The Gospel of Philip

The Gospel of Philip was almost completely unknown from Late Antiquity, through the Middle Ages, and down to the present day, until it was discovered as one of the documents in the Nag Hammadi Library (see p. 19). Although it is easily recognized as a Gnostic work, the book is notoriously difﬁcult to understand in its details. In part this is due to the form of its composition: it is not a narrative Gospel of the type found in the New Testament nor a group of self-contained sayings like the Coptic Gospel of Thomas. It is instead a collection of mystical reﬂections that have evidently been excerpted from previously existing sermons, treatises, and theological meditations, brought together here under the name of Jesus’ disciple Philip. Since these reﬂections are given in relative isolation, without any real narrative context, they are difﬁcult to interpret. There are, at any rate, extensive uses of catchwords to organize some of the material, and several of the principal themes emerge upon a careful reading. One of the clearest emphases is the contrast between those who can understand and those who cannot, between knowledge that is exoteric (available to all) and that which is esoteric (available only to insiders), between the immature outsiders (regular Christians, called “Hebrews”) and the mature insiders (Gnostics, called “Gentiles”). Those who do not understand, the outsiders with only exoteric knowledge, err in many of their judgments—for example, in taking such notions as the virgin birth (v. 17) or the resurrection of Jesus (v. 21) as literal statements of historical fact, rather than symbolic expressions of deeper truths. Throughout much of the work the Christian sacraments ﬁgure prominently. Five are explicitly named: baptism, anointing, eucharist, salvation, and bridal chamber (v. 68). It is hard to know what deeper meaning these rituals had for the author (especially the “bridal chamber,” which has stirred considerable debate among scholars), or even what he imagined them to entail when practiced literally. It is difﬁcult to assign a date to this work, but it was probably compiled during the third century, although it draws on earlier sources.

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

THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP

1 A Hebrew person makes a Hebrew, and he is called a proselyte. But a proselyte does not make a proselyte . . . there are those who are as they are . . . and they make others . . . it is enough for them that they exist. 2 The slave seeks only to be free. However, he does not seek after his lord’s properties. The son, however, is not only a son but writes himself into the inheritance of the father. 3 Those who inherit the dead are dead and inherit the dead. Those who inherit living things are alive, and they inherit the living and the dead. Those who are dead inherit nothing. For how will the one who is dead inherit? If the dead one inherits the living he will not die, but the dead one will live more. 4 A Gentile does not die. He has not lived, so he cannot die. He lives who has believed the truth; and he is in danger that he will die, for he is alive. Now that Christ has come 5 the world is created, the cities are bedecked, the dead are carried out. 6 When we were Hebrews, we were orphans. We had only our mother. But when we became Christians, we gained a father and mother. 7 Those who sow in winter reap in summer. The winter is the world; the summer is the other aeon. Let us sow in the world so that we may reap in the summer. On account of this it is seemly for us not to pray in the winter. That which comes out of the winter is the summer. But if someone reaps in the winter, he really will not be reaping, but he will be tearing things out, 8 since this will not produce . . . not only will it [not] produce . . . but on the Sabbath [his ﬁeld] is unfruitful. 9 Christ came to ransom some, but others he saved, others he redeemed. Those who were strangers he ransomed and made them his, and he set them apart.

These he made as securities in his will. Not only when he appeared did he lay aside his life as he wished, but at the establishment of the world he laid aside his life. He came to take it when he wished to, because it had been set aside as a pledge. It came under the control of robbers, and it was held prisoner. But he saved it, and he ransomed the good ones and the evil ones who were in the world. 10 Light and darkness, life and death, the right and the left are each other’s brothers. They cannot separate from one another. Therefore, the good are not good nor are the evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death. On account of this, each one will dissolve into its beginning origin. But those who are exalted above the world cannot dissolve; they are eternal. 11 The names which are given to the worldly things contain a great occasion for error. For they twist our consideration from the right meaning to the wrong meaning. For whoever hears (the word) “God,” does not know the right meaning but the wrong meaning. It is the same way with (such words as) “the Father” and “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” and “the life” and “the light” and “the resurrection” and “the Church” and all the other names. Folk do not know the right meaning; rather they know the wrong meaning [unless] they have come to know the right meaning . . . they are in the world . . . in the aeon they would never be used as names in the world, nor would they list them under worldly things. They have an end in the aeon. 12 There is only one name which one does not speak out in the world, the name which the Father gave to the Son. It is above everything. It is the name of the Father. For the Son will not become the Father, if he does not put on the name of the Father. Those who have this name

