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 Savior said, “I have told you that these (people) are blind and deaf. Now then, listen to the things that are being told to you in a mystery, and guard them. Do not tell them to the children of this age. For you

will be despised in these ages, since they are ignorant of you. But you will be praised in (the age of) knowledge. For many will accept our teaching in the beginning. But they will turn away again in 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.

THE COPTIC APOCALYPSE OF PETER

their error, because they have done what he wanted. And he will make manifest in his judgment who the servants of the word are. But those who became mingled with these will become their prisoners, since they are without perception. And the guileless, good, pure one is pushed to the executioner, even into the kingdom of those who praise a restored Christ. And they praise the men of the propagation of falsehood, who will succeed you. And they will hold fast to the name of a dead man, while thinking that they will become pure. But they will become greatly deﬁled. And they will fall into an explicit error and into the hand of an evil, cunning man with a multifarious doctrine. And they will be ruled heretically. For some of them will blaspheme the truth and proclaim evil teaching. And they will say evil things to each other. “And some, because they stand by virtue of the archons, will be given a name of a man and a naked woman who is multifarious and very sensual. And those who say these things will ask about dreams. And if they say that a dream came from a demon worthy of their error, then they will be given destruction instead of immortality. ‘For evil cannot produce good fruit.’ For each source produces what is like itself. For not every soul comes from the truth, nor from immortality. For every soul of these ages has death assigned to it, in our view. Consequently it is always a slave. It is created for its desires and their eternal destruction, for which they exist and in which they exist. They (the souls) love the material creatures which came forth with them. But the immortal souls are not like these, O Peter. But indeed, as long as the hour has not yet come, she (the immortal soul) will indeed resemble a mortal one. But she will not reveal her nature, although she alone is the immortal one and thinks about immortality. She

has faith, and desires to renounce these (material) things. ‘For people neither gather ﬁgs from thorns’—or from thorn trees if they are wise—‘nor grapes from brambles.’ For on the one hand, a particular thing (masc.) always remains in that (condition) in which it exists. If it exists in a particular condition that is not good, that (condition) becomes its (fem.) destruction and death. On the other hand, this one (fem. ⫽ the immortal soul) abides in the Eternal One, in the one of life and immortality of life which are alike to Him. “Therefore everything that does not abide will dissolve into that which does not exist. For deaf and blind ones join only with their own kind. But some will depart from evil words and deceptive mysteries. Others do not understand mysteries, although they speak of these things which they do not understand. Nevertheless they will boast that the mystery of the truth is theirs alone. And in haughtiness they will begin {in haughtiness} to envy the immortal soul that has become dedicated (to God). For every authority, principality, and power of the ages always wanted to remain with these (immortal souls) from the foundation of the world, in order that those who do not abide, since they have been ignorant and have not been saved, may be gloriﬁed by those who do abide. And they have not been brought to the way by them, although they have always desired that they would become the imperishable ones. For if the immortal soul receives power through an intellectual spirit, then immediately she is joined by one of those who have been misled. And others, who are numerous and who oppose the truth, who are the messengers of error, will concoct their error and their law against these pure thoughts of mine. Since they see from one (perspective), they think that good and evil are from one (source).

“They do business in my word. And they will set forth a harsh fate in which the race of the immortal souls will run in vain until my return. For they will remain among them. And I have forgiveness of their transgressions into which they fell because of the adversaries. I accepted their ransom from the slavery in which they existed (and) I gave them freedom. For they will create an imitation remnant in the name of a dead man, who is Hermas, the ﬁrst-born of unrighteousness, in order that the real light might not be believed by the little ones. But those of this sort (the adversaries) are the workers who will be cast into the outer darkness, away from the children of light. For they will not enter, but neither do they permit those (to enter) who are going up to their approval and for their release. And still others of them who have sensual (natures) think that they will perfect the wisdom of the brotherhood that really exists, the spiritual friendship with those companions rooted in fellowship, those through whom the wedding of incorruptibility will be revealed. “The kindred race of the sisterhood will appear as an imitation. These are the ones who oppress their brothers, saying to them, ‘Through this our God has pity, since salvation (allegedly) comes to us through this.’ They do not know the punishment of those who are delighted by what has been done to the little ones whom they sought out and imprisoned. And there will be others of those who are outside our number who name themselves ‘bishop’ and also ‘deacons,’ as if they have received their authority from God. They submit to the judgment of the leaders. Those people are dry canals.” But I said, “I am afraid because of what you have told me—that indeed little ones are, in our view, counterfeit. Indeed, there are multitudes that will mislead

