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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SECRET REVELATION OF JOHN
463
ACCORDING TO THE Secret Revelation of John, soon after his resurrection Christ gave his disciple John a vision. The actual author of this document is unknown, but it was most likely a Christian teacher who probably wrote in Greek around 150 CE, possibly in Alexandria, Egypt.
Although part of the Secret Revelation of John was known to the second-century church father Irenaeus, it was lost until the discovery of four copies that were translated into the Egyptian (Coptic) language.
The first copy (the Berlin Codex) appeared on the antiquities market in Cairo in 1896, and three more manuscripts were unearthed among a cache of papyrus books near the village of Nag Hammadi in 1945.
All were at least partially damaged -- as we might expect of books over 1,500 years old. The translation in this collection is largely from the Berlin Codex (BG), but it sometimes draws upon Nag Hammadi Codex II (NHC II) to fill in damaged spaces or to offer additional material found only there.
The First Christian Story
Before the Secret Revelation of John no Christian writing had told the whole story of creation and salvation from beginning to end.
When the disciple John is grieving after the Savior's departure, the heavens open and the Savior appears to him. He reveals to John the entire nature of the universe, beginning with a description of God as the transcendent Invisible Spirit and Father.
From him came first the Mother (Pronoia-Barbelo) and then the Son (Autogenes-Christ), followed by a multitude of luminous powers. Together they constitute the divine spiritual world above.
The lower world originated when the youngest of the powerful figures called "eternal generations," Wisdom-Sophia, boldly gave birth without the consent of her male partner and fellow aeon, God, the Father. Her child, called Yaldabaoth or the Chief Ruler, is the creator God (known from Genesis) who forms the lower world with its astral rulers. When he boasts to these minions, "I am a jealous God and there is none except me," he shows himself to be both ignorant and arrogant.
To instruct him in the truth, the Savior reveals his luminous image in the form of a human being on the waters below. The Chief Ruler and his minions create the first human according to the divine image of the Savior above, but also in their own flawed likeness. When Adam is unable to move, the Chief Ruler breathes the spirit of the Mother into him, and Adam becomes superior to the lower powers who formed him. Jealous, Yaldabaoth encases him in flesh so that he becomes subject to ignorance, suffering, and death.
464
In this way, all people come to have a double heritage; they are in truth the spiritual children of God, filled with the inner light and divine goodness; but at the same time humanity has become polluted with sin and ignorance, shackled by the fetters of the mortal body and its deceptive passions, and subject to the violence and torment of malicious pretender gods.
History is the story of repeated but ineffective attempts by the inferior World rulers to dominate the superior humans; each attempt has been countered by saviors sent by the true Mother into the lower world to teach humanity about their spiritual nature and to strengthen them with the gift of her Spirit so that they are able to overcome the violence, deception, injustice, and humiliations and suffering of mortal existence. In the end, all humanity will return to the divine world above, except a few who turn back from the truth.
This wide-scoped story creatively combines material from the first chapter of Genesis and second-century Greek philosophy.
The main characters came from Genesis, astrology, Jewish Wisdom literature, or the Gospel of John and then were molded and adapted to express the dramatic hope in the dangerous circumstances of the early Christ people.
*
other early Christ movement documents, including the Gospel of of the early Christ people. Elements found in this story appear in ajnohdnth:thnew:et. ter to the Ephesians, "On the Origin of the World:' and "The Reality of the Rill. ers" (two documents found at Nag Hammadi but not included in A New New Tes-tament). Since the manuscripts of the Secret Revelation of John were found only within the past century, it is difficult to know what Christians of earlier eras would think of this elaborate story. Twentieth-century scholarship and church leadership have responded very hesitantly to it, mostly putting it aside as irrelevant gnostic* speculation. As is obvious from the enthusiasm of the New Orleans Council in se-lecting this book to be in A New New Testament and in this introduction, it seems probable that those twentieth-century reactions may have been too defensive,
Utopia, Justice, and Social Critique The prevalent Christian worldview, which is drawn most notably from the Revesla' tion to John, presents good and evil in terms of the opposing forces of God and, tan, locked in violent struggle. So, too, the Secret Revelation of John paints a of istic portrait of the universe, but one in which all the violence is on the side o oino. gods. They alone bring suffering and death to human beings, keeping them ig„h,r rant and grieving through deception, toil, and the distracting food, and sexual desire. The true God works through the illum pleasures ofilN. inating
465
7 compassion, and moral goodness, bringing true teaching, the inner power tftlw Rh Spirit, and protection from evil through baptism and anointin oe nf die Savior's revelation is shaped by contrasting the world. above with muck, e the world below, and in doing so he offers potent possibilities for exposing and licizing structures of evil and domination. In portraying the world above as a Grit ruled by powers of light and life, of reason and goodness, the Secret r;velation of John offers a utopian image against which the dark and death-deal- evils of this world are starkly exposed. It describes human suffering not only in ing relation to human sin and impotence, but as a result of the violence and deceptions wrought by unjust, ignorant, and malicious forces. At the same time, the Savior also tells John that it is difficult to distinguish what is truly good from what only appears to be good. Because the lower gods created the world as a kind of parody of the divine world, and because they actively try to keep people ignorant through lies and violence, human beings need to learn the truth through Christ's revela-tion. They need to learn, too, that the tree of their deceptive knowledge offers oni the bitter fruit of ignorance and the knowledge of si Much as the Revelation to John continues to produce readers who look at cur-rent events for signs of the end time and the second coming, the Secret Revela-tion of John may have aimed to produce wise and resistant readers during time of persecution and oppression under the Roman Empire. Through Chrig'sAeach ing, such readers were to have been able to expose the arrogance, the ignora-nt& and the lies of worldly powers, and to discern the true Spirit from the counterfeit. These readers were to recognize that suffering and violence are never the will of the true God and to seek and cultivate their true spiritual rla ures created, in image of God and filled with the Spirit of the Mother.,
--,-,,,,,-.,,,..- .,:---t. , -,,,,,,,,-i., Sexnd alv- anon Q:7,4, , ,,,, -;tt.,, 4 -,- - ''''":"-; For Christians accustomed to predominantly masculine images of the biblical God, the Secret Revelation of John might bring surprise. lit is filled with imagery of God as the divine Mother, as well as the Father and Son. Along with Christ, pow-erful saviors include the female wisdom figures of Providence-Pronoia, the lumi-nous Reflection-Epinoia, and Eve. These figures in the Secret Revelation of John see-ill sometimes to be the same divine person and sometime a similar, but slightly differ . ent, divine person. The alliance among and overlapping identities of these figures -1 uo not occur just in this text, but also in other texts from Nag Hamrnadi kiti even . g_ r u in other unrelated ancient literature and statuary The presence of these Ligli es illustrates l . h is ee indebted to Jewish liter es how the Secret Reve ation of JO n i d ply , 'lure, Which also celebrates the figure of Wisdom-Sophia as a central divine Perso,,,,, wi k,i,,._ person a» was sent to teach and save humanity, to protect and strengthen `41n1 Noah, and all humanity (Wisdom 9:13-21; 10:1-2).
