www.metalog.org/print/Metaevan.

pdf
Esta versin castellana ha sido esmeradamente revisada por:
Higinio Alas Gmez, Profesor Emrito de Ciencias Religiosas, la Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica;
Jos Cascant Ribelles (Doctor en Sagrada Teologa, Navarra), anteriormente Rector del Seminario Mayor de Arequipa, Per;
Dr. Pedro Jos Chamizo Domnguez, Profesor de Filosofa del Lenguaje, la Universidad de Mlaga, Espaa.

Metalogos:

Los Evangelios de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad

Proyecto Copto Ecumnico
t.mn-t.son77m-.pe.xristos
www.metalog.org
Impreso IV.92, Internet I.98, Revisado I.12

Maravillad a lo presente!Las Tradiciones del Apstol Matas

Introduccin

En diciembre del ao 1945 dos campesinos egipcios musulmanes, Muhmad Al al-Samn y su hermano Jalfah Al, encontraron ms de 1.100 pginas de antiguos manuscritos en papiro, enterrados junto al
acantilado oriental en el valle del Alto Nilo. Los textos eran traducciones de originales griegos al copto, que
era la etapa helenstica de la antigua camtica lengua faranica (Gn 10:6). Ese dialecto evolucion despus de
la conquista por Alejandro Magno en el 332 a.C. y posteriormente fue reemplazada por el rabe como la
lengua verncula egipcia despus de la conquista musulmana en el 640 d.C. As pues, el copto se convirti en
la lengua de la iglesia egipcia primitiva y permanece como su lenguaje litrgico hasta hoy da.
El yacimiento de este descubrimiento, al otro lado del ro del pueblo moderno de Nag Hammadi, ya era
famoso como el pueblo en la antigedad llamado (pastizal de gansos), donde en el 320 d.C.
San Pacomio fund el primer monasterio cristiano. Poco menos de medio siglo despus, en el 367 d.C., los
monjes locales copiaron unos 45 escritos religiosos y filosficos diversosentre los que se encuentran los
evangelios de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad, adems de una parte de la Repblica de Platn (588A-589B)en una
docena de cdices encuadernados en cuero. Esta biblioteca entera fue cuidadosamente sellada en una urna y
escondida cerca, entre las rocas, donde permaneci sin descubrirse durante casi 1.600 aos. Estos papiros,
vistos por primera vez por eruditos en marzo de 1946 (Jacques Schwarz y Charles Kuentz, Cdice II, en una
tienda de antigedades de El Cairo), se han conservado desde 1952 en el Museo Copto del Cairo Antiguo. La
edicin fotogrfica ms temprana del manuscrito del sumamente importante Cdice II, fue editada por el Dr.
Pahor Labib (El Cairo: Departamento Gubernamental de Antigedades, 1956).
El autor del Evangelio de Toms se presenta como Santo Toms el apstol, uno de los doce. El documento consta de una coleccin de ms de cien dichos y dilogos cortos del Salvador, sin conexin narrativa.
Algunos de estos dichos fueron citados como Escritura por autores cristianos en la antigedadpor ejemplo,
los Dichos 2/22/27/37 por Clemente de Alejandra (hacia 150-211 d.C.) en su Stromata (Remiendos)aunque
sin atribucin explcita a Toms. ltimamente, hace 100 aos en Oxirrinco de Egipto se encontraron algunos
fragmentos de lo que ya sabemos es una versin previa de Toms en griego, por la paleografa fechada as:
Pap.Ox 1 (Tom 26-33/77, 200 d.C.); Pap.Ox 6541 (Tom Prlogo/1-7, 250 d.C.); Pap.Ox 655 (Tom 36-39, 250
d.C.)vase Biblio.11, abajo. El descubrimiento ms reciente de la versin copta sahdica (S) de Toms, nos
ha permitido por fin tener acceso a este evangelio en su totalidad. Pruebas adicionales, como el asndeton en
logion 6, revelan una fuente semtica anterior (vase Guillamont, Comentarios Eruditos Modernos). Como se
indica en el artculo de prensa abajo citado, casi todos los eruditos bblicos que han estado estudiando este
documento desde su primera publicacin, han concluido que Toms debe ser aceptado como un verdadero
quinto evangelio, de una autoridad igual a la de San Juan y los sinpticos. Es particularmente de inters que
varios de los logia en Toms (12/24/28/37) son evidentemente dichos de la post resurreccin.
El Evangelio de Felipecomo se puede inferir de sus dichos 51/82/98/101/137se compuso al menos
en parte despus del 70 d.C. por San Felipe llamado el evangelista (no el apstol), que aparece en los Hechos
1

En exposicin en la Galera John Ritblat de la nueva Biblioteca Britnica en Saint Pancras, Londres.

de los Apstoles en 6:1-6/8:4-40/21:8-14. No hay ni una referencia ni una cita previa conocida de este complejo texto, que es una traduccin al sahdico de una serie elegante de reflexiones sobre la tradicin abrahmica, sobre Israel y el Mesas encarnado, mientras que elabora una metafsica de idealismo espiritual.
El Evangelio de la Verdad se compuso alrededor del ao 150 d.C. por Valentn, el famoso santo de Alejandra (nacido hacia 100 d.C.). Se trata de una entretejida meditacin continua sobre el Logospero hasta su
descubrimiento en Nag Hammadi (en el dialecto sub-akhmmico, A), no se conoca ni una frase sobreviviente
de esta noble composicin. (Una versin inglesa preliminar de otro texto de Nag Hammadi, el cual tambin
podra ser por Valentn: www.metalog.org/files/supremacy.html.)
En los primeros aos despus del descubrimiento de estos documentos y antes de que los estudiosos
pudieran escudriarlos suficientemente, era habitual describirlos colectivamente como gnsticos (as p.ej.
Grant y Freedman [1960], en Comentarios Eruditos Modernos). ste ha sido siempre un trmino genrico
para la mezcla mediterrnea de anti-sensoriales cultos de misterios de los primeros siglos d.C. El gnosticismosea oriental, platnico, de las religiones de misterio, o teosficoconsidera por definicin al universo perceptible, incluso nuestras vidas encarnadas adems de toda la historia humana, bblica o no, como
inherentemente ilusorio y/o maligno. En cambio, segn el Antiguo Testamento y los evangelios cannicos,
este universo no es ni irreal ni malo sino creado divinamente y bueno: as, entre un sinfn de ejemplos, Gn
1:31 (todo cuanto haba hecho [Dios], era bueno en gran manera) y Lc 24:39 (carne [y] huesos como ... yo
tengo). Desdichadamente, al principio gnosticismo fue usado como un cajn de sastre para meter en l a
todos los diversos escritos de Nag Hammadi. Una investigacin detallada muestra con claridad que ni Toms
ni Felipe ni el Evangelio de la Verdad tiene contenido gnstico, puesto que cada uno de ellos afirma explcitamente la realidad sagrada de la encarnacin humana, junto con su contexto histrico (vase Comentario 1).
Los cnones del Nuevo Testamento de la iglesia occidental (catlica/protestante), ortodoxa, copta,
armenia, etope y siria/nestoriana difieren significativamente entre sy esos listados incluso fueron discutidos por las diversas ramas del cristianismo hasta muchos siglos d.C.; antes haba solamente opiniones diversas recordadas por una variedad de individuos mucho tiempo despus de la era apostlica, referentes no slo a
los textos generalmente aceptados hoy da, sino tambin a escritos como la Epstola de Bernab, el Pastor de
Hermas, el Evangelio de los Egipcios, el Evangelio de los Hebreos (en el cual Cristo se refiere a la Sagrada
Espritu1 como su Madre), las Tradiciones de Matas, el Apocalipsis de Pedro, la Didaj y los Hechos de
Pablo. As, el Cdice Sinatico, de mediados del siglo IV, incluye tanto Bernab como el Pastor de Hermas,
mientras que el Cdice Alejandrino, de primeros del siglo V, contiene I y II Clemente adems de los Salmos
de Salomn. No hubo ningn concilio de la Iglesia sobre el canon del NT hasta el Snodo de Laodicea (363
d.C.), el cual de hecho rechaz el Apocalipsis de San Juan. Doce siglos despus (!), se estableci por fin el
canon occidental por el Concilio de Trento (1546 d.C.), el cual defini la lista actual de 27 libros como un
artculo de la fe catlica (aunque los concilios episcopales prudentemente nunca han pretendido ser infalibles;
el voto en Trento fue de 24 contra 15, con 16 abstencionescomo si la comunidad apostlica original hubiera
sido una democracia en lugar de un reino2); esta lista entonces fue aceptada por las varias sectas protestantes.
Las diversas iglesias orientales tienen historias igualmente complicadas para establecer sus cnones respectivos del NT: as, el canon armenio incluye un III Corintios paulino; el NT copto contiene I y II Clemente; el
Peshita nestoriano excluye II y III Juan, Judas y el Apocalipsis; y la Biblia etope aade unos libros llamados
los Snodos, la Epstola de Pedro a Clemente, el Libro de la Alianza, y la Didascalia. (Biblio.28)
No obstante, es de destacar que los Evangelios de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad evidentemente no eran
conocidos por ninguna de esas tradiciones en el momento de sus intentos por establecer un canon del NT,
pues jams se mencionaron durante sus prolongadas deliberacionesy por ello ni siquiera se tuvieron en
cuenta para ser incluidos en sus listas respectivas. En todo caso, el concepto de un canon ciertamente nunca
fue inventado para excluir la posible inspiracin de descubrimientos posteriores de textos o de grafa aislados
(Lc 1:1, Jn 21:25).
Lo que sucediera durante los primeros tres siglos y medio d.C., antes de los intentos eclesisticos ms
tempranos para establecer un canon, es notoriamente oscuro, pues los mesinicos del evangelio original fueron finalmente suplantados por los cristianos paulinos (Hch 11:25-26). As por un lado, la Epstola de
Bernab (a fines del siglo I) permanece ignorante de los evangelios histricos; y por otro lado, Justino Mrtir
(a mediados del siglo II) no muestra ningn conocimiento de los escritos de Pabloapuntando a una cisma
continuando entre las tradiciones petrina y paulina. Clemente de Alejandra e Ireneo de Lyn, a fines del
1

Vase Comentario 2, La Espritu Materna.

Los apstoles no escogieron al sucesor de Iscariotes (Hch 1:12-26) mediante votacinmucho menos por un voto dividido, que parecera absurdo en el contextosino por medio de suertes, para averiguar la voluntad divina. Deberamos
suponer que solamente los de la minora de 24 que prevalecieron en Trento eran inspirados, mientras que los 31 opuestos
o en abstencin carecan de consejo celestial? Por qu no la conclusin contraria, rechazando el canon en cuestin,
puesto que los de la mayora absoluta no estaban a favor?
2

siglo II, son los primeros autores que citan explcitamente tanto a los evangelios como a Pablo. He intentado
analizar el fundamento de esta dictoma en La paradoja de Pablo, Comentario 5. Referente a ese perodo de
formacin, una lectura esencial es el estudio magistral de Walter Bauer, La ortodoxia y la hereja en el cristianismo ms temprano (Tbingen, 1934; http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/humm/Resources/Bauer).
Las divisiones posteriores dentro del cristianismo paulino se pueden resumir as. Los patriarcas ortodoxos orientales de Alejandra, Antioqua y Jerusaln, as como muchos otros ancianos orientales, rehusaron
aceptar la nueva doctrina sobre las dos naturalezas de Cristo (la humana y la divina) proclamada en 451 d.C.
por el Concilio de Calcedonia. As la Iglesia (1) Ortodoxa Oriental se separ de las Iglesias (2) Ortodoxa del
Este y (3) Catlica Romana. Varios siglos despus, en 1054 d.C., stas a su vez se separaron entre si a causa
del cisma filioque (vase Comentario 2). Luego, al principio del siglo XVI, las Iglesias (4) Protestantes
empezaron a subdividirse de la jerarqua Catlica Romana. Las Iglesias Ortodoxas Orientales (#1) hoy en da
incluyen la Copta, la Armenia, la Siraca, la Etope, la Eritrea, y la Malankara Tomasita de India. Su cristologa es llamada por otros monofisita (naturaleza nica); pero ellos mismos la llaman miafisita (naturaleza unida).
En su prlogo, Josu ben Sirac (siglo II a.C.) escribi un lema apropiado para cualquier obra de traduccin: Lo que fue expresado en hebreo, no tiene exactamente el mismo sentido cuando se traduce a otra
lengua. Con tal aviso, han sido preparadas las siguientes versiones tan literal como lricamente como he
podido hacerlas. Han pasado desde arameo (Toms) por griego (Felipe y Verdad) y luego copto, y as al ingls
y en fin castellanocinco etapas! El complejo proceso para interpretar tales documentos antiguos ha sido
bien resumido por John R. Donahue SJ:
El trmino castellano texto se deriva del latn texere, que significa tejer. Un texto es una red entretejida de significaciones, la cual produce un crculo hermenutico; es decir, el significado de un texto
debe determinarse como un conjunto, pero el estudio de las partes individuales es preciso para alcanzar el
significado del conjunto. La lectura de textos implica un amplio anlisis contextual, en el que se estudia
el contexto inmediato de un pasaje, que sigue o precede a su contexto inmediato, y el contexto ms
amplio del documento como un todo.1
y bien, con respecto a los evangelios coptos, este contexto ms amplio tiene que incluir las Escrituras
cannicas (vanse los innumerables paralelos, lo mismo del AT que del NT, que se sealan por doquier).
Cualesquiera irregularidades gramaticales que se encuentren en las traducciones, estn en el texto copto
mismo (por ejemplo, los tiempos verbales en Tom 64). Las reconstrucciones textuales plausibles aparecen
entre [corchetes], mientras que las adiciones editoriales aparecen entre (parntesis). [...] indica los lugares
donde no se puede interpolar, dado el deterioro del papiro. Las variantes griegas de Oxirrinco de Toms aparecen entre {llaves}. Las notas de pie de pgina de cada logion se indican con letras sobrescritasa, las situadas al
final del texto en curso con un circulito. Las citas bblicas enumeradas son esenciales para la comprensin de
los dichos en su contexto bblico, y se ruega al lector que las consulte en cada caso; las paralelas explcitas a
Toms en los sinpticos se indican aparte con un signo de igualdad=, para que el lector no busque lo previamente conocido. En la antigedad, por supuesto, no haba minsculas y as para representar el hebreo, el
griego y el copto, no he usado aqu sus letras cursivas correspondientes sino sus formas clsicas, que son ms
fciles de leer para los no eruditos. Por su parte, al traducir tales textos antiguos a las lenguas modernas, es
casi imposible poner maysculas de manera consistente y adecuada; pido la buena voluntad del lector con
respecto a esto. Por todo, P... se liga a los nmeros de prrafo en la Gramtica de Plumley, C... a las
pginas en el Diccionario de Crum (Biblio.6+7).
He incluido tambin, en las notas de cada dicho, una que otra cita de individuos eminentes a travs de los
siglos, expresando una idea relacionada. En algunos casospero no todosesta similitud deriva directamente
de la influencia de un texto cannico paralelo. Pero en cada instancia se proporciona una vista aclaradora de la
significacin central del logion, dando una reformulacin pensativa de su contenido esencial por una persona
notable en otro contexto.
En lugar de la forma griega, Jess ( ), he usado la aramea original: Yesha ( (w#y), que significa
Yahweh Salvador, es decir l-Es Salvador (Fel 20a). SOY representa la auto-denominacin divina de x
3:14: hebreo hyh) (ahyh), griego , copto anok pe (Tom 13; P306).
Por ltimo, he adjuntado cinco ensayos a ttulo de comentario: (1) Son gnsticos los evangelios
coptos?, una demostracin formal que no se pueden clasificarlos as; (2) La Espritu Materna, sobre el
gnero de #dqh xwr [raj ha-qdesh, Espritu la-Santa] en las lenguas semticas; (3) Teognesis, acerca de
la sugerencia de Felipe, que la transgresin humana original consisti en la pretensin de producir a los nios,
1

Normas para leer e interpretar, The New Interpreter's Study Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003).

en vez de aceptarlos como engendrados nicamente por Dios; (4) ngel, imagen y smbolo, acerca de estos
tres conceptos primarios encontrados en las nuevas escrituras, junto con su estructura metafsica subyacente
de un idealismo espiritual; y (5) La paradoja de Pablo, un anlisis filosfico de las evidentes discrepancias
entre los evangelios cannicos y la teologa de Saulo de Tarso, junto con un resumen de crticas similares por
muchos individuos a travs de los siglos.
Esta edicin en castellano es bsicamente una traduccin de la versin en ingls, que prepar directamente del copto. Como es bien sabido, cualquier traduccin debera ser revisada por alguien que tenga la
lengua termino como su idioma nativo. Por ello, Clara Luz Garca Salazar me ha ayudado en cada etapa de la
versin castellana de esta tarea. Al principio utilic tambin el programa, Spanish Assistant 1.00a (MicroTac
Software, 1993); luego, la traduccin preliminar fue corregida con esmero por Higinio Alas Gmez, Profesor
Emrito de la Escuela Ecumnica de Ciencias de la Religin, la Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica, y
despus por Jos Cascant Ribelles (Doctor en Sagrada Teologa, Navarra), anteriormente Rector del Seminario Mayor de Arequipa, Per; por ltimo, ha sido revisada detenidamente una y otra vez por el Dr. Pedro
Chamizo Domnguez, Profesor de Filosofa del Lenguaje, la Universidad de Mlaga, Espaa (vase Biblio.
29)todos ellos han corregido innumerables errores en la versin castellana, adems de sugerir muchos
mejoramientos estilsticos, con objeto de que el lector capte con claridad el sentido del copto. Debo agradecerles tambin a dos de mis profesores universitarios: al poeta Robert Frost, por su consejo de participar solamente en lo que es digno del tiempo de uno; y al Prof. William E. Kennick, por su ejemplo de los estndares
ms altos del anlisis filosfico. Tambin estoy en deuda con Bertrand Russell, en el tiempo en que yo era
estudiante en Londres y tuve la oportunidad de manifestarme con l en la Campaa por el Desarme Nuclear,
por su intrpido ejemplo en enfrentarse al Sistemasea poltico, militar o religiosopor amor de la verdad.
Buena parte de este trabajo lo hice mientras que estuve invitado en muchas universidades tanto estatales como
privadas, adems de seminarios y comunidades religiosas tanto catlicos como protestantes, en todas partes de
Latino Amrica; y tambin de las facultades de filosofa, de teologa ortodoxa y de informtica en la Universidad de Atenaspor su hospitalidad fraternal estoy profundamente agradecido. La ayuda tcnica referente al
Internet, ha sido bondadosamente facilitada por Ioannis Georgiadis, del Centro de Informtica de la Universidad de Atenas.
Los evangelios cannicos tienen que ser el paradigma para valorar cualquier evangelio recin descubierto. Es decir, nuestros criterios para investigar tal texto han de ser tanto su consistencia interna como su
origen externo en relacin a los cuatro textos que, en primer lugar, proveen la definicin ostensiva 1 del solo
trmino evangelio. Por tanto: son Toms, Felipe y Valentn teolgicamente consistentes con los sinpticos
y Juan? Vienen todos del mismo contexto histrico general y ambiente arqueolgico en la antigedad?
Indica el anlisis que los textos nuevos son conceptual y empricamente consistentes con los cuatro evangelios cannicos? Parecen ser, en todo, del mismo Logos? He concluido que un examen lo bastante cuidadoso proporciona una respuesta afirmativa a todas estas preguntas. As es el propsito de esta edicinjunto
con los textos coptos, el diccionario y la gramtica, disponibles en la Red (Biblio.1)proveer al lector los
recursos para llevar a cabo para s mismo una investigacin completa de estas escrituras extraordinarias.
Se ha sugerido a menudo que estos nuevos escritos son bsicamente mezclas, producidas por una serie de
desconocidos mucho despus de los acontecimientos a que pretenden corresponder. Sin embargo, la explicacin ms simple aqu (en funcin del famoso Principio de Economa, de Guillermo de Ockham: No se deben
multiplicar los entes sin necesidad) no es una larga tradicin oral seguida por numerosas redacciones escritas; la explicacin ms simple es que estas tres escrituras fueron compuestas originalmente por el apstol
Toms, Felipe el evangelista y Valentn de Alejandra, y que nos llegan bsicamente intactas y bien traducidas
de las lenguas originales al copto. No hay ninguna razn en absoluto para proponer una hiptesis ms compleja aqu. As, siguiendo el ejemplo de la Metafsica de Aristteles (como posteriormente titulada por Andrnico de Rodas), he llamado a esta coleccin de nuevas escrituras Metalogoses decir, Ms Logos.
p.ixqus 5.euxaristou.k!
Thomas Paterson Brown, BA (Amherst), PhD (Londres)
Antigua Guatemala, la Navidad 2011
edit@metalog.org

Bibliografa
1. La versin hipertextual de esta edicin, adems de las versiones paralelas inglesa y griega moderna,
vinculadas a los recursos de traduccin necessarios (textos coptos, gramtica, diccionario): www.metalog.org.
1

Definicin ostensiva: definir un trmino por medio de indicar un referente ejemplar o paradigmtico.

2. Est disponible esta obra en forma rstica: Metalogos: los Evangelios de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad
(T.P. Brown, trans. y ed.), Mlaga, Espaa: Editorial Sirio (www.editorialsirio.com), 2009; 272 pginas, ISBN
978-84-7808-677-1; en venta por Qproquo (www.qproquo.com/libros/ METALOGOS/304364/978-84-7808-677-1) y
Amazon (www.amazon.com/Metalogos-Evangelios-Felipe-Verdad-Spanish/dp/ 8478086773/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UT
F8&s=books&qid=1269700028&sr=8-1).
3. Las ediciones fotogrficas de los manuscritos completos en papiro han sido publicadas por la UNESCO
con la colaboracin del gobierno de Egipto, bajo la direccin de James M. Robinson: The Facsimile Edition of
the Nag Hammadi Codices (Cdice I y Cdice II), Leiden: E.J. Brill (www.brill.nl), 1977 y 1974; el Evangelio de la Verdad se encuentra en el Cdice I, Toms (escaneado en la Red: www.metalog.org/files/th_scan.
html) y Felipe estn en el Cdice II.
4. Existe una bibliografa completa referente a los nuevos textos coptos: Nag Hammadi Bibliography
1970-1994, Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1997; tambin recogida anualmente desde 1970 en la revista Novum Testamentum (ambas por David Scholer); fechado para el 2004, esta lista haba alcanzado 10.626 ttulos individuales!
Vase en la Red la inmensa New Testament Bibliography (por Sytze van der Laan): www.agraphos.com/
thomas/bibliography.
5. La coleccin entera de unos 45 ttulos (incluyendo una amplia diversidad de escritos religiosos de la
poca) se puede obtener en una edicin popular: The Nag Hammadi Library in English (editada por James M.
Robinson y Marvin Meyer), San Francisco: Harper y Row, 1977, 1988 (con Richard Smith).
6. Para la estructura gramatical de la lengua copta, he usado el recurso detallado, Introductory Coptic
Grammar (por John Martin Plumley, posteriormente Profesor de Egiptologa en la Universidad de Cambridge), London: Home y Van Thal, 1948; fotocopiado en 1987 por Robert Michael Schapiro en la Biblioteca
de la Universidad Hebrea, Monte Scopus, Jerusaln; este recurso autoritativo en mimeogrfica mas difcil de
encontrar, del dialecto sahdico, est en la Red en ingls y castellano: www.metalog.org/files/plum.html.
7. El lxico indispensable es: A Coptic Dictionary (por Walter Ewing Crum), Oxford: The University
Press, 1939, reimpresin 2000 por Sandpiper Books Ltd, London (www.sandpiper.co.uk) y Powells Books,
Chicago (www.powells.com); en la Red en formatos gif y djvu: www.metalog.org/files/crum.html; NB en esta
obra monumental, el orden de las palabras se determina primeramente por consonantes y luego por vocales;
adems, el copto es en parte una lengua aglutinante 1, que utiliza un sistema complejo de prefijos y sufijos
morfolgicos y sintcticos, los cuales han de quitarse para identificar el vocablo bsicop.e., tn-nan-nhuebol
tn-.na.n-nhu ebol (P199a, C219b, C034a: nosotros.futuro.venir adelante).
8. En mi traduccin de Toms, he utilizado la insuperada primera edicin del copto, con traducciones
lnea a lnea en ingls, francs, alemn y holands, publicada en: The Gospel according to Thomas (editado
por Antoine Guillaumont, Henri-Charles Puech, Gilles Quispel, Walter Till y Yassah Abd al-Masih), Leiden:
E.J. Brill; New York: Harper y Brothers; London: Collins, 1959; en la Red: www.metalog.org/files/coptic_
thomas.html.
9. El Evangelio de Toms sitio web, con muchos enlaces: www.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html (mantenido por Stevan Davies).
10. Ya hay una muy til edicin interlinear copto/ingls de Toms: www.metalog.org/files/grondin.html
(por Michael Grondin, quien tambin mantiene en la Red el sitio erudito gThomas eGroup: http://groups.
yahoo.com/group/gthomas).
11. Los fragmentos griegos anteriores, los cuales varan significativamente de la versin copta: New
Sayings of Jesus and Fragment of a Lost Gospel from Oxyrhynchus (editada por Bernard Grenfell, Lucy
Drexel y Arthur Hunt), Oxford University Press, London: Henry Frowde, 1904; en la Red en el importante
Gospel of Thomas Resource Center: www.gospels.net/thomas (por Andrew Bernhard).
12. Un relato y anlisis bien ilustrativo y muy informativo: The Gospel of Thomas: Does It Contain
Authentic Sayings of Jesus? (por Helmut Koester y Stephen Patterson), Bible Review, abril 1990 (www.
easycart.net/ecarts/bib-arch/BR_Back_Issues_1990.html).
13. La edicin acadmica de Toms y Felipe, con materiales auxiliares, texto copto crtico, traduccin
inglesa y glosarios alfabticos completamente clasificados en copto y griego: Nag Hammadi Codex II (volumen I, editado por Bentley Layton), Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1989; esta edicin, esperada largo tiempo, disafortuna1

A.T. Robertson, Gramtica del Nuevo Testamento a la luz de la investigacin histrica, II.3.b (1919, incluido en #29): Los
gramticos comparatistas hablan de lenguas aislantes, aglutinantes y flexivas. En las lenguas aislantes, como el chino,... las
palabras carecen de flexin y la claridad de significacin depende de la posicin en la oracin y el tono de la pronunciacin....
Las lenguas aglutinantes [como el copto] ... expresan las diversas relaciones gramaticales por medio de numerosos prefijos,
infijos y sufijos separables. [En] las lenguas flexivas,... aunque se hace una distincin entre la raz y las terminaciones flexivas,
las races y las terminaciones no existen separadas unas de otras. Hay dos grandes familias en el grupo flexivo, la semtica ... y
la indo-europea.

damente apareci demasiado tarde para mi uso en la preparacin del texto presente.
14. La primera edicin en castellano de Toms y Felipela cual tuve siempre presente cuando estaba
preparando mi propia traduccin de Felipetraducida directamente del copto con material introductorio, amplia bibliografa y anotaciones: Los evangelios apcrifos (editada y traducida por Aurelio de Santos Otero),
Madrid: Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, 19917.
15. Bas mi traduccin de Felipe en el texto copto, ampliamente anotado con glosarios completamente
clasificados: Das Evangelium nach Philippos (editado y traducido por Walter Till), Berln: Walter De Gruyter
(www.degruyter.de), 1963; en la Red: www.metalog.org/files/till.html; autor de la sucinta mas definitiva Koptische Dialektgrammatik (1994), Till nos ha hecho el gran servicio de analizar el texto copto, para que, por
ejemplo, la lnea continua 100.27 del manuscrito (www.metalog.org/files/w-till-01.gif, del dicho 7) netsite
6n-tprw4auws66m-p4wm, se descifra como net.site 6n- t.prw 4a.u.ws6 6m- p.4wm , y as facilmente se
puede traducir: quienes.siembran en el.invierno habitualmente.ellos.cosechan en el.verano.
16. Una edicin superlativa en ingls del Evangelio de la Verdad, extensamente anotada con un amplio
estudio introductorio: El Evangelio de la Verdad, una meditacin valentiniana sobre el Evangelio (editada por
Kendrick Grobel), New York: Abingdon Press; London: Black, 1960; en la Red: www.metalog.org/files/
grobel1.html; vase Comentarios Eruditos Modernos, abajo.
17. Bas mi traduccin del Evangelio de la Verdad en la edicin acadmica, con introduccin, texto
copto, traduccin inglesa, notas copiosas y glosarios completos: Nag Hammadi Codex I (editada por Harold
W. Attridge, en dos volmenes), Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985; texto copto en la Red: www.metalog.org/files/truth.
html.
18. El mejor texto interlineal (griego/ingls) y lxico del canon del Nuevo Testamento, con variantes
textuales en superlinear y traduccin ultra literal en sublinear: Concordant Greek Text y The Greek Elements
(editados por Alolph Ernst Knoch), Santa Clarita CA 91350, USA: Concordant Publishing Concern (www.
concordant.org), 19754 (vase www.metalog.org/files/knoch.gif).
19. Una obra de extraordinaria amplitud y perspicacia, referente a los parmetros bsicos de la metafsica
bblica en contraste con la griega y occidental: Claude Tresmontant, Ensayo sobre el pensamiento hebreo,
Madrid: Taurus Ediciones, 1962; vase ngel, imagen y smbolo, Comentario 4.
20. La historia de la lengua copta (por Hany N. Takla): www.metalog.org/files/coptic.html.
21. El magistral Lxico Griego-Ingls de Liddel-Scott-Jones-McKenzie: www.perseus.tufts.edu; includo
en #26.
22. Esencial en estudios del NT, es el Novum Testamentum Graece de Nestle-Aland, Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1979 et seq.: www.ubs-translations.org; includo en #26.
23. Una edicin excelente de la Biblia, con amplias notas textuales, ndices, tablas, mapas y referencias
(la cual lamentablemente continua el uso del nombre hbrido Jehov, en lugar del correcto Yahweh): Santa
Biblia Reina-Valera (Edicin de Estudio), Sociedades Bblicas Unidas, 1995 (www.bibles.com/products/ ABS
_NEW/105970.aspx).
24. Un ejemplo eminente de la cantidad de recursos y enlaces de teologa ya en la Red: The New Testament Gateway, www.ntgateway.com (mantenido por Mark Goodacre).
25. He aadido varias paralelas a las esplndidas Odas de San Salomn, un escrito mesinico en antiguo
siriaco del siglo I, descubierto en 1909 (traducido por Andrea Barrios M.): www.geocities.com/Odasdesalo
mon/index.html.
26. Una coleccin inestimable de las ediciones ms importantes de las escrituras bblicas en el hebreo,
arameo o griego originales, completamente interligadas con traducciones a 25 lenguas modernas, junto con
muchas de las obras de referencia principales, todo integrado con programas avanzados para investigaciones
textuales, est disponible en un juego de CD o DVD, de www.bibleworks.com; NB la edicin anterior pero
totalmente adecuada BibleWorks 5 est disponible por slo $10 ms franqueo.
27. Un website esplndido de escritos cristianos tempranos, en ingls: www.earlychristianwritings.com
(mantenido por Peter Kirby).
28. Referente a la formacin del canon del NT, vase Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987.
29. Pedro Jos Chamizo Domnguez, La traduccin como problema en Wittgenstein, Pensamiento,
1987; www.metalog.org/files/trad-witt.html.
30. Los cinco evangelios de Mateo, Marcos, Lucas, Juan y Toms, interligados en montaje paralelo: por
el Departamento de Religin, Universidad de Toronto, Canad: www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/meta-5g.
htm.
31. Un anlisis definitivo en ingls, de los 613 reglas de la Torah: Abraham Chill, The Mitzvot: The
Commandments and Their Rationale, Jerusalem: Urim Publications (www.urimpublications.com), 2000.

32. Un recurso muy til acerca de la cultura y los jeroglficos de Egipto antiguo: www.jimloy.com/egypt/
egypt.htm.

EL QUINTO EVANGELIO ILUMINA DICHOS DE JESS

Darrell Turner, Religion News Service, New York, 27.XII.91 (#15709)
(RNS) Un documento antiguo compuesto de dichos de Jess, ha generado recientemente una gran cantidad de artculos eruditos, adems de opiniones fuertemente defendidas de modo que el documento, conocido
como el Evangelio de Toms, merece un pblico mucho ms amplio. Segn algunos eruditos, las 114 citas del
Evangelio de Toms son tan importantes como Mateo, Marcos, Lucas y Juan, para obtener una comprensin
del hombre a quien los cristianos veneran como Mesas.
En una reciente entrevista telefnica, Helmut Koester de la Facultad de Teologa de Harvard, el nuevo
presidente de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica (USA), dijo que casi todos los especialistas en Biblia de los
Estados Unidos, estn de acuerdo en que Toms es tan fehaciente como los evangelios del Nuevo Testamento .
En un artculo que apareci en la Bible Review en abril de 1990, Koester y su colaborador Stephen Patterson
escribieron, Hay que conceder una autoridad igual al Evangelio de Toms que a los evangelios cannicos,
en cualquier intento de reconstruir los orgenes del cristianismo.
Sin embargo, a pesar del entusiasmo sobre la obra durante varias dcadas, nadie ha odo hablar de ella
excepto los eruditos, dice Paterson Brown, anteriormente profesor de la filosofa de la religin, el cual ha
escrito sobre Toms en la revista Novum Testamentum (www.metalog.org/files/tpb/sabbath.html).
Toms fue descubierto en 1945 en Egipto, junto con ms de 50 otras obras antiguas cristianas, judas y
paganas, que integran una coleccin conocida como la Biblioteca de Nag Hammadi. Los documentos, que se
fechan desde el siglo IV a.C. hasta el siglo IV d.C., fueron escritos en copto, el idioma de los cristianos egipcios primitivos. La biblioteca, incluso Toms, ha sido traducida al ingls y publicada en varias ediciones
eruditas. Pero muchos eruditos opinan que se debe hacer asequible Toms en un volumen distinto. Pienso
que es urgente que Toms sea publicado aparte, en una edicin de bolsillo, dijo Brown.
A diferencia de los otros volmenes de Nag Hammadi, Toms contiene enseanzas de Jess, que los
eruditos creen que seran particularmente importantes para lectores cristianos. Muchos de los que estudian el
Evangelio de Toms opinan que su material es potencialmente de ms inters para el pblico en general que
los famossimos Rollos del Mar Muertoexcepto que no es tan bien conocido.
Muchas citas registradas en Toms son semejantes a las de en los evangelios que integran en lo que se
conoce como el canon del Nuevo Testamentolos escritos de la iglesia primitiva, que finalmente fueron
aceptados como textos autnticos y autorizados para todos los cristianos. Por ejemplo, el Dicho 90 en Toms,
Venid a m, pues mi yugo es fcil y mi dominio es manso y encontraris reposo para vosotros mismos,
muestra una semejanza muy grande con un conocido pasaje de Mateo 11:28-30.

Comentarios Eruditos Modernos

Henry Barclay Swete, El fragmento de Oxirrinco [PapOx 1] (discurso en la reunin de verano de los
clrigos, Universidad de Cambridge, 29 julio 1897): El yacimiento de Oxirrinco ... en los tiempos cristianos ...
adquiri la reputacin de una fortaleza de la vida monstica egipcia.... Los son los orculos de
Jess, es decir los dichos en los cuales l revela la voluntad divina. El libro exhibe, pienso yo, claras pruebas
de su derecho a poseer esta caracterstica. Fue escrito en forma de cdice, en hojas, no en columnas sucesivas
en un rollouna forma que parece haber sido reservada entre los cristianos para libros sagrados o eclesisticos. Cada dicho empieza con una frmula la cual indica su autoridad de orculo.... La razn por la que
[es decir, x dice en tiempo presente] es apropiado, es que tenemos delante de nosotros un fragmento
de una coleccin de dichos que pretenden ser logia , orculos vivientes del Amo vivo.... No hay prueba
alguna de dependencia de cualquiera de nuestros evangelios corrientes.... No obstante, el griego tiene, pienso
yo, el verdadero aroma del estilo de los evangelios; es magnficamente sencillo y claro.... Todo en el fragmento presente apunta al griego sencillo de los judos palestinos bilinges, acostumbrados a transmitir palabra
por palabra las memorias de los oyentes originales del Amo. Dudo que el siglo II o la tierra de Egipto pudieran producir algo parecido.... Encuentro dificultad en creer, a juzgar por la forma en que estn interconectados, que cualquiera de estos dichos sea ms tardo en su origen que el siglo I, o que la coleccin que los
contena fuese compuesta despus de que nuestros evangelios cannicos tuvieran un uso generalizado. Tanto
el prlogo de San Lucas como la postdata de San Juan hablan de otros libros adems de los evangelios que

han sido escritos, o podran ser escritos, para contener la Gesta Cristi. Ya tenemos por primera vez una
prueba diferente de la existencia de libros que contenan solamente sus dichos, separados de la narracin....
Si se pregunta, por qu ninguna coleccin de logia se incluy en el canon del NT, o ha sobrevivido entera
hasta nuestro tiempo?, la respuesta bien puede ser que la Iglesia necesitaba, sobre todo, relatos de la vida,
pasin y resurreccin del Amo. Los nuevos dichos de Oxirrinco [PapOx 654] (discurso en la Facultad de
Teologa, Universidad de Cambridge, 7 julio 1904): Ya sabemos que en el siglo III, exista una coleccin de
que circulaba en Oxirrinco y probablemente en otras partes del valle del Nilo. Los dichos no
fueron simplemente apuntados en el cuaderno de un compilador, sino preparados para ser publicados.... Mi
impresin [es] que los nuevos dichos son sustancialmente autnticos,... a la vez nuevos y segn la manera de
la enseanza anterior de nuestro Amo,... la cual es difcil considerar como la creacin de tiempos post-apostlicos,... tradiciones basadas en las memorias de quienes haban odo al Amo.
Gilles Quispel, El Evangelio de Toms y el Nuevo Testamento (discurso pronunciado en la Universidad de Oxford, 18 sept 1957): Han salido a la luz unos dichos desconocidos de Jess, sacados de un evangelio
judeocristiano originalmente compuesto en arameo. El Evangelio de Toms ... no es ni ms ni menos que el
evangelio usado por los descendientes de la comunidad primitiva de Jerusalnlos cuales parecen haber
continuado viviendo en Palestina, casi totalmente aislados de la corriente principal de la tradicin cristiana
gentil.... No hay, que yo sepa, nada que indique que sta no es una tradicin legtima.... Estos dichos de Jess
que estn incluidos en el Evangelio de Toms y por su vocabulario, su estilo y su contenido muestran su
origen palestinopor qu no tendran el mismo valor histrico que las palabras de Jess incluidas en nuestros cuatro evangelios cannicos? Tal vez fueron transmitidos en un ambiente palestino muy aislado de los
dems de la cristiandad y no influido por las tendencias de la teologa paulina. Y no debemos excluir tampoco
la posibilidad de que esta gente hubiera preservado algunas veces las palabras de Jess en una forma ms primitiva que la encontrada en los evangelios cannicos. Unas observaciones sobre el Evangelio de Toms
(New Testament Studies, 1959): El Evangelio de Toms contiene un nmero de dichos que transmiten una
tradicin judeocristiana independiente, ni influida por ni fuente de nuestros evangelios cannicos.... Podemos
intentar descubrir los aramesmos que son tan frecuentes en estos dichos.... Hasta ahora se han encontrado
alrededor de unos treinta logia que contienen huellas de su origen arameo. El gnosticismo y el Nuevo
Testamento (en J. Philip Hyatt [ed.], La Biblia en la erudicin moderna, ponencias presentadas en la reunin
centenaria de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica, 1964): La Espritu Santa como Madre [es] un concepto bien
documentado en la tradicin evanglica judeocristiana y totalmente comprensible en una religin de lengua
semtica.... El Evangelio de Toms ... contiene pruebas de una tradicin transmitida en un ambiente judeocristiano.... No es gnstico en absoluto. Los partidarios de la interpretacin gnstica ... tendran que explicar
cmo poda decir el autor que el cadver poda levantarse de nuevo (logion 5, versin griega).... En cuanto al
Evangelio de Toms, Cristo es nuestro Padre y la Espritu Santa es nuestra Madre.
Antoine Guillamont, Semitismos en los logia de Jess encontrados en Nag Hammadi (Journal Asiatique, 1958): Los logia coptos [en el evangelio de Toms] pueden, en determinados casos, ayudar en restaurar
el sustrato arameo de los logia sinpticos.... Varias de las divergencias de detalle entre el texto de los logia
coptos y el texto sinptico se pueden explicar recurriendo a un sustrato arameo comn. En esos casos, la terminologa de los logia coptos nos permite restaurar el sustrato arameo con ms certeza que cuando tenemos
solamente el texto sinptico.
Otto A. Piper, Resea de Cdice Jung (Theology Today, 1958): Mientras que todo el mundo habla de
los Rollos del Mar Muerto, relativamente poca publicidad se ha dado a otro descubrimiento de manuscritos
antiguos, los cuales podran resultar de ms importancia que esos para el estudio del cristianismo temprano....
Los editores consideran que El Evangelio de la Verdad o es una obra original de Valentn o su revisin por
uno de sus discpulos ms tempranos. Esto lo fechara hacia 150 d.C.... Uno queda pasmado por la frescura de
su va. No hay ninguna huella de polmica en contra de ciertos tipos de doctrina establecida; y la exgesis, por
ejemplo, del Prlogo de San Juan al principio de la obra, es de una originalidad asombrosa. Las referencias
frecuentes a pasajes del Nuevo Testamento y a Jess el Cristo, indican la creencia del autor y su determinacin ser un cristiano verdadero. En varios casos, por ejemplo en su idea referente a la humanidad, el autor es
obviamente influido por el realismo hebraico.... El Evangelio de la Verdad no es un tratado sino un poema.
La elegancia de su estilo, la altura de su perspectiva, la ternura con que el secreto se describe, la dexteridad
infalible con que el trmino correcto se selecciona en cada instancia ... indican a un autor de talento inslito y
espiritualidad profunda y en todos aspectos superior a los Padres [de la Iglesia] del siglo II.... Comparte con
los escritores bblicos la vista hebraica del ego como la totalidad de cuerpo y mente.... [Hay] una ausencia casi
completa de elementos mitolgicos en el Evangelio de la Verdad.
Robert M. Grant y David Noel Freedman, Los dichos secretos de Jess (1960): Los primeros descubrimientos los hicieron los que trabajaron con Togo Mina, el director del Museo Copto hasta su muerte en
1949. Estos expertos eran H.-C. Puech, de Pars, y su alumno Jean Doresse.... [Con respecto al] Evangelio de

Toms, Doresse lo examin en la primavera del 1949 y, a continuacin, anunci que era una composicin
gnstica.... Antes de 1952 Puech haba descubierto que se haban encontrado muchos aos antes, entre los
papiros de Oxirrinco, unos fragmentos griegos de la misma obra, pero nunca se identificaron correctamente....
En 1958 sali la primera traduccin completa, hecha a partir de las fotografas de la edicin de Pahor Labib
por el especialista alemn Johannes Leipoldt.... El Evangelio de Felipe no contiene ms que especulaciones
gnsticas. El Evangelio de Toms, en cambio,... es probablemente nuestro testigo ms significativo de la
tergiversacin primeriza del cristianismo por los que queran crear un Jess a su propia imagen. [Includo
como representativo de mucho que ha sido publicado a travs del ultimo medio siglo.]
Kendrick Grobel, Introduccin a El Evangelio de la Verdad, una meditacin valentiniana sobre el
Evangelio (1960): [El Evangelio de la Verdad] est escrito en un dialecto distinto del sahdico, que slo
aparece en muy pocos de los libros [de Nag Hammadi]:... el Subajmmico (A),... el dialecto que se habl
antes,... algo ms de cien millas ro abajo desde Jenoboskion.... [All,] pues, se debera haber hecho del griego
esta traduccin del Evangelio de la Verdad; all, tambin, con toda probabilidad fue hecha esta copia de la
traduccin, y de all se trajo ro arriba posteriormente hasta Jenoboskion.... Todos los cristianos del siglo
segundo son personajes en una profunda sombra histrica, aun donde han sobrevivido bastantes de sus
escritos. Podemos al menos especular que, si Ignacio, Valentn y Justino Mrtir hubieran sido igualmente
afortunados en la supervivencia de sus escritos, Valentn habra resultado ser el ms capaz en talento y
elocuencia, adems del ms original de los tres y de su siglo entero... [Antes del descubrimiento de Nag
Hamadi, podamos] entender a Valentn solamente por las pocas citas directas fidedignas que nos han llegado
de l, principalmente en el Stromata, de Clemente de Alejandra. En contraste con las heresiologas de los
Padres de la Iglesia, lo ms chocante de los fragmentos es que muestran a un Valentn cuya soteriologa es
Cristocntricano pleromatocntrica o sofiocntrica, [como alegan los heresilogos].... W.C. van Unnik,
profesor del NT en Utrecht, ha declarado inequvocamente (The Jung Codex) que Valentn mismo fue el autor
de esta obra. Estoy de acuerdo con l.... Ha escrito [el autor aqu] algo que sera un secreto no conocido por
un cristiano ortodoxo?
Krister Stendhal, El mtodo en el estudio de la teologa bblica, en J. Philip Hyatt (op.cit., 1964): Las
tradiciones del evangelio ... en el Evangelio de Toms o en los grafa pueden indicar tradiciones que son tan
vlidas como las del NT. Para el estudioso de la historia cristiana temprana, la limitacin a lo bblico, es un
acto de pereza textual o un pecado metodolgico.
Joachim Jeremas, Las parbolas de Jess (edicin de 1965): Es una gran ayuda la que nos presta el
Evangelio de Toms, al ofrecernos once parbolas de los sinpticos en versin propia [9/20/21b+103/57/63/64/
65/76/96/107/109].... [Adems, Toms] contiene ... cuatro parbolas que no se encuentran en el NT [8/21a/97/98]
.... El texto de las parbolas no ha sido transformado alegricamente, sino que ha permanecido intacto (menos
las dos adiciones de la parbola del ladrn); esto confiere un gran valor a la tradicin que nos transmite el
Evangelio de Toms.
Raymond E. Brown, El nacimiento del Mesas (1977): La Espritu Santa no [es] masculina (femenina en
hebreo; neutra en griego).... El Evangelio de Toms, descubierto en Nag Hammadi, a menudo se ha considerado que contiene cierto material autntico sobre el ministerio de Jess, no conservado de otra manera, por el
contrario, en los evangelios cannicos.
Helmut Koester, Introduccin a El evangelio de Toms, en James M. Robinson (ed.), La biblioteca
de Nag Hammadi en ingls (Biblio.5, 1977): Si uno considera la forma y el vocabulario de los dichos individuales, comparados con la forma en que aparecen en el Nuevo Testamento, el Evangelio de Toms casi
siempre parece haber conservado una forma ms original del dicho tradicional. En su gnero literario, el
Evangelio de Toms es ms parecido a una de las fuentes de los evangelios cannicos, concretamente a la
llamada Fuente de Dichos Sinpticos (frecuentemente llamada Q del alemn Quelle, fuente), la cual fue
usada lo mismo por San Mateo que por San Lucas.... En su forma ms original, [Toms] bien puede fecharse
en el siglo I. Antiguos evangelios cristianos (1990): Lo que se pone a prueba es la tradicin catlica temprana u ortodoxa, que afirma el monopolio de la tradicin cannica de los evangelios.... Solamente un prejuicio dogmtico permite afirmar que los escritos cannicos tienen una patente exclusiva de un origen apostlico y, por tanto, de una prioridad histrica.... Hay que leer las parbolas del Evangelio de Toms como relatos
por derecho propio, no como expresiones artificiales de alguna verdad gnstica oculta.
James M. Robinson (editor general de los cdices de Nag Hammadi), Introduccin a La biblioteca de
Nag Hammadi en ingls (Biblio.5, 1977): El enfoque de esta biblioteca tiene mucho en comn con el cristianismo primitivo, con la religin oriental y con hombres (y mujeres) santos de todos los tiempos, adems
de los equivalentes ms seculares de hoy, como los movimientos de la contracultura aparecidos en los sesenta.
El desinters por los productos de una sociedad consumista, el retiro a comunidades de los del mismo parecer,
fuera del bullicio y desorden de la distraccin en la gran ciudad, el no mezclarse con los compromisos del proceso poltico, compartiendo el entendimiento de un grupo exclusivo tanto del curso desastroso de la cultura

como de una alternativa ideal y radical normalmente no conocidatodo esto, con ropajes modernos, es el
verdadero reto arraigado en materiales tales como la biblioteca de Nag Hammadi.... El propio cristianismo
primitivo era un movimiento radical. Jess reclam una inversin total de valores, proclamando el fin del
mundo como lo hemos conocido y su reemplazo por un tipo de vida bastante nuevo y utpico, en que el
mundo ideal sera realidad. Asumi una posicin bastante independiente con respecto a las autoridades de su
poca ... y no pas mucho tiempo antes de que lo eliminaran. Sin embargo, sus seguidores reafirmaron su postura. Para ellos l lleg a personificar la meta final.... Lo mismo que los Rollos del Mar Muerto [en Qumrn]
fueron guardados en jarras para su proteccin y escondidos cuando se acercaba la dcima legin romana, el
entierro [tres siglos despus] de la biblioteca de Nag Hammadi en una jarra, habra sido precipitado por el
acercamiento de las autoridades romanas, que para entonces se haban hecho cristianas. Nag Hammadi: los
primeros cincuenta aos (discurso plenario, Sociedad de Literatura Bblica, 1995): Claramente el Evangelio
de Toms contiene dichos que no pueden ser derivados de los evangelios cannicos,... que obviamente no son
gnsticos sino que tienen las mismas pretensiones de ser antiguos, e incluso autnticos, como pueda tener el
estrato ms viejo de dichos en los evangelios cannicos y en Q. Esto se puede ejemplificar por algunas de las
parbolas del reino, en el Evangelio de Toms.... Tales dichos no son ficciones gnsticas sino simplemente
una parte de la tradicin oral de los dichos atribuidos a Jess. Lo que es tal vez ms impresionante, es que el
Evangelio de Toms contiene algunas parbolas neotestamentarias encontradas en su forma precannica.
Ron Cameron, en David Noel Freedman (ed.), The Anchor Bible Dictionary, volumen 6 (1992): Establecer una fecha plausible de la composicin [de Toms] es especulativo y depende de una esmerada sopesacin de los juicios crticos sobre la historia de la transmisin de la tradicin de los dichos de Jess, amen del
proceso de formacin de los textos escritos de los evangelios. La fecha ms temprana posible sera a mediados
del siglo I, cuando colecciones tales como el Evangelio Q de los dichos sinpticos empezaron a compilarse
por primera vez. La fecha ms tarda posible sera hacia finales del siglo II, antes de la copia del Papiro
Oxirrinco 1 y la primera referencia al texto por Hiplito [de Roma, hacia 170-236 d.C.].... Una fecha de composicin en, digamos, las ltimas dcadas del siglo I, sera ms probable que una fecha de mediados o finales
del siglo II.
Richard Valantasis, El Evangelio de Santo Toms (1997): Estos dichos funcionan para construir una
subjetividad alternativa y nueva. Mediante la lectura consecutiva y deliberada de los dichos del Evangelio de
Toms, los lectores gradualmente se enteran no slo de la nueva identidad que los dichos le atribuyen, sino
tambin de la teologa, antropologa y cosmologa que forman el cimiento de esa identidad nueva.... Fechar
al Evangelio de Toms, por medio del ncleo ms antiguo de sus dichos, sugiere una temprana datacin de
60-70 d.C.... El Evangelio de Toms no contiene cualesquiera de los sistemas o las teologas de los autores
gnsticos.... Conecta al oyente y buscador con la mismsima voz del Jess viviente, hablando en medio de una
comunidad interpretativa.
John Dominic Crossan, El nacimiento del cristianismo (1998): Grenfell y Hunt sacaron conclusiones
muy decisivas sobre el texto contenido en su pap. Oxy.1. No saban, claro est, que formaba parte del Evangelio de Toms, pero cito su sntesis porque, a mi juicio, se aplica perfectamente a este evangelio como un
todo. Ellos establecieron cuatro puntos: (1) que tenemos aqu parte de una coleccin de dichos, no extractos
de un evangelio narrativo; (2) que no eran herticos; (3) que eran independientes de los cuatro evangelios el
la forma conservada; (4) que eran anteriores al ao 140 d.C., y podran remontarse al siglo I (Bernard
Grenfell y Arthur Hunt, The Oxyrhynchus Papiri: Part I, 1898).
Stephen J. Patterson, La comprensin del Evangelio de Toms hoy en da, en Stephen J. Patterson,
James M. Robinson y Hans-Gebhard Bethge, El quinto evangelio (1998): Como una coleccin de dichos, es
probable que Toms se origin durante el siglo I, cuando las colecciones de dichos todava no haban cedido
el paso a otras formas ms complejas de literatura, tal como el cuento narrativo o el dilogo.... El radicalismo
social que caracteriz la tradicin sinptica temprana, tambin se encuentra en el Evangelio de Toms....
Adems, algunos de los rasgos ms caractersticos del gnosticismo no se encuentran en Toms, tal como la
idea de que el mundo fue creado por un demiurgo maligno.... Ahora parece lo ms probable que en el Evangelio de Toms tenemos realmente un texto nuevo, cuyas tradiciones no son derivadas, por lo dems, de otros
evangelios mejor conocidos y que fue escrito originalmente en un tiempo ms o menos contemporneo al de
los textos cannicos.
Higinio Alas Gmez, Evangelios de Nag Hammadi (1998): [El gnosticismo] bsicamente negaba la
realidad fsica de Cristo encarnado.... Poco a poco los acadmicos han ido comprendiendo que no es justo
clasificar [los] textos [de Toms, Felipe y Valentn] como gnsticos,... cuando stos afirman claramente la
encarnacin, la crucifixin y la resurreccin de Cristo.
Elaine H. Pagels, La interpretacin del Gnesis 1 en los Evangelios de Toms y Juan (Journal of
Biblical Literature, 1999): Los dichos [en el Evangelio de Toms] no estn puestos al azar, sino ordenados
cuidadosamente para conducirlo a uno por un proceso de buscar y encontrar la interpretacin de estos

10

dichos (log.1).... La teologa y antropologa de Toms no dependen de ningn presunto mito gnstico
genrico. Al contrario,... la fuente de esta doctrina religiosa es, simplemente, la interpretacin de Gnesis 1....
Tal interpretacin conecta el eikon de Gn 1:26-27 con la luz primordial,... para demostrar que la imagen
divina implantada en la creacin, capacita a la humanidad para encontrar ... el regreso a su origen en el misterio de la creacin primordial. Ms all de la creencia: el Evangelio secreto de Toms (2003): Ahora que
los estudiosos han empezado a ubicar las fuentes descubiertas en Nag Hammadi, como piezas recin descubiertas de un complejo rompecabezas, al lado de lo que hace mucho hemos conocido de la tradicin, nos
enteramos de que estos extraordinarios textos, que slo ahora estn llegando a ser ampliamente conocidos,
van transformando lo que conocemos como Cristianismo.... Empecemos con una mirada fresca a las fuentes
ms familiares de todas las fuentes cristianaslos evangelios del Nuevo Testamentobajo la perspectiva
ofrecida por uno de los otros evangelios cristianos, compuesto en el siglo I y descubierto en Nag Hammadi, el
evangelio de Toms.
Nicholas Perrin, El Evangelio de Toms: un testigo al Jess histrico? (discurso, reunin anual de la
Sociedad de Literatura Bblica, 2002): El Evangelio de Toms no fue compuesto originalmente en griego;... al
contrario, slo muestra evidencia de haber sido compuesto en siraco [es decir, arameo*].... En segundo lugar,
el Evangelio de Toms no es una coleccin de dichos en proceso de evolucin, con etapas distintas. Al contrario, es una unidad compuesta cuidadosamente y compilada por un editor de habla siraca. [*heb Mr) (aram)
= LXX griego , como en II-R 8:28, Ezra 4:7; vase Mt 4:24 y www.metalog.org/files/ph_ interlin/ ph020a.
html (lnea 6)]
Jean-Yves Leloup, Introduccin al Evangelio de Felipe (francs 2003, ingls 2004): Remontarnos [as]
hasta los orgenes cristianos, es encontrarnos en un espacio de libertad sin dogmatismo, un asombroso espacio
por la presencia del acontecimiento que se manifest en la persona, las obras y las palabras del maestro de
Galilea. El Evangelio de Felipe nos invita a seguir a Cristo por medio de traernos a esta vida lo que es inmortal dentro de nosotros, lo que San Juan llam la vida eterna.... Otro tema importante que muestra una
afinidad entre este evangelio y el de Toms, es la idea de la no-dualidad.... El Evangelio de Felipe ... trata de
temas que eran sin duda la fuente de muchos desacuerdos en su poca, al igual que lo son an hoy en da.]
Harold W. Attridge, The New York Review of Books (1 de mayo 2008): El corpus de la literatura cristiana de los siglos II y III ... refleja el intenso debate entre los seguidores de Jess.... La faccin que gan estos
debates foment su propia versin de los sucesos de esa poca y suprimi cualesquiera voces discordantes....
En el siglo pasado,... se descubrieron un buen nmero de manuscritos compuestos por los vencidos en las
antiguas luchas eclesisticas.... El ms importante fue un conjunto de cdices ... descubierto en 1945 cerca del
pueblo de Nag Hamadi, en Egipto.... Muy pronto, se motej de gnstico al hallazgo en su integridad, retomando un trmino despectivo usado por los polemistas antiguos contra sus adversarios eclesisticos. Aunque
una secta, al menos, se hubiese tildado a s misma como los gnsticos (los conocedores), haciendo referencia a un conocimiento arcano, la idea de que esta etiqueta general se puede aplicar con propiedad a todas las
sectas cristianas primitivas se ha criticado firmemente por parte de los especialistas contemporneos. Los
primeros cristianos, cuyas opiniones se desaprobaron, representaban un amplio abanico de opiniones y grupos
sociales.... La filosofa que subyace a... [esos] sistemas etiquetados generalmente como gnsticos, debe
mucho al platonismo popular de las pocas helenstica y romana.
Biblical Archaelogy Review, Los diez descubrimientos principales (VI-X.2009): Entre los textos de Nag
Hamadi estaba el completamente preservado evangelio de Toms, el cual no sigue los evangelios cannicos
en relatar la historia del nacimiento, vida, crucifixin y resurreccin de Jess, sino presenta al lector una
coleccin muy temprana de los dichos de Jess. Aunque este texto mstico fue al principio considerado un
texto gnstico, hoy da se piensa que revela an otra hebra del cristianismo temprano.

stos son los dichos secretos que ha proclamado Yesha el viviente , y los inscribi Ddimo Judas
a

Toms.01
1.

Y l {dicea}: Quien encuentre la interpretacin de estos dichos, no saborear la muerte. 1

2.

Yesha dice: Qu quien busca no deje de buscar hasta que encuentre; y cuando encuentre se turbar; y

01 a

Es decir, el resucitado, como en Ap 1:18; vanse tambin Jer 23:18, Mt 13:34, Lc 1:1/8:10/10:21, Jn 21:25; esc aneo
del MS en papiro: www.metalog.org/files/th_scan.html; hiperlinear de todos los dichos: www.metalog.org/files/th_
interlin.html.

11

habiendo estado turbado se maravillar, y reinar sobre la totalidad {y hallar el reposo}. 2

Yesha dice: Si aqullos que os guan os dicen He aqu, la soberana est en el cielo!, entonces los pjaros del cielo os precedern. Si os dicen Est en el mar!, entonces los peces {del mar} os precedern. Ms
bien, la soberana {de Dios} existe dentro de vosotros y existe fuera de vosotros. {Quien se conoce a s mismo
la hallar; y cuando os conozcis a vosotros mismos}, sabris que sois los Hijos del Padre viviente. Pero si no
os conocis a vosotros mismos, estis empobrecidos y sois el empobrecimiento. 3
3.

Yesha dice: La persona mayor en das no vacilar en preguntar a un nio de siete das sobre el lugar de la
viday vivir. Pues muchos que son primeros sern los ltimos {y los ltimos primeros}; y se convertirn en
una sola unidad.4
4.

5. Yesha dice: Conoce t a l quien est enfrente de tu rostro, y lo que se esconde de ti se te revelar. Pues
no hay nada escondido que no ser manifiesto, {y nada enterrado que no ser levantadoa}.5

Sus discpulos le preguntan, dicindole: Cmo quieres que ayunemos, y cmo oraremos? Y cmo daremos limosna, y qu dieta mantendremos? Yesha dice: No mintis, a y no practiquis lo que odiisbporque
todo se revela delante del rostro del cielo. Pues no hay nada oculto que no ser manifiesto, y no hay nada
cubierto que quedar sin ser destapadoc.6
6.

7. Yesha dice: Bendito es el len que el humano comey el len se convertir en humano. Y profanado es
el humano a quien el len comey el [humano] se convertir en [len]. 7

Y l dice: La [soberana] se asemeja a un pescador sabio que ech su red al mar. La sac del mar llena de
pececillos. Entre ellos descubri un pez a grande y bueno. Aquel pescador sabio devolvi todos los pececillos
al mar,b escogi sin vacilar al pez grande. Quien tiene odos para or, qu oiga! 8
8.

Yesha dice: He aqu, el sembrador salitom un puado, arroj. Algunas en verdad cayeron en el caminovinieron los pjaros, las recogieron. Otras cayeron sobre la roca madrey no arraigaron abajo en el
suelo y no brotaron espigas hacia el cielo. Y otras cayeron entre los espinosellos ahogaron a las semillas y
el gusano se las comi. Y otras cayeron en la buena tierraprodujo fruto bueno hacia el cielo arriba, rindi
sesenta por medida y ciento veinte por medida. 9
9.

10.

Yesha dice: He arrojado fuego sobre el mundo/sistemay he aqu que lo vigilo hasta que arda. 10

Yesha dice: Este cielo ser causado a pasar y el ms arriba de l, a ser causado a pasar.b Y los muertos no
estn vivos y los vivos no morirn. c En los das en que comais lo muerto, lo transformasteis a la vida
cuando entris en la luz, qu haris? En el da en que estabais unidos, os dividisteispero cuando os hayis
11.

II-Sam 14:14, Sal 118:17, Isa 25:8, Lc 9:27, Jn 5:24/8:51; Las Odas de San Salomn, 26, Quien podra interpretar se
disolvera y se convertira en lo interpretado; ste parece un logion introductorio citando a Toms mismo, incluido
[como Jn 21:24] por sus propios discpulos, puesto que habla de lo siguiente como una coleccin de dichos; aen todos los
fragmentos griegos de Toms, x dice se encuentra en tiempo presentevase Henry Barklay Swete [1897], Comentarios Eruditos Modernos.
2
Gn 1:26, Dan 7:27, Lc 1:29/22:25-30!, Ap 1:6/3:21/20:4/22:5; =Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, II.9/V.14.
3
Gn 6:2, Dt 30:11-14, Os 1:10, Zac 12:1, Mal 2:10, Lc 11:41/17:21, Tom 89, Filebo de Platn, 48c, 63c.
4
Gn 2:2-3/17:12, Mt 11:25-26/18:1-6+10-14, Lc 2:21.
5 a
Contra el gnosticismo; Sal 16:8, =Mt 10:26; en su escritura Las Tradiciones, el apstol Matas [Hch 1:21-26] transmite el logion de Cristo: Maravillad a lo que se os enfrentacitado por Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, II.9; comprese tambin Jalaloddin Rumi [siglo XIII, Afganistn], La pregunta, Coplas espirituales: All enfrente de m est la
presencia de Dios.
6
Lev 19:11, Sal 139:1-16, Zac 8:16, Sir 7:13, Tom 14; aFeodor Dostoievsky, Los hermanos Karamazov, II.2: Sobre
todo y ante todo, no mientas!; bTob 4:15: No practiques lo que odias; Confucio, Analectas, 8.15: Habr una sola
palabra ... que se podra aceptar como regla de conducta por toda la vida?... No es la palabra, la empata? No hagas a los
dems lo que a ti no te gustara; cQurn 27:75: No hay nada oculto en el cielo y la tierra, sino existe en un libro
claro.
7
Sal 7:1-2.
8
=Mt 13:47-48; acop tbt [C401b] = gr ; basndeton, o la omisin de conjunciones, que caracteriza a las lenguas
semticas mas no a las camticas e indoeuropeasas indicando un origen hebreo o arameo subyacente al griego, del cual
el texto copto entonces fue traducido: vanse P338 y Matthew Black, Un enfoque arameo de los Evangelios y los Hechos: El asndeton es, en general, contrario al sentido de la lengua griega,... pero es muy tpico de la aramea; en el castellano de Cervantes, por ejemplo contrario, predominan con mucho las coordinadas con copulativas (y..., y..., y...)
[Francisco Rico, Prlogo a la edicin anotada de Don Quijote de la Mancha patrocinada por la Real Academia Espaola,
2005].
9
Asndeta mltiples; Mt 13:18-23, =Mc 4:3-9.
10
Joel 2:3, Mt 3:11, Lc 12:49.

12

dividido, qu haris?11
12. Los discpulos dicen a Yesha: Sabemos que te separars de nosotros. Quin ser Rab sobre nosotros?
Yesha les dice: En el lugar a donde habis venido, iris a Jacob el Justo, para el bien de que han llegado a
ser el cielo y la tierra.12

Yesha dice a sus discpulos: Comparadme [con alguien] y decidme a quin me asemejo. a Shimn Kefa
le dice: Te asemejas a un ngel justo. Mateo le dice: Te asemejas a un filsofo del corazn. Toms le
dice: Oh Maestro, mi boca no contendr el decir, a quin te asemejas! Yesha dice: No soy tu maestro, ya
que has bebido,b te has embriagado del manantial burbujeante que he repartido al medirlo. Y lo lleva consigo, b
se retira,b le dice tres palabras:
13.

hyh) r#) hyh)

ahyh ashr ahyh
SOY QUIEN SOY
Ya al volver Toms a sus compaeros, le preguntan: Qu te dijo Yesha? Toms les dice: Si os dijera siquiera una de las palabras de las que me dijo, cogerais piedras para lapidarmey fuego saldra de las piedras
para consumiros!13
Yesha les dice: Si ayunis, a engendris transgresin a vosotros mismos. b Y si oris,a seris condenados.
Y si dais limosna,a causaris maldad a vuestrasc espritus. Y cuando entris en cualquier territorio para viajar
por las regiones, si os reciben comed lo que os pongan frente a vosotros y curad a los enfermos entre ellos.
Pues lo que entra en vuestra boca no os profanar, sino lo que sale de vuestra bocaeso es lo que os profanar.14

14.

15. Yesha dice: Cuando veis a quien no naci de mujer, prosternaos sobre vuestro rostro y adoradlel es
vuestro Padre.15
16. Yesha dice: Quizs la gente piense que he venido para arrojar paz sobre el mundo, y no saben que he
venido para arrojar conflictos sobre la tierrafuego, espada, guerra. a Pues habr cinco en una casaestarn
tres contra dos y dos contra tres, el padre contra el hijo y el hijo contra el padre. Y se pondrn de pie como
solitarios.16
17. Yesha dice: Yo os dar lo que ningn ojo ha visto y ningn odo ha escuchado y ninguna mano ha tocado,
y que no ha surgido en la mente humana. 17

Los discpulos dicen a Yesha: Dinos cmo ser nuestro fin. a Yesha dice: Es que habis descubierto el
origen, que ahora preguntis referente al fin? Pues en el lugar donde existe el origen, all existir el fin. Bendito quien se pondr de pie en el origeny conocer el fin y no saborear la muerte. 18
18.

19. Yesha dice: Bendito es quien exista antes de que entrara en el ser. Si os converts en discpulos mos y
atendis mis dichos, estas piedras se harn siervos vuestros. Pues tenis cinco rboles en el paraso, los cuales
no se mueven en el verano ni caen sus hojas en el inviernoquien los conocer, no saborear la muerte. 19
11

Mt 24:35, Tom 61b!, Fel 86!; aes decir, el universo observable entero?!vase Tom 111; NB la palabra hebrea para
cielo, Mym# [shamyim], ocurre solamente en forma plural, as implicando que hay ms de uno; bI-R 8:27!, Isa 65:17,
Ap 21:1, Fel 123; cJn 11:25-26.
12
Anti-gnstico; parece dilogo de la post resurreccin; Mc 6:3, Jn 7:5, Hch 1:14/12:17, Stg 1:1.
13 a
Isa 46:5; basndeton; el Nombre no aparece en el papiro, pero se puede inferir con certeza; x 3:14, Lev 24:16, Mc
14:62, Lc 6:40, Jn 4:14/15:1, Tom 61b/77, Fel 125; Las Odas de San Salomn, 11:6-9, Beb y me embriagu con el
agua viviente que no muere; ntese tambin la gematra infinita de x 3:14159263...
14 a
Abiertamente, en pblico; bConfucio, Analectas, 15.31: Una vez pas todo el da pensando sin comer y toda la noche
pensando sin acostarme; habra sido mejor pasar el tiempo estudiando; Bhagavad gita, 11.48: No es posible verme por
medio de la sagrada tradicin ni ritual de sacrificio ni estudio ni caridad ni por ritos ni austeridades terribles; Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe, Fausto, I: Torturndome a m mismo con oracin y ayuno; cvase La Espritu Materna; Isa
58:6-9, Mc 7:14-23!, Mt 6:1-6+16-18, Lc 18:1!/=Lc 10:8-9, Tom 6/95/104, Fel 74.
15
Jos 5:14, Lc 17:16, Tom 46!/101!
16 a
Isa 66:15-16, Joel 2:30-31, Sof 3:8, Mal 4:1, Tom 10; =Miq 7:6, =Lc 12:49-53.
17
Isa 64:4; San Juan de la Cruz, Un xtasis de harta contemplacin, VII: Y es de tan alta excelencia aqueste summo
saber, que no ay facultad ni sciencia que la puedan emprender.
18 a
Sal 39:4; Isa 48:12, Lc 20:38!, Jn 1:1-2, Tom 1/19, Ap 22:13; Boecio, Sobre la consolacin de la Filosofa: Verte a
Ti es el fin y el principio; T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding, Four Quartets: El fin es donde empecemos; Jack Kerouac, Visiones de Cody: Qu tipo de viaje es la vida de un ser humano, que tiene principio mas no tiene fin?
19
Los cinco sentidos?!; Job 5:23, Sal 1:3, Tom 1/18, Fel 61!, Vrd 28.

13

20. Los discpulos dicen a Yesha: Dinos a qu se asemeja la soberana de los cielos. l les dice: Se asemeja
a una semilla de mostaza, la ms pequea de todas las semillaspero cuando cae en tierra frtil, produce una
planta grande y se hace albergue para los pjaros del cielo. 20

Mriam dice a Yesha: A quines se asemejan tus discpulos? l dice: Se asemejan a niitos que residen en un campo que no es suyo. Cuando vengan los dueos del campo, dirn: Dejadnos nuestro campo! Se
quitan su ropa frente a ellos para cedrselo y para devolverles su campo. a Por eso yo digo, si el dueo de la
casa se entera de que viene el ladrn, estar sobre aviso antes de que llegue y no le permitir penetrar en la
casa de su dominio para quitarle sus pertenencias. Pero vosotros, cuidaos del origen del sistemaceid vuestros lomos con gran fuerza para que no encuentren los bandidos una manera de alcanzaros, pues hallarn la
ventaja que anticipis. Qu haya entre vosotros una persona con comprensin!cuando madur el fruto,
vino rpido con su hoz en la mano, b lo cosech. Quien tiene odos para or, qu oiga!21
21.

22. Yesha vio a nios que estn mamando. Dice a sus discpulos: Estos nios que maman se asemejan a los
que entran en la soberana. Le dicen: As al convertirnos en nios entraremos en la soberana? Yesha les
dice: Cuando hagis de los dos uno, y hagis el interior como el exterior y el exterior como el interior y lo de
arriba como lo de abajo, y si establezcis el varn con la mujer como una sola unidad de tal modo que el hombre no se comporte (como) masculino y la mujer no se comporte (como) femenina, cuando establezcis ojos
en el lugar de un ojo y una mano en el lugar de una mano y un pie en el lugar de un pie (y) una imagen en el
lugar de una imagenentonces entraris en [la soberana]. 22
23. Yesha dice: Yo os escoger, uno entre mil y dos entre diez mily se pondrn ellos de pie, hacindose
una sola unidad.23
24. Sus discpulos dicen: Mustranos tu lugar, pues es preciso que lo busquemos. l les dice: Quien tiene
odos, qu oiga! Dentro de un hombre de luz hay luz y l ilumina al mundo entero. Cuando no brilla, hay oscuridad.24
25.

