The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus

by Marvin W. Meyer

The Definitive Collection of Mystical Gospels and Secret Books about Jesus of Nazareth

For all those readers curious to read the actual texts of the Gnostic Gospels, here is the definitive collection of all the Gnostic Gospels and Gospel-like texts.

Marvin Meyer, premier scholar of Gnostic and other Christian literature outside the New Testament, presents every Gnostic Gospel and Jesus text with a brilliant overall introduction, introductions to each text, and notes that explain everything the reader needs to know to understand the text. He includes his latest translations of not only the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary, but other texts such as the Secret Book of John, which some scholars regard as the second part of the New Testament Gospel of John. The material is largely from the discovery at Nag Hammadi, freshly translated and introduced, but also includes texts found elsewhere. The texts, especially taken together, present an image of Jesus as the ultimate wisdom teacher, a kind of mysterious Jewish Zen master, who scandalized listeners by his radical egalitarianism (regarding women, slaves, the poor, the marginalized as of equal status, or more, with establishment male believers) and his insistence on living the message, spiritual experience, vs. outer observance only.

For those wanting to learn more after reading The Da Vinci Code. This book provides the definitive next book for those looking for expert presentation of the alternative Gnostic stream of Christianity, in which there is no talk of crucifixion and Mary Magdalene is presented as the disciple that Jesus loved best. "Marv is one of the original secret gospels scholars who has done an enormous amount of work to bring these texts to light. All of his research on the Nag Hammadi texts is having an incredible impact on our knowledge of early Christian history--it is virtually redefining it." --Dr. Elaine Pagels, Princeton University

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Gnosticism, Spirituality, Christianity, Reference

368 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2005

About the author

Marvin Meyer is a scholar of religion and a tenured professor at Chapman University, in Orange, California.

He is the Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies at Chapman University and Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute. He is also Director of the Coptic Magical Texts Project of the Institute for Antiquity and Christianity. Dr. Meyer is the author of numerous books and articles on Greco-Roman and Christian religions in antiquity and late antiquity, and on Albert Schweitzer's ethic of reverence for life. He has been interviewed on television programs that have aired on ABC, BBC, CNN, PBS, A&E, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel.

Professor Meyer is best known for his translations of the texts of documents associated with the ancient mystery religions, early Christian magic, and Gnostic texts, of which the most notable have been the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Judas. He is regarded as an authority on Gnosticism and has published many books on the subject.

Meyer died of melanoma on August 16, 2012.

Reviews

[Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a translation of the Gnostic Gospels, found buried in Egypt in 1945. These were written in the names of the top apostles that are left out from the Bible. It helps to remember that the Bible isn't a book authored by God, but an anthology of dozens of perspectives, edited by Church leaders with political agendas. Some perspectives wouldn't make the cut, simply because they don't conform to the message the leaders are trying to make.

Christian historians know that the early Catholic Church was determined to unify and universalize Christ's teachings. Reading the Gnostic Gospels with that perspective, it's clear why these gospels didn't make the cut. They show a completely different side of Jesus. He emphasizes a personal relationship with God, and self-knowledge as the way to the Kingdom, rather than absolution through a mediating authority. Some of them are astonishingly blasphemous.

A lot of these gospels are inexplicable. It's a lot more mystical than the Bible. Some of the stories make no sense, partly because the discoveries were incomplete, and partly because it's steeped in extremely metaphorical language that I'm not used to thinking in. But mostly, it's a lot of Jesus saying stuff like, shame on those who sin and blessings on those who are righteous.

[Jolene Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of these chapters were extremely enlightening & answer some questions the Bible doesn't. You MUST be careful to pick & choose the information in relationship to the Bible.These were not written to contest or conflict with it. Metaphors & parables are part of Biblical language & so it is here. Will take several readings to harvest the wonderful insight to a deeper relationship with Christ. As for the negative review of the naming of angels, etc. God's world is full of detail...why shouldn't the gospels reflect this? Awesome job, Dr.Meyer. Reading of these lost gospels is well under way. This also reiterates the power & strength of Mary Magdalene which early church doctrine plays down & purveys her as a prostitute. Christ exercised 7 demons(total)from her & it took more than once to do it. NO ONE in that time or place of the world would have touched (let alone have a sexual relationship)someone possessed!!!

