Nag Hammadi library
The Nag Hammadi library (also known as the "
Thirteen leather-bound
The contents of the codices were written in the Coptic language. The best-known of these works is probably the Gospel of Thomas, of which the Nag Hammadi codices contain the only complete text. After the discovery, scholars recognized that fragments of these sayings attributed to Jesus appeared in manuscripts discovered at Oxyrhynchus in 1898 (P. Oxy. 1), and matching quotations were recognized in other early Christian sources. The written text of the Gospel of Thomas is dated to the second century by most interpreters, but based on much earlier sources.[2] The buried manuscripts date from the 3rd and 4th centuries.
The Nag Hammadi codices are now housed in the Coptic Museum in Cairo, Egypt.
Discovery
Scholars first became aware of the Nag Hammadi library in 1946. Making careful inquiries from 1947–1950,
Later scholarship has drawn attention to al-Samman's mention of a corpse and a "bed of charcoal" at the site, aspects of the story that were vehemently denied by al-Samman's brother. It is suggested that the library was initially a simple grave robbing, and the more fanciful aspects of the story were concocted as a cover story. Burials of books were common in Egypt in the early centuries AD, but if the library was a funerary deposit, it conflicts with Robinson's belief that the manuscripts were purposely hidden out of fear of persecution. Instead, Lewis & Blount (2014) have proposed that the Nag Hammadi codices had been privately commissioned by a wealthy non-monastic individual, and that the books had been buried with him as funerary prestige items.[4] The blood feud[clarification needed], however, is well attested by multiple sources.[5]
Slowly, most of the tracts came into the hands of
Meanwhile, a single codex had been sold in Cairo to a Belgian
Translation
The first edition of a text found at Nag Hammadi was from the Jung Codex, a partial translation of which appeared in Cairo in 1956, and a single extensive facsimile edition was planned. Due to the difficult political circumstances in Egypt, individual tracts followed from the Cairo and Zurich collections only slowly.
This state of affairs did not change until 1966, with the holding of the
Robinson was elected secretary of the
At the same time, in the
The
Another English edition was published in 1987, by
Not all scholars agree that the entire library should be considered Gnostic. Paterson Brown has argued that the three Nag Hammadi Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth cannot be so labeled, since each, in his opinion, may explicitly affirm the basic reality and sanctity of incarnate life, which Gnosticism by definition considers illusory.[10]
List of codices and tractates
The following table contains a list of codices and tractates in the Nag Hammadi library as given by Aleksandr Leonovich Khosroev .[11][12] Abbreviations are from The Coptic Gnostic Library.
Order of tractate | Codex number | Tractate number in the codex | Tractate title | Pages | Abbreviation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | NHC-I (Jung Codex)[13] |
1 | The Prayer of the Apostle Paul | (2) | Pr. Paul | Text rewritten on flyleaf , two lines lost, title in Greek.
|
02 | 2 | The Apocryphon of James (The Secret Book of James) | 1–16 | Ap. Jas. | The title is based on the content of the text, which takes the form of a letter from James to an addressee whose name is not mentioned. Most of the text is a dialogue between Jesus and the unnamed apostles. | |
03 | 3 | The Gospel of Truth | 16–43 | Gos. Truth | The title is based on the opening words of the text. | |
04 | 4 | The Treatise on the Resurrection | 43–50 | Treat Res. | A treatise in the form of a letter from a teacher to a disciple, a certain Reginus, in which the addressee discusses the resurrection of Jesus Christ .