Yesha dice: Ama a tu hermano como a tu alma, a protgelo como a la pupila de tu ojo.25

26. Yesha dice: Ves la mota que est en el ojo de tu hermano, pero no ves la viga que est en tu propio ojo.
Cuando saques la viga de tu propio ojo, entonces vers claro para quitar la mota del ojo de tu hermano. 26
27. (Yesha dice:) A menos que ayunis del sistema, no encontraris la soberana {de Dios}; a menos que
mantengis la semana a (entera) como sbado,b no veris al Padre.27

Yesha dice: Me puse de pie en medio del mundo y encarnado me manifestaba a ellos. a Los encontr a
todos ebrios, no encontr a nadie entre ellos sediento en su corazn. Y mi alma se apenaba por los hijos de los
hombres, porque estn ciegos en sus mentes y no ven que vacos han entrado en el mundo y vacos estn destinados a salir del mundo.b Pero ahora estn ebrioscuando sacudan su vino, entonces cambiarn de mente. 28
28.

Yesha dice: Si la carne ha llegado a ser por lo espiritual, es una maravillapero si espritu por lo corporal, sera una maravilla maravillosa. Pero yo mismo me maravillo de esto: como esta gran riqueza ha sido
29.

20

=Mc 4:30-32.
Tom 37; basndeton; =Mt 24:43-44.
22
Anti-gnstico; Mt 18:3; =Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, IIIvase Tom 37n!; Mary Ann Evans [George Eliot],
Middlemarch: Los acontecimientos sucesivos adentro y afuera existan all en una vista: aunque se podra concentrarse
en cada uno en turno, los dems todava mantenan su agarro en la conciencia; Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Fenomenologa
de la percepcin: El interior y el exterior son inseparables; el mundo existe enteramente dentro, y el yo enteramente
afuera, de m; Las Odas de San Salomn, 34:5, La semejanza de lo de abajo, es lo de arribapues todo es de arriba; lo
de abajo no es nada ms que el engao de quienes carecen de conocimiento; Scrates en el Fedro de Platn: Querido
Pan y cualesquiera otros dioses que estn presentes, concededme hermosura en el alma interior y que el exterior y el
interior sean una unidad.
23
Dt 32:30, Job 33:23, Ecl 7:28.
24
Mt 5:14-16, Jn 13:36; parece dilogo de la post resurreccin.
25 a
Asndeton; Dt 32:10, I-Sam 18:1, Sal 17:8, Pr 7:2, Jn 13:34-35; Tennessee Williams, El camino real: La palabra ms
peligrosa en cualquier lengua humana, es la palabra para hermano. Es incendiaria.... La gente necesita la palabra. Estn
sedientos de l; I ching, hexagrama 63, Despus de la terminacin: La indiferencia es la raz de toda maldad.
26
=Mt 7:3-5.
27
Mc 1:13, Jn 5:19!; Justino Mrtir, Dilogo con Trifn, 12 [ca. 160 d.C.]: La Ley nueva [el Evangelio] os requiere
mantener un sbado perpetuo; =Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, III.15; aaqu sbado = semana como en Lev
23:15-16: vase P133 y Paterson Brown, The Sabbath and the Week in Thomas 27, Novum Testamentum 1992, www.
metalog.org/files/tpb/sabbath.html; bes decir, llegar al reposo, como en Tom 2/50/60/90.
28
Isa 28:7; aenfticamente anti-gnstico!, Jn 1:14; parece dicho de la post resurreccin; bJob 1:21, Ecl 5:15.
21 a

14

colocado en esta pobreza.29

Yesha dice: Donde hay tres dioses, {son ateos. Pero donde hay solo uno, a digo que} yo mismo soy
con lb. {Levantad la piedra y all me encontraris, partid la madera y all estoy.} 30
30.

Yesha dice: Ningn orculo se acepta en su propia aldea, ningn mdico cura a aqullos que lo conocen.31
31.

Yesha dice: Una ciudad fortificada, construida encima de una montaa alta, no puede caer ni ser escondida.32
32.

33. Yesha dice: Lo que escuchars en tu odo, proclmalo desde tus azoteas a otros odos. Pues nadie enciende una lmpara para ponerla debajo de un cesto ni la pone en un lugar escondido, sino que se coloca sobre
el candelero para que todos los que entran y salen vean su resplandor. 33
34.

Yesha dice: Si un ciego gua a un ciego, los dos caen juntos en un hoyo. 34

Yesha dice: Es imposible que alguien entre en la casa del poderoso para conquistarla por la fuerza, a
menos que le ate sus manosentonces pillar su casa. 35

35.

36. Yesha dice: No estis ansiosos por la maana referente a la noche ni por la noche referente a la maana,
{ni por vuestro [alimento] que comeris ni por [vuestra vestidura] que llevaris. Sois muy superiores a las
[flores del viento] que ni cardan (lana) ni [hilan]. Cuando estis desnudos, qu os [llevis]? O quin puede
aumentar vuestra estatura? l mismo os dar vuestra vestidura.} 36

Sus discpulos dicen: Cundo te nos aparecers y cundo te percibiremos? Yesha dice: Cuando os quitis vuestras vestiduras sin avergonzaros y tomis vuestras vestiduras y las pongis bajo vuestros pies para
pisar sobre ellas, como hacen los niitosentonces [miraris] al Hijo del Viviente y no temeris. 37
37.

Yesha dice: Muchas veces habis anhelado or estos dichos que os proclamo y no tenis otro de quien
orlos. Habr das en que me buscaris, pero no me encontraris. 38
38.

39. Yesha dice: Los dogmticos y los escriturarios han recibido las llaves del conocimiento, pero las han
escondido. No entraron ellos, ni permitan entrar a los que queran hacerlo. Pero vosotroshaceos astutos
como serpientes y inocentes como palomas. 39

Yesha dice: Ha sido plantada una enredadera sin el Padrey (puesto que a) no es vigorosa, ser desarraigada y destruida.40

40.

41. Yesha dice: Quien tiene en su mano, a l se le dar (ms); y quien no tiene, se le quitar lo poco que
tiene.41
42.

Yesha dice: Haceos transentes.42

29

Anti-gnstico; Tom 2, Fel 23.

Hch 10:35; aJoseph E. Brown, La pipa sagrada (una oracin de Black Elk): Debemos de entender bien que todas las
cosas son obras del Gran Espritu; b [ Qurn, Baqarah 2:62]: En verdad, quienes creen, incluso los judos y
los cristianos y los sabianos, quienesquiera que creen en Al y el Da Final y que hacen obras justas, tendrn su premio
con su Amo; vase La Carta de Aristeas, 15-16: wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/ot/pseudo/aristeas.htm.
31
Asndeton; =Mc 6:4, Vrd 40.
32
Mt 5:14.
33
=Mt 5:15/=10:27, =Mc 4:21.
34
=Mt 15:14.
35
Isa 49:24-25, =Mc 3:27.
36
Vestidura = imgenes?!: vanse Tom 37/84, Fel 26/ 107, ngel, imagen y smbolo y el antiguo y encantador Himno
de la perla: www.metalog.org/files/himno-perla.txt; =Mt 6:25.
37
Gn 2:25 3:7, Isa 19:2, Tom 21; vestiduras = imgenes?!; parece dilogo de la post resurreccin; Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, III: Pregunt Salom cundo se sabra de lo que estaba pidiendo informes. Dijo el Amo: Cuando pisis
encima de la vestimenta de vergenza y cuando los dos se conviertan en uno y el hombre con la mujer ni masculino ni
femenina; Tom 22/61b!
38
Pro 1:28, Cnt 5:6, Isa 54:8, Am 8:11-12, Lc 17:22.
39
Mt 5:20/23:1-39, =Lc 11:52, =Mt 10:16.
40 a
Asndeton; Mt 15:13.
41
=Mt 13:12.
42
O: Sed conducidos de largo; Gn 14:13 LXX traduce hebreo Abram el hebreo como Abram el [nmada];
Mt 10:1-23/28:19-20, Jn 16:28; Matsuo Basho, Camino estrecho al interior: Cada da es un viaje y el viaje mismo es
nuestro hogar; Ernest Hemingway, Fiesta: Gracias a Dios, soy un hombre viajero; Silvia Plath, Los diarios ntegros:
Slo puedo pasar adelante. Algo dentro de m quiere ms.... Todava hay tiempo para virar, para salir atrevidamente,
30

15

43. Sus discpulos le dicen: Quin eres?, puesto que nos dices estas cosas. (Yesha les dice:) De lo que os
digo no conocis quin soy, ya que os habis hecho como aquellos de Judea apues aman el rbol pero odian
su fruto, y aman el fruto pero odian el rbol.43
44. Yesha dice: Quien maldice al Padre, se le perdonar; y quien maldice al Hijo, se le perdonar. Pero quien
maldice a la Sagrada Espritu, no se le perdonarni en la tierra ni en el cielo. 44
45. Yesha dice: No se cosechan uvas de los espinos ni se recogen higos de un zarzalpues no dan fruto. Una
persona buena saca lo bueno de su tesoro; una persona perversa saca la maldad del tesoro malo que est en su
corazn y habla maliciosamentepues de la abundancia del corazn saca la maldad. 45

Yesha dice: Desde Adn hasta Juan Bautista, entre los nacidos de mujeres no hay ninguno ms enaltecido que Juan Bautistatanto que sus ojos no se rompern. No obstante, he dicho que quienquiera de entre
vosotros que se haga como nio, conocer la soberana y ser ms exaltado que Juan. 46
46.

Yesha dice: Una persona no puede montar dos caballos ni tensar dos arcos, y un esclavo no puede servir
a dos amosde lo contrario honrar a uno y ofender al otro. 47a

47a.

47b. (Yesha dice:) Nadie bebe vino aejo e inmediatamente quiere beber vino fresco. Y no se pone vino
fresco en odres viejos, para que no se revienten. Y no se pone vino aejo en odres nuevos, para que no se
agre. No se cose remiendo viejo en ropa nueva, porque vendra un rasgn. 47b
48. Yesha dice: Si dos hacen la paz entre s dentro de esta misma casa, dirn a la montaa, Muvete!y
se mover.48

Yesha dice: Benditos son los solitarios a y escogidospues hallaris la soberana. Puesto que son de ella,
all volverisb.49
49.

50. Yesha dice: Si os dicen: De dnde habis venido?, decidles: Hemos venido de la luz, el lugar donde la
luz ha llegado a ser por l solo; l mismo [se puso de pie] y se apareci en las imgenes de ellos. Si os dicen:
Quines sois?, decid: Somos los Hijos de l y somos los escogidos del Padre viviente. Si os preguntan: Cul
es el signo en vosotros de vuestro Padre?, decidles: Es movimiento con reposo. 50
51. Sus discpulos le dicen: Cundo suceder el reposo de los muertos, y cundo vendr el mundo nuevo? l
les dice: Lo que buscis (ya) ha llegado, pero no lo conocis. 51
52. Sus discpulos le dicen: Veinticuatro profetas proclamaron en Israel, y todos hablaban dentro de ti. l les
dice: Habis ignorado al viviente que os enfrenta, y habis hablado de los muertos. 52

Sus discpulos le dicen: Es provechosa para nosotros la circuncisin, o no? l les dice: Si fuera provechosa, su padre los habra engendrado circuncisos de su madre. Pero la verdadera circuncisin espiritual se ha
hecho totalmente provechosa.53
53.

54.

Yesha dice: Benditos son los pobres, pues vuestra es la soberana de los cielos. 54

55.

Yesha dice: Quien no odia a su padre y a su madre, no podr hacerse discpulo mo. Y quien no odia a sus

mochila en la espalda, rumbo a lomas desconocidas sobre las cuales slo el viento sabe lo que haya
43
Mt 12:33, Jn 4:22, Fel 6!/50!/108!; aversus nosotros de Galilea, como en Jn 7:1?
44
=Mc 3:28-29; vase La Espritu Materna.
45
I-Sam 24:13, =Mt 7:16/ =12:34-35, Stg 3:10.
46
Tom 15, =Lc 7:28.
47a
=Lc 16:13.
47b
Job 32:19, =Lc 5:36-39.
48
=Mt 17:20/=18:19.
49
Jn 16:28; aBoris Pasternak, El doctor Jivago: Solamente los solitarios buscan la verdad y rompen con quien no la ame
lo bastante; bPlotino, Enadas, I.6.8: La patria para nosotros existe all de donde hemos venido, y all existe el Padre.
50
Gn 1:3, Isa 28:12/30:15, Lc 16:8, Jn 1:12-14/12:36, Tom 27; Bhagavad gita, 6.27: Cuando se tranquilice su mente,
un gozo perfecto llega a la persona de disciplina; su pasin se calma, queda sin pecado, siendo unida con la Espritu Infinita.
51
Tom 113.
52
Tom 5; citado por San Augustn, Contra adversarium legis et prophetarum, II.4.14.
53
Dt 10:6!
54
Dt 15:11, Stg 2:5-7, =Lc 6:20; ntese que el griego de Mt 5:3, , se puede interpretar igualmente como Benditos son los pobres de espritu o como Benditos en espritu son los pobresde los cual
el segundo tiene ms sentido, puesto que el paralelo en Lc 6:20+24 explcitamente refiere a la pobreza/riqueza econmica
y no a la humildad/orgullo espiritual; Erich Maria Remarque, Sin novedad en el frente: Los ms sabios eran slo la
gente pobre y sencilla; Jack Kerouac, Visiones de Cody: Todo me pertenece porque soy pobre.

16

hermanos y a sus hermanas, y levanta su propia cruz a a mi manera, no ser hecho digno de m. 55
Yesha dice: Quien ha conocido el sistema, ha encontrado un cadver ay quien ha encontrado un cadver, de l no es digno el sistema.56
56.

57. Yesha dice: La soberana del Padre se asemeja a una persona que tiene semilla [buena]. Su enemigo vino
de noche,a sembr maleza entre la semilla buena. El hombre no les permiti desarraigar la maleza; les dice:
Para que no salgis diciendo Vamos a desarraigar la maleza, y desarraiguis el trigo con ella. Pues en el da
de la cosecha, aparecer la malezala desarraigan y la queman. 57
58.

Yesha dice: Bendita es la persona que ha padecidoha encontrado la vida. 58

59.

Yesha dice: Mirad al Viviente mientras vivis, no sea que muris y anhelis mirarlo sin poder ver. 59

60. (Ven) a un samaritano cargando un cordero, entrando en Judea. Yesha les dice: (Por qu lleva) aqul al
cordero? Le dicen: Para matarlo y comerlo. l les dice: Mientras est vivo no lo comer, sino solamente
despus de haberlo matado y se convierta en cadver. Dicen: De lo contrario no podr hacerlo. l les dice:
Vosotros mismos, entoncesbuscad un lugar para s mismos en el reposo, para que no os hagis cadveres y
seis comidos.60
61a.

Yesha dice: Dos descansarn en una camael uno morir, el otro vivir. 61a

61b. Salom dice: Quin eres t, hombre? Como (mandado) por alguien, te acostaste en mi cama y comiste
de mi mesa.a Yesha le dice: SOY el que existe de la igualdad; a m se me dieron de las cosas de mi Padre.
(Salom dice:) Soy tu discpula. (Yesha le dice:) Por eso yo digo que cuando alguien iguala se llenar de
luz, pero cuando divideb se llenar de tinieblas.61b
62. Yesha dice: Yo comunico mis misterios a quienes [son dignos] de mis misterios. No dejes que tu (mano)
izquierda sepa lo que hace tu derecha. 62

Yesha dice: Haba una persona rica que posea mucho dinero, y dijo: Utilizar mi dinero para sembrar y
cosechar y volver a sembrar, para llenar mis graneros con fruto y que nada me falte. As pensaba en su corazny aquella misma noche, muri. Quien tiene odos, qu oiga! 63

63.

64. Yesha dice: Una persona tena huspedes. Y cuando haba preparado el banquete, envi a su esclavo para
convidar a los huspedes. Fue al primero, le dice: Te convida mi amo. Responde: Debo dinero a unos mercaderes; vienen a m en el atardecer, ir para hacerles mi pedidoruego ser excusado del banquete. Fue a
otro, le dice: Mi amo te ha convidado. Le responde: He comprado una casa y me necesitan por un da, no
tendr (tiempo) libre. Vino a otro, le dice: Mi amo te convida. Le responde: Mi amigo va a casarse y planear un festn; no podr venirruego ser excusado del banquete. Fue a otro, le dice: Mi amo te convida.
Le responde: He comprado una finca; voy para recibir el alquiler, no podr venirruego ser excusado.
Vino el esclavo, dijo a su amo: Los que Usted ha convidado al banquete han pedido disculpa. Dice el amo a
su esclavo: Sal a los caminostrae a quienesquiera que encuentres, para que cenen. Comerciantes y mercaderes no entrarn en los lugares de mi Padre! 64
65. (Yesha) dice: Una persona bondadosa tena una via. La arrend a cultivadores, para que la labraran y
recibiera de ellos su fruto. Mand a su esclavo, para que los cultivadores le dieran el fruto de la via. Agar55 a

Anti-gnstico; =Lc 14:26-27.

O, en una metfora moderna, una mquina; Sab 13:10; Jonathan Swift, Cuento de un balde, II: Encontrars que el
cuerpo no es ms que un cadver asqueroso sin sentido.
57 a
Asndeton; II-Ped 3:15-17?!, =Mt 13:24-30.
58
Asndeton; Mt 5:10-12, Stg 1:12, I-Ped 3:14; Esquilo, Agamenn, 232: Los hombres han de aprender por sufrimiento; Vctor Hugo, Los miserables: Haber padecido, qu bueno es!; Naguib Mahfouz, Zaabalawi, El mundo de
Dios: Sufrir pertenece al remedio!
59
Ecl 12:1-8.
60
Tom 1/50; Thomas Mann, La montaa mgica: La posibilidad de hallar la salvacin en el reposo.
61a
Asndeton; =Lc 17:34.
61b
Tom 37n!, Fel 11!/65!; aCnt 1:4; Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote de la Mancha, I: Del amor se dice que todas las
cosas iguala; Teresa de vila, El castillo interior, VI.4.1: Todo es para ms desear gozar al Esposo,... para que tenga
nimo [una] de juntarse con tan gran Seor y tomarle por Esposo; bPr 6:19c!
62
Mc 4:10-12, =Mt 6:3.
63
=Lc 12:16-21.
64
Asndeta mltiples; Ezek 27-28, Sof 1:11, Zac 14:21, Mt 21:12-13, =Lc 14:16-23; William Wordsworth: El mundo es
demasiado con nosotros: Ganando y gastando, asolamos nuestros poderes; Robert Frost, New Hampshire: Tener
algo que vender | Es la desgracia en la humanidad.
56 a

17

raron a su esclavo, lo golpearonun poco ms y lo habran matado. El esclavo fue, se lo dijo a su amo. Dijo
su amo: Quizs no lo reconocieron. Mand a otro esclavolos cultivadores lo golpearon tambin. Entonces el
amo mand a su hijo. Dijo: Tal vez obedecern a mi hijo. Ya que aquellos cultivadores saban que era el heredero de la via, lo agarraron, lo mataron. Quien tiene odos, qu oiga! 65
66.

Yesha dice: Mostradme la piedra que han rechazado los constructoreses la piedra angular. 66

67.

Yesha dice: Quien lo conoce todo excepto a s mismo, carece de todo. 67

68. Yesha dice: Benditos sois cuando sois odiados y perseguidosy no hallaris sitio all donde habis sido
perseguidos.68
69a. Yesha dice: Benditos son quienes han sido perseguidos en su coraznellos son los que han conocido al
Padre en verdad.69a
69b.

(Yesha dice:) Benditos los hambrientos, pues se llenar el estmago de el que desea. 69b

70. Yesha dice: Cuando saquis lo que hay dentro de vosotros, esto que tenis os salvar. Si no tenis eso
dentro de s mismos, esto que no tenis dentro de s os matar. 70
71.

Yesha dice: Yo destruir [esta] casa, y nadie ser capaz de [re]construirla. 71

72. [Alguien] le [dice]: Diga usted a mis hermanos que repartan conmigo las posesiones de mi padre. l le
dice: Oh hombre, quin me hizo repartidor? Se volvi a sus discpulos, a les dice: No soy repartidor, verdad?72
73. Yesha dice: La cosecha en verdad es abundante, pero los obreros son pocos. As pues implorad al Amo
que mande obreros a la cosecha.73
74.

(Yesha) dice: Oh Amo, hay muchos alrededor del pozo, pero ninguno dentro del pozo! 74

75. Yesha dice: Hay muchos que estn de pie a la puerta, pero los solitarios son los que entrarn en la Cmara
Nupcial.75

Yesha dice: La soberana del Padre se asemeja a un comerciante que tiene mercadera, el cual hall una
perla. Aquel comerciante era sabio; vendi la mercadera, compr para s mismo esa sola perla. Vosotros mismos, buscad el tesoro de l, el cual no perece, que perdurael lugar donde ni la polilla se acerca para devorar
ni el gusano destruye. 76
76.

Yesha dice: SOY la luz sobre todos, SOY la totalidad. Todo sali de m, y todo me alcanz a m (de
nuevo). Partid la madera,a all estoy yo; levantad la piedra y all me encontraris. 77
77.

78. Yesha dice: Por qu salisteis a lo silvestrepara ver una caa sacudida por el viento? Y para ver a una
persona vestida con ropa fina? [He aqu, vuestros] gobernantes y vuestros dignatarios son los que se visten
con ropa fina, y ellos no podrn conocer la verdad. 78

Una mujer de la multitud le dice: Bendito el vientre que te pari, y benditos los pechos que te amamantaron! l [le] dice: Benditos los que han odo el Logos del Padre y lo han mantenido en verdad. Pues habr
das en los que diris: Bendito este vientre que no ha concebido y estos pechos que no han amamantado! 79
79.

65

Asndeta mltiples; =Mc 12:1-8.

Isa 28:16, =Sal 118:22Mt 21:42.
67
Ecl 1:13-14, Tom 3.
68
Mt 5:10-12.
69a
Ibd.
69b
Mt 5:6.
70
Lc 11:41!
71
Mc 14:58, Jn 2:19.
72 a
Asndeton; Lc 12:13-14; John Steinbeck, Las uvas de ira, 14: La calidad de aduear te congela para siempre en un
yo, y te bloquea para siempre del nosotros.
73
=Mt 9:37-38.
74
Orgenes, Contra Celsum, 8.16: Cmo es que muchos estn alrededor del pozo y nadie entra?
75
Mt 9:15/25:10, Tom 16/49.
76
Asndeta mltiples; Sal 11:7/17:15, =Mt 6:19-20/=13:44-46, =Lk 12:33.
77 a
Asndeton; Jn 8:12, Tom 30n; Lao Tzu, Tao teh ching, 16: Todas las cosas florecen, pero cada una regresa a su raz,...
el Tao eterno; Vctor Hugo, Los miserables: Todo viene de la luz y todo regresa a ella.
78
=Mt 11:7-8.
79
Lc 1:42/=11:27-28/23:29.
66

18

80. Yesha dice: Quien ha conocido el sistema, ha encontrado el cuerpo; mas quien ha encontrado el cuerpo,
de l no es digno el sistema.80
81.

Yesha dice: Quien ha sido enriquecido, qu se haga soberano; y quien posee poder, qu (lo) renuncie. 81

82. Yesha dice: Quien est cerca de m est cerca del fuego, y quien est lejos de m est lejos de la Soberana.82

Yesha dice: Las imgenes se manifiestan a la humanidad, y (sin embargo) la luz dentro de ellas se esconde.a l se revelar en la imagen de la luz del Padre(pero todava b) su luz esconde a su imagen. 83
83.

84. Yesha dice: Cuando veis vuestro reflejo, os regocijis. Pero cuando percibis vuestras imgenes, que han
entrado en la existencia desde vuestro Origenlas cuales ni mueren a ni representan2hasta qu punto dependern dec vosotros?84
85. Yesha dice: Adn entr en la existencia por un gran poder y una gran riqueza, y (sin embargo) no se hizo
digno de vosotros. Pues si hubiera sido digno, no [habra saboreado] la muerte. 85

Yesha dice: [Los zorros tienen sus guaridas] y los pjaros tienen sus nidos, pero el hijo de la humanidad
no tiene ningn lugar para poner su cabeza y descansar. 86

86.

87. Yesha dice: Miserable es el cuerpo que depende de (otro) cuerpo, y miserable es el alma que depende de
estar juntos ellos.87

Yesha dice: Los ngeles y los profetas estn viniendo a vosotros, y os obsequiarn lo vuestro. Y vosotros
mismos, dadles lo que tenis en vuestras manos y decid entre s: En qu da vienen para recibir lo suyo? 88
88.

89. Yesha dice: Por qu lavis el exterior del cliz? No comprendis que l que crea el interior, tambin es
l que crea el exterior?89
90. Yesha dice: Venid a m, pues mi yoga es natural y mi dominio es mansoy hallaris reposo para s
mismos.90
91. Le dicen: Dinos quin eres t, para que confiemos en ti. l les dice: Escudriis la faz del cielo y de la
tierrapero no habis conocido a quien tenis enfrente, y no sabis preguntarle en este momento. 91
92. Yesha dice: Buscad y encontraris. Pero las cosas que me preguntabais en aquellos das, no os las dije entonces. Ahora quiero comunicarlas y no preguntis acerca de ellas. 92

(Yesha dice:) No deis lo sagrado a los perros, para que no lo echen en el estercolero. No arrojis las perlas
a los cerdos, para que no (las) quiebren en pedazos. 93
93.
94.

Yesha [dice]: Quien busca encontrar. [Y a quien aldabea] se le abrir. 94

80

Tom 56.
As soberano sin poder: un koan zen verdadero!
82
Citado por Orgenes, Homila sobre Jeremas, XX.3.
83 a
Tom 19; basndeton; Sal 104:2!; Vctor Hugo, Los miserables: Dios existe detrs de todas las cosas, pero todas las
cosas esconden a Dios.
84 a
Las percepciones sensorias no perecen sino pasan a la historia; bni tampoco manifiestan otra cosa ms all de, bajo de,
o dentro de s mismos; ccop 6a, vase P269.1: usada despus de verbos de cargar o llevar, cuando el cargador se considera como bajo la carga; este dicho es la bisagra epistemolgica [y por ello ontolgica] del texto entero; vanse x
14:14, Sal 139:16, Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19, Tom 19 y ngel, imagen y smbolo; Chuang Tsu [China, 4 siglo a.C.]: La
alegra, el enojo, la afliccin, el deleite, la preocupacin, el remordimiento, la veleidad, la inflexibilidad, la modestia, la
voluntad, la sinceridad, la insolencia: sin ellos no existiramos, sin nosotros no tienen nada que agarrar;... parece que
tienen algn Maestro Verdadero, pero no encuentro ninguna huella de l; puede actuareso cierto es; sin embargo no
puedo ver su forma; tiene identidad pero no tiene forma; Alexander Pope, Ensayo sobre el hombre, I.34: Sostenido
por Dios o por ti?
85
Gn 3:19, Tom 1.
86
Dan 7:13-14, =Mt 8:20; Thomas Wolfe, No se puede regresar a casa: Sin hogar, sin raz, desarraigado y solo, sin
puerta para entrar, ningn lugar para llamar suyo en toda la vasta desolacin del planeta.
87
II-Sam 13:1-22, Tom 112.
88
Ap 22:8-9!
89
Lc 11:39-41.
90
Mt 11:28-30, Tom 60.
91
Tom 5/52/76/ 84, =Lc 12:56; John Steinbeck, Las uvas de ira, 13: No s para qu orar ni a quin orar.
92
=Mt 7:7-8; Mencio, siglo IV a.C. China: Suelen decir, Buscad y lo encontraris, desatended y lo perderis.
93
Pro 23:9, =Mt 7:6.
94
=Mt 7:8.
81

19

[Yesha dice:] Si tenis monedas-de-cobre, a no las prestis a interssino dad[las] a aqul que no te reembolsar.95
95.

Yesha [dice:] La soberana del Padre se asemeja a [una] mujer (que 1) ha tomado un poco de levadura, a la
[ha escondido] en la masa,a produjo grandes panes de ella. Quien tiene odos, qu oiga! 96
96.

Yesha dice: La soberana del [Padre] se asemeja a una mujer que lleva una jarra llena de grano. (Mientras) estaba andando [por un] camino lejano, se rompi el asa de la jarra, derram el grano detrs de ella en el
camino. No se dio cuenta, no haba notado ningn accidente. (Cuando) lleg a su casa, puso la jarra en el
suelola descubri vaca.97
97.

98. Yesha dice: La soberana del Padre se asemeja a una persona que desea matar a una persona eminente. En
su casa desenvain la espada,a la clav en la pared para averiguar si su mano prevalecera. Luego asesin a la
persona eminente.98
99. Le dicen sus discpulos: Tus hermanos y tu madre estn de pie ah fuera. l les dice: Los que cumplen
aqu los deseos de mi Padrestos son mis Hermanos y mi Madre. Ellos son los que entrarn en la soberana
de mi Padre.99

Le mostraron a Yesha un [denario] y le dicen: Los agentes del Csar nos exigen impuestos. l les dice:
Dad al Csar las cosas del Csar, dad a Dios las cosas de Dios, y dadme a m lo mo. 100
100.

101. (Yesha dice:) Quien no odia a su padre y a su madre a mi manera, no podr hacerse [discpulo] mo. Y
quien [no] ama a su [Padre] y a su Madre a mi manera, no podr hacerse discpulo mo. Pues mi madre [pari
a mi cuerpo],a pero [mi Madre] verdadera me dio la vida. 101
102. Yesha dice: Ay de los dogmticos!pues se asemejan a un perro dormido en el pesebre de los bueyes.
Pues ni come ni deja que coman los bueyes. 102

Yesha dice: Bendita es la persona que sabe por [cul] parte entran los ladrones, para que se levante y recoja sus [pertenencias] y cia sus lomos antes de que ingresen. 103
103.

104. [Le] dicen: Ven, oremos y ayunemos hoy! Yesha dice: Cul pues es la transgresin que he cometido
yo, o en qu he sido vencido? Pero cuando salga el Novio de la Cmara Nupcial, entonces que ayunen y
oren!104
105.

Yesha dice: Quien reconocer a padre y madre, ser llamado hijo de ramera. 105

Yesha dice: Cuando hagis de los dos uno, a os convertiris en hijos de la humanidad by cuando digis a
la montaa, Muvete!, se mover. 106
106.

107. Yesha dice: La soberana se asemeja a un pastor que posee 100 ovejas. Se extravi una de ellas, que era
la ms grande. l dej las 99, busc a aquella una hasta que la encontr. Habindose cansado, dice a esa oveja:
Te quiero a ti ms que a las 99!107

Yesha dice: Quien bebe de mi boca, se har semejante a m. Yo mismo me har como es l, y los secretos se le relevarn.108
108.

Yesha dice: La soberana se asemeja a una persona que tena un tesoro [escondido] en su campo sin enterarse de ello. Y [despus de] su muerte, lo leg a su [hijo. El] hijo no (lo) saba, acept aquel campo, [lo] ven109.

95

Lc 6:30-36; aaqu en el cdice de papiro encuadernado hay una hoja perplejamente en blanco por las dos caras.
Asndeta; =Mt 13:33.
97
Asndeta mltiples.
98 a
Asndeton; NB la lengua como espada en la boca: Isa 49:2, Ap 1:16.
99
Tom 15, =Mc 3:31-35.
100
Ap 13:18I-R 10:14?!: una gematra bien extraordinaria, indicando el notorio 666 como un smbolo monetario; =Mt
22:16-21.
101 a
Anti-gnstico; Job 33:4!, Jn 2:4, Tom 15/79/99, =Lc 14:26; vanse La Espritu Materna y Teognesis; Las Odas
de San Salomn, 35:6, Yo era llevado como un nio por su madre; Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, La semilla de la mostaza: Tu madre pari a tu cuerpo, no a ti.
102
Tom 39; =Las fbulas de Esopo.
103
=Lc 12:35+39.
104
Mc 2:19-20, Tom 14.
105
Mt 23:8-9, Lc 14:26, Jn 8:41, Tom 101, Teognesis.
106 a
Tom 22, Tao te ching, de Lao Tzu: stos dos son el mismo; bDan 7:13-14, Tom 86.
107
Ezek 34:15-16, =Lc 15:3-6, Fel 59.
108
Lc 6:40, Jn 4:7-15/7:37.
96 a

20

di. Y vino quien lo comprara, [descubri] el tesoro. Empez a prestar dinero a inters, a quienesquiera
que l desea.109
110.

Yesha dice: Quien ha encontrado el mundo y se ha enriquecido, que renuncie al mundo. 110

Yesha dice: El cielo y la tierra se enrollarn en vuestra presencia; y quien vive desde adentro del Viviente, no ver ni la muerte [ni el miedo]. Por eso Yesha dice: a Quien se encuentra a s mismo, el mundo no es
digno de l.111
111.

112.

Yesha dice: Ay de la carne que depende del alma, a ay del alma que depende de la carne!112

113. Sus discpulos le dicen: Cundo vendr la soberana? (Yesha dice:) No vendr por (estar a) la mira.
No dirn He aqu! o He all! Sino que la soberana del Padre se despliega sobre la tierra, y los humanos
no la ven.113

Shimn Kefa les dice: Qu Mriam salga de entre nosotros, pues las mujeres no son dignas de la vida! a
Yesha dice: He aqu, yo mismo la inspirar para que la haga varn, para que ella tambin se convierta en
una espritu viviente semejante a vosotros varones. b Pues cada mujer que se hace varn, entrar en la soberana de los cielos.114
114.

El Evangelio segn Toms

Notas a Toms
hiperlinear: www.metalog.org/files/th_interlin.html
El copto fue la etapa milenaria final de la lengua egipcia clsica, que se desarroll despus de la invasin de
Alejandro Magno (332 a.C.) y que posteriormente fue reemplazada por el rabe despus de la conquista musulmana
(640 d.C.); vase Biblio.20. Siempre ha sido la lengua litrgica de la Iglesia Egipcia; adems, las versiones coptas
antiguas del AT y del NT son de gran importancia para los estudios textuales bblicos. Utiliza muchas palabras
prestadas del griego y tambin adopt el alfabeto griego, aadiendo estas letras: 4 (shai), 3 (fai), 6 (geori), `
(dchandcha), 2 (guima), 5 (ti) y (indicador de slaba o abreviacin); www.proel.org/alfabetos/copto.html y P001.
Trminos en castellano, los cuales se deriven del egipto antiguo va copto, incluyen faran (cop p.r-ro: el-rey;
P080/C299a; generalmente interpretado de otra derivacin 1), adobe (cop twwbe: ladrillo, C398a; va rabe), oasis
(de egipto va griego; paralelo copto oua6e, C508b), y man (cop moone: alimentar, C173a). C... y P... son
referencias al Diccionario de Crum y la Gramtica de Plumley (Biblio.6/7).
Adn (46/85): heb Md) (rojo sanguneo, barro); el humano original, o la humanidad en general.
Amo (47a/64/65/73/74): heb Nwd) (adn) = gr = cop `oeis (C787b); dueo de un esclavo, soberano
sobre una persona; el ttulo seor en castellano, puesto que se aplica a cualquier fulano de tal, no es una traduccin adecuada de este ttulo; vase Fel 2 y Amo en el DRAE (www.metalog.org/files/amo.jpg).
Aejo/Bondadoso/Natural (47b/65/90): gr (til, aejo, benvolo, manso, fcil); Fel 126; los antiguos
a menudo confundan este trmino comn con el raro (ungido, como los atletas griegos), referente al
Mesas hebreo.
rboles (19): cinco rboles bien podra referirse a los cinco sentidos ( NB que todas las emociones se podran
incluir como sensaciones simblicas, as sentimientos); vanse Vrd 28 y ngel, imagen y smbolo; conviene
sealar que las hojas del olivo no brotan cada aoesto es, que es una planta perennifolia.
109

Asndeta mltiples; =Las fbulas de Esopo, Mt 13:44.

Tom 81; Antn Chjov, El jardn de los cerezos: Si te se dan las llaves del hogar, tralas en el pozo y ndate, vete. S
libre como el viento.
111 a
Aparentemente interpolado por Toms mismo; Isa 34:4, Lc 21:33, Tom 11!!, Ap 6:14.
112 a
Asndeton; Tom 87.
113
Anti-gnstico!; Sal 47:7, Lc 17:20-21, Tom 51; Henry David Thoreau, Walden: El cielo se halla bajo nuestros pies
igual que sobre nuestras cabezas.
114 a
Pro 31:3, Ecl 7:28!; bexquisitamente irnico, pues espritu en arameola lengua original del logiones femenina!;
Gn 3:16, x 18:2, Tom 22!; Las 1001 noches, I: No contad con las mujeres, no confiad en sus corazones!; Clemente
de Alejandra, Stromata, VI.12: Las almas no son ni masculinas ni femeninas, cuando ya no se casan ni se dan en matrimonio [Lc 20:34-36]; y no es la mujer convertida en varn, cuando se ha hecho igualmente no femenina y varonil y perfecta?; John Donne, Vete y coge una estrella fugaz, Canciones y sonetos: En ningn lado | Vive una mujer fiel y
bella; Saul Bellow, El viejo sistema, Mosby's Memoirs and Other Stories: Podra oler de mujer, pero se comportaba
como varn.
1
Egipcio pr-o [C267a/253a], casa grande (F. Brown, S.R. Driver, C. Briggs, basado en Wilhelm Gesenius, HebrewAramaic and English Lexicon of the Old Testament); disponible en Biblio.26.
110

21

Bendito (7/18/19/49/54/58/68/69a/69b/79/103): gr ; Mt 5:3 et passim (vase Nota 2 en el hiperlinear del

logion 7: www.metalog.org/files/th_interlin/th007.html);.
Cama (61b NB tambin en 61a): el texto copto es:

a.k.telo e`m- pa.glog

P199a-P035-C408b C757a P050-C815a

Pasado.t[masc].acostar(se) en mi.cama.
Este ltimo trmino es la nica palabra copta sahdica por cama. Pace Guillaumont et alia (Biblio.8), no significa
banca, que sera poi (C260b); ni tampoco significa sof, para la cual hay varios trminos enumerados en el
ndice ingls de Crum (bajo couch), p.ej. ma n-.nkotk (lugar de-recuesto, C225a)as en la versin sahdica de
Hch 5:15, glog se usa por y ma n-.nkotk por (estoy agradecido a Hany Takla por esta
referencia).
Cmara Nupcial (75/104): cop ma n-.4eleet (lugar de novia; C153a/560b) = gr = heb rdx (jeder);
la cmara donde se consuma el matrimonio (Jue 15:1, Sal 19:5/45:13-15! Cnt 1:4, Jn 3:29!, Mt 9:15 [
, los Hijos de la Cmara Nupcial], 25:1-13)vanse Fel 65/71/72/73/82/94/101/108/131/143, Sacramento
en Fel Notas.
Cielo (3/6/9/11/12/20/44/54/91/111/114): cop pe (C259a) = gr = heb Mym# (shamayim; plural).
Conocimiento (39/43/51/56/67/69a/78/80/91/105): cop sooun (C369b) = gr (gnosis); este importante
trmino significa conocimiento directo y personal, como en Jn 17:25 y I-Jn 4:7, en lugar de mera cognicin intelectual; vanse Tom 5, Fel 116/122/134, Vrd 1/4/6 etc., Encarnado y Gnosticismo.
Dogmticos (39/102): aram My#wrp (perushim, fariseos: separados); clrigos judos dogmticos ubicuos de
aquel tiempo, el partido religioso de Pablo de Tarso; Mt 5:20/23:1-39, Hch 26:5 etc.
Encarnado (28): cop 6n- sarc (en carneutilizando la misma palabra griega como Jn 1:14, ); as
evidentemente anti-gnstico; vase Gnosticismo.
Escriturario (39): gr (escriba); un estudioso de las escrituras; Mt 23:1-39 etc.
Esopo (102/109): esclavo griego cojo que floreci en el siglo VI a.C. y fue ejecutado en Delfos por impiedad,
cuyas Fbulas eran bien conocidas por todo el mundo antiguo; el nico no israelita adems del Orculo Dlfico
(Concete a ti mismo: Tom 3) a quien se sabe que haba citado Cristo, como tambin en Lc 4:23 (la moraleja de
La rana curandera), Mt 7:15 (El lobo vestido de oveja) y varias otras alusiones.
Espritu (14/29/44/53/114): heb xwr (raj; gnero femenino!) = aram )xwr (rja) gr (gnero
neutro!) latn SPIRITUS (gnero masculino!); en todos estos idiomas la palabra para espritu deriva de respiracin o viento (Isa 57:16, Jn 3:5-8); vanse Sagrada Espritu y Comentario 2, abajo.
Filsofo (13): gr (aficionado a la sabidura); esta palabra (acuada por el presocrtico Pitgoras)
no tiene ningn equivalente exacto en hebreo/arameo, y por ello el propio Mateo quizs se hubiera visto obligado a
utilizar el vocablo griego; no obstante, vase el paralelo en Job 9:4, bbl Mkx (jakam liba), sabio de corazn.
Gnosticismo (5): referente al antignosticismo de estos textos, vanse Conocimiento, Encarnado y Son
gnsticos los evangelios coptos?; el gnosticismo es por definicin metafsicamente platnico, sosteniendo que
tanto el universo perceptible como la encarnacin son inconfiables o aun ilusorios; nuestros textos, al contrario,
comparten la visin bblica que tanto el universo como nuestras encarnaciones son creados por Dios.
Guerra (16): gr ; hoy en da, se podra interpretar las estrellas cayendo del cielo (Isa 34:4, Mc
13:25, Ap 6:13/8:6-12 y ss.) como una guerra termonuclear, puesto que las bombas de hidrgeno son literalmente
estrellitas hechas por la tecnologa humana; dentro de esta generacin en Lc 21:24-32 se cuenta explcitamente
desde la reconquista de Jerusaln (es decir, junio de 1967) y no de la fundacin del estado moderno de Israel (mayo
de 1948); en el AT, una generacin israelita podra extenderse desde cuarenta aos (Nm 14:33, Dt 2:14) hasta cien
aos (Gn 15:13-16). El inminente apocalpsis militar/ecolgico no parece una parbola!
Imagen/Imgenes (22/50/83/84): gr (similitud) = heb Mlc (tselem, de lc [tsel, sombra]; Gn 1:26; percepciones sensibles y/o imgenes mentales, los cinco sentidos (Tom 19!) junto con la memoria y la imaginacin;
vase ngel, imagen y smbolo.
Inspirar (114): cop sok (atraer, encantar, recoger o impeler, no meramente guiar: C325b); como en la versin
sahdica de Jn 6:44! (gr ).
Jacob el Justo (12): heb bq(y (yakov: taln, suplantador, Gn 25:26) = gr ; Santiago, hermano humano de Cristo (Mc 6:3, Jn 7:5, Hch 1:14/12:17, Stg 1:1), despus Mayor en la Iglesia de Jerusaln.
Juan Bautista (46/78): Juan = heb Nnxwy (Yah es misericordioso); el ltimo profeta hebreo y el precursor mesinico (Lc 1/3/7); proclam la doctrina sumamente innovadora del perdn despus de arrepentimiento (Mc 1:4)as,
el mal karma se cancela por el perdn!; vanse Orculo, Fel 73/81/133, Bautismo en Fel Notas, Significados en
Vrd Notas.
Logos/Dicho (Prlogo/1/19/38/79): gr (concepto+expresin, significacin) = cop 4a`e (C612b) = heb
rm) (amr) = aram )rmym (memra); comprense Herclito, los Estoicos y Filn de Alejandra; Lc 8:11, Jn 1:14,

22

Ap 19:13; as Jn 1:1 se lee En (el) origen era la Significacin.

Maldad (45): gr ; este trmino tiene una significacin bsica de trabajo duro o labor penosa, as
opresivo o explotador; la lista de doce maldades, especificada por Cristo en Mc 7:22-23: (1) : prostitucin
(vase Fel Notas), cualquier sexualidad explcitamente prohibida por la Torah; (2) : robo; (3) :
homicidio; (4) : adulterio; (5) : tacaera; (6) : malicia; (7) : engao; (8)
: lascivia [literalmente: no-luna-conduciendo!]; (9) : aojo envidioso/celoso/egosta
[Dt 15:9, Mt 20:15]; (10) : burla; (11) : orgullo; (12) : necedad [literalmente:
mente dividida, ambivalencia; Ap 3:15-16!].
Mriam (21/114): heb Myrm (de Mwrm, mrom: exaltado [Strong's 04791]: x 2:4/15:20); en los evangelios aparecen cinco mujeres con el nombre de Mriam: la Virgen, Mriam de Magdala, Mriam de Betania, Mriam de
Cleofs y Mriam la hermana humana de Yesha (Mc 6:3, Fel 36); el LXX adems de los mejores manuscritos de
p.ej. Jn 20 (vs.1 [) A], vs.11 [p66c )], vs.16 [) B], vs.18 [p66 ) B]) dan la transcripcin correcta de este nombre
semtico en letras griegas: .
Mateo (13): heb hy-Ntm (matthiyah: regalo de Yah); el apstol y evangelista, tambin llamado Lev de Alfeo
(vanse Lev en Fel Notas, Mc 2:14), hermano del apstol Jacob de Alfeo; Mt 10:3 etc.
Mente, Cambio de (28): gr (ser con-mente, tras-mente, entero de mente, reconsiderar) = heb bw#
(shub: dar vuelta, volverse), Sal 7:12/22:27, Mt 3:1-2/4:17, Lc 3:2-14; el mensaje inicial tanto de Juan Bautista como
de Cristo; el destacable trmino metanoia contrasta con paranoia (lado-mente, sin-mente)no significa una
mera emocin de remordimiento, lo cual es (con/tras-sentimiento), sino una mentalidad nueva.
Mundo/Sistema (10/16/21/24/27/28/51/56/80/110/111): gr (arreglo, orden); originalmente el filsofo presocrtico Pitgoras haba utilizado este trmino para designar el universo natural entero, igual que nuestro
cosmos; pero en la koin (griego comn posclsico) de los evangelios tambin significaba el convencionalismo o
la artificialidad del sistema social humano, como en cosmtico; vanse Lc 2:1/4:5-6/12:30-31.
Orculo/Profeta (31/52/88): gr = heb )ybn (nabi); un portavoz de Dios, no meramente pronosticador; ntese que hay 24 libros en el canon hebreo del AT y tambin 24 profetas incluso Juan Bautista (vanse IVEzra 14:45, Ap 4:4).
Origen (18): gr ; un trmino de los filsofos griegos presocrticos, que no significa un principio temporal sino el elemento principal o el cimiento de la realidad (as en Gn 1:1 LXX, Mc 1:1, Jn 1:1).
Parir (101): texto copto interpolado (imagen de los papiros: www.metalog.org/files/pap.gif):

ta.maau gar nta.[s.mise pa.swma eb]ol

P050-C197a gr P202+P186b-P035-C185a P050-gr C034a

Mi.madre pues pasado-II.[ella.parir mi.cuerpo adel]ante.

Profanar (7): cop bht (de bwte, contaminar, hacer abominable; C045b) vase Profanacin en Fel Notas.
Rab (12): heb ybr (grandioso mo) = cop no2 (grande, C250a); una autoridad espiritual; Jn 1:38/3:26, Mt 23:7.
Reposo (2/50/51/60/90): gr (cesando de subir); x 23:12, Isa 28:12, Mt 11:28, Tom 27.
Sbado (27): heb tb# (shabat: reposo); el sptimo da, de descanso; x 21:8-11, Lc 6:1-11, Vrd 7/33vase la
percopa Lc 6:4+ en Cdice D (05) [Bezae]: Aquel mismo da, vio a alguien trabajando en el sbado, le dijo:
Hombre, si en verdad entiendes lo que haces, eres bendito; si en verdad no entiendes, eres maldito y transgresor de
la Torah; Nestle-Aland, Biblio.22, notas textuales (asndeton).
Sagrada Espritu (44): heb #dqh xwr (ruaj ha-qodesh, Espritu la-Sagrada; gnero femenino) gr
(gnero neutro) cop p.pneuma et.ouaab (P080, gnero masculino; igual que latn SPIRITUS SANCTUS); vanse Espritu y La Espritu Materna.
Salom (37n/61b): heb tymwl# (shlomit: pacfica); una discpula temprana (Mc 15:40-41/16:1-8); Fel 59!/79!
Samaritano (60): aquellos israelitas del Reino del Norte no deportados a Babilonia y que desconocan las
ltimas escrituras del AT (I-R 16:24, II-R 17), por eso en tiempos del post exilio considerados herejes (como en Lc
10:25-37, Jn 4:1-42).
Secreto/Escondido/Oculto (Prlogo/5/6/32/33/39/83/96/108/109): cop 6wp (C695a); ste es el trmino utilizado por
ejemplo en sahdico Mt 13:35.
Shimn Kefa (13/114): heb Nw(m# (shimon: or, Gn 29:33); aram )pyk (kefa) = gr (roca-madre)
el apstol principal, Simn Pedro (Mt 10:2/16:15-19).
Toms (Prlogo/13/Colofn): aram Mw)t (taom) = gr (duplicado, gemelo); el apstol Ddimo Judas
Toms, autor de este texto (Jn 11:16/20:24-29/21:2); Judas heb hdwhy (yehda): alabado = rabe hamad como
en Nag Hammadi (pueblo de-alabanza) y Mohmad (gran-alabanza), el profeta ismaelita: Gn 16-17/21:1-21/
25:12-18, Zac 9:6-7!, adems tanto el Qurn comode suma importancia!el Hadit (www.metalog.org/files/
hadith.html).
Totalidad/Todo (2/6/67/77): cop thr.3 (todo de l, C424a).
Transente (42): gr (alguien conducido de largo, viandante, ambulante); vase Hebreo en Fel

23

Notas.

Transgresin (14/104): cop nobe (C222a) = gr = heb t)+x (jatat); error moral, pecado = infraccin
de la Torah (la palabra pecado no tiene otra significacin, ni en el contexto bblico ni posteriormente) ; vanse
Perfecto, Torah y Profanacin en Fel Notas.
Yesha (Prlogo et passim): aram (w#y = heb (w#why (Yehshua); de (#y-hwhy (YHWH ysha: l-Es Salvador);
Jos 1:1, Esd 5:2 (la forma aramea), Mt 1:21, Fel 20a; este nombre no se poda transcribir exactamente en griego,
dondeal igual que en castellanofalta el sonido de SH; en los manuscritos unciales griegos y coptos, generalmente fue abreviado i\s\- o i\h\s\-; vase tambin como se deletrea el Tetragrmaton del segundo mandamiento en las
tabletas del Declogo: hyhy, l Es (qal imperf. 3-masc. sing. de hyh, ser): www.metalog.org/files/decalogue.jpg
y www.metalog.org/files/synagogue.jpg.
Yoga (90): cop na6b (yugo, C726), significando aqu, igual que en los evangelios cannicos, una disciplina
espiritual (el trmino snscrito afn yoga recoge bastante bien este sentido); vase Fel 79.

1.

Un hebreo hace a un (converso) hebreo, y le llaman de esta manera: novicio (proslito). Pero un novicio

no hace a (otro) novicio. [...] (Los instruidos) no eran como son (ahora), a [...] y hacen a otros [... para que
reciban igual que ellos mismos.] A esos (otros) les basta que sern. 1
El esclavo solamente aspira a ser liberado, mas no ambiciona la propiedad de su amo. Pero el hijo no solamente acta como hijo, sino tambin el padre le asigna la herencia. 2
2.

3. Quienes heredan lo muerto estn muertos ellos mismos y heredan lo muerto. Quienes heredan al Viviente
viven ellos mismos, y heredan tanto lo vivo como lo muerto. Los muertos no heredan nada. Pues cmo va a
heredar el muerto? Cuando el muerto herede al Viviente, no morir; sino que el muerto vivir. 3

Un nacionalista no muere, pues no ha vivido nunca para que pudiera morir. a Quien ha confiado en la verdad, (lleg a ser) vivoy corre peligro de morir (como un mrtir), pues est vivo desde el da en que vino el
Cristo.4
4.

5.

El sistema se inventa, las ciudades se construyen, los muertos se llevan fuera. 5

En los das en que ramos hebreos estbamos dejados hurfanos a, teniendo solamente a nuestra Madre (la
Espritu). Pero cuando llegamos a ser crsticos (mesinicos), Padre empez a estar con Madre para nosotros.6
6.

Quienes siembran en invierno cosechan en verano. El invierno es el mundo, a el verano es la otra poca.
Sembremos en el mundo para cosechar en el verano! A causa de esto, nos conviene no orar en el invierno. Lo
que surge del invierno es el verano. Pero si alguien cosecha en el invierno, no cosecha sino que arrancar,
puesto que de esta manera no se producir fruto. No solamente [no] sale [en invierno], sino que incluso en el
otro sbado su campo est sin fruto.7
7.

8. Vino el Cristo! Para algunos en verdad paga rescate, adems a otros los salva, adems a otros expa. Pag
rescate por los alienados, a los trajo a s mismo. Y salv a quienes vinieron a la stos los puso como promesas en su voluntad. No solamente al ser revelado colocaba l el alma como deseaba, sino que desde el da
del origen del mundo l colocaba al alma. Al tiempo que l desea vino lo ms temprano para traerla, ya que
1 a

Lc 6:40, Tom 19!; Mt 23:15, Hch 2:10/6:5; Hui-neng (China, 638-706 d.C.), La escritura de la plataforma (Tang
ching), 30: Cuando personas engaadas entienden y abren sus mentes, ya no se difieren de las superiores y sabias;
hiperlineares de todos los logia: www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin. html.
2
Gn 15:2-3, Pro 17:2, Jn 8:35, Tom 72.
3
Tom 111.
4
Gn 12:1-3, Mt 24:9; Dante Alighieri, La divina comedia, Infierno, III.64: Estos miserables, que en verdad jams
haban vivido; Desiderio Erasmo, Elogio de la locura: La verdad es que importa poco cuando tal hombre muera; nunca
ha vivido.
5
Asndeta; Gn 4:17, Isa 40:17, Ap 18, Lc 9:60, Fel 105; Percy Bysshe Shelley, Peter Bell the Third, III.1: El infierno
es una ciudad muy similar a Londres; Thomas Merton, Incursiones en lo inefable: [Hay] una mentira bsica: solamente
la ciudad tiene realidad.
6 a
Gr (hurfano), pero heb Mwty y aram )mty significan solamente sin padre, no tambin sin madre.
7 a
Asndeton; Mt 6:1-6, Tom 14/27/104!

24

era puesta entre los prometidos. Cay bajo los bandidos y la capturaron. Sin embargo l la libr, y expi a
tanto los buenos como los malos en el mundo. 8
La luz con la oscuridad, la vida con la muerte, la derecha con la izquierda, son hermanos entre s. No es
posible separar los unos de los otros. A causa de esto, ni son buenos los buenos, ni son malos los malos, ni es
vida la vida, ni es muerte la muerte. As cada individuo ser devuelto a su propio origen desde (el) principio.
Pero los exaltados por encima del mundo son inmortales (ya) existen en (la) eternidad.9
9.

Los nombres que se dan por los mundanosa ese respecto hay gran confusin. Pues sus corazones son
desviados de la realidad hacia la irrealidad. Y quien oye (la palabra) Dios no piensa en la realidad, sino que
es conducido a pensar en la irrealidad. As tambin con (las palabras) el Padre y el Hijo y la Sagrada Espritu y la vida y la luz y la resurreccin y la iglesia [y] todas las demsno suelen pensar en la realidad, sino que son conducidos a pensar en la [ir]realidad. [...] Adems han aprendido la realidad [toda humana]
de la muerte. Existen en el sistema, a [piensan en la irrealidad]. Si estuvieran en la eternidad, no habran designado nada como maldad mundana, ni se habran ubicado en asuntos mundanos. Hay un destino para ellos en
la eternidad.10
10.

11. Un solo nombre no pronuncian en el mundoel nombre que el Padre se confiri a s mismo por medio del
Hijo, este nombre existente del Padre, (el cual) l exalta sobre todos. a Pues el Hijo no podra convertirse en el
Padre, a menos que se le diera el nombre del Padre. Se hacen tener en pensamiento este nombre existente,
pero sin embargo no lo pronuncian.b Ya que quienes no lo tienen ni pueden pensarlo. Pero la verdad engendr
palabras en el mundo para el bien de nosotros. No sera posible aprenderla sin palabras. 11
12.

Ella sola es la verdad. Hace a (la) multitud; y nos ensea esto solo en un amor por medio de muchos. 12

Las autoridades queran engaar al humano, pues lo perciban en un parentesco con lo verdaderamente
bueno. Tomaron la palabra bueno, la aplicaron a lo no bueno, para que con palabras le engaaran y (lo)
ataran a lo no bueno. Y despus, cuando estos que se han conocido a s mismos reciban la gracia, las (palabras) estn retiradas de lo no bueno y aplicadas a lo bueno. Pues (las autoridades) haban deseado llevar al
libre, para mantenerlo esclavizado a ellos para siempre. Hay poderes encomendados a los humanos. No quieren (las autoridades) que [se conozca] (a s mismo), para que se hagan [amos] sobre l. Pues si hay humanidad, hay [esclavitud].13
13.

14. Empezaron los sacrificios, [...] y se ofrecan animales a las potencias. [...] Se les ofrecan todava vivos
en verdad fueron ofrecidos vivos. Sin embargo, (cuando a) fueron ofrecidos, murieron. (Pero) el humano b fue
ofrecido muerto a Diosy vivi.14
15. Antes de la venida del Cristo, no haba pan en el mundo como (haba) en el paraso, el lugar donde estaba
Adn. Tena muchas plantas para alimento de los animales salvajes, (pero a) no tena trigo como alimento para
la humanidad. El humano tena que alimentarse como los animales salvajes. Pero fue enviado el Cristo, la persona perfecta. Trajo pan del cielo, para que la humanidad se nutriera con el alimento de la humanidad. 15

Las autoridades pensaban que por su propia fuerza y voluntad, realizan lo que hacen. Pero la Sagrada Espritu en secreto (todo el tiempo) estaba dando energa a la totalidad por medio de ellos como ella quiere. 16
16.
17.

La verdad, que existe desde el origen, se siembra por todas partes y la multitud la ve sembradapero

8 a

Asndeton; Mc 10:45, Jn 10:17-18; San Justino Mrtir, Dilogo con Trifn, 47 [ca. 160 d.C.]: Nuestro amo Jesucristo
dijo: Cmo os encuentro, as os juzgo.
9 a
Asndeton; Isa 45:7, Lam 3:38; Sren Kierkegaard, O lo uno o lo otro: La eternidad verdadera no se ubica despus de
lo uno o lo otro, sino antes de ellos; comprese el Tao chino.
10
Isa 5:20!; aasndeton; ntese este anlisis extraordinario del lenguaje religioso ordinario, como tan pervertido en s
como pervertidor; Samuel Beckett, ltima tctica: Utilizo las palabras que me enseaste. Si ya no significan nada, ensame otras. O permteme guardar silencio; vanse Fel 13 y Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, V.14: No debemos
pensar en Dios segn la opinin de la multitud.
11
! Jn 17; aTom 77, Vrd 45; bcomo en I-R 19:12, donde hqd hmmd lwq significa voz silenciosa calmada.
12
Fel 6/18/40.
13
Isa 5:20, Fel 10; Henry David Thoreau, Walden: La mayora de lo que mis vecinos llaman bueno, yo, en mi fuero
interno, lo considero malo; Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, El primer crculo: Un preso ... que ha alcanzado a aquella etapa de
desarrollo, en la cual lo malo empieza a parecer lo bueno.
14 a
Asndeton; bCristo/crstico.
15 a
Asndeton; Sal 78:25, Mc 14:22, Jn 6:30-59; NB: en Mt 6:11que se encuentra solamente aqu en toda la
literatura griega antigua, o clsica o koinsignifica literalmente super-sustancial y as esencial, no de cada da.
16
Jer 25:8-9, Jn 19:11!

25

pocos de los que la ven la cosechan.17

Algunos dicen que Mriam fue preada por la Sagrada Espritu. Se confunden, a no saben lo que dicen.
Cundo jams ha sido preada mujer por mujer? Mriam es la virgen a quien ningn poder ha profanado,
pues ella es de grandeza entre las consagraciones para los apstoles hebreos y para los apostlicos. Si los
poderosos trataran de profanar a esta virgen, solamente se profanaran [a s mismos]. Y el Amo no dijo mi
Padre [en] el cielo, como si hubiera tenido [otro] padresino dijo simplemente [mi Padre].18
18.

El Amo dice a los discpulos: [...] En verdad entrad en la casa del Padre, (pero a) no poseis (nada) ni tampoco os llevis (nada) de la casa del Padre. 19
19.

Yesha es un nombre secreto, el Cristo es un nombre revelado. a As Yesha en verdad no existe en

cualesquiera (otras) lenguas, sino su nombre es Yesha como se llama. Pero su nombre Cristo en arameo
es Mesas, mientras que en jnico es: . En total, todas las dems tienen (el Ungido) segn la
lengua propia de cada cual.20a
20a.

20b.
21.

El nazareno revelado es el secreto! 20b

El Cristo tiene todo en s mismosea humano o ngel o misterio, y (tambin) al Padre. 21

22. Quienes dicen que el Amo primero muri y luego se levant, se confunden. Pues primero se levant y
(luego) muri. Si alguien primero consigue la resurreccin, no morir; (como) vive Dios, aqul [no] iba a
[morir].22

Nadie esconder algo de gran valor dentro de algo llamativo, pero muchas veces se han puesto (cosas que
valen) miradas sin nmero en algo que vale una miseria. As es con el almaalgo precioso lleg a ser en un
cuerpo desdeado como vergonzoso.23
23.

24. Hay algunos que se hacen temerosos para que no se levanten desnudos. Por eso desean levantarse en la
carne, y no saben que aqullos que se visten de la carne son los desnudos. Estos que se convierten [en luz] por
desvestirse (de la carne), son los no desnudosa.24

25. (Pablo declara que) la carne [y la sangre no podrn] heredar la soberana de Dios. a Qu es lo que no

heredar? Esto que llevamos todos encima? Pero al contrario, esto es lo que s va a heredarlo que pertenece a Yesha con su sangre. Por eso l dice: Quien no come mi carne ni bebe mi sangre, no tiene vida
dentro de s mismo. b Qu es su carne? Es el Logos; y su sangre es la Sagrada Espritu. c Quien ha recibido a
estos, tiene alimento y bebida y vestidura. Yo mismo reprendo a esos otros que dicen que (la carne) no se
levantar. (Pues) los dos estn equivocados: dices que la carne no se levantar, pero dime que va a levantarse
para que pueda honrarte; dices que es la espritu dentro de la carne y esta otra luz dentro de la carne(pero d)
esto tambin es un dicho encarnado. Pues digas lo que sea, no dices nada fuera de la carne! e Es necesario
levantarse en esta carne, (puesto qued) todo existe dentro de ellaf.25
En este mundo quienes llevan vestidurasa, valen ms que las vestiduras. En la soberana de los cielos, las
vestidurasb valen ms que los que ellas han vestido por medio de agua con fuego, que purifican el lugar
entero.26
26.

17

Mt 22:14, Tom 21.

Asndeton; Lc 2:48-49!!, Fel 6; Las Odas de San Salomn, 19:6, La Espritu abri la matriz de la Virgen.
19 a
Asndeton; Jn 14:2; Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, V.10.64, atribuye al Salvador este dicho: Mi misterio es para
m y los hijos de mi casa.
20a
Lc 1:31; aliteralmente, nombre secreto/revelado, pero el contraste siguiente es personal/comn.
20b
Lc 4:16-30, Tom 108.
21
Lc 17:21, Jn 17:21-23, Tom 3.
22
Lc 20:36, Jn 11:26, Tom 29.
23
Porfirio, La vida de Plotino, 1: Plotino ... pareca avergonzado de estar en el cuerpo; Gn 3:7, Job 10:11, Tom 29/37.
24 a
Porque son vestidos en las imgenes; Fel 26/85; Las Odas de San Salomn, 25:8, Fui vestido con el manto de tu
Espritu y me quitaste mi vestuario de piel.
25 a
=I-Cor 15:50!; b=Jn 6:53!; cFel 106!; 4asndeton; eun razonamiento filosfico pasmosoenfticamente anti-gnstico y
explcitamente antipaulino; Job 19:25, Isa 26:19, Dan 12:2, Lc 24:39, Jn 5:25-26, Hch 4:33, Ap 20:11-13 ; Averroes,
Tahafut al Tahafut, Acerca de las ciencias naturales, II: El alma slo puede existir por el cuerpo; Moiss Maimnides,
Gua de perplejos, I.51: El humano es [esencialmente] un animal que habla; fNorman O. Brown, La resurreccin del
cuerpo: La vida eterna solamente puede ser una vida encarnada.... Por eso la afirmacin de Tertulio: Resurget igitur
caro, et quidem omnis, et quidem ipsa, et quidem integraLa carne resucitar, toda de ella, la carne misma, la carne
entera.
26 a
De materiales; bde imgenes; Sal 104:2!, Fel 24/85.
18 a

26

Las revelaciones por medio de quienes revelan, a los secretos por medio de quienes (los) esconden. Hay
(cosas) que se mantienen escondidas por ellos que revelan. 27
27.
28.

Hay agua en un (bautismo de) agua,a hay fuego en un crisma.28

29. Yesha los cogi a todos desprevenidos. Pues no se manifest como [en verdad] era, sino se ha revelado a
s mismo de manera que pod[rn] percibirlo en su esencia. Eran susceptibles a morir, (pero a) se les revel. [Se
revel] a los grandes como grande, se revel a los pequeos como pequeo, [se revel a los] ngeles como
ngel y a la humanidad como hombre. As su Logos lo escondi de todos seres. Algunos en verdad lo vieron,
pensando que se miraban a s mismos. Pero (cuando a) se manifest a sus discpulos en gloria encima de la
montaa, no se haca pequeo. Se hizo grandioso, pero (tambin) hizo grandiosos a los discpulos para que
fueran capaces de percibirlo hecho grandioso. 29
30. l dijo aquel da en la Eucarista: Oh T que has apareado el Resplandor Perfecto con la Sagrada
Espritu,a aparea tambin nuestros ngeles con las imgenes! 30
31. No despreciis al cordero, pues sin l no es posible ver la puerta. Nadie que se despoja podr entrar al
Rey.31

Los Hijos de la Persona Celestial son ms numerosos que los de la persona terrenal. Si los hijos de Adn
son numerosos a pesar de que invariablemente mueren, cuntos ms son los Hijos de la Persona Perfecta!
stos que no mueren sino que estn naciendo de continuo. 32

32.

El Padre crea a (un) Hijo, pero el Hijo mismo no puede crear a (un) hijo. Pues es imposible que el engendrado mismo engendresino que el Hijo engendra para s mismo a Hermanos, no a hijos. 33
33.

34. Todos los que son engendrados dentro del sistema se engendran fsicamente, y los otros se engendran [espiritualmente]. Los que se engendran en el corazn de l [llaman] all a la humanidad, para alimentarlos en la
promesa [de la meta] de arriba.34

[La gracia sale] de l por la boca, el lugar de donde sali el Logos; (uno) iba a ser alimentado de la boca y
llegar a ser perfeccionado. Los perfectos son concebidos por medio de un beso y nacen. Por eso tambin nosotros somos inducidos a besarnos unos a otros(para) concebirse dentro de nuestra gracia mutua. 35
35.

36. Haba tres (llamadas) Mriam que caminaban con el Amo todo el tiempo: la madre de l y la hermana de
[l] y (la) Magdalenasta que es llamada su Compaera. As su (verdadera) Madre y Hermana y Pareja, a
es (tambin llamada) Mriam. 36
37. El Padre y el Hijo son nombres sencillos, la Sagrada Espritu es nombre compuesto. Pues existen en
todas partesarriba y abajo, en secreto y manifiestamente. La Sagrada Espritu existe en lo revelado, existe
abajo, existe en lo escondido, existe arriba. 37
38. Los santos son servidos por los poderes opresivos, pues (estos) se ciegan por la Sagrada Espritu, para que
piensen que asisten a un humano, cuando en realidad estn sirviendo a los santos. A causa de esto, (cuando a)
un da un discpulo le pidi al Amo referente a una cosa del mundo, l le dice: Pide a tu Madre y ella te obsequiarb de lo ajeno.38
39.

Los apstoles dicen a los discpulos: Qu toda nuestra ofrenda obtenga sal! Ellos llamaban sal [a la sabi-

27 a

Asndeton; Mt 13:10-15, Ap 10:4!, Tom Prlogo 62/108; Henry James, La muerte del len: No fue una exposicin
inmediata de todo exactamente lo que el pblico deseaba?
28
Mt 3:11; aasndeton.
29
Mt 17:1-8; aasndeton.
30 a
NB en heb/aram, la palabra luz [rw)] es masculina, mientras espritu [xwr] es femenina.
31
Jn 1:36.
32
Gn 2:17, Ecl 5:16, Jn 1:13/11:26; Thich Nhat Hanh, Ser Buda, ser Cristo: Continuamos naciendo; Bob Dylan, Todo
bien, mam: El no ocupado en nacer, se ocupa en morir.
33
Sal 2:7, Jn 20:17, Tom 25, Fel 45!!
34
Jn 1:12-13.
35
I-Sam 20:41, Pro 24:26, Tom 108, Fel 59.
36 a
Es decir, la Sagrada Espritu; Mc 3:35, Tom 101, Fel 59.
37
Fel 74c; el Padre est arriba y escondida, el Hijo est abajo y revelado, la Sagrada Espritu est tanto arriba como
abajo, tanto escondida como manifiesta; Upanishad mundaka: Solo aquel Brahman existe enfrente, aquel Brahman
existe atrs, aquel Brahman existe a la derecha y a la izquierda; solo Brahman impregna a todo arriba y abajo. Este Universo es solamente aquel Brahman supremo.
38 a
Asndeton; bMt 6:11, .

27

dura]sin ella ninguna ofrenda se hace aceptable. 39

Sin embargo, la sabidura es estril [sin (un)] Hijopor eso, [ella] es llamada [la Madre]. Ellos [...] a en sal,
el sitio donde [ser]n [como eran]ellos mismos siendo encontrados por la Sagrada Espritu, [la Madre verdadera que] multiplica a sus Hijos.40
40.

Lo que posee el Padre, le pertenece al Hijo. Y tambin l mismo, el Hijo, mientras que permanece pequeo, no se le confan esas (cosas) que son suyas. (Pero) cuando madura, a se le concede todo lo que su Padre
posee.41
41.

42. Quienes se descarran son engendrados por la Espritu y tambin se descarran por ella. As por este mismo
aliento, el fuego tanto arde como se apaga.42

La sabiduraa es una cosa y la muerteb es otra. La sabidura (en arameo) es simplemente la sabidura (en
griego); pero la sabidura de la muerte, es muerta (en s misma). sta que es la sabidura con la muerte, la cual
deriva del conocimiento con la muertesta es llamada la sabidura menor. 43
43.

44. Hay animales sometidos a la humanidad, tales como el ternero y el burro y otros de este tipo. Hay otros no
sometidos,a aislados en estado salvaje. El humano ara en el campo por medio de los animales sometidos, y de
esto se alimenta tanto a s mismo como a los animalesya sean domsticos o salvajes. b As es con la Persona
Perfecta: ara por medio de las potestades sometidas, proveyendo para causar la existencia de todo. Pues por
esto se mantiene erguido el lugar enteroya sean los buenos o los malos, tanto los de la derecha como los de
la izquierda. La Sagrada Espritu manda a todas las potestades y pastorea a todos (los seres), tanto a los sometidos como a los rebeldes y aislados. Pues en verdad ella contina [siempre] controlndolos [ms all del]
deseo de la capacidad de ellos. [...]44

[Adn] fue formado (ya) [engendr], (peroa) [no] descubrirs que sus hijos son formaciones nobles. b Si no
fuera formado sino engendrado, habras descubierto que su semilla se hubiese hecho noble. Pero ahora, ha
sido formado (ya) ha engendrado. Qu nobleza es sta?45
45.

