The nag hammadi library was supposedly the result of faithful efforts of gnostic monks to save the truth about jesus christ from the persecution of nongnostic christians. The gospel of thomass 114 sayings of jesus biblical. The secret book of john and the secret revelation of john, depending upon how the word apocryphon is translated. The nag hammadi texts were contained in leatherbound volumes discovered by egyptian farmers in 1945. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john or the secret revelation of john, is a secondcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret teachings. The nag hammadi library also known as the chenoboskion manuscripts and the gnostic gospels is a collection of early christian and gnostic texts discovered near the upper egyptian town of nag hammadi in 1945. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Since it was known to the church father irenaeus, it must have been written before around 180 ce. The nag hammadi library ancient library of wisdom and lore.
I have started a short series in response to a question about the coptic gospel of thomas, discovered in 1945 among a cache of documents near nag hammadi egypt. The secret book of john the secret revelation of john. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john or the secret revelation of john, is a secondcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret. A recommended mp3 audio from the nag hammadi library. The apocryphon of john is commonly referenced by two other names. This new anthology of gospel literature contains texts that are not part of the new testament but are of great importance for the study of christian origins. The nag hammadi library was discovered in 1945 buried in a large stone jar in the desert outside the modern egyptian city of nag hammadi. In my last post i gave the story typically recited by nt scholars for the discovery of this nag hammadi library. Recommended books for the study of early christian writings.
Pdf nag hammadi gospels pdf download read online free. The gnostic society library the nag hammadi library. The sixteen texts constitue what remains of the noncanonical gospels form the first and second centuries. The sophia of jesus christ, the sentences of sextus, and the apocryphon of john. The apocryphon of john was among the texts, in three coptic versions translated from the greek. Observe how the gospel rejects the teaching of a future kingdom of god, contending instead that the kingdom is within us. Thirteen leatherbound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local farmer named. Scholars were delighted to discover several works whose existence was known in the early centuries of. Q quelle or source the reconstructed gospel of q is important to beniaumen because it shows a yeshua who is much more in harmony with the nature orientated essene nazarene way. Ii 1 the apocryphon of john ii 2 the gospel of thomas ii 3 the gospel of philip ii 4 the hypostasis of the archons ii 5 on the origin of the world. Learn how the text comprises sayings of jesus that the reader must seek to understand.
This volume contains 22 papers from the society of biblical literatures 1995 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the nag hammadi library, with special focus on the apocryphon of john, the gospel of thomas, and the gospel of philip. Dec 27, 2019 the nag hammadi texts were contained in leatherbound volumes discovered by egyptian farmers in 1945. The nag hammadi library is a collection of early christian scriptures and a few other miscellaneous texts discovered in the egyptian desert in the middle of the twentieth century that has forced us to reconsider much of what we thought we knew about early christianity, especially the type of early christianity known as gnosticism. The nag hammadi library, a collection of thirteen ancient codices containing over fifty texts, was discovered in upper egypt in 1945 this immensely important discovery includes a large number of primary gnostic scriptures texts once thought to have been entirely destroyed during the early christian struggle to define orthodoxy scriptures such as the gospel of thomas, the gospel of. Jun 30, 2009 the nag hammadi scriptures, edited by marvin meyer, is the most complete, uptodate, onevolume, englishlanguage edition of the renowned library of gnostic manuscripts discovered in egypt in 1945, which rivaled the dead sea scrolls find in significance. Institute for antiquity and christianity, claremont, ca. The most readily comprehensible of the nag hammadi scriptures is undoubtedly the gospel of thomas, with the gospel of philip and the the gospel of truth as close seconds in order of easy comprehension. In 1945, two brothers were looking for fertilizer in the vicinity of nag hammadi when one came upon a buried earthenware jar. This site includes the entire nag hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and. Jun 15, 2003 elaine pagelss gnostic gospels, which won the national book critics circle award and the national book award in 1980, introduced the general public to the discovery in 1945 at nag hammadi in.