| |
05 | 5 | The Tripartite Tractate | 51–140 | Tri. Trac. | Title given by scholars. The treatise discusses Valentinian views on creation and cosmology. | |
06 | NHC-II | 1 | The Apocryphon of John | 1–32 | Ap. John | A lengthy version, the first of the three versions in the Nag Hammadi library. The text is a revelation in the form of questions and answers given by Jesus to the apostle John. |
07 | 2 | The Gospel of Thomas | 32–51 | Gos. Thom. | A collection of sayings of Jesus given secretly to the apostles. Some of the sayings are known from the canonical Gospels. Greek papyri of similar content known since the beginning of the twentieth century are P.Oxy. 1, P.Oxy. 654, P.Oxy. 655. | |
08 | 3 | The Gospel of Philip | 51–86 | Gos. Phil. | A Valentinian text that is a collection of discourses. | |
09 | 4 | The Hypostasis of the Archons | 86–97 | Hyp. Arch. | The title is at the end of the text. The text deals with cosmology and the creation of man. | |
10 | 5 | On the Origin of the World |
97–127 | Orig. World | Title given by scholars. The treatise discusses the creation of the universe and cosmology. | |
11 | 6 | The Exegesis on the Soul | 127–137 | Exeg. Soul | A treatise on the fall and resurrection of the human soul that is an exegesis of Genesis 1–6. The only scriptural commentary in the library. | |
12 | 7 | The Book of Thomas the Contender | 138–145 | Thom. Cont. | The title is given at the end of the text. The dialogue of the risen Jesus with the apostle Thomas concerning knowledge and truth, as recorded by the apostle Matthew. | |
13 | NHC-III | 1 | The Apocryphon of John | 1–40 | Ap. John | Short version. |
14 | 2 | The Gospel of the Egyptians ) |
40–69 | Gos. Eg. | One of two editions of the text with the title at the end. The work begins with the phrase, "The Holy Book of the Great, Invisible Spirit." Its authorship is attributed to the biblical Seth. Contains cosmogonic and soteriological themes. | |
15 | 3 | Eugnostos the Blessed | 70–90 | Eugnostos | One of two versions of the text. A treatise on the Gnostic world order in the form of a message from a teacher (Eugnostus) to his disciples. | |
16 | 4 | The Sophia of Jesus Christ |
90–119 | Soph. Jes. Chr. | Revelation in the form of questions and answers given by the risen Christ to his apostles. The text is dependent on Eugnostos the Blessed. Jesus' speeches in this text are verbatim with Eugnostus' teachings given in Eugnostos the Blessed.[14] | |
17 | 5 | The Dialogue of the Saviour | 120–149 | Dial. Sav. | The title is given at the beginning and end of the treatise. The content consists of Jesus' conversations with the apostles and Mary Magdalene about the way to salvation. | |
18 | NHC-IV | 1 | The Apocryphon of John | 1–49 | Ap. John | The second lengthy version. |
19 | 2 | The Gospel of the Egyptians ) |
50–81 | Gos. Eg. | Second copy of the text. | |
20 | NHC-V | 1 | Eugnostos the Blessed | 1–17 | Eugnostos | Second copy of the text. |
21 | 2 | The Apocalypse of Paul | 17–24 | Apoc. Paul. | The text is derived from 2 Corinthians 12:2–4 and recounts the apostle Paul's journey and visions from the fourth heaven to the tenth heaven. | |
22 | 3 | The First Apocalypse of James | 24–44 | 1 Ap. Jas. | Dialogue about the secret teaching that Jesus taught to James, first before his death, then after his resurrection. | |
23 | 4 | The Second Apocalypse of James | 44–63 | 2 Ap. Jas. | The original title is the same as the previous text. The composition is complex: it includes James' speeches to the Jews about the greatness of Jesus and concludes with James' martyrdom. | |
24 | 5 | The Apocalypse of Adam | 63–85 | Apoc. Adam | The revelation of the Flood and the ultimate fate of the world, which Adam received from God and passed on to his son Seth.[15] | |
25 | NHC-VI | 1 | The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles | 1–12 | Acts Pet. 12 Apost. | The only "Acts" text in the library. An account (on behalf of the Apostle Peter ) of the journey of the apostles to a certain city and their encounter with Jesus, who took the form of a jewel merchant named Lithargoel.
|
26 | 2 | The Thunder, Perfect Mind | 13–21 | Thund. | A poetic treatise. It is a self-proclamation of a female (?) deity on the non-dual, all-encompassing nature of the divine.[16] | |
27 | 3 | Authoritative Teaching (Authoritative Discourse ) |
23–35 | Auth. Teach. | A philosophical text about the fate of the soul, its origins, fall, and victory over the material world via salvation.[17] | |
28 | 4 | The Concept of Our Great Power | 36–48 | Great Pow. | Title at the end of the treatise. Revelation of the three aeons: the material aeon, which ended with the Flood; the spiritual aeon, when the Savior appeared; and the future aeon. | |
29 | 5 | Fragments: 588a-589b of Plato's Republic. | 48–51 | Plato Rep. | A text about injustice[18] | |
30 | 6 | The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth | 52–63 | Dis. 8–9 | Title given by scholars. Hermetic dialogue in which the teacher ("father") Hermes Trismegistus leads his disciple ("son") through the "eight" and "nine" realms of heaven.[14] | |
31 | 7 | The Prayer of Thanksgiving | 63–65 | Pr. Thanks. | A hermetic prayer, previously known from both the Greek and Latin versions. | |
32 | 8 | Asclepius |
65–78 | Asklepius | Dialogue of Hermes Trismegistus with his disciple Asclepius. Chapters 21–29 of the lost Greek hermetic treatise known from the full Latin translation. | |
33 | NHC-VII | 1 | The Paraphrase of Shem | 1–49 | Paraph. Shem | The title is at the beginning of the treatise. A revelation on cosmological and soteriological themes received by Shem (possibly not biblical) from Derdekeas, the son of infinite light, during the mystical separation of his mind from his body. |
34 | 2 | The Second Treatise of the Great Seth | 49–70 | Treat. Seth | The title is at the end of the tractate. The revelation of Jesus Christ (probably identified with Seth), where he narrates his descent to earth, his death on the cross, and his return to the Pleroma. | |
35 | 3 | Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter | 70–84 | Apoc. Petr. | An account of the visions of the apostle Peter , the meaning of which Jesus revealed to him on condition that it remain secret.
