According a 3rd century author and historian, caius, the apocalypse of john was a work of the gnostic kerinthus. It describes jesus appearing and giving secret knowledge to john the apostle. That is why and how the gnostic gospels were created. This practice of gnosis had made them the allegorical symbolic gnostic archheretic tribe, who st. John is an allegorical name given to cerinthus in the bible and this same man from crete is also the author of the book of revelation. Hence, he was the chief heretic and adversary of the gospel then living at the time of john the evangelist, and thus a symbolic story of what happened to these same ancient gnostics who practiced their religion of knowledge and nature. The apocryphon of john was still used in the eighth century by the audians of mesopotamia. Robinsons comprehensive the nag hammadi library, we learn that the gnostic gospels were written by. The only way to get the books was from a handful of schools who put up many obstacles and restrictions, requiring students to. She is created when each of yaldaboths archons fornicates with sophia a metaphor for usurping her power. A lost, secret vision of jesus earl richard loyola university yamauchi lecture october 17, 1993 the recent discovery and current interest in the gospel of thomas have elicited considerable popular and scholarly attention, a phenomenon which shows no indication of coming to an end. It helps to remember that many things were going on during the rise of christianity in the 2 nd to 4 th centuries. Gnostic gospels introduction the gnostic gospels are a product of gnosticism. Since it was known to the church father irenaeus, it must have been written before around 180 ce.
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 thirteen leatherbound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local farmer named muhammed alsamman. The authorship of 1 john is part of the debate over the authorship of the johannine corpus the gospel, 1 john, 2 john, 3 john and revelation. We will see later how john reaches out to gnostics and at the same time defends the gospel against. Most of the gnostic gospels that have survived were found in a collection of books from the third and fourth century ad. The gospel of thomas is unlike any other gospel text and has been an enigma ever since its discovery within the nag hammadi library in 1945. The book is like a tapestry of truths woven together in repeated patterns cf.
At that time, the only books in english were made on copy machines, were terribly expensive, and most of the translations were filled with errors, omissions, and confusion. This ancient gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest. Stevan davies is professor of religious studies at misericordia university and has studied the noncanonical gospels and acts for over thirty years. The gospel of thomas very clearly tries to maintain an air of secrecy in its words. Bill hendricks, tapestries of truth, the letters of john. The author of the gospel of john began to grapple with gnostic cosmology to develop his own. 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 humanitys imprisonment in matter is reversed. Their are four surviving coptic manuscripts of this text. The gospel of thomas is simply a heretical forgery, much the same as the.
The five most dangerous archons in the gnostic gospels. The book of revelations, a gnostic gospel excommunicate. However, even the description of these elements as gnostic is based mainly upon the presupposition that the text as a whole is a gnostic gospel, and this idea itself is based upon little other than the fact that it was found along with. The writings in these codices comprise 52 mostly gnostic. The few sayings and stories about jesusare not set in any kind of narrative framework like one of the new testament gospels. Gnosticism, broadly construed, recognizes two deities. The definitive collection of gnostic gospels and mystical books about jesus of nazareth by marvin meyer isbn. In the secret book of john, fate is portrayed as an archon mysteriously called fate. We will see later how john reaches out to gnostics and at the same time defends the gospel against the gnostic teaching with its certain characteristics. In complement to the secret book of john, another remarkable voice of john has survived within a text known as the acts of john. Jan 19, 2010 the secret book of john, the apocryphon of john, or the secret revelation of john all have accuracy, but knowing the roots of the name leads to a clearer understanding. The five most dangerous archons in the gnostic gospels aeon. However, although these writings bear the name gospel, great care should be taken to distinguish them from the four authentic gospels of the new testament.
The second recommended book is karen kings the secret revelation of john. John makes little reference to galilee, which is scarcely what we would expect from a native of the province, especially since galilee supposedly was the centre of christs ministry. This too is the vision of the gnosis, the arabic meaning of algebraic is. The gnostic handbook page 6 of the real nature of the equation, to find the essential form through the many shards or forms. John makes little reference to galilee, which is scarcely what we would expect from a native of the province, especially since galilee. The earliest church we know of has gnostic inscriptions, the writings of paul which are the earliest new testament writings were collected by marcion, a dualist and the gnostic loved paul. She is the youngest but perhaps most powerful archon. The apocryphon of john is commonly referenced by two other names. The discovery of the nag hammadi library in southern egypt in 1945 represented a major discovery of gnostic gospels. The secret book of john, the apocryphon of john, or the secret revelation of john all have accuracy, but knowing the roots of the name leads to a clearer understanding.
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. James, the gospel of thomas, the book of thomas, and the secret book of john. This central myth of gnosticism tells a story of god falling from perfect oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how by knowing ones divine origins, gods descent can be reversed. Included are translations of the short and long version of the text based on the waldsein and wisse edition, an indepth analysis. The gospel of thomas, it is often claimed, has some gnostic elements but lacks the full gnostic cosmology. The secret book of john and the secret revelation of john, depending upon how the word apocryphon is translated. Along the way, we have sought to raise the quality of the books, increase their availability, and reduce their cost. The author describes this having occurred after jesus.