truly know it, but they do not speak it. Those who do not have it do not know it. But the truth engendered names in the world for us, because it is impossible to know it (the truth) without names. The truth is a single thing and is many things. It is this way for our sake, in order to teach us this one thing in love through its many-ness. 13 The archons wanted to deceive the human because they saw that he was kindred to the truly good ones. They took the name of the good ones and gave it to those that are not good, so that by names they could deceive him and bind them to the ones that are not good. If they do them a favor, they are taken away from those who are not good and given their place among those that are good. They knew these things. For they (the archons) wished to take the free person and enslave him forever. . . . 15 Before the Christ came there was no bread in the world. So also in paradise, the place where Adam was, there were many trees as food for the animals, but there was no wheat for human food. The human ate as the animals. But when the Christ, the perfect man came, he brought bread from heaven so that people could eat in a human way. 16 The archons believed that what they did was by their own power and will. However, the Holy Spirit secretly worked all through them as he willed. The truth is sown in every place; she (the truth) was from the beginning, and many see her as she is sown. But only a few see her being gathered in. 17 Some say Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. They err. They do not know what they say. When did a woman become pregnant by a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power corrupted. She is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who are the apostles and apostolic men. This

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

virgin whom no power deﬁled . . . the powers deﬁled them (or, themselves). The Lord (would) not have said, “My [Father who is in] Heaven,” if he had not had another Father. But he would have simply said: [“My Father.”] 18 The Lord said to the disciples . . . “Enter the Father’s house, but do not take anything in the Father’s house, nor remove anything.” 19 “Jesus” is a secret name; “Christ” is a revealed name. For this reason, “Jesus” does not exist in any (other) language, but his name is always “Jesus,” as they say. “Christ” is also his name; in Syriac, it is “Messiah,” but, in Greek, it is “Christ.” Actually, everyone has it according to his own language. “The Nazarene” is the one who reveals secret things. 20 The Christ has everything in himself: man, angel, mystery, and the Father. 21 They err who say, “The Lord ﬁrst died and then he arose.” First he arose, and then he died. If someone does not ﬁrst achieve the resurrection, will he not die? So truly as God lives, that one would . . . [text uncertain]. 22 No one will hide an extremely valuable thing in something of equal value. However, people often put things worth countless thousands into a thing worth a penny. It is this way with the soul. It is a precious thing which came into a worthless body. 23 Some fear that they will arise naked. Therefore, they wish to arise in the ﬂesh, and they do not know that those who carry the ﬂesh are naked. They who . . . who disrobe themselves are not naked. Flesh [and blood can] not inherit the Kingdom [of God]. What is this which will not inherit? That which is on us. But what is this which will inherit? That which is of Jesus and of his blood. Therefore he said: “The one who does not eat my ﬂesh and drink my blood does

THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP

not have life in him.”1 What is it? His ﬂesh is the Logos, and his blood is the Holy Spirit. Whoever has received these has food and drink and clothing. I blame those who say it will not rise. Then they are both to blame. You say, “The ﬂesh will not rise.” But tell me what will rise, so that we may praise you. You say, “The spirit in the ﬂesh and this light in the ﬂesh.” This is also a Logos (or, saying) which is ﬂeshly. Whatever you say, you do not say anything outside the ﬂesh. It is necessary to rise in this ﬂesh; everything is in it. 24 In this world those who put on clothes are worth more than the clothes. In the Kingdom of Heaven the clothes are worth more than those who have put them on. Through water and ﬁre, which purify the whole place, 25 those things which are revealed are revealed by those which are manifest, those which are secret by those which are secret. Some are hidden through those which are manifest. There is water in water; there is ﬁre in anointing. 26 Jesus secretly stole them all. For he showed himself not to be as he really was, but he appeared in a way that they could see him. To those . . . he appeared. [He appeared] to the great as great. [He appeared] to the small as small. [He appeared] to the angels as an angel and to humans as a human. Because of this, his Logos hid from everyone. Some, to be sure, saw him, and they thought that they saw themselves. But, when he appeared in glory to the disciples on the mountain he was not small. He became great; however, he made the disciples great, so that they were able to see him as he was, great. He said on that day in the thanksgiving, “You who have united with the perfect, the light, the Holy Spirit, have united the angels also with us, with the images.”

27 Do not scorn the Lamb. For without it one cannot see the King. No one who is naked will be able to ﬁnd his way to the King. 28 The heavenly Man has many more children than the earthly man. If the children of Adam are more numerous, and still die, how much more the children of the Perfect One who do not die but are always begotten. . . . 32 There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother and her sister and Magdalene, whom they call his lover. A Mary is his sister and his mother and his lover. 33 “The Father” and “the Son” are single names. The “Holy Spirit” is a double name. They are everywhere. They are above; they are below; they are in the secret; they are in the revealed. The Holy Spirit is in the revealed; it is below; it is in the secret; it is above. 34 The saints are ministered to by the evil powers, for the powers are blind because of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they will believe that they serve a man when they work for the saints. Because of this, one day a disciple sought from the Lord something from the world. He said to him, “Ask your mother, and she will give you from a stranger’s (things).” . . . 50 God is a man eater. On account of this the Man [was killed] for him. Before they killed the Man, they killed animals, for those were not Gods for whom they killed. 51 Glass and pottery vessels are both made with ﬁre. But if glass vessels are broken they are made again, for they are created with a breath. But if pottery vessels are broken, they are destroyed, for they are created without a breath.

John 6:54.

52 An ass which turns a millstone in a circle went one hundred miles. When he was turned loose he found he was still at the same place. There are people who make many trips and get nowhere. When evening came upon them, they saw no city or town, no creation or nature, no power or angel. The poor fellows labored in vain. 53 The Eucharist is Jesus. For they call him in Syriac pharisatha, which is, “the one who is spread out.” For Jesus came and he cruciﬁed the world. 54 The Lord went into the dye shop of Levi. He took seventy-two colors and threw them into the kettle. He took them all out white, and he said, “Thus the Son of man came, a dyer.” 55 Wisdom (sophia), whom they call barren, is the mother of the angels, and the consort of Christ is Mary Magdalene. The [Lord loved Mary] more than all the disciples, and he kissed her on the [mouth many times]. The other [women/disciples saw] . . . him. They said to him, “Why do you [love her] more than all of us?” The Savior answered and said to them, “Why do not I love you as I do her?” 56 If a blind person and one who can see are in the dark, there is no difference between them. When the light comes, then the one who sees will see the light, and the one who is blind will stay in the darkness. 57 The Lord said, “Blessed is the one who exists before he came into being. For he who exists was and will be.” 58 The greatness of the human being is not revealed, but it is hidden. Because of this he is lord of the animals that are stronger than he and are great according to that which is clear as well as hidden. And this mastery gives to them their stability. But if a person leaves them alone, they kill one another (and) bite one another. And they ate one another because they could ﬁnd no food. But they have

