Topic: The Gospel of Philip

[Jahn]

Some excerpts from the Gospel of Philip

This “Gospel” is in my opinion written by a scholar and as it refers to “the church” and “Christians” it must be considered to have been written relatively late in the history. However, I haven’t found any references on that yet. The whole text is like teaching, and the author mixes statements or ideas from other sources and then explains or contradicts these.

The following is quite typical for that style:
” "Jesus" is a hidden name, "Christ" is a revealed name. For this reason "Jesus" is not particular to any language; rather he is always called by the name "Jesus". While as for "Christ", in Syriac it is "Messiah", in Greek it is "Christ". Certainly all the others have it according to their own language. "The Nazarene" is he who reveals what is hidden. Christ has everything in himself, whether man, or angel, or mystery, and the Father.”

“Names given to the worldly are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect. Thus one who hears the word "God" does not perceive what is correct, but perceives what is incorrect. So also with "the Father" and "the Son" and "the Holy Spirit" and "life" and "light" and "resurrection" and "the Church (Ekklesia)" and all the rest - people do not perceive what is correct but they perceive what is incorrect, unless they have come to know what is correct.”

“The apostles who were before us had these names for him: "Jesus, the Nazorean, Messiah", that is, "Jesus, the Nazorean, the Christ". The last name is "Christ", the first is "Jesus", that in the middle is "the Nazarene". "Messiah" has two meanings, both "the Christ" and "the measured". "Jesus" in Hebrew is "the redemption". "Nazara" is "the Truth". "The Nazarene" then, is "the Truth". "Christ" [...] has been measured. "The Nazarene" and "Jesus" are they who have been measured.”

"If you say, "I am a Jew," no one will be moved. If you say, "I am a Roman," no one will be disturbed. If you say, "I am a Greek, a barbarian, a slave, a free man," no one will be troubled. If you say, "I am a Christian," the [...] will tremble. Would that I might [...] like that - the person whose name [...] will not be able to endure hearing. "

[Jahn]

This is what the Gospel of Philip tells about Mary

“There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary.”

Mary his mother and her sister - that is interesting, if we shall stick to the Essene hypothesis then Mary the mother had with her another “sister” from the Essenes. How much older than Jesus was his mother? Let us guess something between 15 to 20 years older and Jesus was about 33 at the time for the crucifixion so his mother and her sister could be in the age of 48 to 55 years old when the teachings was over while Mary from Magdala probably was some years younger than Jesus.


More from the Gospel of Philip:

"As for the Wisdom who is called "the barren," she is the mother of the angels. And the companion of the [...] Mary Magdalene. [...] loved her more than all the disciples, and used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples [...]. They said to him "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Savior answered and said to them,"Why do I not love you like her? When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness."


Perhaps there were a tradition to kiss each other that had a symbolic value because in the gospel we also find this statement:

I"t is from being promised to the heavenly place that man receives nourishment. [...] him from the mouth. And had the word gone out from that place, it would be nourished from the mouth and it would become perfect. For it is by a kiss that the perfect conceive and give birth. For this reason we also kiss one another. We receive conception from the grace which is in one another. "

[nichi]

Names given to the worldly are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect.

That's very interesting, jahn.

[Jahn]

That's very interesting, jahn.

Yes, the Gospel of Philip really turns concepts inside out.

And here is what should have been in the Bible from the begining:

Some said, "Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit." They are in error. They do not know what they are saying. When did a woman ever conceive by a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled. She is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who are the apostles and the apostolic men. This virgin whom no power defiled [...] the powers defile themselves. And the Lord would not have said "My Father who is in Heaven" (Mt 16:17), unless he had had another father, but he would have said simply "My father".


In general though there are many references and esoteric statements in this Gospel that makes it difficult to understand without knowing more. Much talk about the union, the bridal chamber and such transformation stuff and by that pretty advanced.

[Michael]

how curious - those words seem so 'modern'.

i am keen to hear some more if you get the chance Jahn.