Primero ocurri el adulterio, luego el homicidio. Y (Can) se engendr en adulterio, a pues fue el hijo delb
serpiente. Por eso lleg a ser un homicida igual que su otro padrec (el serpiente), y mat a su hermano (Abel).
Pues cada apareamiento que ha ocurrido entre disimiles es adulterio. 46
46.

47. Dios es tintorero. Tal como los buenos tintes que son llamados resistentes as dan nombre a las cosas que
han sido teidas en ellos, lo mismo ocurre con quienes Dios ha teido. Puesto que sus tintes son imperecederos, (los teidos) se hacen inmortales por la coloracin de su mano. Pues Dios sumerge a quienes bautiza
por una inundacin de aguasa.47
48. No es posible que alguien vea a nada de los establecidos, a menos que se haya asemejado a ellos. No es
como la persona en el mundo: mira el sol sin convertirse en sol, y mira el cielo y la tierra y todas las dems
cosas sin haber sido convertido en ellos. a Pero en la verdad es ast viste algo de aquel lugar y te hiciste
entre ellos all. Miraste a la Espritu, b te convertiste en espiritual; miraste al Cristo, b te convertiste en crstico;
miraste [al Padre,b te] convertirs en paternal. As en verdad, [en el mundo] lo miras todo y no [te ves a ti mismo], pero te ves en aquel [lugar]. Pues lo que ves, en eso te convertirs. 48

La fe recibe,a el amor regala. [Nadie puede recibir] sin fe, a nadie puede dar sin amor. Por eso, creemos para
que recibamos en verdad, pero damos para que amemos. De otro modo, si uno regala sin amor, no saca ningn
49.

39

Lev 2:13, Nm 18:19, II-Cron 13:5, Mc 9:49-50, Lc 7:35/11:49/21:15, Hch 6:3.

Pro 8, Isa 54:1, Lc 7:35, Tom 49/101; 1No he podido interpolar esta palabra importante: vase www.metalog.org/files/
ph_interlin/ph40.html.
41 a
Literalmente, se hace hombre; Tom 61b, Fel 2; Sren Kierkegaard, O lo uno o lo otro: Un heredero, aun si fuera
heredero de los tesoros del mundo entero, no los posee hasta que haya alcanzado mayora de edad.
42
Pro 16:4, Isa 45:7, Lam 3:38, Jn 19:11!; Jonathan Swift, Cuento de un balde, VIII: El mismo aliento que haba encendido y inflamado la llama de la naturaleza, debera algn da apagarla.
43 a
Aram tmkx [jokmat] = heb hmkx [jokmah]: sabidura; bheb twm [mut]: morir.
44 a
Asndeton; Ecl 7:14, Fel 9/42/72; bPro 14:4, Stg 3:7!, Fel 62.
45 a
Asndeton; bFel 46; Gn 2:7/4:1, Fel 33!
46 a
Porque naci de la pretensin llamada generacin humana, en lugar de divina; bheb serpiente #xn [najash] es masculinognero necesario aqu para mantener el contraste entre los tres padres: el homicida y mentiroso serpiente, el
padre falso Adn, y el verdadero padre Dios; ceste otro padre homicida no puede ser Adn, pues se presupone que todava no haba otros humanos en la tierra; Ecl 11:5!, Jn 8:31-59!, I-Jn 3:12!, Tom 105; Teognesis.
47 a
Es decir, una inundacin de imgenes; Fel 58.
48 a
Sal 8:3-4; basndeton
40

28

provecho de haber dado.49

50.

Quien no ha recibido al Amo, contina todava entre los hebreos. 50

51. Los apstoles que nos precedieron (le) llamaban as: Yesha el Nazirito Mesases decir, Yesha el
Nazirito Cristo. El ltimo nombre es el Cristo, el primero es Yesha, el de en medio es el Nazirito. Mesas
tiene dos significados: tanto el ungido como el medido. Yesha en hebreo, es la expiacin. Nazara es la
verdad, por eso el Nazirito es el veraz. El Cristo es el medido, el Nazirito y Yesha son la medicin. 51
52. La perla que se arroja en el fango no se desdea, ni tampoco se estima (ms) si se unge con ungento de
blsamo, sino que tiene su gran valor para su propietario en todo momento. As es con los Hijos de Dios
pase lo que sea con ellos, en su corazn tienen todava honor con su Padre. 52

Si dices Soy judonadie se mover. Si dices Soy romanonadie se turbar. Si dices Soy griego,
brbaro, esclavo, librenadie se inquietar. Si [dices] Soy crstico[todos] harn caso. 1 Qu ocurre que
haya [recibido yo de l] en esta manera, para que [los mundanos] no podrn resistir al [escuchar] este nombre!53
53.

(Un) dios es un canbal. Por eso, [se le sacrifica] la humanidad a l. Antes de que se sacrificara la humanidad, se sacrificaban los animales. Pues no son divinidades stos a los cuales se sacrifican. 54
54.

55. Las vasijas de vidrio y las vasijas de barro, se hacen por el fuego. Pero si las vasijas de vidrio se quiebran,
se moldean de nuevo(puesa) haban llegado a ser por un aliento b. Pero si las vasijas de barro se quiebran,
son destruidaspues haban llegado a ser sin aliento. 55

Un burro, dando vueltas alrededor de una piedra de molino, recorri cien millas caminando. (Cuando a)
haba sido desatado, se encontr a s mismo todava en el mismo lugar. Hay personas que hacen muchos viajes
y no progresan a ningn lado. Cuando les anocheci, no divisaron ni ciudad ni pueblo, ni creacin ni naturaleza, ni poder ni ngel. En vano se esforzaban los miserables! 56
56.

La Eucarista es Yesha. Pues en arameo es llamado farisatha (#rp)esto es, el extendido. Ya que vino
Yesha para crucificar al mundo. 57
57.

El Amo entr en la tintorera de Lev. Tom 72 teces,a las ech en la tina. Las sac todas blancas y dice:
As os ha venido el hijo de la humanidadcomo tintorerob.58
58.

La sabidura misma que (los humanos) llaman estril, es la Madre de los ngeles. a Y la compaera del
[Cristo] es Mriam la Magdalena. El [Amo amaba] a Mriam ms que a [todos los (dems)] discpulos [y] la
besaba a menudo en su [boca]. b Las otras [mujeres] vieron su amor por Mriam, c le dicen: Por qu [la] amas
a ella ms que a todas nosotras? El Salvador respondi, c les dice: Por qu no os amo a vosotras como a
ella?59
59.

60. (Mientras) estn en la oscuridad un ciego con un vidente, no se distinguen entre s. Cuando venga la claridad, entonces el vidente ver la luz y el que ha sido cegado quedar en las tinieblas. 60

El Amo dice: Bendito es l que existe antes de que entre en el Ser! a Pues quien existe, lo mismo exista
que existirb.61
61.
62.

La exaltacin de la humanidad no se manifiesta, sino que es implcita. Por eso (el humano) es maestro

49 a

Asndeton; I-Jn 4:16.

Tom 43, Fel 6/108.
51
Nm 6:1-8, Jue 13:5Mt 2:23, Fel 20a.
52
Job 30:19, Jer 38:6.
53 a
Tom 2!; Hch 5:41 contra 22:25.
54
Isa 44:9-20!, Fel 14.
55
Gn 2:7, Jn 20:22; aasndeton; b=espritu; la cermica slo se puede rehacer antes de hornearse: Jer 18:4-10/19:11.
56 a
Asndeton; Sal 127:2, Ecl 2:11; Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, I.8.41, atribuye al Salvador este dicho: Estos son
los que manejan sus telares pero no tejen nada.
57
Las Odas de San Salomn, 27:1-2, Extend mis manos para santificar a mi Amo; pues la extensin de las manos es su
signo.
58
Isa 1:18, Fel 47; aasndeton; bde las imgenes; el igualamiento en Tom 61b; Gn 10 LXX enumera 72 naciones en todo
el mundo; tambin, Lc 10:1 en MSS p75 B D[05] menciona a 72 discpulos.
59 a
Pro 8:12+32, Lc 7:35!!, Fel 40; bPro 24:26, Cnt 1:2/6:9, Tom 61b/107, Fel 35/36/40; casndeton; Lewis Wallace, Ben
Hur, V.16: La bes. Fue slo un beso de paz?
60
x 4:11, Jn 9, Tom 34.
61 a
=Tom 19!, Fel 1; bAp 1:8.
50

29

sobre los animales que son ms fuertes que lquien manifiesta e implcitamente es ms grandioso que ellos.
Y esto les da su supervivencia. Ya que (cuando a) la humanidad se separa de ellos, se matan y se roen y se devoran unos a otros, porque no encuentran alimento. Pero han encontrado alimento ya que la humanidad ha
cultivado la tierra.62
63. Si alguien se sumerge en el agua (del bautismo) y sube de nuevo sin haber recibido nada, diciendo Soy
crstico, ha tomado el nombre en prstamo. Pero si recibe a la Sagrada Espritu, tiene el regalo del nombre.
No se le quita un regalo de quien lo ha recibido, pero de quien toma un prstamo se le reclama. 63
64. As es, cuando alguien existe en un misterio: el sacramento del matrimonio es grandioso. Pues el mundo
es complejo[el sistema] se basa en la humanidad, pero [la humanidad] se basa en el matrimonio. a (Por eso)
contemplad el apareamiento puro, pues tiene [gran] poder! Su imagen consiste en una profanacin [de cuerpos]b.64

(Entre) las espritus impuras hay esencialmente varones y hembras. Los varones en efecto son los que se
aparean por una desigualdad con las almas alojadas en una forma femenina, pero las hembras son las que
(as) se juntan con una forma masculina. a Y nadie podr escapar de stas (una vez que b) lo agarren, (a menos
queb) reciba un poder tanto masculino como femeninoel cual es el Novio con la Novia. Pues uno les recibe
en la Cmara Nupcial espejada. Cuando las mujeres necias ven a un hombre sentado solitario, acostumbran
a lanzarse sobre l para hacer una juerga con l y profanarlo. As tambin los hombres necios, cuando ven a
una mujer hermosa sentada sola, la seducen (ob) la fuerzan por el deseo de profanarla. Pero si ven al hombre
sentado junto con su mujer, las mujeres no pueden meterse con el varn ni pueden los varones meterse con la
mujer. As es, (cuandob) la imagen y el ngel se aparean entre s, tampoco puede nadie atreverse a meterse con
el varn o la mujer. c Quien sale del mundo, ya no puede ser detenido por el simple hecho de que estaba antes
en el mundo. Se revela ms all que tanto el anhelo como el miedo de la [carne]. Es amo sobre [el deseo], b
vale ms que la envidia. Y si [la multitud] viene para agarrarlo (y b) para ahogar[lo], cmo no podr escapar
ste [por la salvacin] de Dios? Cmo podr [temerlos]? 65
65.

A menudo hay algunos que vienen (y1) [dicen]: Somos fieles, esconded[nos ...] de espritus [impuras] y
demonacas! Pero si hubieran posedo a la Sagrada Espritu, ninguna espritu impura los habra agarrado. 66
66.

No temas la esencia de la carne, ni la ames. Si la temes, se convertir en tu amo; si la amas, te devorar (y a)

te ahogar.67
67.

68. Uno existe o en este mundo o en la resurreccin o en las regiones de transicin. Qu no ocurra que me
encuentre en (estas ltimas)! (En) este mundo hay lo bueno y lo malo. Sus buenos no son buenos y sus malos
no son malos.a Pero hay maldad despus de este mundo, la cual en verdad es mala: lo que se llama la transicines la muerte. Mientras existamos en este mundo nos es apropiado nacer en la resurreccin, a fin de que
si somos despojados de la carne nos encontremos en el reposo (yb) no vaguemos en la transicin. Pues muchos
se extravan en el camino. As bueno es salir del mundo antes de que la humanidad sea llevada a transgredir. 68
69. Algunos en verdad ni quieren ni tienen la capacidad. Pero otros aunque quieran no sacan provecho, porque
no practicaban. Pues el deseo les hace transgresores. Pero no desear la rectitud, les esconder tanto el deseo
como (su) incumplimiento.69

Un apostlicoa vio en una visin a algunos que estaban encerrados en una casa de fuego, gritando [en el]
aire con [una voz] llameante, arrojados en las llamas [por una poca]. Hay agua en [...] y se proclaman a s
mismos: [...] Las aguas [no] pueden salvarnos [de la muerte! Extraviados por] su deseo, recibieron [la muerte
como] castigoesto que se llama la oscuridad [ms alejada]. 70
70.

71. El enemigo [sale] en agua con fuego. El alma y la espritu han salido [en] agua y fuego con luz, los cuales
pertenecen al Hijo de la Cmara Nupcial. El fuego es el crisma, la luz es el fuego. No hablo de este fuego que
62

Job 35:11, Mc 1:13; aasndeton.

Jn 4:10, Tom 41.
64
Tom 61b, Fel 79; amatrimoniopatrimonio, generacin y herencia humanas en lugar de divinas: vase Teognesis;
b
Lev 15:18!!
65
Sal 3:6; aFel 46; basndeton; cFel 30.
66 a
Asndeton; Mc 1:39.
67 a
Asndeton; Sal 56:4, Jn 6:63.
68 a
Fel 9; basndeton; Tom 60, Ap 20:5; James Joyce, Retrato del artista adolescente, 3: Mejor era no haber pecado
nunca, haber permanecido siempre un nio; Sylvia Plath, Los diarios ntegros: Slo que no termine la vida hasta que
yo nazca.
69
Hsn Tzu, siglo III a.C. China: Una persona inferior puede convertirse en una persona superior, pero no tiene ganas.
70 a
Probablemente Felipe mismo; Sal 66:12, Mt 25:30, Lc 16:19-31!, Ap 20:14-15.
63

30

no tiene forma, sino el otrocuya forma es blanca, que se hace de (la) bella luz y que confiere resplandor. 71
72. La verdad no vino desnuda al mundo, sino que ha venido en las imgenes simblicas. (El mundo) no la
recibir de cualquier otra manera. Hay un renacimiento junto con una imagen renacida. Es verdaderamente
apropiado no renacerse por la imagen!a Qu es la resurreccin con su imagen? S es apropiado levantarse
por la imagen.b La Cmara Nupcial con su imagen? S es apropiado entrar en la verdad por la imagen!lo
cual es esta restauracin. Es apropiado no nacer solamente de las palabras el Padre con el Hijo con la
Sagrada Espritu, sino nacer de ellos mismos. Quien no nace de ellos, se le quitar tambin el nombre. c Pero
uno los recibe en el crisma de la plenitud en el poder de la cruz, que los apstoles llaman: la derecha con la
izquierda.d Pues ste ya no es un crstico sino un Cristo.72
73. El Amo [hizo] todo como sacramento: Bautismo con Crisma con Eucarista con Expiacin con [Santa]
Cmara Nupcial.73

l dice: Yo vine para hacer [el interior] como el [exterior (y a) el] exterior como el [interior. b Habl
referente a] todo de aquel lugar, que existe all [arriba de] este lugar, por medio de [imgenes] simblicas.
[...]74a
74a.

74b.

Quienes dicen [soy crstico] vienen del lugar ms all de [toda] confusin. 74b

Quien se manifiesta [de aquel lugar] que existe all arriba, es llamado l que existe abajo. Y el escondido, es l que existe all arriba de l. Pues bueno es, lo que suelen decir: el interior y el exterior, junto con lo
afuera del exterior. A causa de esto, el Amo llamaba a la destruccin la oscuridad ms alejada; a fuera de eso
no hay nada. Dice mi Padre que existe en secreto. Dice Entra en tu cuarto privado, cierra tu puerta detrs de
ti (yb) rale a tu Padre que existe en secreto: c ste es l que existe adentro de todos. Pues l que existe
adentro de todos es la plenitudms all de l no hay otro ms adentro. Esto es lo que significa l que existe
arriba de ellos.74c
74c.

75. Antes del Cristo vinieron algunos. Ya no podan entrar de donde haban salido, y ya no podan salir de
donde haban entrado. Pero vino el Cristo. l los sac a quienes haban entrado y los entr a quienes haban
salido.75

En los das en que Eva estaba dentro de Adn, a no haba la muerte. Cuando ella se separ de l, empez la
muerte. Si (ella) entra de nuevo (yb) l (la) recibe a s mismo, la muerte ya no existir. 76
76.

Dios mo, Dios mo, por qu, oh Amo, me [has] abandonado?adijo estas (palabras) en la cruzb. Pues
apart el lugar [de abajo del lugar de arriba], habiendo sido engendrado en la [Sagrada] Espritu por Dios. 77

77.

78. El [Amo se levant] de entre los muertos. [Se hizo (de nuevo)] como haba sido, pero [su cuerpo] fue
hecho [enteramente] perfecto. Es encarnado, pero esta [carne ciertamente es] una carne verdadera. a [Pero
nuestra carne] no es verdadera, sino un espejamiento de la [carne] verdadera. 78
79. Qu (la) Cmara Nupcial no sea para las bestias ni para los esclavos ni para mujeres impuras!sino es
para (los) varones libres con (las) vrgenes. 79
80. Por la Sagrada Espritu en verdad nacemos, pero renacemos por el Cristo. En ambos somos ungidos por la
Espritu(ya) habiendo sido engendrados, fuimos apareados. 80
81. Sin luz, nadie podr verse a s mismo, ni en (el) agua ni en (un) espejo. Ni tampoco sin agua o espejo
podrs ver(te) en luz. Por eso es apropiado ser bautizado en ambosen la luz adems del agua. Pero la luz es
71

Isa 43:2, Fel 26/28/58.

Isa 30:21, Hch 3:21; aJn 3, renacimiento espiritual resurreccin corporal: vase Fel 130!; bFel 63; canti-gnstico;
d
Fel 9/44.
73
Los Cinco Sacramentos Mesinicos.
74a a
Asndeton; b=Tom 22!!; Fel 72.
74b
Fel 10/18/22/97/134, Vrd 3 ss.
74c
Tom 77, Fel 37; a=Mt 8:12!; basndeton; c=Mt 6:6!; Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali: l es, el ms adentro, quien despierta a mi ser.
75
I-R 3:7.
76
Fel 86; ao cuando la vida estaba (era?) dentro de la humanidad; basndeton.
77 a
=Sal 22:1Mc 15:34!; banti-gnstico.
78 a
Jn 1:14/20:27, II-Jn 7; anti-gnstico!
79
Gn 24:16, I-R 1:2, Hch 21:8-9!, Tom 61b!, Fel 127!; Las Odas de San Salomn, 42:9-12, Como el brazo del novio
por encima de la novia, as es mi yugo por encima de quienes me conocen; y como la cama preparada en la casa de los
novios, as mi amor cubre a los que creen en m.
80 a
Asndeton; Gn 2:7, Jn 3:7, Fel 72.

72

31

el crisma.81
Habaa tres antesalas como lugares de hacer ofrendas en Jerusalnuna abierta al oeste llamada la santa;
otra abierta al sur llamada la santa de la santidad; la tercera abierta al este llamada la santa de las santidades,
donde solamente suele entrar el Sumo Sacerdote. El bautismo es la antesala santa, [la expiacin] es la santa de
la santidad, la santa de las santidades es la Cmara Nupcial. El bautismo tiene la resurreccin [con] la expiacin entrando en la Cmara Nupcial. Pero la Cmara Nupcial es ms exaltada que sos. [...] No encontrars
nada que [se puede comparar con ella]b.82
82.

[Los santos] son los que oran [siempre por] Jerusaln [y aman] a Jerusaln; [ya estn en] Jerusaln (y a)
miran a [Jerusaln ahora.] stos son llamados los santos de las santidades. 83
83.

[... El] velo (del Templo) se rasg [para revelar] la Cmara Nupcial, (que) no es otra cosa que la imagen
[del ...] lugar arriba. [...] Su velo se rasg de arriba abajo, pues era apropiado que algunos subieran de abajo
para arriba.84
84.

85. Quienes se han vestido en la luz perfectalos poderes no pueden ni verlos ni detenerlos. Pero uno se vestir con luz en el sacramento del apareamiento. 85

Si la mujer no se hubiera separado del varn, no habra muerto despus con el varn. La separacin de
ellos fue el comienzo de la muerte. a Por eso vino el Cristo, para que as podra rectificar a s mismo la separacin que haba prevalecido desde (el) principiopor aparear l a los dos. Y por medio de aparearlos, les
dar sus vidas a quienes han muerto en la separacin. Pues la mujer se aparea con su marido en la cmara
nupcial. Pero quienes se aparean en la Cmara Nupcial ya no se separarn. A causa de esto, Eva se separ de
Adnbporque ella no se haba apareado con l en la Cmara Nupcial.86
86.

El alma de Adn entr en la existencia por una Espritu a, cuya pareja es el [Cristo. La Espritu] regalada a
(Adn) es su Madre, y [] el lugar de ella se le regal en su alma. (Pero) porque l [todava no] haba sido
apareado en el Logos, los poderes dominantes le hechizaron. [... Pero quienes] se aparean (en) secreto con la
[Sagrada] Espritu,... son convidados individualmente [...] a la Cmara Nupcial, para que [...] sean apareados. 87
87.

88. Yesha revel [al lado del (ro)] Jordn la plenitud de la soberana de los cielos, la cual exista antes de la
totalidad.a Adems fue engendradob como Hijo, adems fue ungido, adems fue expiado, adems expi. 88
89. Si es apropiado decir un misterio, el Padre de la totalidad se apare con la Virgen que haba descendidoy
un fuego brill para l en aquel da. l revel el poder de la Cmara Nupcial. a As su cuerpo entr en la
existencia en aquel da.b l sali en la Cmara Nupcial como alguien que ha salido del Novio con la Novia
de esta manera Yesha estableci la totalidad en su corazn para s mismo. Y por medio de estos, c es apropiado que cada uno de los discpulos entre en el reposo de l. 89

Adn entr en la existencia por dos vrgenespor la Espritu y por la virgen tierra. Por eso Cristo fue engendrado por una virgen, para que el tropezn que ocurri en el principio ser a rectificado a l.90
90.

Haba dos rboles en el parasoel uno produce bestias, a el otro produce humanos. Adn comi del rbol
que produce bestias (ya) convirtindose bestial, engendr bestias. A causa de esto, (las bestias) fueron adoradas. [... Los humanos] engendraban a humanos [y luego] adoraban a humanos. [...] 91
91.

81

Pro 27:19, Isa 43:2, Mt 3:11; Las Odas de San Salomn, 13:1, He aqu! El Amo es nuestro espejo; abre tus ojos y
velos en ly aprende la manera de tu rostro.
82
Asndeta mltiples; Lev 16, Nm 18:7; aEran ellos: cop ne.u, tiempo durativo imperfecto, P194: as este dicho, como
137, fue escrito despus de la conquista romana del 70 d.C.; bMoiss ben Nahman [1194-1270 d.C.], Carta sobre la santidad: La relacin sexual es, en realidad, algo de gran exaltacin cuando es oportuna y armoniosa. Este gran secreto es el
mismo secreto de aquellos querubines, que copulan entre s en la imagen de varn y hembra.... Guarda este secreto y no
lo reveles a nadie que no lo merezca, pues aqu es donde vislumbras el secreto de la exaltacin de una relacin sexual
adecuada.... Cuando la relacin sexual apunta a el Nombre, no hay nada ms justo y ms santo que ella.
83 a
Asndeton; Sal 122:6, Ap 21:10.
84
Mc 15:38, Tom 84.
85
Sal 104:2, Fel 24/26; Las Odas de San Salomn, 21:2, Me quit las tinieblas y me vest con la luz.
86
Tom 11/22, Fel 30/76; aGn 3:19; bo: la vida se separ de la humanidad.
87 a
= aliento, Gn 2:7; vase Espritu en Tom Notas.
88 a
Tom 77; brepeticin en el manuscrito, aqu omitida.
89 a
Fel 64; banti-gnstico!; cel Novio con la Novia; Las Odas de San Salomn, 33:5-8, All de pie estaba una Virgen perfecta, que estaba proclamando:... Regresad oh vosotros hijos de hombres y venid oh vosotras hijas de hombres,... y entrar en vosotros.
90 a
El tiempo del verbo aqu es futuro, no subjuntivo; Gn 2:7, Lc 1:26-35, Fel 18.
91 a
Asndeton; Fel 54.

32

92. Dios cre a la humanidad, y los humanos crearon a los dioses. As es en el mundolos humanos crean a
dioses y adoran a sus criaturas. Habra sido (ms) apropiado que los dioses a adoraran a la humanidad!92

As es la verdad autntica en relacin a los hechos de la humanidadesencialmente salen por su poder.

Por eso son llamadas (sus) capacidades. Su (prole) son sus hijos que salen por (su) reposo. A causa de esto, su
poder gobierna en sus obras, pero su reposo se manifiesta en (sus) hijos. Y averiguars que esto penetra hasta
las imgenes. Y sta es la Persona Espejada: haciendo sus obras en su poder, pero en reposo engendrando a
sus Hijos.93
93.

En este mundo los esclavos son forzados a trabajar para los libres. En la soberana de los cielos, los libres
actuarn para servir a los esclavos: los Hijos de la Cmara Nupcial servirn a los hijos del matrimonio. Los
Hijos de la Cmara Nupcial tienen un nombre [nico] entre s, el reposo les sucede mutuamente, a son hechos
para no tener necesidades. [...]94
94.

La contemplacin [de las imgenes es concien]cia en grandeza de gloria. a [En verdad hay inmortal]idad
dentro de ellos en la [Santa Cmara Nupcial, quienes reciben] las glorias de los que [son colmados]. 95
95.

[Quien se sumerge] en el agua no [...] baja a la muerte, a [... pues] (Cristo) le expiar [una vez que haya
emerg]idoes decir, aquellos que fueron [llamados para colmarse] en su nombre. Pues dice: [As] cumpliremos con toda rectitud.96
96.

Quienes dicen que primero van a morir y (despus) se levantarn, se confunden. Si no reciben primero la
resurreccin (mientrasa) viven,b no recibirn nada (cuandoa) mueran. As suelen decir tambin del bautismo, c
(que) el bautismo es grandioso, (puesa) vivirn quienes lo reciben.97
97.

98. Felipe el apstol dice: Jos el carpintero plant un arbolado porque necesitaba madera para su oficio. l
mismo hizo la cruz de los rboles que haba plantado; y su heredero se colg en lo que l haba plantado. a
Yesha fue su heredero, pero la cruz fue la planta. Pues el rbol de la vida est en medio del parasoy el
olivo, del corazn de que vino el crisma por medio de l de la resurreccin. 98
99. Este mundo devora cadveresadems, mueren ellos mismos que comen en l. El veraz consume a la vida
por eso nadie nutrido en [la verdad], morir[]. Yesha vino desde adentro de aquel lugar y trajo alimento de
all. Y a quienes deseaba, dio sus vidas para que no murieran. 99

Dios [cre] un jardn-paraso. La humanidad [viva en el] jardn, [... pero] no quedaban en el [...] de Dios
en [...] el deseo dado [...] a sus corazones. [...] Este jardn [es el lugar] donde se me dir: [Puedes comer] esto
o no comer [esto, segn tu] deseo. Este es el lugar (donde) consumir cada (cosa) diferenteall, donde est
el rbol del conocimiento, el cual mat a Adn. Pero (en) este lugar, el rbol del conocimiento dio la vida a la
humanidad. La Torah fue el rbol. Tiene (la) capacidad en s de otorgar el conocimiento del bien y del mal.
Ni san a l del mal ni lo conserv en el bien, sino caus que murieran quienes lo haban ingerido. Pues la
muerte origin a causa de su dicho: Come esto, pero no comas (eso)! 100
100.

El crisma se hace amo sobre el bautismo. a Pues del crisma somos llamados crstico(s, yb) no por el bautismo. Y (l) fue llamado el Cristo por el crisma. Pues el Padre ungi al Hijo, adems el Hijo ungi a los apstoles, adems los apstoles nos ungieron a nosotros. c Quien ha sido ungido tiene la totalidadtiene la resurreccin, la luz, la cruz,d la Sagrada Espritu. El Padre le otorg esto en la Cmara Nupcial (y b lo) recibi.101
101.

102.

El Padre exista dentro del Hijo y el Hijo dentro del Padre. sta es la soberana de los cielos! 102

103. Excelentemente dijo el Amo: Algunos han alcanzado a la soberana de los cielos rindose y salieron [del
mundo regocijndose]. El crstico [...] que se sumergi en el agua, de inmediato sali como amo sobre todo;
porque [no consideraba (el Bautismo) como] juego, sino despreciaba este [mundo variable por] la soberana
92 a

Plural y por eso tambin en las dos veces anteriores; Isa 44:9-20, Jer 16:20, Hab 2:18-19, Fel 54.
Jn 5:19!, Tom 50!
94
Lc 20:34-36!, Hch 4:34-35, Fel 64; aasndeton.
95 a
Aristteles, Metafsica, XII.7, 1072b.23.
96
=Mt 3:15!; aesto se opone a la doctrina paulina en Rom 6:3-4.
97 a
Asndeton; bJn 11:26, Fel 22; crepeticin en el manuscrito, aqu omitida.
98 a
Anti-gnstico; difcil de interpretar: quizs una parbola compuesta por el apstol Felipe, en la cual Jos representa a
la humanidad, y Cristo es el hijo de la humanidad; Mt 13:55, x 30:22-33, Dt 21:22-23, Ap 22:2.
99
Jn 6:53, Tom 11/60, Fel 15.
100
Tom 113, Gn 2:16-17; Isak Dinesen, Acre de tristeza, Cuentos invernales: El Jardn de Edn, creado de nuevo; de
cada rbol de que ... t, mi Adn, puedes comer libremente.
101 a
Mt 3:11; basndeton; cLc 4:18, Jn 20:21-22, Hch 6:5-6!!; danti-gnstico, asndeton.
102
Jn 14:10/17:20-23, Tom 113!; Juan Rulfo, Pedro Pramo: El cielo ... est aqu donde estoy ahora.
93

33

de los cielos. Si desprecia (a este mundo) y lo desdea como un juego, sald[r] adelante rindose. 103
104. Adems, as es, referente al pan con el cliz y al crisma: hay sin embargo otro (sacramento) exaltado sobre
stos.104

105. El sistema empez en una transgresin, pues quien lo hizo haba deseado hacerlo imperecedero e inmortal. l cay y no alcanz (su) ambicin. Pues no haba imperecimiento del sistema y no haba imperecimiento
de quien ha hecho el sistema. Pues no hay imperecimiento de cosas sino de Hijos, y nadie puede conseguir
imperecimiento sin convertirse en Hijo. Pero quien no puede recibir, cunto (ms) no podr dar! 105

El cliz de la comunin contiene vino (ya) contiene agua. Se designa como el smbolo de la sangre, b
sobre la cual se dan las gracias c. Y se colma de la Sagrada Espritu y pertenece a la persona enteramente perfecta. Cuando solemos tomar esto, recibiremos a la Persona Perfecta. 106
106.

El agua viviente es un cuerpo. a Es apropiado que nos vistamos en la Persona Viviente. A causa de esto,
(cuandob) viene alguien para sumergirse en el agua, se desnuda para vestirse con sa. 107
107.

Un caballo naturalmente engendra a un caballo, un humano engendra a (un) humano, a un dios engendra a
(un) dios. As es referente al Novio dentro de la Novia[sus Hijos] salieron en la Cmara Nupcial. (Los)
judos no haban descendido [...] de los griegos, [...] y [nosotros los crsticos no descendemos] de los judos. b
[...] Y stos fueron llamados [...] la generacin escogida por la [Sagrada Espritu]el humano veraz y el hijo
de la humanidad y la semilla del hijo de la humanidad. Esta generacin es nombrada la veraz en el mundo.
ste es el lugar donde existen los Hijos de la Cmara Nupcial. 108
108.

109. El apareamiento se da en este mundo (como el) varn encima de (la) mujer, el lugar de la fuerza junto con
la debilidad.a En la eternidad hay algo distinto (en) la semejanza al apareamiento, pero los llamamos con estos
(mismos) nombres. Sin embargo, hay otros que son exaltados ms all de cualquier nombre que se nombra y
(que) trascienden a la fuerza. Pues (en) el lugar donde hay fuerza, hay quienes son superiores a la fuerza. 109

El uno no es y el otro espero ellos juntos son esta nica unidad. a ste es l que no podr venir a (quien)
tiene el corazn carnal.110
110.

111. No es apropiado para todos los que poseen la totalidad, que se entiendan a s mismos? Algunos en verdad, que no se entienden a s mismos, ni siquiera disfrutarn las (cosas) que tienen. Pero quienes se han entendido a s mismos, las disfrutarn.111
112. No solamente no podrn asir a la persona perfecta, sino que ni siquiera la podrn ver. Pues si la ven, la
agarrarn. De ninguna otra manera podr uno ser engendrado de l en esta gracia, a menos que se vista en la
luz perfecta y (la) luz perfecta est sobre l. [As vestido], saldr [del mundo]. Este es el perfeccionado [Hijo
de la Cmara Nupcial].112

[Es apropiado] que seamos convertidos en [personas perfectas] antes de que salgamos [del mundo]. a Quien
ha recibido todo [sin recibir dominio b] en estos lugares, [no podr recibir dominio a] en aquel lugar; sino que
[ir] adelante a la transicin como imperfecto. Solo Yesha conoce el destino de ste. 113
113.

114. El santo es enteramente sagrado, incluso su cuerpo. a Pues si recibe el pan lo santificar, o el cliz, b o todo

lo dems que reciba, lo purifica. Y cmo no purificar tambin al cuerpo? 114

Yesha verti la muerte por medio de perfeccionar el agua del bautismo. a Debido a esto, en verdad somos
enviados a bajar al aguapero no hasta la muerte, (sino) para que seamos vertidos fuera de la espritu del
115.

103

Fel 96.
La Santa Cmara Nupcial; vase Fel 73.
105
Fel 5/49; Jean-Paul Sartre, A puerta cerrada: No puedo dar y no puedo recibir.
106
Mc 14:23-24, Jn 19:34, I-Jn 5:6-8; aasndeton; banti-gnstico; cgr .
107 a
Anti-gnstico!; basndeton; Fel 3/26.
108 a
Asndeton; bTom 43, Fel 50; Miguel de Cervantes, Prlogo a Don Quijote de la Mancha: [En la] naturaleza,... cada
cosa engendra su semejante.
109 a
Gn 3:16; Fel 140.
110
Fel 9; aChuang Tsu, siglo IV a.C. China: Lo que es uno es uno y lo que no es uno tambin es uno; quien considera
todas cosas como Uno, es un compaero del Cielo.
111
Ecl 6:1-2, Tom 2/67.
112
Mt 5:48, Fel 85.
113 a
Mt 5:48; 2literalmente, hacerse amo; Mt 25:31-46, Jn 8:7; Fel 10/68/112.
114
Enfticamente anti-gnstico!; aJn 20:27; besta es la Eucarista: Mc 14:22-24; Walt Whitman, Hojas de csped, 142:
Divino soy dentro y fuera, y santifico todo que toco.
104

34

mundo. Cuando sopla aqulla, viene su invierno; (perob) cuando respira la Sagrada Espritu, viene el verano. 115
116. Quien conoce la verdad, es liberado. Pero el liberado no transgrede, pues el transgresor es el esclavo de
la transgresin.a La Madre es la verdad, pero el unirse es el conocimiento. El mundo llama liberados a los
que es dado el no transgredir. El conocimiento de la verdad exalta los corazones de stos a quienes es dado el
no transgredir. Esto es lo que los libera y los exalta sobre el lugar entero. Pero el amor es inspirador. No obstante, quien ha sido liberado por el conocimiento, se esclaviza por el amor para los que todava no han podido sostener ser liberados por el conocimiento. Pero el conocimiento les hace capaces, lo cual los libera. 116
117. El amor [no se apropia] de nada, pues cmo [(puede) apropiarse de algo, puesto que todo] le pertenece?
No [dice Esto es mo] ni (Eso) es mo, [sino dice] Son tuyos. 117

El amor espiritual [en verdad] es vino con fragancia; todos los ungidos con l lo gozan. Mientras los ungidos permanecen, los que estn de pie a su lado (tambin) lo gozan. (Pero) si los ungidos con el crisma dejan
de evangelizarlos (ya) se van, (entonces) los que no son ungidos (sino a) solamente estn de pie al lado, se
quedan en su (propio) miasma. El samaritano no proporcion al herido nada ms que vino con ungentoy l
san los golpes, pues el amor expa una multitud de transgresiones.118
118.

119. Aqullos a quienes engendrar la mujer, se parecen a el que ella ama. Si (es) su marido, se parecen a su
marido; si es un adltero, se parecen al adltero. A menudo, si hay (una) mujer (que) se acuesta con su marido
por compulsin, pero su corazn est con el adltero y ella se acostumbra a aparearse con l (tambin, entonces) el que ella engendra al parir se parece al adltero. Pero vosotros que estis con el Hijo de Diosno amis
el mundo sino amad al Amo, para que aqullos que se engendrarn no se hagan parecidos al mundo sino se
harn parecidos al Amo. 119

120. El humano naturalmente se junta con el humano, el caballo se junta con el caballo, el burro se junta con el

burro; las especies naturalmente se juntan con sus mismas especies. As la Espritu naturalmente se junta con
la Espritu, y el Logos se aparea con el Logos, [y la] Luz se aparea [con la Luz. Si te] haces humano, (entonces) [la humanidad] te amar[]; si te haces [espiritual], (entonces) la Espritu se aparear contigo; si te haces
razonable, (entonces) el Logos se juntar contigo; si te haces iluminado, (entonces) la Luz se aparear contigo;
si te trasciendes, (entonces) lo Trascendental reposar sobre ti. (Pero) si te acostumbras de hacerte (como un)
caballo o burro o becerro o perro u oveja u otro de los animales afuera e inferior, (entonces) ni la humanidad
ni la Espritu ni el Logos ni la Luz ni los de arriba ni los de adentro podrn amarte. No podrn reposar en ti, y
tu herencia no estar entre ellos.120
121. Quien se esclaviza involuntariamente, podr ser liberado. Quien ha sido liberado por la gracia de su amo
y se ha vendido a s mismo para esclavizarse (de nuevo), ya no podr ser liberado. 121
122. El cultivo en el mundo (es) por cuatro modos(las cosechas) se recogen en el granero por suelo y agua
y viento y luz. E igualmente, el cultivo por Dios es por cuatro: por confianza y anticipacin y compasin y
conocimiento. Nuestro suelo es la confianza en la cual radicamos; el agua es la anticipacin por la cual somos
alimentados; el viento es la compasin por la cual crecemos; pero la luz es el conocimiento por el cual somos
madurados.122
123. La gracia causa [al alma humilde de la] persona terrenal, que se haga soberana [sobre ...] lo que est arriba
del cielo.a [Recibieron] por medio de [l que] es bendito. ste por su [Logos en verdad alza] sus almas. 123

ste es Yesha el Cristol encant el lugar entero y no agobi a nadie. Por eso, bendita es esta persona
perfeccionada de este tipo; pues sta es el Logos. 124

124.

115

Mt 28:19, Fel 7/96/103; aesto se opone a la doctrina paulina en Rom 6:3-4; basyndeton.
=Jn 8:32-36!, I-Jn 3:9.
117
Job 41:11, Lc 6:30.
118 a
Asndeton; Lc 10:30-37, Tom 24, =Pro 10:12 I-Ped 4:8.
119
x 20:14, Lev 20:10, II-Sam 11:1-5/12:1-10, Mt 5:27-28+32, Mc 7:21, Jn 8:3-11.
120
Sir 13:16, Fel 108; Ecles [Ben Sirach] 13:19-20, Cada bestia quiere a su semejante; as tambin cada uno [quiere] a
quien est ms cerca de l. Toda carne se juntar con lo semejante a s misma y cada persona se asociar con su semejante.
121
x 21:5-6 [pero tambin Lev 25:10!], Fel 116.
122
Tom 25, Fel 116; Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, V.3: Un hombre ignorante ha buscado; y habiendo buscado,
encuentra al maestro; y encontrando, ha credo; y creyendo, ha esperado; y en adelante habiendo amado, es asimilado al
amadoas es el mtodo que muestra Scrates; Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary: Estircol y lluvia y sol y viento
traen a las flores.
123 a
Tom 2!/11!
124
Fel 29
116 a

35

125. Preguntadnos referente a l, ya que es difcil este (intento de representar)lo rectamente. Cmo podremos
tener xito en esta gran (tarea)?125

Cmo va l a conferir reposo a cada uno? En primer lugar, no es apropiado afligir a nadie sea grande o
pequeo, sea incrdulo o creyente. Luego, suministrar reposo a quienes descansan entre los buenos. Hay los
que tienen el privilegio de suministrar reposo a los ideales. Quien practica lo bueno no puede de s mismo darles reposo a stos, pues no viene de su (propia) voluntad. Pero ni siquiera puede afligirlos, pues no los oprime.
Pero quien es ideal a veces los afligeno sea que l es as (penoso), sino que es la (propia) maldad de ellos la
cual los aflige. Quien es natural, otorga alegra al buenopero de esto algunos se afligen terriblemente. 126
126.

127. Un amo de casa adquiri todoya sea hijo o esclavo o ganado o perro o cerdo, ya sea trigo o cebada o
paja o heno o [huesos] o carne (o) bellotas. Pero (era) sabio y conoca el alimento de cada [cual]. Frente a los
hijos en verdad puso pan con [aceite de oliva y carne; frente a] los esclavos puso aceite de ricino con grano;
frente al ganado [puso cebada] con paja y heno; a los perros les tir huesos; pero frente a [los cerdos] ech
bellotas y migajas de pan. As es con el discpulo de Diossi es sabio, es perceptivo con respecto al discipulado. Las formas corporales no lo engaarn, sino que luego se fijar en la disposicin del alma de cada uno
para hablarle. En el mundo hay muchos animales hechos en forma humanal suele reconocerlos a stos. A
los cerdos en verdad les echar bellotas; pero al ganado le tirar cebada con paja y heno; a los perros les tirar
huesos; a los esclavos les dar lo elemental a; a los Hijos les regalar lo perfectob .127

Hay el hijo de la humanidad y hay el nieto de la humanidad. El Amo es el hijo de la humanidad, y el nieto
de la humanidad es quien es creado por medio de el hijo de la humanidad. El hijo de la humanidad recibi de
Dios la capacidad de crear; (solo Dios) tiene la capacidad de engendrar. 128
128.

Lo que se crea es una criatura, lo que se engendra es un prole. Una criatura no puede engendrar, (mas a) un
prole puede crear. Pero (suelen) decir que la criatura engendra. Sin embargo, su prole es una criatura. Por eso,
los nios (de alguien) no son hijos de l, sino son (Hijos) de [Dios]. 129
129.

130. El que crea, acta manifiestamente y l mismo tambin se manifiesta; quien engendra, [acta] en [secreto]
y se [esconde a s mismo de] la imagen [de los dems]. (As tambin) el Creador [en verdad] crea visiblemente, pero en engendrar [engendra a los] Hijos en secreto.130
131. Nadie [podr] saber en cul da [el varn] y la mujer se aparean entre s, aparte de ellos mismos. Pues el
matrimonio en el mundo es un sacramento para los que han tomado cnyuge. Si el matrimonio de impureza a
es escondido, cunto ms es un sacramento verdadero el Matrimonio Inmaculado! b No es carnal sino puro, no
es lujurioso sino compasivo, no es de la oscuridad ni de la noche sino del da y de la Luz. Un matrimonio que
se exhibe es convertido en adulterioc; y la novia ha cometido adulterioc, no solamente si recibe el esperma de
otro varn sino aun cuando escapa de la alcoba y se ve. Qu se exhiba solamente a su padre y a su madre y
al amigo del noviod y a los hijos del novio! A stos se les otorga entrar diariamente en la cmara nupcial. Pero
para los dems, qu se hagan anhelar aun or su voz y gozar (su) fragancia, y qu se alimenten como los
perros con las migajas que caen de la mesa! (Quienes) son del Novio dentro de la Novia, pertenecen a la
Cmara Nupcial. Nadie podr contemplar al Novio con la Novia a menos que se convierta en esto. 131

Cuando Abraham se haba [regocijado] al ver lo que iba a ver, circuncid la carne del prepucioensendonos que es apropiado renunciar la carne [que pertenece a] este mundo. 132
132.

133. [... Mientras] las entraas de la persona quedan encerradas, la persona vive. Si sus entraas estn expuestas (y1) ella se desentraa, la persona morir. As tambin con el rbol: naturalmente brota y crece mientras su
raz queda cubierta, (peroa) si su raz est expuesta el rbol se marchita. b As es con todo engendrado en el
mundo, no solamente con lo manifiesto sino tambin con lo escondido. Pues mientras la raz de la maldad
queda escondida, es fuerte; pero si se reconoce est destruida (y a) cuando se expone perece. Por esto dice el
125

Tom 13!; Csar Vallejo, Un hombre pasa, Poemas humanos: Cmo escribir, despus, del infinito?
Pro 21:15, Tom 90.
127 a
La Torah; bel Evangelio; Mc 5:9-12!/7:27!, Mt 7:6!, Jn 7:24!, Tom 93, Fel 79!; NB aqu se estipulan cinco niveles y/o
etapas espirituales personales.
128
Tom 101.
129 a
Asndeton; Ecl 11:5, Isa 29:33, Jn 1:12-13/3:3, Fel 33; Kahlil Gibran, El profeta: Vuestros nios no son vuestros
nios; son los hijos y las hijas del anhelo de la Vida por s misma. Llegan por vosotros pero no de vosotros; y aunque
estn con vosotros, no os pertenecen.
130
Dios como masculino crea el universo observable alrededor, Dios como femenina nos engendra a nosotros desde
adentro; vanse Fel 93 y La Espritu Materna.
131
=Mc 7:27-28!; a!!; bFel 64/73; cliteralmente, prostitucin/prostituido; dJn 3:29/15:14-15.
132
Anti-gnstico; Gn 17:9-14, Dt 10:6, Jn 8:56, Tom 53.
126

36

Logos (Juan Bautista!) Ya el hacha ha alcanzado a la raz de los rboles!c (No (solamente) podar, pues lo
que se poda naturalmente brota de nuevo. Sino que el hacha excava bajo tierra (y a) desarraiga. Pues Yesha
arranc la raz del lugar entero, pero los otros (lo haban hecho) slo en parte. Nosotros tambinqu cada
uno de entre nosotros excave hasta la raz de la maldad que est dentro de s mismo, (y a) arranque su raz de su
propio corazn! Pero se arrancar si nada ms que la reconozcamos. Pero si no nos enteramos de ella, arraiga
dentro de nosotros y produce sus frutos en nuestros corazones. Se hace maestra sobre nosotros (y a) nos
convertimos en sus esclavos. Somos capturados, lo cual nos obliga hacer lo que no queremos (y a) [no] hacer lo
que s queremos. Es poderosa hasta que la reconozcamos. Mientras queda subliminal, en verdad impulsa. 133
La ignorancia es la madre de [toda la maldad a, y] la ignorancia (misma) resulta de la [confusin]. Aquellas cosas originadas en [la ignorancia] ni estaban ni [estn] ni estarn [entre los veraces. Sin embargo], se
perfeccionarn cuando la verdad entera se revele. Pues la verdad se asemeja a la ignoranciasi queda escondida reposa dentro de s misma, pero si se revela es reconocida. (La verdad) es gloriosa en cuanto prevalece sobre la ignorancia y libera de la confusin. El Logos dice: Conoceris la verdad (y b) la verdad os
liberar!c La ignorancia esclaviza (pero b) el conocimiento es libertad. Al conocer a la verdad, encontraremos
los frutos de la verdad dentro de nuestros corazones. Aparendonos con ella, recibiremos nuestra plenitud. 134
134.

135. Por ahora tenemos la manifestacin de la creacin. Suelen decir que (los seres visibles) son los poderosos
honorables, mientras que los invisibles son los dbiles despreciables. (Pero) la verdad es que los seres visibles
son as dbiles e inferiores, mientras que los invisibles son los poderosos y honorables. 135

Pero los misterios de la verdad se revelan compuestos en imgenes simblicas. a Sin embargo, la Alcoba
queda escondidaes el Santo dentro de la Santidad. 136
136.

El velo (del Templo) en verdad al principio ocultaba cmo Dios gobierna a la creacin. Pero (una vez
que) el velo se rasg y las cosas del interior se revelaron, entonces esta casa iba a quedar abandonada (y a)
desolada, e incluso destruida. Pues la Divinidad entera se apart de estos lugares no dentro de los santos de las
santidades, pues no poda juntarse (all) con la Luz ni juntarse con la plenitud sin defecto. Sino que iba a
quedar bajo las alas de la cruzb [y en] sus brazos.137
137.

138.

Este arca ser la salvacin para nosotros cuando el cataclismo de agua los haya inundado. 138

Si unos pertenecen a la tribu sacerdotal, estos sern permitidos entrar dentro del velo (del Templo) con el
Sumo Sacerdote. Por eso no slo fue rasgado el velo por la parte superior, pues de otra manera solamente se
habra abierto para quienes estn arriba; ni fue rasgado slo por la parte inferior, pues de otra manera solamente se habra revelado para quienes estn abajo. Sino que fue rasgado de arriba abajo. Aqullos de arriba se nos
han abierto a nosotros de abajo, para que entraremos en el secreto de la verdad. 139
139.

Este fortalecimiento es verdaderamente excelente. Pero entraremos all por medio de smbolos despreciados y debilidades. Son en verdad humildes en presencia de la gloria perfecta. Hay gloria que sobrepasa (la)
gloria,a hay poder que sobrepasa (el) poder.b Por eso los perfectos se nos han abierto con los secretos de la
verdad. Adems, los santos de las santidades se han revelado y la Alcoba nos ha invitado para adentro. 140
140.

141. Mientras la maldad en verdad est escondida (queda) en potencia, todava no verdaderamente purgada de
entre la semilla de la Espritu Sagrada. (As) son esclavizados por la opresin. a Pero cuando la Luz Perfecta se
revele, entonces se derramar sobre todos y cada uno dentro de ella recibir el Crisma. Entonces sern liberados los esclavos [y] expiados los cautivos.141
142.

[Toda] planta que no ha sembrado mi Padre celestial, [ser] desarraigada. a Los separados sern apare-

133

Job 14:7-9, Pro 20:9; aasndeton; bEsquilo, Agamenn, 967: Cuando la raz contina viviendo, las hojas nuevas retornan; c=Mt 3:10!; dCharles Dickens, Grandes esperanzas: Fui demasiado cobarde para hacer lo bueno que bien saba,
igual que haba sido demasiado cobarde para evitar haciendo lo malo que bien entenda.
134 a
Lc 23:34!, Hch 3:17; basndeton; c=Jn 8:32!
135
San Buenaventura, De plantatione paradisi, I.t.v.575: No podemos llegar a conocer la sabidura del Dios invisible
salvo que tome la forma de las cosas visibles con las que estamos familiarizados; Sren Kierkegaard, Apostilla concluyente no cientfica: Un ser omnipresente debera ser reconocible precisamente por ser invisible; Antoine de Saint-Exupry, El principito: No se ve bien ms que con el corazn; lo esencial es invisible a los ojos; I ching, hexagrama 50, La
vasija ritual: Todo lo visible ha de crecer ms all de s mismo, extenderse en el campo de lo invisible.
136
Fel 82/83; aFel 72.
137
x 26:31-34, Mt 27:51/23:38/24:2, Fel 84; aasndeton; banti-gnstico; este dicho hay que fecharlo despus del 70 d.C.
138
Gn 6-9, Pro 10:25, Lc 17:22-37.
139
Nm 18:7, Mc 15:38, Fel 84/137.
140 a
Asndeton; bFel 109; Fel 83/137.
141
Sal 19:12; aTom 45, Fel 133.

37

ados (y) [los vacos] colmados.b Todos los que [entran en] la Alcoba, nacern en la Luz. Pues [no son engendrados] en la manera de las bodas que [no] vemos, (las cuales) se actan de noche, (cuyo) fuego [llamea] en la
oscuridad (y luego) se apaga. Sino que los sacramentos de esta Boda son consumados en el da y en la Luz. Ni
aquel da ni su Luz declina jams. 142
143. Si alguien se convierte en un Hijo de la Cmara Nupcial, recibir la Luz. Si uno no la recibe en estos
lugares, tampoco podr conseguirla en el otro lugar. Quien ha recibido aquella Luz, no ser visto ni podrn
detenerlo; ni podr nadie molestarle a ste de este tipo, aunque participe en la sociedad del mundo. Y adems,
(cuando) sale del mundo ya ha recibido la verdad por medio de las imgenes. El mundo se ha convertido en la
eternidad, porque para l la plenitud es lo eterno. Y as se le revela a l individualmenteno escondida en la
oscuridad (ni) en la noche, sino escondida en un da perfecto y en una Luz Santa. 143

El Evangelio segn Felipe

Notas a Felipe
Se recomienda al lector que consulte el interlinear hiperligado (www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin.html) de
cada nmero de Felipe, pues (a) el texto es conceptualmente complejo y (b) los papiros estn algo deteriorados
as que cualquier interpretacin ha de ser provisional. La traduccin es concordante con la de Toms, y por eso las
palabras tratadas en sus notas no se repiten aqu. Se enumeran las referencias completas de unos trminos seleccionados; para los dems se da slo la primera cita. Las tres etapas de esta traduccin: ( 1) www.metalog.org/
files/till/interlin/till-01.jpg [1990], (2) www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin/philip_2.gif [2004], (3) www.metalog.org/
files/ph_interlin/ph002.html [2008].
Abel (46): heb lbh (vapor, aliento; vase Isa 57:13); segundo hijo de Adn y Eva; matado, de envidia, por su
hermano Can; Gn 4:1-16.
Abraham (132): heb Mhrb) (padre de muchos); el primer patriarca hebreo (Gn 11:26).
Alcoba (131/136/140/142): gr ; vase tambin Cmara Nupcial.
Aliento (42): vase Espritu.
ngel (21/29/30/56/59/65): gr = heb K)lm (malak: emisario, mensajero); aqu el ego puro del individuo, que tanto nace de Dios como observa las imgenes creadas por Dios ; Mt 18:10, Lc 20:36, Tom 88; vase
ngel, imagen y smbolo.
Anticipacin (122): gr (expectacin) = heb hwqt (tiqvah); no mero anhelo, sino anticipacin; as
Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, II.6: La esperanza es la expectacin de la posesin de lo bueno; necesariamente, entonces, es la expectacin fundada en la fe; Isa 42:9, Jn 16:13!
Apareamiento (30/36/64/65/80/86/87/89/119/120/131/134/142): cop 6wtr (C726b) = gr (ser en comn);
unin sexual; comprese con el concubinato israelita, la unin sexual sin matrimonio (en la cual no hereda la
prole), como Abraham con Agar y Cetura (Gn 16 y 25:1-6) o el Rey David (II-Sam 15:16)no prohibido ni por la
Torah ni por Cristo (x 20:14, Lev 20:10, Mt 5:28 refieren solamente a la esposa de otro hombre, no a una soltera ni
a una viuda); vanse Compaera, Juntarse, Pareja y Sacramento.
Apstol (18): gr (enviado adelante); alguien comisionado; comprese Discpulo.
Apostlico (18): gr (seguidor de los apstoles).
Arameo (20): lengua semtica del mundo antiguo, fechada por documentos extra bblicos hacia el 3000 a.C.,
fuente del alfabeto hebreo de letras cuadradas, el idioma tanto de Abraham (Dt 26:5) como de Cristo en su ministerio (Mc 5:41/7:34/15:34, Mt 27:46); Gn 22:20-21, II-R 18:26, Isa 36:11.
Autoridad (13): gr (un ser original); un funcionario en la sociedad; vase Mundo/Sistema en Tom
Notas.
Bautismo (47/73/81/82/96/97/101/115): gr (inmersin); el sacramento de limpieza espiritual referente
a la Torahvanse Sacramento, Torah, Isa 1:16-17, Mc 1:4, Mt 28:19, Hch 1:22, Vrd 37, Juan Bautista en Tom
Notas.
Can (46): heb Nyq (producto y por tanto posesin); es decir, obra ma o nuestra en lugar de obra de Dios
quizs significando que la transgresin original de los humanos consista en afirmarse (como dioses) creadores y
en consecuencia jueces de su prole; Gn 2:15-4:1, Ecl 11:5!vanse Abel, Adn en Tom Notas, Eva, Fel 93/129,
adems de Teognesis.
Cmara Nupcial (65/71/72/73/82/94/95/101/108/112/131/143): vase Cmara Nupcial en Tom Notas; (79/84/86/
87/89: gr ); vanse Alcoba, Sacramento y Fel 64 (el sacramento del matrimonio, el apareamiento puro), 85
(el sacramento del apareamiento), 104/109/131 (el matrimonio inmaculado) 142 (los sacramentos de esta boda).
Compaera (36/59): gr (compaero, socio; NB plural en Lc 5:10!); vase Apareamiento; la forma
142 a
143

=Mt 15:13!; bTom 40; asndeta mltiples; Fel 73/131, Vrd 33.
Fel 85.

38

femenina de esta palabra griega jams significa esposa (www.metalog.org/files/gk.jpg); adems, al contrario de la
afirmacin en la novela popular El cdigo Da Vinci (2003), el arameo subyacente, rbx (javeret: compaera),
tampoco significa esposa (www.metalog.org/files/aram.jpg); referente a la famosa pintura de Leonardo, en sus
sumamente secretos Cuadernos, I.665, Notas sobre la ltima Cena, l mismo inequvocamente refiere a esa
figura como varn! (www.metalog.org/files/leonardo1.html); video: www.metalog.org/files/dvcode_1.wmv.
Comunin (106): cop 4lhl (C559a); comunicando con Dios, oracin: The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5a edicin, CD-ROM versin 2.0: Communion: 3. Intimate mental or spiritual communing, es decir, oracin
en silenciovase Mt 6:6; (NB en Lc 18:1 manda la oracin continua).
Confianza (4/122): gr (fe); no mera opinin, sino confianza personal en alguien o algo.
Confusin (10/18/22/74b/97/134): gr (descarro; as planeta como un cuerpo celestial que parece desviarse con respecto a las estrellas fijas); vase Vrd 3 ss.
Contemplacin (95): gr ; aqu significando mirar las imgenes de uno mismo como la propia imaginacin manifestada de Dios (Mt 18:10 y ngel, imagen y smbolo); la cita paralela de Aristteles es:
: La contemplacin [de lo inteligible () es] lo ms deleitable y excelente.
Crisma (20a/28/51/52/71/72/73/80/81/88/98/101/118/141): gr (ungento) = cop ne6 (C240b), so2n (C388b),
tw6s (C461b); el sacramento de ungir con aceite de oliva, cristificacin; vanse Sacramento, Ungido, Vrd 41.
Crstico (6/14/48/53/63/101/103/108): gr (seguidor de Cristo) = hebreo mesinico (seguidor del
Mesas).
Cristo (4): gr ; vase Ungido.
Desigualdad (65): cop at.twt (P063d, C438a: no de acuerdo, no juntos); vanse Unirse y Tom 61b!
Discpulo (19): gr (seguidor; una palabra notablemente ausente de las epstolas de Pablo); en el
griego tico, este trmino se usaba para referirse a los alumnos de los filsofos y retricoscomo en el Protgoras,
315A, de Platn; comprese Apstol.
poca (7/70): cop ene6 (C057a) = gr (en, incondicional); designa a una limitada era de tiempo especfico, o una eternidad trans-temporalno solamente, como generalmente traducido, para siempre.
Espejado (65/93): gr : representado; vase Imagen en Tom Notas.
Espritu (6): vanse Espritu y Sagrada Espritu en Tom Notas.
Eterno (9/10/109/143): vase poca.
Eucarista (30/57/73/106/114): gr (buen regocijo, agradecimiento); el sacramento de pan y vino (Lc
22:14-20); vase Sacramento.
Eva (76): heb hwx (viviente, Gn 3:20); vanse Abel, Adn en Tom Notas, Can y Mujer.
Expiar (8/51/73/82/88/96/141): cop sote (C362a) = gr = heb rpk (kpr: cubrir/sustituir; como en Yom
Kipur: da de expiacin); sacrificio o padecimiento personal, por el culpable o por el inocente, que sirve para
reconciliar al culpable (Lev 1:1-4/16:1-34, Isa 53, Mt 5:10-12/20:28, Tom 58/68/69a) ; vanse Sacramento, Vrd 1;
Ana Frank, Diario: Quizs nuestra religin ensear al mundo y a toda la gente en l acerca del bien y esa es la
razn, la nica razn, por la cual tenemos que padecer.
Felipe el Apstol (98): gr - (amigo de caballos) Mc 3:18, Jn 1:43-46/12:21/14:8;
distinto de:
Felipe el Evangelista (Colofn): Hch 6:1-6/8:4-40/21:8-14!; destacado discpulo temprano, uno de los Siete y
autor de este texto.
Hebreo (1/6/18/50): heb rb( (eber: cruzar al otro lado, allende, transente; Tom 42!); el linaje de Sem y sobre
todo de Abraham (Gn 10:21/14:13/16:15as Ismael tambin era hebreo!).
Heredero (98): cop 2ro2 (C831b: semilla, semen); por analoga con Fel 18, y como in Fel 108, este
trmino tiene que ser aqu una metfora por heredero en lugar de significar literalmente prole.
Iglesia (10): gr (llamado afuera); la asamblea de los llamados afuera del mundo (Mt 16:18/18:1520); ste haba sido el trmino para la asamblea ateniense; Sal 22:22.
Imagen/Imaginacin (24n/26n/30/47n/58n/72/84/93/95/130/136/143): vase Tom Notas.
Jerusaln (82): heb Myl#wry (cimientos/ciudad de paz); ntese que heb hry (yarah: directiva) es la raz tanto
de Jeru- como de Torah.
Jnico (20a): gr (violeta) = heb Nyy/Nwy (yavan/yayin: vino); nombre hebreo para los griegos (Gn 10:25, Dan 8:21); la costa de Asia Menor (actualmente Turqua) fue donde los griegos encontraron las antiguas civilizaciones medio-orientales, adquiriendo el alfabeto semtico va los fenicios ( : prpura, nombre griego para los
cananeos [hebreo: mercaderes] de Gn 9:18-10:19/12:5-7, I-R 5, Ezek 27-28; comprense Mt 15:22 con Mc 7:26;
segn Las historias, I, de Herdoto, Tales de Miletoel primer pre-socrticoera fenicio/cananeo).
Jordn (88): heb Ndry (descendiente); el ro de la Tierra Santa, que se extiende al norte del Valle de la Gran
Falla Africana; NB al aparecer el Ro Pisn de Gn 2:11!; as, habra podido acontecer el Diluvio en el Valle de la
Gran Falla Jordn?ms inteligible topolgicamente, a pesar del problemtico rarat (que, no obstante, slo
significa tierra sagrada/alta); esto por supuesto ubicara todo Gn 2-9 dentro del Valle del Jordn, con Gn 10 la
primera dispersin humana (es decir, lingstica?!), y Gn 11 entonces en Mesopotamia.

39

Jos el Artesano (98): Jos = heb Pswy (adicin); artesano = cop 6am4e (C546b), griego (Mt 13:55);
marido de la Virgen Mriam; notablemente callado en los evangelios; vase Fel 18.
Juntarse (65/120/137): cop tw6 (C453b: unirse, copular); primero Mt 19:12 en el contexto de los cuatro sacramentos anteriores (Fel 73) y slo despus el quinto sacramento!; vanse Apareamiento, Compaera, Pareja y
Sacramento.
Lev (58): heb ywl (afiliarse, convertirse); el patriarca del linaje sacerdotal en el AT; Fel 58 as se podra
interpretar: El Amo entr en la tintorera de conversin [o del sacerdocio]... (Isa 14:1, Zac 2:11).
Magdalena (36 59): heb ldgm (mgdal: atalaya); la compaera de Cristo; Pro 18:10, Isa 5:1-2, Miq 4:8, Lc 8:2,
Jn 20:1-18; se debe notar que en Jn 20:17 no significa meramente tocar, agarrarse sino tambin encender
(como en Lc 8:16) y as acariciar, igual que en Lc 7:39; vanse Mriam en Tom Notas y La paradoja de Pablo,
II.15.
Medido (51): heb lq#-m (m-shql: de-shkel/peso); al parecer aqu se hace un juego de palabras con xy#m
(mashaj, Mesas).
Mesinico (6): hebreo Mesas con sufijo griego - (as: seguidor del Mesas); vase Crstico.
Mesas (20a): heb xy#m (mashaj); vase Ungido.
Misterio (21/64/73/85/89/104/131/136/142): gr ; secreto o sacramento, un trmino de las antiguas religiones de misterio mediterrneas; vanse Sacramento, Mc 4:11, Tom 62, Vrd 5/45.
Modo (122): gr : el vocablo para las formas platnicas (frecuentemente como ) y adems para las
especies aristotlicas; ntese tambin la alusin evidente a los cuatro elementos primarios de la fsica antigua:
tierra, agua, aire y fuego (reformulados en la fsica moderna como las cuatro condiciones bsicas de la materia:
slido, lquido, gas y plasma).
Mujer (18): cop s6ime (C385a); aqu se da nfasis a la Sagrada Espritu como nuestra Madre universal, como
en Isa 49:15/66:13, Lc 13:34; vanse Espritu y La Espritu Materna.
Nacionalista (4): heb ywg (goy: cadver!) = gr ; pagano, gentil, no israelita, como en Sal 2, Mt 18:17/
20:25/24:9, Hch 4:25-26.
Natural (126): vase Aejo/Bondadoso/Natural en Tom Notas.
Nazareno (20b): hebreo de Nazaret (ortografa griega del NT: , como en Mc 1:24); debe distinguirse cuidadosamente de:
Nazirito (51): heb ryzn (coronado, consagrado); ortografa griega del LXX y del NT: , como en
Nm 6:1-8 LXX, Jue 13:5Mt 2:23; santo hebreo, sea varn o mujer, (1) que no se corta el cabello, (2) que se abstiene de los productos de la via, y (3) que evita a los cadveres; Cristo implcitamente abrog las dos ltimas reglas
[Lc 7:11-17/22:17-18].
Novicio (1): gr (proslito, nefito); alguien convertido a la Torah (Nm 9:14, Tob 1:8, Mt 23:15,
Hch 2:10) como San Nicols de Antioqua (Santa Claus, el primer discpulo gentil!) en Hch 6:5 y Cornelio en Hch
10:1-2; Un proslito es un judo ntegro: Abraham Chill, Biblio.31, arriba.
Pablo (25/96/115): latn pequeo; el presunto apstol (pero vase La paradoja de Pablo); notablemente, Mt
5:19 as se puede leer Quienquiera que afloje el menor de estos mandamientos [o peor, todos de ellos, como en
Rom 7:6!],... Pablo (i.e. pequeo) ser llamado en el reino de los cielos.
Paraso (15): gr ; trmino introducido por Jenofonte, del snscrito paradesa (jardn) va el persa
pardes (parque); vanse Gn 2:8 LXX donde = heb Ng (gan, jardn) y Lc 23:43!
Pareja (36/87): cop 6wtr (C726b); vanse Apareamiento, Compaera, Juntarse y Sacramento.
Patrimonio (64): la atribucin del engendramiento de nios a padres humanos, en lugar de directamente a
Dios; matrimoniopatrimonio (o casamientoherencia) significa mutua implicacin lgica, como en Gn
25:5-6 y tambin leyes 170-71 del Cdigo de Hamurabi; Len Tolstoi, Guerra y paz: Un hijo ilegtimo no puede
heredar; vanse Can, Dt 14:1, Os 1:10, Mt 23:8-9, Lc 20:34-6, Jn 1:12-13/11:52, Tom 105, La Espritu Materna y
Teognesis.
Perfecto (15): gr (completo); es de suma importancia notar que la moralidad bblica exhibe una
lgica de tres valores en lugar de binaria: (1) malo/equivocado [en violacin de la Torah], (2) bueno/correcto [en
acuerdo con la Torah], y (3) perfecto [en acuerdo con el Mesas]; vanse Mt 5:48/19:16-21, T.P. Brown, God and
the Good (Religious Studies, 1967: www.metalog.org/files/tpb/god.g.html).
Profanacin (18/64/65): cop `w6m (C797b) = gr = heb )m+ (tame); impureza ritual (Lev 15), a diferencia de la transgresin de la Torah (Lev 19)una distincin vital; Torah, Transgresin en Tom Notas.
Prostitucin (131): gr (de , vender) no significa fornicacin* (relaciones sexuales no
adlteras fuera del matrimonio, incluido especialmente el concubinato [heb #glp, pilegesh] como en Gn 16:3/
26:6), sino prostitucin (relaciones sexuales de culto o comerciales, como en porno-grafa); Gn 38, Jos 2, Pro
6:26; vanse Mc 7:21!! y Tom 105 ; la prostitucin se prohbe por Dt 23:17 (de culto) y Lev 19:29 (comercial)
ntese que tienen la culpa los padres, alcahuetes y clientes de la prostituta y no ella misma, que es vctima, Mt
21:31; NB utilizar el erotismo en anuncios comerciales, es prostitucin; Bruce Malina, Significa PORNEIA la prostitucin?, Novum Testamentum, 1972, nota que no hay ninguna prueba en el uso tradicional o contemporneo de

40

la palabra porneia, que la interpreta como cpula prenoviazgo, prematrimonial y heterosexual, de tipo ni de culto ni
comerciales decir lo que hoy da llamamos fornicacin; mientras que lo que designa un comportamiento
como ... ilegal, es que se prohbe explcitamente por la Torah.... En ningn caso se prohbe la cpula prenoviazgo,
no comercial, no de culto, y heterosexual (lo cual generalmente se llama fornicacin hoy da)! (www.
metalog.org/files/malina.html); como en Fel 131 adems de Mt 5:32, el trmino tambin se poda usar por
extensin para relaciones sexuales explcitamente prohibidas por la Torah, como el incesto, la homosexualidad
masculina o el adulterio (es decir, la infidelidad de una esposala monoandria siendo uno de los castigos de la
mujer en Gn 3:18); vanse Apareamiento, Gn 25:1-6, II-Sam 3:2-5/5:13/15:16, Mt 5:32, Jn 8:2-11. (*como mal
traducido, sin duda a propsito, en Mc 7:21 tanto en la Vulgata de Jernimo [405 d.C.] como en el NT ingls de
William Tyndale [1525]mientras que Martino Luther en su NT alemn [1522] la tiene correcta como prostitucin)
Renacimiento (72): cop `po n-.ke.sop (nacimiento otra vez: C778b/090b/349b) ! gr (engendracin de lugar arriba; la frase griega puede significar igualmente nacer de arriba o nacer de nuevo; comprense Jn 3:3 con 3:31).
Restauracin (72): gr (desde abajo parado), como en Hch 1:6/3:21en los papiros seculares, este trmino se usa para indicar la reparacin de edificios, la devolucin de propiedades a sus dueos verdaderos y el balanceo de cuentas.
Sabidura (39/40/43/59): gr = aram tmkx (jokmat, x 35:35); Vrd 16/30/34, Filsofo en Tom Notas.
Sacramento (64/73/85/104/131/142): vase Misterio y Fel 127; Fel 73 da una lista secuencial y jerrquica de
cinco sacramentos: (1) Bautismo [limpieza moral referente a la Torah]; (2) Crisma [el discipulado mesinico];
(3) Eucarista [la comida comunal, conmemorando el sacrificio de Yesha]; (4) Expiacin [padecer para la salvacin de otros: simpata, persecucin]; y (5) Santa Cmara Nupcial [el juntarse de los discpulos con las discpulas,
para celebrar su nacimiento eterno por el apareamiento del Padre con la Sagrada Espritu].
Salvador (59): gr = cop nou6m (C243b) = heb (#y (ysha); vanse Yesha en Tom Notas, Vrd 1.
Smbolo (72/74a/106/136/140): gr (tipo, letra alfabtica, diseo, modelo, idea general).
Tez (58): gr (el color de la piel) = snscrito varna (tez, as casta!).
Torah (100): heb hrwt (flecha/directivo); los 613 mandamientos o mitzvot de la ley del AT, tambin especficamente los cinco libros de Moiss (GnDt); Sal 9:7-10, Mal 4:4, Mt 5:17-19/23:23, Lc 16:31, Vrd 36 ; vanse
Bautismo y Perfecto, adems de Abraham Chill, Biblio.31; fjese: en qu letra fue escrito en el Monte Sina el
Declogo?, referente al origen del alfabeto (semtico).
Transicin (68): cop mhte (C190b) = gr (medio); entre alternativas, ni el uno ni el otro (Ap 3:16!);
vase Maldad 12 en Tom Notas.
Ungido (20a): heb xy#m (mashaj, Mesas) = gr ; en Israel antiguo, tanto sacerdotes como profetas y
monarcas eran consagrados por coronamiento con un ungento de aceite de oliva (x 29:7, I-R 19:16, II-Sam 2:4
as Lc 4:18, Mt 26:6-7); vanse Gn 28:18, x 30:22-33.

