Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (20 page)

18 had died and risen again, as he

again be taken and thrown in prison for

said this, and the work that was thus

a testimony, until he comes out to preach,

accomplished in the flesh, that he was

as I have commanded you.” And we said

crucified, and his ascension—this is the

to him, “O Lord, have you then not comfulfilling of the number. “And the wonpleted the drinking of the passover? Must ders and his image and everything perfect

we, then, do it again?” And he said to us,

you will see in me with respect to re

“Yes, until I come from the Father with

demption which takes place through me,

my wounds.”

and while I go to the Father and into

heaven. . . .”

And we said to him, “O Lord,

16 great is this that you say and

And we said again to him, “O

reveal to us. In what kind of power and

23 Lord, but it is necessary, since

form are you about to come?” And he

you have commanded us to preach,

said to us, “Truly I say to you, I will

prophesy, and teach, that we, having

come as the sun which bursts forth; thus

heard accurately from you, may be good

will I, shining seven times brighter than

preachers and may teach them, that they

it in glory, while I am carried on the

may believe in you. Therefore we queswings of the clouds in splendor with my tion you.”

cross going on before me, come to the

earth to judge the living and the dead.”

He answered and said to us,

24

And we said to him, “O Lord,

17

“Truly I say to you, the flesh of

how many years yet?” And he

every one will rise with his soul alive and

said to us, “When the hundred and fiftieth

his spirit.” And we said to him, “O Lord,

year is completed, between pentecost and

then can what is departed and scattered

passover will the coming of my Father

become alive? Not as if we deny it do we

take place.” And we said to him, “O Lord,

ask; rather we believe that what you say

now you said to us, ‘I will come,’ and

has happened and will happen.” And he

then you said, ‘he who sent me will

said to us, being angry, “You of little

come.’ ” And he said to us, ‘I am wholly

faith, how long yet do you ask me? And

in the Father and the Father in me.”3 Then

inquire (only) without anguish after what

we said to him, “Will you really leave us

you wish to hear.

until your coming? Where will we find a

“Keep my commandments, and do

teacher?” And he answered and said to

us, “Do you not know that until now I

am both here and there with him who

3John 10:38; 14:10–21.

THE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES

77

what I tell you, without delay and without

And he said to us, “Now what has fallen

reserve and without respect of persons;

will arise, and what is ill will be sound,

serve in the strait, direct, and narrow way.

that my Father may be praised therein; as

And thereby will the Father in every rehe has done to me, so I (will do) to you spect rejoice concerning you.”

and to all who believe in me.

And we said again to him, “O

25

“Truly I say to you, the flesh

26

Lord, look; we have you to dewill rise with the soul, that they rision with the many questions.” And he

may confess and be judged with the work

said to us, “I know that in faith and with

which they have done, whether it is good

your whole heart you question me. And

or bad, in order that there may be a se

I am glad because of you. Truly I say to

lection and exhibition for those who have

you I am pleased, and my Father in me

believed and have done the commandrejoices, that you thus inquire and ask.

ment of my Father who sent me. Then

Your boldness makes me rejoice, and it

will the righteous judgment take place;

affords yourselves life.” And when he

for thus my Father wills, and he said to

had said this to us, we were glad, for he

me, ‘My son, on the day of judgment you

had spoken to us in gentleness. And we

will not fear the rich and not spare the

said again to him, “Our Lord, in all things

poor; rather deliver each one to eternal

you have shown yourself gracious toward

punishment according to his sins.’ But to

us and grant us life; for all we have asked

those who have loved me and do love me

you you have told us.” Then he said to

and who have done my commandment I

us, “Does the flesh or the spirit fall

will grant rest in life in the kingdom of

away?” And we said to him, “The flesh.”

my heavenly Father.”

The Coptic Apocalypse

of Peter

There are three surviving apocalypses allegedly written by Simon Peter, the disciple of Jesus (One other is included in this collection); the one given here was discovered at Nag Hammadi (see page 19). The book contains a series of visions given by Jesus to Peter (hence the title “apocalypse” or

“revelation”), which Peter then records in the first person. In these visions, Christ issues dire warnings against the teaching of heretics who propagate falsehoods. Strikingly, the heretics here are the bishops and deacons of the proto-orthodox churches, and their false teaching is that Jesus was himself the Christ who suffered a literal death on the cross. The author deems this staunchly proto-orthodox view laughable; he labels its proponents blind.

For this author, the true significance of Jesus’ death goes much deeper.

Even though Jesus’ flesh was killed, Christ himself was far removed from suffering; those who beheld the cross with full knowledge (gnosis) did not see the suffering Jesus but the living Christ, who was himself laughing at the entire proceeding. Jesus was merely his outward appearance, just as simple-minded Christians are nothing but the outward appearance of the living ones who have been fully enlightened by the spiritual truth of the immortal Christ.

Most scholars have dated this gnostic treatise to the third century.