466
The Secret Revelation of John
Still another female figure, Wisdom-Sophia, the youngest of the he aeons, is responsible for breaking the harmony of the divine sphere th bold and independent action. The result is a portrait of the universe thartNilhet should rule over the female, was done in ignorance that the subordination of the proper patriarchal household of God above with a fatherless world below headed by a sexually violent and deviant bastard. Wisdom-Sophia's action makes her into a kind of Eve figure, but in this sto v real Eve is not the cause of humankind's fall, but of its redemption. Here she is am's teacher, and the sexual intercourse of Adam and Eve marks not Ad' but a step toward salvation through Christ. When Adam recognizes his Own spin! tual essence in Eve, their union then leads to the birth of Seth, a child in the true likeness of the Child of Humanity. There is no condemnation of sex as such but only of the world rulers' lustful desire, sexual deceit, and rape. And indeed, Christ tells John that the curse of Yaldabaoth, the lower god, proclaiming that the male women to men is against God's holy design. In the Secret Revelation of John, then, we have a complex story that affirms the values of household order and sexual life, while strongly critiquing unjust domination, violence, and rape. At first reading, the story of the Secret Revelation of John will often seem strange to many readers who know the Revelation to John's story, where God's rescue of humanity comes at great cost in the destruction of much of the earth and the death of thousands. But on further acquaintance, many will recognize the powerful °d well-known Christian themes that Christ's teaching reveals God's love for human. cret Revelation of John, injustice and cruel domination are overcome by the P6e1 In the Se. dom ity, and spiritual truth often stands in opposition to worldly wis
trust. movement that is both and destrtucailtio: of the Spirit, by knowledge, and by goodness without violence offering a tradition from within the early Christian move 'Lion 0f II°Pe ternative to stories of divine wrath and judgment and an affirmation
463
ACCORDING TO THE Secret Revelation of John, soon after his resurrection Christ gave his disciple John a vision. The actual author of this document is unknown, but it was most likely a Christian teacher who probably wrote in Greek around 150 CE, possibly in Alexandria, Egypt.
Although part of the Secret Revelation of John was known to the second-century church father Irenaeus, it was lost until the discovery of four copies that were translated into the Egyptian (Coptic) language.
The first copy (the Berlin Codex) appeared on the antiquities market in Cairo in 1896, and three more manuscripts were unearthed among a cache of papyrus books near the village of Nag Hammadi in 1945.
All were at least partially damaged -- as we might expect of books over 1,500 years old. The translation in this collection is largely from the Berlin Codex (BG), but it sometimes draws upon Nag Hammadi Codex II (NHC II) to fill in damaged spaces or to offer additional material found only there.
The First Christian Story
Before the Secret Revelation of John no Christian writing had told the whole story of creation and salvation from beginning to end.
When the disciple John is grieving after the Savior's departure, the heavens open and the Savior appears to him. He reveals to John the entire nature of the universe, beginning with a description of God as the transcendent Invisible Spirit and Father.
From him came first the Mother (Pronoia-Barbelo) and then the Son (Autogenes-Christ), followed by a multitude of luminous powers. Together they constitute the divine spiritual world above.
The lower world originated when the youngest of the powerful figures called "eternal generations," Wisdom-Sophia, boldly gave birth without the consent of her male partner and fellow aeon, God, the Father. Her child, called Yaldabaoth or the Chief Ruler, is the creator God (known from Genesis) who forms the lower world with its astral rulers. When he boasts to these minions, "I am a jealous God and there is none except me," he shows himself to be both ignorant and arrogant.
To instruct him in the truth, the Savior reveals his luminous image in the form of a human being on the waters below. The Chief Ruler and his minions create the first human according to the divine image of the Savior above, but also in their own flawed likeness. When Adam is unable to move, the Chief Ruler breathes the spirit of the Mother into him, and Adam becomes superior to the lower powers who formed him. Jealous, Yaldabaoth encases him in flesh so that he becomes subject to ignorance, suffering, and death.
464
In this way, all people come to have a double heritage; they are in truth the spiritual children of God, filled with the inner light and divine goodness; but at the same time humanity has become polluted with sin and ignorance, shackled by the fetters of the mortal body and its deceptive passions, and subject to the violence and torment of malicious pretender gods.
History is the story of repeated but ineffective attempts by the inferior World rulers to dominate the superior humans; each attempt has been countered by saviors sent by the true Mother into the lower world to teach humanity about their spiritual nature and to strengthen them with the gift of her Spirit so that they are able to overcome the violence, deception, injustice, and humiliations and suffering of mortal existence. In the end, all humanity will return to the divine world above, except a few who turn back from the truth.
This wide-scoped story creatively combines material from the first chapter of Genesis and second-century Greek philosophy.
The main characters came from Genesis, astrology, Jewish Wisdom literature, or the Gospel of John and then were molded and adapted to express the dramatic hope in the dangerous circumstances of the early Christ people.
