The secret book of john the gnostic gospel

This post follows on from my earlier post on the secret book of john, possibly a jewish prechristian work, as translated and annotated by stevan davies stevan davies translation of the secret bookapocryphon of john is available online at the gnostic society library the prologue is said to be a christian addition to an earlier nonchristian book. Some secret gospels have probably been lost forever. Many experts claim this text is the complete gnostic gospel since it covers so many doctrines and myths from the precreation story to the fallredemption of sophia. Wisse for the gnostic coptic library project uses all four manuscripts to produce a single text. Later, gospel took on the more technical meaning of a book that gives an account of jesus life. The secret book of john is the one gnostic text every student seeking to understand the roots of ancient christianity must read. 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. The gnostic gospels of jesus ebook 9780061965937 by marvin meyer. The apocryphon of john the gospel of the egyptians codex v. This site includes the entire hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. Reading sex and gender in the secret revelation of john. 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.

Others survive only as fragments or secondary translations. The second recommended book is karen kings the secret revelation of john. A good and clear scholarly discussion of the apocryphon of john by prof. As the title secret book of john implies, this story was meant to serve as a prequel to the gospel of john. The secret book of john the gnostic gospel preface youtube. The apocryphon of john was still used in the eighth century by the audians of mesopotamia. The discovery of books containing 52 texts in the nile river valley of egypt in 1945 called nag hammadi opened the door for the history of early christianism and the teachings of four gnostic gospels called. 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 fragment of the secret gospel of mark, one of the gnostic texts discovered, describes jesus performing secret initiation rites. Since you asked me to send you a secret book which was revealed to me and peter that is. Peace be with you from peace, love from love, grace from grace, faith from faith, life from holy life.

Drawing connections to christianity, buddhism, hinduism, kabbalistic judaism, and sufism, davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the. The secret revelation of john harvards dash harvard university. Because of various inopportune circumstances in international affairs and in the personal lives of the scholars who were working on the codex, these texts werent published until 1955. Explain fundamentals of gnosticism, moses talked with lesser god, existence of a higher truth, inherent divine spark, ascend to the pleroma, revelation from.

Secret book of john, will guide you through the claims of this false gospel. The valentinian gospel of truth the sethian secret book of john the gnosticstoic gospel of mary this exploration will uncover various gnostic visions of salvation, the nature of the logos, morality, creation as well as insights on yaldabaoth, barbelo, sophia, and several gnostic sages. Drawing connections to christianity, buddhism, hinduism, kabbalistic judaism, and sufism, davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the gnostic religious quest. At first reading it will seem unlike anything encountered in the new testament excepting perhaps the apocalypse of john. It helps to remember that many things were going on during the rise of christianity in the 2 nd to 4 th centuries. The secret book of john the secret revelation of john aeon a divine power or nature emanating from the supreme being and playing various roles in the operation of the universe ineffable defying expression barbelo the first emanation something that is emitted or radiated of god autogenes self generated pleroma the totality of divine powers. That is, this is not the secret book of john the person, but john the aspect of our consciousness. Stevan davies is professor of religious studies at misericordia university and has studied the noncanonical gospels and acts for over thirty years. 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. It contains the gospel of mary, the secret book of john, the wisdom of jesus christ, and the nongnostic acts of peter. The text is typical of gnostic religious beliefs, including a convoluted arrangement of. This name emphasizes that to actually understand a gnostic scripture, one cannot read it literally, because it was not written to be understood as literal, but symbolic of spiritual and psychological elements within us. Included are translations of the short and long version of the text based on the waldsein and wisse edition, an indepth analysis. Since it was known to the church father irenaeus, it must have been written before around 180 ce.

Before the discovery of gnostic writings, our only knowledge of it came from a letter written by church father clement of alexandria 150 ad 211 ad, which quotes this secret gospel and refers to it as a more. Srj is one of those stories that challenges many standard characterizations of gnostic thought, whether as nihilistic and antinomian or protofeminist and liberative. 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 is the most significant and influential text of the ancient gnostic religion. Lucifera and entropy discuss a cornerstone book of the gnostic gospels. Pagels attempts to trace the history of the formation of the bible in her well researched and meticulously notated book beyond beliefs, and does a fantastic job. Apocalypse of peter codex i also known as the jung codex. 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. Narrative and cosmology in the apocryphon of john, nag. Includes bibliographical references page 164 the secret book of john. The secret gospel of mark or the mystic gospel of mark greek. The writings in these codices comprise 52 mostly gnostic. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john, is a secondcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret teachings.

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. As a blatantly gnostic text, the apocryphon of john is of little use in. We take a deep dive into three gnostic texts, including their theology, history, and cultural setting that gave them birth. This exploration will uncover various gnostic visions of salvation, the nature of the logos, morality, creation as well as insights on yaldabaoth, barbelo, sophia, and. It describes jesus appearing and giving secret knowledge gnosis to john the apostle. The secret book of john the secret revelation of john.

Written in greek during the early second century ad by an unknown author and found as part of the nag hammadi library in 1945, it became the source of a host of. The best known survivors are the gospel of thomas, the secret gospel of mark, the apocryphon of james, the secret book of john, the gospel of. Many gnostic texts claim to be eyewitness accounts of the apostles or secret divine messages which expand on christs public revelation. 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. The gospel of truth, secret john, and the gospel of mary. One set of levels is the evident addition of rather lengthy texts a list of magical names, a dialogue on the soul. 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. 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. 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.

The basic text of the apocryphon of john existed in some form before 185 c. 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. The apocryphon of john collection the gnostic society. This ancient gnostic text can be a companion for your own sp. All of the gnostic texts contain elements of heresy. The title of this scripture in greek is apocryphon ioannis. In terms of plot, it sets the stage, and in terms of theology, it provides a context for understanding johns gospel through a gnostic lens. 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. The apocryphon of john secret book of john nag hammadi. The gnostic writings were circulated by pseudochristian sects who had broken communion with the church. Stevan davies is professor of religious studies at misericordia university. In this document secret book of john too there is reference to the coming into being of three men. Early christians used the word to describe the essential message of and about jesusthat is, the good news of jesus. Author of the book gnostic gospels, pagels revists the secret gospel of thomas as a method to describe the historical background into the formation of the bible as we see today.