard him, he

hundred. It is the sign of the one who is

granted them to taste him and to smell

in their sound; it is the Father. Even on

him and to touch the beloved Son.

the Sabbath, he labored for the sheep

When he had appeared instructing

which he found fallen into the pit. He

them about the Father, the incomprehengave life to the sheep, having brought it sible one, when he had breathed into

up from the pit in order that you might

them what is in the thought, doing his

know interiorly—you, the sons of intewill, when many had received the light, rior knowledge—what is the Sabbath, on

they turned to him. For the material ones

which it is not fitting for salvation to be

were strangers and did not see his likeidle, in order that you may speak from ness and had not known him. For he came

the day from above, which has no night,

by means of fleshly form, while nothing

and from the light which does not sink

blocked his course because incorruptibilbecause it is perfect.

ity is irresistible, since he, again, spoke

Say, then, from the heart that you are

new things, still speaking about what is

the perfect day and in you dwells the

in the heart of the Father, having brought

light that does not fail. Speak of the truth

forth the flawless word.

with those who search for it and (of)

When light had spoken through his

knowledge to those who have committed

mouth, as well as his voice which gave

sin in their error. Make firm the foot of

birth to life, he gave them thought and

those who have stumbled and stretch out

understanding and mercy and salvation

your hands to those who are ill. Feed

and the powerful spirit from the infinitethose who are hungry and give repose to ness and the sweetness of the Father.

those who are weary, and raise up those

Having made punishments and tortures

who wish to rise, and awaken those who

cease—for it was they which were leadsleep. For you are the understanding that ing astray from his face some who were

is drawn forth. If strength acts thus, it

in need of mercy, in error and in bonds—

becomes even stronger. Be concerned

he both destroyed them with power and

with yourselves; do not be concerned

confounded them with knowledge. He

with other things which you have rejected

became a way for those who were gone

from yourselves. Do not return to what

astray and knowledge for those who were

you have vomited to eat it. Do not be

ignorant, a discovery for those who were

moths. Do not be worms, for you have

searching, and a support for those who

already cast it off. Do not become a

were wavering, immaculateness for those

(dwelling) place for the devil, for you

who were defiled.

have already destroyed him. Do not

He is the shepherd who left behind the

strengthen (those who are) obstacles to

THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH

51

you who are collapsing, as though (you

every form (and) every sound. For it is

were) a support (for them). For the lawnot the ears that smell the fragrance, but less one is someone to treat ill rather than

(it is) the breath that has the sense of

the just one. For the former does his work

smell and attracts the fragrance to itself

as a lawless person; the latter as a righand is submerged in the fragrance of the teous person does his work among others.

Father, so that he thus shelters it and takes

So you, do the will of the Father, for you

it to the place where it came from, from

are from him.

the first fragrance which is grown cold. It

For the Father is sweet and in his will is

is something in a psychic form, being like

what is good. He has taken cognizance of

cold water which has frozen (?), which is

the things that are yours that you might

on earth that is not solid, of which those

find rest in them. For by the fruits does

who see it think it is earth; afterwards it

one take cognizance of the things that are

dissolves again. If a breath draws it, it

yours because the children of the Father

gets hot. The fragrances, therefore, that

are his fragrance, for they are from the

are cold are from the division. For this

grace of his countenance. For this reason

reason faith came; it dissolved the divithe Father loves his fragrance and manision, and it brought the warm pleroma of fests it in every place, and if it mixes with

love in order that the cold should not

matter he gives his fragrance to the light

come again but there should be the unity

and in his repose he causes it to surpass

of perfect thought. . . .

The Gospel of the Savior

The most recent Gospel to be discovered is called the Gospel of the Savior.

It poses real difficulties for translator and reader alike, since so much of its text has been destroyed (i.e., there are numerous holes in the manuscript).

Nonetheless, it was obviously once an intriguing account of Jesus’ life—or at least of his last hours. For the surviving portion of the text recounts the final instructions of Jesus to his disciples, his prayer to God that the “cup”

might be taken away from him, and then a final address—to the cross itself.

Whether this Gospel originally contained an entire account of Jesus’ life and death cannot be determined.1

There are numerous differences between the surviving passages of this Gospel and the parallel accounts in the New Testament. One of the most striking is that when Jesus asks his Father to “remove this cup from me,”

he does so not in the Garden of Gethsemane, but in a vision in which he has been transported to the throne room of God himself. In addition, this account records God’s replies to Jesus’ requests. But probably the most intriguing aspect of this hitherto lost Gospel is its ending, where Jesus (who is called “the Savior” throughout the account) speaks directly to the cross:

“O cross do not be afraid! I am rich. I will fill you with my wealth. I will mount you, O cross, I will be hung upon you.”

It appears that the unknown author of this Gospel made use of earlier Christian texts, including the Gospels of Matthew and, especially, John, and the book of Revelation. He evidently produced his account sometime in the second century, although the Coptic manuscript that contains it dates from the sixth or seventh century. The original language was Greek.

We do not know where the text was originally written. The surviving manuscript was discovered in Egypt and acquired for the Papyrus Collection of the Berlin Museum in 1967; but it remained unnoticed there until an American scholar, Paul Mirecki, came upon it in 1991. He and another scholar, Charles Hedrick, published the first edition of the text; an authori1See the comments in Ehrman,
Lost
Christianities
, 50–51.

Translation by Stephen Emmel, “The Recently Published
Gospel
of
the
Savior
,” (“Unbekanntes Berliner Evangelium”): Righting the Order of Pages and Events,”
Harvard
Theological
Review
95 (2002) 45–72; used with permission.

52

THE GOSPEL OF THE SAVIOR

53

tative reconstruction of its narrative with a readable translation was then made by Stephen Emmel.2 That is the translation I reproduce here, including the places where the translator indicates that the manuscript cannot be read.

Verses
1–27:
The
Savior
written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and

converses
with
his
disciples

the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

(after
the
Last
Supper)

18
So I am the good shepherd.
19
I lay

down my life for you.
20
You too, lay

[ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ] the

down your lives for your [friends], so

kingdom of heaven at your right hand.

that you might please my Father!
21
For

2
Blessed is he who will eat with me in

there is no commandment greater than

the kingdom of heaven.
3
[You] are the

this, that I should [lay down my] life [for]

salt [of] the earth, and [you] are the lamp

humankind.
22
For [this reason] my Fathat gives light to the world.
4
Do not ther loves me.
23
Because I accomsleep and do not slumber [until you plished [his] will.
24
Because [I am]

clothe yourselves] with the garment of

divine and yet I [became human]

the kingdom, which I have bought with

on account of [ . . . 4 lines untranslatthe blood of grapes!”

able . . . ].”

5
Andrew replied and said, “My [Lord]

25
[ . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ]

[ . . . 12ע lines untranslatable . . . ].”

how soon [will you . . . ] or remember us,

6
[ . . . 12ע lines untranslatable . . . ].

send for us, take us out of the world, and

7
Since I have healed those of the

let us [come] to you?
26
[ . . . 26 lines

[world], I must [also go] down to Hades

untranslatable . . . ] [ . . . ].”

on account of the others who are bound

27
The Savior said to us, “O my holy

there.
8
So now what is necessary [ . . .

members, my blessed seeds, [rise] and

23 lines untranslatable . . . everything

[ . . . ] pray [ . . . 12ע lines untranslatacarefully].
9
I for my part will appear to ble . . . ].”

you with joy. For I know that you are

able to do everything with joy.
10
For a

human being [has] free will [ . . . 9 lines

Verses
28–36:
A
vision
on
the
Mount
untranslatable . . . ].
11
So now [while]