1.

El Evangelio de la Verdad es alegra para quienes han recibido del Padre de la verdad el don de conocer-

lo, por el poder del Significadoa que procede de la plenitud que existe dentro del pensamiento y la mente del
Padre. ste es el que es llamado el Salvadorcual es el nombre de la tarea que l ha de hacer para la expiacin de quienes no conocan el Nombre del Padre. 1
2. Pues el evangelio es la revelacin del esperado, es el descubrimiento de ellos mismos que lo buscan. Ya que
todos estaban buscando a aqul de quien haban salidoy todos existan dentro de l, el inconcebible incomprensible, el que existe ms all de todo pensamiento. a Por eso el no conocer al Padre, causaba ansiedad y
temor. Entonces la ansiedad se condens como una neblina, hasta que nadie poda ver. 2
3. As la confusin creci fuerte, ideando su materia en vaciedad sin conocimiento de la verdad, preparndose
para sustituir una fabricacin potente y seductora, en lugar de la verdad. Pero esto no fue ninguna humillacin
para l, el inconcebible incomprensible. Pues la ansiedad y el olvidoa y la fabricacin engaosa, no eran nada
mientras que la verdad establecida es inmutable, imperturbable y de una belleza inadornable. Por eso despreciad la confusin! No tiene races y exista en una neblina con relacin al Padre, preparando labores y olvidos y temores, para tentar a los de la transicin y capturarlos. 3
1

Mt 1:21, Jn 17, Hch 4:12; a .

Fel 125.
3
Fel 68; aLen Tolstoi, Ana Karenina: Aquella solucin universal que da la vida a todas las cuestiones, aun las ms
complejas y insolubles: hay que vivir en las necesidades del daes decir, olvidarse.
2 a

41

4. El olvido de la confusin no fue hecho como una revelacin, no es una obra manual del Padre. El olvido no
sucede bajo su direccin, aunque bien sucede a causa de lya que lo que existe dentro de l, es conocimiento. Esto se revela para que el olvido se disuelva y el Padre sea conocido. Puesto que el olvido ocurri
porque el Padre no se conoca, despus cuando el Padre se conozca ya no habr ms olvido.

ste es el evangelio de quien se busca, lo cual l ha revelado a los perfeccionados por las misericordias del
Padre como el misterio secreto: Yesha el Cristo! l alumbr a quienes estaban en la oscuridad a causa del
olvido. Los ilumin. Les dio un sendero y ese sendero es la verdad que l proclam.
5.

Por eso la confusin se enfureci con l y lo persigui para suprimirlo y eliminarlo. Fue clavado a una viga;a
se hizo el fruto de conocer al Padre. No obstante, (eso) no caus que perecieran quienes lo consumi-eron, sino
que a quienes lo consumieron les otorg un regocijo en tal descubrimiento. Porque l los encontr dentro de s
mismo y ellos lo encontraron dentro de s mismos: b el inconcebible incomprensible, el Padre, este perfecto
quien cre la totalidad, dentro de quien la totalidad existe y de quien la totalidad tiene necesidad. Pues l haba
retenido dentro de s mismo el perfeccionamiento de ellos, el cual todava no haba conferido a todos ellos. 6
6.

El Padre no es envidioso, pues qu envidia podra haber entre l y sus miembros? a Por cuanto, si la manera
de esta poca hubiera prevalecido, no habran podido venir al Padre, que retiene dentro de s mismo la realizacin de ellos y quien se la confiere a ellos como un retorno a l, con un conocimiento nico en perfeccin. l
es quien orden la totalidad. Y la totalidad se contiene en l b y la totalidad tena necesidad de l. Es semejante
a una persona a quien algunos no haban conocido, aunque l desea que lo conozcan y lo amen. Pues de qu
carecan todos, excepto conocer al Padre?7
7.

8. As l se hizo un gua reposado y sosegado en el lugar de instruccin. El Significado vino al medio y habl
como el maestro designado para ellos. Se acercaron quienes se consideraban a s mismos como sabios, ponindolo a pruebapero l los avergonz en la vanidad de ellos mismos. Lo odiaron, porque no eran verdaderamente sabios. Entonces, despus de todos ellos, se acercaron tambin los niitos, que conocen al Padre. Habiendo sido confirmados, conocieron las formas del rostro del Padre. a Conocieron, se conocieron; se glorificaron, glorificaron. El libro viviente de la vida fue revelado dentro del corazn de ellos, ste que se inscribe en
el pensamiento y la mente del Padre y que ha existido dentro de su incomprensibilidad desde antes de la fundacin de la totalidad. Nadie puede quitar este (libro), porque fue designado para l que lo tomara y sera
matadob.8
9. Ninguno de los que confiaban en la salvacin, podra manifestarse a menos que este libro hubiese venido al
medio. Por eso el misericordioso y fielYesha!con paciencia padeci los sufrimientos para tomar este
libro, ya que l saba que su muerte es vida para muchos. a Tal como la fortuna del difunto dueo de la propiedad queda en secreto hasta que se abra su testamento, igualmente la totalidad qued escondida mientras el
Padre de la totalidad quedaba invisibleste por quien todas las dimensiones se originan. Por eso se apareci
Yesha, vestido en aquel libro.9

l fue clavado a una viga,a para publicar el decreto del Padre en la cruz. Oh enseanza sublime, por la cual
l se humill a s mismo hasta la muerte mientras vestido en la vida eterna! l quit los harapos de la
mortalidad para ponerse esta inmortalidad, la cual nadie tiene el poder de quitrsela. Entrando en los espacios
vacos de los terrores, l sac a quienes haban sido despojados por el olvido. b Actuando con conocimiento y
perfeccin, l proclam lo que hay dentro del corazn [del Padre, para] hacer sabios a quienes han de recibir
la enseanza. Pues quienes son instruidos son los vivientes, inscritos en este libro de la vida, quienes se ensean con respecto a s mismos y reciben a s mismos por medio del Padre en volverse a l de nuevo. 10
10.

11. En que la perfeccin de la totalidad existe dentro del Padre, es menester que todos asciendan a l. Cuando
alguien conoce, recibe las cosas que son suyas y las recoge. Pues quien no conoce, tiene una faltay lo que le
falta es grandioso, pues lo que le falta es quien le hara perfecto. En que la perfeccin de la totalidad existe
dentro del Padre, es menester que todos asciendan a l. As cada uno y todos reciben a s mismos. 11

l los inscribi en adelante, habiendo preparado este regalo para quienes surgieron de l. Todos aqullos,
de cuyos nombres l tena presciencia, son llamados al final. As quien conoce, tiene su nombre pronunciado
por el Padre.a Pero aqul cuyo nombre no ha sido pronunciado, queda sin conocimiento. Cmo en verdad

12.

6 a

Anti-gnstico: Dt 21:22-23, Jn 19:18, Hch 10:39; bJn 14:20.

Jn 14:9; aMc 15:10!, Tom 77; bJn 17:21, Fel 21.
8
Isa 5:21, Mt 18:10; aSal 17:15, Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, V6: Se dice que el Hijo es el rostro del Padre, pues
es el revelador del carcter del Padre a los cinco sentidos por vestirse con la carne; banti-gnstico.
9
Ap 5:1-5; aanti-gnstico.
10 a
Anti-gnstico; bPh 75; Dt 21:22-23, Hch 10:39, Vrd 6.
11
Mt 5:48.
7

42

puede responder alguien, cuyo nombre no ha sido llamado? Pues el que queda sin conocimiento hasta el final,
es un producto del olvido, con el cual desaparecer. Por otra parte, por qu en verdad no hay ningn nombre
para aquellos miserables y por qu no responden al llamamiento? 12
13. As alguien con conocimiento, es de arriba. Cuando es llamado, oye y responde y vuelve a quien lo llam,
ascendiendo a l. Y descubre quin es el que lo llama. En el conocimiento, cumple la voluntad de quien lo
llam. Desea agradarle; y otorgado el reposo, recibe el Nombre del Uno. Quien conoce, as descubre de dnde
ha venido y adnde va. Entiende como alguien que se embriagaba y que ha sacudido su embriaguez y ha
vuelto a s mismo, para enderezar esas cosas que son suyas. 13
14. l ha trado de vuelta a muchos desde la confusin. Antes de ellos, l entr en los espacios por los cuales
sus corazones haban emigrado al extraviarse, debido a la profundidad de l que rodea todas las dimensiones
sin ser rodeado. Es una gran maravilla que existieran dentro del Padre sin conocerlo, y que pudieran apartarse
a s mismos, porque no podan ni comprender ni conocer a aqul en cuyo interior existan. Pues as su voluntad todava no haba salido desde adentro de l. Pues l se revel, para que todas sus emanaciones se reunieran con l en el conocimiento.

ste es el conocimiento del libro viviente, por medio del cual al final el (Padre) se ha manifestado a los
eternos, como el alfabeto de la revelacin de s mismo. Estas (letras) no son vocales ni consonantes, de tal
forma que alguien pudiera leerlas y pensar en la vaciedad. Sino que son el alfabeto verdaderosegn el cual
quienes lo conocen, son expresados. Cada letra es un pensamiento perfecto, cada letra es semejante a un libro
completo, escrito en el alfabeto de la unidad por el Padrequien escribe a los eternos, para que puedan
conocer al Padre por su alfabeto.15
15.

Su sabidura medita sobre el Significadosu enseanza lo expresasu conocimiento lo revelsu dignidad es coronada por lsu alegra se une a lsu gloria lo exaltsu apariencia lo manifestsu reposo lo
recibisu amor lo encarnasu fe lo abraz.16
16.

17. As el Significado del Padre entra en la totalidad como el fruto de su corazn y la forma del rostro de su
voluntad. Pero l los sostiene a todos, los expa y adems asume la forma del rostro de cada uno, purificndolos, traindolos de vueltadentro del Padre, dentro de la Madre, Yesha de bondad infinita. El Padre
destapa su seno,a que es la Sagrada Espritu, revelando su secreto. Su secreto es su Hijo! b As por las compasiones del Padre, los eternos lo conocen. Y cesan en su labor de buscar al Padre y tienen reposo dentro de
l, sabiendo que esto es el reposo.17
18. Habiendo rellenado la deficiencia, l disolvi el esquema. Pues el esquema es este mundo en el cual l
sirvi de esclavo, y la deficiencia es el lugar de envidias y disputas. Pero el lugar de la unidad perfecto es. Ya
que la deficiencia sucedi porque el Padre no era conocido, en consecuencia cuando el Padre se conozca, ya
no habr ninguna deficiencia. Tal como la ignorancia: cuando alguien sabe, la ignorancia se disuelve por s
mismay tambin como la oscuridad se dispersa cuando brilla la luzas tambin la deficiencia se desvanece cuando aparece la perfeccin. As desde aquel momento en adelante ya no hay ms esquema, sino que
desaparece en la fusin de la unidad. Porque ahora sus participaciones se igualan, en el instante en que la
fusin perfecciona a los espacios.18
19. Cada uno se recibir a s mismo en la unificacin y se purificar desde la multiplicidad a la unidad en el
conocimientoconsumiendo la materia dentro de s como una llama, la oscuridad con la luz y la muerte con
la vida. Ya que estas cosas as nos han acontecido a cada uno de nosotros, es apropiado que pensemos en la
totalidad para que la casa sea sagrada y silenciosa para la unidad. 19
20. Es semejante a algunos que mueven jarras de sus sitios apropiados a sitios inseguros, donde se quiebran.
Sin embargo, el dueo de la casa no sufri ninguna prdida, sino que se regocij, porque esas jarras defectuosas se reemplazaron por stas que son totalmente perfectas. ste es el juicio que ha venido de arriba, como
una espada de doble filo desenvainada para cortar en este y ese lado, cuando cada uno sea juzgado. 20
12 a

I-Sam 3:10, Lc 19:5.

Tom 28.
15
Sal 139:16, Ap 1:8.
16 a
Definitivamente anti-gnstico.
17 a
Las Odas de San Salomn, 8:17, Mis propios pechos les prepar para ellos, para que pudieran beber mi santa leche y
as vivir; vase tambin Oda 19; bFel 20b.
18
Tom 61b.
19
Sal 46:10, Zac 2:13.
20
Ap 1:16.
13

43

21. Vino al medio el Significado, el cual existe dentro del corazn de quienes lo expresan. Esto no fue un mero
sonido, sino que se hizo un cuerpo. a Una gran perturbacin sucedi entre las jarraspues he aqu se vaciaron
unas, se llenaron otras, se suministraron unas, se volcaron otras, se limpiaron unas, se quebraron otras. Todos
los espacios temblaron y se agitaron, sin tener ni orden ni estabilidad. La confusin estaba angustiada por no
discernir qu hacerapenada y lamentando y trasquilando b por no entender nada.21
22. Entonces cuando el conocimiento se acerc con todas sus emanaciones, esto fue el aniquilamiento de la
confusin, la cual se vaci en la nada. La verdad vino al medio, y todas sus emanaciones conocieron y abrazaron al Padre en verdad y se unieron con l en un poder perfecto. Porque cada uno que ama a la verdad, se
pega con su lengua a la boca del Padre al recibir la Sagrada Espritu.a La verdad es la boca del Padre, su lengua es la Sagrada Espritu junta a l en la verdad. sta es la revelacin del Padre y su auto-manifestacin a sus
eternos. l ha revelado su secreto, explicndolo todo. 22

Pues quin es el existente, aparte del Padre solitario? Todas las dimensiones son sus emanaciones, conocidas al salir de su corazn, semejante a los hijos de una persona madura que los conoce. Cada uno a quien el
Padre engendra, no haba recibido ni forma ni nombre previamente. Entonces se formaron por el auto-conocimiento de l. Aunque en verdad haban existido dentro de su mente, no haban conocido a l. El Padre sin
embargo conoce perfectamente todas las dimensiones, las cuales existen dentro de l.
23.

24. Cuando l lo decide, manifiesta a quienquiera que desea, formndolo y nombrndole. Y al darle nombre, l
lo causa para que llegue a ser. Antes de que llegaran a ser, stos ciertamente no conocan a l que los form.
No obstante, no digo que no son nada los que no han llegado a ser todavasino que preexisten dentro de l
que intentar que lleguen a ser cuando l lo desee, como una estacin venidera.a (El Padre) conoce lo que va a
producir en adelante, antes de que cualquiera se manifieste. Pero el fruto que todava no se ha manifestado, ni
conoce ni logra nada. As todas las dimensiones mismas existen dentro del Padre que existe, del cual salen y
que las estableci de la nada para s mismo. 24

Quien carece de raz tambin carece de fruto. Pero a pesar de eso, (la persona) piensa en s misma: He
llegado a ser, por eso fallecerporque todo lo que (antes) no exista (todava, despus ya) no existir.a Por
eso, cmo desea el Padre que tal persona piense con respecto a s misma?: He sido como las sombras y los
fantasmas de la noche! Cuando brilla el alba sobre esta persona, averigua que el terror que la haba agarrado
no era nada. As no conocan al Padre, porque no lo vieron. En consecuencia, sucedieron terror y confusin y
debilidad y duda y divisin, con muchas decepciones y ficciones vacas actuando a travs de stos. 25
25.

26. Era como si se hundiesen dormidos y se encontraran a s mismos en sueos turbados: o huyendo hacia
alguna parte, o impotentemente persiguiendo a otros, o dando golpes en peleas, o sufriendo golpes ellos mismos, o cayendo de un lugar alto, o volando por el aire sin alas. A veces aun parece como si se asesinaran aunque nadie los persigue, o como si ellos mismos estuvieran asesinando a sus vecinos ya que estn manchados
con su sangre.26
27. Entonces viene el momento cuando despiertan los que han padecido todo esto, no viendo ya todas aquellas
penasporque no son nada.a Tal es la va de quienes han desechado la ignorancia como el adormimiento y
piensan que no es nada, ni consideran sus acontecimientos diversos como verdaderos, sino que lo dejan atrs
como un sueo de la noche. Conocer al Padre, trae el alba! As ha hecho cada uno, durmiendo durante el
tiempo en que no (lo) conoca. Y as, de este modo despierto, viene al conocimiento. 27

Qu bueno para la persona que vuelve en s misma y despierta, y bendito es aqul cuyos ojos ciegos han
sido abiertos! Y la Espritu corri tras l, resucitndolo rpidamente. Extendiendo su mano a quien estaba postrado en el suelo, ella lo alz para ponerlo de pie a quien todava no se haba levantado. Pues el conocimiento
que da entendimiento es por medio del Padre y la revelacin de su Hijo. Una vez que lo han visto y odo, les
otorga saborear y oler y tocar al amado Hijo. 28
28.

Cuando apareci, hablndoles del incomprensible Padre, l sopl hacia adentro de ellosa lo que est en el
pensamiento de realizar su voluntad. Muchos recibieron la luz y volvieron a l. Pero los materialistas estaban
ajenos y no vieron su semejanza ni lo conocieron, aunque l emergi en forma encarnada. b Nada obstruye su
29.

21 a

Anti-gnstico; bLev 19:27+Nm 6:5.

Tom Prlogo/108; aHch 2:1-4.
24
Tom 19; aFel 1.
25 a
Sab 2:2, Nacimos por mera casualidad y en adelante estaremos como si nunca hubiramos estado; Vctor Hugo, Los
miserables: Exista yo antes de mi nacimiento? No. Existir despus de mi muerte? No.
26
James Joyce, Ulises, 2: La historia ... es una pesadilla de la cual estoy procurando de despertarme.
27
Isa 29:7-8; aTom 2.
28
Los cinco sentidos: enfticamente anti-gnstico!; Tom 19.
22

44

cursoporque la inmortalidad es indomable. Adems l proclam de antemano lo que era nuevo, expresando
lo que existe dentro del corazn del Padre y sacando adelante el Significado sin defecto. 29
La luz habl por su boca y su voz pari a la vida.a l les dio el pensamiento de sabidura, de misericordia,
de salvacin, de la Espritu de poder, desde la infinidad y la bondad del Padre. l aboli castigo y tormento, b
porque stos fueron la causa de que unos con necesidad de misericordia se extraviaran de su rostro en confusin y esclavitud. Y con poder l los perdon y los humill en conocimiento.30
30.

l lleg a ser sendero para los desviados; conocimiento para los ignorantes; descubrimiento para los buscadores; estabilidad para los vacilantes; y pureza inmaculada para los contaminados.
31.

l es el pastor que dej atrs las 99 ovejas no perdidas, para buscar a la que se haba desviado. Y se regocij cuando la encontr. Ya que 99 es un nmero que se calcula con la (mano) izquierda, la cual lo enumera.
Pero cuando se aade 1, la suma entera pasa a la (mano) derecha. As acontece con aqul a quien le falta el
Uno, el cual es la mano derecha enteral toma de la izquierda lo que es deficiente para transferirlo a la derecha, y as el nmero llega a ser 100. Pues el significado de estas palabras es el Padre. 32
32.

33. Incluso en el Shabat, l trabaj en favor de la oveja que encontr cada en el hoyo. l devolvi la oveja a
la vida, alzndola del hoyo, para que vosotros Hijos del entendimiento del corazn discernis este Shabat en
que la obra de la salvacin nunca debe cesar, y para que hablis desde este da que existe arriba, que no tiene
noche, y desde la luz perfecta que nunca tiene ocaso. 33
34. Hablad, por eso, desde vuestros corazones, porque sois este da perfecto y dentro de vosotros mora esta luz
constante. Hablad de la verdad con quienes la buscan y del conocimiento a aqullos que por confusin han
transgredido. Sostened a quienes tropiezan, extended vuestra mano a los enfermos, alimentad a los hambrientos, dad reposo a los cansados, alzad a quienes anhelan levantarse, despertad a los dormidospues vosotros
sois la sabidura que rescata!34
35. As la fuerza crece en accin. Atendeos a vosotros mismosno os preocupis por esas otras cosas, las
cuales ya habis echado fuera de s mismos. No regresis a lo que ya habis vomitado, no seis comidos por
polillas, no seis comidos por gusanospues ya habis echado eso fuera. No os hagis un lugar para el diablo, pues ya lo habis eliminado. No reforcis esas cosas que os causaban tropezar y caer. As es la rectitud!

Pues quien viola a la Torah, se hace dao a s mismo ms que el juicio lo daa.a Porque realiza sus obras
ilcitamente, mientras el justo efecta sus obras para el bien de otros. Haced por eso la voluntad del Padre,
porque sois de l. Pues el Padre es bondadoso y las cosas son buenas por su voluntad. l ha tenido en cuenta
lo vuestro, para que tengis reposo con respecto a tales cosaspues en su fructificacin se reconoce a quienes
les pertenecen.36
36.

37. Los Hijos del Padre son su fragancia, pues proceden de la gracia de su rostro. Por eso el Padre ama su fragancia y la manifiesta por todas partes. Y mezclndola con la materia, a l confiere su fragancia a la luz y en su
reposo la exalta ms all de cualquier semejanza y cualquier sonido. Pues no son los odos los que aspiran la
fragancia, sino que la respiracinb tiene el sentido de oler y la aspira a s mismay as alguien se bautiza en la
fragancia del Padre.37
38. De esta manera l trae su fragancia original al puerto, aspirndola que se haba enfriado, al lugar de donde
haba salido. Era algo que, en forma psquica, se haba convertido como agua fra penetrando en suelo suelto,
de tal forma que quienes lo ven lo consideran lodo. Entonces, cuando sopla una brisa clida y fragante, se
evapora de nuevo. As la frialdad resulta de la separacin. a Por esto vino el Fielpara abolir la divisin y traer
la clida plenitud del amor, para que el fro no volviera, sino que hubiera la unificacin del pensamiento
perfecto. Esto es el significado del evangelio del descubrimiento de la plenitud, para quienes esperan la salvacin que viene de las alturas. Prolongada es la esperanza de los que estn anticipandocuya semejanza es la
luz que no contiene sombraen aquel momento cuando la plenitud viene por fin. 38
39.

La deficiencia de la materia no se origin por la infinitud del Padre, que vino en el tiempo de insuficiencia

Vase [inflar], en Jn 20:22 y tambin Gn 2:7; Las Odas de San Salomn, 18:19, El Altsimo sopl hacia
adentro de ellos; banti-gnstico, Jn 1:14.
30 a
II-Sam 23:2; bLc 23:34, Jn 8:2-11!
32
Mt 18:12-13, Tom 107.
33
Mt 12:11, Tom 27/34, Fel 142.
34
Mt 25:31-46!
36 a
San Agustn, Confesiones, I: Cada desorden del alma, su propio castigo es; Jn 16:28, Lc 6:43-44.
37 a
Anti-gnstico!; bespritu; Fel 118.
38 a
Tom 11, Fel 86; II-Ped 3:3-13, Fel 85/112.
29 a

45

aunque nadie poda predecir que el indestructible llegara en esta manera. Pero la profundidad del Padre
abund y el pensamiento de la confusin no qued con l. Es un tema para caerse uno postrado, es un tema
reposadoser puesto vertical uno en los pies, en ser encontrado por ste que vino para traerlo de vuelta. Pues
el retorno es llamado: Metanoia!39
40. Por eso sopl el imperecederopara rastrear al transgresor, para que pudiera tener reposo. Pues perdonar
es quedarse atrs con la luz, el Significado de la plenitud, dentro de la deficiencia. As el mdico se da prisa
para ir al lugar donde hay enfermedad, porque ste es el deseo de su corazn.a Pero quien tiene una falta, no
puede esconderla de quien posee lo que necesita. As la plenitud, que no tiene ninguna deficiencia, llena la
falta de nuevo.40
41. (El Padre) regal de s mismo para llenar de nuevo a quienquiera que falta, a fin de que as recibiera la
gracia. No tena gracia en el tiempo de su deficiencia. As donde se ausenta la gracia, hay inferioridad. En el
tiempo en que recibi esta pequeez que faltaba, a (entonces el Padre) le revel una plenitud, la cual es este
descubrimiento de la luz de la verdad que le albore en inmutabilidad. Por eso se invoc a Cristo entre ellos
para que recibieran su propio regreso. l unge a los turbados con el crisma. b El ungimiento es la compasin
del Padre, que tendr misericordia a ellos. Pues quienes l ha ungido son los perfeccionados c.41
42. Porque las jarras que estn llenas son las que se lacran. Ya cuando se destruye su lacre, una jarra se va
vaciando. Y la ausencia de su lacre, es la causa de su vaciamiento. Pues entonces, algo en la dinmica del aire
lo evapora. Pero no se derrama nada de aquella de la cual ningn lacre ha sido quitado, ni sale nada, sino que
el Padre perfecto llena de nuevo lo que falta.

l es bueno. Conoce sus plantitas, porque l es quien las sembr en su paraso. Pues su paraso es su dominio de reposo. sta es la perfeccin en el pensamiento del Padre, y stos son los significados de su meditacin.
Cada uno de sus significados es el producto de su voluntad unitaria, en la revelacin de su Significado. Mientras quedaban todava en las profundidades del pensamiento de l, el Significado fue el primero que sali.
Adems l los revel de una mente que expresa al Significado nico en la gracia silenciosa llamada pensamiento, puesto que ellos existan all adentro antes de ser manifiestos. As sucedi que (el Significado) fue el
primero que sali, al tiempo en que agrad la voluntad de aqul que lo intent. 43
43.

Pues la voluntad del Padre es lo que reposa dentro de su corazn y le agrada. Nada existe sin l, ni sucede
nada sin la voluntad del Padre.a Pero su voluntad es insondable.b Su voluntad es su selloc y nadie puede determinarla ni anticiparla para controlarla. Pero cuando l ordene, lo que ordena as existeaunque percibirlo no
les guste. No son nada frente al rostro de Dios y la voluntad del Padre. Porque l conoce el principio y el final
de todosal fin, les interrogar cara a cara. Pero el fin es recibir el conocimiento a ste que se esconda. d Pues
ste es el Padreste de quien surgi el origen, ste a quien volvern todos los que surgieron de l. e Pero han
sido manifestados para la gloria y la alegra del Nombre de l. 44
44.

Pues el Nombre del Padre es el Hijo. (El Padre) primeramente le dio nombre a quien sali de l y es l mismo. Y l lo engendr como un Hijo. l le confiri su propio Nombre. Es el Padre que, de su corazn, posee
todas las cosas. l tiene el Nombre, l tiene al Hijo que se puede ver. Pero su Nombre es trascendenteporque es el nico misterio del invisible, que viene por l a odos enteramente llenos de ello. 45
45.

Pues en verdad el Nombre del Padre no se pronuncia,a sino que se manifiesta como un Hijo. b En consecuencia, grandioso es el Nombre! Quin por eso podra proclamar un nombre para l, el Nombre supremo,
excepto solamente aqul cuyo Nombre ste es?junto con los Hijos del Nombre, aquellos dentro de cuyo
corazn reposa el Nombre del Padre y quienes igualmente tienen reposo en su Nombre. En que el Padre es
inmutable, es solo l que lo engendr como su propio Nombre, antes de que formara a los eternos, para que el
Nombre del Padre fuese Amo sobre sus cabezasste quien es verdaderamente el Nombre, seguro en su mandato del poder perfecto.46
46.

47.

El Nombre no es mera palabrera, ni es mera terminologa, sino que es trascendente. l solo le nombr, l

39

Mc 1:4+15, Vrd 28.

Diatesaron [150 AD]: Donde hay sufrimiento, dice [Cristo], hacia all se apura el mdico.
41 a
Mt 18:4, Tom 21/22/46, Vrd 8; bTom 2; cMt 5:48, Fel 28.
43
Jn 1:1.
44 a
Sal 139:16, Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19; bIsa 40:13; ccop i`nos, gr : literalmente, huella; dSal 11:7/17:15; eTom 77; Clemente de Alejandra, Stromata, V.6: Habiendo sido convertido en Hijo y Amigo, [el discpulo] entonces se rellena con
contemplacin insaciable cara a cara.
45
Mt 1:21, Lc 1:31, Jn 17:6-26!, Fel 11!
46
x 3:14, Tom 13; avase Fel 11, nota b; tambin Lao Tse, Tao teh ching, 1: El nombre que se puede nombrar, no es el
Nombre Eterno; bJn 17:6.
40 a

46

solo vindolo, l solo teniendo el poder de regalarle nombre. Quien no existe, no tiene nombrepues qu
nombres se dan a las nadas? Pero este existente existe junto con su Nombre. Y slo el Padre lo conoce y l
solo le da nombre.
48. El Hijo es su Nombre. l no lo mantuvo escondido como un secretosino que el Hijo vino a ser y (el
Padre) solo le nombr. As el Nombre pertenece al Padre, tal que el Nombre del Padre es el Hijo. De qu otra
manera podra la compasin encontrar nombre, excepto por medio del Padre? Pues al fin y al cabo, cualquier
fulano le dir a su compaero: Quin podra dar nombre a alguien que exista antes de l?como si los
nios no reciben sus nombres de quienes los parieron!
49. As primeramente es apropiado que pensemos en este tema: Qu es el Nombre? En verdad, (el Hijo) es el
Nombreas tambin l es el Nombre que viene del Padre. l es el existente Nombre del Amo. As l no
recibi el Nombre en prstamo tal como los otros, segn el diseo de cada individuo que ser creado en su
corazn. Porque l es el Nombre Seorial. No hay ningn otro a quien se lo confiri, sino que el (Padre) era
innombrable y (el Nombre) era inefable, hasta el tiempo en que aqul que es perfecto lo expres solamente al
(Hijo). Y es (el Hijo) que tiene el poder de expresar su Nombre y de verlo. As le agrad (al Padre) en su
corazn que su querido Nombre fuera su Hijo, y le dio el Nombrea ste que sali de la profundidad.
50. (El Hijo) expres su secreto, sabiendo que el Padre es benvolo. Precisamente por esto, (el Padre) adelant
a stepara que pudiera hablar del dominio y de su lugar reposado de donde l vino y para rendir gloria a la
plenitud, la majestad de su Nombre y la bondad del Padre. l hablar sobre el dominio del cual cada uno vino
y cada uno que sali de aquel lugar, rpido volver all de nuevo para compartir en recibir la substancia de
l en el lugar donde l estaba de pie,a recibiendo el sabor de aquel lugar, recibiendo alimento y crecimiento. Y
su plenitud es el propio dominio de su reposo.50
51. As todas las emanaciones del Padre son plenitudes, y la fuente de todas sus emanaciones existe dentro de
su corazn, desde el cual todas ellas florecen. l les confiri sus destinos.a As se manifiesta cada uno, tal
como por su propia meditacin [vuelven] al lugar al cual dirigen su pensamiento. Ese lugar es su fuente, la
cual los alza por todas las alturas del cielo hacia el Padre. Alcanzan hasta su cabeza, que se hace el reposo de
ellos. Y son abrazados al acercarse, al punto que dicen que han compartido de su rostro en abrazos. Sin
embargo, no se manifiestan as por exaltarse a s mismos. Ellos ni carecen de la gloria del Padre, ni piensan
que l sea trivial ni amargo ni enojado. Sino que l es benvolo, imperturbable y bondadosoconociendo a
todas las dimensiones antes de que entren en la existencia, y sin necesidad de edificacin. 51
52. sta es la forma de quienes pertenecen a las alturas, por la grandeza del inmensurable, mientras esperan al
nico y Perfecto que se hace a s mismo all para ellos. Y no descienden al domicilio de los muertos. No
tienen ni envidias ni lamentacin ni mortalidad all entre ellos, sino que tienen reposo dentro de l que es
reposado. No son ni turbados ni embusteros con respecto a la verdad, sino que ellos mismos son la verdad. El
Padre existe dentro de ellos y ellos existen dentro del Padreperfeccionados y hechos indivisibles en lo verdaderamente bueno, no inadecuados en nada, sino recibiendo el reposo y refrescados en la Espritu. Y obedecern a su fuente en ocio, stos dentro de los cuales se encuentra la raz de l y quienes no daan a ningn
alma. ste es el lugar de los benditos, ste es su lugar! 52

Por lo tanto, qu los dems comprendan en sus lugares que no es apropiado para m, habiendo estado en el
dominio del reposo, decir nada adicional. Pero es dentro de su corazn donde me quedarsiempre devoto al
Padre de la totalidad, junto con esos Hermanos verdaderos sobre quienes se derrama el amor del Padre y entre
quienes no hay carencia de l. stos son los verdaderamente manifiestos, existentes en la vida verdadera y
eterna y hablando de la luz perfecta que se llena con la simiente del Padre, y quienes existen dentro de su
corazn y en la plenitud y en quienes se regocija su Espritu, glorificndolo dentro de quien existen. l es
bueno y sus Hijos son perfectos y dignos de su Nombre. Porque son nios de esta clase, que l, el Padre,
desea.
53.

Notas a Verdad
La traduccin del Evangelio de la Verdad es concordante con las de Toms y Felipe, y por eso las palabras
que se tratan en sus notas, no son duplicadas aqu. En la Red estn (1) el texto copto: www.metalog.org/files/
truth.html; (2) el comentario textual detallado de Kendrick Grobel (Biblio.16): www.metalog.org/files/grobel1.
html; y (3) otro texto extraordinario de Nag Hammadi, el cual tambin podra ser por Valentn: www.metalog.org/
50 a

Tom 28.
Sal 139:16, Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19!
52
Jn 17:21-23, Fel 102.
51 a

47

files/supremacy.html.
Calcular (32): esto se refiere a la tcnica antigua de contar con los dedos, por medio de la cual los nmeros
199 se contaban con la mano izquierda, pero desde el 100 en adelante con la mano derecha; el propio nmero 100

se formaba al tocar la coyuntura superior del dedo pulgar con la punta del dedo ndice derecho (los hindes llaman
a tal postura simblica de la mano, una mudra).
Conocer (1): vase Conocimiento en Tom Notas; Os 6:6, Mt 5:8.
Emanacin (14/22/23/51): cop 5h (C392); Tom 77; Grobel (Biblio.16) muestra muy convincentemente que este
trmino es anlogo al concepto neoplatnico de irradiacin divinaen el cual se comparan todas las criaturas, emanando de Dios, con los rayos del sol; Plotino, Enadas, V.3.12: La analoga de luz desde un sol: el orden intelectual entero se puede concebir como un tipo de luz, con el Uno en reposo en su cima como su Rey; A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ms all de la ilusin y la duda (1999): En el Bhagavad-gita, Krishna dice, aham sarvasya prabhavah: Todo est emanando de m. Cristo dice que l es el hijo de Dios y esto significa que l emana
de Dios.
Esquema (18): gr ; forma, diseo, apariencia, en contraste con la realidad substancial.
Eternos (15): vase poca en Fel Notas; todos seres considerados como eternos, relativo a la mente transdimensional de Dios (Lc 20:38, Jn 6:54, ngel, imagen y smbolo).
Forma (23/29/38/52): latn FORMA; es una idiosincrasia importante tanto de este texto como de La Supremaca,
que el trmino latn se utiliza, en lugar del gr (www.metalog.org/files/supremacy.txt).
Lacre (42): cop tb-be (C398b); un pegamento como la resina, usado para poner la tapa sobre una jarra/nfora
para cerrarla bien (quizs condujo a la tradicin de condimentar el vino griego con resina).
Medio (8): cop mhte (C190b: entre, en transicinas este mundo transitorio); vanse Transicin en Fel
Notas y en Vrd 3.
Metanoia (39): vase Mente, Cambio de en Tom Notas.
Muertos, Domicilio de los (52): cop emnte (C056aC008b: oeste, como la entrada a lo subterrneo) = heb
lw)# (sheol: ruego) = gr (hades: no-visto).
Rostro, Forma del (8/17): cop moung n-.6o (C175a/646b: forma de cara); Gn 32:30/33:10, Tom 76; aqu la idea
parece similar a la expresada en esas extraordinarias pinturas religiosas hindes, que muestran a todos humanos y
criaturas como manifestaciones innumerables de una divinidad trascendental (el Brahman)esta meta-fsica se
encuentra en los Upanishades y el Bhagavad gita; vase Emanacin.
Shabat (33): vase Sbado en Tom Notas.
Significados (43): gr , el plural de (vase Significado en Tom Notas), indicando que cada Hijo
de Dios es un Logos divino al igual que el Salvador mismo (vase Lc 6:40 junto con Jn 1:1 y Tom 108, tambin Fel
133 donde se cita a Juan Bautista como Logos!).

Comentario
(1) Son gnsticos los evangelios coptos?
La inclinacin de los sofistas hacia los desvos apcrifos, es una cantidad constante.
James Joyce, Ulises

Desde el anuncio inicial del descubrimiento de Nag Hammadi y hasta la actualidad, la biblioteca entera ha sido habitualmente calificada de gnstica, lo mismo en la literatura erudita que en la prensa popular. 1
Para empezar, la Biblioteca de Nag Hammadi entera fue llamada as en las primeras ediciones de Toms publicadas (1956+59: www.metalog/files/th_coptic/03a.gif; de Biblio.8)cual clasificacin fue entonces aceptada
por virtualmente todos los que consideraron el texto. As, representativo de la mayora de las publicaciones
fue el informe de Robert M. Grant y David Noel Freedman, Los dichos secretos de Jess (1960): [Con respecto al] evangelio de Toms, [Jean] Doresse hoje este evangelio en la primavera de 1949 y despus anunci
que era una composicin gnstica. El evangelio de Felipe no contiene nada ms que especulaciones gnsticas. No tard mucho en aparecer una opinin ms erudita, al menos sobre Toms, de la autoridad estacada
Gilles Quispel, en la reunin centenaria de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica en 1964: El evangelio de Toms
1

Las citaciones en Comentarios Eruditos Modernos, en la Introduccin arriba, no son ms que excepciones notables
que el estudiante podr encontrar slo por medio de una revista extensa de la literatura ms acadmica. Ms tpicos son
los ttulos perjudiciales del xito de librera Los evangelios gnsticos de Elaine Pagels (1979); la serie erudita entera de
E.J. Brill, Nag Hammadi Studies: The Coptic Gnostic Library; y The Coptic Gnostic Library: A Complete Edition of the
Nag Hammadi Codices, Editor General James M. Robinson (2006)para estos ltimos un ttulo ms apropiado, sin
duda, sera The Coptic Monastic Library etctera.

48

 no es de ninguna manera gnstico. Los partidarios de la interpretacin gnstica tendran que explicar
como el autor podra decir que el cadver enterrado puede levantarse de nuevo (logion 5 en la versin
griega). Sin embargo, infortunadamente, el punto aparentemente irrefutable de Quispel fue muy pronto eclipsado por una oleada de fascinacin, lo mismo en las publicaciones acadmicas que en los medios de comunicacin, con las seducciones aparentemente ms exticas del gnosticismo.
Aunque haya de hecho escritos ms o menos gnsticos entre las varias docenas de ttulos encontrados tan
significativamente cerca del yacimiento del monasterio arquetipo de San Pacomio, se puede demostrar que los
tres evangelios coptos de esa coleccin no son gnsticos en su contenido. Esto se puede hacer bien fcilmente
por un silogismo elemental; el resto del presente ensayo consistir, pues, en probar las dos premisasde las
cuales la conclusin se sigue como demostrada.1
1. Ningn texto que afirma la realidad y santidad de la vida encarnada, se puede etiquetar correctamente como gnstico.
2. Los evangelios coptos de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad (al igual que el Antiguo Testamento entero,
los cuatro Evangelios del Nuevo Testamento y los Hechos de los Apstoles) aseveran explcitamente
la realidad sagrada de la vida encarnada.
Por eso 3. No son ni escritos ni compilaciones gnsticos. QED
Prueba de la premisa primera:
Gnosticismo, Enciclopedia britnica, edicin CD-ROM 2002: En la opinin gnstica, el yo inconsciente del humano es consustancial con el Dios Supremo; pero a causa de una cada trgica, ese yo se echa en
un mundo totalmente ajeno a su ser verdadero. Por una revelacin desde arriba, el humano se entera de su
origen, esencia y destino trascendental. La revelacin gnstica hay que distinguirla ... de la revelacin cristiana, en que no se radica en la historia ni se transmita por la sagrada escritura. Al contrario, es la intuicin del
misterio del yo. El mundo, producido de la materia maligna y posedo por demonios malos, no puede ser la
creacin de un Dios bueno; se considera por la mayor parte como una ilusin o un aborto.

Prueba de la premisa segunda:

Toms 5 (griego): nada que ha sido enterrado, no se levantar ( )
Tom 12: para el bien de que han llegado a ser el cielo y la tierra (paei n-ta.t.pe mn- p.ka6 4wpe
etbht.3-)
Tom 22a: el interior como el exterior y el exterior como el interior (p.sa n.6oun n-.qe m-.p.sa n.bol
auw p.sa n.bol n-.qe m-.p.sa n.6oun)
Tom 22b: una mano en el lugar de una mano y un pie en el lugar de un pie (ou.2i` e.p.ma n-.n.ou.2i`
auw ou.erhte e.p.ma n-.ou.erhte)
Tom 28: encarnado me manifestaba a ellos (a.ei.ouon6 ebol na.u 6n-.sarc)
Tom 29: la carne ha llegado a ser por lo espiritual (n-ta.t.sarc 4wpe etbe p\n\a\)
Tom 55: la cruz de l (pe3.sros)
Th 101: mi madre pari a mi cuerpo (ta.maau gar nta.s.mise pa.swma ebol)
Tom 113 la soberana del Padre se extiende sobre la tierra (t.m-nt.ero m-.p.eiwt e.s.por4 ebol
6i`m-.p.ka6)
Felipe 25: es necesario levantarse en esta carne (6aps- pe e.twoun 6n- teei.sarc)
Fel 72: el poder de la cruz (t.dunamis m-.p.sros)
Fel 77: en la cruz (6i p.sros)
Fel 78: el Amo se levant de entre los muertos;... es encarnado (a.p.`oeis twoun ebol 6n- net.
moout ... ounta.3 m-mau n-.sarc)
Fel 89: su cuerpo entr en la existencia en aquel da (pe3.swma n-ta.3.4wpe m-.foou et.m-mau)
Fel 107: el agua viviente es un cuerpo (p.moou et.on6 ou.swma pe)
Fel 114: la persona santa es enteramente sagrada, incluso su cuerpo (p.rwme et.ouaab 3.ouaab thr.3
4a 6rai e.pe3.swma)
Fel 132: Abraham ... circuncid la carne del prepucio (abra6am ... a.3.sbbe n-.t.sarc n-.t.akrobustia)
Fel 137: bajo las alas de la cruz y en sus brazos (6a n-.tn6 m-.p.sros auw 6a ne3.2boei)
Verdad 6+10: l fue clavado a una viga (a.u.a3t.3- a.u.4e)

O, en la forma de una inferencia modal: 1. (x)(x~x); 2. a,b,c; Ergo 3. ~a,b,c; = vinculacin lgica; ~ = negacin; x = x afirma la santidad de la realidad encarnada; x = x es gnstico; a,b,c = los tres evangelios coptos.

49

Vrd 8: fue designado para l que lo tomara y sera matado (e.s.kh m-.pet.na.3it.3- n-.se.6l-6wl.3-)
Vrd 9: Yesha ... saba que su muerte es vida para muchos (i\h\s\ ... 3.saune `e pi.mou n-toot.3- ou.
wn6- n-.6a6 pe)
Vrd 16: su amor lo encarn [al Logos] (5.agaph n-.toot.3- a.s.r- ou.swma 6iww.3)
Vrd 21: el Logos ... se hizo un cuerpo (pi.4e`e ... a.3.r- ou.swma)
Vrd 29: l sali en forma encarnada (n-ta.3.ei abal 6i.toot.s- n-ou.sarc n-.smat)
Vrd 30: la luz habl por su boca (e.a.3.4e`e abal 6n- rw.3 n-2i p.ouaein)
Vrd 37: el Padre ama su fragancia y ... la mezcla con la materia ( p.iwt maie m-.pe3.staei auw ...
e.3.4a.tw6 mn- 5.6ulh)

Sostener que todos esos pasajes fueron metidos en documentos por lo dems gnsticos, lo nico que
hara sera desviarnos de la cuestin; omitir de la consideracin todos y solamente pasajes contrarios per se,
constituye el error lgico llamado petitio principii. Es ms, tendramos entonces que preguntarnos por qu los
dems logia de estos tres evangelios deben de ser considerados gnsticos en principio, puesto que la realidad
encarnada all no se niega.
Conclusin: Se sigue que los evangelios de Toms, Felipe y la Verdad no son ni composiciones ni compilaciones gnsticas.
De acuerdo que es escandaloso que casi una generacin entera de estudiosos hubieran errado sobre algo
tan elemental y tan esencial que esto (Tom 39!). Bien, haba una variedad amplia de escrituras y movimientos
gnsticos en la antigedad, a menudo influidos por la desconfianza platnica de los sentidos; y en verdad han
habido muchas sectas gnstico-teosficas junto con sus escritos en los tiempos modernos, sin duda ms
influidas por las tradiciones religiosas del Oriente que por Platn. Pero esto no guarda relacin con los tres
evangelios coptos, los cualesigual que los cuatro evangelios cannicosno se pueden considerar documentos gnsticos.1

(2) La Espritu Materna

Como aquel a quien consuela su madre, as os consolar yo a vosotros.
Isa 66:13
El origen del mundo es su Madre; conoced a la Madre para conocer al hijo,
abrazad al hijo para abrazar a la Madre.
Lao Tse, Tao teh ching, 5
Soy el Padre y la Madre de este Universo.
Bhagavad gita, 9.17
Lo dice el Creador, el Modelador, Madre-Padre de la vida, del gnero humano.
Popul Vuh de los Maya Quich, Prlogo

n un dicho extraordinario del Evangelio de Toms, el Salvador declara: Mi madre pari a mi cuerpo,
pero mi Madre verdadera me dio la vida..2 (Tom 101; vanse Tom 15/46) Este pasajela nica ocasin registrada en la cual Cristo parece referir a Dios como su Madre 3entonces se vislumbra por un dicho igualmente asombroso en el Evangelio de Felipe: Algunos dicen que Mriam fue preada por la Sagrada Espritu.
Se engaan, no saben lo que dicen. Cundo jams fue mujer preada por mujer? (Fel 18) Pues en este ltimo logion, la atencin se centra en que espritu es un trmino femenino en las lenguas semticas (heb: xwr
[raj]: aliento, viento, espritu). Y de hecho este punto fundamental, tradicionalmente oculto en las traducciones bblicas e ignorado por los comentaristas, se repite como tema principal tanto en Toms y Felipe como
1

Para un evangelio copto recin descubierto (hallado en los 1970 cerca de El Minya en Egipto), el cual por contraste
ciertamente es gnstico adems de seudnimo, vase el Evangelio de Judas Iscariotes. Ese documento contiene palabrera gnstica tpica como: El primero es Set quien es llamado Cristo, el segundo es Harmathoth quien es [...], el tercero es
Galila, el cuarto es Yobel, el quinto es Adonaios; estos son los cinco que reinaban sobre el mundo de abajo y primeramente sobre el caos.... Entonces Saklas dijo a sus ngeles: Vamos a crear a un ser humano segn la similitud y segn la
imagen. Formaron a Adn y su esposa Evaquien es llamada, en la nube, Zoe. (www9.nationalgeographic.com/
lostgospel). Vase tambin April D. DeConick, Gospel Truth, New York Times Op-Ed, 1.XII.07 (www.metalog.org/
files/gosp.judas/DeConick.html).
2
ta.maau gar n-ta.[s.mise m-mo.i eb]ol [ta.maau ] de m-.me a.s .5 na .ei m- .p .wn6 ; vase Parir en Tom Notas.
3
Pero vase el Evangelio de los Hebreos: Dice el Salvador:... mi Madre la Sagrada Espritu (citado por Origen, Comentario sobre San Juan, II.6), adems de la imagen maternal en la parbola de la madre gallina en Mt 23:37, y tambin
las citas de Gilles Quispel y Raymond Brown en Comentarios Eruditos Modernos, arriba.

50

en el Evangelio de la Verdad. Esto claramente tiene implicaciones teolgicas de gran alcance.

Es bsicamente agramatical el que se use una palabra con un gnero determinado para referirse a un ser
de sexo contrario, siempre que haya formas alternativas disponibles o susceptibles de fcil construccin en
una lengua dadaas por ejemplo, los trminos hebreos/castellanos )ybn/profeta y h)ybn/profetisa.1 Pero
adems, la propia palabra xwr rara vez se usa en gnero masculino, como en x 10:13: hbr)h-t) )#n
Myrqh xwrw, el viento oriental trajo la langosta, donde el verbo )#n est en masculino de la 3 persona del
pasado de qal. As pues, xwr se podra haber usado en masculino para referirse al Espritu Divino, si ello se
hubiera considerado ms apropiado.
Notemos tambin el paralelo sobresaliente, entre Isa 66:13 LXX y Jn 14:16:
.
Como si de-alguien madre aconseja, as tambin yo aconsejo a-vosotros.
.
Y-yo rogar al Padre, y otro consejero dar a-vosotros.
Esta alusin evidente comunica fuertemente un concepto maternal referente al Parclitoo, mejor dicho, la
Parclita.
Pero, por supuesto, en griego es de gnero neutro y masculino, mientras que
tanto SPIRITUS como ADVOCATUS en latn son masculinos. Por lo tanto, comenzando por las versiones ms
antiguas del AT y el NT en idiomas no semticos, se perdi la misma idea que Toms aqu comunica y a la
cual Felipe da nfasis. As, desde la forma neutra en lugar de una forma femenina en
griego, pasamos p.ej. a el espritu en lugar de la espritu en castellano, der Geist en lugar de die Geist en
alemn y en ingls he/him en lugar de she/her refiriendo a la Consejera (heb Mxn-m, me-najem: participio y
por ello sin marcador de gnero) en Jn 16:7 et seq.
Baste acordarnos de las confusiones, cismas y hasta machismo religioso que este cambio de gneros ha
ocasionado a travs de los siglos, mientras los telogos lucharon para encontrar sentido en una Trinidad supuestamente toda masculina. As, es de destacar como la ruptura ortodoxa/catlica del 1054 d.C., result de la
controvertida disputa filioque acerca de la procedencia del tercer miembro de la Trinidad. 2 Con la Sagrada
Espritu como una figura maternal, no obstante, se aclara la idea subyacente: Dios Padre y Espritu Madre e
Hijo Encarnado como el misterio bsico de tres-en-uno, el Dios trino. Aqu el concepto es evidentemente lo
de una sagrada familia trascendental, en que el Nio Divinoy en verdad cada nio 3 (Mt 18:10, Jn 11:52)
nace eternamente, no de la unin fsica entre padres humanos, sino de la unin mstica entre los aspectos
paternal y maternal de la Divinidad:

As, referente a la controversia filioque, es precisamente una tercera posibilidaden contraste con las
doctrinas occidental y orientalque resuelve la cuestin: la Sagrada Espritu no procede del Padre, ni con ni
sin el Hijo; sino que el Hijo procede (nace) del Padre junto con la Sagrada Espritu. Esta forma lgica y
coherente del concepto de la Trinidad, ha sido efectivamente ocultada durante siglos a causa de un simple
cambio gramatical.
Por eso, podramos decir que en la carne naci una vez Yesha de la Virgen Mriam, pero espiritualmente ella nace eternamente de l; adems, que la Virgen es la encarnacin de la Espritu maternal, igual que
Yesha es la encarnacin de Dios Padre (Jn 19:26-27!).
Citemos pues los otros dichos en Toms, Felipe y Valentn, los cuales tratan directamente de este tema:
Yesha ve a nios que estn mamando. Dice a sus discpulos: Estos nios que maman se asemejan a los que
1

No obstante, el gnero gramatical contrario se puede usar para conseguir determinados efectos cognitivosas la referencia a una mujer ordenada como sacerdote y no como sacerdotisa, para dar nfasis a una igualdad de papeles eclesisticos entre ambos sexos. Los significados metafricos de las sentencias en que se usan el masculino o el femenino de
[los] trminos [son] completamente distintos, Pedro Jos Chamizo Domnguez, Metfora y conocimiento, Universidad
de Mlaga, 1998.
2
Filioque: combinacin de palabras latinas que significa y del Hijo, aadida al credo de Nicea de 325 d.C. por el visigodo III Concilio de Toledo en 589 d.C.: CREDO IN SPIRITUM SANCTUM QUI EX PATRE {FILIOQUE} PROCEDIT : Creo
en el Espritu Santo que del Padre {y del Hijo} procede; la Iglesia Ortodoxa no acept la inclusin, llevando a la ruptura
final del 1054 d.C. entre las Iglesias orientales y occidentales.
3
Supongo que (nicamente nacido) en Jn 1:14 signifique lo singular del nacimiento por medio de una
virgen y no a Cristo como hijo nico; vanse Jn 1:12-13/20:17.

51

entran en la soberana. (Tom 22) En los das en que ramos hebreos, (eso) nos hizo hurfanos, teniendo
solamente a nuestra Madre. Pero, cuando llegamos a ser mesinicos, el Padre empez a estar con la Madre
para nosotros. (Fel 6) Ella sola es la verdad. Crea a la multitud y referente a nosotros ensea esto solo en un
amor por medio de muchos. (Fel 12) Su (verdadera) Madre y Hermana y Pareja, es (llamada) Mriam.
(Fel 36) Un da un discpulo le pidi al Amo algo mundano; l le dice: Pide a tu Madre y ella te regalar de lo
ajeno. (Fel 38) La sabidura es estril sin Hijospor eso, ella es llamada la Madre,... la Sagrada Espritu,
que multiplica a sus Hijos. (Fel 40) La sabidura a quien los humanos llaman estril, es la Madre de los
ngeles. (Fel 59) Adn entr en la existencia por dos vrgenespor la Espritu y por la virgen tierra.
(Fel 90) La Madre es la verdad, pero el unirse es el conocimiento. (Fel 116) l los sostiene a todos, los
expa y adems asume la forma-del-rostro de cada uno, purificndolos, traindolos de vueltadentro del
Padre, dentro de la Madre, Yesha de bondad infinita. El Padre destapa su seno, que es la Sagrada Espritu,
revelando su secreto. Su secreto es su Hijo! (Vrd 17)
En numerosos dichos en la parte final de Felipe, se hace referencia entonces al o Cmara
Nupcial, en que el Hijo nace de la unin mstica del Padre con la Espritu; as por ejemplo: Si es apropiado
decir un misterio, el Padre de la totalidad se apare con la Virgen que haba descendidoy un fuego brill
para l en aquel da. l revel el poder de la Cmara Nupcial. As su cuerpo entr en la existencia en aquel
da. l sali en la Cmara Nupcial como alguien que ha salido del Novio con la Novia. De esta manera
Yesha estableci la totalidad en su corazn. Y por medio de estos, es apropiado que cada uno de los
discpulos entre en el reposo de l. (Fel 89) Este misterio primordial entonces se celebra en el sacramento de
la santa Cmara Nupcial (Tom 75, Fel 73/79).

(3) Teognesis
wnlkl dx) b) )wlh
Mal 2:10

os evangelios cannicos ensean con claridad que el discpulo en s mismo nace de Dios en lugar de
padres humanos: A todos los que lo recibieron,... les dio potestad de ser engendrados hijos de Dios; quienes
nacieron, no de ... la voluntad de un humano, sino de Dios (Jn 1:12-13); Todos vosotros sois Hermanos y
[as] no llamis padre vuestro a nadie en la tierra, porque uno es vuestro Padre, el celestial (Mt 23:9). Y de
ah la sorprendente declaracin del Salvador en el Evangelio de Toms: Mi madre (la Virgen) me pari, pero
mi Madre verdadera (la Sagrada Espritu) me dio la vida (Tom 101).
Ademsy esto es de suma importanciacon respecto al resto de la humanidad (es decir, quienes
todava no son discpulos), el texto cannico declara: Tengo otras ovejas que no son de este rebao; las he
de traer a ellas tambin;... as habr un rebao y un pastor;... para reunir en uno a los hijos de Dios que estn
dispersos (Jn 10:16/11:52); y Por tanto, id y haced discpulos a todas las naciones (Mt 28:19).
Esta doctrina mesinica tan fundamental se puede resumir de la manera siguiente: La persona instruida
por el Logos, quien as llega a conocerse a s misma (Tom 3), por lo tanto aprende que en verdad siempre ha
sido un hijo de Dios engendrado en la eternidad, nacido de arriba (griego , Jn 3:78+31). No obstante,
las amplias multitudes de la humanidad estn evidentemente ignorantes de ser hijos del Altsimo, en lugar de
nios de parejas particulares. De ah la existencia de la confusin y el mal, y as la necesidad de la evangelizacin (vase T.P. Brown, God and the Good: www.metalog.org/files/tpb/god.g.html).
II
Consideremos entonces este dicho extraordinario del Evangelio de Felipe: Primero ocurri el adulterio,
luego el homicidio. Y (Can) se engendr en adulterio, (pues) fue el hijo del serpiente. Por eso lleg a ser un
homicida igual que su otro padre y mat a su hermano. Pues cada apareamiento que ha ocurrido entre disimilares es adulterio. (Fel 46). En qu sentido se podra decir que Can naci del serpiente? 1
Primero podemos recordar uno de los versculos cannicos tradicionalmente ms difciles, en San Juan:
Vosotros [descredos] sois de vuestro Padre el Diablo;... era un homicida desde el origen;... es mentiroso y
Padre de la mentira (Jn 8:44). Utilizando este paralelo destacable, decir que Can naci del serpiente, sigHebreo serpiente #xn (najash) es masculinognero necesario aqu para mantener el contraste entre los tres padres:
el homicida y mentiroso serpiente, el padre falso Adn, y el verdadero padre Dios.
1

52

nifica que naci de una mentira. En qu sentido, entonces, se podra decir que fue engendrado Can de una
falsedad?
Aqu es de suma importancia destacar que Can en hebreo, significa producto.
zyq: entallar, fabricar, hacer por un artfice, forjar, Hebrew-Aramaic and English Lexicon of the Old
Testament (#8544), por Francis Brown, S.R. Driver y Charles A. Briggs, 1906; basado en Wilhelm Gese-

nius, Lexicon Manuale Hebraicum et Chaldaicum, 1833 (includo en Biblio.26).

Por lo tanto, en el relato de Gnesis, al dar el nombre Can al nio, la mujer y el hombre estaban en
efecto afirmando que el nio fue, al menos en parte, su propia creacin: He producido un hombre con la
ayuda de Yahweh, Gn 4:1en lugar de enteramente la creacin del Amo, meramente producido por medio
de ellos: No sabes como la espritu viene a los huesos en el vientre de la mujer (Ecl 11:5).1
As ellos se llamaron a s mismos, los padres del nio, en vez de referir a Dios como su nico progenitor. Adems, al pensar eso, ellos se olvidaron de que Dios es igualmente su propio Pariente. Y entonces se
atribuyeron a s mismos completa autoridad moral sobre tanto el nio como si mismosjuzgando como
dioses sobre el bien y el mal, en vez de permitir que slo Dios proclamara el juicio (Gn 3:5).2
En esto, entonces, consisti la cada, la transgresin original de la humanidad en el pasado ms remoto:
en aceptar la concepcin errnea llamada la generacin humana, en vez de la realidad de la generacin divina,
a travs de las generaciones. Quien reconoce a padre y madre, ser llamado hijo de ramera (Tom 105).
Y por eso Cristo vino a rectificar tal confusin, al proclamar que todos los humanos son en verdad ngeles
nacidos de Dios y, por ello, hermanosen lugar de meramente hijos de humanos (Mt 12:46-50/18:10/23:9,
Fel 64).
III
Felipe 46 as es, pues, un logion que verdaderamente ilumina y esclarece, no slo el concepto de pecado
original en el AT, sino tambin el pasaje marcadamente difcil en Jn 8:44.

(4) ngel, imagen y smbolo

He aqu! El Amo es nuestro espejo;
abre tus ojos y velos en l
y aprende la forma de tu rostro.
Las Odas de San Salomn, 13:1
Cuando se ha alcanzado el ltimo nivel de no reaccin,
la conciencia puede con claridad verse a s misma
como independiente de las cualidades fundamentales de la naturaleza.
Patanjali, El sutra del yoga, I.16
Todo tiene una superficie, formas, sonidos y colores....
Cmo podemos considerar cualquier de ellos como el Ser Primitivo?
El libro de Chuang Tsu, 19
Lo que se llama cuerpo, es una porcin del alma
percibida por los cinco sentidos.
William Blake, El matrimonio del cielo y el infierno
La naturaleza es un espejo, el ms claro de espejos; mire en l y admire!
Feodor Dostoyevsky, Crimen y castigo

El notable anlisis ngel/imagen entretejido en los tres evangelios coptos, propone reemplazar [ A] el
cuadro de referencia (paradigma, protocolo, modelo, programa, vocabulario) mundano, con [ B] un cuadro de
1

Este error fundamental tambin se refleja en la frase comn en castellano, dar a luzcomo si la mujer estuviera produciendo el beb por si misma, en lugar de recibindolo de Dios. Mejor ser siempre utilizar el verbo parir.
2
Conocer el bien y el mal equivale a decidir por cuenta propia y con absoluta independencia qu es lo bueno y qu es lo
malo; es decir, tener plena autonoma [de Dios] en el campo moralSanta Biblia Reina-Valera 95, Edicin de Estudio,
nota a Gn 2:9 (Biblio.23).

53

referencia (paradigma, protocolo, modelo, programa, vocabulario) celestial. Segn el primero, somos mquinas electrnicas en un universo material; segn el segundo, somos espritus eternas en la mente de Dios,
espejando su imaginacin en nuestros cinco sentidos.
I. (Tom 5/84) Nada est escondido; nuestras imgenes sensoriales no disfrazan nada ulteriores decir, no
hay nada detrs o ms all o dentro de ellas. En trminos filosficos, no hay ningn sustrato material subyacente a lo percibido. As en su excelente estudio, Claude Tresmontant afirma que la metafsica bblica se
caracteriza por la ausencia del concepto negativo de la materia.... La tradicin hebrea ... intransigentemente
afirma la bondad de la realidad, del mundo sensible, de las cosas creadas.... [Por ello,] el concepto hebreo de
lo sensible, en cuanto que difiere del griego ... es [de] un mundo en que la idea de la materia no aparece....
El hebreo es una lengua muy concreta.... No tiene ninguna palabra para la materia ni para el cuerpo [en
contraste con el alma], porque estos conceptos no pertenecen a ninguna realidad emprica. Nadie vio nunca
ninguna materia ni cuerpo, tal como son definidos por el dualismo substancial. Los elementos sensibles
madera, hierro, aguano son la materia; son realidades sensibles.... Si deseamos referirnos a lo sensible
como la materia, no hay nada que objetar. Es una mera cuestin de palabras. Pero entonces hemos de asegurarnos bien con respecto a lo que queremos decir y no referirnos a ... una substancia material inconcebible. (Biblio.19; en la Edad Media, los filsofos hebreos utilizaban la palabra mlg [golem, embrin; slo en
Sal 139:16] para significar la materia)
II. (Tom 19/22/36/50/67/80/83, Fel 24/26/81/84/95) Empezando con este axioma implcitoque no puede
ser una cosa tal como la materia (este trmino sera, en nuestra terminologa moderna, no significativo)los
textos pasan a designar nuestro campo sensorial entero, como imgenes (iconos). ste sirve como un trmino colectivo para lo que los filsofos recientes han llamado fenmenos o datos sensiblesinclusive el
soliloquio interior de uno mismo, la memoria, la emocin y la fantasa, adems de las percepciones sensoriales que constituyen su propia encarnacin individual, junto con su ambiente natural y emprico.
III. (Tom 37/42, Fel 9/30/47/85/112) Pero imgenes lgicamente presuponen una conciencia que las percibe, un testigo. Este ego individual correspondientemente-yuxtapuesto, entonces se designa como un ngel,
una conciencia pura semejante a un espejo, que refleja (contempla) su complejo espacio-temporal de imgenes sensibles. De esta manera, se dice que el ngel se aparea con sus imgenes. Adems, puesto que todo
el espacio y el tiempo son meramente relaciones entre las imgenes, el ngel en s mismo no es espacio-temporal sino eterno; as Jn 3:15-16 +36/5:24/6:47+54 etctera.
IV. (Mt 18:10, Tom 5/15/17/52/59/76/91, Fel 65/107) Por eso hay una Conciencia Universal que corresponde a la meta-totalidad de todas las imgenes; este superego es por definicin Dios ( Gn 1:26, en nuestra
imaginacin). Cada persona o ngel se asemeja as a un espejo en la mente de Dios, individualmente en sus
cinco sentidos reflejando a la pltora de la imaginacin divina. (Es importante subrayar que esto no implica
que todos entiendan esa relacin explcitamente; eso presuntamente requiere la enseanza del Logos.) Hay
aqu un precioso juego de palabras sobre : nuestras imgenes sensibles son en s mismas iconos
sagrados. (Vctor Hugo, Los miserables: Todos los aspectos de las cosas, son pensamientos de Dios; Antn
Chekhov, La gaviota: El alma comuna del mundo es el Yo.)
V. As, referente a la pregunta primordial de Tales de Mileto (625-546 a.C.), sobre la sustancia bsica del
Universo perceptiblede cual indagacin surgi toda la investigacin cientfica y filosfica posterior
parece que Cristo ense que se compone de la imaginacin de Dios. Sera, a mi parecer, imposible exagerar
el brillantez innovador de esta perspicacia.
VI. (Jn 5:19, Tom 75, Fel 6/32/40/93/130/143) Conocerse uno a s mismo como esencialmente una reflexin de imgenes dentro de la mente de Dios, es saber que uno nace eternamente en la Cmara Nupcial de
la unin mstica de los Dos en Uno: el Resplandor con la Espritu, el Padre con la Madre, el Novio con la
Novia, y Cristo con la totalidad. (recordando el Cantar de los Cantares)
VII. (Tom 83, Fel 78, Vrd 8/17) Pero un espejo es en s mismo un tipo de imagen, de ninguna manera
separado del campo visual, sino una simtrico configuracin espacial dentro de lcomo un eco es una simtrico configuracin temporal en el campo auditorio. En tal simetra son unidos la pareja, el ngel y la imagen:
cada individuo es una reflexin particular dentro de la imaginacin divina. Entonces, se propone el Cristo
encarnado como la imagen espejada (forma-de-rostro) perfecta del Padre, en que Dios se contempla a s
mismo perfectamente reflejado. Nosotros mismos, en cambio, somos proyectados por Dios como imgenes
espejadas imperfectasaunque perfectibles (Mt 5:48, Lc 1:6, Vrd 53)en su imaginacin.
VIII. (Jn 1:1-3, Fel 10/11/13/25/72/136, Vrd 43) Queda todava por considerar el tema entero de la semntica, es decir del logos mismo o del significado; qu caracteriza aquellas imgenessonidos, dibujos, gestos,
inscripciones, etc., o los pensamientos de talque sirven como iconos imgenes especficamente simblicas, incluso lingsticos? Las palabras y aseveraciones son, pues, en s mismas imgenes (sean fsicas o
mentales), las cuales se usan con vistas a un uso simblico o comunicativo. Son quizs las proposiciones y

54

sus componentes, como las personas que las usan, esencialmente reflectantes? Esto implicara que el simbolismo en el lenguaje consiste en un espejamiento de sus denotaciones posiblesigual que la identidad de la
persona consiste en reflejar sus propias imgenes y en ser un reflejo (encarnacin) de Dios. Aqu tendramos
que analizar las diversas relaciones correlativas entre, por lo menos, seis paralelos binarios: ego/imagen, substancia/atributo, sujeto/objeto, sujeto/predicado, activo/pasivo y variable/funcinreferente tanto a los individuos como a la Divinidad.
IX. Con respecto a la sola estructura sintctica que se requiere para formar las frases de sustantivos con
verbos, podramos pensar que la persona, al ser esencialmente un espejamiento subjetivo de imgenes objetivas, podra por s misma ser capaz de entender las formas gramaticales sujeto-predicado y activo-pasiva
(Jn 5:19). Esto tal vez ayudara en explicar la facultad lingstica aparentemente innata en los nios (as Noam
Chomsky) para entender, generar y transformar nuevas declaraciones.
X. Es cierto que los nios, no obstante, aprenden palabras individuales antes de aprender oraciones; de
ah que sea cierto que las palabras individuales son primitivas en el lenguaje. Pero, puesto que una palabra es
una imagen (sonido, inscripcin, etctera), podramos preguntar si hay un paralelismo lgico significativo
entre tales iconos lingsticos comunes y los iconos informticos. Porque stosen vez de ser meramente
ilustracionesrepresentan archivos de programas adems de datos; as podramos formar la hiptesis consistente en que una palabra es un tipo de imagen que designa un archivo, o de datos (incluso imgenes) o de un
programa. As los humanos habran, muy naturalmente, hecho los ordenadores como modelos simplificados
de su propia racionalidad. (comprese Alan Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, 1950:
En el proceso de intentar de imitar una mente humana madura, tendremos que pensar mucho sobre el proceso
que la ha trado al estado en que se encuentra; NB tambin: el lenguaje ordinario es generalmente analgico,
es decir tiene funciones de verdad continuas en lugar de digitales, mientras que los ordenadores modernos
funcionan segn un clculo binario.)
XI. Tal metafsica nica y extraordinaria, la que se podra llamar Idealismo Espiritual, tiene paralelos
significativos con (1) el neoplatonismo de Plotino en su Enadas; (2) la filosofa de idealismo subjetivo de
George Berkeley, segn la cual las cosas sensibles no pueden existir ms que dentro de una mente o espritu;
por lo que es necesario que haya otra Mente en la cual existan [Tres dilogos entre Hylas y Filonous];
(3) el esquema de Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, con nosotros como mnadas espejando el Universo y con Dios
como la Mnada Suprema [Monadologa, 56]; (4) el anlisis ego/fenmeno de Emmanuel Kant, donde la
unidad de la conciencia que precede a todos los datos empricos,... la unidad trascendental de la apercepcin, es esencialmente en polaridad con la variedad [sensible] de todas nuestras intuiciones [Crtica de la
razn pura, A106-7]vase especialmente su elocuente hiptesis trascendental [A779/B807]; (5) el Tractatus logico-philosophicus, 5.64, Cuadernos 1914-1915 [7.VIII.16 y 2.IX.16] e Investigaciones filosficas [#373,
La teologa como gramtica] de Ludwig Wittgenstein; ( 6) Yo y t de Martn Bubervase tambin La
voluntad de creer anterior de William James: El universo ya no es un mero ello para nosotros, sino un T, si
somos religiosos; (7) La filosofa del espacio y el tiempo de Hans Reichenbach [Dover Books, New York, sin
fecha]; (8) Fenomenologa de la percepcin de Maurice Merleau-Ponty; y (9) bastante epistemologa tradicional del oriente: hind, budista y taosta [recurdese Tom 30!]: as p.ej. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Ensayos
sobre el budismo zen [2 serie]: La estructura entera de la filosofa budista [mahayana], se basa en un monismo idealstico; tambin el encarnacionalismo polimrfico del Bhagavad gita, 11.5: He aqu mis formas a
centenadas y millaresdiversas, divinas, de muchos colores y figuras.

(5) La paradoja de Pablo

.
Ap 2:2!!

uienes estudian el Nuevo Testamento pueden notar con sorpresa que el texto no contiene virtualmente ninguna cita de Cristo en ninguna parte de las epstolas de Pablo. Con la nica excepcin de la frmula
eucarstica en I-Cor 11:24-25, l nunca repite ni un dicho del Yesha/Jess histrico, ni los que encontramos
en los evangelios escritos ni de una tradicin oral contempornea. 1 Ms an, jams alude al panorama de la
1

Aunque, asombrosamente, en Hch 13:24-25 l cita a Juan Bautista; Hch 20:35, en cambio, es un dicho de Tucdides, La
guerra del Peloponesio, II.97.4; mientras que Hch 26:14 es la primera parte de la lnea 1574 del Agamenn de Esquilo, la
cual continua: ... El golpe te daar.