*
other early Christ movement documents, including the Gospel of of the early Christ people. Elements found in this story appear in ajnohdnth:thnew:et. ter to the Ephesians, "On the Origin of the World:' and "The Reality of the Rill. ers" (two documents found at Nag Hammadi but not included in A New New Tes-tament). Since the manuscripts of the Secret Revelation of John were found only within the past century, it is difficult to know what Christians of earlier eras would think of this elaborate story. Twentieth-century scholarship and church leadership have responded very hesitantly to it, mostly putting it aside as irrelevant gnostic* speculation. As is obvious from the enthusiasm of the New Orleans Council in se-lecting this book to be in A New New Testament and in this introduction, it seems probable that those twentieth-century reactions may have been too defensive,
Utopia, Justice, and Social Critique The prevalent Christian worldview, which is drawn most notably from the Revesla' tion to John, presents good and evil in terms of the opposing forces of God and, tan, locked in violent struggle. So, too, the Secret Revelation of John paints a of istic portrait of the universe, but one in which all the violence is on the side o oino. gods. They alone bring suffering and death to human beings, keeping them ig„h,r rant and grieving through deception, toil, and the distracting food, and sexual desire. The true God works through the illum pleasures ofilN. inating
465
7 compassion, and moral goodness, bringing true teaching, the inner power tftlw Rh Spirit, and protection from evil through baptism and anointin oe nf die Savior's revelation is shaped by contrasting the world. above with muck, e the world below, and in doing so he offers potent possibilities for exposing and licizing structures of evil and domination. In portraying the world above as a Grit ruled by powers of light and life, of reason and goodness, the Secret r;velation of John offers a utopian image against which the dark and death-deal- evils of this world are starkly exposed. It describes human suffering not only in ing relation to human sin and impotence, but as a result of the violence and deceptions wrought by unjust, ignorant, and malicious forces. At the same time, the Savior also tells John that it is difficult to distinguish what is truly good from what only appears to be good. Because the lower gods created the world as a kind of parody of the divine world, and because they actively try to keep people ignorant through lies and violence, human beings need to learn the truth through Christ's revela-tion. They need to learn, too, that the tree of their deceptive knowledge offers oni the bitter fruit of ignorance and the knowledge of si Much as the Revelation to John continues to produce readers who look at cur-rent events for signs of the end time and the second coming, the Secret Revela-tion of John may have aimed to produce wise and resistant readers during time of persecution and oppression under the Roman Empire. Through Chrig'sAeach ing, such readers were to have been able to expose the arrogance, the ignora-nt& and the lies of worldly powers, and to discern the true Spirit from the counterfeit. These readers were to recognize that suffering and violence are never the will of the true God and to seek and cultivate their true spiritual rla ures created, in image of God and filled with the Spirit of the Mother.,
--,-,,,,,-.,,,..- .,:---t. , -,,,,,,,,-i., Sexnd alv- anon Q:7,4, , ,,,, -;tt.,, 4 -,- - ''''":"-; For Christians accustomed to predominantly masculine images of the biblical God, the Secret Revelation of John might bring surprise. lit is filled with imagery of God as the divine Mother, as well as the Father and Son. Along with Christ, pow-erful saviors include the female wisdom figures of Providence-Pronoia, the lumi-nous Reflection-Epinoia, and Eve. These figures in the Secret Revelation of John see-ill sometimes to be the same divine person and sometime a similar, but slightly differ . ent, divine person. The alliance among and overlapping identities of these figures -1 uo not occur just in this text, but also in other texts from Nag Hamrnadi kiti even . g_ r u in other unrelated ancient literature and statuary The presence of these Ligli es illustrates l . h is ee indebted to Jewish liter es how the Secret Reve ation of JO n i d ply , 'lure, Which also celebrates the figure of Wisdom-Sophia as a central divine Perso,,,,, wi k,i,,._ person a» was sent to teach and save humanity, to protect and strengthen `41n1 Noah, and all humanity (Wisdom 9:13-21; 10:1-2).
466
The Secret Revelation of John
Still another female figure, Wisdom-Sophia, the youngest of the he aeons, is responsible for breaking the harmony of the divine sphere th bold and independent action. The result is a portrait of the universe thartNilhet should rule over the female, was done in ignorance that the subordination of the proper patriarchal household of God above with a fatherless world below headed by a sexually violent and deviant bastard. Wisdom-Sophia's action makes her into a kind of Eve figure, but in this sto v real Eve is not the cause of humankind's fall, but of its redemption. Here she is am's teacher, and the sexual intercourse of Adam and Eve marks not Ad' but a step toward salvation through Christ. When Adam recognizes his Own spin! tual essence in Eve, their union then leads to the birth of Seth, a child in the true likeness of the Child of Humanity. There is no condemnation of sex as such but only of the world rulers' lustful desire, sexual deceit, and rape. And indeed, Christ tells John that the curse of Yaldabaoth, the lower god, proclaiming that the male women to men is against God's holy design. In the Secret Revelation of John, then, we have a complex story that affirms the values of household order and sexual life, while strongly critiquing unjust domination, violence, and rape. At first reading, the story of the Secret Revelation of John will often seem strange to many readers who know the Revelation to John's story, where God's rescue of humanity comes at great cost in the destruction of much of the earth and the death of thousands. But on further acquaintance, many will recognize the powerful °d well-known Christian themes that Christ's teaching reveals God's love for human. cret Revelation of John, injustice and cruel domination are overcome by the P6e1 In the Se. dom ity, and spiritual truth often stands in opposition to worldly wis
trust. movement that is both and destrtucailtio: of the Spirit, by knowledge, and by goodness without violence offering a tradition from within the early Christian move 'Lion 0f II°Pe ternative to stories of divine wrath and judgment and an affirmation
217
An Introduction to the Gospel of Mary
THE GOSPEL OF MARY — although not well known to the general public — has burst open new possibilities for many over the past twenty-five years. It is the first and only known gospel whose main figure is a woman. This figure of Mary (most likely Magdalene) is portrayed as a confidante of Jesus, someone familiar with Greek philosophy, and a (somewhat controversial) leader of the disciples after Jesus leaves them.
This gospel was most likely written sometime between 80 and 180 CE — as early as the Gospel of Matthew or the Letter to the Ephesians and as late as the heresy fighter Irenaeus. Church historian Karen King places it around 120, or around the time many now situate the Gospel of Luke.
Almost certainly not written by Mary herself, the gospel has a distinctly Greek cultural flavor, even though the only known copies are in Coptic. Both discovered manuscripts of the gospel are incomplete. One is missing almost ten pages, the other almost twelve. This break in the text is also footnoted in the copy found in A New New Testament.
The New Orleans Council gave the Gospel of Mary its highest number of votes. Although some members expressed doubts about a book with so much of its content missing, the parts that remained were seen as crucial for understanding Christianity's beginnings and meanings for today.
The Child of Humanity Exists Within You
The Blessed One . . . said . . . "Beware that no one lead you astray saying, 'Look over here!' Or 'Look over there!' For the Child of Humanity is within you. . ."
Mary ... said.... "Let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us Humans...'
Levi ... said, ... "We should clothe ourselves with the perfect Human, acquire it for ourselves as he commanded us, and proclaim the good news. . . (4:1-4; 5:4_8;10:7-12)
At the heart of the Gospel of Mary is a throbbing enthusiasm for becoming a true human being. For this ancient gospel, Jesus is the Savior because he teaches people how to welcome true humanity into themselves. None of the preceding quotations from the Gospel of Mary point to how Jesus saves them, forgives them, or makes them holy. Rather, the focus of these teachings is on being real human beings.
218
In many ways this gospel makes the promise of becoming real human beings in the most excited and clearest way of any early Christian gospel. Jesus is the "Child of Humanity,' according to his own teaching. Mary Magdalene, who in this gospel has been taught many things that Jesus taught no one else, says that Jesus's primary purpose is making 'us' 'human beings.' Levi, who defends Mary after Peter and Andrew have criticized her, says that the 'good news' is about being clothed in 'the perfect Human.'
For many twenty-first-century readers this emphasis on the goodness of humanity, proclaimed in an early Christian gospel, comes as a surprise. ° So often Christianity has been understood as praising God and judging humanity.
In much Christian piety humans are pictured as the lost and wretched person of 'Amazing Grace.' TV evangelists and popes alike portray humans as so thoroughly deserving of God's condemnation that only the bloody sacrifice of Jesus can make things right.