And when I said these things, the Sav-

will be despised in these ages, since they

ior said, “I have told you that these (peo-

are ignorant of you. But you will be

ple) are blind and deaf. Now then, listen

praised in (the age of) knowledge. For

to the things that are being told to you in

many will accept our teaching in the bea mystery, and guard them. Do not tell ginning. But they will turn away again in

them to the children of this age. For you

accordance with the will of the father of

Translation of James Brashler and Roger A. Bullard, from
Nag
Hammadi
Codex
VII
(Nag Hammadi Studies, 30) ed. Birger Pearson (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1996); used with permission.

78

THE COPTIC APOCALYPSE OF PETER

79

their error, because they have done what

has faith, and desires to renounce these

he wanted. And he will make manifest in

(material) things. ‘For people neither

his judgment who the servants of the

gather figs from thorns’—or from thorn

word are. But those who became mingled

trees if they are wise—‘nor grapes from

with these will become their prisoners,

brambles.’ For on the one hand, a particsince they are without perception. And ular thing (masc.) always remains in that

the guileless, good, pure one is pushed to

(condition) in which it exists. If it exists

the executioner, even into the kingdom

in a particular condition that is not good,

of those who praise a restored Christ.

that (condition) becomes its (fem.) de

And they praise the men of the propagastruction and death. On the other hand, tion of falsehood, who will succeed you.

this one (fem. � the immortal soul)

And they will hold fast to the name of a

abides in the Eternal One, in the one of

dead man, while thinking that they will

life and immortality of life which are

become pure. But they will become

alike to Him.

greatly defiled. And they will fall into an

“Therefore everything that does not

explicit error and into the hand of an evil,

abide will dissolve into that which does

cunning man with a multifarious docnot exist. For deaf and blind ones join trine. And they will be ruled heretically.

only with their own kind. But some will

For some of them will blaspheme the

depart from evil words and deceptive

truth and proclaim evil teaching. And

mysteries. Others do not understand mysthey will say evil things to each other.

teries, although they speak of these things

“And some, because they stand by virwhich they do not understand. Neverthetue of the archons, will be given a name less they will boast that the mystery of

of a man and a naked woman who is

the truth is theirs alone. And in haughtimultifarious and very sensual. And those ness they will begin {in haughtiness} to

who say these things will ask about

envy the immortal soul that has become

dreams. And if they say that a dream

dedicated (to God). For every authority,

came from a demon worthy of their error,

principality, and power of the ages althen they will be given destruction inways wanted to remain with these (imstead of immortality. ‘For evil cannot mortal souls) from the foundation of the

produce good fruit.’ For each source proworld, in order that those who do not duces what is like itself. For not every

abide, since they have been ignorant and

soul comes from the truth, nor from imhave not been saved, may be glorified by mortality. For every soul of these ages

those who do abide. And they have not

has death assigned to it, in our view.

been brought to the way by them, al

Consequently it is always a slave. It is

though they have always desired that they

created for its desires and their eternal

would become the imperishable ones. For

destruction, for which they exist and in

if the immortal soul receives power

which they exist. They (the souls) love

through an intellectual spirit, then imthe material creatures which came forth mediately she is joined by one of those

with them. But the immortal souls are not

who have been misled. And others, who

like these, O Peter. But indeed, as long

are numerous and who oppose the truth,

as the hour has not yet come, she (the

who are the messengers of error, will

immortal soul) will indeed resemble a

concoct their error and their law against

mortal one. But she will not reveal her

these pure thoughts of mine. Since they

nature, although she alone is the immorsee from one (perspective), they think tal one and thinks about immortality. She

that good and evil are from one (source).

80

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

“They do business in my word. And

other multitudes of living ones, and they

they will set forth a harsh fate in which

will be destroyed among them. And when

the race of the immortal souls will run in

they speak your name, they will be

vain until my return. For they will remain

believed.”

among them. And I have forgiveness of

The Savior said, “For a period of time

their transgressions into which they fell

determined for them in proportion to their

because of the adversaries. I accepted

error, they will rule over the little ones.

their ransom from the slavery in which

But after the completion of the error, the

they existed (and) I gave them freedom.

ageless one of immortal understanding

For they will create an imitation remnant

will be renewed, and they (the little ones)

in the name of a dead man, who is Her-

will rule over those who are their rulers.

mas, the first-born of unrighteousness, in

The root of their error he will pull out,

order that the real light might not be

and he will put it to shame, and it will be

believed by the little ones. But those of

exposed in all the impudence that it has

this sort (the adversaries) are the workers

assumed to itself. And such persons shall

who will be cast into the outer darkness,

remain unchanged, O Peter. Come, thereaway from the children of light. For they fore! Let us proceed to the completion of

will not enter, but neither do they permit

the will of the undefiled Father. For bethose (to enter) who are going up to their hold, those who will bring judgment