55

vida del Salvador desde la Navidad hasta la Pasin, adems de su enseanza elaborada all, los cuales llenan
las pginas de los primeros cuatro libros del Nuevo Testamento. Esto es, a primera vista, una omisin muy
desconcertante.
Adems de esta notable falta de inters histrico, hay un aspecto todava ms enigmtico en los relatos de
Pablo en el Nuevo Testamento. Ello lleva a que una lectura objetiva y filosfica de los documentos parece
revelar varias contradicciones lgicas, tanto en su biografa como en su teologa si la comparamos con la de
los evangelistas.
Hay que dar nfasis a que estas anomalas son de tipo conceptual y no emprico. Pues aunque por supuesto se localizan dentro de contextos histricos, teolgicos y normativos entretejidos en el NT, no obstante
se presentan como problemas de consistencia analtica y a priori entre varios textosindependientemente de
la verdad o falsedad emprica de cualquier afirmacin hecha o presupuesta por aquellos textos. Adems, estas
discrepancias tambin hay que distinguirlas de cuestiones lgicamente posteriores, referentes a la antigua
composicin, edicin, redaccin o datacin de las escrituras del NTtodos de los cuales son asuntos empricos/histricos.
En resumen y dicho ms formalmente: las antinomias paulinas son contradicciones lgicas y por eso en
principio no pueden ser resueltas ni por medio de una investigacin histrica ni por una crtica textual, que
son ambas metodologas empricas.
Tampoco es ste el lugar para proporcionar un repaso de la cantidad de comentarios anteriores sobre
estas complicadas cuestiones. Solamente me referir a una serie retrospectiva de citas por un gran nmero de
individuos eminentes, que estn de acuerdo en que las doctrinas de Pablo parecen claramente opuestas al
mensaje del evangelio. Estos extractos bastarn para mostrar que lo que se podra llamar la paradoja de
Pablo ha sido reconocida por un espectro muy amplio de personas destacadas a lo largo de los siglos.
II
Aqu pues est la matriz de las antinomias, junto con resmenes breves de la aparente contradiccin
lgica en cada caso. Hay que referirse siempre al griego original, al menos va el interlinear superlativo de
Adolph Knoch (Biblio.18), ya que las traducciones desde la antigedad a menudo han empaadointencionalmenteestas mismas discrepancias. Se debe tener en cuenta, sin embargo, que tales contrastes son a
menudo analgicos en lugar de binarios en s; como tan corriente en la vida real, en lugar de o el uno o el otro,
puede ser un caso de ms o menoscomo por ejemplo en #17, donde uno podra donar a los pobres desde
nada, hasta todo que posee (vase Lc 19:8-9, pero tambin Hch 5:1-11!). Otros de las dicotomas siguientes,
por otro lado, son irreduciblemente binarias en forma.
01. Hch 9:7 (cp. Dt 4:12) Hch 22:9

En el clculo proposicional de la lgica moderna, p y no-q es la negacin formal de q y no-p. As

oyeron la voz, pero no vieron a nadie directamente contradice vieron la luz, pero no oyeron la voz. Pero
aquel famoso acontecimiento en el camino a Damasco, fue la nica justificacin original para la supuesta
comisin de Pablo con independencia de Pedro/Kefa y los dems apstoles. (En este caso, es especialmente
importante consultar el texto griego; vase Elaine Pagels, 1975/79, en el Apndice abajo.)
02. Hch 9:26-29 Gl 1:17-2:1

Viaj Pablo entonces inmediatamenteo slo diecisiete aos despus!desde Damasco a Jerusaln,
para ser presentado al crculo apostlico en pleno?
03. Mt 1:16/22:41-45, Lc 3:23 Rom 1:3

Pablo declara que Cristo es del linaje de David, lo cual se niega explcitamente en los evangelios.
04. Mt 23:21, Lc 2:49/19:45-46 Hch 17:24

Los evangelios aceptan la designacin en el AT, del Templo en Jerusaln como la propia Casa del Amo.
Pablo sin embargo proclama a los atenienses que Dios no mora en ningn santuario hecho por manos humanas.
05. Hch 1:15 I-Cor 15:5-6

Cmo poda aparecerse Cristo a los Doce, y despus a ms de 500 hermanos a la vez, en un tiempo
(antes de la ascensin) en que el apostolado contaba solamente con once (Iscariotes ya habiendo salido y
Matas todava no elegido) y el discipulado entero contaba slo con 120?
06. Mt 10:2+40/16:15-19 Gl 2:6+11-13

La designacin explcita de Shimn Pedro como el apstol principal, con toda la autoridad delegada de
Cristo mismo, excluye lgicamente que cualquier otro discpulo o apstol se le oponga a su cara o (peor
an) le llame un hipcrita. En verdad, no tena nada que aprender Pablo de los apstoles originales?

56

07. Mt 28:16-20, Hch 10:1-11:18/15:7-8+13-18 Gl 2:6-9

La doctrina de los evangelios dice claramente que, despus de la resurreccin, los once apstoles que
quedaban fueron enviados para proclamar la buena nueva al mundo entero. A pesar de eso, Pablo se afirma a
s mismo como el solo y nico apstol a los gentiles (el apstol, como es llamado frecuentemente), mientras
que Pedro y los demssegn esta opinindeberan limitarse a evangelizar solamente entre los judos!
08. Mt 5:48, Lc 1:6, Jn 1:14/6:53-56 Rom 8:8

La encarnacin del Logos, adems del mandato de perfeccionarse uno, traen consigo que los encarnados
pueden muy bien agradar a Dios.
09. Lc 24:36-43, Jn 11:43-44/20:27, Hch 1:9-11, Fel 25! I-Cor 15:42-50

Los evangelistas proclaman una resurreccin y una parusa (segunda venida) encarnadas, mientras que al
contrario Pablo asume una posicin anti-carnal y francamente gnstica.
10. Lc 4:5-8, Jn 18:36/19:18, Hch 4:26 (Sal 2:2) Rom 13:1-5

La soberana celestial se describe en los evangelios como de otro orden, comparada al dominio entero de
las nacionesque son todas gobernadas por Satans y por medio de una de las cuales (Roma) fue crucificado
Cristo. En cambio, las autoridades seculares con todo su armamento (incluso en Mc 15:16 y ss.?) son declaradas por Pablo como las propias fuerzas armadas de Dios para castigar a los pecadores!
11. Mt 22:21 Hch 25:11

Cristo cede al Csar los impuestos, Pablo le confa (a Nern, nada menos!) su seguridad personal.
12. Dt 23:15-16, Mt 23:10-12, Jn 8:31-36 Col 4:1, I-Tim 6:1-2, Flm 10-19

La re-conceptualizacin en los evangelios promete a los creyentes emanciparlos de relaciones opresivas,

mientras que Pablo literalmente permite la esclavitud dentro del discipulado.
13. Mt 12:46-50/23:8-9, Lc 14:25-26, Jn 1:12-13/3:1-8/11:52 Col 3:18-21, I-Tim 5:8

Cristo ensea que uno ha de renunciar a las ataduras familiares en favor dees decir, reemplazarlas por
la paternidad/maternidad de Dios, junto con la fraternidad de los Hijos encarnados. Pablo, por su parte, defiende inflexiblemente la estructura familiar tradicional.
14. Mt 19:10-12, Lc 14:20-26/18:28-30/20:34-36, Fel 64! I-Cor 7:2-16+9:5?!, Ef 5:22-24, I-Tim 3:1-4:3

Los evangelios estipulan que los dignos de la salvacin tienen que superar al matrimonio (ntese bien
que Lc 18:28-30 sucede despus de Lc 4:38-39); no nos olvidemos que, segn Gn 3:16, la monoandria
(tener slo un marido) fue el castigo de Eva por su desobediencia! Si una pareja casada entr en el discipulado
por ejemplo, si la esposa de Simn Pedro [Mc 1:30] tambin se uni a la comunidadellos en adelante
fueron considerados como hermano y hermana en lugar de esposo y esposa. Sin embargo, Pablo permite una
continuacin del casamiento entre los discpulos.
15. Gn 25:1-6, Jue 19:1, II-Sam 3:7/15:16, I-Chr 2:46, Tom 61b!, Fel 36/59 I-Cor 7:9/9:5!?1

El Antiguo Testamento permite relaciones de concubina (amante) fuera del matrimonio, hijos de las
cuales no heredanuna institucin vital que Cristo no aboli. Pablo, no obstante, declara que las nicas dos
alternativas son casarse o quemarse.
16. Nm 6:5, Lev 19:27, Jue 13:5, I-Sam 1:11, Mt 2:23, Vrd 21 I-Cor 11:14

La tradicin hebrea indicaba que el cabello largo, en varn o mujer, es un signo de santidad y devocin
especial a Dios. En realidad, la palabra en Mt 2:23 es (el trmino para nazirito en la edicin LXX
del AT) y no (es decir, alguien de Nazaret). No estaban Sansn, el profeta Samuel, Juan Bautista y Cristo mismo consagrados de esta manera desde sus nacimientos?
17. Mt 6:24-34/10:8, Mc 10:13-31, Lc 10:38-42/14:28-33, Hch 4:32-36 Hch 18:1-3, I-Cor 11:34, II-Tes 3:6-12

Cristo manda la cesacin de trabajar por recompensa, la donacin de todas las posesiones privadas a los
pobres, y un estilo de vida en adelante tanto comunitario como ambulantesin preocupaciones de un da para
otro, tal como los pjaros y las flores, con todas las pertenencias compartidas y distribuidas equitativamente
entre quienes tengan necesidadas aboliendo, por tanto, de los humanos la maldicin del trabajo (Gn
3:17-19). El consejo de Pablo, al contrario, es comed en casa y apartarse de los perezosos, que deben o trabajar o andar hambrientos.
18. Mt 11:25/18:1-5/21:16 (Sal 8:2), Mc 10:15, Tom 4 I-Cor 13:11

Yesha ensea que es preciso hacerse como un nio para hallar el Reino del Cielo; Pablo dice exactamente lo contrario.
1

NB El texto griego aqu, a menudo mal traducido, es : una Hermana como mujerno el inverso una
mujer (esposa) como Hermana, que es un concepto muy diferente, en revs orden cronolgico. Hay compaerismo entre
los hermanos y hermanas en el Discipulado, pero no hay matrimonio (vanse #14, Lc 10:1?!, Fel 36/59).

57

19. Mc 7:14-23, Lc 7:34 Rom 14:21, I-Cor 8:13

O debemos o no debemos mantener un rgimen alimenticio particular por razones religiosas. Pero Pablo
no est de acuerdo, ni con las reglas dietticas (kashrut) del AT, ni con el mdrash (comentario) extraordinario
del Salvador sobre eso.
20. Mt 12:19 (Isa 42:2), Lc 10:7 Hch 17:16-34/20:20

Pablo predica de casa en casa, adems de en las calles y plazasen contra del modelo de Cristo.
21. Mt 6:5-6 I-Tim 2:8

Pablo exige la mera misma oracin abierta que Cristo condena como exhibicionista; el Salvador declara
que uno debe orar solamente en soledad y en secreto, nunca abiertamente.
22. Mt 18:1-4, Mc 9:33-35, Lc 14:7-11 II-Cor 11:5-12:13

La narracin de Pablo referente a sus viajes es insubordinadamente jactanciosa y competidoraen lugar

de humilde, respetuosa y obedientecon respecto a quienes lo precedieron en el discipulado: los
(mayores [en la fe]).
23. Mt 5:43-48/7:1-5/9:10-13/18:21-35, Jn 8:2-11 I-Cor 5, Gl 5:12, Tit 3:10-11

La actitud del evangelio hacia los malhechores es compasiva, pero la de Pablo es francamente inquisitorial. Qu alguien se entregue a Satans para el exterminio de la carnesignificar que sea entregado al
verdugo de las autoridades seculares (como en Jn 19:17-18)? Debemos amar a nuestros enemigos o condenar
y castigarlos?
24. Mt 23:8-12 Hch 20:28, Gl 4:19, Flp 2:22, I-Tim 1:2/3:1-13

Pablo introduce los trminos de padre, dicono y obispo para designar a los jefes religiososel
mero tipo de ttulo (junto con pastor, ministro etc.) que Cristo haba prohibido explcitamente. En realidad,
el pasaje en San Mateo parece excluir a cualquier clase de jerarqua dentro del discipulado, aparte de la simple
precedencia (los , en Hch 21:18, Stg 5:14, I-Ped 5:1, II-Jn 1 )segn este criterio, Pablo fue obligado a someterse a los apstoles originales, en contra de II-Cor 11:5 y Gl 2:6.
25. Gn 17:10, Lc 2:21 Hch 16:3?, Gl 5:2, Flp 3:2, Tit 1:10-11
Decir que es necesario amordazar ( ) a

los perros circuncisionistas, es conceptualmente

inapropiado en un contexto apostlico. En todo caso, aunque Cristo se refiri a la circuncisin parablicamentecomo en Tom 53ciertamente no prohibi su prctica fsica.
26. Lc 11:27-28, Jn 4:1-30/11:20-35/20:11-18, Tom 21 I-Cor 14:34-35, I-Tim 2:11-15

Varias mujeres hablan abiertamente al Salvador. Despus, Mriam Magdalena como primer testigo (!) de
la resurreccin, es enviada por Cristo mismo para angelar (: p66* )* A B) su resurreccin a los
propios apstoles. sta no es una enseanza de mera sumisin femenina, ni de callarse en la asamblea!
27. Lc 7:36-8:3/10:38-42/23:55-24:11, Jn 12:1-3, Tom 61b/114, Fel 59 I-Cor 7:1-2, Ef 5:22-24, Tit 2: 4-5

Los evangelios representan a las mujeres como una parte ntima del squito de Cristoas rescindiendo
el castigo de la dominacin marital en Gn 3:16. Pablo se opone enfticamente a cualquier papel que d libertad a las mujeres.
28. Mt 3:11-17/28:19-20, Fel 73/96/115! Rom 6:3-4, Col 2:12

Los evangelios aceptan que el bautismo por agua de Juan, significa el arrepentimiento y la limpieza referente a la Torah, y que adems hay que hacerlo explcitamente en el Nombre. Pablo, en cambio, considera el
bautismo como una muerte metafrica o vicaria!
29. Lc 23:43, Jn 5:24/8:51, Ap 20:4-6, Tom 1/18/19/111, Fel 43 I-Tes 4:16-17

Cristo ensea que sus discpulos no experimentarn la muerte, a pesar del martirio, mientras que Pablo
escribe sobre los muertos en Cristo.
30. Gn 4:1-5, Mc 15:10 I-Tim 6:10

Pablo sostiene que el amor al dinero es raz de todos los males. Pero en los casos paradigmticos del
homicidio de Abel por Can y la entrega del Salvador por los principales sacerdo tes, la envidia se cita como la
maldad subyacente, mientras que Felipe y Valentn atribuyen el problema ltimamente a ignorancia (como en
Hch 3:17), ansiedad y olvido.
31. Mt 5:17-19/19:16-19, Lc 16:29-31, Hch 21:17-24!, 4QMMT:C.26b-31* Rom 7:6, Gl 3:10/5:18

Si la Torah enterael declogo en particular, pero tambin las otras mitzvot (reglas morales) tales como
Lev 19:18 et passimest vigente hasta que el cielo y la tierra pasen, entonces la ley mosaica no es una maldicin obsoleta de la cual se absuelven los creyentes. ste fue el preciso asunto en discusin despus de que
Pablo concluy sus tres jornadas misioneras, cuando todos los ancianos (!) en Jerusaln le exigieron someterse al voto nazirito: para probar su adhesin continua a la Ley de Moiss. (*Las obras de la Torah ... os

58

sern contadas por justicia; del Rollo del Mar Muerto, Miqsat Maase ha-Torah)
32. Mt 7:21/11:2-6!/19:16-19/25:31-46, Jn 13:34!/14:21/15:10, Stg 2:14-26 Rom 3:28/10:9, I-Cor 15:35-44

Cristo dice que llamarle Amo/Seor no es adecuado, sino que se exige la obediencia total del discpulo;
lo mismo el AT que los evangelios requieren el cumplimiento de una plenitud de mandamientos divinos, con
obras fructferas como resultado. En verdad, fue precisamente por sus obrasy no meramente por su fe
como Cristo mostr su propia autoridad a Juan Bautista! Pablo, en cambio, declara que una simple confesin
de la fe, junto con una creencia en la resurreccin (meramente espiritual, no carnal) de Cristo, bastanuna
doctrina totalmente antinmica. (Hay que distinguir cuidadosamente entre este tema y el perdntanto entre
humanos como entre Dios y la humanidadel cual es una doctrina sumamente innovadora en la enseanza,
primero de Juan Baptista y despus de Cristo [Mc 1:4]. Ya que por supuesto la absolucin lgicamente presupone una transgresin de las reglas y no su abrogacin; comprense p.ej. Ezek 18 con Mt 6:14-15.)
33. Gn 49, Mt 19:28, Hch 1:13-26, Ap 2:2!/21:14, Bernab 8:3! I-Cor 9:1-2, II-Cor 11:5-13

Por ltimo, hay que notar que el nmero fijo de los apstoles fue establecido por el Salvador exactamente
en doce (por razones obvias de simbolismo histricontese la simetra en Ap 21:12-14), y adems que Pablo
nunca fue enumerado en aquel crculo; ni siquiera Bernab en su Epstola reconoce el apostolado de Pablo!:
[Aqullos apstoles] a quienes dio el Amo el poder del Evangelio para predicar; y son doce como testimonio
a las tribus, pues hay doce tribus de Israel (8:3).
III
Pablo de Tarso es una figura enigmtica y contradictoria. Trabado en el dilema tico de designar a todo
mundo transgresores segn la Torah, a la vez rechazando la Torah precisamente por los haber condenado (Gl
3:10!), no conoca las enseanzas y prcticas histricas de Cristo; ni fue dispuesto aprenderlas de los apstoles
originales (Gl 2:6). As su soteriologa se centr exclusivamente en la Pasin, de la que estaba enterado, interpretando la misin de Cristo como enteramente un sacrificio del AT. Mientras que el mensaje mesinico
novadorlas enseanzas de Cristo, encarnadas in su estilo de vida, elaborado por todos los evangelios
cannicos antes de las narrativas de la Pasinpermaneci completamente ignorado por Pablo. (Sobre la
moralidad bblica trinaria, vase Perfecto en Fel Notas.)
Esto no es negar que compuso unos elocuentes pasajes poticos (tal como Col 1:15-20); pero es necesario
considerarlos, a la luz de los conflictos doctrinales arriba descritos, nada ms que adornos en sus escritos.
Aquellos documentos, en su totalidad, proclaman un discipulado que es bsicamente incompatible con el mensaje del propio Cristo, recordado en los evangelios histricos.
Importantemente, antes de Clemente de Alejandra e Irneo de Lyn, a fines del siglo II, no hay ningn
autor que cita tanto a los evangelios como a las epstolas paulinas. As hubo un perodo de cisma abierta
sumamente largo, entre la comunidad de los Doce y la de Pablo, antes de los intentos ms tempranos de integracin.
La maravillosa irona, por supuesto, es que los evangelios cannicos mismos, de cuya tradicin Pablo
estaba tan manifiestamente ignorante, fueron preservados finalmente slo por la Iglesia Paulinala cual tambin ha diseminado por todo mundo el mismo AT que Pablo haba despreciado. Pero la verdadera Santa
Iglesia Petrina y Apostlica, la Iglesia Primitiva independiente de la cisma paulina, no sobrevivi las persecuciones de los primeros siglos.
Pablo estaba encargado del apedreamiento de San Esteban (Hch 7:58-8:1), puesto que segn Dt 17:7 los
testigos que pusieron sus mantas a sus pieses decir, quienes estaban bajo su autoridad directaeran obligados a tirar las primeras piedras. Fue tambin el capitn de la guardia del Templo que detuvo a Kefa y
Juan in Hch 4:1? Se podra aun preguntar sobre su actividad en la noche del arresto de Cristo mismo?
(Recurdese que Lc 22:63-65 se lleva a cabo por la guardia del Templo y no por los romanos.) De ah tal vez
el problemtico II-Cor 5:16, : Hemos conocido a Cristo segn la carne.
Esto ciertamente explicara la obsesin posterior de Pablo por el perdn no merecido!
Sea lo que fuere, mi propsito aqu ha sido meramente el de formular una serie de dicotomas bblicas,
las cuales exponen la lgica subyacente del antiguo cisma mesinico/paulino, como esencialmente un tema
conceptual (y por supuesto pragmtico!) y no emprico. Esto, con esperanza, podra estimular en el lector una
reconsideracin del estatuto apostlico de Saulo de Tarso. Pues parece que jams entr en el discipulado de
Cristolo cual incontestablemente habra implicado aceptar la autoridad espiritual de Pedromucho menos
se hizo apstol.
Estas cuestiones bsicas ya no pueden ser ni archivadas ni solucionadas por un mandato institucional.
Pues su implicacin esclarecedora es que la cristiandad tradicionaldefinida por el canon clsico del NT que
incluye tanto los evangelios como la coleccin de Marcion de las epstolas de Pabloes lgicamente autocontradictorio y, por tanto, inherentemente inestable (como los siglos siguientes lo han demostrado tan claramente). Desde un punto de vista ms positivo, puesto que la enseanza paulina apunta a un estilo de vida

59

esencialmente antiguotestamentario (familias patriarcales, propiedad, sacerdotes, santuarios, ceremonias, rectitud mosaica), podramos decir que la cristiandad paulina adopt el vocabulario del evangelio de manera
parablica. De ah que, en el ejemplo principal, la Misa o Comunin cristiana ha servido en las reuniones
peridicas de las iglesias como un smbolo ceremonial de la la comida comunitaria cotidiana, basada en la
convivencia de los Discpulosla cual fue la Eucarista ( , como la llamaban) tal y como se celebraba
por la Comunidad Apostlica Petrina en el siglo primero. De esta manera, el cristianismo a travs de los siglos
ha sido esencialmente una parbola del Discipulado original.

Apndice: Crticas sobre Pablo

(en orden cronolgico)
Tertuliano, La prescripcin contra los herejes (200 d.C.): Puesto que Pedro fue reprendido por que, despus de vivir con los
gentiles, se separ de su compaa por respeto a personas, la culpa ciertamente tena que ver con la conversacin y no con la predicacin. Pues no parece de esto, que cualquier Dios aparte del Creador, ni cualquier Cristo aparte de[l hijo de] Mara, ni cualquier esperanza aparte de la resurreccin, fue proclamado [por l].
Macarius Magnes, Apocriticus, III.30-36 (hacia 300): [Pablo] dice, Todos los que dependen de las obras de la Ley estn bajo
una maldicin (Gl 3:10). El hombre que escribe a los romanos, La Ley es espiritual (Rom 7:14), y otra vez, La Ley es santa, y el
mandamiento santo y justo (7:12), coloca bajo una maldicin a los que obedecen lo santo!... En sus epstolas elogia la virginidad
(I-Tim 4:1, I-Cor 7:25), y luego da vuelta y escribe, En los ltimos tiempos, algunos apostatarn de la fe,... prohibiendo casarse
(I-Tim 4:1-3).... Y en la epstola a los corintios dice, En cuanto a las vrgenes no tengo mandamiento del Amo (I-Cor 7:25).
Flavius Claudius Julianus (363): Pablo sobrepasa a todos los magos y impostores que jams han vivido. [citado por John
Henry Cardenal Newman, La Doctrina Cristiana, 2.6.1.18]
San Juan Crisstomo, Homilas sobre Glatas (391): Qu es esto, Oh Pablo! T quien ni al principio ni despus de tres aos
consult con los apstoles, consultas con ellos ahora que han pasado catorce aos, no sea que ests corriendo en vano? Mejor hubiera
sido hacerlo al principio, que despus de tantos aos; y por qu corras en absoluto, si no te convenca no correr en vano? Quin
sera tan insensato como para predicar durante tantos aos, sin asegurarse que su predicacin era verdadera?... Como dice Santiago,
Ya ves, hermano, cuntos millares de entre los judos hay que han credo; y se les ha informado con respecto a ti, que enseas que
hay que abandonar la Ley (Hch 21:17 y ss.). El propio Pablo, que quiso abrogar la circuncisin, cuando estaba a punto de enviar a
Timoteo para ensear a los judos, primero lo circuncid y as lo envi.... No slo no defiende a los apstoles, sino que incluso pone en
apuros a esos hombres santos.... Qu podran haber aprendido de l todos los que ya fueron instruidos completamente?... Por qu no
abolieron los apstoles la circuncisin, como consecuencia lgica, si loaban tu procedimiento?... Las palabras Le hice frente (Gl
2:11) implican un ardid; pues si su discusin hubiera sido verdadera, no se habran reprendido el uno al otro en presencia de los
discpulos, porque habra sido un gran obstculo para ellos.... No os sorprendis de que l d a este procedimiento el nombre de
hipocresa; pues no est dispuesto, como dije antes, a revelar la verdadera ndole del asunto, para la correccin de los discpulos.
Debido a el vehemente apego de ellos a la Ley, l llama al presente proceder hipocresa y lo reprende severamente, para erradicar eficazmente el prejuicio de ellos. Y Pedro tambin, al or esto, participa en la decepcin como si se hubiera equivocado, para que fueran
corregidos por medio de la reprensin dada a l.... La dificultad entera se elimin por medio del sometimiento en silencio de Pedro a la
imputacin de hipocresa.... Ntese como [Pablo] ha resuelto el asunto a un despropsito necesario.
San Agustn de Hipona, Carta 28, a Jernimo (394): He estado leyendo tambin algunos escritos atribuidos a Usted, sobre las
Epstolas del apstol Pablo. En leer su exposicin de la Epstola a los Glatas,... consecuencias sumamente desastrosas han de seguir
nuestra creencia que cualquier falsedad se encuentre en los libros sagrados: es decir, que los hombres, por medio de que la Escritura
nos se ha dado y puesto por escrito, apuntaron en estos libros cualquier cosa falsa.... Pues si se admite una vez en tal exaltado santuario
de autoridad una declaracin falsa, como hecha en guisa de obligacin, no quedar ni una frase de esos libros la cual, si parece a
quienquiera difcil de practicar o creer, no se podra por la misma regla fatal justificarse, como una declaracin en que, a propsito y
bajo un sentido de obligacin, el autor declar lo que no fue verdad.... Si en realidad Pedro le pareca practicar lo correcto, y si no
obstante l, para apaciguar a oponentes molestos, dijo y escribi que Pedro haba hecho lo errneosi decimos as,... en ningn lado
de los libros sagrados quedar segura la autoridad de la pura verdad. Carta 40, a Jernimo (397): Si es posible que los humanos
digan y crean que, despus de introducir su narrativa con las palabras, En esto que os escribo, os aseguro delante de Dios que no
miento, el apstol minti cuando dijo de Pedro y Bernab, Vi que no andaban rectamente conforme a la verdad del evangelio,...
[entonces] si bien andaban rectamente, Pablo escribi lo que era falso; y si escribi aqu lo falso, cundo dijo la verdad? La
armona de los evangelios III.25.71 (400 d.C.): La afirmacin que Pablo hace reza as: Lo vio Cefas y luego los doce. Despus de
eso, lo vieron ms de quinientos hermanos a la vez. Por tanto, no se aclara quines eran esos doce, as como tampoco se nos informa
sobre quines fueron esos quinientos. Hasta ahora el apstol habra podido hablar de aquellos que el Amo haba nombrado
apstoles, no como los doce, sino como los once. Algunos cdices, en efecto, contienen esta lectura exactamente. No obstante, tomo
eso como una enmienda introducida por hombres, que dado que estaban perplejos ante el texto, supusieron que se refera a los doce
apstoles que, una vez desaparecido Judas, eran solamente once en realidad.
San Jernimo, Carta 112, a Agustn (404): Porfirio acusa a Pablo de osada porque se atrevi a reprobar a Pedro, reprobarlo
en su presencia y, argumentadamente, condenarlo por haberse equivocado; es decir, por estar en el mismsimo error que l mismo,
quien conden a otro por transgresin, haba cometido.... Oh bendito apstol Pabloque has condenado a Pedro por hipocresa,
porque se haba apartado a s mismo de los gentiles por miedo de los judos que vinieron de Santiagopor qu ests t, a pesar de tu
propia doctrina, obligado a circuncidar a Timoteo (Hch 16:3), no slo hijo de gentil sino un gentil l mismo?
Nestorio, El bazar de Heracleides, Fragmento 272 (450): Pablo proclamando: De los judos es Cristo, que era encarnado.
Qu pues? Cristo es un mero hombre, oh bendito Pablo?
Anselmo de Lan (1117), Glosa sobre I-Corintios 15: Fue visto por Cefas; antes de los dems varones, a quienes, como
leemos en el Evangelio, apareci. Si no, esto sera contrario a la declaracin que l apareci primero a las mujeres.
Pedro Abelardo, Sic et non (1120): Escribiendo a san Agustn, despus de ser reprendido referente a la exposicin de un pasaje

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particular en la epstola de Pablo a los glatas, Jernimo dijo (Epst 112.4), T preguntas por qu, en mi comentario sobre la carta de
Pablo a los glatas, he dicho que Pablo no poda reprender a Pedro por lo que l mismo tambin haba hecho. Y declaraste que la
reprobacin del apstol no fue meramente fingida sino consejo verdadero y que no debo ensear una falsedad. Contesto que ... segu el
comentario de Orgenes. Cartas de direccin (antes de 1142): Sabemos por supuesto que, cuando escribi a los Tesalonicenses, el
apstol [Pablo] reprendi claramente a ciertos perezosos entrometidos, diciendo que Si alguno no quiere trabajar, tampoco coma....
Pero no estaba Mara sentada ociosa para escuchar las palabras de Cristo, mientras que Marta estaba ... quejndose algo envidiosamente del reposo de su hermana?
Cuentos del francs antiguo, Del patn que gan al Paraso, (circa 1200): Cmo es, Don Pablo Calvo, que ests ya tan
enojado, t, que antes eras un tirano tan feroz? Jams habr otro tan cruel; san Esteban pag caro por eso cuando hiciste que fuera
apedreado hasta la muerte. Bien conozco la historia de tu vida; por ti muchos hombres valientes murieron, pero por fin Dios te dio un
buen gran sopapo. No hemos tenido que pagar por tanto el acuerdo como el golpe? Ja, que divino y que santo! Piensas que no te
conozco?
Sto. Toms de Aquino, Suma teolgica, I-II, q.103, a.4, ad 2 (1272): Segn Jernimo, Pedro [Gl 2:6-14] simulaba apartarse de
los gentiles para evitar el escndalo de los judos, cuyo apstol era; y as no haba en esto ningn pecado. Con la misma simulacin lo
reprendi Pablo para evitar el escndalo de los gentiles, de quienes era apstol. Pero Agustn desaprueba esta solucin.
Juan Duns Escoto, Suma teolgica, III.55.1, ad 2 (ed. Jernimo de Montefortino, 1728-34; basado en Opus oxoniense, 129899): El orden en que se cuenta que ha sido difundida la resurreccin de Cristo parece ser poco conveniente. Pues se relata que fue
revelada primero a Mara Magdalena y que a travs de ella supieron los Apstoles que Cristo viva; pero consta que tuvo lugar este
mandato del Apstol en I-Tim 2, diciendo: No permito que la mujer ensee.
Desiderio Erasmo, Elogio de la locura (1509): Hay muchas cosas en san Pablo que son contradictorias.... No hace mucho asist
a una disertacin teolgica, como lo hago a menudo y uno pregunt en qu lugar de la Escritura se ordena castigar a los herejes por el
fuego en vez de convencerlos por la persuasin. Un anciano grave, cuyo ceo declaraba francamente que era telogo, respondi con
gran indignacin que ese pasaje era del apstol san Pablo, el cual dijo: Evita al hereje despus de haber intentado repetidamente
disuadirle de su error.
Sta. Teresa de vila, Cuentas de conciencia, XVI (1571): Parecame a m que, pues san Pablo dice del encerramiento de las
mujeresque me han dicho poco ha y an antes lo haba odo que sta sera la voluntad de Dios, [el Seor] djome: Diles que no
se sigan por sola una parte de la Escritura, que miren otras, y que si podrn por ventura atarme las manos.
Blaise Pascal, Penses, 673 (1660): san Pablo ... habla del [matrimonio] a los Corintios [I-Cor 7] de una forma que es una
trampa.
Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, Respuesta a sor Filotea de la Cruz (1691): Esto deban considerar los que atados al Mujeres callen
en las iglesias [I-Cor 14:34], blasfeman de que las mujeres sepan y enseen; como que no fuera el mismo Apstol el que dijo: Las
ancianas ... enseando el bien [Tit 2:3].... Yo quisiera que estos intrpretes y expositores de san Pablo me explicaran cmo entienden
aquel lugar: Las mujeres callen en las iglesias.... Porque la proposicin de san Pablo es absoluta y comprende a todas las mujeres sin
excepcin de santas, pues tambin en su tiempo lo eran Marta y Mara,... Mara madre de Jacob, y Salom, y otras muchas que haba
en el fervor de la primitiva Iglesia, y [Pablo] no las excepta [de su prohibicin].
John Locke, La razonabilidad del cristianismo (1695): No es en las epstolas donde hemos de aprender cules son los artculos
fundamentales de la fe, en donde son promiscua e indistintamente mezclados con otras verdades.... Deberemos encontrar y discernir
esos puntos grandiosos y necesarios ms bien en la proclamacin de nuestro Salvador y los apstoles ... en la narracin de los evangelistas.... Y lo que fue eso, ya hemos visto en la historia de los evangelistas y los Hechos; donde se establecen claramente, para que
nadie pueda interpretarlos mal.... Si todas o la mayora de las verdades declaradas en las epstolas, se recibieran y creyesen como
artculos fundamentales, qu sucedi, entonces, con aquellos cristianos que se haban dormido (que, como atestigua san Pablo en su
primera a los Corintios, fueron muchos) antes de que se les revelaran estas cosas en las epstolas? La mayora de las epstolas no
fueron compuestas hasta ms de veinte aos despus de la ascensin de nuestro Salvador, y algunas despus de treinta.... A nadie se le
permite aadir nada a estos artculos fundamentales de la fe.
Matthew Henry, Exposicin del Nuevo Testamento, vol.V (1721): Pablo tom a [Timoteo] y lo circuncid, o mand que se lo
hiciera (Hch 16:1-3). Extrao esto. No haba Pablo opuesto, con todas sus fuerzas, alos que queran imponer la circuncisin en los
conversos gentiles? No tena consigo en este tiempo los decretos del Concilio en Jerusaln, los cuales atestiguaron en contra de ella?
S los tena, y sin embargo circuncid a Timoteo.
Benjamn Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette (10 abril 1735): Un hereje virtuoso se salvar antes de un cristiano malvado.
Thomas Morgan, El filsofo moral (1737-40): Parece que san Pablo predic otro evangelio bastante diferente del que era
predicado por Pedro y los dems apstoles.
Peter Annet, Examen crtico de la vida de san Pablo (carta a Gilbert West, 1746): Nunca terminaramos, si relatramos todas
las contradicciones que se encuentran dentro de los escritos atribuidos a san Pablo.... Generalmente, es san Pablo ... a quien se debe
considerar como el fundador histrico de la teologa cristiana,... la cual desde su fundacin ha sido agitada continuamente por disputas
[y] divisiones.
Emanuel Swedenborg, Una continuacin de la justicia final (1763) y La religin cristiana verdadera (1771): Tom asiento
enfrente del escritorio y continu su ensayo, como si no fuera l un cuerpo muerto y esto en el tema de la justificacin por slo la fe
etctera, por varios das y no escribiendo absolutamente nada sobre la caridad. Puesto que los ngeles vieron esto, se le pregunt por
mensajeros por qu no escriba tambin sobre la caridad? Replic que no haba nada de la caridad en la Iglesia y si sa fuera aceptada
en cualquier manera como un atributo esencial de la Iglesia, el hombre se asignara a s mismo el mrito de la justificacin y en consecuencia de la salvacin y as tambin robara de la fe su esencia espiritual. Estas cosas dijo con arrogancia, pero no saba que estaba
muerto [Stg 2:26] y que el lugar al que haba sido enviado no era el Cielo.
Charles Churchill, La conferencia, Poemas (1763): Qu me bauticen (se puede caer peor desgracia sobre un ser humano?) ... con el nombre de Pablo; que yo (aunque a su servicio profundamente atado por juramentos sagrados y ahora por voluntad
aliado), con celo falso y fingido defienda a un Dios herido y utilice su nombre por algn fin privado!
Voltaire, Pablo, Dictionnaire philosophique portatif (edicin Chez Varberg, Amsterdam 1765): Pablo no entr en la sociedad
naciente de los cristianos, la cual por aquel tiempo era medio-juda.... Se puede excusar a Pablo por haber reprendido a Pedro?... Qu
se pensara hoy en da de un hombre que pretendiera vivir a nuestras expensas, l y su mujer, juzgarnos, castigarnos y confundir a los
culpables con los inocentes?
Edward Gibbon, Historia de la decadencia y cada del Imperio Romano, I.15.2 (1776): Parece que los cristianos judaizantes

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argan, teniendo en cuenta el origen divino de la ley mosaica, que si el Ser, que es el mismo desde toda la eternidad, hubiera
tenido la intencin de abolir esos ritos sagrados que haban servido para distinguir a su pueblo elegido, su revocacin habra sido no
menos clara y solemne que su primera promulgacin; que, en lugar de esos frecuentes pronunciamientos, que suponen o afirman la
perpetuidad de la religin mosaica, sta habra sido presentada como una esquema provisional destinada a durar solamente hasta la
venida del Mesas, el cual debera instruir a la humanidad en una ms perfecta manera de fe y adoracin; que el propio Mesas, y los
discpulos que conversaban con l en la tierra, en vez de sancionar con su ejemplo las observaciones ms minuciosas de la ley mosaica,
habran proclamado al mundo la abolicin de aquellas intiles y obsoletas ceremonias.
Juan Josef Hol, El libro de Chilam Balam de Chumayel (compilado por Hol en su lengua maya nativa 1782, 3 edicin
castellana por la UNAM 1973): Solamente por el tiempo loco, por los locos sacerdotes, fue que entr a nosotros la tristeza, que entr a
nosotros el cristianismo. Porque los muy cristianos llegaron aqu con el verdadero Dios; pero eso fue el principio de la miseria
nuestra, el principio del tributo, el principio de la limosna, la causa de que saliera la discordia oculta, el principio de las peleas con
armas de fuego, el principio de los atropellos, el principio de los despojos de todo, el principio de la esclavitud por las deudas, el
principio de las deudas pegadas a las espaldas, el principio de la continua reyerta, el principio del padecimiento,... el Anticristo sobre la
tierra, tigre de los pueblos, gato monts de los pueblos, chupador del pobre indio [americano]. Pero llegar el da en que lleguen hasta
Dios las lagrimas de sus ojos y baje la justicia de Dios de un golpe sobre el mundo.... Hermanos, hermanitos, venidos al mundo hijos
de siervos! Cuando llegue el Rey y sea adivinado, ser coronado el rostro del Hijo de Dios. Y llegar el Obispo, la Santa Inquisicin
que se llama, ante Sal a pedir concordia con los cristianos para que se acabe la opresin y sea el fin de la miseria.
Thomas Paine, La poca de la razn (1794): Aquel fabricante de sutilezas, san Pablo,... [compuso] una coleccin de cartas bajo
el nombre de epstolas.... Entre los asuntos contenidos en esos libros,... la iglesia ha creado un sistema religioso muy contradictorio con
el carcter de la persona cuyo nombre lleva. Ha creado una religin de pompa y beneficio, en una supuesta imitacin de una persona
cuya vida era humildad y pobreza.
Chaqueta Roja (jefe del tribu iroquesa en Nueva York), Discurso a un misionero cristiano (1805): Hermano, escucha lo que
decimos. Hubo una vez en que nuestros antepasados posean esta gran isla. Sus sitios extendan desde el sol naciente hasta el sol
poniente. El Gran Espritu haba creado [todo esto] para el uso de los Indgenas,... pues los amaba. Pero nos lleg un da maligno.
Vuestros antepasados cruzaron las anchas aguas y se desembarcaron en esta isla.... Nos llamaron Hermanos. Les cremos y les dimos
un sitio grande.... Hermano, haba una vez en que nuestros sitios eran amplios y los vuestros muy pequeos. Ya os habis hecho un
pueblo grandioso y nosotros apenas tenemos donde desplegar nuestras mantas. Tenis nuestro pas, pero no estis satisfechos; queris
forzarnos a aceptar vuestra religin.... Decs que tenis razn y que nosotros somos perdidos. Cmo sabis que es verdad eso? Entendemos que vuestra religin est escrita en un libro.... Hermano, dices que slo hay una manera de adorar y servir al Gran Espritu. Si
hay solamente una religin, por qu no estis vosotros los blancos de acuerdo en eso? Por qu no estis todos de acuerdo?, pues
todos de vosotros pueden leer el libro.
Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Las caractersticas de la era presente (1806): [El] sistema cristiano ... [es] una forma degenerada del
cristianismo y cuya composicin ... [hay que] atribuirla al apstol Pablo.
Thomas Jefferson, Carta a William Short (1820): Pablo fue el ... primer corruptor de las doctrinas de Jess.
Jeremy Bentham, No Pablo sino Jess (1823): Cada confesor de la religin de Jess, ha de decidirse por cul de las dos religionesla de Jess o la de Pablose adherir.
Victor Hugo, El jorobado de Notre Dame, VII.4 (1831): As, buen hermano, te niegas a darme un centavo para comprar una
corteza de un panadero? || Qui non laborat non manducet [II-Tes 3:10].
Ferdinand Christian Baur, El partido de Cristo en la iglesia de Corinto, la oposicin entre el cristianismo petrino y el paulino
en la iglesia antigua y el apstol Pedro en Roma (1831): Qu tipo de autoridad puede haber para un apstol quien, en contraste con
los dems apstoles, nunca haba sido preparado para el oficio apostlico en la propia escuela de Jess, sino que solamente despus se
atrevi a atribuirse a s mismo el oficio apostlico sobre la base de su propia autoridad? La historia de la iglesia de los primeros tres
siglos (1853): La cuestin nica ser, cmo el apstol Pablo aparece en sus epstolas tan indiferente a los hechos histricos de la vida
de Jess.... Escasamente se comporta como un discpulo que ha recibido las doctrinas y los principios que predica, del maestro cuyo
nombre lleva.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, La cena del Amo (1832): Parece que la opinin de san Pablo, en fin, no debe alterar nuestra opinin
derivada de los evangelistas.
Sren Kierkegaard, Carta a Peter Wilhelm Lund (1.VI.1835): En el cristianismo mismo hay contradicciones tan enormes que
previenen una vista clara. Los diarios (1849): En Cristo lo religioso est completamente en tiempo presente; en Pablo ya est rumbo
a convertirse en doctrina. Uno puede imaginar lo dems!... Ha continuado esta tendencia durante Dios sabe cuntos siglos. (1850)
Mientras Jesucristo viva, l era en verdad el prototipo. La tarea de la fe es ... imitar a Cristo, convertirse en discpulo. Entonces Cristo
muere. Ahora, por medio del apstol Pablo, viene una alteracin bsica.... l quita la atencin de la imitacin y la fija decididamente
en la muerte de Cristo el expiador. (1854) Lo que Lutero no alcanz de percatarse, es que la circunstancia verdadera es que el apstol [Pablo] ya ha degenerado, en comparacin con el evangelio. (1855) Llega a ser el discpulo quien decide lo que es el cristianismo, no el maestro, no Cristo sino Pablo,... [quien] desech completamente el cristianismo, ponindolo patas arriba, hacindolo
exactamente lo contrario de la proclamacin [original] cristiana. Para la auto-examinacin recomendada a la era presente, I (1851):
La Palabra [es decir, la Sagrada Escritura] de Dios, es en verdad el espejopero, perooh, qu enormemente complicado!para
decirlo rigurosamente, cunto pertenece a la Palabra de Dios? Cules libros son autnticos? Mi tarea, El momento (1.IX.1855):
Incluso si en la proclamacin del apstol [Pablo] hay el ms mnimo elemento que pudiera pertenecer a lo que se ha convertido en el
sofisma corruptor de todo verdadero cristianismo, entonces he de elevar una gran protesta, no sea que los sofistas citen al apstol de
modo resumido. Es de suma importancia ... corregir la tremenda confusin que provoc Lutero al invertir la relacin hasta el punto de
criticar a Cristo por medio de Pablo, al Maestro por medio del discpulo.... Lo que he hecho es contrastar la proclamacin de Cristo con
la del apstol.
George Henry Borrow, La Biblia en Espaa (1843): Apenas fue posible hacer una afirmacin en su presencia sin recibir una
rotunda objecin, especialmente cuando se ponan sobre el tapete asuntos religiosos. Es falso, decan, san Pablo, en tal y cual
captulo y en tal y cual versculo, dice exactamente lo contrario.
Herman Melville, Typee (1846): Mejor ser para ellos seguir siendo felices e inocentes paganos y brbaros como son ahora, que
como los desdichados habitantes de las Islas Sndwich [Hawai]disfrutar del mero nombre de cristianos sin experimentar ninguna
de las influencias esenciales de la verdadera religin, mientras que, al mismo tiempo, han sido vctimas de los peores vicios y males de
la vida civilizada.... Gente mal destinada! Me estremezco cuando pienso en el cambio que se producir en su paradisaco hogar dentro

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de unos pocos aos; y, probablemente, cuando los vicios ms destructivos y los peores aspectos de la civilizacin hayan desterrado del
valle toda paz y felicidad,... [se pregonar] al mundo que las Islas Marquesas se han convertido al cristianismo!... [De modo anlogo,]
el enjambre anglo-sajn ha erradicado el paganismo de la mayor parte del continente norteamericano; pero, con ello, ha eliminado
tambin la mayor parte de la raza rojiza.
Henry David Thoreau, Una semana en los Ros Concord y Merrimack (1849): Por qu necesitan ser los cristianos tan
intolerantes y supersticiosos an?... En todas mis idas y venidas, nunca encontr el menor vestigio de fundamento para estas cosas....
Es preciso no ser cristiano para apreciar la belleza y la significacin de la vida de Cristo.... Sera una triste guasa estar predispuesto
contra la Vida de Cristo slo porque el libro ha sido editado por cristianos. Diario (1.I.1858): Hay muchas palabras que son autnticas y genuinas y las cuales tienen su raz en nuestras esencias.... Tambin hay bastantes palabras las cuales son espurias y artificiales
y que solamente se pueden utilizar en un sentido malo, puesto que la cosa que significan no es recta y sustancialcomo la iglesia, la
judicatura,... etc. etc. Quienes las utilizan no estn asentados en tierra firme. Es en vano intentar preservarlas pegando otras palabras a
ellas, como la iglesia verdadera, etc. Es como remolcar con una canoa a un barco que est hundindose.
Benjamin Jowett, Las epstolas de san Pablo a los tesalonicenses, glatas y romanos (1855): Nuestra concepcin de la era
apostlica, se basa necesariamente sobre los Hechos de los Apstoles y las epstolas de san Pablo. Es vano registrar los escritos
eclesisticos, buscando ms informacin. ... Limitndonos, entonces, a las fuentes originales, tenemos que estar asombrados por el
hecho de que, de los primeros dieciocho aos despus del da de Pentecosts, apenas se conserva algn relato para nosotros.... Parece
que ya hubiramos alcanzado la etapa segunda en la historia de la iglesia apostlica, sin ningn saber preciso de la primera.
Charles Dickens, Pequea Dorrit (1857): Fue el domingo sombro de su niez, cuando estaba sentado con sus manos enfrente,
asustado fuera de sus sentidos por un tratado horrible que comenz el asunto con el pobrecito al preguntarle, por qu iba a la
perdicin?,... y que, para atraer ms su mente infantil, tuvo un parntesis en cada lnea alternativa con tal referencia de hipo como 2
Ep.Tes. c.iii v.6 y 7 [Apartaos de cualquier hermano que anda ocioso].
John Stuart Mill, De la libertad (1859): El evangelio siempre apunta a una moralidad anterior,... el Antiguo Testamento.... San
Pablo, un enemigo declarado de este modo judo de interpretar la doctrina ... de su Maestro, igualmente presupone una moralidad
anterior, es decir la de los griegos y romanos;... aun al punto de dar una sancin aparente a la esclavitud.
John Henry Cardenal Newman, Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864), Apndice 7: Mientras gritaba La circuncisin no vale [Gl
5:6], San Pablo circuncid a Timoteo [Hch 16:1-3].
Ernest Renan, San Pablo (1869): El cristianismo verdadero, el cual durar para siempre, se deriva de los evangelios, no de las
epstolas de Pablo. Los escritos de Pablo han sido un peligro y una roca escondida, las causas de los defectos principales de la teologa
cristiana.
Feodor Dostoyevsky, El diario de un escritor (1880): Si la esclavitud prevaleca en los das del apstol Pablo, esto fue
precisamente porque las iglesias que se originaron en aquel tiempo no eran perfectas todava, como percibimos en las epstolas del
apstol mismo. No obstante, aquellos miembros de las congregaciones que individualmente alcanzaron la perfeccin ya no tenan o
podan poseer esclavos, porque stos se convirtieron en hermanosy un hermano, un hermano verdadero, no puede tener a otro
hermano como esclavo suyo. Los hermanos Karamzov (1880): A este nio nacido del hijo del diablo y de una mujer santa:... lo
bautizaron como Pablo.
Friedrich Nietzsche, El alba (1881): El relato de una de las almas ms ambiciosas y molestas, de una cabeza tan supersticiosa
como maosa, el relato del apstol Pabloquin sabe de esto, excepto unos pocos eruditos? Sin este relato extrao, no obstante, sin
las confusiones y tempestades de tal cabeza, tal alma, no habra ningn cristianismo.
Len Tolstoi, Mi religin (1884): La separacin entre la doctrina de la vida y la explicacin de la vida, comenz con la proclamacin de Pablo, quien no conoca las enseanzas ticas puestas en el evangelio de Mateo y quien predic una teora metafscocabalstica completamente ajena a Cristo; y se perfeccion esta separacin en tiempos de Constantino, cuando fue posible revestir toda
la organizacin de la vida pagana con un vestido cristiano y sin modificarla llamarla cristianismo.
Adolf von Harnack, La historia del dogma, I (1885): El evangelio paulino no es idntico con el evangelio original. ... El
sepulcro vaco en el tercer da ... se excluye directamente por el modo en que Pablo ha retratado la resurreccin (1 Cor. XV).... Pablo
no sabe nada de una ascensin.... El propsito que la ascensin pas 40 das despus de la resurreccin, se encuentra por primera vez
en los Hechos de los Apstoles.... Cada tendencia que valientemente no tiene en cuenta las tradiciones espurias, ha de recurrir a las
Epstolas Paulinaslas cuales por un lado presentan un tipo tan profundo del cristianismo, y por el otro oscurecen y estrechan el juicio
sobre la proclamacin de Cristo mismo.
James George Frazer, La rama dorada (1890): Si el cristianismo deba conquistar al mundo, no poda hacerlo sino aflojando
un poco los principios demasiado rgidos de su fundador.
Federico Engels, Sobre la historia del cristianismo primitivo (1894): Se han hecho intentos de concebir ... todos los mensajes
[del Apocalipsis de san Juan] como dirigidos contra Pablo, el apstol falso.... Las llamadas Epstolas de Pablo ... son tan sumamente
dudosas como totalmente contradictorias.
William James, Las variedades de la experiencia religiosa (1901): Esto es la melancola religiosa y convencimiento del
pecado, los cuales han tenido un papel tan grande en la historia del cristianismo protestante.... Como dice san Pablo: auto-aborrecimiento, auto-desesperacin, una carga no inteligible e intolerable ... [un caso] tpico de la personalidad discorde, con melancola en
la forma de auto-condenacin y sentimiento del pecado.
William Wrede, Pablo (1904): Las contradicciones obvias en los tres relatos [de la conversin de Pablo en Hch 9/ 22/26],
bastan para despertar desconfianza en todo lo que sobrepasa esta semilla.... La majestad moral de Jess, su pureza y piedad, su ministerio entre su pueblo, su manera como profeta, el entero contenido tico-religioso de su vida terrenal, significan para la cristologa de
Pabloabsolutamente nada.... Si no queremos privar a ambas figuras de toda distincin histrica, el nombre discpulo de Jess tiene
poca aplicabilidad a Pablo.... Jess o Pablo: esta alternativa caracteriza, por lo menos en parte, la guerra religiosa y teolgica de hoy en
da.
Albert Schweitzer, La bsqueda al Jess histrico (1906): Pablo ... no deseaba conocer a Cristo segn la carne.... Quienes
quieren encontrar una va desde la proclamacin de Jess al cristianismo primitivo, se percatan de las dificultades peculiares que le
surgen.... Pablo nos muestra que la vida terrenal de Jess fue estimada con indiferencia completa por el cristianismo primitivo.
Pablo y sus intrpretes (1912): El sistema del apstol de los gentiles se opone a la enseanza de Jess como algo de un carcter
totalmente diferente y no da la impresin de haberse originado en ella.... Es imposible que un paulinismo subsista al lado de un
cristianismo primitivo, el cual comparta las esperanzas escatolgicas judas.... Al problema de paulinismo pertenecen ... preguntas a
las que todava no han encontrado solucin:... la relacin del apstol con Jess histrico ... y con la ley [mosaica].... No apela [Pablo]

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al Maestro ni siquiera donde podra parecer inevitable hacerlo.... Es como si sostuviera que entre la era mundial presente y en la que
Jess viva y enseaba, no existe ningn punto de conexin.... A [Pablo] le es indiferente ... lo que pensaba Jess sobre el asunto.... Los
crticos [han] exigido prueba de la teologa, que el Pablo cannico y sus Epstolas pertenecan al cristianismo temprano; y la demanda
fue justificada. De mi vida y pensamiento (1931): La difusin rpida de las ideas de Pablo, se puede atribuir a su creencia en que la
muerte de Cristo signific el fin de la Ley [de Moiss]. En el curso de una o dos generaciones, este concepto se hizo la propiedad
comn de la fe cristiana, aunque contradeca la tradicin representada por los apstoles en Jerusaln. El misticismo de san Pablo
(1931): Cul es la importancia para nuestra fe y para nuestra vida religiosa, del hecho de que el evangelio de Pablo es diferente del
evangelio de Jess?... La actitud que el propio Pablo asume, referente al evangelio de Jess, es que ni lo repite con las palabras de
Jess ni apela a su autoridad.... La cosa fatdica es que las teologas griega, catlica y protestante contienen todas el evangelio de Pablo
en una forma que no contina el evangelio de Jess, sino que lo desplaza.
Abdul-Bah (hijo de Bahullh), Algunas preguntas contestadas (1908): Pablo aun permita comer animales estrangulados y
sacrificados a dolos, adems de la sangre; solamente mantena la prohibicin de la fornicacin. As en el captulo 4, versculo 14 de su
Epstola a los Romanos.... Tambin Tito, el captulo 1, versculo 15.... [Segn Pablo] este cambio, estas alteraciones y esta abrogacin
son debidos a la imposibilidad de comparar el tiempo de Cristo con el tiempo de Moiss. Las condiciones y requisitos en el segundo
periodo se haban cambiado y alterado enteramente. Las leyes anteriores, entonces, fueron abrogadas.
Mark Twain, Cartas de la tierra (1909): Pablo ... aconsejaba enteramente en contra de las relaciones sexuales. Un gran cambio
de la perspectiva divina. Cuadernos (fecha?): Si Cristo estuviera aqu hoy en da, hay algo en particular que no seraun cristiano.
Jos Ortega y Gasset, Una polmica (1910): De recordar a Jess como san Pedro, a pensar a Jess como san Pablo, va nada
menos que la teologa. San Pablo fue el primer telogo; es decir, el primer hombre que del Jess real, concreto, individualizado,
habitante de tal pueblo, con acento y costumbres genuinas, hizo un Jess posible, racional, apto, por tanto, para que los hombres todos
y no slo los judos, pudieran ingresar en la nueva fe. En trminos filosficos, san Pablo objetiva a Jess.
Gerald Friedlander, Las fuentes judaicas del sermn del monte (1911): Pablo ciertamente no se relaciona con el sermn de la
montaa.... El sermn dice: Cuidaos de profetas falsos, quienes vienen a vosotros vestidos de oveja, pero interiormente son lobos
voraces (Mt.vii.15). Generalmente, esto se entiende como una advertencia contra lderes religiosos indignos de confianza.... Expresa
el versculo la experiencia de la iglesia primitiva? No podra ser una advertencia contra Pablo y sus seguidores?
Miguel de Unamuno, El sentimiento trgico de la vida (1913): Pablo no haba conocido personalmente a Jess y por eso le
descubri como Cristo.... Lo importante para l era que el Cristo se hubiese hecho hombre y hubiese muerto y resucitado y no lo que
hizo en su vidano su obra moral y pedaggica. La agona del cristianismo (1931): En vida de Cristo no se le hubiese adherido
ningn Pablo.
George Bernard Shaw, Androcles y el len, Introduccin (1915): No hay ni una palabra del cristianismo paulino en las
declaraciones caractersticas de Jess.... En verdad, nunca ha sido perpetrada una imposicin ms monstruosa, que la imposicin del
alma de Pablo sobre el alma de Jess.... Ya es fcil entender cmo el cristianismo de Jess fracas completamente en establecerse poltica y socialmente y fue con facilidad suprimido por la polica y la iglesia, mientras que el paulismo invadi todo el mundo civilizado
occidental que era en aquel tiempo el Imperio Romano y que lo adopt como su fe oficial. El qu hay? de la poltica (1944): Un
gobierno que roba de Pedro para pagar a Pablo, siempre puede contar con el apoyo de Pablo.
Henry Louis Mencken, El diccionario de jazz, Un libro de burlescos (1916): Arzobispoun eclesistico cristiano de un nivel
superior al que alcanz Cristo.
Martn Buber, La va santa (1918): El hombre quien, al transmitir el judasmo a los pueblos, caus su disolucin,... este violador de la espritu ... [fue] Saulo, el hombre de Tarso.... Transmiti la enseanza de Jess ... a las naciones, entregndoles el veneno
dulce de la fe, una fe que desde obras, eximi a los creyentes de la realizacin y estableci el dualismo en el mundo [cristiano]. Es la
era Paulina cuyas agonas de muerte ahora [en la Primera Guerra Mundial] estamos mirando con ojos fijos. Dos tipos de fe (1948):
No meramente la creencia del Antiguo Testamento y la fe viviente del judasmo post-bblico son opuestos a Pablo, sino tambin el
Jess del sermn de la montaa.... Ha de verse a Jess aparte de su conexin histrica con el cristianismo.... Es Pedro, [no Pablo,]
quien representa la recoleccin inolvidable de las conversaciones de Jess con los discpulos en Galilea.
Thomas Edward Lawrence, Los siete pilares de la sabidura (1919): El cristianismo fue un hbridoaparte de su primera raz,
no esencialmente semtico.
Carl Gustav Jung, Los fundamentos psicolgicos de la creencia en los espritus (1919): La resistencia fantica de Saulo al
cristianismo,... como sabemos por las epstolas, nunca fue enteramente superada. Una consideracin psicolgica del dogma de la
Trinidad (1940): Francamente, uno se desilusiona al observar cmo Pablo casi nunca permite que entre una palabra del verdadero
Jess de Nazaret.
Herbert George Wells, Bosquejo de la historia (1920): San Pablo y sus sucesores aumentaron o completaron o impusieron o
sustituyeron otra doctrina en lugar decomo quizs prefers pensarlas claras y profundamente revolucionarias enseanzas de Jess,
al exponer ... una salvacin que se poda obtener en gran parte por credo y formalidades, sin ningn cambio serio de los hbitos
ordinarios y ocupaciones del creyente.
James Joyce, Ulises (1922): Pedro y Pablo. Ms interesante si se entendiera qu significara.... Robando a Pedro para pagar a
Pablo.
Isaac Babel, Don Apolek, Cuentos de la caballera roja (1923): San Pablo, un cojo asustadizo con la peluda barba negra de un
apstata aldeano.
Jos Klausner, Jess de Nazaret, III.3 (1926): No encontramos ningn acontecimiento histrico fidedigno sobre la vida y obra
de Jess en todos los escritos de Pablo.... No fue uno de los discpulos de Jess, ni, aparentemente, lo haba visto nunca mientras
estuvo en la tierra; de haber sido as debera haberse subordinado a Santiago, el hermano de Jess, a Pedro y a los otros apstoles.
De Jess a Pablo, VI (1943): Saulo fue el verdadero fundador del cristianismo como una religin nueva.... Los discpulos y hermanos
de Jess, que tuvieron intimidad con el Mesas crucificado durante su vida y que haban recibido enseanzas, parbolas y promesas de
sus propios labios, habran reprochado a Pablo verdaderamente de este modo: T no eres un apstol verdadero y en vano abrogas las
leyes ceremoniales por tu propia autoridad; pues no oste al Mesas, no tuviste intimidad con l y no puedes conocer su enseanza de
primera mano. [Con respecto a] la visin en el camino de Damasco,... tenemos aqu un ataque de la enfermedad de la cada o
epilepsia.... Encontramos en l tambin las caractersticas de un melanclico profundo. Casi no hay ningn trmino insultante que
Pablo no aplique a sus oponentes. Son falsos hermanos, falsos apstoles, hipcritas y disimuladores.... El apostolado completo
de Pablo se basa en la visin celestial que tuvo en el camino a Damasco.... Pablo distaba mucho de ser un santo.
Rudolf Bultmann, Jess y la palabra (1926): La Iglesia ... no habra podido asumir la fiel adhesin a la ley [mosaica] y

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defenderla contra Pablo, si Jess hubiera combatido la autoridad de la ley. Jess no atac la ley, sino que asumi su autoridad y la
interpret.... Fue algn tiempo despus de su muerte, cuando Pablo y otros misioneros helensticos predicaron a los gentiles un
evangelio distinto del de la ley.... Jess no desea ... ningn ascetismo sexual. No cabe duda que el ideal del celibato entr temprano en
el cristianismo; lo encontramos ya en las iglesias de Pablo. Pero es enteramente ajeno a Jess. La significacin del Jess histrico
para la teologa de Pablo (1929): Es bien obvio que [Pablo] no apela a las palabras del Amo en apoyo de sus doctrinas estrictamente
teolgicas, antropolgicas y soteriolgicas.... Cuando se consideran las concepciones esencialmente paulinas, es claro que en eso Pablo
no depende de Jess. La enseanza de Jess esa todas lucesimprocedente para Pablo.
Franz Kafka, El castillo (1926): Es cierto que Bernab no es un funcionario, ni siquiera de la categora inferior.... No se debe
enviar de repente a un joven sin experiencia como Bernab ... al Castillo y luego esperar un relato suyo completamente verdadero,
interpretando cada palabrita suya como si fuera una revelacin y basando la felicidad de la vida de uno mismo sobre la interpretacin.
Nada podra ser ms equivocado.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, El medio divino (1927): El Cristo mstico, el Cristo universal de san Pablo, no tiene ni sentido ni
valor a nuestro parecer excepto como una ampliacin del Cristo que naci de Mara y que muri en la cruz. Aqul saca esencialmente
de ste, su cualidad fundamental de innegabilidad y solidaridad. Por de muy lejos que seamos atrados hacia el interior de los espacios
divinos que se nos abren por el misticismo cristiano, jams nos apartamos del Jess de los evangelios.
Jos Carlos Maritegui, Siete ensayos de interpretacin de la realidad peruana (1928): Los misioneros no impusieron el
Evangelio; impusieron el culto, la liturgia.... La Iglesia Romana puede sentirse legtima heredera del Imperio Romano.... Este
compromiso en su origen, se extiende del catolicismo a toda la cristiandad.
Mahatma Gandhi, Discurso sobre el compaerismo, India Joven (1928): Establezco una gran distincin entre el sermn del
monte y las cartas de Pablo. Son un injerto en la enseanza de Cristo, su propia glosa distinta de la experiencia propia de Cristo.
Kahil Gibrn, Jess el hijo de la humanidad (1928): Este Pablo es verdaderamente un hombre raro. Su alma no es el alma de un
hombre libre. Ni habla de Jess, ni repite sus palabras. Dara en el yunque su propio martillazo, en el nombre de uno a quien l no
conoce.
Oswald Spengler, La decadencia de occidente (vol II, 1928): Pablo tena, para las comunidades de Jess en Jerusaln, un
desdn escasamente disimulado.... Jess es el redentor y Pablo es su profetaste es el contenido total de su mensaje.
John Langdon-Davies, Un relato breve de las mujeres (1928): Fue por medio de [san Pablo] que la actitud ofensiva hacia las
mujeres se expres por fin en la Iglesia Catlica.
Ernest Hemingway, Adis a las armas (1929): Aquel san Pablo.... Es l que causa todo el problema.... Era un vagabundo y un
perseguidor, y luego cuando ya no era caliente, dijo que no fue bueno eso. Cuando haba terminado l, hizo las reglas para nosotros
que todava somos calientes.
Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Ensayos sobre el budismo zen (Segunda Serie, 1933): Te-shan (780-865 [d.C.]) ... era muy erudito en la
enseanza de la sutra adems de bien instruido en los comentarios.... Oy hablar de esta enseanza en el sur [de la China], segn la
cual alguien podra hacerse un Buda por agarrar de inmediato su propia naturaleza ms interna. Consideraba que esta no poda ser la
enseanza del Buda mismo, sino del Maligno.... La idea de Te-shan fue destruir el Zen si fuera posible.... [Su] psicologa nos recuerda
a la de san Pablo.
Walter Bauer, La ortodoxia y la hereja en el cristianismo ms primitivo (1934): Referente a Pablo, en el Apocalipsis [21:14] se
encuentran solamente los nombres de los doce apstoles en los cimientos de la nueva Jerusalnno hay ningn lugar para Pablo....
Para Justino [Mrtir, en medio del siglo II], todo se basa en la tradicin de los evangelios.... El nombre de Pablo nunca se menciona
por Justino;... falta no slo su nombre, sino tambin cualquier congruencia con sus epstolas.... Si se me permite hablar muy puntillosamente, el apstol Pablo era el nico archi-hereje conocido en la poca apostlica.... Hemos de considerar el crculo de los doce
apstoles, para encontrar los guardianes de la informacin ms primitiva referente a la vida y la proclamacin del Amo.... Este tesoro
queda escondido dentro de los evangelios sinpticos.
Herbert A.L. Fisher, Una historia de Europa (1935): Pablo de Tarso ... marc una lnea distinta de divisin entre [las] dos
sectas.... La cristiana y la juda saltaron separadas.
Henry Miller, Fuente negra (1936): Aquel manitico san Pablo.
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Cultura y valor (notas de 1937, publicadas en 1980): El manantial que fluye suavemente y lmpido de los
evangelios, parece tener espuma encima en las epstolas de Pablo.... Para m, es como si viera pasin humana all, algo como orgullo o
enojo, el cual no est en armona con la humildad de los evangelios.... Quiero preguntary que esto no sea ninguna blasfemiaQu
habra dicho Cristo a Pablo?... En los evangeliostal como me parece a mtodo es menos pretencioso, ms humilde, ms sencillo.
All encontris chozas; en Pablo una iglesia. All todos los humanos son iguales y Dios mismo es un humano; en Pablo ya hay como
una jerarqua.
Kenneth Patchen, El diario de Albin Luz de la Luna (1941): Estbamos avanzando sin prisa por la calle principal en San Pablo
cuando de repente, sin ningn aviso, un pulpo enorme envolvi sus brazos alrededor de nuestro carro.
Bertrand Russell, Un bosquejo de tonteras intelectuales (1943): El tabaco ... no est prohibido en las Escrituras, aunque,
como seal Samuel Butler, sin duda lo habra denunciado san Pablo si se hubiera enterado de ello.
Will Durant, Csar y Cristo (1944): Pablo elabor una teologa de la cual solamente justificaciones ms imprecisas se pueden
encontrar en las palabras de Cristo.... Por medio de estas interpretaciones Pablo poda omitir la vida verdadera y los dichos de Jess,
los cuales no haba conocido directamente.... Haba reemplazado la conducta con un credo como la prueba de la virtud. Fue un cambio
trgico.
Shaw Desmond, La religin en el mundo de la posguerra (El Club Socrtico de la Universidad de Oxford, 1946): Pablo ense
lo contrario que Jess.
Paul Schubert, Tareas urgentes para la investigacin del Nuevo Testamento, en H.R. Willoughby (ed.), El estudio de la Biblia
hoy y maana (1947): Referente a Pablo y sus cartas, no hay ningn acuerdo patente [entre telogos modernos] sobre cualquier tema
importante.
Robert Frost, Una alegora de misericordia (1947): Pablo: l tambin est en la Biblia. l es el tipo que teologiz a Cristo casi
fuera del cristianismo. Cuidado con l.
Frank Harris, Mi vida y mis amores (vol.3, 1949): El cristianismo, principalmente a causa de Pablo, ha atacado el deseo sexual
y ha intentado condenarlo desde la raz hasta la rama.
Herbert J. Muller, Los usos del pasado (1952): Saulo de Tarso, quien se hizo san Pablo,... conoci a Jess slo de odas y rara
vez se refiri a su vida humana.... Pablo proclam un evangelio acerca de Jess, que no fue enseado por el Jess de los evangelios