This is simply not the portrait of humanity in the Gospel of Mary. Here Jesus and his followers are united in perfect humanity The good news is not in escaping one's human identity but in embracing it.
Nor does this gospel treat Jesus's death as a key to salvation. His death is not an act of atonement, but rather an event to overcome through the teachings Jesus told Mary.
This message can be very good news to many people who have been told in one way or another that they are hopeless and shameful as humans. The Gospel of Mary's invitation to clothe oneself with 'the perfect Human' breaks out of both secular cynicism and Christian condemnation, allowing people to see their humanity not as cursed or meaningless, but as powerful and good.
It is tempting to think of this new gospel in its embrace of humanity as quite different from the other gospels of early Christianity. Although the message in the Gospel of Mary may be expressed in particularly striking images, it actually is quite similar to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Thomas.
The language of corrupt and condemned humanity is mostly a product of later Christianity after the gospels had been completed. The guilt-laden humanity of later theologians such as Augustine and Martin Luther is hardly present in any early gospels.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all show Jesus teaching 'good news' about the 'realm' (or 'kingdom') of God which is 'at hand' or 'among you.' Indeed, Jesus's words in the Gospel of Mary about the child of true humanity are strikingly similar to his words about the realm of God in Luke: "The realm of God does not come in a way that can be grasped, nor will people say, 'Look, here it is' or 'There it is!'; for the realm of God is among you!" (17:2o-21).
The Gospel of Mary's celebration of humanity then reclaims a larger message from early Christianity that has been hidden by later Christian doctrines about sin and corruption. This newly discovered gospel's dramatic embrace of what good news human existence embodies is certain to confuse guilt- or shame-focused Christians of more recent times.
219
At the same time, it can serve as a way to rediscover a similar message in the other gospels. Or, for still others who are wary of anything in the traditional New Testament, the Gospel of Mary's affirmation of the goodness of humanity may be the first time such a message is associated with Jesus.
The Main Character of This Gospel Is a Woman
This gospel focuses on Mary Magdalene. She is portrayed as one of Jesus's closest associates. She consoles the rest of the disciples as they fear that they might be crucified as Jesus was. Mary's authority stems from both her closeness to Jesus and the fact that Jesus has told her things that he told no one else.
There is no suggestion in the story of physical or sexual intimacy between Jesus and Mary. Indeed, the focus is on an intellectual and spiritual connection between them. The idea of a sexual relationship between Jesus and Mary is almost certainly a modern fixation, not an ancient notion.
This gospel not only concentrates on Mary Magdalene, but its story points directly to Mary's authority as a woman leader. Both Andrew and Peter challenge her teaching about Jesus, and Peter explicitly doubts its validity because she is a woman. Here the modern interest in women claiming authority resonates with the ancient one.
The plot of this contest between men and women for authority in the early churches is both subtle and appealing for the twenty-first-century reader, for whom such questions are very much alive. Levi comes to the defense of Mary after she is criticized. And, in the end, the message according to Mary is proclaimed to the larger world.
On the other hand, there also seems to be some ambivalence in the way this gospel's ending handles Mary's authority. First of all, the ending shows only a small minority following Mary's teaching about Jesus. Perhaps more disturbing is that Mary seems to lose her voice at the end of the gospel. She cries and gives only a sentence response to Peter's and Andrew's rebukes. Then Levi takes on the role of defending her. And even though her point of view carries the day, it is not at all clear that she herself goes out to teach.
The importance of the Gospel of Mary for today's worldwide negotiation of rights and roles for women cannot be underestimated. That an early Christian writing presents a major female figure whose leadership is actively disputed by the apostles introduces a dramatic new dimension to Christian understanding of women's authority. Even with the consideration of the important ambiguities at end of the Gospel of Mary, this document still turns the tables on claims like of the Vatican that women cannot be priests because there were no women disciples.
An Introduction to the Gospel of Mary
THE GOSPEL OF MARY — although not well known to the general public — has burst open new possibilities for many over the past twenty-five years. It is the first and only known gospel whose main figure is a woman. This figure of Mary (most likely Magdalene) is portrayed as a confidante of Jesus, someone familiar with Greek philosophy, and a (somewhat controversial) leader of the disciples after Jesus leaves them.
This gospel was most likely written sometime between 80 and 180 CE — as early as the Gospel of Matthew or the Letter to the Ephesians and as late as the heresy fighter Irenaeus. Church historian Karen King places it around 120, or around the time many now situate the Gospel of Luke.
Almost certainly not written by Mary herself, the gospel has a distinctly Greek cultural flavor, even though the only known copies are in Coptic. Both discovered manuscripts of the gospel are incomplete. One is missing almost ten pages, the other almost twelve. This break in the text is also footnoted in the copy found in A New New Testament.
The New Orleans Council gave the Gospel of Mary its highest number of votes. Although some members expressed doubts about a book with so much of its content missing, the parts that remained were seen as crucial for understanding Christianity's beginnings and meanings for today.
The Child of Humanity Exists Within You
The Blessed One . . . said . . . "Beware that no one lead you astray saying, 'Look over here!' Or 'Look over there!' For the Child of Humanity is within you. . ."
Mary ... said.... "Let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us Humans...'
Levi ... said, ... "We should clothe ourselves with the perfect Human, acquire it for ourselves as he commanded us, and proclaim the good news. . . (4:1-4; 5:4_8;10:7-12)
At the heart of the Gospel of Mary is a throbbing enthusiasm for becoming a true human being. For this ancient gospel, Jesus is the Savior because he teaches people how to welcome true humanity into themselves. None of the preceding quotations from the Gospel of Mary point to how Jesus saves them, forgives them, or makes them holy. Rather, the focus of these teachings is on being real human beings.
218
In many ways this gospel makes the promise of becoming real human beings in the most excited and clearest way of any early Christian gospel. Jesus is the "Child of Humanity,' according to his own teaching. Mary Magdalene, who in this gospel has been taught many things that Jesus taught no one else, says that Jesus's primary purpose is making 'us' 'human beings.' Levi, who defends Mary after Peter and Andrew have criticized her, says that the 'good news' is about being clothed in 'the perfect Human.'
For many twenty-first-century readers this emphasis on the goodness of humanity, proclaimed in an early Christian gospel, comes as a surprise. ° So often Christianity has been understood as praising God and judging humanity.
In much Christian piety humans are pictured as the lost and wretched person of 'Amazing Grace.' TV evangelists and popes alike portray humans as so thoroughly deserving of God's condemnation that only the bloody sacrifice of Jesus can make things right.
This is simply not the portrait of humanity in the Gospel of Mary. Here Jesus and his followers are united in perfect humanity The good news is not in escaping one's human identity but in embracing it.
Nor does this gospel treat Jesus's death as a key to salvation. His death is not an act of atonement, but rather an event to overcome through the teachings Jesus told Mary.