Both of these conclusions are a serious challenge to the historic christian faith. The gospel according to thomas is the most famous of the ancient documents discovered at nag hammadi. Part of the library of books found in nag hammadi, egypt, in 1945, this central myth of gnosticism tells the story of how god fell from perfect oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how by knowing our divine nature and our divine origins. The apocryphon of john marvin meyer the nag hammadi library. The nag hammadi library of gnostic texts is a different story. There he meets angel guides and is taught the gnosis of the aeons. The books in the nag hammadi library include the secret book of john, the reality of the archons, and on the origin of the world, which recount elaborate myths about how the world was created by an ignorant, malevolent being who is inferior to the true god, and how a divine spark became trapped within the world. Combs the gnostic heresy alluded to in the nt and widely repudiated by christian writers in the second century and after has been in creasingly studied in the last forty years. It has always seemed to me that the secret book of john evolved to be more difficult to. Little more was known of this text until 1945, when a cache of thirteen papyrus codices bound books that had been hidden away in the 4th century, was fortuitously discovered at nag hammadi in egypt cg ii. The nag hammadi library after fifty years book summary. Apocalypse of peter codex i also known as the jung codex. Nag hammadi library the nag hammadi library popularly known as the gnostic gospels is a collection of early christian gnostic texts discovered near the town of nag hammadi in 1945. The nag hammadi scriptures meyer marvin w download.
Robinson is the founding director emeritus of the institute for antiquity and christianity, and professor emeritus at claremont graduate university. In such works as the secret book according to john and the gospel of judas, the gnostics combined the book of genesis with jewish, platonist, and christian traditions to create a strange but beautiful myth that explained how this universe came into being through an ignorant and malevolent lower god. Although there are a few points of the text that are christian, it is gnostic in form. The nag hammadi codices and gnostic christianity biblical. The apocryphon of john frederik wisse the nag hammadi. That year, twelve leatherbound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local.
The apocryphon of john frederik wisse the nag hammadi library. This immensely important discovery includes a large number of primary gnostic gospels texts once thought to have been entirely destroyed during the. The jesus seminar places the gospel of thomas in their otherwise severely truncated bible. The term gnosticism is often used as a sort of umbrella term to cover the peopl. The nag hammadi library and gnostic gospels remembering. The nag hammadi library 1 is a collection of gnostic texts discovered near the upper egyptian town of nag hammadi in 1945. Anyone who delves into the nag hammadi library nhc cannot fail to observe the chaotic and incoherent nature of the materials, to say nothing of their density. The gnostic history of god comes to life the ultimate goal of humanity is to come to understand this myth, the gospel of the secret book of john, in such a way that the pattern of devolution from the fullness of god to humanity s imprisonment in matter is reversed. Giving voice to the wisdom of the ages 168,111 views. The author does not cover the christianization of gnostic sects, nor the gnostics from prior to christ dating back to the temple of isis, nor the differences between each gnostic sect. The term gnosticism is often used as a sort of umbrella term to cover the people that the leaders of the church didnt like. The gospel of thomas part human voice the gospel of thomas part 23 human voice the gospel of thomas part 33 human voice thomas audiobook part i. The discovery in upper egypt of an extensive collection of gnostic writings on papyri trans.
The apocryphon of john marvin meyer the nag hammadi. The text of nag hammadi codex iv, 1, which also represents the long version, has been consulted, as have the texts representing the short version. Included in the nag hammadi collection are such spurious works as the john, the gospel of phillip, the, and the gospel of mary. The nag hammadi library and gnostic gospels remembering the. A group of ancient documents dating from approximately a. The prayer of the apostle paul the apocryphon of james also known as the secret book of james the gospel of truth the treatise on the. This definitive edition of the nag hammadi library is the only complete, onevolume, englishlanguage edition of the renowned library of fourthcentury manuscripts discovered in egypt in 1945 it includes the gospel of thomas, the gospel of mary and other gnostic gospels and sacred tests. The 52 texts discovered in nag hammadi, egypt include secret gospels poems and myths attributing to jesus sayings and beliefs which are very different from the new. That year, twelve leatherbound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local peasant named mohammed ali. Dated papyrus scraps used to strengthen the bindings of the books helped date the volumes to the midfourth century a. This site includes the entire hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. In 1945, two egyptian brothers found a large urn near nag hammadi, filled with ancient papyri.
It is a collection of religious and philosophic texts gathered and translated into coptic by fourthcentury gnostic christians and translated into english by dozens of highly reputable experts. The text of nag hammadi codex iv, 1, which also represents the long version, has been consulted, as. The gospel of thomas 140170 has 114 secret sayings of. Zostrianos is one of the longest books of the nag hammadi library. Nag hammadi, an egyptian city of about 30,000, is located about 300 miles500 km south of cairo. This translation is presented in the gnostic society library by exclusive. About the nag hammadi library the nag hammadi scriptures the nag hammadi library, a collection of thirteen ancient books called codices containing over fifty texts, was discovered in upper egypt in 1945. The nag hammadi codices library full collection for. Fifty years later hippolytus, a teacher in rome, wrote another massive refutation of all heresies to expose and refute the wicked blasphemy of the heretics. The greek fragments of the gospel of thomas i just mentioned date from the second century. The text occupies pages 12841 of the codex, although pages 334 are missing. Twelve leatherbound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local farmer named muhammed alsamman. Nag hammadi library iii, the apocryphon of john english translation by frederik wisse interlinear translation by milan konvicka, 25. It is an apocalyptic work that deals with a heavenly journey by zostrianos.
