The Gospel of the Savior

The most recent Gospel to be discovered is called the Gospel of the Savior. It poses real difﬁculties for translator and reader alike, since so much of its text has been destroyed (i.e., there are numerous holes in the manuscript). Nonetheless, it was obviously once an intriguing account of Jesus’ life—or at least of his last hours. For the surviving portion of the text recounts the ﬁnal instructions of Jesus to his disciples, his prayer to God that the “cup” might be taken away from him, and then a ﬁnal address—to the cross itself. Whether this Gospel originally contained an entire account of Jesus’ life and death cannot be determined.1 There are numerous differences between the surviving passages of this Gospel and the parallel accounts in the New Testament. One of the most striking is that when Jesus asks his Father to “remove this cup from me,” he does so not in the Garden of Gethsemane, but in a vision in which he has been transported to the throne room of God himself. In addition, this account records God’s replies to Jesus’ requests. But probably the most intriguing aspect of this hitherto lost Gospel is its ending, where Jesus (who is called “the Savior” throughout the account) speaks directly to the cross: “O cross do not be afraid! I am rich. I will ﬁll you with my wealth. I will mount you, O cross, I will be hung upon you.” It appears that the unknown author of this Gospel made use of earlier Christian texts, including the Gospels of Matthew and, especially, John, and the book of Revelation. He evidently produced his account sometime in the second century, although the Coptic manuscript that contains it dates from the sixth or seventh century. The original language was Greek. We do not know where the text was originally written. The surviving manuscript was discovered in Egypt and acquired for the Papyrus Collection of the Berlin Museum in 1967; but it remained unnoticed there until an American scholar, Paul Mirecki, came upon it in 1991. He and another scholar, Charles Hedrick, published the ﬁrst edition of the text; an authori-

See the comments in Ehrman, Lost Christianities, 50–51.

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

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

Verses 1–27: The Savior converses with his disciples (after the Last Supper) [ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ] the kingdom of heaven at your right hand. 2 Blessed is he who will eat with me in the kingdom of heaven. 3 [You] are the salt [of] the earth, and [you] are the lamp that gives light to the world. 4 Do not sleep and do not slumber [until you clothe yourselves] with the garment of the kingdom, which I have bought with the blood of grapes!” 5 Andrew replied and said, “My [Lord] [ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ].” 6 [ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ]. 7 Since I have healed those of the [world], I must [also go] down to Hades on account of the others who are bound there. 8 So now what is necessary [ . . . 23 lines untranslatable . . . everything carefully]. 9 I for my part will appear to you with joy. For I know that you are able to do everything with joy. 10 For a human being [has] free will [ . . . 9 lines untranslatable . . . ]. 11 So now [while] you [are] in the body, do not let matter rule over you! 12 Rise, let us go hence; for my betrayer is at hand. 13 “And you will all ﬂee and fall away because of me. 14 You will all ﬂee and [leave me] alone; 15 yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. 16 I and my Father are one and the same. 17 For it is

written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the ﬂock will be scattered.’ 18 So I am the good shepherd. 19 I lay down my life for you. 20 You too, lay down your lives for your [friends], so that you might please my Father! 21 For there is no commandment greater than this, that I should [lay down my] life [for] humankind. 22 For [this reason] my Father loves me. 23 Because I accomplished [his] will. 24 Because [I am] divine and yet I [became human] on account of [ . . . 4 lines untranslatable . . . ].” 25 [ . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ] how soon [will you . . . ] or remember us, send for us, take us out of the world, and let us [come] to you? 26 [ . . . 26 lines untranslatable . . . ] [ . . . ].” 27 The Savior said to us, “O my holy members, my blessed seeds, [rise] and [ . . . ] pray [ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ].”

Verses 28–36: A vision on the Mount 28 [ . . . 12 lines untranslatable . . . ] on the mountain. 29 We became as spiritual bodies. Our eyes opened wide in every direction. The whole place was revealed before us. 30 We [saw] the heavens, and they [opened] up one after another. 31 The guardians of the gates were alarmed. 32 The angels were afraid and

2 Charles W. Hedrick and Paul A. Mirecki, Gospel of the Savior: A New Ancient Gospel (Santa Rosa: Polebridge, 1999); Stephen Emmel, “The Recently Published Gospel of the Savior (“Unbekanntes Berliner Evangelium”): Righting the Order of Pages and Events,” Harvard Theological Review 95 (2002) 45–72.