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sinpticos.... Contraponindose a [los] otros discpulos,... fue por lo dems responsable de la ruptura violenta con el judasmo....
Contribuy a un dualismo radical entre carne y espritu, no avalado por las enseanzas de Jess.
Simone de Beauvoir, El segundo sexo (1953): San Pablo orden a las mujeres la humillacin de s mismas y la prudencia.... En
una religin que considera la carne maldita, la mujer se hace la tentacin ms temible del diablo.
Federico Fellini, La strada (1954): Dnde estamos? En Roma. Esa es San Pablo. Entonces nos uniremos al circo?
Nikos Kazantzakis, La ltima tentacin de Cristo (1955): La puerta se abri. En el umbral se par un jorobado chaparro y
gordo, todava joven pero calvo. Sus ojos escupan fuego.... Eres Saulo? pregunt Jess, horrorizado.... Soy Pablo. Fui salvado
gloria a Dios!y ahora me he encaminado para salvar al mundo.... Mi buen joven, respondi Jess, ya he regresado del lugar a
donde te diriges.... Vistes a este resucitado Jess de Nazaret? bram Jess, lo vistes con tus propios ojos? Cmo era? Un
relmpagoun relmpago que habl. Mentiroso!... Qu blasfemias pronuncias! Qu descaros! Qu mentiras! Es con tales
mentiras, engaador, con las que te atreves a salvar al mundo? Entonces fue el turno de estallar para Pablo. Cierra tu boca sinvergenza! grit.... Me importa un bledo que sea verdadero y falso, o si lo vi o no lo vi.
Charles Seltman, Las mujeres en la antigedad (1956): Este hombre de Tarso, siendo algo hostil tanto a las mujeres como al
apareamiento, se puso a propugnar tanto la represin de las mujeres como la prctica inmoderada del celibato perpetuo,... degradando
en gran manera a las mujeres de cara a los hombres.... El anti-feminismo ridculo fue debido, en primer lugar, a Pablo de Tarso....
Segn Pablo la sexualidad era realmente una desgracia, retirando de lo celestial el inters del hombre.... Mientras que la Iglesia se ampliaba en influencia dentro del Imperio Romano, llevaba consigo la coleccin de escritos paulinos y la subordinacin de la mujer. La
aversin, aun el odio, hacia las mujeres creci hasta hacerse patolgica.... La enseanza [de Pablo] sobre las mujeres, tal como es
interpretada por sus seguidores, continua escandalizando aun hoy a las personas reflexivas.... El propio galileo ... fue expulsado de la
tierra por la Iglesia Militantedesobediente a Jess, buscando nuevas vas al poder.... Haba derrocado los preceptos de Jess. La
teologa del amor,... habiendo sido refundida como la cristiandad, pidi prestado de las religiones de la naturaleza ms simples, el
temor como el mejor instrumento para alcanzar al poder.
G. Ernest Wright y Reginald H. Fuller, El libro de los hechos de Dios (1957): La Iglesia primeriza no dio nfasis a la muerte
de Jess, sino concentraba su atencin en la resurreccin,... [pero] en las epstolas paulinas se destaca mucho la idea de que [fue] por
su muerte [que] Cristo gan la victoria decisiva sobre las potencias del mal. Esta idea mitolgica no era una caracterstica de la
proclamacin primeriza.... [Adems,] tanto la teologa como la prctica del bautismo se cambiaron en varios aspectos; para la Iglesia
primitiva, el bautismo slo se realizaba en el nombre de Jess y su beneficio era definido como la remisin de los pecados y ... el don
de la Espritu Santa,... [pero] san Pablo puede hablar del bautismo como una participacin simblica en la muerte y la resurreccin de
Cristo;... tales ideas han sido frecuentemente atribuidas a la influencia de las religiones de misterio, en los ritos en que el iniciado
comparti sacramentalmente en el destino de la divinidad cltica.... [Adems,] las iglesias paulinas eran las primeras en separar el rito
[eucarstico], con el pan y el cliz, de la comida comunal.... Los tres evangelios sinpticos son productos de las iglesias ... no paulinas.
William D. Davies, Pablo y el cristianismo judo, en J. Danilou (ed.), Thologie du judo-christianisme (1958): Los cristianos
judos [en contra de Pablo] ... deban de ser un elemento bien fuerte y extendido en los das ms tempranos de la iglesia.... Presuponan
que el evangelio era una continuacin del judasmo.... Segn algunos eruditos, deban de ser tan fuertes que hasta la cada de Jerusaln
en el 70 d.C., eran el elemento dominante en el movimiento cristiano. La Era Apostlica y la Vida de Pablo, Peake's Commentary
on the Bible (1962): Sabemos muy poco de la historia de la Iglesia en Jerusaln entre 44 d.C. y la cada de Jerusaln en 70 d.C....
Intentos de ... reducir al mnimo el abismo entre el cristianismo gentil y el de Jerusaln, se derriban en la frecuencia de la oposicin de
parte de los cristianos judos en contra de la misin paulina.... Tanto ha elevado Los Hechos a Pablo, que los dems que laboraban se
han achicado. Cualquier evaluacin del crecimiento del cristianismo gentil, ha de tener en cuenta la posible distorsin introducida por
medio de esta concentracin en Pablo por parte de Los Hechos.... Las epstolas y Los Hechos revelan que Pablo termin por considerarse a s mismo ... como el [nico] apstol a los gentiles.
Lawrence Durrell, Clea (1960): Durante un breve momento pareci posible [la libertad], pero san Pablo impuso de nuevo ... los
grilletes de hierro.
Gershom Scholem, La Cbala y su simbolismo (1960): Pablo ley el Antiguo Testamento de modo contrario. La increble
violencia con que lo hizo muestra ... la incompatibilidad de su experiencia con el sentido de los libros antiguos.... El resultado fue la
paradoja que nunca cesa de pasmarnos cuando leemos las epstolas paulinas: por un lado, el Antiguo Testamento se mantiene; por el
otro, est abandonado por completo. La crisis de la tradicin en el mesianismo judo (1968): La estrategia religiosa de Pablo ... [es]
antinomia absoluta.
Hans Joachim Schoeps, Pablo: la teologa del apstol en relacin con la historia religiosa juda (traduccin inglesa 1961):
[Marcando un] contraste austero entre la religin de la ley y la religin de la gracia,... Pablo haba perdido toda comprensin del
carcter del berith [pacto] hebreo, como una cooperacin que comportaba obligaciones mutuas, [y as] no alcanz a la significacin
interior de la ley mosaica.
Max Dimont, Los judos, Dios y la historia (1962): Si Pablo hubiera vivido hoy, podra haber ido a parar en un sof
psiquitrico. Durante toda su vida, fue abrumado por un sentido de culpabilidad que le persegua con furia implacable.... La costumbre
haba sido que los no judos primero se convirtiesen en judos y slo despus fueran admitidos en la secta cristiana. Pablo opinaba que
los paganos deben de hacerse cristianos directamente, sin convertirse primero al judasmo.... Lentamente l cambi el cristianismo
temprano en una cristologa paulina.... El cristianismo ya no era una secta juda, pues Pablo haba abandonado la tradicin mosaica.
Nils A. Dahl, La particularidad de las epstolas paulinas como un problema en la iglesia antigua, Neotestamentica et
Patristica: Eine Freundesgabe, Herrn Professor Dr. Oscar Cullman (1962): La particularidad de las epstolas paulinas se senta como
un problema, desde un tiempo antes de que el Corpus paulinum fuera publicado y hasta que hubiera sido incorporado a un canon
completo de escritura neotestamentaria. Despus, el problema ya no se senta,... cuando [esas] servan como fuentes para la reconstruccin de una teologa bblica o sistema de paulismo.
Erich Fromm, El dogma de Cristo (1963): Pablo atraa ... a algunos de la clase acomodada y educada, en especial mercaderes,
quienes por medio de sus andanzas y viajes tuvieron decidida importancia para la difusin del cristianismo.... [sta que] haba sido la
religin de una comunidad de hermanos iguales, sin jerarqua ni burocracia, se convirti en la Iglesia, la imagen reflejada de la
monarqua absoluta del Imperio Romano.
Sylvia Plath, La campana de cristal (1963): El nico problema fue que la Iglesia, aun la Iglesia Catlica, no ocupaba la totalidad de la vida. Por mucho que te arrodillaras y rezaras, todava tenas que comer las tres veces al da y mantener un trabajo y vivir en
el mundo.
William H. McNeill, El surgimiento del occidente (1963): Una cuestin que apareci inmediatamente en las comunidades de

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fuera de Palestina, fue la de si la ley mosaica segua siendo obligatoria o no. La repuesta de Pablo fue que Cristo, al abrir una senda
nueva a la salvacin, haba abrogado la antigua ley. Otros seguidores de Cristo sostenan que la costumbre juda tradicional y la ley
todava permanecan en vigor.... Ni Pedro y Santiago y los lderes en Jerusaln, ni Pablo ... podan convencer a la otra faccin.
James Baldwin, El fuego de la prxima vez (1963): El verdadero artfice de la iglesia cristiana, no fue el hebreo desacreditado y
bronceado por el sol quien la dio su nombre, sino el despiadadamente fantico y santurrn san Pablo.
Georg Strecker, Sobre el problema del cristianismo judo, Apndice 1 de Walter Bauer, op.cit. (ed. 1964): El cristianismo
judo, segn el testimonio del Nuevo Testamento, se encuentra en el principio del desarrollo de la historia de la iglesia, as que no es la
doctrina eclesistica [paulina] gentil-cristiana la que representa lo primario, sino una teologa cristiana juda.
Jorge Lus Borges, Los telogos (1964): Los histriones ... invocaron a I-Corintios 13:12 (Pues ahora vemos por vidrio, en
oscuridad) para demostrar que todo lo que vemos es falso. Quiz contaminados por los montonos, imaginaron que cada persona es
dos personas y que la verdadera es la otra, la que est en el cielo.
Gilles Quispel, El gnosticismo y el Nuevo Testamento, en J. Philip Hyatt (ed.), La Biblia en la erudicin moderna (ponencias
presentadas en la 100a reunin de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica, 1964): La comunidad cristiana de Jerusaln ... no aceptaba las
opiniones [de Pablo] acerca de la Ley.
Helmut Koester, Los aspectos teolgicos de la hereja primitiva cristiana, en James Robinson (editor), El futuro de nuestro
pasado religioso (1964): Pablo mismo se pone en la zona crepuscular de la hereja. Introduccin al Nuevo Testamento (1980): El
contenido de los discursos de Pablo en los Hechos no se puede armonizar con la teologa de Pablo tal y como la conocemos por sus
cartas.... Tampoco es creble que afirmase repetidas veces en su juicio que siempre haba vivido como judo observante de la ley [es
decir, la Torah].... Desde el principio de los Hechos hasta el martirio de Esteban, el personaje central del relato ha sido Pedro. En ese
momento es cuando se presenta a Pablo por primera vez.... Pedro siempre se presenta como apstol, puesto que pertenece al crculo de
los Doce. Pero en los Hechos 15, Pedro se menciona por ltima vez y Lucas no tiene nada que contar ni sobre su viaje a Roma ni sobre
su martirio. Ms singular an es la presentacin de Pablo. No es ni apstol ni mrtir.... Es ms, Lucas pone mucho cuidado en demostrar que el iniciador de la proclamacin a los gentiles no fue Pablo (ni tampoco Bernab) sino Pedro. Antiguos evangelios cristianos
(1990): Inmediatamente se encuentra con una dificultad mayor. Lo que Jess haba proclamado, no se convirti en el contenido de la
proclamacin misionera de Pablo.... Los dichos de Jess no tienen ningn papel en la comprensin de Pablo referente al suceso de la
salvacin.... La Epstola de Santiago tambin comparte con el sermn del monte, el rechazo de la tesis paulina que Cristo es el fin de la
ley [mosaica]. con Stephen Patterson, El Evangelio de Toms: contiene dichos autnticos de Jess?, Bible Review (1990): No le
importaba nada a Pablo lo que haba dicho Jess.... Si Pablo hubiera tenido un xito completo, muy pocos de los dichos de Jess
habran sobrevivido.
Lorenzo Turrado, Biblia Comentada de los Profesores de Salamanca, VI (1965): La idea fundamental de la exposicin del
Apstol [en Rom 13:1-7] ... es que toda autoridad viene de Dios, y desobedecerlos es desobedecer a Dios.... La doctrina expuesta aqu
por el Apstol es de muy graves consecuencias.... [No] considera el caso en que esas autoridades manden cosas injustas.... [Referente
al] incidente entre Pedro y Pablo en Antioqua [Gl 2:11-14],... qu haba, pues, de malo en la conducta de Pedro?... Hubo autores, ya
desde Clemente de Alejandra, que, tratando de salvar el prestigio de Pedro, sostuvieron que el Cefas con quien aqu se enfrenta San
Pablo no es el apstol Pedro, sino otro cristiano, para nosotros hoy desconocido, por nombre Cefas.... Tampoco tiene fundamento la
opinin defendida por algunos Santos Padres, de que se trata de reprensiones fingidas,... pues san Pablo da claramente la impresin de
que est hablando a Pedro muy en serio.
Juan Leal, Jos Ignacio Vicentini et alia, La Sagrada Escritura, Texto y comentario por Profesores de la Compaa de Jess
(1965), II.301: La solucin de Pablo [referente a Rom 13:1-6] es taxativa.... Santo Toms (In omnes S. Pauli epistolas commentaria
[Taurini 1924], v.I, p.181) distingue en el poder tres aspectos: (1) el poder en s mismo; as considerado, el poder viene de Dios; (2) la
manera de llegar al poder; sta puede ser ordenada o desordenada e ilcita; (3) el uso del poder; puede ser conforme o contrario a los
preceptos de la justicia divina. Pablo considera slo el primer aspecto.
Emil G. Kraeling, Los discpulos (1966): La peculiar relacin no armonizada entre Pablo y los Doce, la cual exista desde el
principio, nunca fue ajustada completamente.... La moderna investigacin bblica en particular ha hecho difcil meter la religin del
Nuevo Testamento (por no mencionar la Biblia entera) en la camisa de fuerza del paulismo.
Bruce Vawter, Los cuatro evangelios (1967): No tenemos informacin autntica sobre la actividad de la mayora de los Doce
despus de los primeros das de la Iglesia en Jerusaln, pero es bastante probable que quedaron identificados con el cristianismo judo,
particularmente, quizs, con el cristianismo galileo sobre el cual no sabemos prcticamente nada.... Este cristianismo ... casi desapareci.
Ronald D. Laing, La poltica de la experiencia (1967): Dos personas sentadas estn conversando. Uno (Pedro) propone algo al
otro (Pablo). Expresa a Pablo su punto de vista en varias maneras por un amplio tiempo, pero Pablo no entiende.... Pablo parece duro,
impenetrable y fro.
Paul Tillich, Una historia del pensamiento cristiano (1968): La ley [mosaica] no era evaluada en la manera negativa como
generalmente lo hacemos; para los judos, era un regalo y una alegra.... El camino de desesperacin ... fue la va de individuos como
Pablo, Agustn y Lutero. ... El conflicto de Pablo contra los cristianos judos no tena que ser continuado. En lugar de eso, los elementos positivos en la fe, los cuales podan proveer un contenido positivo para los paganos, tenan que ser adelantados.
Joseph Campbell, Las mscaras de Dios: mitologa creadora (1968): El dominio en Europa de aquella orden de irracionalidad,
sumisin irracional a los dictmenes de autoridad:... san Pablo mismo haba abierto la puerta a tales idioteces atrevidas.
Gnther Bornkamm, Pablo (1969): Sobre todo resulta el abismo que separa a Jess de Pablo y la conclusin que ... es ms
Pablo que el Jess histrico, quien en verdad ha fundado el cristianismo.... Ya en vida suya era considerado Pablo como apstol
ilegtimo y falsificador del mensaje cristiano.... Durante mucho tiempo, el cristianismo judo lo rechaz totalmente, como rival de
Pedro y de Santiago, el hermano del Amo.... Pablo no se conecta de manera inmediata con ... [las] palabras ... del Jess terrenal. Todo
parece indicar que ni siquiera las conoca.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel: una historia personal (1971): Jess probablemente se diferenci poco de bastantes judos de su
generacin. La religin nueva recibi su nfasis antijudaico por Saulo,... [quien] dio al cristianismo una direccin nueva. Intent
desarraigar la ley y mandamientos judaicos y eliminar el judasmo como una entidad nacional que se esforzaba en realizar la visin
mesinica de los profetas.
William Steuart McBirnie, Buscando a los doce apstoles (1973): Por qu escogi Jess a slo doce apstoles principales?
Obviamente, para corresponder a los doce tribus de Israel.... Pablo claramente afirm que l tambin era un apstol.... Pero no hay
ninguna prueba de que jams fuese admitido en aquel crculo ntimo de la docena original.... Quienes esperan que los Hechos sea la

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historia completa del cristianismo primitivo, estn condenados a frustracin.... El estudioso bblico, de pronto y quizs sin notarlo, est
enganchado en el ministerio personal de Pablo. Pedro, aunque prominente al principio, despus se omite, mientras los Hechos
despliegan para el lector el relato de Pablo y sus amigos.... No hay absolutamente ninguna prueba de que Pablo alguna vez reconociese
la primaca de Pedro.
Ronald Brownrigg, Los doce apstoles (1974): Las cartas de Pablo presentan un marcado contraste con los escritos de Lucas
[en su evangelio y los Hechos]. Mientras que Lucas propone que los apstoles formaban una corporacin cerrada de doce, gobernando
sobre la Iglesia entera, Pablo est en desacuerdo, afirmando que su propio apostolado es tan vlido como cualquier de los Doce....
Ciertamente, Pablo no reconoca ninguna autoridad de los Doce.... El requisito para el apostolado, en la eleccin de Matas [Hch 1:1526], haba sido una seleccin divinamente guiada y un compaerismo continuado con Jess durante toda su vida [activa].
Elaine H. Pagels, Pablo el gnstico (1975): Dos tradiciones antitticas de la interpretacin paulina han aparecido desde el siglo I
a travs del II. Cada una se afirma como autntica, cristiana y paulina: pero una lee a Pablo antignsticamente y la otra gnsticamente.... Quien pone atencin en la evidencia total, aprender del debate acercarse a la interpretacin paulina con una renovada
apertura al texto. Los evangelios gnsticos (1979): Una versin de este relato, [de la conversin de Pablo,] dice: Los hombres que
estaban viajando con l, se pararon estupefactos, oyendo la voz pero no viendo a nadie; otra dice lo contrario:... Quienes estaban
conmigo vieron la luz, pero no oyeron la voz de quien me hablaba.
Paul Johnson, La historia del cristianismo (1976): El Cristo de Pablo no estaba asentado en el Jess histrico de la Iglesia de
Jerusaln.... Escritos ... de cristianos judos de la dcada de los cincuenta [d.C.] presentan a Pablo como el Anticristo y el primer
hereje.... La Cristologa de Pablo, que ms tarde se convirti en el meollo de la fe universal cristiana,... fue predicada por un personaje
externo a quien muchos miembros de la Iglesia de Jerusaln no reconocan en absoluto como apstol.
Irving Howe, El mundo de nuestros padres (1976): La opinin de que la actividad sexual es impura o al menos sospechosa, tan
a menudo un acompaamiento del cristianismo, rara vez era considerada dentro del shtetl [pueblo judo de la Europa Oriental]. La
declaracin de Pablo consistente en que es mejor casarse que quemarse, habra parecido extraasi no completamente impaa los
judos.
John Morris Roberts, La historia del mundo (1976): Las ideas devocionales registradas de Jess no sobrepasan los ritos judos;
los oficios del Templo, junto con la oracin privada, eran todo lo que indic. En este sentido muy concreto, vivi y muri como
judo.... Cumplir la ley [mosaica], fue esencial.... La doctrina que Pablo ense fue nueva. Rechaz la ley (lo que nunca haba hecho
Jess),... y esto condujo al destrozo del molde del pensamiento judo dentro de que haba nacido la fe.
James M. Robinson, Los cdices de Nag Hammadi (1977): Los Evangelios del Nuevo Testamento presentan a Cristo resucitado
con un cuerpo que parece ser un cuerpo humanose toma por jardinero, o por viajero rumbo a Emas; come; sus heridas se pueden
tocar.... Pablo insiste una y otra vez que, aunque no era discpulo durante la vida de Jess, sin embargo presenci una aparicin
autntica del Cristo resucitado. Pero su descripcin de un cuerpo resucitado, es de una luz brillante, un cuerpo celestial como un
sol, estrella o planeta y nada como un cuerpo terrenal. As el libro de los Hechos, mientras refiere al detalle el encuentro de Pablo con
Jess como una luz cegadora, lo presenta como si no fuera apenas ms que una conversin. Pues el autor [de los Hechos] lo coloca
bastante fuera del perodo de las apariciones de la resurreccin, las cuales haba limitado a cuarenta das.
Edward Schillebeeckx, Cristo (1977): Hay una diferencia entre la teologa de las congregaciones primitivas cristianas judas en
Jerusaln, las cuales se orientan por Jess de Nazaret y la teologa paulina que conoce solamente el crucificado.
Mircea Eliade, Historia de las creencias y las ideas religiosas (1978): Habra de verse fatalmente opuesto Pablo a los
judeocristianos de Jerusaln,... un conflicto del que Pablo y los Hechos (Gl 2:7-10, Hch 15:29) dan versiones contradictorias.
Brbara Tuchman, Un espejo distante: el calamitoso siglo XIV (1978): De entre todas las ideas de la humanidad, la
identificacin del sexo con el pecado ha dejado la ms grande secuela de problemas.... En la teologa cristiana, va san Pablo, se carg
con permanente culpa a la humanidad.... Su contexto sexual fue formulado principalmente por san Agustn, cuyas luchas espirituales
opusieron en adelante el dogma cristiano al instinto ms fuerte del hombre.
Thomas Maras, Las contradicciones en el Nuevo Testamento (1979): En desacuerdo con [san Mateo y san Lucas], quienes
quieren que l sea un Hijo directo de Dios, Pablo nos dice [en Rom 1:3-4] que en la carne Jess es del linaje de David y solamente en
poder es el Hijo de Dios.
Patrick Henry, Nuevas direcciones en el estudio del Nuevo Testamento (1979): Queda en la mente popular una sospecha
fuerte ... que Pablo corrompi el cristianismo (o aun fund una religin diferente).... Jess [era] un maestro en la corriente principal de
la piedad proftica juda,... mientras que Pablo ... da el paso irrevocable fuera del judasmo en rechazar la ley [mosaica].... Pablo
import a la comunidad cristiana una forma de la religin caracterstica de los misterios,... movimientos religiosos de iniciacin en
ritos secretos y entendimiento esotrico.
Og Mandino, Operacin: Jesucristo! (1980): Los discpulos y otros seguidores cercanos de Jess son todos judos piadosos.
Juan Luis Segundo, El hombre de hoy ante Jess de Nazareth (1982): A menos de treinta aos de los acontecimientos narrados
por los sinpticos sobre la vida y predicacin, muerte y resurreccin de Jess, Pablo se permite hacer una larga y profunda exposicin
de lo que ste significa, reteniendo, al parecer, slo los dos ltimos hechos puntuales, la muerte y la resurreccin. No se citan sus
palabras (con excepcin de las pronunciadas sobre el pan y el vino en la ltima cena), no se recuerdan sus enseanzas. Han desaparecido los trminos claves que Jess emple para designarse a s mismo, a su misin y a los destinatarios inmediatos de ella: el Hijo de
Hombre, el reino de Dios, los pobres.
Abba Eban, La civilizacin y los judos (WNET Herencia, vdeo #3, 1984): Quienes seguan las enseanzas de Jess, se conocan entre los dems Judos como Nazarenos. En el principio, la secta nazarena era totalmente juda.... Aunque sta haba sido una
secta juda, Pablo dio la bienvenida a nuevos seguidores sin requerir que se convirtieran al Judasmo.
Jrgen Moltmann, Teologa poltica [y] tica poltica (1984): La teologa de Pablo y la de la Reforma interpretaron teolgicamente la muerte de Jess como vctima de la ley [de Israel]; y dejaron muy claro que la resurreccin y exaltacin de Cristo significaron
la abolicin de [esa] ley con todas sus exigencias.... [Pero] Jess no muri apedreado, sino ajusticiado por los romanos.
Yigael Yadn, El rollo del Temploel rollo ms largo del Mar Muerto, Biblical Archeology Review (sept/oct 1984): Hay que
distinguir entre las varias capaso estratos, para utilizar un trmino arqueolgicodel cristianismo primitivo. La teologa, las doctrinas y las prcticas de Jess, de Juan Bautista y de Pablo ... no son iguales.
Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh y Henry Lincoln, El legato mesinico (1986): En qu ... consiste el cristianismo? En lo
que ense Jess? O en lo que ense Pablo? Salvo por escamoteo de lgica y tergiversacin de hecho histrico, los dos puntos de
vista no se pueden armonizar.
James Michener, Legado (1987): Las mujeres ... ya no harn la inclinacin-china a las fulminaciones de san Pablo.

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Bruce Metzger, El canon del Nuevo Testamento (1987): Segn [algunos] eruditos, la presencia de contradicciones entre libros
del Nuevo Testamento ... hace necesario establecer un canon crtico.... Por ejemplo, se dice, la escatologa de Lucas-Hechos no se
puede armonizar con la escatologa de Pablo.... Tambin, la perspectiva en la Epstola a los Romanos sobre la ley del Antiguo Testamento, ciertamente aparece diferente de la perspectiva en Mateo V.18.... Adems, la Epstola de Santiago ataca la doctrina paulina de
justificacin slo por la fe. Por estas razones y otras similares, se sostiene, no hay unidad dentro del canon.
Sociedad Bblica y de Folletos Atalaya, Pablo, Penetracin en las escrituras (1988): Cul es entonces el nombre que
aparece entre los nombres en las doce piedras fundadoras del Nuevo Jerusaln, en la visin de san Juanel de Matas o el de Pablo?
(Ap 21:2,14) ... La seleccin original de Dios, es decir Matas.
Paula Fredriksen, De Jess a Cristo (1988): Los eruditos, su confusin facilitada por la aparente inconsistencia propia de
Pablo,... no estn de acuerdo an sobre lo que dijo Pablo, mucho menos sobre por qu lo dijo.
Jostein Gaarder, El mundo de Sofa (1991): Era Jess cristiano? Tambin eso se puede discutir, claro.
Gerald Messadi, Saulo, el incendiario (Pars 1991, Bogot 1994): Saulo no conoce realmente la enseanza de Jess. No hay en
las Epstolas rastros de las parbolas, ni de los gestos y actitudes de Jess.... La transformacin, la metanoia esencial del creyente por
la meditacin tica, no tiene casi lugar en sus textos.... Saulo se arroga de pronto, y parece increble, el privilegio de la verdad. l, que
slo entrevi a Jess, afirma sin igual arrogancia que es el nico en poseer la verdad de la enseanza del Mesas, contra aquellos que,
por su parte, conocieron a Jess, contra los primeros discpulos. Enorme cara dura: trata a Pedro de hipcrita!... Me pregunt si
Saulo no habra participado tambin en la conjura del Sanedrn contra Jess.... Hasta l no hay cristianos, sino discpulos judos del
judo Jess. Tras l, cristianismo y judasmo sern irreconciliables.... Las Epstolas no mencionan en absoluto la vida de Jess.... Es la
propia enseanza tica de Saulo que domina, como si sustituyera la de Jess, en el propio nombre de Jess.... No menciona milagro
alguno de Jess.... Desde un punto de vista estrictamente escritural, la enseanza de Saulo diverge, en muchos puntos fundamentales,
de la que transmiten los directos testimonios de Jess.
Jon Sobrino, Jesucristo liberador (1991): En Pablo ... su cristologa est centrada en el Seor resucitado y no hace una valoracin teolgica pormenorizada de la vida de Jess.
Stephen Mitchell, El Evangelio segn Jess (1991): Pablo de Tarso ... [era] el ms engaoso de los primeros autores cristianos,... [y] un carcter particularmente difcil: arrogante, santurrn, lleno de odio asesino para sus adversarios, aterrorizado de Dios,
oprimido por lo que senta como la carga de la ley [mosaica], abrumado por su sentido de pecado.... No entendi a Jess nada. Ni tena
ningn inters en Jess; solamente en su propia idea del Cristo.
Paulo Suess, Inculturacin, en Ignacio Ellacura y Jon Sobrino (eds.), Mysterium liberationis (1991): La exgesis alegresis de
Filn (13 a.C.-45/50 d.C.), filsofo y telogo judo, est presente en los escritos de Pablo,... [quien] era en muchos aspectos una figura
atpica de la Iglesia primitiva,... [lo cual] se debi al paso de un contexto agrariomuy presente en las parbolasa un mundo
urbano ... de las grandes ciudades.
Shlomo Riskin, The Jerusalem Post International Edition (28 marzo 1992): Saulo de Tarso ... se separ de la ley judaica y la
religin creada en consecuencia pronto fue trufada de elementos paganos.
Holger Kersten y Elmar Gruber, La conspiracin sobre Jess (1992): Pablo indica que el intento entero de la actividad de
Jess, depende exclusivamente de esta agona en la cruz. Aqu tiene poco inters en las palabras y enseanzas de Jess, sino arregla
que todo depende en su propia enseanza: la salvacin de los pecados por medio de la muerte vicaria del sacrificio de Jess. No
parece muy extrao que Jess mismo no dio la indirecta ms mnima que intent salvar al sector fiel entero de la humanidad por medio
de su muerte?... Aunque hay varios pasajes bien deleitables en los textos de Pablo, el cristianismo recibi por medio de su fanatismo
intolerante numerosos desarrollos perjudiciales, los cuales son diametralmente opuestos al espritu de Jess: la intolerancia hacia
quienes mantienen opiniones distintas, la hostilidad enftica al cuerpo y la consecuente baja opinin de la mujer y especialmente la
actitud defectuosa sobre la naturaleza.... Pone patas arriba la enseanza de salvacin de Jess y se opone a sus ideas de reforma; en
lugar de las noticias originales alegres, se propuso el mensaje paulino de las amenazas.
Dennis J. Trisker y Vera V. Martnez T., Ellos tambin creen (1992): Mientras que muchas personas creen que el cristianismo
fue fundado por Jesucristo,... es a causa de Pablo por lo que existe la organizacin llamada cristiana.... En el Nuevo Testamento,
podemos ver cmo Pablo ... estaba en disparidad con la iglesia en Jerusaln y aun considerado con sospecha por ellos.... l no dio
nfasis al aspecto judo de la enseanza y esto trajo la primera separacin en la iglesia. A travs de los aos esta separacin se ampli,
haciendo la iglesia ms pagana y menos juda.... Pablo no era apstol.
Xavier Zubiri, El problema filosfico de la historia de las religiones (1993): No hay duda ninguna de que mucha de la
terminologa de san Pablo procede de las religiones de misterios.
Bart D. Ehrman, La corrupcin ortodoxa de la escritura (1993): Considerada desde un punto de vista sea social o teolgico,...
el cristianismo en los siglos tempranos era un fenmeno notablemente diversificado.... Tanto Mateo como Pablo se encuentran en el
canon.... Muchos de los oponentes de Pablo claramente eran cristianos judos,... [quienes] aceptaron la autoridad obligatoria del
Antiguo Testamento (y por consiguiente la validez continua de la ley [mosaica]), pero rechazaron la autoridad del apstol apstata,
Pablo. El Nuevo Testamento (curso de vdeo, Teaching Company, 2000): Qu ense el Jess histrico comparado con lo que
ense el Pablo histrico?... Jess ense que, para escapar del juicio, la persona tiene que mantener las enseanzas centrales de la ley
judaica tales como l, Jess mismo, las interpretaba. Lo interesante es que Pablo nunca menciona la interpretacin de Jess sobre la ley
[mosaica] y Pablo era absolutamente insistente en que el mantenimiento de la ley jams traera la salvacin. La nica manera de ser
salvado, para Pablo, era confiar en la muerte y resurreccin de Jess.... Pablo transform la religin de Jess a una religin acerca de
Jess.
Elsa Tamez, Relectura de la Biblia por mujeres, en Ursula King (ed.), Teologa feminista desde el tercer mundo (1993): [Hay]
contradicciones en algunos de los escritos de san Pablo, que finalmente se utilizaron para fomentar la sumisin de las mujeres.... San
Pablo exigi que las mujeres mantuvieran silencio en la iglesia.... Cuando una mujer se hace peligrosamente activa o amenazadora
para los que detentan posiciones poderosas, se encuentra auxilio en los textos paulinos clsicos para exigir la sumisin de las mujeres a
los hombres. En momentos como stos es cuando algunas mujeres no saben cmo responder.
Raymond E. Brown, El nacimiento del Mesas (Suplemento 1993): [Referente a] la declaracin de Pablo que Jess descendi
de David segn la carne (Rom 1:3),... uno puede preguntar si los evangelistas que escribieron de la concepcin virginal, habran
escogido tal fraseologa. La muerte del Mesas (1994): Pablo no cita a Jess ni se refiere a sus hechos individuales. Una
introduccin al Nuevo Testamento (1997): Uno podra reflexionar sobre lo que sabramos acerca de Jess, si tuviramos solamente las
cartas de Pablo. Tendramos una teologa magnfica sobre lo que ha hecho Dios en Cristo, pero Jess estara dejado casi sin rostro....
No he venido a abolir la Ley [mosaica] (Mt 5:17); No estis bajo la Ley (Rom 6:14).... San Lucas insiste particularmente en la

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realidad de la apariencia [resucitada] de Jess, pues Jess come alimento y afirma que tiene carne y huesos. En sus referencias a un
cuerpo resucitado, Pablo habla de uno que es espiritual y no carne y sangre (I-Cor 15:44,50).... Pablo haba iniciado un proceso por el
cual el cristianismo se convertira casi totalmente en una religin gentil.... Al contrario de ser injertados en el rbol de Israel, los
cristianos gentiles se harn el rbol mismo.... Fue apropiado que un apstol cristiano se diera rienda suelta a una crudeza de la cuneta,
en desear que, en la circuncisin defendida por los predicadores [judo-cristianos], el cuchillo se resbalara y cortara el rgano varonil
(Gl 5:12)? Qu autoriz a Pablo despreciar como as llamados pilares de la iglesia miembros de los Doce quienes haban andado
con Jess y l [Santiago] honrado como el hermano del Amo (Gl 2:9)?
John Dominic Crossan, Jess: una biografa revolucionaria (1994): Para Lucas, quien compuso los Hechos de los Apstoles,
Pablo no era uno de los Doce Apstoles y jams poda ser uno, puesto que no haba estado con Jess desde el principio. Para Lucas,
hay solamente Doce Apstoles y, aun con la ausencia de Judas [Iscariote], no es Pablo [sino Matas] quien lo reemplaza. Pedro y
Pablo y la revolucin cristiana, documental del PBS (abril 2003): Lo que est en juego en esto es, si vamos a tener una comunidad
cristiana juda y una comunidad cristiana gentil, vamos a tener dos Iglesias o una? Si vamos a tener una, cmo se integrarn? Eso es
lo que est en juego en esto: cmo puede ser la Iglesia, con estas dos alas, estas dos divisiones por decirlo as, cmo puede permanecer una Iglesia? Va a permanecer una Iglesia?
Ian Wilson, Jess: la evidencia (1996): [El] inters [en las cartas de Pablo], radica en su ignorancia aparente sobre cualquier
detalle de la vida terrenal de Jess.... [Pablo] reflejaba las actitudes de la sociedad contempornea acerca de las mujeres, en vez de las
que ahora aceptamos como las ideas de Jess mismo.... Parece que nos confronta un verdadero choque de teologas del siglo I: la
paulina a un lado, fundada en su experiencia espiritual [en camino a Damasco]; y la de Santiago [en su epstola], fundada en su conocimiento fraternal del Jess humano. Y, a pesar de la autoridad que ste debe recibir, parece que es la paulina a la que le ha sido permitido transmitirse hacia nosotros.... Particularmente significativa es la postura mansa pero firme [de Santiago], acerca de la importancia de la enseanza de Jess sobre la vida comunitaria.
Alan F. Segal (en nombre de Eugene Schwartz), Ecos electrnicos: el uso de concordancias informticas en estudios bblicos,
Biblical Archaeology Review (nov/dic 1997): Fcilmente podemos determinar la cantidad de alusiones, por medio de medir si una
frase de un libro bblico meramente repite unas pocas palabras de otro, o citar directamente varias palabras seguidas.... El resultado de
nuestra investigacin pareci confirmar ... muy pocas paralelas obvias entre Pablo y los Evangelios.... Casi siempre expresan [aun] las
mismas ideas en palabras totalmente diferentes.... No estoy convencido por las innumerables paralelas ms o menos dbiles, entre los
Evangelios y Pablo. Al contrario,... el estudio [informtico] de palabras parece indicar que definitivamente ninguno de los dos est
relacionado con el otro.
Stephen J. Patterson, La comprensin del Evangelio de Toms hoy en da, en Stephen J. Patterson, James M. Robinson y
Hans-Gebhard Bethge, El quinto evangelio (1998): El conocido como Credo de los Apstoles, que slo pareci en el siglo II, carece
totalmente de dichos de Jess y se enfoca solamente a su nacimiento y muerte.
L. Michael White, La misin y las cartas de Pablo, Desde Jess a Cristo: los primeros cristianos, documental de PBS
Frontline (6-7 abril 1998): Tenemos la historia de la vida de Pablo en una forma narrativa completa dada a nosotros en el libro de los
Hechos, que detalla sus actividades desde cuando estaba en Jerusaln hasta cuando va a Damasco. All tiene una experiencia de
conversin y despus regresa a Jerusaln. Entonces avanza a Antioqua.... A lo largo de nuestro relato sobre la vida de Pablo, que
recibimos del libro de los Hechos, tambin tenemos un relato que nos ofrece Pablo mismo, y es sumamente importante notar que en
unos aspectos estos dos relatos se contradicen entre s.... Por ejemplo, en Glatas, cuando nos relata Pablo referente a su carrera temprana, dice explcitamente que al principio tena poco o nada que hacer con Jerusaln.
John Kaltner, Ismael instruye a Isaacuna introduccin al Corn para lectores bblicos (1999): Jess acepta la autoridad de la
Ley de Moiss, mientras ... Pablo sostiene que la muerte y resurreccin de Jess han hecho la Ley totalmente anticuada para el cristiano.
Anthony Saldarini, Movimientos de reforma judaicos (Biblical Archaeology Society, discurso en vdeo, 1999): Jess no fue
cristiano.... Jess fue judo.... Para ser seguidor de Jess, no hay que salir del judasmo y hacerse cristiano. Para ser seguidor de Jess,
hay que vivir la vida judaica en la manera que Jess ense a la gente que vivieran la vida judaica.... Pablo dice que hay el evangelio y
hay la ley [mosaica]; sa es polmica de Pablo, sa es aparte.
Edgar Lawrence Doctorow, La ciudad de Dios (2000): Dir aqu sobre Jess, aquel judo y el sistema que lleva su nombre,
qu monstruosa broma le ha gastado la historia!... El cristianismo fue originalmente una secta juda. Todo el mundo sabe eso.... Pablo
sabes: Pablo, el tipo que se dio de bruces en el camino a Damasco.... Y luego qu? En este caso, una religin nueva.
Daniel Boyarin, El evangelio del memra, Harvard Theological Review (2001): Para [el evangelio de] Juan,... Jess viene para
cumplir la misin de Moiss, no a desplazarla. La Torah simplemente necesitaba un explicador mejor, el Logos Ensarkos, un maestro
apropiado para la carne y la sangre. En lugar de la subrogacin en el sentido temporal explcito dentro del cual la inscribe Pablo, la
tipologa de san Juande la Torah con el Logos Encarnadose entiende mejor en el contexto de ... un presupuesto dominante del
pensamiento occidental: que la enseanza oral es ms autntica y transparente que los textos escritos.
Mark D. Given, La retrica verdadera de Romanos (ponencia, la reunin anual de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica, 2001):
Referente a la oscuridad sofstica de las estrategias argumentativas de Pablo en Romanos,... a veces es tan difcil discernir exactamente
qu quiere decir Pablo en realidad, acerca de tales temas controvertidos como la ley [mosaica], el judasmo y el pueblo judo, que uno
podra ... sugerir que las ambigedades tienen el propsito de evitar que los lectores adivinen lo que en realidad piensa Pablo.
Harold Bloom, Genio, II.3 (2002): Pablo est totalmente desinteresado en el Jess histrico, sino solamente en Jess como el
Cristo. Pablo parece asumir que l mismo es el Jess a los gentiles, y as alguien que posee autoridad absoluta.... Se puede leer y releer
todas las epstolas autnticas de Pablo, y nunca saber que Jess habl en favor de los pobres, los enfermos, los parias.
John R. Donahue, Normas para leer e interpretar, The New Interpreter's Study Bible (2003): El espectro de preocupaciones
acerca de la liberacin,... [proviene del] dilema puesto por los mandatos bblicos tan opuestos a estos ideales [modernos] (p.e., esclavos, obedeced a vuestros amos [Ef 6:5, Col 3:22, Tit 2:9]); las mujeres estn sometidas a sus propios maridos [Ef 5:22, Tit 2:4-5]).
Toms Powers, La llamada de Dios: mujeres haciendo teologa en el Per (2003): Las mujeres son confrontadas con pasajes
bblicos como I-Cor 14:34 ... y I-Tim 2:11-14.... No obstante, las voces de las mujeres jams sern calladas de nuevo.
Thomas R. Melville, Por espejo oscuramente: el holocausto norteamericano en Centro Amrica (2005): Durante el reino de
[Diego Casariego como cardinal de la Ciudad de Guatemala], las fuerzas armadas del gobierno haban matado a trece sacerdotes y una
monja,... [adems de] matar a miles de catequistas y sus lderes, y docenas de miles de laicos. Todo esto se hizo sin una palabra de
protesta del cardinal, a cambio de la pompa y ceremonia obsequiadas al prelado por una ilegtima administracin tras otra.... Oficiales
militares de alto rango, dueos de grandes haciendas y ricos hombres de negocios, continuaban utilizando el nombre del prelado para

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reforzar sus conceptos de una orden social cristiana: Esclavos, obedeced a vuestros amos [Ef 6:5, Col 3:22].
Ioannis Zizioulas (Arzobispo Ortodoxo de Prgamo, Presidente de la Comisin Combinada Internacional para el Dilogo
Teolgico entre Catlicos y Ortodoxos), LOsservatore Romano (7 julio 2006): San Pedro y san Pablo pudieron tener diferentes puntos
de vista sobre ciertas cuestiones, como resulta evidente del relato bblico de sus vidas.
John Barton, Estrategias para leer la Escritura, The Harper Collins Study Bible (2006): [Hay un aparente] desacuerdo entre
Pablo y Santiago, referente al tema de las obras. Por lo manifiesto, Pablo niega que los seres humanos se hacen justos por medio de las
buenas obras, mientras que Santiago asevera que las buenas obras son esencialeses ms, que sin buenas obras, la fe est vaca y
falsa.... Una lectura crtica de Pablo y Santiago, podra resultar en la conclusin que son verdaderamente incompatibles, lo cual tendra
consecuencias considerables para aseveraciones sobre la inspiracin y la autoridad de la Escritura.
Hershel Shanks, Los rollos del Mar Muertolo que en verdad dicen (libro-e de la Sociedad de Arqueologa Bblica, 2007):
Pablo ... no sabe nada del parto virginal. Segn Pablo, Jess se hace el hijo de Dios en el momento de su resurreccin. Lase la epstola
de Pablo a los Romanos, donde Jess fue declarado Hijo de Dios con poder, segn el espritu de santidad, por su resurreccin de
entre los muertos (Rom 1:3-4).
Jos Ratzinger (Benedicto XVI), Jess de Nazaret (2007): Antes que pasen el cielo y la tierra, ni una jota ni una tilde pasar
de la Ley hasta que todo se haya cumplido (Mt 5:18), slo parece contradecir la enseanza de san Pablo [en Rom 7:6].... Jess no
tiene ninguna intencin de abrogar los Diez Mandamientos.... La comisin dada a Pedro es, de hecho, fundamentalmente diferente de
la comisin dada a Pablo.
Kathy Ehrensperger, La teologa encarnada: vulnerabilidad y limitacin en la opinin de Pablo sobre el liderato, ponencia, la
reunion de la Sociedad de Literatura Bblica (2008): Pablo, en el desafo a su rol como apstol, el cual se difunde por mucho de 2
Corintios, parece defenderse en un nivel muy personal, as dando la impresin de reaccionar por un sentido de ofensa personal....
Aunque la aceptacin de Pablo como apstol es el punto en juego en 2 Cor, la disputa es ms teolgica que personal.
David C. Sim, Mateo, Pablo y el origen y naturaleza de la misin a los no judos: la gran comisin en San Mateo como una
tradicin anti-paulina, Hervormde Teologiese Studies (2008): La gran comisin al fin del Evangelio de Mateo, es uno de sus textos
claves. En esta tradicin, el Cristo resucitado revoca la previa restriccin de la misin a solo Israel, y exige que los discpulos evangelicen a todas las naciones. El evangelio que deban de proclamar incluy el cumplimiento de la Torah, lo mismo por los judos que
por los no judos. La versin de Mateo sobre el origen y naturaleza de la misin a los no judos, difiere de la opinin de Pablo tal y
como se encuentra en la Epstola a los Glatas. Pablo sostiene que haba sido comisionado por el Amo resucitado para evangelizar a
los no judos, y que el evangelio que tena que proclamar no implicaba obedecer la Torah.
Benedicto Huanca, Pablo: de perseguidor a seguidor de Cristo, Yachay (Revista de Teologa de la Universidad Catlica,
Cochabamba, Bolivia; 2008): Jess anim a sus discpulos a dejarlo todo [Lc 14:25-33]; Pablo les animaba a conservar el papel social
en el que haban sido llamados (I-Cor 7:17-18). Jess prometi a los publicanos y prostitutas que entraran en el Reino de Dios antes
que los piadosos (Mt 21:32); Pablo en cambio exclua a las prostitutas del Reino de Dios (I-Cor 6:9). Jess orden a sus discpulos que
vivieran en una manifiesta pobreza y renunciaran a ganarse la vida y a tener posesiones (Mt 10:9/6:25ss.); Pablo se muestra orgulloso
de vivir de su propio trabajo y recomienda a sus comunidades que hagan lo mismo (I-Tes 2:9/4:11). Pablo orienta sus instrucciones
ticas a las necesidades de las comunidades locales; en cambio el ethos de Jess es el radicalismo itinerante.... Pablo se muestra poco
interesado en el Jess histrico.
xy#mh twx) t.mn-t.son m-.pe.xristos La Hermandad de Cristo

71

www.metalog.org/print/Metagosp.pdf

Metalogos:

The Gospels of Thomas & Philip & Truth

Ecumenical Coptic Project
t.mn-t.son77m-.pe.xristos
www.metalog.org
Printed IV.92, Uploaded I.98, Revised I.12

Wonder at what is present!The Traditions of the Apostle Matthias

Introduction

In December of 1945 two Muslim Egyptian farmers, Muhammad Al al-Sammn and his brother Khalfah
Al, found over 1100 pages of ancient papyrus manuscripts buried by the east bluff of the upper Nile valley. The
texts were translations from Greek originals into Coptic, the Hellenistic stage of the ancient Hamitic language of
the Pharaohs (Gen 10:6). This dialect evolved after the invasion of Alexander the Great in 332 BC, and was
subsequently replaced by Arabic as the Egyptian vernacular following the Muslim conquest of 640 AD. Coptic
was thus the tongue of the primitive Egyptian Church, and remains its liturgical language unto the present day.
The site of this discovery, across the river from the modern town of Nag Hammadi, was already famous as
the location called in antiquity (Goose-Pasture), where in 320 AD Saint Pachomius founded the
earliest Christian monastery. Less than a half-century later in 367, the local monks copied some 45 diverse
religious and philosophical writingsincluding the Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth, as well as part of
Platos Republic (588A-589B)into a dozen leather-bound codices. This entire library was carefully sealed in an
urn and hidden nearby among the rocks, where it remained undetected for almost 1600 years. These papyri, first
seen by scholars in March of 1946 (Jacques Schwarz & Charles Kuentz, Codex II, in a Cairo antiquities shop),
have since 1952 been preserved in the Coptic Museum of Old Cairo. The earliest photographic edition of the
manuscript of the preeminently important Codex II was edited by Dr Pahor Labib (Cairo: Government Antiquities
Dept, 1956).
The author of the Gospel of Thomas is recorded as Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve. The text is a
collection of over one hundred sayings and short dialogues of the Savior, without any connecting narrative. A few
Christian authors in antiquity quoted one or another of its logia as Scripturefor example Sayings 2/22/27/37 by
Clement of Alexandria (circa 150-211 AD) in his Stromata (Patches)but without explicit attribution to
Thomas. Then 100 years ago at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt, there were discovered a few fragments of what we now
know to be a prior Greek version of Thomas, datable by paleography as follows: PapOx 1, Th 26-33/77, 200 AD;
PapOx 6541, Th Prolog/7, 250 AD; PapOx 655, Th 36-39, 250 AD (see Biblio.10, below). The more recent
discovery of the Sahidic (S) Coptic version of Thomas has finally made this Gospel available in its entirety. Yet
further evidence, such as the asyndeton in logion 6, reveals an underlying Semitic source document (see
Guillamont, Modern Scholarly Comments). As indicated in the press release reprinted below, almost all biblical
scholars who have been studying this document since its first publication have now concluded that Thomas
should be accepted as an authentic fifth Gospel, of an authority parallel to John and the Synoptics. It is
particularly to be noted that several of the logia in Thomas (12/24/28/37) are evidently post-resurrection sayings.
The Gospel of Philipas can be inferred from its entries 51/82/98/101/137was composed at least in part
after 70 AD by Philip called the Evangelist (not the Apostle), who appears in the Book of Acts at 6:1-6/8:4-40/
1

On display in the John Ritblat Gallery of the new British Library at St Pancras, London.

21:8-14. There is no known previous reference to or citation of this complex scripture, which is a Sahidic translation of an elegant series of reflections on the Abrahamic tradition, on Israel and the (incarnate) Messiah, whilst
elaborating a metaphysic of Spiritual Idealism.
The Gospel of Truth was composed in about 150 AD by Valentine, the famous saint of Alexandria (born ca
100 AD). A continuous interwoven meditation on the Logos, it was scarcely mentioned in antiquityand until its
discovery at Nag Hammadi (in the Subakhmimic dialect, A), not even a phrase from this noble composition was
known to have survived. (A preliminary version of another extraordinary text from the Nag Hammadi library,
which may also be by Valentine: www.metalog.org/files/supremacy.html.)
In the early years following the discovery of these documents, and before they could be given sufficiently
careful scrutiny by scholars, it was commonplace for them collectively to be labeled gnostic (see e.g. Grant &
Freedman [1960], in Modern Scholarly Comments). This has always been a generic term for the Mediterranean
mixture of anti-sensory mystery cults of the early centuries AD. Gnosticismwhether oriental, platonic,
mystery-religion or theosophicalby definition considers the perceptible universe, including our own incarnate
lives as well as all human history, Biblical or otherwise, to be inherently illusory and/or malignant. On the other
hand, the unequivocal view in the Old Testament and the canonical Gospels is that this universe is neither unreal
nor evil, but rather divinely created and good: so, among countless examples, Gen 1:31 (everything that He had
made ... was very good) and Lk 24:39 (flesh and bones as ... I have). It is most unfortunate that all of the
diverse Nag Hammadi writings have been so commonly described as gnostic documents. Careful investigation
shows quite clearly that neither Thomas nor Philip nor the Gospel of Truth is at all gnostic in content, as they each
explicitly affirm the sacred reality of human incarnation in its historic ambiance (see Comm.1, below).
The New Testament canons of the Western (Catholic/Protestant), Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian,
Ethiopian and Syrian/Nestorian Churches all differ significantly from one anotherand even these were under
dispute within the various branches of Christianity until many centuries AD; previously there were only widely
diverse opinions recorded by various individuals well after the Apostolic era, regarding not only todays commonly accepted works but also such writings as the Epistle of Barnabas, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Gospel of
the Egyptians, the Gospel of the Hebrews (in which Christ calls the Sacred Spirit his Mother), the Traditions of
Matthias, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Didakh, and the Acts of Paul. Thus the Codex Sinaiticus of the mid-4th
century includes both Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas, while the Codex Alexandrinus of the early 5th
century contains I and II Clement as well as the Psalms of Solomon. There was no church council regarding the
NT canon until the Synod of Laodicea (363 AD), which indeed rejected Johns Apocalypse or Book of
Revelation. Twelve centuries later (!), the Western Canon was finally settled by the Council of Trent (1546 AD),
which designated the present 27-book listing as an article of Roman Catholic faith (although episcopal councils
have wisely never claimed to be infallible; the vote at Trent was 24 to 15, with 16 abstentionsas if the original
Apostolic Community had been a democracy rather than a kingdom1); this listing was subsequently accepted by
the various Protestant sects. The sundry Eastern Churches have equally complex records on establishing their
respective NT canons: thus, the Armenian canon includes a Pauline III Corinthians; the Coptic NT contains I+II
Clement; the Syrian/Nestorian Peshitta excludes II+III John, Jude, and Rev/Ap; and the Ethiopian Bible adds
books called the Snodos, the Epistle of Peter to Clement, the Book of the Covenant, and the Didascalia. (see
Biblio.25)
Notably, however, the Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth were evidently not known to any of those
traditions at the time of their attempts at establishing a NT canon, never being so much as mentioned in their
protracted deliberationsand hence were never even under consideration for inclusion in their respective listings.
In any case, the concept of a canon was certainly never intended to exclude the possible inspiration of any
subsequent textual discoveries or isolated agrapha (Lk 1:1, Jn 21:25).
Precisely what transpired during the first 3 centuries AD, prior to the earliest ecclesiastical attempts at
forming a canon, is notoriously obscure, as the original Gospel Messianics were eventually supplanted by the
Pauline Christians (Ac 11:25-26). Thus the Epistle of Barnabas (late first century) remains unacquainted with
the historical Gospels, whereas Justin Martyr (mid-second century) shows no awareness of Pauls writingsindicating an ongoing schism between the Petrine and the Pauline traditions. Clement of Alexandria and Irenaeus of
1

The Apostles did not choose Iscariots successor (Ac 1:12-26) by majority votemuch less a divided one, which would
seem absurd in the contextbut rather by drawing lots to ascertain the divine will. Are we to suppose that only the plurality
of 24 who prevailed at Trent were inspired, whereas the 31 opposed or abstaining lacked heavenly guidance? Why not the
reverse conclusion, rejecting the proposed canon, since the overall majority were not in favor?

Lyon, at the end of the second century, are the first authors explicitly to quote from both the Gospels and from
Paul. I have attempted to analyze the basis of this rift in The Paul Paradox, Comm.5. Essential reading on that
formative period is Walter Bauers pioneering study, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity (1934; http://
ccat.sas.upenn.edu/humm/Resources/Bauer).
The subsequent divisions within Pauline Christianity may be summarized as follows. The Oriental Orthodox
Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, as well as many other Eastern Elders, refused to accept the new
doctrine of Christs two natures (human and divine), decreed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD; thereupon
the Oriental Orthodox Churches separated from the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches. Several
centuries later, in 1054 AD, the latter two in turn separated from one another, in the filioque clause schism (see
Comm.2). Then, starting in the early XVI century, the Protestant Churches began subdividing off from the
Roman Catholic hierarchy. The Oriental Orthodox Churches today include the Coptic, the Armenian, the Syriac,
the Ethiopian, the Eritrean, and the Thomasite Malankara of India. They are referred to by outsiders as monophysite (single nature); however, they themselves describe their Christology as miaphysite (unified nature).
In his prologue, Joshua ben Sirach (II-century BC) wrote an appropriate slogan for any comparable work of
translation: What was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same meaning when translated
into another language. With such admonition in mind, I have prepared the following versions as literally and as
lyrically as I could. Historically they have passed from Aramaic (in the case of Thomas) thru Greek (Philip and
Truth) to Coptic and only then to English! The complex process of interpreting such ancient documents has been
well summarized by John R. Donahue SJ:
The English term text is from the Latin texere, meaning to weave. A text is an interwoven network of
meanings that gives rise to the hermeneutical circle; that is, the meaning of a text must be determined as a
whole, but study of the individual parts is necessary to arrive at the meaning of the whole. Reading texts
involves an expanding contextual analysis, in which one studies the immediate context of a passage, what
follows or precedes its immediate context, and the larger context of the document as a whole. 1
and indeed, regarding the Coptic Gospels, this larger context must include the canonical scriptures themselves
(see the innumerable parallels to both the OT and NT noted thruout).
Any grammatical irregularities encountered in the translations are in the Coptic text itself (e.g. the verb
tenses in Th 64). Plausible textual reconstructions are in [brackets], while editorial additions are in (parentheses).
[...] indicates places where it is not possible to interpolate the deterioration of the papyrus manuscript. The
Greek Oxyrhynchus variants to Thomas are within {braces}. As distinguishing the second-person singular from
the plural is essential to the sense, you and its cognates will represent the plural, thou and its cognates the
singular (but generally with the modern verb-forma justifiable hybrid, I believe). Footnotes to each individual
logion are indicated by superscript letters a, those at the end of the current text with a circle. The scriptural crossreferences listed are essential to an understanding of the saying in its biblical context, and the reader is urged to
refer to them in every case; explicit parallels to Thomas in the Synoptics are separately marked with an equal
sign=, to spare the reader looking up what is already well-known. In antiquity, of course, there were no lowercase letters, and thus in order to represent the Hebrew, Greek and Coptic scripts I have not here used their subsequent cursive letters but rather their classic forms, which are easier for the non-scholar to read. In turn, in
translating such ancient texts to modern languages, it is virtually impossible to capitalize in a consistent and
adequate manner; I ask the readers indulgence in this regard. Thruout, P... represents paragraph numbers in
Plumleys Grammar, C... are page numbers in Crums Dictionary (Biblio.5+6).
I have also included, in the footnotes to the individual logia, occasional quotations from eminent persons
across the centuries who have expressed a related idea. In some such casesbut not allthis similarity is directly
due to the influence of a parallel canonical text. But in each instance a clarifying insight is provided into the
meaning of the saying, giving a thoughtful reformulation of its essential content by a noteworthy person in
another context.
In place of the Greek form, Jesus ( ), I have used the original Aramaic: Yeshua ( (w#y), meaning
Yahweh Savior, i.e. He-Is Savior (Ph 20a). Hyphenated I-Am represents the divine self-naming from Ex
3:14: Hebrew hyh) (ahyh), Greek , Coptic anok pe (Th 13; P306).
Lastly, I have appended five essays as commentary: (1) Are the Coptic Gospels Gnostic?, a formal
1

Guidelines for Reading and Interpretation, The New Interpreters Study Bible (Nashville: Abingdon, 2003).

demonstration that they cannot be so categorized; (2) The Maternal Spirit, re the feminine gender in the Semitic
languages of #dqh xwr [rakh ha-qdesh, Spirit the-Holy]; (3) Theogenesis, on the intimation in Philip that the
original human transgression consisted in claiming to produce children, rather than accepting them as begotten by
God alone; (4) Angel, Image and Symbol, regarding these three primary concepts as found in the new scriptures,
together with their underlying metaphysical framework of an apparent Spiritual Idealism; and (5) The Paul
Paradox, a philosophical analysis of the evident discrepancies between the Gospels and the theology of Saul of
Tarsus, together with a survey of similar critiques by many preeminent individuals across the centuries.
In searching out the sense of these new writings, I have had the benefit of extended conversations across the
years with many friends and colleagues, especially Robert Schapiro, Christina Wesson, Crosby Brown, Luz
Garca and Pedro Chamizo. My long-term thanks are also due to two of my undergraduate instructors: the poet
Robert Frost, for his advice to partake only in what is worthy of ones time; and Prof William E. Kennick, for his
example of the highest standards in philosophical analysis. To Bertrand Russell, while I was studying in London
and had the opportunity to demonstrate with him in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, I am indebted for his
fearless example in confronting the Establishmentwhether political, military or religiousfor the sake of the
truth. Much of the present edition was prepared while I was a guest of numerous universities both state and
private, as well as seminaries and religious communities both Catholic and Protestant, thruout Latin America; and
also of the faculties of philosophy, of orthodox theology and of informatics at the University of Athensfor their
fraternal hospitality I am profoundly grateful. Internet technical advice has been kindly provided by Ioannis
Georgiadis of the Athens University Computer Center.
The canonical Gospels must be the paradigm in assessing any newly-discovered Gospel. That is to say, our
criteria for evaluating such a text must be both its internal consistency with, and its external provenance relative
to, the four texts which provide the ostensive definition 1 of the very term Gospel to begin with. So: are Thomas,
Philip and Valentine theologically harmonious with the Synoptics and John? Do they all come from the same
general historic context and archaeological ambiance in antiquity? Are the new texts, upon analysis, both
conceptually and empirically coherent with the four canonical Gospels? Do they, all in all, seem to be of the same
Logos? Sufficiently careful scrutiny, I have concluded, yields an affirmative answer to all of these questions. Thus
the intent of this present edition, together with the online Coptic texts, dictionary and grammar (Biblio.1), is to
provide the reader with the resources to carry out a thorough assessment of these extraordinary scriptures for him/
herself.
It has often been suggested that these new writings are basically concoctions produced by a series of unknown somebodies long after the events they purport to concern. However, the simplest explanation here (by
William of Ockhams famous Principle of Economy: Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily) is not
lengthy oral tradition followed by numerous written redactions; the simplest explanation is rather that these three
scriptures were composed by the Apostle Thomas, Philip the Evangelist and Valentine of Alexandria, and come to
us basically intact and well translated from the original languages into Coptic. There is absolutely no reason to
propose a more complex hypothesis here. And so, following the example of Aristotles Metaphysics (as later titled
by Andronicus of Rhodes), I have called this collection of new scriptures Metalogosthat is, More Logos.
p.ixqus 5.euxaristou.k!
Thomas Paterson Brown, BA (Amherst), PhD (London)
Antigua Guatemala, Christmas 2011
edit@metalog.org

Bibliography
1. The hypertext version of this edition, together with the Spanish and Modern Greek versions, fully interlinked with the necessary translation resources (Coptic texts, grammar, dictionary): www.metalog.org.
2. Photographic editions of the complete papyrus manuscripts have been published by UNESCO in conjunction with the Egyptian Government, under the editorship of James M. Robinson et alia: The Facsimile Edition of
the Nag Hammadi Codices (Codex I & Codex II), Leiden: E.J. Brill (www.brill.nl), 1977 & 1974; The Gospel of
Truth is in Codex I, Thomas (scan online: www.metalog.org/files/th_scan.html) and Philip are in Codex II.
3. There is a complete bibliography regarding the new Coptic texts: David Scholer, Nag Hammadi Biblio1

Ostensive definition: defining a term by indicating an exemplary or paradigmatic referent.

graphy 1970-1994 (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1997); also listed annually 1970 ff. in the journal Novum Testamentumas
of 2004, this listing had reached 10626 separate titles. See the immense online Gospel of Thomas Bibliography:
www.agraphos.com/thomas/bibliography (by Sytze van der Laan).
4. The entire collection of some 45 titles (including a wide diversity of period religious writings) is available
in a popularized edition: James M. Robinson and Marvin Meyer, eds., The Nag Hammadi Library in English (San
Francisco: Harper and Row, 1977, 1988 with Richard Smith).
5. For the grammatical structure of the Coptic language, I have used the comprehensive Introductory Coptic
Grammar (by John Martin Plumley, subsequently Professor of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge),
London: Home & Van Thal, 1948; photocopied in 1987 by Robert Michael Schapiro at the Mt Scopus Library of
the Hebrew University, Jerusalem; this authoritative but rare mimeographed sourcebook of the Sahidic dialect is
now on-line in both HTML and PDF formats: www.metalog.org/files/plum.html.
6. The indispensable standard lexicon is: Walter Ewing Crum, A Coptic Dictionary (Oxford: The University
Press, 1939; reprinted 2000 by Sandpiper Books Ltd, London (www.sandpiper.co.uk) & Powells Books, Chicago
(www.powells.com); online in gif and djvu formats: www.metalog.org/files/crum.html; note that this monumental
work is alphabetized primarily by consonants and only secondarily by vowels; Coptic is a partly agglutinative
language1, utilizing a complex system of morphological and syntactical prefixes and suffixes which must be subtracted in order to identify the root term; for example tn-nan-nhueboltn-.na.n-nhu ebol (P199a, C219b/034a:
we.shall.come forth).
7. For my translation of Thomas, I have utilized the unsurpassed first edition of the Coptic with line-by-line
English, French, German and Dutch translations, as published in: The Gospel according to Thomas (edited by Antoine Guillaumont, Henri-Charles Puech, Gilles Quispel, Walter Till & Yassah Abd al-Masih), Leiden: E.J. Brill;
New York: Harper & Brothers; London: Collins, 1959; online: www.metalog.org/files/coptic_thomas.html.
8. The Gospel of Thomas website, with many links: www.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html; maintained by
Stevan Davies.
9. There is now a most useful interlinear Coptic/English edition of Thomas online: www.gospel-thomas.net/
x_transl.htm (edited by Michael Grondin, who also maintains the scholarly online gThomas eGroup: http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/gthomas).
10. The prior Greek fragments of Thomas, which vary significantly from the Coptic version: Bernard Grenfell, Lucy Drexel and Arthur Hunt, New Sayings of Jesus and Fragment of a Lost Gospel from Oxyrhynchus
(Oxford University Press, London: Henry Frowde, 1904); available online at Andrew Bernhards important
Gospel of Thomas Resource Center: www.gospels.net/thomas.
11. A well-illustrated and most informative historical account and analysis: Helmut Koester and Stephen
Patterson, The Gospel of Thomas: Does It Contain Authentic Sayings of Jesus?, Bible Review, IV.1990 (www.
easycart.net/ecarts/bib-arch/BR_Back_Issues_1990.html).
12. The standard scholarly edition of Thomas and Philip, with ancillary materials, critical Coptic text, English translation and fully indexed Coptic and Greek glossaries: Bentley Layton, ed., Nag Hammadi Codex II,
volume I (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1989); this long-awaited edition unfortunately appeared too late for my own use in
preparing the present text.
13. I have based my translation of Philip on the Coptic text, amply annotated with fully indexed glossaries:
Das Evangelium nach Philippos (edited and translated by Walter Till), Berlin: Walter De Gruyter (www.
degruyter.de), 1963; online: www.metalog.org/files/till.html; author of the succinct but definitive Koptische Dialektgrammatik (1994), Till has done us the inestimable service of parsing the Coptic text, so that e.g. the continuous manuscript line 100.25 (from logion 7) netsite6n-tprw4auws66m-p4wm is deciphered as net.site 6nt.prw 4a.u.ws6 6m- p.4wm, and is thus readily interpreted as those-who.sow in the.winter habitually.they.reap
in the.summer.
14. A superlative English edition of the Gospel of Truth, extensively annotated with an expansive introductory essay: The Gospel of Truth, A Valentinian Meditation on the Gospel (edited and translated by Kendrick
1

A.T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research , II.3.b (1919, included in
#23): Comparative grammarians speak of isolating, agglutinative and inflectional languages. In the isolating tongues like the
Chinese,... the words have no inflection and the position in the sentence and the tone in pronunciation are relied on for clearness of meaning.... Agglutinative tongues [such as Coptic] ... express the various grammatical relations by numerous separable prefixes, infixes and suffixes. [In] inflectional languages,... while a distinction is made between the stem and the inflectional endings, the stems and the endings do not exist apart from each other. There are two great families in the inflectional
group, the Semitic ... and the Indo-European.

Grobel), New York: Abingdon Press; London: Black, 1960; online: www.metalog.org/files/grobel1.html; see
Modern Scholarly Comments, below.
15. I based my translation of the Gospel of Truth on the standard scholarly edition, with introduction, Coptic
text, English translation, copious notes and fully-indexed glossaries: Harold W. Attridge, Nag Hammadi Codex I,
two volumes (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985).
16. The best Greek/English interlinear and lexicon of the New Testament canon, with super-linear textual
variants and sub-linear ultra-literal translation: Adolph Ernst Knoch, Concordant Greek Text and The Greek Elements (Santa Clarita, California: Concordant Publishing Concern, 1975 4; www.concordant.org; sample page:
www.metalog.org/files/knoch.gif).
17. A work of extraordinary breadth and insight regarding the basic parameters of Biblical metaphysics, as
contrasted with Greek and Western: Claude Tresmontant, A Study of Hebrew Thought (New York, Tournai, Paris,
Rome: Desclee Company, 1960); see Angel, Image and Symbol.
18. The History of the Coptic Language (by Hany N. Takla): www.stshenouda.com/coptlang/copthist.htm.
19. The magisterial Liddell-Scott-Jones-McKenzie Greek Lexicon: www.perseus.tufts.edu; included in #23.
20. Essential in New Testament studies Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1979 ff.); www.ubs-translations.org; included in #23.
21. A leading example of the increasing number of theological resources and links on the Net: The New Testament Gateway, www.ntgateway.com (maintained by Mark Goodacre).
22. I have added a number of parallels to the splendid James Charlesworth, trans., Odes of Solomon, a firstcentury Messianic text in Old Syriac discovered in 1909; online: www.earlychristianwritings.com/odes.html.
23. An invaluable collection of the most important editions of the Biblical scriptures in the original Hebrew,
Aramaic or Greek, fully interlinked with translations into 25 modern languages plus many of the foremost reference works, all integrated into advanced programs for textual research, is available on a CD or DVD set from:
www.bibleworks.com; NB the older but perfectly adequate edition BibleWorks 5 is available for only $10 plus
postage.
24. A splendid website of early Christian writings: www.earlychristianwritings.com (maintained by Peter
Kirby).
25. On the formation of the New Testament canon, see Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987).
26. The five Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Thomas in interlinked parallel layout: John W.
Marshall, ed., Department of Religion, University of Toronto: www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/meta-5g.htm.
27. A definitive analysis of the 613 rules of the Torah: Abraham Chill, The Mitzvot: The Commandments and
Their Rationale (Jerusalem: Urim Publications, www.urimpublications.com, 2000).
28. A most useful resource regarding Ancient Egyptian culture and hieroglyphics: www.jimloy.com/egypt/
egypt.htm.

FIFTH GOSPEL THROWS LIGHT ON SAYINGS OF JESUS

Darrell Turner, Religion News Service, New York 27.XII.91 (#15709)
(RNS) An ancient document composed of sayings of Jesus has generated a recent spate of scholarly articles,
along with strongly held opinions that the document, known as the Gospel of Thomas, deserves a much wider
audience. According to scholars, the 114 quotations in the Gospel of Thomas are as valuable as Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John for gaining understanding of the man Christians worship as Messiah. In a recent telephone interview, Helmut Koester of Harvard Divinity School, the new president of the Society of Biblical Literature (USA),
said nearly all biblical scholars in the United States agree that Thomas is as authentic as the New Testament
Gospels. In an article that appeared in Bible Review in April 1990, Koester and his co-author Stephen J. Patterson
wrote, the Gospel of Thomas must be given equal weight with the canonical Gospels in any effort to reconstruct
the beginnings of Christianity.
Yet, despite excitement over the work for several decades, nobodys heard of it except the scholars, says
Paterson Brown, a former professor of the philosophy of religion who has written on Thomas for the journal

Novum Testamentum.1
Thomas was discovered in 1945 in Egypt along with more than 50 other ancient Christian, Jewish and pagan
works that make up a collection known as the Nag Hammadi Library. The documents, which date from the 4th
century BC to the 4th century AD, were written in Coptic, the language of early Egyptian Christians. The library,
including Thomas, has been translated into English and published in several scholarly editions. But many scholars
feel that Thomas should be made available in a separate volume. I think its urgent that Thomas be published
alone in a paperback edition, said Brown.
Unlike the other Nag Hammadi volumes, Thomas contains teachings of Jesus, which scholars believe would
be particularly valuable for Christian readers. Many students of the Gospel of Thomas believe that its material is
potentially of more interest to the general public than the much-ballyhooed Dead Sea Scrollsexcept that it is not
as well known.
Many quotations recorded in Thomas are similar to those in the Gospels that make up what is known as the
New Testament canonthe writings of the early church that eventually came to be accepted as authentic and
authoritative texts for all Christians. For example, Saying 90 in Thomas, Come unto me, for my yoke is easy and
my lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves, bears strong resemblance to a familiar passage in
Matthew 11:28-30.