| |
36 | 4 | The Teachings of Silvanus | 84–118 | Teach. Silv | The only text in the library of unquestionably Christian origin.[19] An ethical treatise in the form of the teachings of a father to his spiritual son. | |
37 | 5 | The Three Steles of Seth | 118–127 | Steles Seth | The title is at the end of the treatise. A composition in the form of hymns to higher divine entities. It begins with the title "The Revelation of Dositheos," but this name is not mentioned anywhere else in the text. | |
38 | NHC-VIII | 1 | Zostrianos | 1–132 | Zost. | The title at the end of the treatise. Revelations received by Zostrianos from the "angel of knowledge" and an account of the hero's subsequent ascent through the heavenly realms. This is the lengthiest text in the library, and is also in very poor condition. |
39 | 2 | The Letter of Peter to Philip | 132–140 | Ep. Pet. Phil. | Title at the beginning of the treatise. Of the nine pages of the treatise, the epistle proper occupies only one page. The rest is part of the apocryphal acts of the apostles speaking to the risen Jesus. | |
40 | NHC-IX | 1 | Melchizedek | 1–27 | Melch. | Title at the beginning of the treatise. A series of revelations about Jesus Christ received by the biblical Melchizedek from an angel. |
41 | 2 | The Thought of Norea | 27–29 | Norea | One of the shortest texts in the library, with only 52 lines. The title is based on the phrase at the end of the text. A prayer, probably by a woman.[20] | |
42 | 3 | The Testimony of Truth | 29–74 | Testim. Truth. | Title given by scholars. An address to the chosen (elect) on the essence of truth, along with a polemic against ecclesiastical Christianity.[16] | |
43 | NHC-X | 1 | Marsanes | 1–68 | Marsanes | The title is at the end of the text. The vision of the prophet Marsanus during his ecstatic ascent to heaven and of the essence of God. |
44 | NHC-XI | 1 | The Interpretation of Knowledge | 1–21 | Interp. Know. | The title is at the end of the text. An ethical sermon by a Christian Gnostic author. |
45 | 2 | A Valentinian Exposition | 22–40 | Val. Exp. | Five fragments of a Valentinian philosophical treatise on anointing (On Anointing), baptism (On Bap. A & B), and the Eucharist (On Euch. A & B). | |
46 | 3 | Allogenes | 40–44 | Allogenes | The title is at the end of the tractate. The account of Allogenes of a revelation received from the angel Jude, and of an ascent to heavenly beings. | |
47 | 4 | Hypsiphrone | 45–69 | Hypsiph. | The title is at the beginning of the text, which is very poorly preserved. The book of visions of Hypsiphrone. | |
48 | NHC-XII | 1 | The Sentences of Sextus | 15–16, 27–34 | Sext | A collection of wisdom sayings. |
49 | 2 | The Gospel of Truth | Gos. Truth | The second copy, of which only a few fragments remain in a different dialect of Coptic. | ||
50 | 3 | fragments | Frm. | A total of 10 pages with fragments of 15 texts have survived from the volume, of which only 2 texts have been identified. | ||
51 | NHC-XIII | 1 | Trimorphic Protennoia | 35–50 | Trim. Prot. | "Three Forms of First Thought". A treatise similar to the Apocryphon of John in many ways. |
52 | 2 | On the Origin of the World | Orig. World | Ten opening lines in the text. | ||
fragments | The volume contains a total of 16 heavily fragmented pages. Two texts are identified. |
The so-called "Codex XIII" is not a codex, but rather the text of Trimorphic Protennoia, written on "eight leaves removed from a thirteenth book in late antiquity and tucked inside the front cover of the sixth." (Robinson, NHLE, p. 10) Only a few lines from the beginning of Origin of the World are discernible on the bottom of the eighth leaf.
Dating
Although the manuscripts discovered at Nag Hammadi are generally dated to the 4th century, there is some debate regarding the original composition of the texts.[21]
- The Q document among other reasons.[25]
- The Gospel of Truth[26] and the teachings of the Pistis Sophia can be approximately dated to the early 2nd century as they were part of the original Valentinian school, though the gospel itself is 3rd century.