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

now found food because the person has worked the ground. 59 If anyone goes down into the water and comes up having received nothing and says, “I am a Christian,” he has borrowed the name at interest. But if he receives the Holy Spirit, he has taken the name as a gift. If someone has received a gift, it is not taken back. But he who has borrowed something at interest has to meet the payment. 60 It is this way . . . if anyone should be in a mystery. . . . 62 Do not be afraid of the ﬂesh nor love it. If you fear it, then it will be your master. If you love it, it will swallow and strangle you. 63 Either one is in this world, or in the resurrection, or in the places in the middle. God forbid that I be found in them. In this world there is good and evil. Its good is not good, and its evil is not evil. But there is evil after this world, true evil, which they call “the middle.” It is death. As long as we are in this world, it is ﬁtting to us to acquire the resurrection, so that when we peel off the ﬂesh we will be found in repose, not making our way in “the middle.” For many wander astray off the path. For it is good to come out of the world before one sins. . . . 67 The truth did not come naked into the world, but came in types and images. One will not receive the truth in any other way. There is a being-born-again, and an image of being-born-again. It is truly necessary that they become born again through the image. What else is the resurrection? It is necessary that the image arise through the image. The Bridal Chamber and the image necessarily enters into the truth through the image; this is the recapitulation. It is necessary not only that those who have it received the name of the Father and the Son and the

THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP

Holy Spirit, but that they took it themselves. If someone does not take it himself, the name also will be taken away from him. But one receives them in the anointing of the power of [the cross] . . . the apostles call it “the right” and “the left.” For this reason one is no longer a Christian, but a Christ. 68 The Lord [did?] all in a Mystery, a Baptism, an Anointing, a Eucharist, a Salvation, and a Bridal Chamber. . . . 82 Is it all right to speak a mystery? The Father of all joined himself with the virgin who came down, and a ﬁre[?] was burned for him that day. He appeared in the great Bridal Chamber. Therefore, his body came into being that day. He came out of the Bridal Chamber as one who came into being from the bridegroom and the bride. Thus, Jesus established all through these. And it is ﬁtting for each of the disciples to enter his repose. 83 Adam came into being from two virgins: from the Spirit and from the virgin earth. Therefore, the Christ was born from a virgin so that he could bring order to the stumbling which occurred in the beginning. 84 There are two trees in paradise. The one engenders a[nimals]; the other engenders people. Adam [ate] from the tree which brought forth animals; [he be]came a beast and he begot beasts. Because of this they worship . . . of Adam. The tree . . . fruit is . . . engenders people . . . the (person) . . . God created the p[erson . . . the perso]n created God. 85 It is like this in the world: people create Gods and they worship those whom they have created. It would be proper if the Gods worshipped people. . . . 99 The world came into being through an error. For he who created it intended to create it imperishable and immortal. He failed to attain his hope. For the world

is not imperishable and neither is he who created the world. For there is no imperishability, of things, but there is of sons. And no thing can attain imperishability if it does not become a son. But if someone cannot receive, how much more will he not be able to give? 100 The Cup of Prayer holds wine and it holds water. It serves as a type of the blood for which they give thanks. And it is full of the Holy Spirit and belongs to the completely perfect Man. When we drink this, we will take to ourselves the perfect Man. 101 The living water is a body. It is right that we clothe ourselves with the living Man. Therefore, when he comes to go down to the water, he disrobes in order that he may put this one on. . . . 125 As long as it is hidden, wickedness is really brought to nothing, but it is still not removed from the midst of the seed of the Holy Spirit. They are slaves of evil. When it is revealed, then the perfect light will pour over everyone, all those in it will receive the [anointing]. Then the slaves will become free, and the prisoners will be redeemed. 126 [Every] plant my Father in Heaven does not plant [will be] rooted out. Those who are alienated will be united. They will be ﬁlled. Everyone who [will go in] to the Bridal Chamber will [light the light]. For [it shines] as in the marriages which [are seen, although they] are in the night. The ﬁre [burns] in the night, then it is extinguished. But the mysteries of this marriage are fulﬁlled in the day and the light. That day and its light do not set. 127 If anyone becomes a child of the Bridal Chamber, he will receive the light. If anyone does not receive it while he is in these places (i.e., this world), he will not be able to receive it in the other place. The one who has received light cannot

be seen nor can he be held. And no one can torment him, even while he lives in the world. And further, when he goes out of the world, already he has received the truth in images. The world has become

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

the aeon, for the aeon has become for him the fullness. It is thus; it is revealed only to him. It is not hidden in the darkness and the night, but it is hidden in a perfect day and a holy light.