This message can be very good news to many people who have been told in one way or another that they are hopeless and shameful as humans. The Gospel of Mary's invitation to clothe oneself with 'the perfect Human' breaks out of both secular cynicism and Christian condemnation, allowing people to see their humanity not as cursed or meaningless, but as powerful and good.
It is tempting to think of this new gospel in its embrace of humanity as quite different from the other gospels of early Christianity. Although the message in the Gospel of Mary may be expressed in particularly striking images, it actually is quite similar to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Thomas.
The language of corrupt and condemned humanity is mostly a product of later Christianity after the gospels had been completed. The guilt-laden humanity of later theologians such as Augustine and Martin Luther is hardly present in any early gospels.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all show Jesus teaching 'good news' about the 'realm' (or 'kingdom') of God which is 'at hand' or 'among you.' Indeed, Jesus's words in the Gospel of Mary about the child of true humanity are strikingly similar to his words about the realm of God in Luke: "The realm of God does not come in a way that can be grasped, nor will people say, 'Look, here it is' or 'There it is!'; for the realm of God is among you!" (17:2o-21).
The Gospel of Mary's celebration of humanity then reclaims a larger message from early Christianity that has been hidden by later Christian doctrines about sin and corruption. This newly discovered gospel's dramatic embrace of what good news human existence embodies is certain to confuse guilt- or shame-focused Christians of more recent times.
219
At the same time, it can serve as a way to rediscover a similar message in the other gospels. Or, for still others who are wary of anything in the traditional New Testament, the Gospel of Mary's affirmation of the goodness of humanity may be the first time such a message is associated with Jesus.
The Main Character of This Gospel Is a Woman
This gospel focuses on Mary Magdalene. She is portrayed as one of Jesus's closest associates. She consoles the rest of the disciples as they fear that they might be crucified as Jesus was. Mary's authority stems from both her closeness to Jesus and the fact that Jesus has told her things that he told no one else.
There is no suggestion in the story of physical or sexual intimacy between Jesus and Mary. Indeed, the focus is on an intellectual and spiritual connection between them. The idea of a sexual relationship between Jesus and Mary is almost certainly a modern fixation, not an ancient notion.
This gospel not only concentrates on Mary Magdalene, but its story points directly to Mary's authority as a woman leader. Both Andrew and Peter challenge her teaching about Jesus, and Peter explicitly doubts its validity because she is a woman. Here the modern interest in women claiming authority resonates with the ancient one.
The plot of this contest between men and women for authority in the early churches is both subtle and appealing for the twenty-first-century reader, for whom such questions are very much alive. Levi comes to the defense of Mary after she is criticized. And, in the end, the message according to Mary is proclaimed to the larger world.
On the other hand, there also seems to be some ambivalence in the way this gospel's ending handles Mary's authority. First of all, the ending shows only a small minority following Mary's teaching about Jesus. Perhaps more disturbing is that Mary seems to lose her voice at the end of the gospel. She cries and gives only a sentence response to Peter's and Andrew's rebukes. Then Levi takes on the role of defending her. And even though her point of view carries the day, it is not at all clear that she herself goes out to teach.
The importance of the Gospel of Mary for today's worldwide negotiation of rights and roles for women cannot be underestimated. That an early Christian writing presents a major female figure whose leadership is actively disputed by the apostles introduces a dramatic new dimension to Christian understanding of women's authority. Even with the consideration of the important ambiguities at end of the Gospel of Mary, this document still turns the tables on claims like of the Vatican that women cannot be priests because there were no women disciples.
220
But it turns out that classic statements from the earliest Christian documents do not all put women down.
Many have puzzled, for instance, how Paul both says that there was neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ, and still instructs the women to be silent in Corinthian gatherings. Additional investigations have queried what the Acts of the Apostles means by calling a woman a 'disciple'. After the past forty years of scholarship, few scholars of early Christianity now doubt that this movement had significant women's leadership.
h real possibility this movement had significant women's important to notice the rea possi 1 ity that the Gospel Letter to Timothy. Both of these New Testament works pay very explicit attenti.rs` Mary was written around the same time as both the Gospel of Luke and the Firs thalt this mix it is very 1 different ways. First Timothy criticizes 1134 , while enco cer' to the roles of women, but in strikingly urag. tain women in leadership as gossips and offensive in their dress ing • them to be childbearing wives and attentive to their husbands. 0 the other hand, the Gospel of Luke adds many women to its story in an apparent dram appreciation of women, portrays women as supporting Jesus financially, and dramatic 1111 de rlines that women were the first to see and believe Jesus's resurrection.
Certain kinds of Christians today appeal to the Paul who wants the Corinthian women to be silent and draw the conclusion that women should not become m in, isters or priests. Others appeal to the Acts of the Apostles and other texts — even other texts authored by Paul — to show that early Christianity had women in rec-ognized leadership roles. Whatever material is used from these very early Chris-tian documents, the debate is not just about what happened in the first century. Rather, it is also very much about legitimate women's leadership today. Without resolving the issue, the Gospel of Mary complicates this debate about women's au-thority. Its picture of Mary Magdalene as an insightful and courageous leader who was a close spiritual comp-- nion of Jesus opens up space for new ways of thinking about women's roles. It undermines conservative Christian claims that Jesus's ex-clusively male disciples offer the only model for leadership. It takes another chink out of closed systems of male succession and invites people into structures where women exercise a variety of leadership roles.
Uniting with God: The Ascent of the Soul
One of the most tantalizing dimensions of the Gospel of Mar is the almost four y missing pages in the middle of the document. At that point in the gospel, Mary has announced that Jesus gave her special teachings, anclathe disciples have asked her to tell them those teachings. She begins to teach . . . and then the document breaks off for the better part of three pages. When the document picks up again, Mary is still telling the disciples about these. of a story special teachings from Jesus that they have not heard. She seems to be near the end about the soul as it ascends toward God. Mary then narrates how cer-
But it turns out that classic statements from the earliest Christian documents do not all put women down.
Many have puzzled, for instance, how Paul both says that there was neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ, and still instructs the women to be silent in Corinthian gatherings. Additional investigations have queried what the Acts of the Apostles means by calling a woman a 'disciple'. After the past forty years of scholarship, few scholars of early Christianity now doubt that this movement had significant women's leadership.
h real possibility this movement had significant women's important to notice the rea possi 1 ity that the Gospel Letter to Timothy. Both of these New Testament works pay very explicit attenti.rs` Mary was written around the same time as both the Gospel of Luke and the Firs thalt this mix it is very 1 different ways. First Timothy criticizes 1134 , while enco cer' to the roles of women, but in strikingly urag. tain women in leadership as gossips and offensive in their dress ing • them to be childbearing wives and attentive to their husbands. 0 the other hand, the Gospel of Luke adds many women to its story in an apparent dram appreciation of women, portrays women as supporting Jesus financially, and dramatic 1111 de rlines that women were the first to see and believe Jesus's resurrection.