[Collin Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, up to date translations but lacking many of the gospels that some other compilations include. The inclusion of other pseudepigraphical literature served little purpose and mostly just confused my research. I enjoyed the nice introductions the author composed, although they are not without bias.

[Eoin Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was warned these texts were esoteric but I don't think I fully appreciated what that meant till I've read them. They really are bizarre and just all round different than we're used to making for an interesting read.

[Nell]

Rev Shawn

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF THESE TEXTS, WITH BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS

Marvin W. Meyer (1948-2012) was a Professor of Bible and Christian Studies at Chapman University; he was also Director of the Coptic Magical Texts Project of the Institute for Antiquity and Christianity.

He wrote in the Introduction to this 2005 book, “In December 1945… Muhammad Ali … [and] several Egyptian fellahin… were riding their camels near… a prominent cliff … near the modern city of Nag Hammadi… [They found] a collection of ancient texts… of what we now call the Nag Hammadi Library. All the texts are written in Coptic, a late form of the Egyptian language. Within this small library are most of the gnostic gospels and related texts presented in this volume: The Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Truth, the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit… the Secret Book of John, the Secret Book of James, the Book of Thomas, the Dialogue of the Savior, and the Second Discourse of Great Seth.” (Pg. vii-viii)

He continues, “in January 1896, a dealer in manuscripts in Cairo had offered to sell a papyrus codex to a German scholar named Carl Reinhardt… [who] took it to Berlin… Today it is frequently called … Berlin gnostic Codex 8502… Within Berlin Gnostic codex 8502 are four texts, also written in Coptic. The first text if the incomplete but fascinating Gospel of Mary, which is included in this volume. The other texts are the Secret Book of John (the shorter version), the Wisdom of Jesus Christ (also found in the Nag Hammadi library), and the Act of Peter…” (Pg. ix)

He goes on, “More than any other publication… it was Elaine H. Pagels’s book ‘The Gnostic Gospels’ that brought to our attention the phrase ‘gnostic gospels’… But what is Gnosticism? … The word
‘gnosis’ is a common term in texts from antiquity and late antiquity, and both ‘gnosis’ and ‘gnostikos’ are found throughout the writings of the heresiologists, who set out to combat and expose as heresy what they perceived to be inappropriate thought and action.” (Pg. x) Later, he adds, “the terms… may still be used … to designate a series of religious movements that have existed since ancient times.” (Pg. xii)

He explains, “the Gospel of Thomas and other gnostic texts often call upon readers to know themselves. In gnostic texts, unlike gospels of the cross, knowledge is more important than faith, and knowledge of oneself leads to salvation… In these gnostic gospels and related texts, the human problem that is addressed is not sin but ignorance, and hence Jesus does not save people from their sins but rather communicates knowledge to address human ignorance and bring about enlightenment. People in this world of mortality… have fallen asleep, have been seduced by the deceptive pleasures and pains of the world… they have forgotten that they are children of the divine, with the light of the divine within.” (Pg. xx-xxi)

He reports, “The Gospel of Mary is preserved in fragmentary form as a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples that features the disciple Mary---namely Mary of Magdala or Mary Magdalene. Whether the Gospel of Mary is a gnostic gospel is debated among scholars… Mary is described as a disciple loved by Jesus and a recipient of teachings that Jesus communicated to her. Andrew and Peter are dismayed about the special place Mary holds, and the hostility of Peter is reminiscent of his opposition to Mary in Gospel of Thomas 114 and the gnostic text Pistis Sophia… Levi concludes that the savior knows Mary well, and that is the reason the savior loves Mary more than the other dicsiples.” (Pg 33)

In his introduction to the Gospel of Philip, he states, “Many of the meditations on salvation employed … are memorable, but among the most remarkable are those with a mystical quality. Thus, the Gospel of Philip urges the reader not only to FOLLOW Christ but to BECOME Christ.” (Pg. 47)

He says, “The Gospel of Truth is a Valentinian sermon on the saving knowledge of God… The Gospel of Truth is sometimes attributed to the great teacher and preacher Valentinus … Valentinus was thought to be eloquent, and he would be a good candidate to be the author of such an eloquent gospel…” (Pg. 91)