Lacking any narrative whatsoever, its 114 sayings are difficult to understand by 1977, when the 12 bound volumes comprising the nag hammadi library were first published in english, scholars were referring to their 52 texts as gnostic. Drawing connections to christianity, buddhism, hinduism, kabbalistic judaism, and sufism, davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the. The apocryphon of john collection the gnostic society library. 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 this ancient gnostic text can be a companion. Dec 24, 2017 for example, irenaeus 115202, bishop of lyons there are, however, numerous arguments against this, such as the gnostic language of the gospel and some interconnections with the gospel of mark. In order to utilize all of the features of this web site, javascript must be enabled in your browser. Jan 02, 2020 that is why and how the gnostic gospels were created. Fitzmyer criticized the title of pagelss the gnostic gospels because it insinuates that the heart of the book concerns lost gospels that have come to light when in fact the majority. The gospel of john, written before the major gnostic writings recovered so far, clearly refutes the dualistic teachings that were giving strength to the gnostic philosophies of the time by pointing to jesus being human and yet god, thereby arguing against the spiritualism and the perverted symbology promoted by gnostics at that time. Jan 02, 2020 the gospel of thomas very clearly tries to maintain an air of secrecy in its words. The secret book of john apocryphon of john the gnosis archive. The gnostic gospelannotated and explained both skylight paths and the revolt of the widows.
Thanks to samael aun weor and the support of students around the world, our translator and team have spent decades correcting, refining, and publishing all the books by samael aun weor. This is because it is one of the only gnostic gospels that actually made it into the bible. Jul 20, 2017 30 videos play all gnostic apocrypha texts of the bible giving voice to the wisdom of the ages the gospel according to mark read by david suchet duration. The author of the gospel of john remains unknown to us. The gnostic gospels are dated about 110 to 300 years after christ, and no credible scholar believes any of them could have been written by their namesakes. The secret book of john is the most significant and influential text of the ancient gnostic religion. Other gnostic writings have also been discovered in recent times, including the gospel of judas. By its own declaration, the secret book of john is a sacred text intended to be shared only with individuals properly prepared to receive its revelation. The hymn of jesus and the mystery of the cross from the acts of john. Elaine pagels book on gt is subtitled beyond belief, and she too finds reasons to think that the secret contained within the gospel was capable of conferring onto its discoverers a salvific experience equal to or perhaps greater than the heavenafterdeath experience promoted by the protoorthodox. Gnostic goddess, female power, and the fallen sophia. This is an extensive and scholarly but still very readable study of the text and the cultural milieu that both influenced, and in turn was influenced by, the apocryphon iohannis.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Apocryphon literally, secret book of john, which opens with an offer to reveal the mysteries and the things hidden in silence which jesus taught to his disciple john. The gnostic goddess, female power, and the fallen sophia 2010 max dashu 2 the gnostic approach to christianity had a strong pagan tinge. Muhammad ali later admitted that some of the texts were lostburned up or thrown away. From a gnostic point of view, the cosmos was divided into a realm of the material and a heavenly world of light. Its symbolic teachings were transmitted in secret and by a method of initiation and allegory which was directly copied from the. The apocryphon of john the gospel of the egyptians codex v. One set of levels is the evident addition of rather lengthy texts a list of magical names, a dialogue on the soul. The book went through two to three stages, or editions, before reaching its current form, at the latest, around ad 80100. The gospel of thomas is a gnostic gospel, espousing a gnostic viewpoint of christianity. The gnostic gospels catholic education resource center. Recall straight answers response last week to the question, who wrote the gospels. Feb 07, 2017 in the secret book of john, fate is portrayed as an archon mysteriously called fate. Translated by frederik wisse the apocryphon of john is commonly referenced by two other names.
A study of the gospel of john in the light of chapter 17. Robinsons comprehensive the nag hammadi library, we learn that the gnostic gospels were written by largely unrelated and anonymous authors. The book of revelation is the last book in the bible. The gospel of thomas is simply a heretical forgery, much the same as the gospel of judas, the gospel of mary, and the gospel of philip. The gospel of john and the gnostic myth of redemption. The secret book of john is one evidence of this suppressed gnostic view and veneration of john. The soul of man was a splinter of light trapped on earth in the body of the human. A lost, secret vision of jesus earl richard loyola university yamauchi lecture october 17, 1993 the recent discovery and current interest in the gospel of thomas have elicited considerable popular and scholarly attention, a phenomenon which shows no. In this document secret book of john too there is reference to the coming into being of three men. The title of this scripture in greek is apocryphon ioannis.
It is written anonymously, although it identifies an unnamed disciple whom jesus loved as the source of its. The four gospels included in our new testament matthew, mark, luke and john were written prior to a. Jul 20, 2017 the secret book of john, gnostic texts. Apocryphon comes from, apokryphos, hidden, obscure, from apo away and kryptein to hide.
It is a curious book unlike any other account in the bible. This ancient gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest the secret book of john is the most significant and influential text of the ancient gnostic religion. And the gospel of thomas is considered authentic and possibly very old. The secret book of john is a complex developmental mythology that has been made more complicated because, over the years, versions of it have been improved by several levels of scribal alteration. Drawing connections to christianity, buddhism, hinduism, kabbalistic judaism, and sufism, davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the gnostic religious quest. The beginners guide to the gnostic gospels overviewbible. This site includes the entire hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. Aug 28, 2017 other gnostic writings have also been discovered in recent times, including the gospel of judas. 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. In the secret teachings of jesus, marvin meyer, a scholar of coptic and gnostic studies, offers a fresh translation of four coptic late egyptian texts from the nag hammadi librarythe secret book of james, the gospel of thomas, the book of thomas, and the secret book of john. Johns gospel is the work of a trained mind who wrote good greek with some semitizing. This ancient gnostic text can be a companion for your own sp. The apocryphon of john collection the gnostic society. 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.