Certain kinds of Christians today appeal to the Paul who wants the Corinthian women to be silent and draw the conclusion that women should not become m in, isters or priests. Others appeal to the Acts of the Apostles and other texts — even other texts authored by Paul — to show that early Christianity had women in rec-ognized leadership roles. Whatever material is used from these very early Chris-tian documents, the debate is not just about what happened in the first century. Rather, it is also very much about legitimate women's leadership today. Without resolving the issue, the Gospel of Mary complicates this debate about women's au-thority. Its picture of Mary Magdalene as an insightful and courageous leader who was a close spiritual comp-- nion of Jesus opens up space for new ways of thinking about women's roles. It undermines conservative Christian claims that Jesus's ex-clusively male disciples offer the only model for leadership. It takes another chink out of closed systems of male succession and invites people into structures where women exercise a variety of leadership roles.
Uniting with God: The Ascent of the Soul
One of the most tantalizing dimensions of the Gospel of Mar is the almost four y missing pages in the middle of the document. At that point in the gospel, Mary has announced that Jesus gave her special teachings, anclathe disciples have asked her to tell them those teachings. She begins to teach . . . and then the document breaks off for the better part of three pages. When the document picks up again, Mary is still telling the disciples about these. of a story special teachings from Jesus that they have not heard. She seems to be near the end about the soul as it ascends toward God. Mary then narrates how cer-
The Gospel or IY,A
220 to the roles of women, but in strikingly different ways. First Timothy criticizes Letter to Timothy. Both of these New Testament works pay very explicit atte Pi': Mary was written around the same time as both the Gospel of Luke and the Pei °f that this movement hadismigpnoirfitcaanntttwo onmoteince's tlehaedreeralshpipo. ter the past forty years of scholarship, few scholars of .early Christianity no— Af-queried what the Acts of the Apostles women to be silent in the Corinthian mgaetahnesribnygsc.aAllidndgitaiownoaml i there was neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ, and still •instsaYs that not all put women down. In this mix it is very But it turns out that clamssiacns;taitiernents from the earliest Christian unlvaltdhbiholcetelineoc4sotss cder, have puzzled, for instance, how annveast(icdgiati:c:811taliv: sciple' vv clotibt twin women in leadership as gossips and offensive in their dress hand, the Gospel of Luke adds many women to its story in an apparent draOther appreciation of women, portrays women as supporting Jesus financially, ing them to be childbearing wives and attentive to their husbands. On the urag-e Corinthian and dramatic Chris-tian documents, the debate is not just about what happened in the first c rec-ognized leadership roles. Whatever material is used from these other texts authored by Paul — to show that early Christianity had Worn in urvee-cl. isters or priests. Others appeal to the Acts of the Apostles anedseovtheeryr teeaxrtlsy—ecnheturniirsy'i women to be silent and draw the conclusion that women should not become in. n derlines that women were the first to see and believe Jesus's resurrection,en in Certain kinds of Christians today appeal to the Paul who wants th Rather, it is also very much about legitimate women's leadership today. Without resolving the issue, the Gospel of Mary complicates this debate about women's au-thority. Its picture of Mary Magdalene as an insightful and courageous leader who was a close spiritual companion of Jesus opens up space for new ways of thinking about women's roles. It undermines conservative Christian claim that Jesus's ex-clusively male disciples offer the only model for leadership. It takes another chink out of closed systems of male succession and invites people into structures where women exercise a variety of leadership roles. Uniting with God: The Ascent of the Soul One of the most tantalizing dimensions of the Gospel of Mary is the almost four missing pages in the middle of the document. At that point in the gospel, Mary has announced that Jesus gave her special teachings, and the disciples have asked her to tell them those teachings. She begins to teach . . . and then the document breaks off for the better part of threepages. When the document picks up again, Mary is still telling the disciples about thesed special teachings from Jesus that they have not heard. She seems to be near the 61,, of a story about the soul as it ascends toward God. Mary then narrates how c I
220 to the roles of women, but in strikingly different ways. First Timothy criticizes Letter to Timothy. Both of these New Testament works pay very explicit atte Pi': Mary was written around the same time as both the Gospel of Luke and the Pei °f that this movement hadismigpnoirfitcaanntttwo onmoteince's tlehaedreeralshpipo. ter the past forty years of scholarship, few scholars of .early Christianity no— Af-queried what the Acts of the Apostles women to be silent in the Corinthian mgaetahnesribnygsc.aAllidndgitaiownoaml i there was neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ, and still •instsaYs that not all put women down. In this mix it is very But it turns out that clamssiacns;taitiernents from the earliest Christian unlvaltdhbiholcetelineoc4sotss cder, have puzzled, for instance, how annveast(icdgiati:c:811taliv: sciple' vv clotibt twin women in leadership as gossips and offensive in their dress hand, the Gospel of Luke adds many women to its story in an apparent draOther appreciation of women, portrays women as supporting Jesus financially, ing them to be childbearing wives and attentive to their husbands. On the urag-e Corinthian and dramatic Chris-tian documents, the debate is not just about what happened in the first c rec-ognized leadership roles. Whatever material is used from these other texts authored by Paul — to show that early Christianity had Worn in urvee-cl. isters or priests. Others appeal to the Acts of the Apostles anedseovtheeryr teeaxrtlsy—ecnheturniirsy'i women to be silent and draw the conclusion that women should not become in. n derlines that women were the first to see and believe Jesus's resurrection,en in Certain kinds of Christians today appeal to the Paul who wants th Rather, it is also very much about legitimate women's leadership today. Without resolving the issue, the Gospel of Mary complicates this debate about women's au-thority. Its picture of Mary Magdalene as an insightful and courageous leader who was a close spiritual companion of Jesus opens up space for new ways of thinking about women's roles. It undermines conservative Christian claim that Jesus's ex-clusively male disciples offer the only model for leadership. It takes another chink out of closed systems of male succession and invites people into structures where women exercise a variety of leadership roles. Uniting with God: The Ascent of the Soul One of the most tantalizing dimensions of the Gospel of Mary is the almost four missing pages in the middle of the document. At that point in the gospel, Mary has announced that Jesus gave her special teachings, and the disciples have asked her to tell them those teachings. She begins to teach . . . and then the document breaks off for the better part of threepages. When the document picks up again, Mary is still telling the disciples about thesed special teachings from Jesus that they have not heard. She seems to be near the 61,, of a story about the soul as it ascends toward God. Mary then narrates how c I