Gospel of thomas and the secret book of john apocryphon of john, codex ii the nag hammadi manuscripts in 367 c. The nag hammadi librarythe apocryphon of john gods. The nag hammadi library audiobook by charles river. The nag hammadi library the lost books of the bible. Gospel of thomas and the secret book of john apocryphon of john, codex ii the nag hammadi manuscripts what others are saying a few years ago, i came across a treasure trove of ancient information found in a sealed jar in 1945 near the town of nag hammadi about miles north of lux. The nag hammadi scriptures, edited by marvin meyer, is the most complete, uptodate, onevolume, englishlanguage edition of the renowned library of gnostic manuscripts discovered in egypt in 1945, which rivaled the dead sea scrolls find in significance. The nag hammadi codices gnosticism from ancient greek. Here, explore three such texts, the revelation of paul, the revelation of peter, and the secret book of james, as they propound theological views that challenged and in some cases sharply criticized the emerging orthodox church and its leaders. Nov 25, 2019 the nag hammadi codices gnosticism from ancient greek. Among his recent books are the gospel of judas, the gnostic gospels of jesus, the gospels of mary, the gospel of thomas, and the nag hammadi scriptures. The manuscripts three at nag hammadi, one elsewhere and summary in irenaeus attest the circulation of no less than four distinct editions of the greek text in antiquity.
It includes the gospel of thomas, the gospel of mary, and the recently discovered gospel of judas, as well as other gnostic gospels and. But irenaeus does use the same source as at least one of the texts discovered at nag hammadi the apocryphon secret book of john as ammunition for his own attack on such heresy. The treatise on the resurrection from nag hammadi codex ii from the nag hammadhi library. Nag hammadi, gnosticism and new testament interpretation. The nag hammadi scrolls include works known as the gospel of truth, the gospel of philip, the apocryphon of john, the apocalypse of adam, and the acts of peter and the twelve apostles. The greek word for fulness used by the gnostics to mean the highest principle of being where dwells the unknown and unknowable god. For example, the introduction to the gospel of truth in the nag hammadi library reads, despite its title, this work is not the sort found in the new testament, since it does not offer a continuous narration of the deeds, teachings, passion, and resurrection of jesus. The secret book of john and the secret revelation of john. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The nag hammadi library the apocryphon of john is commonly referenced by two other names. Nag hammadi library project gutenberg selfpublishing. The nag hammadi codices contain numerous texts called revelations or secret books. Some of these apocryphal gospels are from the nag hammadi library, made available only recently.
Their are four surviving coptic manuscripts of this text. He nag hammadi library was discovered in 1945 buried in a large stone jar in the desert outside the modern egyptian city of nag hammadi. Pdf the nag hammadi scriptures download read online free. The gnostic gospels were discovered in nag hammadi, egypt, near cairo in 1945 and translated into english in 1977. In such works as the secret book according to john and the gospel of judas, the gnostics combined the book of genesis with jewish, platonist, and christian traditions to create a strange. This site includes the entire nag hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. In 1945, in upper egypt near nag hammadi, an amazing discovery was made, a collection of ancient codices containing over 50 text, a virtual library of coptic text. The recently discovered gospel of judas is also counted among the gnostic gospels. The nag hammadi library is a collection of manuscripts is believed to be from the 4th century, copies of documents written earlier. It includes the gospel of thomas, the gospel of mary, and the recently discovered gospel of judas. The gospel of thomas part human voice the gospel of thomas part 23 human voice. Meyer notes that this translation of the the secret book of john is based largely on the coptic text of nag hammadi codex ii, 1, coptic manuscript pages 1,1 to 32,9. Jul 20, 2017 apocalypse of peter codex i also known as the jung codex.
1016 352 1017 240 215 1459 1473 1534 1270 283 243 1193 1532 1557 761 1148 1495 1016 1282 1359 415 807 544 934 981 439 1387