Modern Scholarly Comments

Henry Barclay Swete, The Oxyrhynchus Fragment [PapOx 1] (lecture delivered to the Summer Meeting
of Clergy, the University of Cambridge, 29 July 1897; http://homepage.mac.com/rc.vervoorn/swete/art14.html):
The site of Oxyrhynchus ... in Christian times ... acquired a reputation as a stronghold of Egyptian monasticism....
The are the oracles of Jesus, or sayings in which He reveals the Divine will. The book bears,
I think, manifest tokens of its claim to possess this character. It was written in the form of a codex, on leaves, not
in successive columns on a rolla form which seems to have been reserved among Christians for sacred or
ecclesiastical books. Each saying begins with a formula which indicates its oracular authority.... The reason why
[x says in the present tense] is appropriate, is that we have before us a fragment of a collection of sayings
which purport to be , living oracles of the living Lord.... There is a true Christian Gnosis here, but no
Gnosticism.... There is no clear evidence of dependence on any of our present Gospels.... Nevertheless, the Greek
has, I think, the true ring of the evangelical style. It is marvelously simple and clear.... Everything in this present
fragment points to the simple Palestinian Greek of bilingual Jews, accustomed to render word for word the
memoirs of the original hearers of the Lord. I doubt if the second century or the soil of Egypt could have
produced anything of the kind.... I find it difficult to believe, judging from the form in which they are cast, that
any of these sayings are later in their origin than the first century, or that the collection which contained them was
put together after our canonical Gospels came into general use. Both St Lukes preface and the postscript to St
John speak of books other than the Gospels which had been written, or might have been written, to contain the
Gesta Christi. We have now for the first time distinct evidence of the existence of books which contained His
sayings only, detached from the narrative.... If it be asked why no collection of found its way into the
canon of the NT, or has survived as a whole to our own time, the answer may well be that the Church needed,
above all things, histories of the Lords Life and Passion and Resurrection. The New Oxyrhynchus Sayings
[PapOx 654] (lecture delivered at the Divinity School, the University of Cambridge, 7 July 1904; http://
homepage.mac.com/rc.vervoorn/swete/art31.html): We now know that in the third century there existed a collection of which was in circulation at Oxyrhynchus and probably elsewhere in the valley of the Nile.
The sayings were not simply jotted down in the notebook of a private collector, but were prepared for publication.... My impression [is] that the new sayings are substantially genuine,... at once new and after the manner of
our Lords earlier teaching,... which it is difficult to regard as the creation of subapostolic times,... traditions based
on the recollections of those who had heard the Lord.
Gilles Quispel, The Gospel of Thomas and the New Testament (lecture held at Oxford, 18 Sept 1957):
Unknown sayings of Jesus, taken from a Jewish-Christian Gospel originally written in Aramaic, have come to
1

Paterson Brown, The Sabbath and the Week in Thomas 27, Novum Testamentum, 1992; www.metalog.org/files/tpb/
sabbath.gif

light. The Gospel of Thomas ... is nothing else than the Gospel used by the descendants of the primitive community of Jerusalem, who seem to have lived on in Palestine almost completely isolated from the main stream of
Gentile Christian tradition.... There is, as far as I can see, nothing to show that this is not good tradition.... I do not
see why these ... sayings of Jesus that are contained in the Gospel of Thomas and by their wording, their style and
their content betray their Palestinian origin, should not have the same historical value as the words of Jesus contained in our four canonical Gospels. They may have been transmitted in a Palestinian milieu quite isolated from
the rest of Christendom and not influenced by the trends of Pauline theology. And we must not exclude the possibility that these people may have preserved sometimes the words of Jesus in a form more primitive than that
found in the canonical Gospels. Some Remarks on the Gospel of Thomas (New Testament Studies, 1959): The
Gospel of Thomas contains a certain number of sayings which transmit an independent Jewish-Christian tradition,
neither influenced by nor having served as source for our canonical Gospels.... We may try to discover the Aramaisms which are so frequent in these sayings.... Up till now about thirty logia have been found to preserve traces
of their Aramaic origin. Gnosticism and the New Testament (in J. Philip Hyatt [ed.], The Bible in Modern
Scholarship, papers read at the centenary meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, 1964): The Holy Ghost as
a Mother [is] a concept well attested in the Jewish Christian Gospel tradition and quite understandable in a
religion of Semitic language.... The Gospel of Thomas ... contains evidence of a Gospel tradition transmitted in a
Jewish Christian milieu.... [It] is not gnostic at all. The adherents of the gnostic interpretation ... must explain how
the author could possibly say that the buried corpse could rise again (logion 5, Greek version).... For the Gospel of
Thomas, Christ is our Father and the Holy Spirit is our Mother.
Antoine Guillamont, Semiticisms in the Logia of Jesus found at Nag Hammadi (Journal Asiatique, 1958):
The Coptic logia [in the Gospel of Thomas] can, in certain cases, help to restore the Aramaic substratum of Synoptic logia.... Certain divergences of detail between the text of the Coptic logia and the Synoptic text are explained by reference to a common Aramaic substratum. In those cases, the terminology of the Coptic logia
enables us to restore the Aramaic substratum more surely than when we have only the Synoptic text.
Otto A. Piper, Review of Jung Codex (Theology Today, 1958): While all the world talks about the Dead
Sea Scrolls, relatively little publicity has been given to another find of ancient manuscripts, which may prove to
be of greater importance for the study of early Christianity than the former one.... The Gospel of Truth is considered by the editors as being either the original work of Valentinus, or its revision by one of his earliest disciples.
This would date it at about A.D. 150.... One is amazed about the freshness of the authors approach. There is no
trace of polemics against certain types of established doctrine; and the exegesis, for example, of the Prologue of
John at the beginning of the work, is of surprising originality. The frequent references to New Testament passages
and to Jesus the Christ indicate the authors conviction and determination to be a real Christian. In a number of
instances, for example in his view of man, the author is obviously indebted to Hebraic realism.... Far from being a
philosophical treatise, the Gospel of Truth is a poem. The elegance of its style, the loftiness of its outlook, the
tenderness with which the secret is described, the unfailing dexterity with which the right term is chosen in each
instance ... point to an author of uncommon talent and profound spirituality and in every respect superior to the
[Church] Fathers of the second century.... With the Biblical writers he shares the Hebraic view of the Ego as the
totality of body and mind.... [There is an] almost complete absence of mythological elements in the Gospel of
Truth.
Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman, The Secret Sayings of Jesus (Garden City, New York:
Doubleday & Company, 1960): Those who worked with Togo Mina, director of the Coptic Museum before his
death in 1949, made the first discoveries. These scholars were H.-C. Puech of Paris and his pupil Jean Doresse....
[Regarding] the Gospel of Thomas, Doresse looked through this gospel in the spring of 1949 and later announced
that it was a Gnostic composition.... By 1952 Puech had discovered that Greek fragments of the same work had
been found, many years earlier, among the Oxyrhynchus papyri but had never been correctly identified.... In 1958
the first complete translation of Thomas appeared; it had been made from the photographs of Pahor Labibs
edition by the German scholar Johannes Leipoldt.... The Gospel of Philip contains nothing but Gnostic speculations. The Gospel of Thomas, on the other hand,... is probably our most significant witness to the early perversion of Christianity by those who wanted to create Jesus in their own image. [Included as representative of much
published commentary over the last half-century.]
Kendrick Grobel, Introduction to The Gospel of Truth, A Valentinian Meditation on the Gospel (New York
and Nashville: Abington Press, 1960): [The Gospel of Truth] is written in the non-Sahidic dialect, which only
very few of the [Nag Hammadi] books exhibit:... Subakhmimic (A),... the dialect once spoken ... something more
than a hundred miles downstream from Chenoboskion.... [There,] then, this translation of the Greek Gospel of
8

Truth must have been made; there, too, in all likelihood this copy of the translation was made, and from there later
brought up river to Chenoboskion.... All the Christians of the second century are personalities in a deep historical
shadow, even where considerable of their writing has survived. We can at least speculate that if Ignatius, Valentinus, and Justin Martyr had been equally fortunate as to the survival of their writings, Valentinus might turn out
to have been both the ablest in talent and eloquence and the most original of the three and of their whole century.... [Prior to the Nag Hammadi discovery, we could] understand Valentinus solely from the few reasonably
reliable direct quotations that have come down from him, principally in the Miscellanies of Clement of Alexandria. In contrast to the heresiologies of the Church Fathers, the most striking thing in the fragments is that they
reveal a Valentinus whose soteriology is Christocentricnot pleromatocentric or sophiacentric, [as alleged by the
heresiologists].... W.C. van Unnik, professor of NT at Utrecht, has declared unequivocally (The Jung Codex) that
Valentinus himself was the author of this work. I agree with him.... Has [the author here] written anything that
would have been a secret unknown to an orthodox Christian?
Krister Stendhal, Method in the Study of Biblical Theology, in J. Philip Hyatt (op.cit., 1964): The gospel
traditions ... in the Gospel of Thomas or in the Agrapha may point toward traditions which are as valid as those in
the NT. For the student of early Christian history the limitation to the biblical is an act of textual laziness or a
methodological sin.
Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus, trans. S. H. Hooke (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1965): It is a great help which the Gospel of Thomas gives us, in offering us eleven parables from the Synoptics
in its own version [9/20/21b+103/57/63/64/65/76/96/107/109].... [Moreover, Thomas] contains ... four parables which
are not found in the NT [8/21a/97/98].... The text of the parables has not been allegorically transformed, but rather
has remained intact (except for the two additions to the parable of the thief); this confers a great value to the tradition which the Gospel of Thomas transmits to us.
Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (New York: Doubleday, 1993): The Holy Spirit [is] not male
(feminine in Hebrew; neuter in Greek).... The Gospel of Thomas, discovered at Nag Hammadi, has often been
thought to contain some authentic material from the ministry of Jesus not otherwise preserved in the canonical
Gospels.
Helmut Koester, Introduction to The Gospel of Thomas, in James M. Robinson (ed.), The Nag Hammadi
Library in English (Biblio. 4, 1977): If one considers the form and wording of the individual sayings in comparison with the form in which they are preserved in the New Testament, The Gospel of Thomas almost always
appears to have preserved a more original form of the traditional saying. In its literary genre, The Gospel of
Thomas is more akin to one of the sources of the canonical gospels, namely the so-called Synoptic Sayings
Source (often called Q from the German Quelle, source), which was used by both Matthew and Luke.... In its
most original form, [Thomas] may well date from the first century. Ancient Christian Gospels (Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania: Trinity Press, 1990): What is put to the test is the early Catholic or orthodox tradition, which
asserts the monopoly of the canonical gospel tradition.... Only dogmatic prejudice can assert that the canonical
writings have an exclusive claim to apostolic origin and thus to historical priority.... The parables of the Gospel of
Thomas are to be read as stories in their own right, not as artificial expressions of some hidden Gnostic truth.
James M. Robinson (General Editor for the Nag Hammadi Codices), Introduction to The Nag Hammadi
Library in English (Biblio. 4, 1977 edition): The focus of this library has much in common with primitive Christianity, with eastern religion and with holy men (and women) of all times, as well as with the more secular equivalents of today, such as the counter-culture movements coming from the 1960s. Disinterest in the goods of a consumer society, withdrawal into communes of the like-minded away from the bustle and clutter of big-city distraction, non-involvement in the compromises of political process, sharing an in-groups knowledge both of the
disaster course of the culture and of an ideal, radical alternative not commonly knownall this in modern garb is
the real challenge rooted in such materials as the Nag Hammadi library.... Primitive Christianity was itself a
radical movement. Jesus called for a full reversal of values, advocating the end of the world as we have known it
and its replacement by a quite new, utopian kind of life in which the ideal world would be real. He took a stand
quite independent of the authorities of his day ... and did not last very long before they eliminated him. Yet his
followers reaffirmed his standfor them he came to personify the ultimate goal.... Just as the Dead Sea Scrolls [at
Qumran] were put in jars for safekeeping and hidden at the time of the approach of the Roman Tenth Legion, the
burial [three centuries later] of the Nag Hammadi library in a jar may have been precipitated by the approach of
Roman authorities, who had by then become Christian. Nag Hammadi: The First Fifty Years (plenary address,
Society of Biblical Literature, 1995): Clearly the Gospel of Thomas does contain sayings that cannot be derived
from the canonical gospels,... that are clearly not Gnostic, but have the same claim to being old, even authentic, as
9

does the older layer of sayings in the canonical gospels and Q. This can be illustrated by some of the kingdom
parables in the Gospel of Thomas.... Such sayings are not Gnostic inventions, but simply part of the oral tradition
of sayings ascribed to Jesus. What is perhaps even more impressive is that the Gospel of Thomas contains some
New Testament parables found in their pre-canonical form.
Ron Cameron, in David Noel Freedman (ed.), The Anchor Bible Dictionary, volume 6 (New York: Doubleday, 1992): Determining a plausible date of composition [of Thomas] is speculative and depends on a delicate
weighing of critical judgments about the history of the transmission of the sayings-of-Jesus tradition and the process of the formation of the written gospel texts. The earliest possible date would be in the middle of the 1st century, when sayings collections such as the Synoptic Sayings Gospel Q first began to be compiled. The latest possible date would be toward the end of the 2nd century, prior to the copying of P.Oxy. 1 and the first reference to the
text by Hippolytus [of Rome, ca. 170-236 AD].... A date of composition in, say, the last decades of the 1st century
would be more likely than a mid-to-late-2nd-century date.
Richard Valantasis, The Gospel of Thomas (London: Routledge, 1997): These sayings work at constructing
a new and alternative subjectivity. Through reading the sayings of the Gospel of Thomas deliberately and consecutively, the readers gradually come to understand not only the new identity to which the sayings call them, but
also the theology, anthropology, and cosmology that supports that new identity.... The dating of the Gospel of
Thomas by means of the oldest core of sayings suggests an early date of 60-70 CE [AD].... The Gospel of Thomas
does not contain any of the known systems or theologies of gnostic writers.... [It] connects the hearer and seeker
to the very voice of the living Jesus speaking in the midst of an interpreting community.
John Dominic Crossan, The Birth of Christianity (New York: HarperSanFrancisco,1998): Grenfell and
Hunt drew very decisive conclusions regarding the text contained in their pap. Oxy. 1. They clearly did not know
that it formed part of the Gospel of Thomas, but I cite their synthesis because, in my judgment, it applies perfectly
to this Gospel as a whole. They established four points: (1) that we have here part of a collection of sayings, not
extracts from a narrative Gospel; (2) that they were not heretical; (3) that they were independent of the four Gospels in the form preserved; (4) that they are prior to the year 140 AD, and could date from the first century (Bernard Grenfell and Arthur Hunt, The Oxyrhynchus Papiri: Part I, 1898).
Stephen J. Patterson, Understanding the Gospel of Thomas Today, in Stephen J. Patterson, James M.
Robinson and Hans-Gebhard Bethge, The Fifth Gospel (Harrisburg: Trinity Press, 1998): As a sayings collection,
it is likely that Thomas originated sometime in the first century, when sayings collections had not yet given way
to other, more complex forms of literature, such as the narrative story or dialogue.... The social radicalism that
characterized the early synoptic tradition is also found in the Gospel of Thomas.... Moreover, some of the most
characteristic features of Gnosticism are not present in Thomas, such as the notion that the world was created by
an evil demiurge.... It now seems most likely that with the Gospel of Thomas we do indeed have a new text,
whose traditions are for the most part not derivative of other, better-known gospels, and which was originally
written at a time more or less contemporary with the canonical texts.
Higinio Alas Gmez, The Nag Hammadi Gospels (Heredia, Costa Rica: La Universidad Nacional, 1998):
[Gnosticism] basically denied the physical reality of Christ incarnate.... Little by little, scholars have come to
comprehend that it is not appropriate to classify [the] texts [of Thomas, Philip and Valentine] as gnostic,... since
these clearly affirm the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ
Elaine H. Pagels, Exegesis of Genesis 1 in the Gospels of Thomas and John (Journal of Biblical Literature, 1999): The sayings [in the Thomas Gospel] are not randomly arranged, but carefully ordered to lead one
through a process of seeking and finding the interpretation of these sayings (log. 1).... Thomass theology and
anthropology do not depend upon some presupposed, generic gnostic myth. Instead,... the source of this religious conviction is, quite simply, exegesis of Genesis 1.... Such exegesis connects the eikon of Gen 1:26-27 with
the primordial light,... to show that the divine image implanted at creation enables humankind to find ... the way
back to its origin in the mystery of the primordial creation. Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas (New
York: Random House, 2003): Now that scholars have begun to place the sources discovered at Nag Hammadi,
like newly discovered pieces of a complex puzzle, next to what we have long known from tradition, we find that
these remarkable texts, only now becoming widely known, are transforming what we know as Christianity.... Let
us start by taking a fresh look at the most familiar of all Christian sourcesthe gospels of the New Testamentin
the perspective offered by one of the other Christian gospels composed in the first century and discovered at Nag
Hammadi, the Gospel of Thomas.
Nicholas Perrin, The Gospel of Thomas: Witness to the Historical Jesus? (paper, annual meetings of the
Society of Biblical Literature, 2002): The Gospel of Thomas was not originally written in Greek;... instead, it
10

shows every evidence of having been written in Syriac [Aramaic*].... Secondly,... the Gospel of Thomas is not an
evolving sayings collection of different strata. Instead, it is a carefully worked unity, brought together by a Syriacspeaking editor. [*Heb Mr) (aram) = LXX Gk , as in II-Ki 8:28 and Ezra 4:7; see Mt 4:24]
Jean-Yves Leloup, Introduction to The Gospel of Philip (Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, Bear &
Company, 2004): To reach [thus] into Christian origins is to find ourselves in a space of freedom without dogmatism, a space of awe before the Event that was manifest in the person, the deeds, and the words of the Teacher
from Galilee.... The Gospel of Philip invites us to follow Christ by awakening in this life to that in us which does
not die, to what St John called Eternal Life.... Another important theme showing a kinship between this Gospel
and that of Thomas is the idea of non-duality.... The Gospel of Philip ... [is] dealing with subjects that were undoubtedly the source of much misunderstanding in his times, as they still are today.
Harold W. Attridge, The New York Review of Books (1 May 2008): The body of Christian literature from
the second and third centuries ... reflects the intense debate among followers of Jesus.... The faction that won
these debates promoted its own version of the history of the times and suppressed dissenting voices.... In the last
century ... a number of manuscripts written by the losers in the ancient ecclesial battles was discovered.... The
most important was a cache of codices ... uncovered in 1945 near the village of Nag Hammadi, in Egypt.... The
entire discovery was soon labeled Gnostic, echoing a term of opprobrium used by ancient polemicists against
their ecclesial adversaries. Although at least one sect may have styled itself the Gnostics (the Knowers), referring to a secret knowledge, the notion that this broad label accurately applies to all the marginalized early Christian sects has been heavily criticized among contemporary scholars. Early Christians whose perspectives fell from
favor represented a wide spectrum of views and social groups.... The philosophy underlying ... [those] systems of
a generally Gnostic cast, owes much to the popular Platonism of the Hellenistic and Roman eras.
Biblical Archaelogy Review, Ten Top Discoveries (VI-X.2009): Among the Nag Hammadi texts was the
fully preserved Gospel of Thomas, which does not follow the canonical Gospels in telling the story of Jesus
birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection, but rather presents the reader with a very early collection of Jesus
sayings. Although this mystical text was originally believed to be a Gnostic text, it now seems to reveal yet another strand of early Christianity.

These are the secret sayings which the Living

scribed them.
1.

Yeshua has spoken, and Didymos Judas Thomas in-

01

And he {saysa}: Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings shall not taste death. 1

Yeshua says: Let him who seeks not cease seeking until he finds; and when he finds he shall be troubled; and
having been troubled he shall marvel, and he shall reign over the totality {and find repose}. 2

2.

Yeshua says: If those who lead you say to you: Behold, the Sovereignty is in the sky!, then the birds of the sky
will precede you. If they say to you: It is in the sea!, then the fish {of the sea} will precede you. But the Sovereignty {of God} is within you and it is without you. {Whoever recognizes himself shall find it; and when you
recognize yourselves} you shall know that you are the Sons of the Living Father. Yet if you do not recognize
yourselves, then you are impoverished and you are the impoverishment. 3

3.

4. Yeshua says: The person old in days will not hesitate to ask a little child of seven days concerning the place of
lifeand he shall live. For many who are first shall become last, {and the last first}; and they shall become a
01 a

I.e. resurrected, as in Rev/Ap 1:18; see also Jer 23:18, Mt 13:34, Lk 1:1/8:10/10:21, Jn 21:25; the papyrus MS: www.
metalog.org/files/th_ scan.html; hypertext interlinear of all Thomas logia: www.metalog.org/files/th_interlin.html.
1
II-Sam 14:14, Ps 118:17, Isa 25:8, Lk 9:27, Jn 5:24/8:51; Odes of St Solomon, 26, He who could interpret would be
dissolved and would become that which is interpreted; this is apparently an introductory saying quoting Thomas himself,
included [like Jn 21:24] by his own disciples, since it speaks of the following as a collection of sayings; athruout the Greek
fragments of Thomas, x says is in the present tensesee Henry Barclay Swete [1897], in Modern Scholarly Comments.
2
Gen 1:26, Dan 7:27, Lk 1:29/22:25-30!, Rev/Ap 1:6/3:21/20:4/22:5; =Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, II.9/V.14.
3
Gen 6:2, Dt 30:11-14, Hos 1:10, Zech 12:1, Mal 2:10, Lk 11:41/17:21, Th 89, Platos Philebus, 48c/63c.

11

single unity.4
Yeshua says: Recognize Him who is in front of thy face, and what is hidden from thee shall be revealed to
thee. For there is nothing concealed which shall not be manifest, {and nothing buried that shall not be raiseda}.5

5.

His Disciples ask him, saying to him: How do thou want us to fast, and how shall we pray? And how shall we
give alms, and what diet shall we maintain? Yeshua says: Do not lie, a and do not practice what you hate bfor
everything is revealed before the face of the sky. For there is nothing concealed that shall not be manifest, and
there is nothing covered that shall remain without being exposed c.6

6.

Yeshua says: Blest is the lion which the human eatsand the lion shall become human. And defiled is the
human which the lion eatsand the [human] shall become [lion]. 7

7.

And he says: The [Sovereignty] is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea. He drew it up from the
sea full of small fish. Among them he found a large good fish. a That wise fisherman, he threw all the small fish
back into the sea,b he chose the large fish without hesitation. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear! 8

8.

9. Yeshua says: Behold, the sower came forthhe filled his hand, he threw. Some indeed fell upon the roadthe
birds came, they gathered them. Others fell on the bedrockand they did not take root down into the soil, and did
not sprout grain skyward. And others fell among the thornsthey choked the seed, and the worm ate them. And
others fell upon the good earthand it produced good fruit up toward the sky, it bore 60-fold and 120-fold. 9
10.

Yeshua says: I have cast fire upon the world-systemand behold, I guard it until it is ablaze. 10

Yeshua says: This sky shall be made to pass away, and the one above it a shall be made to pass away. b And the
dead are not alive, and the living shall not die. c In the days when you consumed the dead, you transformed it to
lifewhen you come into the Light, what will you do? On the day when you were united, you became divided
yet when you have become divided, what will you do?11

11.

The Disciples say to Yeshua: We know that thou shall go away from us. Who is it that shall be Rabbi over
us? Yeshua says to them: In the place that you have come, you shall go to Jacob the Righteous, for whose sake
the sky and earth have come to be.12

12.

Yeshua says to his Disciples: Make a comparison to me, and tell me whom I resemble. a Shimon Kefa says to
him: Thou art like a righteous angel. Matthew says to him: Thou art like a philosopher of the heart. Thomas
says to him: Oh Teacher, my mouth will not contain saying whom thou art like! Yeshua says: Im not thy
teacher, now that thou have drunk,b thou have become inebriated from the bubbling spring which I have measured
out. And he takes him,b he withdraws,b he speaks three words to him:

13.

Gen 2:2-3/17:12, Mt 11:25-26/18:1-6+10-14, Lk 2:21.

Ps 16:8, =Mt 10:26; in his scriptural Traditions the Apostle Matthias [Ac 1:21-26] relates Christs logion: Wonder at what
is in front of youquoted by Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, II.9; Jalaloddin Rumi [XIII century Afghanistan], The
Question, Spiritual Couplets: Gods presence is there in front of me; aanti-Gnostic.
6
Lev 19:11, Ps 139:1-16, Zac 8:16, Sir 7:13, Th 14; aFyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, II.2: First and
foremost, do not lie!; bTobit 4:15: Do not practice what thou hate; Confucius, Analects, 8.15: Is there any one word ...
which could be adopted as a lifelong rule of conduct?... Is not empathy the word? Do not unto others what you would not like
done to yourself; cthe Qurn 27:75: There is nothing concealed in the heaven and the earth, but it is in a clear book.
7
Ps 7:1-2.
8
=Mt 13:47-48; aCoptic tbt [C401b] = Gk ; basyndeton, or omission of conjunctions, characterizing the Semitic
languages but not Hamitic or Indo-Europeanthus signaling an original Hebrew or Aramaic text underlying the Greek from
which Coptic Thomas was in turn translated; see P338 and Matthew Black, An Aramaic Approach to the Gospels and Acts:
Asyndeton is, on the whole, contrary to the spirit of the Greek language ... but is highly characteristic of Aramaic.
9
Multiple asyndeta; Mt 13:18-23, =Mk 4:3-9.
10
Joel 2:3, Mt 3:11, Lk 12:49.
11
Mt 24:35, Th 61b!, Ph 86!; athe entire observable universe?!see Th 111; NB the Hebrew term for sky, heaven, Mym#
[shamyim], only occurs in the plural, thus implying there to be more than one; bI-Ki 8:27!, Isa 65:17, Rev/Ap 21:1, Ph 123;
c
Jn 11:25-26.
12
Anti-Gnostic; apparently a post-resurrection dialogue; Mk 6:3, Jn 7:5, Ac 1:14/12:17, Jas 1:1.
5

12

hyh) r#) hyh)

ahyh ashr ahyh
I-Am Who I-Am

Now when Thomas comes to his comrades, they inquire of him: What did Yeshua say to thee? Thomas says to
them: If I tell you even one of the words which he spoke to me, you will take up stones to cast at meand fire
will come from the stones to consume you. 13
Yeshua says to them: If you fast,a you shall beget transgression for yourselves. b And if you pray,b you shall be
condemned. And if you give alms, a you shall cause evil to your spirits. And when you go into any land to travel
in the regions, if they receive you then eat what they set before you and heal the sick among them. For what goes
into your mouth will not defile youbut rather what comes out of your mouth, that is what will defile you. 14
14.

Yeshua says: When you see him who was not born of woman, prostrate yourselves upon your face and worship himhe is your Father.15
15.

Yeshua says: People perhaps think that I have come to cast peace upon the world, and they do not know that I
have come to cast conflicts upon the earthfire, sword, war. a For there shall be five in a housethree shall be
against two and two against three, the father against the son and the son against the father. And they shall stand as
solitaries.16

16.

Yeshua says: I shall give to you what eye has not seen and what ear has not heard and what hand has not
touched and what has not arisen in the mind of mankind. 17

17.

The Disciples say to Yeshua: Tell us how our end shall be. a Yeshua says: Have you then discovered the
origin, so that you inquire about the end? For at the place where the origin is, there shall be the end. Blest is he
who shall stand at the originand he shall know the end, and he shall not taste death. 18

18.

Yeshua says: Blest is he who was before he came into Being. If you become Disciples to me and heed my
sayings, these stones shall be made to serve you. For you have five trees in Paradise, which in summer are
unmoved and in winter their leaves do not fallwhoever shall know them shall not taste death. 19

19.

The Disciples say to Yeshua: Tell us what the Sovereignty of the Heavens is like. He says to them: It resembles a mustard seed, smaller than all (other) seedsyet when it falls on the tilled earth, it produces a great plant
and becomes shelter for the birds of the sky. 20
20.

21. Mariam says to Yeshua: Whom are thy Disciples like? He says: They are like little children who are sojourning in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say: Leave our field to us! They
take off their clothing in front of them in order to yield it to them and to give back their field to them. a Therefore I
13 a

Isa 46:5; basyndeton; the Name does not appear in the papyrus, but can be inferred with certainty; Ex 3:14, Lev 24:16, Mk
14:62, Lk 6:40, Jn 4:14/15:1, Th 61b/77, Ph 125; Odes of St Solomon, 11:6-9, I drank and was inebriated with the living
water that does not die; note also the infinite gematria of Ex 3:14159263....
14 a
Openly, publicly; bConfucius, Analects, 15.31: I once spent all day thinking without taking food and all night thinking
without going to bed, but I found that I had gained nothing from it; it would have been better for me to have spent the time in
learning; Bhagavad-Gita, 11.48: Not thru sacred lore nor sacrificial ritual nor study nor charity, not by rites nor by terrible
penances can I be seen; Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, I: Torturing myself with prayer and fasting; Isa 58:6-9, Mk
7:14-23!, Mt 6:1-6+16-18, Lk 18:1!, =Lk 10:8-9, Th 6/95/104, Ph 74c.
15
Josh 5:14, Lk 17:16, Th 46!/101!
16 a
Isa 66:15-16, Joel 2:30-31, Zeph 3:8, Mal 4:1, Th 10; =Mic 7:6, =Lk 12:49-53.
17
Isa 64:4; St. John of the Cross, On the Ecstasy of Deep Contemplation, VII: It is of such true excellence, this highest
understanding, that no science, no human sense, has it in its grasping.
18 a
Ps 39:4; Isa 48:12, Lk 20:38, Jn 1:1-2, Rev/Ap 22:13, Th 1/19; Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy: To see Thee is
the end and the beginning; T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets: Little Gidding: The end is where we start from; Jack Kerouac,
Visions of Cody: What kind of journey is the life of a human being that it has a beginning but not an end?
19
The five senses?!; Job 5:23, Ps 1:3, Th 1/18, =Ph 61!, Tr 28.
20
=Mk 4:30-32.

13

say, if the householder ascertains that the thief is coming, he will be alert before he arrives and will not allow him
to dig thru into the house of his domain to carry away his belongings. Yet you, beware of the origin of the worldsystemgird up your loins with great strength lest the bandits find a way to reach you, for they will find the advantage which you anticipate. Let there be among you a person of awarenesswhen the fruit ripened, he came
quickly with his sickle in his hand,b he reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear! 21
Yeshua saw little children who are being suckled. He says to his Disciples: These little children who are being
suckled are like those who enter the Sovereignty. They say to him: Shall we thus by becoming little children
enter the Sovereignty? Yeshua says to them: When you make the two one, and you make the inside as the outside and the outside as the inside and the above as the below, and if you establish the male with the female as a
single unity so that the man will not act masculine and the woman not act feminine, when you establish eyes in
the place of an eye and a hand in the place of a hand and a foot in the place of a foot (and) an image in the place
of an imagethen shall you enter [the Sovereignty]. 22

22.

23. Yeshua says: I shall choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousandand they shall stand, becoming a single unity. 23

His Disciples say: Show us thy place, for it is compulsory for us to seek it. He says to them: Whoever has
ears, let him hear! Within a person of light there is light, and he illumines the entire world. When he does not
shine, there is darkness.24

24.

25.

Yeshua says: Love thy Brother as thy soul,a protect him as the pupil of thine eye. 25

Yeshua says: The mote which is in thy Brothers eye thou see, but the plank that is in thine own eye thou see
not. When thou cast the plank out of thine own eye, then shall thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy
Brothers eye.26

26.

(Yeshua says:) Unless you fast from the system, you shall not find the Sovereignty {of God}; unless you keep
the (entire) weeka as Sabbath,b you shall not behold the Father.27

27.

Yeshua says: I stood in the midst of the world, and incarnate I was manifest to them. a I found them all drunk,
I found no one among them athirst in his heart. And my soul was grieved for the sons of men, for they are blind in
their minds and do not see that empty they have come into the world and that empty they are destined to come
forth from the world.b However, now they are drunkwhen they shake off their wine, then shall they change their
minds.28

28.

29.

Yeshua says: If the flesh has come to be because of spirit, it is a marvelyet if spirit because of the body, it

21 a

Th 37; basyndeton; =Mt 24:43-44.

Anti-Gnostic; Mt 18:3; =Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, IIIsee Th 37n!; Mary Ann Evans [George Eliot], Middlemarch: The successive events inward and outward were there in one view: though each might be dwelt on in turn, the rest
still kept their hold in the consciousness; Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception: Inside and outside are
inseparable; the world is wholly inside, and I am wholly outside, myself; Odes of St Solomon, 34:5, The likeness of what is
below, is that which is abovefor everything is above; what is below is nothing but the delusion of those who are without
knowledge; Socrates in Platos Phaedrus: Beloved Pan, and whatever other gods be present, grant me to be handsome in
inward soul, and that the outside and the inside be one.
23
Dt 32:30, Job 33:23, Ecc 7:28.
24
Mt 5:14-16, Jn 13:36; apparently a post-resurrection dialogue.
25 a
Asyndeton; Dt 32:10, I-Sam 18:1, Ps 17:8, Pr 7:2, Jn 13:34-35; Geoffery Chaucer, The Pardoner's Tale, 697-8: Lat ech of
us holde up his hand til oother, and ech of us bicomen otheres brother ; Tennessee Williams, Camino Real: The most
dangerous word in any human tongue is the word for brother. It's inflammatory.... The people need the word. They're thirsty
for it; I Ching, hexagram 63, After Completion: Indifference is the root of all evil.
26
=Mt 7:3-5.
27
Mk 1:13, Jn 5:19!; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 12 [160 AD]: The new Law [the Gospel] requires you to keep
perpetual Sabbath; =Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, III.15; ahere Sabbath = week as in Lev 23:15-16see P133 and P.
Brown, The Sabbath and the Week in Thomas 27, Novum Testamentum, 1992 [www.metalog.org/files/tpb/sabbath.html];
b
attain repose, as in Th 2/50/60/90.
28
Isa 28:7; aemphatically anti-Gnostic!, Jn 1:14; bJob 1:21, Ecc 5:15; this appears to be a post-resurrection saying.

22

14

would be a marvel among marvels. But I myself marvel at this: how this great wealth has been placed in this
poverty.29
Yeshua says: Where there are three gods, they are {godless. But where there is only one, a I say that} I myself
am with him.b {Raise the stone and there you shall find me, cleave the wood and there am I.} 30

30.

31.

Yeshua says: No oracle is accepted in his own village, a no physician heals those who know him. 31

32.

Yeshua says: A fortified city built upon a high mountain cannot fall, nor can it be hidden. 32

Yeshua says: What thou shall hear in thy ear proclaim to other ears from your rooftops. For no one kindles a
lamp and sets it under a basket nor puts it in a hidden place, but rather it is placed upon the lamp-stand so that
everyone who comes in and goes out will see its light. 33

33.

34.

Yeshua says: If a blind person leads a blind person, both together fall into a pit. 34

Yeshua says: It is impossible for anyone to enter the house of the strong person to take it by force, unless he
binds his handsthen he will plunder his house.35

35.

Yeshua says: Be not anxious in the morning about the evening nor in the evening about the morning, {neither
for your [food] that you shall eat nor for [your garments] that you shall wear. You are much superior to the [windflowers] which neither comb (wool) nor [spin] (thread). When you are naked, what are [you wearing]? Or who
can increase your stature? He Himself shall give to you your garment.} 36

36.

37. His Disciples say: When will thou appear to us, and when shall we behold thee? Yeshua says: When you take
off your garments without being ashamed, and take your garments and place them under your feet to tread on
them as the little children dothen [shall you behold] the Son of the Living-One, and you shall not fear. 37
38. Yeshua says: Many times have you yearned to hear these sayings which I speak to you, and you have no one
else from whom to hear them. There will be days when you will seek me but you shall not find me. 38
39. Yeshua says: The dogmatists and the scripturalists have received the keys of recognition, but they have
hidden them. They did not enter, nor did they permit those to enter who wished to. Yet youbecome astute as
serpents and innocent as doves.39

Yeshua says: A vine has been planted without the Fatherand (as a) it is not vigorous, it shall be pulled up by
its roots and destroyed.40

40.

29

Anti-Gnostic; Th 2, Ph 23.
Ac 10:35; aJoseph E. Brown, The Sacred Pipe (a prayer of Black Elk): We should understand well that all things are the
works of the Great Spirit; b [ Qurn, Baqarah, 2:62]: Verily, those who believe, and those who are Jews and
Christians and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds, shall have their reward with
their Lord; cleaving the wood could be seen as a metaphor for the crucifixion, removing the stone for the resurrection; Letter
of Aristeas, 15-16: http://wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/ot/pseudo/aristeas.htm.
31 a
Asyndeton; =Mk 6:4, Tr 40.
32
Mt 5:14.
33
=Mt 5:15/=10:27, =Mk 4:21.
34
=Mt 15:14.
35
Isa 49:24-25, =Mk 3:27.
36
Garment = imagery?!: see Th 37/84, Ph 26/107, Angel, Image and Symbol, as well as the ancient and delightful Hymn of
the Pearl: www.metalog.org/files/hymn-pearl.txt; =Mt 6:25.
37
Gen 2:25/3:7, Isa 19:2, Th 21; garments = images?!; this appears to be a post-resurrection dialogue; Clement of Alexandria,
Stromata, III: Salome asked when what she was inquiring about would be known. The Lord said: When you trample on the
garment of shame, and when the two become one, and the male with the female neither masculine nor feminine; Th 22/61b!
38
Pro 1:28, S-of-S 5:6, Isa 54:8, Am 8:11-12, Lk 17:22.
39
Mt 5:20/23:1-39, =Lk 11:52, =Mt 10:16.
40 a
Asyndeton; Mt 15:13.
30

15

41. Yeshua says: Whoever has in his hand, to him shall (more) be given; and whoever does not have, from him
shall be taken the little which he has.41
42.

Yeshua says: Become transients.42

His Disciples say to him: Who art thou, that thou say these things to us? (Yeshua says to them:) From what I
say to you, you do not recognize who I be, but rather you have become as those Judeans afor they love the tree
but hate its fruit, and they love the fruit but hate the tree. 43

43.

44. Yeshua says: Whoever vilifies the Father, it shall be forgiven him; and whoever vilifies the Son, it shall be
forgiven him. Yet whoever vilifies the Sacred Spirit, it shall not be forgiven himneither on earth nor in
heaven.44
45. Yeshua says: They do not harvest grapes from thorn-trees, nor do they gather figs from a briar-patchfor they
give no fruit. A good person brings forth goodness out of his treasure; a bad person brings forth wickedness out
of his evil treasure which is in his heart, and he speaks maliciouslyfor out of the abundance of the heart he
brings forth wickedness.45
46. Yeshua says: From Adam until John the Baptist there is among those born of women none more exalted than
John the Baptistso that his eyes shall not be broken. Yet I have said that whoever among you becomes childlike
shall know the Sovereignty, and he shall be more exalted than John. 46

Yeshua says: A person cannot mount two horses nor stretch two bows; and a slave cannot serve two masters
otherwise he will honor the one and despise the other. 47a
47a.

(Yeshua says:) No person drinks vintage wine and immediately desires to drink fresh wine. And they do not
put fresh wine into old wineskins lest they burst, and they do not put vintage wine into new wineskins lest it sour.
They do not sew an old patch on a new garment, because there would come a split. 47b

47b.

Yeshua says: If two make peace with each other in this one house, they shall say to the mountain: Be moved!
and it shall be moved.48
48.

Yeshua says: Blest are the solitarya and chosenfor you shall find the Sovereignty. Because you are from it,
you shall return thereb.49

49.

Yeshua says: If they say to you: From whence have you come?, say to them: We have come from the Light,
the place where the Light has come into being from Him alone; He himself [stood] and appeared in their imagery.
If they say to you: Who are you?, say: We are his Sons and we are the chosen of the Living Father. If they ask
you: What is the sign of your Father in you?, say to them: It is movement with repose. 50

50.

51.

His Disciples say to him: When will the repose of the dead occur, and when will the New World come? He

41

=Mt 13:12.
Or: Be led past; Gen 14:13 LXX translates Heb Abram the Hebrew as Abram the [nomad]; Mt 10:123/28:19-20, Jn 16:28; Matsuo Basho, Narrow Road to the Interior: Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home;
Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises: Thank God, Im a traveling man; Sylvia Plath, Unabridged Journals: I can only
pass on. Something in me wants more.... There is still time to veer, to sally forth, knapsack on back, for unknown hills over
which only the wind knows what lies.
43
Mt 12:33, Jn 4:22, Ph 6!/50!/108!; aas versus us Galileans, as in Jn 7:1?
44
=Mk 3:28-29; see The Maternal Spirit.
45
I-Sam 24:13, =Mt 7:16/=12:34-35, Jas 3:10.
46
Th 15, =Lk 7:28.
47a
=Lk 16:13.
47b
Job 32:19, =Lk 5:36-39.
48
=Mt 17:20/=18:19.
49
Jn 16:28; aBoris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago: Only the solitary seek the truth and break with anyone who does not love it
enough; bPlotinus, Enneads, I.6.8: The Fatherland to us is there whence we have come, and there is the Father.
50
Gen 1:3, Isa 28:12/30:15, Lk 16:8, Jn 1:12-14/12:36, Th 27; Bhagavad-Gita, 6.27: When his mind is tranquil, perfect joy
comes to the person of discipline; his passion is calmed, he is without sin, being one with the Infinite Spirit.
42

16

says to them: That which you look for has (already) come, but you do not recognize it. 51
52. His Disciples say to him: Twenty-four prophets proclaimed in Israel, and they all spoke within thee. He says
to them: You have ignored the Living-One who is facing you, and you have spoken about the dead. 52

His Disciples say to him: Is circumcision beneficial to us or not? He says to them: If it were beneficial, their
father would have begotten them circumcised from their mother. But the true spiritual circumcision has become
entirely beneficial.53

53.

54.

Yeshua says: Blest are the poor, for the Sovereignty of the Heavens is yours. 54

55. Yeshua says: Whoever does not hate his father and his mother, shall not be able to become a Disciple to me.
And whoever does not hate his brothers and his sisters, and take up his own cross a in my way, shall not be made
worthy of me.55

Yeshua says: Whoever has recognized the world-system has found a corpse aand whoever has found a
corpse, of him the world is not worthy. 56

56.

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the Father is like a person who has [good] seed. His enemy came by night, a
he sowed a weed among the good seed. The man did not permit (the workers) to uproot the weed; he says to them:
Lest perhaps you go forth saying: We shall uproot the weed, and you uproot the wheat along with it. For on
the day of harvest the weeds will appearthey uproot them and burn them. 57
57.

58.

Yeshua says: Blest is the person who has sufferedhe has found the Life! 58

Yeshua says: Behold the Living-One while you are alive, lest you die and seek to perceive him and be unable
to see!59

59.

(They see) a Samaritan carrying a lamb, entering Judea. Yeshua says to them: (Why is) that-one (carrying) the
lamb? They say to him: So that he may kill it and eat it. He says to them: While it is alive he will not eat it, but
only after he kills it and it becomes a corpse. They say: Otherwise he will not be able to do it. He says to them:
You yourselves, thereforeseek a place for yourselves in repose, lest you become corpses and be eaten. 60

60.

61a.

Yeshua says: Two will rest on a bedthe one shall die, a the other shall live.61a

Salome says: Who art thou, man? As if (sent) by someone, thou laid upon my bed and thou ate from my
table.a Yeshua says to her: I-Am he who is from equality. To me have been given the things of my Father.
(Salome says:) Im thyb Disciple. (Yeshua says to her:) Thus I say that whenever someone equalizes he shall be

61b.

51

Th 113.
Th 5; quoted by St Augustine, Contra adversarium legis et prophetarum, II.4.14; James Joyce, Ulysses, 14.112: You have
spoken of the past and its phantoms.... Why think of them?
53
Dt 10:6!
54
Dt 15:11, Jas 2:5-7, =Lk 6:20; note that the Greek of Mt 5:3, , can be read equally
Blest the poor in spirit or Blest in spirit the poorof which the latter makes more sense, since the parallel at Lk 6:20+24
explicitly concerns economic poverty/wealth rather than spiritual humility/pride; Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the
Western Front: The wisest were just the poor and simple people; Jack Kerouac, Visions of Cody: Everything belongs to me
because I am poor.
55 a
Anti-Gnostic; =Lk 14:26-27.
56 a
Or, in a modern metaphor, a machine; Wis 13:10; Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub, II: You will find the body to be only a
senseless unsavoury carcass.
57 a
Asyndeton; II-Pt 3:15-17?!, =Mt 13:24-30.
58
Asyndeton; Mt 5:10-12, Jas 1:12, I-Pt 3:14; Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 232: Men must learn by suffering; Victor Hugo, Les
Misrables: To have suffered, how good it is!; Naguib Mahfouz, Zaabalawi, Gods World: Suffering is part of the cure!
59
Ecc 12:1-8.
60
Th 1/50; Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain: The spiritual possibility of finding salvation in repose.
61a a
Asyndeton; =Lk 17:34.
52

17

filled with light, yet whenever he dividesc he shall be filled with darkness.61b
62. Yeshua says: I tell my mysteries to those [who are worthy of] my mysteries. What thy right (hand) shall do, let
not thy left (hand) ascertain what it does.62
63. Yeshua says: There was a wealthy person who possessed much money, and he said: I shall utilize my money
so that I may sow and reap and replant, to fill my storehouses with fruit so that I lack nothing. This is what he
thought in his heartand that night he died. Whoever has ears, let him hear! 63

Yeshua says: A person had guests. And when he had prepared the banquet, he sent his slave to summon the
guests. He went to the first, he says to him: My master invites thee. He replies: I owe some money to some
merchants; they are coming to me towards evening, I shall go to place an order with themI beg to be excused
from the banquet. He went to another, he says to him: My master has invited thee. He replies to him: I have
bought a house and they require me for a day, I shall have no leisure-(time). He came to another, he says to him:
My master invites thee. He replies to him: My friend is to be married and I shall arrange a feast; I shall not be
able to comeI beg to be excused from the banquet. He went to another, he says to him: My master invites
thee. He replies to him: I have bought a villa; I go to receive the rent, I shall not be able to comeI beg to be
excused. The slave came, he said to his master: Those whom thou have invited to the banquet have asked to be
excused. The master says to his slave: Go out to the roads, bring those whom thou shall find so that they may
feast. Tradesmen and merchants shall not enter the places of my Father! 64

64.

(Yeshua) says: A kind person had a vineyard. He gave it out to cultivators, so that they would work it and he
would receive its fruit from them. He sent his slave, so that the tenants would give to him the fruit of the vineyard.
They seized his slave, they beat hima little more and they would have killed him. The slave went, he told it to
his master. His master said: Perhaps they did not recognize him. He sent another slavethe tenants beat him also.
Then the owner sent his son. He said: Perhaps they will obey my son. Since those tenants knew that he was the
heir of the vineyard, they seized him, they killed him. Whoever has ears, let him hear! 65

65.

66.

Yeshua says: Show me the stone which the builders have rejectedit is the cornerstone. 66

67.

Yeshua says: Whoever knows everything but himself, lacks everything. 67

Yeshua says: Blest are you when you are hated and persecuted; and you shall find no place there where you
have been persecuted.68

68.

69a. Yeshua says: Blest are those who have been persecuted in their heartthey are those who have recognized
the Father in truth.69a
69b.
70.

(Yeshua says:) Blest are the hungry, for the belly of him who desires shall be filled. 69b

Yeshua says: When you bring forth that which is within yourselves, this that you have shall save you. If you

61b

NB the word for bed here is the same as in 61a; Th 37n!, Ph 65!; aS-of-S 1:4; bthy Disciple: Coptic tek. indicates a
masculine possessive [thy] of a feminine noun [disciple]: www.metalog.org/files/plumley/html/morphology_a.htm#50;
Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote de la Mancha, I: Of love it may be said that it makes all things equal; Ter esa of vila,
The Interior Castle, VI.4.1: All is to desire to enjoy the Husband more,... to be ardent to mate with such a grand Lord and
take him as Husband; cPr 6:19c!
62
Mk 4:10-12, =Mt 6:3.
63
=Lk 12:16-21.
64
Multiple asyndeta; Ezek 27-28, Zeph 1:11, Zech 14:21, Mt 21:12-13, =Lk 14:16-23, Rev/Ap 18:11-20; William Wordsworth: The World Is Too Much with Us: Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Robert Frost, New Hampshire:
The having anything to sell is what | Is the disgrace in man.
65
=Mk 12:1-8; multiple asyndeta.
66
Isa 28:16, =Ps 118:22Mt 21:42.
67
Ecc 1:13-14, Th 3.
68
Mt 5:10-12.
69a
Ibid.
69b
Mt 5:6.

18

do not have that within yourselves, this which you do not have within you will kill you. 70
71.

Yeshua says: I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to [re]build it. 71

[Someone says] to him: Tell my brothers to divide the possessions of my father with me. He says to him: Oh
man, who made me a divider? He turned to his Disciples, a he says to them: Im not a divider, am I?72

72.

Yeshua says: The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the workers are few. Beseech therefore the Lord that he send
forth workers to the harvest.73

73.

74.

(Yeshua) says: Oh Lord, there are many around the well, yet no one in the well! 74

75. Yeshua says: There are many standing at the door, but the solitary are those who shall enter the BridalChamber.75

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the Father is like a tradesman having merchandise, who found a pearl. That
tradesman was wise; he sold the merchandise, he bought that single pearl for himself. You yourselves, seek for
His treasure, which perishes not, which enduresthe place where no moth comes near to devour nor worm
ravages.76
76.

Yeshua says: I-Am the Light above them all, I-Am the All. All came forth from me, and all attained to me
(again). Cleave wood,a I myself am there; lift up the stone and there you shall find me. 77

77.

Yeshua says: Why did you come out to the wildernessto see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a person
dressed in plush garments? [Behold, your] rulers and your dignitaries are those who are clad in plush garments,
and they shall not be able to recognize the truth. 78

78.

A woman from the multitude says to him: Blest is the womb which bore thee, and the breasts which nursed
thee! He says to [her]: Blest are those who have heard the Logos of the Father and have maintained it in truth.
For there shall be days when you will say: Blest is this womb which has not conceived and these breasts which
have not nursed!79

79.

Yeshua says: Whoever has recognized the world has found the body; yet whoever has found the body, of him
the world is not worthy. 80

80.

Yeshua says: Whoever has been enriched, let him become sovereign; and whoever possesses power, let him
renounce (it).81

81.

Yeshua says: Whoever is close to me is close to the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the Sovereignty.82
82.

70

Lk 11:41!
Mk 14:58, Jn 2:19.
72 a
Asyndeton; Lk 12:13-14; John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, 14: The quality of owning freezes you forever into I,
and cuts you off forever from the we.
73
=Mt 9:37-38.
74
Origen, Contra Celsum, 8.16: How is it that many are around the well and no one goes into it?
75
Mt 9:15/25:10, Th 16/49.
76
Multiple asyndeta; Ps 11:7/17:15, =Mt 6:19-20/=13:44-46, =Lk 12:33.
77 a
Asyndeton; Jn 8:12, Th 30n; Lao Tzu, Tao Teh Ching, 16: All things flourish, but each one returns to its root,... the
eternal Tao; Victor Hugo, Les Misrables: All comes from light, and all returns to it.
78
=Mt 11:7-8.
79
Lk 1:42/=11:27-28/23:29.
80
Th 56.
81
Sovereign without power: a veritable Zen koan!; Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago, I.4: Power is a poison
well-known for thousands of years.
82
Quoted by Origen, Homily on Jeremiah, XX.3.
71

19

Yeshua says: The images are manifest to mankind, and (yet) the light within them is hidden. a He shall be
revealed in the imagery of the Fathers light(but as yet b) his light conceals his image.83

83.

Yeshua says: When you see your reflection, you rejoice. Yet when you perceive your images, which have
come into being from your Originwhich neither die a nor representbto what extent will they depend upon c
you?84

84.

Yeshua says: Adam came into existence from a great power and a great wealth, and (yet) he did not become
worthy of you. For if he had been worthy, [he would] not [have tasted] death. 85

85.

Yeshua says: [The foxes have their dens] and the birds have their nests, but the Son of Mankind has no place
to lay his head for rest.86

86.

Yeshua says: Wretched is the body which depends upon (another) body, and wretched is the soul which depends upon their being together.87
87.

Yeshua says: The angels and the prophets are coming to you, and they shall bestow upon you what is yours.
And you yourselves, give to them what is in your hands, and say among yourselves: On what day are they coming
to receive what is theirs?88

88.

Yeshua says: Why do you wash the outside of the chalice? Do you not comprehend that He who creates the
inside, is also He who creates the outside?89

89.

90. Yeshua says: Come unto me, for my yoga is natural and my lordship is gentleand you shall find repose for
yourselves.90

They say to him: Tell us who thou art, so that we may believe in thee. He says to them: You scrutinize the
face of the sky and of the earthyet you have not recognized Him who is facing you, and you do not know to
inquire of Him at this moment.91

91.

Yeshua says: Seek and you shall find. But those things which you asked me in those days, I did not tell you
then. Now I wish to tell them, and you do not inquire about them. 92

92.

(Yeshua says:) Give not what is sacred to the dogs, lest they throw it on the dung-heap. Cast not the pearls to
the swine, lest they break (them) in pieces.93

93.

94.

Yeshua [says:] Whoever seeks shall find. [And whoever knocks,] it shall be opened to him. 94

83 a

Th 19; basyndeton; Ps 104:2!; Victor Hugo, Les Misrables: God is behind all things, but all things hide God.
Sense perceptions do not perish, but merely become past; bnor do they manifest something else imperceptibly beyond/
below/within themselves; cCoptic 6a, see P269.1: used after verbs of carrying or bearing when the bearer is thought of as
being beneath the burden; this is the epistemological [and thus ontological] hinge of the entire text; see Ex 14:14, Ps 139:16,
Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19, Th 19, and Angel, Image and Symbol; Chuang Tzu [4th century BC China], 2: Joy, anger, grief,
delight, worry, regret, fickleness, inflexibility, modesty, volition, sincerity, insolence:... without them we would not exist,
without us they have nothing to take hold of;... it would seem as though they have some True Master, and yet I find no trace
of him; he can actthat is certain; yet I cannot see his form; he has identity but no form; Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man,
I.34: Upheld by God, or thee?
85
Gen 3:19, Th 1.
86
Dan 7:13-14, =Mt 8:20; Thomas Wolfe, You Cant Go Home Again, I.6: Homeless, uprooted, and alone, with no door to
enter, no place to call his own, in all the vast desolation of the planet.
87
II-Sam 13:1-22, Th 112.
88
Rev/Ap 22:8-9!
89
Lk 11:39-41.
90
Mt 11:28-30, Th 60.
91
Th 5/52/76/84, =Lk 12:56; John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, 13: I don know what to pray for or who to pray to.
92
=Mt 7:7-8; Mencius, 4th century BC China: It is said, Seek and you will find it, neglect and you will lose it.
93
Pro 23:9, =Mt 7:6.
94
=Mt 7:8.
84 a

20

[Yeshua says:] If you have copper-coins, 1 do not lend at interestbut rather give [them] to him who will not
repay you.95

95.

Yeshua [says:] The Sovereignty of the Father is like [a] woman, a she has taken a little leaven, a she [has hidden]
it in dough,a she produced large loaves of it. Whoever has ears, let him hear! 96

96.

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the [Father] is like a woman who is carrying a jar full of grain. (While) she
was walking [on a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke, the grain streamed out behind her onto the road. She
did not observe (it), she had noticed no accident. (When) she arrived in her house, she set the jar downshe
found it empty. 97

97.

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the Father is like someone who wishes to slay an eminent person. In his
house he drew forth the sword, a he thrust it into the wall in order to ascertain whether his hand would prevail.
Then he slew the eminent person.98

98.

99. The Disciples say to him: Thy brothers and thy mother are standing outside. He says to them: Those here
who do the will of my Fatherthese are my Brothers and my Mother. It is they who shall enter the Sovereignty
of my Father.99
100. They showed Yeshua a [denarius], and they say to him: The agents of Caesar demand taxes from us. He
says to them: Give the things of Caesar to Caesar, give the things of God to God, and give to me what is mine. 100

(Yeshua says:) Whoever does not hate his father and his mother in my way, shall not be able to become a Disciple to me. And whoever does [not] love his [Father] and his Mother in my way, shall not be able to become a
[Disciple to] me. For my mother [bore my body], a yet [my] True [Mother] gave me the life.101
101.

Yeshua says: Woe unto them, the dogmatistsfor they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen. For
neither does he eat, nor does he allow the oxen to eat. 102

102.

103. Yeshua says: Blest is the person who knows in [which] part the thieves enter, so that he shall arise and collect
his [belongings] and gird up his loins before they come in. 103

They say [to him:] Come, let us pray today and let us fast! Yeshua says: What then is the transgression
which I have committed, or in what have I been vanquished? But when the Bridegroom comes forth from the
Bridal-Chamber, then let them fast and let them pray. 104

104.

105.

Yeshua says: Whoever shall acknowledge father and mother, shall be called the son of (a) harlot. 105

Yeshua says: When you make the two one, a you shall become Sons of Mankind band when you say to the
mountain: Be moved!, it shall be moved.106

106.

107.

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty is like a shepherd who has 100 sheep. One of them went astray, which was the

95

Lk 6:30-36; ahere in the bound papyrus codex there is a single sheet puzzlingly blank on both sides.
Asyndeton; =Mt 13:33.
97
Multiple asyndeta.
98 a
Asyndeton; NB the tongue as the sword in ones mouth: Isa 49:2, Rev/Ap 1:16.
99
Th 15, =Mk 3:31-35.
100
I-Ki 10:14Rev/Ap 13:18!: a most extraordinary gematria, indicating the notorious 666 as a monetary symbol; =Mt
22:16-21.
101 a
Anti-Gnostic; Job 33:4!, Jn 2:4, Th 15!/79/99, =Lk 14:26; see The Maternal Spirit and Theogenesis; Odes of St Solomon, 35:6, I was carried like a child by its mother; Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho), The Mustard Seed: Your mother gave
birth to your body, not to you.
102
Th 39; =The Fables of Aesop.
103
=Lk 12:35+39.
104
Mk 2:19-20, Th 14.
105
Mt 23:8-9, Lk 14:26, Jn 8:41, Th 101, Theogenesis.
106 a
Th 22; Lao Tse, Tao Te Ching, 1: These two are the same; bDan 7:13-14, Th 86.
96 a

21

largest. He left the 99, he sought for that one until he found it. Having wearied himself, he says to that sheep:
I desire thee more than 99.107
108. Yeshua says: Whoever drinks from my mouth shall become like me. I myself shall become as he is, and the
secrets shall be revealed to him. 108

Yeshua says: The Sovereignty is like a person who had a treasure [hidden] in his field without being aware of
it. And [after] his death, he bequeathed it to his [son. The] son was not aware (of it), he accepted that field, he sold
[it]. And he came who purchased ithe plows, [he discovered] the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to
whomever he wishes.109

109.

110.

Yeshua says: Whoever has found the world and become enriched, let him renounce the world. 110

Yeshua says: The sky and the earth shall be rolled up in your presence; and he who lives from within the
Living-One shall see neither death [nor fear]. Therefore Yeshua says: a Whoever finds himself, of him the world is
not worthy.111

111.

Yeshua says: Woe to the flesh which depends upon the soul, (anda) woe to the soul which depends upon the
flesh!112

112.

His Disciples say to him: When will the Sovereignty come? (Yeshua says:) It shall not come by watching
(for it). They will not say Behold here! or Behold there! But rather the Sovereignty of the Father is spread
upon the earth, and humans do not see it.113

113.

Shimon Kefa says to them: Let Mariam depart from among us, for women are not worthy of the life. a
Yeshua says: Behold, I myself shall inspire her so that I make her male, in order that she also shall become a
living spirit like you males.b For every female who becomes male, shall enter the Sovereignty of the Heavens. 114
114.

The Gospel according to Thomas

Notes to Thomas
Hyperlinears of all logia: www.metalog.org/files/th_interlin.html
Coptic was the final, millennial stage of the classical Egyptian language, evolving after the invasion of Alexander
the Great (332 BC) and subsequently supplanted by Arabic following the Muslim conquest (640 AD); see Biblio. 18. It
has always been the liturgical language of the Egyptian Church; moreover, the ancient Coptic versions of the Old and
New Testaments are of great importance in textual Biblical studies. Utilizing many Gk loan words, Coptic also adopted
the Greek alphabet, adding these letters: 4 (shai), 3 (fai), 6 (hori), ` (janja), 2 (gima), and 5 (ti), as well as (syllable
or abbreviation indicator); see P001 and www.proel.org/alfabetos/copto.html. English terms which derive from ancient
107

Ezek 34:15-16, =Lk 15:3-6, Ph 59.

Lk 6:40, Jn 4:7-15/7:37.
109
Multiple asyndeta; =The Fables of Aesop; Mt 13:44.
110
Th 81; Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard: If thou art given the keys to the household, throw them into the well and
walk away, go. Be free like the wind.
111 a
Apparently interpolated by Thomas himself; Isa 34:4, Lk 21:33, Th 11!, Rev/Ap 6:14.
112 a
Asyndeton; Th 87.
113
Anti-Gnostic!; Ps 47:7, Lk 17:20-21, Th 51; Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Heaven is under our feet as well as over our
heads.
114 a
Pro 31:3, Ecc 7:28!; bexquisitely ironical, since spirit in Aramaicthe original language of the logionis feminine!;
Gen 3:16, Ex 18:2, Th 22!; cp. (remarkably) English tom-boy; The 1001 Nights, I: Rely not on women, trust not to their
hearts!; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, VI.12: Souls are neither male nor female when they no longer marry nor are
given in marriage [Lk 20:34-36]; and is not woman transformed into man, when she is become equally unfeminine, and
manly, and perfect?; Saul Bellow, The Old System, Mosby's Memoirs and Other Stories: She might smell like a woman,
but she acted like a man.
108

22

Egyptian via Coptic include pharaoh (Coptic p.r-ro: the-king, P080/C299ausually interpreted otherwise1); adobe
(Coptic twwbe: brick, C398a; via Arabic and Spanish); oasis (from Egyptian via Greek; Coptic parallel oua6e,
C508b); barge (Coptic baare, via Gk [Liddell & Scott, Biblio. 19+23: a flat-bottomed boat, used in Egypt],
C042a); and manna (Coptic moone: to feed, C173a). C... and P... are references to pages/sections in Crums Dictionary and Plumleys Grammar (Biblio. 5+6).
Adam (46/85): Heb Md) (blood-red, clay)the original human and/or generic mankind.
Aesop (102/109): crippled Gk slave who flourished in the 6th-century BC and was executed at Delphi for impiety,
whose Fables were well-known thruout the ancient world; the only non-Israelite other than the Delphic Oracle (Recognize thyself: Th 3) whom Christ is known to have quoted, as also in Lk 4:23 (moral from The Quack Frog), Mt
7:15 (The Wolf in Sheeps Clothing) and various other allusions.
All (77): see Totality.
Bear (101): interpolated Coptic text (image of the papyri: www.metalog.org/files/pap.gif):

ta.maau gar nta.[s.mise pa.swma eb]ol

P050-C197a Gk P202+P186b-P035-C185a P050-Gk C034a

My.mother for did.[she.bear my.body for]th.

Bed (61b, NB as also in 61a): the Coptic text here is:

a.k.telo e`m- pa.glog

P199a-P035-C408b C757a P050-C815a

Did.thou[masc].lay upon my.bed.

This last term is the one and only Sahidic Coptic word for bed. Pace Guillaumont et alia (Biblio. 7), it does not mean
bench, which would be poi (C260b); nor does it mean sofa, for which there are several terms listed in the English
index of Crum under couch, e.g. ma n-.nkotk (place of-reclining, C225a)thus in the Sahidic version of Ac 5:15,
glog is used for and ma n-.nkotk for (my thanks to Hany Takla for this reference).
Blest (7/18/19/49/54/58/68/69a/69b/79/103): Gk ; (see Note 2 in the hyperlinear of logion 7); Mt 5:3 et
passim.
Bridal-Chamber (75/104): Copt ma n-.4eleet (place of-bride; C153a/560b) = Gk = Heb rdx (kheder);
the bedroom where the marriage is consummated (Jud 15:1, Ps 19:5/45:13-15!, S-of-S 1:4, Jn 3:29!, Mt 9:15 [
, the Sons of the Bridal-Chamber], 25:1-13)see Sacrament in Ph Notes and Ph 65/71/72/73/82/94/101/
108/131/143.
Defile (7): Copt bht (from bwte, to pollute, be abominable; C045b) see Defilement in Ph Notes.
Dogmatists (39/102): Aram My#wrp (perushm, Pharisees: separated); ubiquitous dogmatic Jewish clerics of that
time, the religious party of Paul of Tarsus; Mt 5:20/23:1-39, Ac 26:5.
Everything (6/67): see Totality.
Gnostic (5): re the blatant anti-Gnosticism of these texts, see Incarnate, Recognition and Are the Coptic Gospels
Gnostic?; Gnosticism is by definition metaphysically Platonic, maintaining that the perceptible universe and thus all
incarnation are untrustworthy or even illusory; our texts, on the contrary, share the Biblical view that both the universe
and our incarnations are divinely created.
Heaven (20/44/114): see Sky.
Image/Imagery (22/50/83/84): Gk (similitude) = Heb Mlc (tselem, from lc [tsel, shadow]; Gen 1:26); sensory perceptions and/or mental images, the five senses (Th 19!) together with memory and the imagination; see Angel,
Image and Symbol.
Incarnate (28): Copt 6n- sarc (in fleshutilizing the same Gk term as Jn 1:14, ); thus blatantly anti-Gnostic; see Gnostic.
Inspire (114): Copt sok (to draw, beguile, gather or impel [not merely lead, but rather attract]: C325b); as in the
Sahidic version of Jn 6:44!! (Gk ); in Th 8, this same verb is used to mean to draw a net up out of the sea.
Jacob the Righteous (12): Heb bq(y (yakov: heeler, supplanter; Gen 25:26) = Gk = English James;
the human brother of Yeshua (Mk 6:3, Jn 7:5, Ac 1:14/12:17, Jas 1:1) , subsequently Elder of the Convocation in Jerusalem.
John the Baptist (46/78): John = Heb Nnxwy (yokhanan: Yah is gracious); the last Heb prophet and the Messianic
1

Egyptian pr-o [C267a/253a], great house. (F. Brown, S.R. Driver, C. Briggs, based upon Wilhelm Gesenius, HebrewAramaic and English Lexicon of the Old Testament; included in Biblio. 23.)

23

precursor (Lk 1/3/7); proclaimed the supremely innovative doctrine of forgiveness following repentance (Mk 1:4)thus
forgiveness cancels bad karma!; see Oracle, Ph 73/81/133, Baptism in Ph Notes, Logoi in Tr Notes.
Kind (65): see Vintage.
Logos/Meaning/Saying (Prolog/1/19/38/79): Gk (concept+expression) = Copt 4a`e (C612b) = Heb rm)
(amr) = Aram )rmym (memra); cf. Heraclitus, the Stoics and Philo of Alexandria; Lk 8:11, Jn 1:14, Rev/Ap 19:13;
English meaning derives from Anglo-Saxon mnan: to have in mind, mention, conceive+expressthe exact sense
of both logos and memra; Jn 1:1 thus reads In (the) Origin was the Meaning.
Lord/Master (47a/64/65/73/74): Heb Nwd) (adn) = Gk = Copt `oeis (C787b); slave-owner; Ph 2.
Mariam (21/114): Heb Myrm (from Mwrm, mrom: exalted [Strongs 04791]; Ex 2:4/15:20); five females named Mariam appear in the Gospels: the Virgin, Mariam of Magdala, Mariam of Bethany, Mariam of Cleopas, and Mariam the
human sister of Yeshua (Mc 6:3, Ph 36); the LXX as well as the oldest and best manuscripts of e.g. Jn 20 (vs.1 [) A],
vs.11 [p66c )], vs.16 [) B], vs.18 [p66 ) B]) provide the correct transliteration of this (Semitic) name into Gk letters:
.
Matthew (13): Heb hy-Ntm (mattan-yah: gift of Yah); the Apostle/Evangelist, also named Levi of Alphaeus (see
Levi in Ph Notes, Mk 2:14), brother of the Apostle Jacob of Alphaeus; Mt 10:3 etc.
Mind, Change of (28): Gk (be with-mind, be wholeminded, after-mind, reconsider) = Heb bw# (shub:
turn around, return); Ps 7:12/22:27, Mt 3:1-2/4:17, Lk 3:2-14 ; the initial message of both John the Baptist and Christ; this
important term metanoia (mindfulness) contrasts with paranoia (beside-mind, mindlessness)it does not signify a
mere feeling of remorse, which is (with/after-sentiment), but rather a new mentality.
Natural (90): see Vintage.
Oracle/Prophet (31/52/88): Gk = Heb )ybn (nbi); a divine spokesperson, not merely predictive; note
that there are 24 books in the Heb canon of the OT, and also 24 Prophets including John the Baptist (see IV-Ezra 14:45,
Rev/Ap 4:4).
Origin (18): Gk ; a term from the pre-Socratic Gk philosophers, meaning not a temporal beginning but rather
the primary element or foundation of reality (thus in Gen 1:1 LXX, Mk 1:1, Jn 1:1).
Philosopher (13): Gk (fond of wisdom); this word (coined by the pre-Socratic Pythagoras) has no
precise Heb/Aram equivalent, and thus Matthew himself may have used the Gk word; but see the parallel term at Job
9:4, bbl Mkx (khakam liba), wise in heart.
Prophet (52/88): see Oracle.
Rabbi (12): Heb ybr (my great-one) = Copt no2 (great, C250a); a spiritual authority; Jn 1:38/3:26, Mt 23:7.
Recognition (3/5/39/43/51/56/67/69a/78/80/91/105): Copt sooun (C369b) = Gk (gnosis); this important term
means direct personal acquaintance rather than mere intellectual knowledge, as in Jn 17:25 and I-Jn 4:7; see Th 5, Ph
116/122/134, Tr 1/4/6 etc., Incarnate and Gnostic; NB Bertrand Russells celebrated Theory of Descriptions, wherein
the essential distinction is drawn between Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Descriptionmade necessary in English by its use of know for both meanings; other languages utilize two separate terms, e.g. Spanish conocer (from ), to be acquainted with, versus saber (from Latin SAPERE, to be wise), to know about.
Repose (2/50/51/60/90): Gk (up-ceasing); Ex 23:12, Isa 28:12, Mt 11:28; see also Th 27.
Sabbath (27): Heb tb# (shabat: repose); the (7th) day of rest; Ex 21:8-11, Lk 6:1-11, Tr 7/33see the pericope Lk
6:4+ in Codex D (05) [Bezae]: That same day, he saw someone working on the Sabbath,* he said to him: Man, if indeed you understand what you are doing, you are blest; if indeed you do not understand, you are accursed and a transgressor of the Torah; Nestle-Aland, Biblio. 20, textual notes (*asyndeton).
Sacred Spirit (44): Heb #dqh xwr (ruakh ha-qodesh, Spirit the-Holy; feminine gender) Gk
(neuter gender) Copt p.pneuma et.ouaab (P080, masculine gender; as also Latin SPIRITUS SANCTUS); see
Spirit and The Maternal Spirit.
Salome (37n/61b): Heb tymwl# (shlomit: peaceful); a female Disciple (Mk 15:40-41/16:1-8); Ph 59!/79!
Samaritan (60): those Northern Kingdom Israelites not deported to Babylon and hence lacking the later OT
scriptures (I-Ki 16:24, II-Ki 17), therefore in post-Exilic times considered heretics (as in Lk 10:25-37, Jn 4:1-42).
Saying (Prolog/1/19/38): see Logos.
Scripturalist (39): Gk (scribe); Mt 23:1-39 etc.
Secret/Hidden/Concealed (Prolog/5/6/32/33/39/83/96/108/109): Copt 6wp (C695a); this is the term used e.g. in Sahidic
Mt 13:35.
Shimon Kefa (13/114): Heb Nw(m# (Shimn: hearing, Gen 29:33); Aram )pyk (kefa) = Gk (bedrock)
the chief Apostle, Simon Peter (Mt 10:2/16:15-19).

24

Sky/Heaven (3/6/9/11/12/20/44/54/91/111/114): Copt pe (C259a) = Gk = Heb Mym# (shamayim; plural);

note that sky = heaven in all three languages.
Spirit (14/29/44/53/114): Heb xwr (rakh: feminine gender!) = Aram )xwr (rkha) Gk (neuter!)
Latin SPIRITUS (masculine!); in all these languages the word for spirit derives from breath or wind (Gen 2:7, Isa
57:16, Jn 3:5-8); see Sacred Spirit and Commentary 2.
Thomas (Prolog/13/Colophon): Aram Mw)t (taom) = Gk (duplicate, twin); the Apostle Didymos Judas
Thomas, author of this text (Jn 11:16/20:24-29/21:2); Judas Heb hdwhy (yehda): praised = Arabic hammad as in
Nag Hammadi (village of-praise) and Mohammed (great-praise), the Ishmaelite prophet: Gen 16-17/21:1-21/25:1218, Zech 9:6-7!, as well as not only the Arabic Qurn but also the absolutely essential Hadith (www.metalog.org/files/
hadith.html).
Totality/Everything/the All (2/6/67/77): Copt thr.3 (all of-him/it, C424a).
Transgression (14/104): Copt nobe (C222a) = Gk = Heb t)+x (khatat): moral error, sin = violation of
the Torah (the term sin has no other meaning, either in Biblical times or thereafter); see Perfect, Torah and Defilement in Ph Notes.
Transient (42): Gk (by-led); someone led past, passer-by, itinerantsee Hebrew in Ph Notes.
Trees (19): the five trees may well refer to the five senses ( NB that all emotions are presumably symbolic
feelings, hence sentiments); see Tr 28 and Angel, Image and Symbol; it is noteworthy that the olive tree in particular
does not shed its leaves annually.
Vintage/Kind/Natural (47b/65/90): Gk (useful, vintage, benevolent, mild, easy), Ph 126; the ancients
often confused this common term with the rare (anointed, as were Gk athletes), with reference to the Hebrew
Messiah.
War (16): Gk ; nowadays, one might well interpret the stars falling from the sky (Isa 34:4, Mk 13:25,
Rev/Ap 6:13/8:6-12 ff.) as nuclear warfare, since hydrogen bombs are literally small man-made stars; within this generation in Lk 21:24-32 is explicitly to be counted from the reconquest of Jerusalem (June 1967) and therefore not from
the founding of the modern State of Israel (May 1948); a OT Israelite generation could range from forty years (Num
14:33, Dt 2:14) to one hundred years (Gen 15:13-16). The impending military/ecological apocalypse is evidently not a
parable.
Wickedness (45): Gk ; this term has a root meaning of hard work or laborious drudgery, thus oppressive
or exploitative; Christs specific listing of 12 evils, at Mk 7:22-23: (1) : prostitution (see Ph Notes), any sexuality explicitly forbidden by the Torah; (2) : theft; (3) : homicide; (4) : adultery; (5)
: selfishness; (6) : malice; (7) : deceit; (8) : lechery [literally: un-moon-leading!];
(9) : envious/jealous/selfish eye [Dt 15:9, Mt 20:15]; (10) : derision; (11)
: pride; (12) : foolishness [literally: divided mind, ambivalence; Rev/Ap 3:15-16!].
World-System (10/16/21/24/27/28/51/56/80/110/111): Gk (arrangement, order); originally the pre-Socratic
philosopher Pythagoras had used this term to designate the entire natural universe, as in cosmos; but in the Gospel
koin (later common Gk) it had also come to signify the conventionality or artificiality of the human social system, as
in cosmetic; see Lk 2:1/4:5-6/12:30-31.
Yeshua (Prologue et passim): Aram (w#y (Yesha) = Heb (w#why (Yehshua); from (#y-hwhy (YHWH ysha: He-Is
Savior); Josh 1:1, Ezra 5:2 (Aram form), Mt 1:21, Ph 20a; this name could not be accurately transcribed in Gk, which
lacks the SH sound; in the Gk and Copt uncial manuscripts it was generally abbreviated i\s\ or i\h\s\; see also the second
commandment as written on tablets of the Decalogue: hyhy, He Is (qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular of
hyh, to be): www.metalog.org/files/decalogue.jpg, www.metalog.org/files/synagogue.jpg.
Yoga (90): Copt na6b (yoke, C726); here, as in the canonical Gospels, meaning ones spiritual discipline (the cognate Sanskrit term yoga conveys this sense quite well); see Ph 79.