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

[ﬂed] this [way] and that, thinking [that] they would all be destroyed. 33 We saw our Savior having penetrated all the heavens, [his] feet [placed ﬁrmly on] the [mountain with us, his head penetrating the seventh] heaven. 34 [ . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ] . . . all the heavens. 35 Then before us, the apostles, this world became as darkness. 36 We became as [those] among the [immortal] aeons, with our [eyes penetrating all] the heavens, clothed with the [power of] our apostleship, and we saw our Savior when he had reached the [seventh] heaven.

Verses 37–44: In the Father’s throne room 37 [ . . . 7 lines untranslatable . . . ] the [heavens] were alarmed. 38 [The angels] and the archangels [bowed down] on [their faces. 39 The] cherubim [ . . . ] . . . [ . . . ]. 40 [The . . . ] put down their [ . . . ]s. 41 The [ . . . ]s that [ . . . the curtain (?) sang. 42 The elders, seated] on [their thrones], cast [their] crowns [down] before the Father’s [throne]. 43 All [the saints brought a] robe. 44 [ . . . ] when [ . . . ] Son [ . . . 4 lines untranslatable . . . ].

Verses 45–61: The Savior prays three times to his Father 45 [ . . . 4 lines untranslatable . . . why] are you weeping and [distressed], such that [the] entire angelic host [is alarmed]?” 46 [And] he replied [in this] manner, “[ . . . 5 lines untranslatable . . . ] [ . . . ] . . . [ . . . ] 47 I am [greatly distressed . . . ] kill[ . . . ] at the hands of the [people of] Israel. 48 O my [father], if it be [possible], let this [cup] pass from me! 49 Let [me] be [ . . . ] at the hands of

some other [ . . . ] people who [ . . . ] if [ . . . ] Israel [ . . . 3 lines untranslatable . . . ].” 50 [ . . . 4 lines untranslatable . . . so that] salvation [might come] to the entire world.” 51 [Then] again the Son threw himself down at his Father’s feet, [saying], 52 “[O my father . . . 5 lines untranslatable . . . ] to die with joy and pour out my blood for the human race. 53 But I weep greatly on account of my beloved ones, [Abraham] and Isaac [and] Jacob, [because on the] day of judgment [they will] stand, [whereas] I will sit upon [my] throne and pass [judgment] on the world, 54 [while they] say to me, ‘[ . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ] the glory that was given to me [on] earth. 55 O my [father, if it be possible, let this cup] pass from me!” 56 [The Father replied] to him for [the] second time, 57 “[O my] son, you do not [ . . . 28 lines untranslatable . . . ].” 58 The Son [replied] for the [third] time, 59 “O [my father], if [ . . . ] [ . . . 32 lines untranslatable . . . ].” 60 [ . . . 32 lines untranslatable . . . ] [ . . . ] [ . . . 29 lines untranslatable . . . ] he [ . . . ] complete [the service until . . . ] to them. 61 [ . . . 27 lines untranslatable . . . ]

Verses 62–72: The Savior converses with his disciples (after the vision) 62 [The Savior] said to us, “No lot surpasses your own, nor is there any glory more exalted than [your own. 63 . . . 31 lines untranslatable . . . ] [ . . . 31 lines untranslatable . . . ] 64 O entirety [ . . . 2 lines untranslatable . . . ] 65 O [ . . . 19 lines untranslatable . . . ] cross [ . . . 5 lines untranslatable . . . ] three [days I will] take you[ . . . ] with me and and show you [the] things you desire [to]

THE GOSPEL OF THE SAVIOR

see. 66 So [do not be alarmed] when [you] see [me]!” 67 We said to him, “Lord, in what form will you reveal yourself to us, or in what kind of body will you come? Tell us!” 68 John responded and said, “Lord, when you are ready to reveal yourself to us, do not reveal yourself to us in all your glory, but change your glory into [some other] glory so that [we might be able to bear] it, lest we see [you and] despair from [fear]!” 69 [The Savior replied], “[Rid] yourselves [of] this [fear] that [you] are afraid of, so that you might see and believe! 70 But do not touch me until I ascend to [my Father and your Father], to [my God and] your God, to my Lord and your Lord! 71 If someone [comes close] to me, he [will get burned. I] am [the] blazing [ﬁre. Whoever is close] to [me] is close to [the ﬁre]. Whoever is far from me is far from life. 72 So now gather [unto] me, O my holy members, [ . . . 6 lines untranslatable . . . ].”