The Gospel of Mary ,erS" are trying to stop the soul from ascending. Aot orpfltvis and mind, the idea of a soul ascendi gngetro) 1)G Flesh, d continues its ascent. tPannotthpeesire. :pis aord7sepsserh 6 tairl T°:,,d tries to prevent it from proceeding toward G powers, such as An tioilificales, make it difficult for the soul's journey. In each the s°1.1j and a similar challenge. Other case the sou 0 'and do.nAe soul point utw twits s understood as something that happens after death. This does not seem most °fteri case in the Gospel of Mary. Indeed, the conversation between the soul to makes it clear that this challenge is going on in relation relationship d Desire be the ca s ip to the soul's Ocaie to be its true self. Nor does it seem to be that the ascent of the soul is about str i',, in many other early Christian writings. For instan , Paul writes in 2 Cor-after.1"es ii that he once made a journey into the second heaven and returned to his ifithia reglunarrnalinfye. ancient documents, stories about ascending to God are actually about on's spiritual process while living. This, of course, makes a great deal of sense a per Gospel of Mary's story of the ascent of the soul as well. Desire and Igno-for to stop a soul from uniting with God makes much more sense as a ranee trying about the possibilities and problems of someone in the middle of way of talking to connect with God. life ncgan be true today as well. For instance, one of the powers that challenge the soul in the Gospel of Mary is Anger. Anger in human experience — although sometimes helpful — often stands in the way of people experiencing the presence of God or peace of mind. Anger can be addictive and can prevent one from un-folding as a fuller person. And because anger can also help a person grow, deciding how to deal with one's own anger always involves the kind of negotiation pictured in the Gospel of Mary's debate between the powers and the ascending soul. Relating to desire can be similar. In many cases desire holds precious personal promise and imagination that allow people to break through discouragement toward something new. Or sometimes desire can help preserve specific hopes from the past and keep those possibilities alive. On the other hand, desire can become an obsession and prevent people from thinking clearly about their lives. In almost all cases desire is a complicated mix of authentic longing and internalizations of loss and ambition. So, the Gospel of Mary's picture of a soul negotiating with De-sire makes sense in our own experience. In the Gospel of Mary, God • clearly defined as "the good"; that is, the ascent of the soul in this gospel is about one's journey toward goodness in one's inner con-sciousness, one's behavior, and one's relationships. This gospel charts a per process of the struggle for goodness. This process is not naive or obvious. Rather, it hurt people's efforts to be "good." and materiality can both help and takes seriously the ways things like desire, anger,
222
"There Is No that are like the nature of adultery, which is called 'sin: That is wh d0 --e th. What is the sin of the world. Peter said to him, The Savior said, Such c, sTihnicnegyoau:hSaivne" "There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you d th explained everything to us, tell us one of came y the Good ings tiler thi4, into your midst, coming to the good which belongs to every nature, in order restore it to its root. (3:1-6) For people of the twenty-first century, Jesus saying, "There is no sin" comes as shock. Christianity is known around the world for its confrontation with a People concerning their sinfulness. Conservative Christians aren't the only ones who hold up sexual activities, lawlessness, dishonesty, and cruelty as examples of the sinful, ness of humankind. Nor does Christianity's reopfuctoartiigoinnafol rsibneinasg asiwn-abyaosefdtalking about humanity's natural depravity. Liberal Christians also often condemn People or society for the sinfulness of social injustice. It is nearly impossible for people of our time to think about Christianity without sin. For Jesus in the Gospel of Mary, sin is an illusion. It has no objective reality It is only the way people think that gives sin importance. If one rejects the notion of sin, the Savior says, one allows the Good to come forward and take its rightful place as a guide to how to become a true human being. At first blush, one could then see this as an example of why the Gospel of Mary should be considered a "heretical" writing, according to any Christian standard. Although many Christians and non-Christians reject the Christian emphasis on sin, it may very well seem reasonable to say that the rejection of sin entirely simply cannot belong to any valid form of Christianity. Such a conclusion may, however, not at all be the whole picture. Upon a closer look, one can see this statement of the Gospel of Mary as belonging to a larger cluster of early Christian statements, even in the traditional New Testament. There is an important layer of expressions that seem to be saying something quite similar to this gospel's proclamation that there is no such thing as sin. Indeed, in some parts of the traditional New Testament the rejection of sin's re-ality might be seen as b ' eing even stronger than the one in the Gospel of Mary. For instance, Paul's Letter to the Romans contains the following conclusion to a par-ticular section about baptism and resurrection: "For the death that he died was a death to sin, once and for all. But the life that he now lives, he lives for God. So let it be with you ____ regard yourselves as dead to sin, but as living for Go God, Christ Jesus" (6:10-11)• A a in ,, ended any chance . paraphrase of this might go something like this: Christ's do' r od. So you anlsg, so that the new life he now lives (as resurrected) nce of him sinni is completely fo G The Gospel of Mary's rejecti also are free from sin and alive to God. on of the notion of sin 1 like these other sta talents
"There Is No that are like the nature of adultery, which is called 'sin: That is wh d0 --e th. What is the sin of the world. Peter said to him, The Savior said, Such c, sTihnicnegyoau:hSaivne" "There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you d th explained everything to us, tell us one of came y the Good ings tiler thi4, into your midst, coming to the good which belongs to every nature, in order restore it to its root. (3:1-6) For people of the twenty-first century, Jesus saying, "There is no sin" comes as shock. Christianity is known around the world for its confrontation with a People concerning their sinfulness. Conservative Christians aren't the only ones who hold up sexual activities, lawlessness, dishonesty, and cruelty as examples of the sinful, ness of humankind. Nor does Christianity's reopfuctoartiigoinnafol rsibneinasg asiwn-abyaosefdtalking about humanity's natural depravity. Liberal Christians also often condemn People or society for the sinfulness of social injustice. It is nearly impossible for people of our time to think about Christianity without sin. For Jesus in the Gospel of Mary, sin is an illusion. It has no objective reality It is only the way people think that gives sin importance. If one rejects the notion of sin, the Savior says, one allows the Good to come forward and take its rightful place as a guide to how to become a true human being. At first blush, one could then see this as an example of why the Gospel of Mary should be considered a "heretical" writing, according to any Christian standard. Although many Christians and non-Christians reject the Christian emphasis on sin, it may very well seem reasonable to say that the rejection of sin entirely simply cannot belong to any valid form of Christianity. Such a conclusion may, however, not at all be the whole picture. Upon a closer look, one can see this statement of the Gospel of Mary as belonging to a larger cluster of early Christian statements, even in the traditional New Testament. There is an important layer of expressions that seem to be saying something quite similar to this gospel's proclamation that there is no such thing as sin. Indeed, in some parts of the traditional New Testament the rejection of sin's re-ality might be seen as b ' eing even stronger than the one in the Gospel of Mary. For instance, Paul's Letter to the Romans contains the following conclusion to a par-ticular section about baptism and resurrection: "For the death that he died was a death to sin, once and for all. But the life that he now lives, he lives for God. So let it be with you ____ regard yourselves as dead to sin, but as living for Go God, Christ Jesus" (6:10-11)• A a in ,, ended any chance . paraphrase of this might go something like this: Christ's do' r od. So you anlsg, so that the new life he now lives (as resurrected) nce of him sinni is completely fo G The Gospel of Mary's rejecti also are free from sin and alive to God. on of the notion of sin 1 like these other sta talents
The Gospel of Mary
223 the Letter to the Romans, as well as Colossians and Ephesians. They f cu fro ,adical new quality of life in Christ, which makes sin negligible. This, the s op the :ryt naively reject concern about personal responsibility, but it does seem to does 11 e itself from assertions that all humans are hopelessly corrupt. distc Gospel of Mary's language about sin is fresh and striking for twenty-first-fairy reading. It would probably not have been as surprising to the readers 011ie likes of Romans, Colossians, and Ephesians. As such, the Gospel of Mary f t both new insight and connection to many traditional parts of the New provides Testament'
Recommended Reading Johnson Debaufre and Jane Schaberg, Mary Magdalene Understood Melanie KarenKing, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle Jane Schaberg, The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene: Legends, Apocrypha, and the Christian Testament
224
The Gospel uj
1
The Savior Teaches About Matter, Sin, and the Good 2 'Will. matter then be destroyed or not?" 2 The Savior said, All natures, all forms, all creatures exist in and with one another, 3 and they will be resolved again into their own roots. 4 For the nature of matter is released into the roots of its na-ture. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!"