He states, “The Holy Gook of the Great Invisible Spirit, or the Egyptian Gospel, is a Sethian baptismal handbook that features a baptismal ceremony introduced by an account of the origin of the universe, in Sethian cosmological terms.” (Pg. 115)

He comments, “The Secret Book of John, or the Apocryphon of John, is a classic Sethian gnostic account of the origin, fall, and salvation of the world and the people in the world… [It] is a Christin document with Jesus as the revealer of cosmological and soteriological knowledge, but [it] seems to be based on an earlier Jewish text that addressed the problem of evil and vindicated the goodness of God by interpreting the opening chapters of Genesis and other passages.,.. in an innovative manner and with a Greek philosophical and mythological flair.” (Pg. 145)

He says, “The Secret Book of James, or the Apocryphon of James, is a letter said to be sent by James, most likely James the righteous, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church, to a certain recipient… who was a second-century Christian leader and, according to the heresiologists, one of the early gnostics.” (Pg. 187)

He states, “The Book of Thomas is a dialogue between Jesus and Judas Thomas on issues involved in ethical living.” (Pg. 205)

He says, “the Dialogue of the Savior is a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples… the disciples who are named as dialogue partners … are Judas, Matthew, and Mary---in all likelihood, Judas Thomas the Twin, Matthew the disciple or replacement apostle or scribe, and Mary of Magdala… the focus is upon the life of gnosis…” (Pg. 221)

In another introduction, he explains, “The Second Discourse of Great Seth… is a speech or message of Jesus about salvific knowledge and the true meaning of the crucifixion in the face of the theology of the emerging orthodox church… Great Seth, mentioned only in the title of the text, is a leading character in other gnostic texts… In Christian Sethian traditions the heavenly figure of Seth can come to expression in the person of Christ, who may be the incarnation of Seth. Thus, the Second Discourse of Great Seth may be understood to be the second speech or message delivered by Jesus, the manifestation of heavenly Seth.” (Pg. 243)

Later, he states, “The Book of Baruch is a gnostic account of the origin and destiny of the universe that is thoroughly Jewish in character but still has a place for the person of Jesus of Nazare
th as well as Greco-Roman mythological figures… [It] is said to have been written by a gnostic teacher named Justin. Hippolytus calls it the most abominable book he has ever read, but he is hardly an objective observer. The book tells the story of divine powers and angelic beings with Hebrew names, and it does to interpreting passages from the Jewish scriptures, including the opening chapters of Genesis. Nonetheless, Jesus plays a key role the account, as do Greco-Roman gods, goddesses, and heroes, especially Heracles.” (Pg. 263)

Finally, he explains, “The Round Dance of the Cross, or the Hymn of Jesus, is a song Jesus is said to have taught his disciples before he was crucified. Included within the Acts of John, the song is accompanied by instructions for liturgical dance.” (Pg. 279)

This is a fine collection of these texts, with excellent (but not excessively lengthy) introductory material.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been interested in histories of the early Church as well as the Gnostic Gospels, which often provide some interesting alternate views of Christianity that were present as the early Church was forming.

In this particular work, Meyer looks at a number of different such works and highlights their presentations of Jesus. Each chapter focuses on a specific work such as the Gospels of Thomas or Mary Magdalene. Each starts with a quick summary overview before transitioning into a direct English translation of the related work.

Overall, this was a pretty interesting read, though it is less about the author's interpretation than just presenting the text and allowing the reader to take what he or she wants from them.

It is definitely a good choice for people interested in the Gnostic works.

[Kelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting read, it was clear to me that these are only sometimes loosely based on Jesus's teachings. To be honest, this seems like New Testament plus an acid trip. Alternatively, it seems like someone took a few pages of the Bible and more pages of Greek and Egyptian mythology and stuck them in a blender. I wanted to know for myself whether these books should have been included in the canon of the Bible. Now, I'm 90% sure they don't belong in the Bible, but if you're interested, read them for yourself--that's why I read them. And there are some intriguing lines attributed to Jesus. Some of the books made so little sense, though, I almost didn't finish it.