Verses 73–109: An amen responsory between the Savior and his disciples 73 [He] said to us, “I am among you [as] a child.” 74 He said, “Amen!” 75 “A little while I am among you.” 76 [ . . . ] responded, “Amen!” 77 “[Those who] ⬍want⬎ [to set (?) the world] against me [are] plotting against me because I am a stranger to it. 78 So behold! Now I [am grieving] on account of the [sins] of the world. 79 [But I am rejoicing] on [your] account, because [you have . . . ] well in [the world]. 80 So become acquainted with [yourselves], that you might profit me, and I will rejoice over your work!” 81 “I am the king.”—“Amen!” 82 “I [am] the [son] of the king.”— [“Amen!”]

83 “I [am the spring of water . . .”— “Amen!”] 84 “[I am . . . ] and you have no [other].”—“Amen!” 85 “I am ﬁghting [for] you. You too, wage war!”—“Amen!” 86 “I am being sent. I in turn want to send you.”—“Amen!” 87 “[ . . . ], O [ . . . ] you [ . . . I] want to [bring] you joy [for] the world. [But grieve] for [the] world instead, just as if you had not entered it!”—“Amen!” 88 “Do not weep from now on, but rejoice instead!”—“Amen!” 89 “I have overcome the world. And you, do not let the world overcome you!”—“Amen!” 90 “I have become free [from (?)] the world. You too, [become] free from [it]!”—“Amen!” 91 “[I will be] given [vinegar and gall] to drink. But [you], acquire life and [rest for yourselves]!”—“Amen!” 92 “I will be [pierced] with a spear [in my] side. 93 He who saw it, let him bear witness—and his testimony is true!”— “Amen!” 94 “[ . . . 6 lines untranslatable . . . ].” —“[Amen]!” 95 “Whoever has [ . . . ] me, I [for my part] will make him [ . . . ] with me.”— “Amen!” 96 “Whoever does not [partake] of my body [and] my blood is a stranger to me.”—“Amen!” 97 “[ . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ] you [ . . . ].”—“[Amen]!” 98 “[ . . . 5 lines untranslatable . . . ] cross.”—“Amen!” 99 “I [will hasten to] you.”—“Amen!” 100 “A [dispensation . . . 8 lines untranslatable . . . ] cross [ . . . ].”— “Amen!” 101 “[For] those on the [right will] take shelter [under you, apart from] those on the [left, 102 O] cross, [ . . . 5 lines untranslatable . . . ], 103 O cross, [ . . . ]

you [ . . . ] height . . . [ . . . ] for this is your desire. 104 O cross, do not be afraid! 105 I am rich. I will ﬁll you with my wealth. 106 [I] will mount you, O cross. [I] will be [hung] upon you [ . . . ] . . . [ . . .”—“Amen!”] 107 “[ . . . 6 lines untranslatable . . . ]. 108 [Do not] weep, O [cross], but rather [rejoice] and recognize [your] Lord as he [is coming toward] you, 109 that he is [gentle] and [lowly]!”—“Amen!” Verses 110–119: The Savior addresses the cross (for a second time) 110 [The] second [ . . . 3 lines untranslatable . . . ] but 111 [I am] rich. I

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

will [ﬁll you] with my wealth. 112 [A little while], O cross, and what is lacking will become complete, and what is stunted will become full. 113 A little while, O cross, and what has [fallen] will rise. 114 [A little while], O [cross], and the entire fullness will become complete. 115 [ . . . 6 lines untranslatable . . . ] they have been waiting for you, one [laughing] and rejoicing, another weeping, [mourning], and feeling remorse. 116 [Precede] me, O cross! I [in turn] will precede you. 117 [You and] I, O [cross, we are . . . 118 We are . . . 10 lines untranslatable. . . . 119 . . . , O] cross, [truly], whoever is far from [you] is far [from] [me].”