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

other multitudes of living ones, and they will be destroyed among them. And when they speak your name, they will be believed.” The Savior said, “For a period of time determined for them in proportion to their error, they will rule over the little ones. But after the completion of the error, the ageless one of immortal understanding will be renewed, and they (the little ones) will rule over those who are their rulers. The root of their error he will pull out, and he will put it to shame, and it will be exposed in all the impudence that it has assumed to itself. And such persons shall remain unchanged, O Peter. Come, therefore! Let us proceed to the completion of the will of the undeﬁled Father. For behold, those who will bring judgment upon themselves are coming. And they will put themselves to shame. But me they cannot touch. And you, O Peter, will stand in their midst. Do not be afraid because of your cowardice. Their minds will be closed. For the invisible one has opposed them.” When he had said those things, I saw him apparently being seized by them. And I said, “What am I seeing, O Lord? Is it you yourself whom they take? And are you holding on to me? Who is this one above the cross, who is glad and laughing? And is it another person whose feet and hands they are hammering?” The Savior said to me, “He whom you see above the cross, glad and laughing, is the living Jesus. But he into whose hands and feet they are driving the nails is his physical part, which is the substitute. They are putting to shame that which is in his likeness. But look at him and me.” But I, when I had looked, said, “Lord, no one is looking at you. Let us ﬂee this place.” But he said to me, “I have told you, ‘Leave the blind alone!’ And notice

THE COPTIC APOCALYPSE OF PETER

how they do not know what they are saying. For the son of their glory, instead of my servant, they have put to shame.” And I saw someone about to approach us who looked like him, even him who was laughing above the cross, and he was ⬍ﬁlled⬎ with a pure spirit, and he (was) the Savior. And there was a great ineffable light around them and the multitude of ineffable and invisible angels blessing them. And it was I who saw him when this one who gloriﬁes was revealed. And he said to me, “Be strong! For you are the one to whom these mysteries have been given, to know through revelation that he whom they cruciﬁed is the ﬁrstborn, and the home of demons, and the clay vessel in which they dwell, belonging to Elohim, and belonging to the cross that is under the law. But he who stands near him is the living Savior, the primal part in him whom they seized. And he has been released. He stands joyfully looking at those who persecuted him. They are divided among themselves. Therefore he laughs at their lack of perception, and he knows that they are born blind. Indeed, therefore, the suffering one must remain, since the body is the substitute. But that which was released was my incorporeal body. But I am the intellectual spirit ﬁlled with radiant light. He

whom you saw coming to me was our intellectual pleroma, which unites the perfect light with my pure spirit. These things, therefore, which you saw, you shall present to those of another race, who are not of this age. For there will be no grace in any one who is not immortal, but (grace will) only (be in) those who were chosen from an immortal essence that has shown that it is able to accept him who gives his abundance. “Therefore I said, ‘To every one who has, it will be given, and that one will have plenty.1 But the one who does not have’—that is, the one of this place, being completely dead and changed by the planting of creation and begetting, who, if one of the immortal essence appears, think⬍s⬎ that he (i.e. the one of immortal essence) is being seized—‘it will be taken from him.’ And it will be added to the one who is. You, therefore, be courageous and do not fear anything. For I will be with you so that none of your enemies will prevail over you. Peace be to you! Be strong!” When he (the Savior) had said these things, he (Peter) came to his senses.

Matt 25:29.