[Tom]

The Gnostic Gospels are very strange. It is certainly understandable that they were not included in the cannon. These writings are a strange mixture of the accounts of Jesus and eastern philosophy. There is not a lot of depth to them. And the idea that they are going to reveal some new truths or insights is a bit silly. Some of their value might be in substantiating the spread of the Gospel into Egypt and beyond, and giving credibility to the people and places of Christ's day (if they are in doubt) Not particularly easy to read because of the lack of continuity, some due to the fragmentary nature of the manuscripts recovered and some due to the discontinuity of the writers.

[Angus MacHaggis]

Hard to plough through these old writings with far too many notes in the back of the book. You have to forever flip to the back of the book to look at notes. They should have been written in the body of the book as footnotes on the pages they refered to. There are about 1,200 notes!!! - adg

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one better than others because it gave the actual translations and didn't just talk about the translations.

[Shelley Alongi · Rating 3 out of 5]

And people think the Bible is hard reading. Get a whiff of some of this stuff and you’ll think the Bible is easy. I don’t know why we publish this stuff except only for the sake of having information available because it certainly isn’t inspiring or interesting in those cases. I don’t know who made half the stuff but sometimes I just shake my head and say what in the world did that mean? How are parts of it that resemble the Bible and that’s enough to keep one busy for a while but some of the stuff I just shake my head as I said earlier and say OK whatever. I’m glad that people went of putting the Bible together in its current form no matter what you believe about it. Can its current form even with apocryphal writings it makes more sense than some of this stuff. This is not the fault of the author by any means. He makes a good attempt to let us know what is available and certainly there are scholars who have written much on this subject. But for me, I just think some of this reading is quite bizarre.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some ideas have reiterating to the traditional four gospels. Others ideas are complementary to the four gospels. And, even further, other ideas expand beyond the traditional four gospels. Yet, none of the books included here are contradicting, per se, the teachings of the four gospels. They might contradict the church, but the teachings of the gospels.

[Rachel Hannah Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invaluable to gaining a much wider perspective on the formulation of early Christianity, from fringe denominations. After reading Bart Ehrman’s books on Jesus and early Christianity - It seems no one really knows what Jesus actually said or meant - it’s all speculation. Thoroughly enjoyable read none the less.

[Amanda Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am pretty familiar with the canonical Bible, and was interested to see these additional writings for myself. Some of this stuff is weird, but I think, really, not that much weirder than some of the canonical stuff, except that I'm used to the canonical stuff. Well worth investigating, although more than a bit fragmentary and academic for my level of knowledge.

[Marshall Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skipped one of the Seth books, but not worried about it.

[Graisi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these books were really great - telling us things I suspected but that are not in the official bible. Others seem backwards enough to be in the old or new testaments. I also didn't like the summaries that come before each book. They were pointless, because we are going to read the book itself and sometimes Meyer seems to be getting things wrong. Some of the notes were helpful or interesting. It would have made more sense to skip doing summaries and just give us the information for where each book was found and what language it was translated from. The Secret Book of John and The Gospel of Thomas both stand out as excellent.

[J.B. Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Gnostic Gospel of Jesus" by Marvin Meyer provides clear yet concise introductions to each of the gnostic gospels and secret books on Jesus as well as an overview on the history, discovery, and authentication of the Nag Hammadi Library and Berlin Codex. It is a must for students of gnoscticism, and the early Judeo-Christian and Coptic communities. Easy to read and easy to understand!
JB Richards, Author
"Miriamne the Magdala - The First Chapter in the Yeshua and Miri Novel Series"
http://www.miriandyeshuanovelseries.com/

[Richard Riddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general I enjoyed the work, especially the introductions presented by the author, along with the period of the writing. As stated in other reviews, I could see the bias of the authors, which is really not unusual as even historical books are affected by the bias of the author.
I do recommend this book for someone who is trying to understand the history of Jesus.

[Arthur Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the new translations are helpful, they seem to me to lose some of the flavor of the gospels, while several of the gospels themselves are such loads of crap it's difficult to get through them - I mean, the names of the 365 angels - really?

[Matt Carpenter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible and then some.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like having to flip back and forth but an interesting read.