- Documents with a Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians) can be dated substantially later than 40 and substantially earlier than 250; most scholars giving them a 2nd-century date.[27] More conservative scholars using the traditional dating method would argue in these cases for the early 3rd century.[citation needed]
- Some gnostic gospels (for example Trimorphic Protennoia) make use of fully developed Neoplatonism and thus need to be dated after Plotinus in the 3rd century.[28][29]
See also
- Apocalyptic literature
- Acts of the Apostles (genre)
- Agrapha
- Biblical archaeology
- Development of the New Testament canon
- Gospel of Mary
- List of Gnostic texts
- List of Gospels
- List of Mandaic manuscripts
- List of New Testament papyri
- Medinet Madi library
- Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies
- New Testament apocrypha
- Pseudepigrapha
- Textual criticism
Notes
- ^ The texts are referred to as the "Gnostic Gospels" after Elaine Pagels' 1979 book of the same name, but the term also has a more generic meaning.
References
- ISBN 0-06-052378-6
- ^ Van Voorst, Robert (2000). Jesus Outside the New Testament: an introduction to the ancient evidence. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans. p. 189.
- S2CID 161362141.
- .
- .
- ^ "The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library". Catholic Ireland. November 30, 1999. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ a b Robinson, James M. ed., The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition. HarperCollins, San Francisco, California, 1990.
- ^ Markschies, Gnosis: An Introduction, p. 49
- ISBN 978-0-9778737-1-5
- ^ "Metalogos: The Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth". Ecumenical Coptic Project. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ISBN 5-02-017257-X.
- ^ Khosroev 1991, p. 26-34.
- ^ "The Jung Codex". Retrieved 2018-07-18.
- ^ a b Khosroev 1991, p. 30.
- ^ Khosroev 1991, p. 31.
- ^ a b Khosroev 1991, p. 34.
- ^ Khosroev 1991, p. 149-151.
- ^ Khosroev 2016, p. 244.
- ^ Khosroev 1991, p. 92.
- ^ "Preface to the Thought of Noria (IХ,2)". Gnosticizm.com. 2001. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
- ISBN 9780785212942.
- ISBN 978-0-19-514183-2.
- ^ Davies, Stevan L., The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom, 1983, pp. 21–22.
- ^ Nicholas Perrin, "Thomas: The Fifth Gospel?," Journal of The Evangelical Theological Society 49 (March 2006): 66–/80
- ISBN 90-04-08856-3.
- ^ "Irenaeus Against Heresies Book III". Wesley Center Online. Archived from the original on June 8, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
But the followers of Valentinus, putting away all fear, bring forward their own compositions and boast that they have more Gospels than really exist. Indeed their audacity has gone so far that they entitle their recent composition the Gospel of Truth
- ISBN 0-7914-1338-1. Archived from the originalon June 22, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2022.. See also:
- "Sethian Gnosticism: A Literary History", Archived 2007-07-06 at the ISBN 0-913573-16-7
- The National Geographic Society dates the gospel of Judas originally to mid 2nd century: "Time Line & Map". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- "Sethian Gnosticism: A Literary History", Archived 2007-07-06 at the
- ^ Turner, William (1911). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 375.
Plotinus, a native of Lycopolis in Egypt, who lived from 205 to 270 was the first systematic philosopher of [Neo-Platonism]
Further reading
- Franzmann, Majella (1996). Jesus in the Nag Hammadi Writings. T & T Clark International. ISBN 056704470X.
- ISBN 978-0-300-20854-2.
- Markschies, Christoph (2000). Gnosis: An Introduction. Translated by John Bowden. T & T Clark. ISBN 0-567-08945-2.
- ISBN 0-679-72453-2.
- Robinson, James M. (1979). "The discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices". Biblical Archaeology. 42 (4): 206–224. S2CID 165183631.
- ISBN 0-06-066934-9.
- Robinson, James (2014). The Nag Hammadi story from the discovery to the publication. Leiden: Brill. OCLC 861119943.
- Scholer, David (1997). Nag Hammadi bibliography, 1970-1994. Leiden: Brill. OCLC 681900140.
- Scholer, David (2009). Nag Hammadi bibliography, 1995-2006. Leiden: Brill. OCLC 568624988.
- ISBN 0-567-09364-6.
- ISBN 0-8010-9919-6.
- Yamauchi, Edwin M. (n.d.). "Pre-Christian Gnosticism in the Nag Hammadi Texts?". Church History. 48 (2): 129–141. S2CID 161310738.
External links
- The Nag Hammadi Library – Complete texts, at the Gnostic Society Library
- The Gospel of Thomas – Multiple translations and resources, at the Gnostic Society Library
- How the manuscripts were found – A complete list of the manuscripts, at the Tertullian Project
- Jung Codex, at the Tertullian Project