3 ' Peter said to him, "Since you have ex-plained everything to us, tell us one other thing. 2 What is the sin of the world?" • 3 The Savior said, "There is no sin, 4 but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adul-tery, which is called 'sin: 5 That is why the Good came into your midst, coming to the good which belongs to every nature, 6 in order to restore it to its root:' Then he continued. He said, "This is why you become sick and die 8 for you love what deceives you. 9 One who under-stands, let him understand! 1° Matter gives birth to a passion that has no likeness be-cause it proceeds from what is contrary to nature. 11 Then there arises a distur-bance in the whole body. 12 Because of this I said to you, 'You shall become satisfied, and not be persuaded. You shall be joined in the presence of the likeness of nature: 13 Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!"
1 When the Blessed One had said "these The Savior Departs he greeted them all, saying, "pea . _ese you! 2 Bear my peace within youce btheinwgitsil selves! 3 Beware that no one lead yor-astray 4 saying, look over here!' Or (Lootik over there!' 5 For . the Child of Hunian_ ity is within you! 6y0110W it! 7 Those who seek it will find it. Go then and proclaim the good news of the realm. 9 Do not lay down any rules beyond what I determined for you, 1° nor give a law like the lawgiver lest you be confined by it." 11 When he had said this, he departed.
Mary Comforts the Other Followers 5 But they were pained. They wept greatly, saying, 2 "How shall we go to the nations and proclaim the good news of the Child of Humanity? 3 If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?" 4 Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, and said to her brothers and sis-ters, 5 "Do not weep and be pained, nor doubt, 6 for all his grace will be with you and shelter you. 7 But rather let us praise his greatness, 8 for he has prepared us and made us Humans:' 9 When Mary said this, o she turned their heart to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Sav-ior.
Mary's Vision of the Savior 6 1 Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we 106 that the Savior loved you more than the rest of the women. 2 Tell us the words °`
* Pages 1-6 of the manuscript are missing. The text begins abruptly here.
The Gospel uj
1
The Savior Teaches About Matter, Sin, and the Good 2 'Will. matter then be destroyed or not?" 2 The Savior said, All natures, all forms, all creatures exist in and with one another, 3 and they will be resolved again into their own roots. 4 For the nature of matter is released into the roots of its na-ture. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!"
3 ' Peter said to him, "Since you have ex-plained everything to us, tell us one other thing. 2 What is the sin of the world?" • 3 The Savior said, "There is no sin, 4 but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adul-tery, which is called 'sin: 5 That is why the Good came into your midst, coming to the good which belongs to every nature, 6 in order to restore it to its root:' Then he continued. He said, "This is why you become sick and die 8 for you love what deceives you. 9 One who under-stands, let him understand! 1° Matter gives birth to a passion that has no likeness be-cause it proceeds from what is contrary to nature. 11 Then there arises a distur-bance in the whole body. 12 Because of this I said to you, 'You shall become satisfied, and not be persuaded. You shall be joined in the presence of the likeness of nature: 13 Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!"
1 When the Blessed One had said "these The Savior Departs he greeted them all, saying, "pea . _ese you! 2 Bear my peace within youce btheinwgitsil selves! 3 Beware that no one lead yor-astray 4 saying, look over here!' Or (Lootik over there!' 5 For . the Child of Hunian_ ity is within you! 6y0110W it! 7 Those who seek it will find it. Go then and proclaim the good news of the realm. 9 Do not lay down any rules beyond what I determined for you, 1° nor give a law like the lawgiver lest you be confined by it." 11 When he had said this, he departed.
Mary Comforts the Other Followers 5 But they were pained. They wept greatly, saying, 2 "How shall we go to the nations and proclaim the good news of the Child of Humanity? 3 If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?" 4 Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, and said to her brothers and sis-ters, 5 "Do not weep and be pained, nor doubt, 6 for all his grace will be with you and shelter you. 7 But rather let us praise his greatness, 8 for he has prepared us and made us Humans:' 9 When Mary said this, o she turned their heart to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Sav-ior.
Mary's Vision of the Savior 6 1 Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we 106 that the Savior loved you more than the rest of the women. 2 Tell us the words °`
* Pages 1-6 of the manuscript are missing. The text begins abruptly here.
Revelation 1
World English Bible
1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,
2 who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood--
6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9 I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11 saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.
13 And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.
16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter.
20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies....
*
Revelation 2
World English Bible
1 “To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write:
“He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lamp stands says these things:
2 “I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.
3 You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have [a] not grown weary.
4 But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.
6 But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
8 “To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write:
“The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
9 “I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.
12 “To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write:
“He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
13 “I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
16 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
18 “To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write:
“The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:
19 “I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.
20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate your[d] woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
22 Behold, I will throw her and those who commit adultery with her into a bed of great oppression, unless they repent of her works.
23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
24 But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.
25 Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come.
26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
27 He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father:
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
*
Revelation 3
World English Bible
1 “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write:
“He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things:
“I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
2 Wake up and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.
4 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
7 “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write:
“He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8 “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.
9 Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
14 “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:
“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
*
Revelation 4
World English Bible
1 After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne
3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.
5 Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.
7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
9 When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
*
Revelation 5
World English Bible
1 I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.
2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”
3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it.
4 Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it.
5 One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”
6 I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 They sang a new song, saying,
“You are worthy to take the book
and to open its seals:
for you were killed,
and bought us for God with your blood
out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
10 and made us kings and priests to our God,
and we will reign on the earth.”
11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;
12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.