Hebrew person makes a (convert) Hebrew, and they call him thus: a novice (proselyte). Yet a novice
does not make (another) novice. [...] (The instructed) were not (formerly) as they (now) are, a [...] and they make
others [... to receive like themselves.] It suffices to those (others) that they shall be. 1

1.

1 a

Lk 6:40, Th 19!; Mt 23:15, Ac 2:10/6:5; Hui-neng (China, 638-706 AD), The Platform Scripture (Tan Ching), 30: When
deluded people understand and open up their minds, they are no longer different from the superior and wise; hyperlin ears of

25

2. The slave seeks only to be set free, yet he does not seek after the estate of his master. Yet the son not only acts
as a son, but also the father ascribes the inheritance to him. 2

Those who inherit the dead are themselves dead, and they inherit the dead. Those who inherit the Living-One
are alive, and they inherit both the living and the dead. The dead do not inherit anything. For how will the dead inherit? When the dead inherits the Living-One, he shall not die; but rather the dead shall instead live. 3

3.

A nationalist does not die, for he has never lived so that he could die. a Whoever has trusted the truth (became)
aliveand this-one is in danger of dying (as a martyr), for he is alive since the day that the Christ came. 4

4.

5.

The system is invented, the cities are constructed, the dead carried out. 5

In the days when we were Hebrews we were left fatherless a, having only our Mother (the Sacred Spirit). Yet
when we became Christics (Messianics), Father came to be with Mother for us. 6

6.

Those who sow in the winter reap in the summer. The winter is the world, a the summer is the other aeon. Let
us sow in the world so that we will harvest in the summer. Because of this, it is appropriate for us not to pray in
the wintertime. What emerges from the winter is the summer. Yet if anyone reaps in the winter he will not harvest
but rather uproot, as this method will not produce fruit. Not only does it [not come forth in winter], but in the
other Sabbath also his field is fruitless.7

7.

The Christ came! Some indeed he ransoms, yet others he saves, yet for others he atones. Those who were
alienated he ransomed,a he brought them to himself. And he saved those who came to himthese he set as
pledges in his desire. Not only when he was revealed did he appoint the soul as he desired, but since the day of the
worlds origin he appointed the soul. At the time he desires he came first to fetch it, since it was placed among the
pledges. It came to be under the bandits and they took it captive. Yet he saved it, and he atoned for both the good
and the evil in the world.8

8.

The light with the darkness, life with death, the right with the left are brothers one to another. It is not possible
for them to be separated from one another. Because of this, neither are the good good, nor are the evils evil, nor is
the life a life, nor is death a death. Therefore each individual shall be resolved into his origin from (the) beginning. Yet those exalted above the world are immortal (and a) are in eternity. 9

9.

The names which are given by the worldlytherein is a great confusion. For their hearts are turned away
from the real unto the unreal. And he who hears the (word) God does not think of the real, but rather he is made
to think of the unreal. So also with (the words) the Father and the Son and the Sacred Spirit and the Life
and the Light and the Resurrection and the Convocation [and] all the other (words)they do not think of
the real, but rather they are made to think of the [un]real. [...] Moreover they have learned the [all-human] reality
of death. They are in the system, a [they are made to think of the unreal]. If they were in eternity, they would not
have designated anything as a worldly evil, nor would they have been placed within worldly events. There is a
destiny for them in eternity. 10

10.

all Philip logia: www.metalog.org/files/ph_ interlin.html.

2
Gen 15:2-3, Pro 17:2, Jn 8:35, Th 72.
3
Th 111.
4
Gen 12:1-3, Isa 40:17, Mt 24:9; aDante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Inferno, III.64: These wretches, who had never truly
lived; Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly: It really makes little difference when such a man dies; he has never lived.
5
Asyndeton; Gen 4:17, Isa 40:17, Rev/Ap 18, Lk 9:60, Ph 105; Percy Bysshe Shelley, Peter Bell the Third, III.1: Hell is a
city much like London; Thomas Merton, Raids on the Unspeakable: [There is] one basic lie: only the city is real.
6 a
Gk , but Heb Mwty and Aram )mty mean only fatherless, not also motherless.
7a
Asyndeton; Mt 6:1-6, Th 14/27/104!
8 a
Asyndeton; Mk 10:45, Jn 10:17-18; St Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 47 [ca. 160 AD]: Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
As I find you, thus shall I judge you.
9 a
Asyndeton; Isa 45:7, Lam 3:38; Sren Kierkegaard, Either/Or: The true eternity is not located after either/or, but before
it; cp. the Chinese Tao.
10
Isa 5:20!; aasyndeton; note this extraordinary analysis of commonplace religious language as itself both perverted and perverting; Samuel Beckett, Endgame: I use the words you taught me. If they don't mean anything any more, teach me others.

26

One single Name they do not utter in the worldthe Name which the Father bestowed upon himself by means
of the Son, this existent Name of the Father, (which) he exalts over all. a For the Son could not become the Father,
unless he were given the Name of the Father. This existing Name they are made to have in thought, yet nonetheless they speak it not. b Yet those who do not have it, cannot even think it. But the truth engendered words in
the world for our sake. It would not be possible to learn it without words. 11

11.

12. She alone is the truth. She makes (the) multitude, and concerning us she teaches this alone in a love thru
many. 12

The authorities desired to deceive humankind, because they perceived him being in a kinship with the truly
good. They took the word good, they applied it to the ungood, so that thru words they might deceive him and
bind (him) to the ungood. And subsequently, when these who have recognized themselves receive grace, the
(words) are withdrawn from the ungood and applied to the good. For (the authorities) had desired to take the free
(person), to keep him enslaved to themselves forever. There are powers entrusted to humans. (The authorities) do
not want him [to recognize] (himself), so that they will become [masters] over him. For if there is mankind, there
is [slavery]. 13

13.

14. Sacrifices began [...], and animals were offered up to the powers. [...] They were offered up to them still alive
they were indeed offered up living. Yet (when a) they were offered up, they died. (But) the human b was offered
up dead to Godand he lived.14

Before the Christ came, there was no bread in the world as (there had been) in paradise, the place where
Adam was. It had many plants as nourishment for the wild animals, (but a) it had no wheat as food for humankind;
the human was nourished like the wild animals. But the Christ was sent, the perfect person. He brought bread
from heaven, so that humankind could be nourished with the food of humankind. 15

15.

The authorities were thinking that by their own power and volition they enact what they do. Yet the Sacred
Spirit in secret was (all along) energizing everything thru them as she wishes. 16

16.

The truth, which exists from the origin, is sown everywhere, and the multitude see it being sownwhile yet
few who see it reap it.17

17.

Some say that Mariam was impregnated by the Sacred Spirit. They are confused, a they know not what they
say. Whenever has a female been impregnated by a female? Mariam is the virgin whom no power has defiled,
as she is of grandeur among the consecrations for the Hebrew Apostles and for the Apostolics. Whoever of the
powers (attempts to) defile this virgin, [... such] powers are (merely) defiling themselves. And the Lord was not
going to say my Father [in] the heavens, as if he indeed had another fatherbut rather he said simply [my
Father].18

18.

The Lord says to the Disciples: [...] Indeed come into the house of the Father, (but a) do not possess (anything)
nor likewise remove (anything) from the house of the Father. 19

19.

Or let me be silent; see Ph 13 and Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, V.14: We are not to think of God according to the
opinion of the multitude.
11
! Jn 17; aTh 77, Tr 45; bas in I-Ki 19:12, where hqd hmmd lwq means calm silent voice.
12
Ph 6/18/40.
13
Isa 5:20, Ph 10; Henry David Thoreau, Walden: The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be
bad; Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The First Circle: A prisoner ... who has risen to that stage of development where the bad
begins to appear the good.
14 a
Asyndeton; bChrist/Christic.
15 a
Asyndeton; Ps 78:25, Jn 6:30-59; NB: in Mt 6:11its sole occurrence in either classical or koin Greek
literaturemeans super-substantial, not daily.
16
Jer 25:8-9, Jn 19:11!
17
Mt 22:14, Th 21.
18 a
Asyndeton; =Lk 2:48-49!!, Ph 6; Odes of St Solomon, 19:6, The Spirit opened the womb of the Virgin.
19 a
Asyndeton; Jn 14:2; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, V.10.64, attributes to the Savior this saying: My mystery is for me
and for the Sons of my House.

27

Yesha is a personal name, the Christ is a common noun. a Thus Yesha indeed does not occur in any
(other) languages, but rather his name is Yesha as he is called. Yet his name Christ in Aramaic is
Messiah, but in Ionian is: . Altogether, all of the remainder have (the Anointed) according to the
particular language of each one.20a

20a.

20b.
21.

The revealed Nazarene is the secret! 20b

The Christ has everything within himselfwhether human or angel or mystery, and (also) the Father. 21

Those who say that the Lord first died and then arose, are confused. For first he arose and (then) he died. If
someone first acquires the resurrection, he will not die; (as) God lives, that one was [not] going to [die]. 22

22.

23. No one will hide a thing of great value in something conspicuous, but oftentimes has one placed (things worth)
countless myriads in something worth a pittance. Thus it is with the soulsomething precious came to be in a
body scorned as shameful.23
24. There are some made fearful lest they arise naked. Therefore they desire to arise in the flesh, and they do not
know that those who wear the flesh are the denuded. These who are made [into light] (by) divesting themselves
(of the flesh), are they who are not nakeda.24

(Paul claims that) flesh [and blood will not be able] to inherit the Sovereignty [of God]. a What is this which
shall not inherit? This which is upon every one of us? Yet this is rather what will inheritthat which belongs to
Yeshua with his blood. Therefore he says: He who eats not my flesh and drinks not my blood, has no life within
him.b What is his flesh? It is the Logos; and his blood is the Sacred Spirit. c He who has received these has food
and drink and clothing. I myself rebuke those others who say that (the flesh) shall not arise. (For) both of these are
in error: Thou say that the flesh shall not arise, but tell me what will arise so that I may honor thee; thou say it is
the spirit in the flesh and this other light in the flesh(but d) this also is an incarnate saying. Whatever thou will
say, thou do not say anything apart from the flesh! e It is necessary to arise in this flesh, (as d) everything exists
within itf.25

25.

In this world they who wear garments a are more valuable than the garments. In the Sovereignty of the Heavens
the garmentsb are more valuable than those whom they have clothed thru water with fire, which purify the entire
place.26

26.

The revelations thru those who reveal,a the secrets thru those who hide (them). Some (things) are kept secret by
those who reveal.27

27.

28.

There is water in a (Baptism of) water, a there is fire in a Chrism. 28

29.

Yeshua took them all by surprise. For he did not reveal himself as he [truly] was, but rather he has revealed

20a

Lk 1:31; aliterally secret/revealed name, but the sense seems to be proper/common noun.
Lk 4:16-30, Th 108.
21
Lk 17:21, Jn 17:21-23, Th 3.
22
Lk 20:36, Jn 11:26, Th 29.
23
Porphyry, On the Life of Plotinus, 1: Plotinus ... seemed ashamed of being in the body; Gen 3:7, Job 10:11, Th 29/37.
24 a
Because they are clad in the images; Ph 26/85; Odes of St Solomon, 25:8, I was clothed with the covering of thy Spirit,
and thou removed from me my garment of skin.
25 a
=I-Cor 15:50!; b=Jn 6:53!; cPh 106!; dasyndeton; ean astonishing philosophical argumentemphatically anti-Gnostic and
explicitly anti-Pauline; Job 19:25, Isa 26:19, Dan 12:2, Lk 24:39, Jn 5:25-26, Ac 4:33, Rev/Ap 20:11-13; Averroes, Tahafut
al Tahafut, About the Natural Sciences, II: The soul can only exist through the body; Moses Maimonides, The Guide for the
Perplexed, I.51: Man is [essentially] a speaking animal; fNorman O. Brown, The Resurrection of the Body: Tertullian
[writes]: Resurget igitur caro, et quidem omnis, et quidem ipsa, et quidem integraThe body will rise again, all of the body,
the identical body, the entire body.
26 a
Of materials; bof images; Ps 104:2!, Ph 24/85.
27 a
Asyndeton; Mt 13:10-15, Rev/Ap 10:4!, Th prolog 62/108; Henry James, The Death of the Lion: Wasnt an immediate
exposure of everything just what the public wanted?
28
Mt 3:11; aasyndeton.
20b

28

himself as [they will] be able essentially to perceive him. They were susceptible to dying, (but a) he revealed himself to them. [He revealed himself] to the great as great, he revealed himself to the small as small, he [revealed
himself to the] angels as an angel and to mankind as (a) man. Thus his Logos concealed him from everyone.
Some indeed saw him, thinking they were seeing themselves. But (when a) he revealed himself to his Disciples in
glory upon the mountain, he was not made small. He became great, but he (also) made the Disciples great so that
they would be capable of beholding him made great.29
He said on that day in the Eucharist: Oh Thou who have mated the Perfect Light with the Sacred Spirit, a
mate also our angels with the images!30
30.

Do not disdain the Lamb, for without him it is not possible to see the door. No one divested will be able to
enter unto the King.31

31.

The Sons of the Celestial Person are more numerous than those of the earthly person. If the sons of Adam are
numerous although they invariably die, how many more are the Sons of the Perfect Person!these who do not die
but rather are continually being born.32

32.

33. The Father creates (a) Son, but it is not possible for the Son himself to create (a) son. For it is impossible for
him who is begotten, himself to begetbut rather, the Son begets for himself Brothers, not sons. 33

All those who are begotten within the system are begotten physically, and the others are begotten [spiritually].
Those begotten in His heart [call forth] there to humankind, in order to nourish them in the promise [of the goal]
which is above.34

34.

35. [Grace comes] forth from him thru the mouth, the place where the Logos came forth; (one) was to be nourished from the mouth and to become perfected. The perfect are conceived thru a kiss and they are born. Therefore we also are motivated to kiss one anotherto receive conception from within our mutual grace. 35

There were three Mariams who walked with the Lord at all times: his mother and [his] sister and (the) Magdalenethis one who is called his Companion. Thus his (true) Mother and Sister and Mate a is (also called)
Mariam.36
36.

The Father and the Son are single names, the Sacred Spirit is a double name. For they are everywhere
above and below, secretly and manifestly. The Sacred Spirit is in the revealed, she is below, she is in the hidden,
she is above.37
37.

The Saints are served by the oppressive powers, for (the latter) are blinded by the Sacred Spirit, so that they
will think they are assisting a human when they are serving the Saints. Because of this, (when a) a Disciple one day
made request of the Lord regarding a thing of the world, he says to him: Request of thy Mother, and she will give b
to thee from that which belongs to another.38
38.

39.

The Apostles say to the Disciples: May our entire offering obtain salt! They called [wisdom] saltwithout

29

Mt 17:1-8; aasyndeton.
NB in Heb/Aram the word light [rw), or] is masculine, while spirit [xwr, rakh] is feminine.
31
Jn 1:36.
32
Gen 2:17, Ecc 5:16, Jn 1:13/11:26; Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ: We continue to be born; Bob Dylan,
Its Alright Ma: He not busy being born is busy dying.
33
Ps 2:7, Jn 20:17, Th 25, Ph 45!
34
Jn 1:12-13.
35
I-Sam 20:41, Pro 24:26, Th 108, Ph 59.
36 a
The Sacred Spirit; Mk 3:35, Th 101, Ph 59.
37
Ph 74c; the Father is above and hidden, the Son is below and revealed, the Sacred Spirit is both above and below, both
hidden and manifest; Mundaka Upanishad: That immortal Brahman alone is in front, that Brahman is behind, that Brahman
is to the right and left; Brahman alone pervades everything above and below. This universe is that Supreme Brahman alone.
38 a
Asyndeton; bMt 6:11, .
30 a

29

it no offering becomes acceptable.39

Yet wisdom is barren [without (a)] Sonhence [she] is called [the Mother]. They [...] a in salt, the place where
they shall [be as they were]they themselves being found by the Sacred Spirit, [the True Mother who] multiplies
her Sons.40

40.

41. That which the Father possesses belongs to the Son. And also he himself, the Son, as long as he remains small,
those (things) which are his are not entrusted to him. (But) when he matures, a all that his Father possesses he
bestows upon him.41
42. Those who stray are begotten by the Spirit, and they also go astray thru her. Thus by this same breath, the fire
(both) blazes and is extinguished.42

Wisdoma is one thing, and deathb is another. Wisdom (in Aramaic) is simply wisdom (in Greek), yet the
wisdom of death is (itself) dead. This which is the wisdom with death, which is from the acquaintance with death
this is called the minor wisdom.43

43.

There are animals submissive to mankind, such as the calf and the donkey and others of this kind. There are
others not submissive,a isolated in the wilds. The human plows in the field by means of the submissive animals,
and by this he feeds himself as well as the animalswhether domesticated or wild. b So it is with the Perfect
Person: thru the submissive powers he plows, providing to cause the existence of everything. For because of this
the entire place standswhether the good or the evil, both the right and the left. The Sacred Spirit pastures everyone and commands all the powers, the submissive as well as the rebellious and isolated. For truly She continues
[at all times] to control them [beyond] the desire of their abilities. [...] 44

44.

[Adam] was formed (anda) [he begot], (buta) thou will [not] find his sons to be noble formations. b If he were
not formed but rather begotten, thou would have found his seed to be made noble. Yet now he has been formed,
(anda) he has begotten. What nobility is this?45

45.

Adultery occurred first, then murder. And (Cain) was begotten in adultery, for he was the son of the serpent. a
Therefore he became a manslayer just like his other b father (the serpent), and he killed his brother (Abel). Yet
every mating which has occurred between those who are dissimilar is adultery. 46
46.

God is a dyer. Just as the good pigments which are called permanent then label the things which have been
dyed in them, so it is with those whom God has colored. Because his hues are imperishable, (those who are tinted)
become immortal thru his hands coloring. Yet whomever he baptizes, God immerses in an inundation of
watersa.47

47.

It is not possible for anyone to see anything of those that are established, unless he has become like them. Not
as with the person in the world: he sees the sun without being made a sun, and he sees the sky and the earth and
all other things without having been made into them. a But in the truth it is thusthou saw something of that place,

48.

39

Lev 2:13, Num 18:19, II-Chr 13:5, Mk 9:49-50, Lk 7:35/11:49/21:15, Ac 6:3.

I have been unable to interpolate this important word; see www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin/ph40.html; Pro 8, Isa 54:1,
Lk 7:35, Th 49/101.
41 a
Literally becomes a man; Th 61b, Ph 2; Sren Kierkegaard, Either/Or: An heir, even if he were heir to the treasures of
the whole world, does not possess them before he has come of age.
42
Pro 16:4, Isa 45:7, Lam 3:38, Jn 19:11!; Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub, VIII: The same Breath which had kindled, and
blew up the Flame of Nature, should one Day blow it out.
43 a
Aram tmkx [khokmat] = Heb hmkx [khokmah]: wisdom; bHeb twm [mut]: die.
44 a
Asyndeton; bPro 14:4, Jas 3:7!, Ph 62; Ecc 7:14, Ph 9/42/72.
45 a
Asyndeton; bPh 46; Gen 2:7/4:1, Ph 33!
46 a
I.e. born of the pretense called human, rather than divine, generation; bthat is, other than his true Father, God; in the
context of the story in Gen 3-4, this other father cannot be Adamwho could not have been a murderer at that point of
time, there supposedly being as yet no other humans on the earth; Ecc 11:5!!, Jn 8:31-59!, I-Jn 3:12!, Th 105; see
Theogenesis.
47 a
I.e. a flood of images; Ph 58.
40 a

30

thou came to be among those there. Thou saw the Spirit, b thou became spiritual; thou saw the Christ, b thou
became Christlike; thou saw [the Father, b thou] shall become paternal. Thus [in the world] thou indeed see everything and [thou] do not [see thy self], yet thou see thy self in that [place]. For what thou see, thou shall become. 48
Faith receives,a love gives. [No one can receive] without faith, a no one can give without love. Therefore we believe so that indeed we shall receive, yet we give so that we shall love. Otherwise, if one gives without love, he
derives no benefit from having given.49

49.

50.

Whoever has not received the Lord, continues still among the Hebrews. 50

51. The Apostles who preceded us called (him) thus: Yeshua the Nazirite Messiahthis is Yeshua the Nazirite
Christ. The last name is the Christ, the first is Yeshua, that in the middle is the Nazirite. Messiah has two references: both the anointed and also the measured. Yeshua in Hebrew is the atonement. Nazara is the truth,
therefore the Nazirite is the true. The Christ is the measured, the Nazirite and Yeshua are the measurement. 51

The pearl which is cast down into the mire is not despised, nor if it is anointed with balsam oil is it (more)
valued, but rather it has its great worth to its owner at all times. So it is with the Sons of Godwhatever happens
to them, in their heart they still have honor with their Father. 52

52.

If thou say Im a Jewno one will be moved. If thou say Im a Romanno one will be disturbed. If thou
say Im a Greek, a barbarian, a slave, a freemanno one will be troubled. If thou [say] Im a Christic
[everyone] shall heed.a May it occur that I have [received from him] in this manner, this which [the worldly] shall
not be able to withstand when [they hear] this name! 53

53.

(A) god is a cannibal. Because of this, mankind [is sacrificed] to it. Before mankind was sacrificed, animals
were being sacrificed. For these to which they are sacrificed are not divinities. 54

54.

Vessels of glass and vessels of pottery always come forth thru fire. But if glass vessels break they are recast,
(fora) they had come to be by means of a breath; b yet if pottery vessels break they are destroyed, for they had
come to be without breath.55

55.

A donkey turning at a millstone did a hundred miles walking. (When a) it had been released, it found itself still
in the same place. There are persons who take many journeys and make no progress anywhere. When evening
came upon them, they discerned neither city nor village, neither creation nor nature, neither power nor angel. In
vain did the wretches toil!56

56.

57. The Eucharist is Yeshua. For in Aramaic they call him farisatha (#rp)this is, the out-spread. For Yeshua
came to crucify the world.57

The Lord went into the dyeworks of Levi. He took 72 complexions,a he threw them into the vat. He brought
them all up white, and he says: This is how the Son of Mankind has come to youas (a) dyer b.58

58.

The wisdom which (humans) call barren is herself the Mother of the Angels. a And the companion of the
[Christ] is Mariam the Magdalene. The [Lord loved] Mariam more than [all the (other)] Disciples, [and he] kissed

59.
48 a

Ps 8:3-4; basyndeton.
Asyndeton; I-Jn 4:16.
50
Th 43, Ph 6/108.
51
Num 6:1-8, Jud 13:5Mt 2:23, Ph 20a.
52
Job 30:19, Jer 38:6.
53 a
Th 2!; Ac 5:41 versus 22:25.
54
Isa 44:9-20!, Ph 14.
55
Gen 2:7, Jn 20:22; aasyndeton; b=spirit; ceramics can only be recast before firing: Jer 18:4-10/19:11.
56
Ps 127:2, Ecc 2:11; aasyndeton; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, I.8.41, attributes to the Savior this saying: These are
they who ply their looms and weave nothing.
57
Odes of St Solomon, 27:1-2, I stretched out my hands and sanctified my Lord; for the extension of my hands is his sign.
58
Isa 1:18, Ph 47; aasyndeton; bof the images; cp. equalization in Th 61b; Gen 10 LXX lists 72 nations in all the world; also,
Lk 10:1 in MSS p75 B D[05] mentions 72 Disciples.
49 a

31

her often on her [mouth].b The other [women] saw his love for Mariam, c they say to him: Why do thou love [her]
more than all of us? The Savior replied,c he says to them: Why do I not love you as (I do) her?59
(While) a blind (person) and one who sees are both in the dark, they do not differ from one another. When the
light comes, then he who sees shall behold the light, and he who is blinded shall remain in the darkness. 60

60.

61.

The Lord says: Blest is he who is before he comes into Being!a For he who is, both was and shall be.61

The exaltation of mankind is not manifest but rather is implicit. Because of this he is master of the animals
which are stronger than himwho is greater than them both manifestly and implicitly. And this gives to them
their survival. Yet (whena) mankind separates from them, they kill each other and gnaw each other and devour
each other, because they find no food. Yet they have found food, now that mankind has cultivated the earth. 62

62.

If one goes down into the water (of Baptism) and comes back up without having received anything, saying
Im a Christic, he has taken the name on loan. Yet if he receives the Sacred Spirit, he has the gift of the name.
He who has received a gift is not deprived of it, but he who has taken a loan has it demanded from him. 63

63.

64. This is how it is when one exists in a mystery: the Sacrament of Marriage is grand. For the world is complex
[the system] is based upon mankind, yet [mankind is] based upon matrimony. a (Therefore) contemplate the
Pure Mating, for it has [great] power! Its imagery consists in a defiling b [of bodies].64

(Among) the unclean spirits there are essentially male and female. The males indeed are those who thru an
inequality mate with the souls inhabiting a female form, yet the females are those who (thus) unite with a male
form.a And no one will be able to escape from these (once b) they seize him (unlessb) he receives both male and
female powerwhich is the Bridegroom with the Bride. Yet one receives them in the mirrored BridalChamber. Whenever the foolish women see a male sitting alone, they are accustomed to leap upon him, to carouse with him and defile him. So also the foolish men when they see a beautiful female sitting alone, they seduce
her (orb) coerce her in the desire to defile her. Yet if the man is seen sitting together with his woman, the females
cannot intrude upon the man nor can the males intrude upon the woman. So it is (when b) the imagery and the
angel are mated together, neither can anyone dare to intrude upon the male or the female. c He who comes forth
from the world cannot be detained any longer merely because he (previously) was in the world. He is revealed as
beyond both the yearning and the fear of the [flesh]. He is master over [desire], b he is more precious than envy.
And if [the multitude] come to seize him (and b) to strangle [him], how will this one not be able to escape [by the
salvation] of God? How shall he be able [to fear them]? 65

65.

Frequently there are some who come (anda) [they say]: We are faithful, hide [us ... from unclean] and demonic
spirits! But if they had possessed the Sacred Spirit, no unclean spirit would have clung to them. 66

66.

Do not fear the essence of the flesh, nor love it. If thou fear it, it will become thy master; if thou love it, it will
devour thee (anda) strangle thee.67

67.

One exists either in this world or in the resurrection or in the transitional regions. May it not occur that I be
found in (the latter)! (In) this world there is good and evil. Its goods are not good and its evils are not evil. a Yet
there is evil after this world, which is truly evil: that which is called the transitionit is death. While we are in
this world it is appropriate for us to be born in the resurrection, so that if we are divested of the flesh we shall find
68.

59 a

Pro 8:12+32, Lk 7:35!!, Ph 40; bPro 24:26, S-of-S 1:2/6:9, Th 61b/107, Ph 35/36/40; casyndeton; Lewis Wallace, Ben Hur,
V.16: He kissed her. Was it only a kiss of peace?
60
Ex 4:11, Jn 9, Th 34.
61 a
=Th 19!!; Ph 1, Rev/Ap 1:8.
62
Job 35:11, Mk 1:13, Jas 3:7!, Ph 44; aasyndeton.
63
Jn 4:10, Th 41.
64
Th 61b, Ph 79; amatrimonypatrimony, human rather than divine generation and inheritance: see Theogenesis; bLev
15:18!!
65 a
Ph 46; basyndeton; cPh 30; Ps 3:6.
66 a
Asyndeton; Mk 1:39.
67 a
Asyndeton; Ps 56:4, Jn 6:63.

32

ourselves in the repose (andb) not wander in the transition. For many go astray on the way. Thus it is good to
come forth from the world before humankind is caused to transgress. 68
Some indeed neither wish nor have the ability. Yet others if they wish receive no benefit, because they did not
practice. For desire makes them transgressors. Yet not desiring righteousness shall conceal from them both the
wish and (their) lack of accomplishment. 69

69.

An Apostolica saw in a vision some who were confined in a house of fire, crying out [in the] air with a fiery
[voice], cast in the flames [for an era]. There is water in [...], and they proclaim to themselves: [...] The waters
can[not] save us [from death! Misled by] their desire, they received [death as] chastisementthis which is called
the [outermost] darkness.70

70.

71. The enemy [comes] forth in water with fire. The soul and the spirit have come forth [in] water and fire with
light, which pertain to the Son of the Bridal-Chamber. The fire is the Chrism, the light is the fire. I do not speak of
this fire that has no form, but rather the other onewhose form is white, which is made of beautiful light and
which bestows splendor.71

The truth did not come unto the world naked, but rather it has come in symbolic imagery. (The world) will
not receive it in any other fashion. There is a rebirth together with a reborn imagery. It is truly appropriate not to
be reborn thru the imagery. a What is the resurrection with its imagery?it is appropriate to arise thru the imagery.a The Bridal-Chamber with its imagery?it is appropriate to come into the truth thru the imagery, which is
this restoration. It is appropriate for those born not only of the words the Father with the Son with the Sacred
Spirit, but (moreover) are begotten of them themselves. Whoever is not begotten of them, will have the name
also taken from him. b Yet one receives them in the Chrism of the fullness in the power of the cross c, which the
Apostles call: the right with the left.d For this-one is no longer a Christic but rather a Christ. 72

72.

The Lord [did] everything sacramentally: a Baptism with a Chrism with a Eucharist with an Atonement with a
[Holy] Bridal-Chamber.73

73.

He says: I came to make [the inner] as the [outer (and a) the] outer as the [inner. b He spoke of] everything in
that place, which is there [above] this place, by means of symbolic [images. ...] 74a

74a.

74b.

Those who say [Im a Christic] come from the place beyond [all] confusion. 74b

He who is manifest [from that place] which is there above, is called he who is below. And He who is
hidden, is He who is above him. For it is good that they say the inner and the outer, together with what is outside
of the outer. Because of this, the Lord called destruction the outer darkness; a there is nothing beyond it. He says
my Father who is in secret. He says Go into thy inner chamber, shut thy door behind thee (and b) pray to thy
Father who is in secret.c This is He who is within them all. Yet He who is within them all is the Fullnessbeyond Him there is nothing further within. This is what is meant by He who is above them. 74c

74c.

Before Christ some came forth. They were no longer able to enter into whence they emerged, and they were no
longer able to exit from whither they entered. Yet the Christ came. Those who had gone in he brought out, and
those who had gone out he brought in.75

75.

68 a

Ph 9; basyndeton; Th 60, Rev/Ap 20:5; James Joyce, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, 3: It was better never to have
sinned, to have remained always a child; Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals: Only that life end not before I am born.
69
Hsn Tzu, 3rd century BC China: An inferior man can become a superior man, but he does not want to.
70 a
Probably Philip himself; Ps 66:12, Mt 25:30, Lk 16:19-31!, Rev/Ap 20:14-15.
71
Isa 43:2, Ph 26/28/58.
72
Isa 30:21, Ac 3:21; aJn 3, spiritual rebirth corporeal resurrection: see Ph 130!; bPh 63; canti-Gnostic; dPh 9/44.
73
The five Messianic Sacraments.
74a a
Asyndeton; b=Th 22!!; Ph 72.
74b
Ph 10/18/22/97/134, Tr 3 ff.
74c a
=Mt 8:12!; basyndeton; Th 77, Ph 37; c=Mt 6:6!; Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali: He it is, the innermost one, who awakens my being.
75
I-Ki 3:7.

33

In the days when Eve was within Adam, a there was no death. When she was separated from him, death came
to be. If (she) again enters (andb) he receives (her) to him, death shall no longer be. 76

76.

My God, my God, why oh Lord [did] thou abandon me? ahe spoke these (words) on the cross b. For he
divided the place [below from the place above], having been begotten in the [Sacred] Spirit by God. 77

77.

The [Lord arose] from among the dead. [He became (again)] as he had been, but [his body] was made
[entirely] perfect. He is incarnate, but this [flesh is indeed] a true flesh. a [Yet our flesh] is not true, but rather a
mirror-image of the true [flesh].78

78.

Let (the) Bridal-Chamber not be for the beasts nor for the slaves nor for impure women!but rather it is for
free men with virgins.79

79.

Thru the Sacred Spirit we are indeed born, yet we are reborn thru the Christ. In both we are anointed thru the
Spirit(anda) having been begotten, we were mated. 80

80.

Without light, no one will be able to see himself either in water or in (a) mirror. Nor again without water or
mirror will thou be able to see (thyself) in light. Therefore it is appropriate to be baptized in bothin the light as
well as the water. Yet the light is the Chrism. 81

81.

There werea three vestibules for places of giving offering in Jerusalemone open to the west called the holy,
another open to the south called the holy of the holiness, the third open to the east called the holy of the holinesses
where the High Priest alone enters. The Baptism is the holy vestibule, [the Atonement] is the holy of the holiness,
the holy of the holinesses is the Bridal-Chamber. The Baptism has the resurrection [with] the Atonement entering
into the Bridal-Chamber. Yet the Bridal-Chamber is more exalted than those. [...] Thou will find nothing that
[compares with it]b.82
82.

83. [The Saints] are those who pray [always for] Jerusalem [and love] Jerusalem; they [are already in] Jerusalem
(anda) they see [Jerusalem now.] These are called the Saints of the holinesses. 83

[... The] curtain (of the Temple) was torn [in order to reveal] the Bridal-Chamber, (which) is nothing other
than the image [of the ...] place above. [...] Its curtain was torn from the top to the bottom, for it was appropriate
for some from below to go above.84

84.

Those who have been clothed in the Perfect Lightthe powers can neither see them nor restrain them. Yet one
shall be clothed with light in the Sacrament of the Mating. 85
85.

If the female had not separated from the male, she would not afterward have died with the male. Their separation was the inception of death. a Therefore the Christ came, so that he might rectify to himself the separation that
86.

76

Ph 86; aor when life was within mankind; basyndeton.

=Ps 22:1Mk 15:34!; banti-Gnostic.
78 a
Jn 1:14/20:27, II-Jn 7; anti-Gnostic!
79
Gen 24:16, I-Ki 1:2, Ac 21:8-9!, Th 61b!, Ph 127!; Odes of St Solomon, 42:9-12, Like the arm of the bridegroom over the
bride, so is my yoke over those who know me; and as the bed that is spread in the house of the bridegroom and bride, so does
my love cover those that believe in me.
80 a
Asyndeton; Gen 2:7, Jn 3:7, Ph 72.
81
Pro 27:19, Isa 43:2, Mt 3:11; Odes of St Solomon, 13:1, Behold! The Lord is our mirror; open thine eyes and see them in
himand learn the manner of thy face.
82
Multiple asyndeta; Lev 16, Num 18:7; aThey were: Copt ne.u, Durative Imperfect tense, P194: hence this entry, like
saying 137, was written after the Roman conquest of 70 AD; bMoses ben Nahman [1194-1270 AD], Letter on Holiness: The
sexual relationship is in reality a thing of great exaltation when it is appropriate and harmonious. This great secret is the same
secret of those cherubim who copulate with each other in the image of male and female.... Keep this secret and do not reveal
it to anyone unworthy, for here is where you glimpse the secret of the loftiness of an appropriate sexual relationship.... When
the sexual relation points to the Name, there is nothing more righteous and more holy than it.
83 a
Asyndeton; Ps 122:6, Rev/Ap 21:10.
84
Mk 15:38, Th 84.
85
Ps 104:2, Ph 24/26; Odes of St Solomon, 21:2, I took off darkness and clothed myself with light.
77 a

34

had obtained from (the) beginning, by his mating the two together. And by his mating them together, he shall give
their lives to those who have died in the separation. Yet the woman mates with her husband in the bridal-chamber.
Those however who have mated in the Bridal-Chamber will no longer be separated. Because of this, Eve separated from Adambbecause she did not mate with him in the Bridal-Chamber. 86
The soul of Adam came into being by a Spirita, whose mate is the [Christ. The Spirit] bestowed upon (Adam)
is his Mother, and [...] her place was given to him in his soul. (Yet) because he had [not yet] been mated in the
Logos, the dominant powers bewitched him. [... Yet those who] mate with the [Sacred] Spirit [...] (in) secret [...]
are invited individually [...] to the Bridal-Chamber, in order that [...] they shall be mated. 87

87.

Yeshua revealed [beside the (River)] Jordan the fullness of the Sovereignty of the Heavens, which existed
before the totality. a Moreover he was begottenb as Son, moreover he was anointed, moreover he was atoned,
moreover he atoned.88

88.

If it is appropriate to tell a mystery, the Father of the totality mated with the Virgin who had come downand
a fire shone for him on that day. He revealed the power of the Bridal-Chamber. a Thus his body came into being on
that day.b He came forth in the Bridal-Chamber as one who has issued from the Bridegroom with the Bridethis
is how Yeshua established the totality for himself in his heart. And thru these c, it is appropriate for each one of the
Disciples to enter into his repose.89

89.

Adam came into being from two virginsfrom the Spirit and from the virgin earth. Therefore Christ was begotten from a virgin, so that the stumbling which occurred in the beginning shall be rectified. 90
90.

There were two trees in paradisethe one produces beasts, a the other produces humans. Adam ate from the
tree that produced beasts, (and a) becoming bestial he begot beasts. Because of this, (the beasts) came to be worshiped. [... Humans] begot humans [and then] worshiped humans. [...] 91

91.

God created mankind, and mankind created gods. This is how it is in the worldthe men create gods and they
worship their creations. It would (rather) have been appropriate for the gods a to worship the men!92

92.

93. Thus is the real truth regarding the deeds of mankindthey essentially come forth thru his power. Therefore
they are called (his) abilities. His (progeny) are his sons who came forth thru (his) repose. Because of this, his
power governs in his works, yet his repose is manifest in (his) sons. And thou will find that this penetrates unto
the imagery. And this is the Mirrored Person: doing his works in his power, yet in repose begetting his Sons. 93

In this world the slaves are forced to work for the free. In the Sovereignty of the Heavens the free shall act to
serve the slaves: the Sons of the Bridal-Chamber shall serve the sons of marriage. The Sons of the BridalChamber have [a single] name among them, the repose occurs among them mutually, a they are made to have no
needs. [...]94

94.

The contemplation [of the imagery is aware]ness in greatness of glory. a [Truly there is immortal]ity within
those in the [Holy Bridal-Chamber, who receive] the glories of those who [are fulfilled]. 95

95.

[He who goes down] into the water (of Baptism) does not [...] go down to death, a [... for] (Christ) shall atone
him [once he has come] forthnamely those who were [called to be fulfilled] in his Name. For he says: [Thus]

96.

86

Th 11/22, Ph 30/76; aGen 3:19; bor life separated from mankind.

=breath, Gen 2:7; see Spirit in Th Notes.
88 a
Th 77; bmanuscript dittography here omitted.
89 a
Ph 64; banti-Gnostic!; cthe Bridegroom with the Bride; Odes of St Solomon, 33:5-8, There stood a perfect Virgin who was
proclaiming:... Return oh you sons of men, and come oh you daughters of men,... and I will enter into you.
90
Gen 2:7, Lk 1:26-35, Ph 18.
91 a
Asyndeton; Gen 2:9, Ph 54.
92
Isa 44:9-20, Jer 16:20, Hab 2:18-19, Ph 54; aplural, and thus also the previous two times.
93
Jn 5:19, Th 50!
94
Lk 20:34-36!, Ac 4:34-35, Ph 64; aasyndeton.
95 a
Cf. Aristotle, Metaphysics, XII.7, 1072b.23.
87 a

35

we shall fulfill all righteousness.96

Those who say that first they shall die and (then) they shall arise are confused. If they do not first receive the
resurrection (whilea) they live,b they will receive nothing (whena) they die. Thus also it is said regarding Baptism, c
(thata) Baptism is great, (fora) those who receive it shall live.97

97.

Philip the Apostle says: Joseph the Carpenter planted a grove because he needed wood for his craft. He himself made the crossa from the trees that he had planted, and his heir hung on that which he had planted. His heir
was Yeshua, yet the plant was the cross. But the tree of life is in the midst of paradiseand the olive tree, from
the heart of which the Chrism came thru him of the resurrection. 98
98.

99. This world devours corpsesfurthermore, those who eat in it themselves die. The true (person) consumes life
therefore no one nourished in [the truth shall] die. Yeshua came from within that place, and he brought nourishment from there. And to those whom he wished he gave their lives, so that they not perish. 99

God [created] a garden-paradise. Mankind [lived in the] garden, [... but] they were not in the [...] of God in
[...] their hearts [...] given desire. [...] This garden [is the place] where it will be said to me: [Thou may eat] this
or not eat [this, according to thy] desire. This is the place (where) I shall consume every different (thing)there,
where is the tree of knowledge which slew Adam. Yet (in) this place the tree of knowledge gave life to mankind.
The Torah was the tree. It has (the) capability in itself to bestow the knowledge of good and evil. It neither cured
him of the evil nor preserved him in the good, but rather it caused those who had ingested it to die. For death
originated because of (the Torahs) saying: Eat this, but do not eat (that)! 100

100.

The Chrism is made lord over the Baptism. a For from the Chrism we are called Christic(s, and b) not because
of the Baptism. And (he) was called the Christ because of the Chrism. For the Father anointed the Son, yet the
Son anointed the Apostles, yet the Apostles anointed us. c He who has been anointed has the totalityhe has the
resurrection, the light, the cross, d the Sacred Spirit. The Father bestowed this upon him in the Bridal-Chamber
(andb) he received.101

101.

102.

The Father was in the Son, and the Son in the Father. This is the Sovereignty of the Heavens! 102

Excellently did the Lord say: Some have attained the Sovereignty of the Heavens laughing, and they came
forth [rejoicing from the world]. The Christic [...] who went down into the water immediately came forth as
master over everything; because [he did not consider (the Baptism) a] game, but rather he disdained this [changing world for] the Sovereignty of the Heavens. If he disdains (the world) and scorns it as a game, he [shall] come
forth laughing.103

103.

Furthermore, it is thus regarding the Bread with the Chalice, and the Chrism: there is nonetheless another
(sacrament) exalted over these.104

104.

The system began in a transgression, for he who made it had desired to make it imperishable and immortal.
He fell away and did not attain (his) ambition. For there was no imperishability of the system, and there was no
imperishability of him who has made the system. For there is no imperishability of things but rather of the Sons,
and no one can obtain imperishability except by becoming (a) Son. Yet he who is unable to receive, how much

105.

96

=Mt 3:15!; athis is contrary to Pauls doctrine in Rom 6:3-4.

Asyndeton; bJn 11:26, Ph 22; cmanuscript dittography here omitted.
98 a
Anti-Gnostic; it is not certain where the quote from Philip the Apostle ends and the comment by Philip the Evangelist
begins; difficult to interpretperhaps a parable, wherein Joseph = mankind, and Christ = the Son of Mankind; Mt 13:55, Ex
30:22-33, Dt 21:22-23, Rev/Ap 22:2.
99
Jn 6:53, Th 11/60, Ph 15.
100
Th 113, Gen 2:16-17; Isak Dinesen, Sorrow Acre, Winters Tales: The Garden of Eden, newly created; from every tree
of which ... thou, my Adam, mayest freely eat.
101 a
Mt 3:11; basyndeton; cLk 4:18, Jn 20:21-22, Ac 6:5-6!!; d anti-Gnostic.
102
Jn 14:10/17:20-23, Th 113!; Juan Rulfo, Pedro Pramo: For me,... heaven is right here.
103
Ph 96.
104
The Holy Bridal-Camber; Ph 73.
97 a

36

(more) will he be unable to give!105

The chalice of communion contains wine (anda) it contains water. It is designated as the symbol of the
blood,b over which thanksc are given. And it is filled with the Sacred Spirit, and it belongs to the completely Perfected Person. Whenever we drink this, we shall receive the Perfect Person. 106

106.

The Living Water is a body. a It is appropriate that we be clothed in the Living Person. Because of this,
(whenb) he comes to go down into the water he undresses himself, in order that he may be clothed with that. 107

107.

A horse naturally begets a horse, a human begets (a) human, a a god begets (a) god. Thus it is, regarding the
Bridegroom within the Bride[their Sons] came forth in the Bridal-Chamber. (The) Jews had not derived [...]
from the Greeks, [...] and [we Christics do not derive] from the Jews. b [...] And these were called [...] the chosen
generation of the [Sacred Spirit]the True Man and the Son of Mankind and the seed of the Son of Mankind.
This generation is named true in the world. This is the place where the Sons of the Bridal-Chamber are. 108
108.

Mating occurs in this world (as) man upon woman, the place of strength (joined) with weakness. a In eternity
there is something else (in) the likeness of mating, yet we call them by these (same) names. Yet there are others
which are exalted beyond every name which is named, and (which) transcend force. For (in) the place where there
is force, there are those who are superior to force. 109

109.

The one is not, and the other one isbut they are together this single unity. a This is He who shall not be able
to come unto (whomever) has the carnal heart. 110

110.

111. Is it not appropriate for all those who possess the totality to understand themselves? Some indeed, who do not
understand themselves, shall not enjoy those (things) which they have. Yet those who have understood themselves
shall enjoy them.111

Not only shall they be unable to seize the perfected person, but they shall be unable (even) to see him. For if
they see him, they will seize him. In no other manner will one be able to be begotten of Him in this grace, unless
he is clothed in the Perfect Light and Perfect Light is upon him. [Thus clad], he shall go [forth from the world].
This is the perfected [Son of the Bridal-Chamber]. 112

112.

[It is appropriate] that we be made to become [perfected persons] before we come forth [from the world]. a
Whoever has received everything [without being made master] of these places, will [not be able to master] that
place; but rather he shall [go] forth to the transition as imperfect. Only Yeshua knows the destiny of this one. 113
113.

The Saint is entirely holy, including his body. a For if he receives the bread he will sanctify it, or the chalice, b
or anything else he receives he purifies. And how will he not purify the body also? 114
114.

Yeshua poured death away by perfecting the water of Baptism. Because of this, we indeed are sent down into
the wateryet not down unto death, a (but rather) in order that we be poured away from the spirit of the world.
Whenever that blows, its winter occurs; (but b) when the Sacred Spirit breathes, the summer comes. 115

115.

105

Ph 5/49; Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit: I cant give and I cant receive.

Mk 14:23-24, Jn 19:34, I-Jn 5:6-8; aasyndeton; banti-Gnostic; cGk .
107 a
Anti-Gnostic!; basyndeton; Ph 3/26.
108 a
Asyndeton; bTh 43, Ph 50; Miguel de Cervantes, Prologue to Don Quijote de la Mancha: [In] Nature,... each thing engenders its likeness.
109 a
Gen 3:16; Ph 140.
110
Ph 9; aChuang Tzu, 4th century BC China: That which is one is one, and that which is not one is also one; he who regards
all things as One, is a companion of Heaven.
111
Ecc 6:1-2, Th 2/67.
112
Mt 5:48, Ph 85.
113 a
Mt 5:48; Mt 25:31-46, Jn 8:7, Ph 10/68/112.
114 a
Jn 20:27; bthis is the Eucharist: Mk 14:22-24; emphatically anti-Gnostic!; Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, 142: Divine
am I inside and out, and I make holy whatever I touch.
115
Mt 28:19, Ph 7/96/103; athis is contrary to Pauls doctrine in Rom 6:3-4; basyndeton.
106

37

Whoever recognizes the truth is liberated. Yet he who is liberated does not transgress, for the transgressor is
the slave of the transgression.a The Mother is the truth, yet the conjoining is the recognition. The world calls
liberated those to whom it is given not to transgress. The recognition of the truth exalts the hearts of these to
whom it is given not to transgress. This is what liberates them and exalts them over the whole place. Yet love is
inspirational. He however who has been liberated thru recognition is enslaved by love for these who have not yet
been able to sustain being liberated by recognition. Yet recognition makes them competent, which liberates
them.116

116.

Love [does not take] anything, for how [(can) it take anything when everything] belongs to it? It does not [say
This is mine] or (That) is mine, [but rather it says] They are thine. 117

117.

Spiritual love is [truly] wine with fragrance; all those who are anointed with it enjoy it. As long as the anointed remain, those (also) enjoy it who stand beside them. (But) if they who are anointed with the Chrism cease
evangelizing them (anda) depart, (thena) those who are not anointed (but a) only stand alongside remain still in their
(own) miasma. The Samaritan gave nothing to the wounded (man) except wine with ointmentand he healed the
blows, inasmuch as love atones for a multitude of transgressions. 118
118.

Those whom the woman will beget resemble him whom she loves. If (it is) her husband, they resemble her
husband; if it is an adulterer, they resemble the adulterer. Often, if there is (a) woman (who) lays with her husband
by compulsion, yet her heart is with the adulterer and she is accustomed to mate with him (also, then) he whom
she bears in giving birth resembles the adulterer. Yet you who are with the Son of Godlove not the world but
rather love the Lord, so that those who shall be begotten not come to resemble the world, but rather will come to
resemble the Lord.119

119.

120. The human naturally unites with the human, the horse unites with the horse, the donkey unites with the
donkey; the species naturally unite with their like-species. Thus the Spirit naturally unites with the Spirit, and the
Logos mates with the Logos, [and the] Light mates [with the Light. If thou] become human, (then) [mankind
shall] love thee; if thou become [spiritual], (then) the Spirit shall mate with thee; if thou become rational, (then)
the Logos shall unite with thee; if thou become enlightened, (then) the Light shall mate with thee; if thou transcend, (then) the Transcendental shall repose upon thee. (But) if thou are accustomed to become (like a) horse or
donkey or calf or dog or sheep or other of the animals (which are) outside and inferior, (then) neither mankind nor
the Spirit nor the Logos nor the Light nor those above nor those within shall be able to love thee. They shall not
be able to repose in thee, and thy heritage shall not be among them. 120

He who is enslaved without his volition will be able to be freed. He who has been liberated by the grace of his
master, and has sold himself (back) into slavery, shall no longer be able to be freed. 121

121.

The cultivation in the world is thru four modes(crops) are gathered into the barn thru soil and water and
wind and light. And the cultivation by God is likewise thru four: thru trust and expectation and compassion and
recognition. Our soil is the trust in which we take root; the water is the expectation thru which we are nourished;
the wind is the compassion thru which we grow; yet the light is the recognition thru which we are ripened. 122

122.

Grace causes [the humble soul of the] person of earth to be made sovereign [over ...] what is above the sky. a
They [received] thru [Him who] is blest; this one by his [Logos truly uplifts] their souls. 123
123.

116 a

=Jn 8:32-36!, I-Jn 3:9.

Job 41:11, Lk 6:30.
118 a
Asyndeton; Lk 10:30-37, Th 24, =Pro 10:12I-Pet 4:8.
119
Ex 20:14, Lev 20:10, II-Sam 11:1-5/12:1-10, Mt 5:27-28+32, Mk 7:21, Jn 8:3-11.
120
Ph 108, Sir 13:16; Eccl [Ben Sirach] 13:19-20, Every beast loves its like; so also every person him that is nearest to
himself. All flesh shall consort with the like to itself, and every person shall associate himself to his like.
121
Ex 21:5-6 [but also Lev 25:10!], Ph 116.
122
Th 25, Ph 116; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, V.3: An ignorant man has sought; and having sought, he finds the
teacher; and finding, has believed; and believing, has hoped; and henceforward, having loved, is assimilated to what was
lovedsuch is the method Socrates shows; Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary: Manure and rain and sun and wind bring on
the flowers.
123 a
Th 2!/11!
117

38

This is Yeshua the Christhe beguiled the entire place and did not burden anyone. Therefore, blest is this
perfected person of this kind; for this one is the Logos. 124

124.

Ask us concerning him, inasmuch as this (attempt to portray) him uprightly is difficult. How shall we be able
to succeed in this great (task)?125

125.

How will he bestow repose on everyone? First of all, it is not appropriate to aggrieve anyonewhether great
or small, whether unbeliever or believer. Then, to provide repose for those who rest among the good. There are
some whose privilege it is to provide repose for those who are ideal. He who does good cannot of himself give
repose to these, for he does not come of his (own) volition. Yet neither can he aggrieve them, for he does not
oppress them. But he who is ideal sometimes grieves themnot that he is thus (grievous), but rather it is their
(own) wickedness which causes them grief. He who is natural gives joy to him who is goodyet from this some
grieve terribly. 126

126.

127. A householder acquired everythingwhether son or slave or cattle or dog or swine, whether wheat or barley
or straw or hay or [bones] or meat (or) acorns. Yet he (was) wise and knew the food of each [one]. Before the
sons he indeed set bread with [olive-oil and meat; before] the slaves he set castor-oil with grain; and before the
cattle [he set barley] with straw and hay; to the dogs he cast bones; yet before [the swine] he threw acorns and
crusts of bread. So it is with the Disciple of Godif he is wise, he is perceptive about the Discipleship. The
bodily forms will not deceive him, but rather he will then observe the disposition of the soul of each one in order
to speak with him. In the world there are many animals made in human formthese he is accustomed to recognize. To the swine indeed he will throw acorns; yet to the cattle he will cast barley with straw and hay; to the dogs
he will cast bones; to the slaves he will give the elementary a; to the Sons he will present the perfectb.127

There is the Son of Mankind and there is the Grandson of Mankind. The Lord is the Son of Mankind, and the
Grandson of Mankind is he who is created thru the Son of Mankind. The Son of Mankind received from God the
ability to create; (God alone) has the ability to beget. 128

128.

That which is created is a creature, that which is begotten is a progeny. A creature cannot beget, (but a) a progeny can create. Yet they say that the creature begets. However, his progeny is a creature. Therefore (a persons)
progeny are not his sons, but rather they are (Sons) of [God]. 129
129.

He who creates works manifestly, and he himself also is manifest; he who begets [acts] in [secret], and he
[hides himself from] the imagery [of others]. (Thus also) the Creator [indeed] creates visibly, yet in begetting
[begets the] Sons in secret.130

130.

131. No [one will be able] to know on what day [the man] and the woman mate with each other, except themselves
only. For marriage in the world is a sacrament for those who have taken a spouse. If the marriage of impurity a is
hidden, how much more is the Immaculate Marriage a true sacrament! b It is not carnal but rather pure, it is not
lustful but rather compassionate, it is not of the darkness or the night but rather of the day and the Light. A
marriage which is exhibited becomes adultery c; and the bride has committed adulteryc not only if she receives the
sperm of another man, but even if she escapes from the bedroom and is seen. Let her display herself only to her
father and her mother and the friend of the bridegroom d and the sons of the bridegroom! To these it is given to
enter daily into the bridal-chamber. Yet as for the others, let them be made to yearn even to hear her voice and to
enjoy (her) fragrance, and let them feed like the dogs from the crumbs that fall from the table! (Those) being from
124

Ph 29.
Th 13!; Csar Vallejo, A Man Passes By, Human Poems: How to write, afterward, of the Infinite?
126
Pro 21:15, Th 90.
127 a
The Torah; bthe Gospel; Mk 5:9-12!/7:27!, Mt 7:6!, Jn 7:24!, Th 93, Ph 79!; NB five spiritual levels and/or stages are here
stipulated.
128
Th 101.
129 a
Asyndeton; Ecc 11:5, Isa 29:23, Jn 1:12-13/3:3, Ph 33; Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet: Your children are not your children;
they are the sons and daughters of Lifes longing for itself. They come through you but not from you; and though they are
with you, yet they belong not to you.
130
God as masculine creates the observable Universe without, God as feminine begets us from within; see Ph 93 and The
Maternal Spirit.
125

39

the Bridegroom within the Bride belong in the Bridal-Chamber. No one will be able to behold the Bridegroom
with the Bride unless he becomes this.131
When Abraham had [rejoiced] at seeing what he was to see, he circumcised the flesh of the foreskin
showing us that it is appropriate to renounce the flesh [which pertains to] this world. 132
132.

[... As long as] the entrails of the person are enclosed, the person lives. If his entrails are exposed (and a) he is
disemboweled, the person will die. So also with the tree: it naturally sprouts and thrives while its root is covered,
(buta) if its root is exposed the tree withers. b Thus it is with everything begotten in the world, not only with the
manifest but also with the covert. For as long as the root of evil is hidden, it is strong; yet if it is recognized it is
destroyed (anda) when it is exposed it perishes. This is why the Logos (John the Baptist!) says Already the ax has
reached the root of the trees!c It will not (merely) chop off, for that which is chopped off naturally sprouts again.
But rather the ax delves down into the ground (and a) uproots. Yet Yeshua pulled up the root of the entire place,
but the others (had done so) only in part. Ourselves alsolet each one of us delve down to the root of the evil that
is within him (anda) tear out its root from his own heart! Yet it will be uprooted if we but recognize it. But if we
are unaware of it, it takes root within us and produces its fruits in our hearts. It makes itself master over us (and a)
we are made into its slaves. We are taken captive, which coerces us into doing what we do not want (and a) into
[not] doing what we do want.d It is potent until we recognize it. While it is subliminal, it indeed impels. 133
133.

Ignorance is the mother of [all evil; a and] ignorance (itself) results from [confusion]. Those things originating
from [ignorance] neither were nor [are] nor shall be [among the truthful. Yet] they shall be perfected when the
entire truth is revealed. For the truth is like ignoranceif it is hidden it reposes within itself, yet if it is revealed it
is recognized. (The truth) is glorious in that it prevails over ignorance and liberates from confusion. The Logos
says You shall know the truth (and b) the truth will set you free! c Ignorance enslaves (butb) recognition is freedom. By recognizing the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within our hearts. By mating with it, we shall
receive our fulfillment.134
134.

At present we have the manifestation of creation. They say that (visible beings) are the powerful which are
honorable, yet the invisible are the weak which are contemptible. (But) the truth is that visible beings are thus
weak and inferior, whereas the invisible are the powerful and honorable. 135

135.

Yet the mysteries of the truth are revealed, composed in symbolic imagery. a But the Bedroom is hiddenit is
the Saint within the Holiness.136
136.

The veil (of the Temple) indeed at first concealed how God governs the creation. Yet (once) the veil was torn
and the things within were revealed, then this house was to be forsaken (and a) desolate, yet moreover to be
destroyed. Yet the entire Divinity departed from these places (which are) not within the holies of the holies, for
(the Divinity) was not (there) able to unite with the Light nor unite with the flawless fullness. But rather it was to
be under the wings of the crossb [and in] its arms.137

137.

138.

This ark shall be salvation for us when the cataclysm of water has overwhelmed them. 138

131

=Mk 7:27-28!; a!!; bPh 64/73; cliterally: prostitution; dJn 3:29/15:14-15.

Anti-Gnostic; Gen 17:9-14, Dt 10:6, Jn 8:56, Th 53.
133
Job 14:7-9, Pro 20:9; aasyndeton; bAeschylus, Agamemnon, 967: When the root lives on, the new leaves come back; c=Mt
3:10!; dCharles Dickens, Great Expectations: I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to
avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.
134 a
Lk 23:34!, Ac 3:17; basyndeton; c=Jn 8:32!
135
St Bonaventure, De plantatione paradisi, I.t.v.575: The wisdom of the invisible God cannot become known to us except
by taking the form of the visible things with which we are familiar; Sren Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript:
An omnipresent being should be recognizable precisely by being invisible; Antoine de Saint-Exupry, The Little Prince: It
is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye; I Ching, Hexagram 50, The Ritual
Vessel: All that is visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible.
136
Ph 82/83; aPh 72.
137 a
Asyndeton; banti-Gnostic; Ex 26:31-34, Mt 27:51/23:38/24:2, Ph 84; this entry must be dated after 70 AD.
138
Gen 6-9, Pro 10:25, Lk 17:22-37.
132

40

139. If some are in the tribe of the priesthood, these shall be permitted to enter within the veil (of the Temple) with
the High Priest. Therefore the veil was not torn at the top only, else it would have been opened only for those who
are above; nor was it torn at the bottom only, else it would have been revealed only to those who are below. But
rather it was torn from the top to the bottom. Those who are above opened to us who are below, in order that we
shall enter into the secret of the truth.139
140. This strengthening is truly excellent. Yet we shall enter therein by means of despised symbols and weaknesses. They are indeed humble in the presence of the perfect glory. There is glory that surpasses glory, a there is
power which surpasses power.b Therefore the perfect have opened to us with the secrets of the truth. Moreover,
the Saints of the holinesses have been revealed, and the Bedroom has invited us within. 140

As long as the evil indeed is covert, it (remains) potential, not yet truly purged from the midst of the seed of
the Sacred Spirit. (Thus) they are enslaved by the oppression. a Yet when the Perfect Light is revealed, then it will
pour forth upon everyone and all those within it shall receive the Chrism. Then the slaves shall be freed [and] the
captives atoned.141

141.

[Every] plant which my heavenly Father has not sown [shall be] rooted out. a Those who are separated shall
be mated (and) [the empty] shall be filled. b Everyone who [enters] the Bedroom shall be born in the Light. For
they [are not begotten] in the manner of the marriages which we [do not] see, (which) are enacted by night, the
fire (of which) [flares] in the dark (and then) is extinguished. Yet rather the Sacraments of this Marriage are consummated in the day and the light. Neither that day nor its light ever sets. 142

142.

143. If someone becomes a Son of the Bridal-Chamber, he shall receive the Light. If one does not receive it in
these places, he will not be able to obtain it in the other place. He who has received that Light shall not be seen,
nor shall they be able to seize him; nor shall anyone be able to disturb this one of this nature, even if he socializes
in the world. And furthermore, (when) he leaves the world he has already received the truth via the imagery. The
world has become eternity, because the fullness is for him the eternal. And it is thus revealed to him individually
not hidden in the darkness (or) the night, but rather hidden in a Perfect Day and a Holy Light. 143

The Gospel according to Philip

Notes to Philip
The reader is urged to consult the hyperlinear (www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin.html), as (a) the text is conceptually complex and (b) the papyrus is somewhat deterioratedthus, any interpretation must necessarily remain provisional. The translation itself is concordant with that of Thomas, and therefore words discussed in the notes there are not
repeated here. Complete references are listed for selected terms; otherwise only the first occurrence is given. Examples
of the three phases of this translation: (1) www.metalog.org/files/till/interlin/till-01.jpg [1990], (2) www.metalog.org/
files/ph_interlin/philip_2.gif [2004], (3) www.metalog.org/files/ph_interlin/ph002.html [2008].
Abel (46): Hebrew lbh (vapor, breath; see Isa 57:13); second son of Adam and Eve; killed, out of envy, by his
brother Cain; Gen 4:1-16.
Abraham (132): Heb Mhrb) (father of many); the original Heb patriarch (Gen 11:26).
Aeon (7): Copt ene6 (C057a) = Gk (unconditional); designates either a specific limited era of time, or a
trans-temporal eternitynot only, as generally translated, the latter.
Angel (21/29/30/56/59/65): Gk = Heb K)lm (malak: emissary, messenger); here the pure ego of the individual, who is both born of God and observes (reflects) the images created by God; Mt 18:10, Lk 20:36, Th 88; see
Angel, Image and Symbol.
139

Num 18:7, Mk 15:38, Ph 84/137.

Asyndeton; bPh 109; Ph 83/137.
141
Ps 19:12; aTh 45, Ph 133.
142 a
=Mt 15:13!; bTh 40; multiple asyndeta; Ph 73/131, Tr 33.
143
Ph 85.

140 a

41

Anointed (20a): Heb xy#m (mashiakh: Messiah) = Gk ; in ancient Israel priests, prophets and monarchs
were installed by crowning with an olive-oil ointment (Ex 29:7, I-Ki 19:16, II-Sam 2:4hence Lk 4:18, Mt 26:6-7); see
Gen 28:18, Ex 30:22-33.
Apostle (18): Gk (sent forth); one who is commissioned; compare Disciple.
Apostolic (18): Gk (follower of the Apostles).
Aramaic (20): Semitic language of the ancient world, dated by extra-Biblical records to 3000 BC, source of
Hebrew square-letter alphabet, the language of Abraham (Dt 26:5) as well as of Christ in his ministry (Mk 5:41/7:34/
15:34, Mt 27:46); Gen 22:20-21, II-Ki 18:26, Isa 36:11.
Atone (8/51/73/82/88/96/141): Copt swte (C362a) = Gk = Heb rpk (kpr: cover, substitute; as in Yom
Kippur: Day of Atonement); personal sacrifice or suffering, by the guilty or by the innocent, which serves to reconcile
the guilty (Lev 1:1-4/16:1-34, Isa 53, Mt 5:10-12/20:28, Th 58/68/69a) ; see Sacrament and Tr 1; Anne Frank, Diary:
Maybe our religion will teach the world and all the people in it about goodness, and thats the reason, the only reason,
we have to suffer.
Authority (13): Gk (original-being); an official within society; see World-System in Th Notes.
Baptism (47/73/81/82/96/97/101/115): Gk (immersion); the sacrament of spiritual cleansing re the Torah;
see Sacrament, Isa 1:16-17, Mk 1:4, Mt 28:19, Ac 1:22, Tr 37, John the Baptist in Th Notes.
Bedroom (131/136/140/142): Gk ; see also Bridal-Chamber.
Bridal-Chamber (65/71/72/73/82/94/95/101/108/112/131/143): see Bridal-Chamber in Th Notes; (79/84/86/87/89: Gk
); see also Bedroom, Sacrament, and Ph 64 (the Sacrament of Marriage, the Pure Mating), 85 (the Sacrament
of the Mating), 104/109/131 (the Immaculate Marriage), 142 (the Sacraments of this Marriage).
Cain (46): Heb Nyq (product and hence possession); that is, my or our product rather than product of God, perhaps indicating that the original transgression of humans consisted in claiming (Godlike) to create and hence to judge
their offspring; Gen 2:15-4:1, Ecc 11:5!see Abel, Adam in Th Notes, Eve, Ph 93/129, as well as Theogenesis.
Chrism (28/51/52/71/72/73/80/81/88/98/101/118/141): Gk (unguent) = Copt ne6 (C240b), so2n (C388b), tw6s
(C461b); the sacrament of anointing with olive oil, christification; see Anointed, Sacrament, Tr 41.
Christ (4): Gk ; see Anointed.
Christic (6/14/48/53/63/72/101/103/108): Gk (follower of Christ) = Heb Messianic (follower of the Messiah).
Communion (106): Copt 4lhl (C559a); communicating with God, prayer: The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition, CD-ROM version 2.0: Communion: 3. Intimate mental or spiritual communing, silent prayersee
Mt 6:6; (NB Lk 18:1, enjoins praying continually).
Companion (36/59): Gk (companion, partner; NB plural at Lk 5:10!); see Mate; the feminine of this
Gk word does not mean wife (www.metalog.org/files/gk.jpg); moreover, contrary to the claim made in the popular
novel The Da Vinci Code (2003), neither does the underlying Aramaic, rbx (khaver: female companion), mean
spouse (www.metalog.org/files/aram.jpg); regarding Leonardos famous painting, in his own highly secretive Notebooks, I.665 Notes on the Last Supper (www.metalog.org/files/leonardo.html), he unambiguously refers to that figure
in his famous painting as a male!; video presentation: www.metalog.org/files/dvcode_1.wmv.
Complexion (58): Gk (the color of the skin) = Sanskrit varna (complexion, thus caste!).
Confusion (10/18/22/74b/97/134): Gk (straying; hence planet as a celestial body which appears to stray
relative to the fixed stars); see Tr 3 ff.
Contemplation (95): Gk ; here meaning to behold ones imagery as Gods own manifested imagination
(Mt 18:10, Angel, Image and Symbol); the quote in Aristotle is: , Contemplation
[of the intelligible () is] the most delightful and excellent.
Convocation (10): Gk (called-out); the assembly of those called forth from the world (Mt 16:18/
18:15-20); this had been the term for the Athenian Assembly; Ps 22:22.
Defilement (18/64/65): Copt `w6m (C797b) = Gk = Heb )m+ (tame); ritual uncleanness (Lev 15), as
opposed to transgression of the Torah (Lev 19)a vital distinction; see Torah, compare Transgression in Th Notes.
Disciple (19): Gk (learner; a word notably absent from Pauls Epistles); in Attic Gk, used of the pupils
of the philosophers and rhetoricians, as in Platos Protagoras, 315A; compare Apostle.
Era (70): see Aeon.
Eternal (9/10/109/143): see Aeon.
Eucharist (30/57/73/106/114): Gk (well-joying, thanksgiving); the sacrament of bread and wine; see
Sacrament (Lk 22:14-20).
Eve (76): Heb hwx (living; Gen 3:20); see Abel, Adam in Th Notes, Cain and Female.
Expectation (122): Gk = Heb hwqt (tiqvah); not mere hoping or wishing, but rather anticipationClement

42

of Alexandria, Stromata, II.6: Hope is the expectation of the possession of good; necessarily, then, is expectation founded on faith; Isa 42:9, Jn 16:13!
Female (18): Copt s6ime (C385a); here emphasizing the Sacred Spirit as our Mother, as in Isa 49:15/66:13, Lk
13:34; see Spirit and The Maternal Spirit.
Hebrew (1/6/18/50): Heb rb( (eber: cross over, beyond, passer-by, transient; Th 42!); the lineage of Shem and especially of Abraham (Gen 10:21/14:13/16:15thus Ishmael also was a Hebrew).
Heir (98): Copt 2ro2 (C831b: seed, sperm); in light of Ph 18, and as with Gk in Ph 108, this term must
here be a metaphor for heir rather than meaning literally progeny.
Image/Imagery (24n/26n/30/47/72/84/93/95/130/136/143): see Th Notes.
Inequality (65): Copt at.twt (P063d/C438a: not in agreement, not conjoined); see Union and Th 61b!
Ionian (20): Gk (violet) = Heb Nyy/Nwy (yayin/yavan: wine); Hebrew name for the Greeks (Gen 10:2-5, Dan
8:21); the coast of Asia Minor (now Turkey) was where Greeks met the ancient middle-eastern civilizations, acquiring
the alphabet via the Semitic-speaking Phoenicians ( : purpleGk name for the Canaanites [Heb: merchants] of
Gen 9:18-10:19/12:5-7, I-Ki 5, Ezek 27-28; cp. Mt 15:22 with Mk 7:26; according to Herodotus Histories, I, Thales of
Miletusthe first pre-Socraticwas a Phoenician/Canaanite).
Jerusalem (82): Heb Myl#wry (foundations/city of peace); note that Heb hry (yarah: directive) is the root of both
Jeru- and Torah.
Jordan (88): Heb Ndry (descender); the river of the Holy Land, in the northern extension of Africas Great Rift
Valley; NB apparently the River Pishon of Gen 2:11; thus, could the Flood have swept down thru the Jordan Rift
Valley?!topologically more intelligible, except for the puzzling Ararat (which, however, means merely sacred/high
land); this would of course place all of Gen 2-9 in the Jordan Valley, with Gen 10 the first human (linguistic?!) dispersion, and Gen 11 thereafter in Mesopotamia.
Joseph the Craftsman (98): Joseph = Heb Pswy (addition); craftsman = Copt 6am4e (C546b), Gk (Mt
13:55); husband of the Virgin Mariam; notably silent thruout the Gospels; see Ph 18.
Levi (58): Heb ywl (join, convert); the OT patriarch of the priestly line; Ph 58 could thus be interpreted: The Lord
went into the dyeworks of conversion [or, of the priesthood].... (Isa 14:1, Zech 2:11).
Magdalene (36/59): Heb ldgm (migdal: watchtower); Christs companion; Pro 18:10, Isa 5:1-2, Mic 4:8, Lk 8:2, Jn
20:1-18; note that in Jn 20:17 means not merely touch, cling to but also kindle, ignite (as in Lk 8:16) and thus
caress, as also in Lk 7:39; see Mariam in Th Notes and The Paul Paradox, II.15.
Mate (30/36/64/65/80/86/87/89/119/120/131/134/142): Copt 6wtr (C726b) = Gk (common-being); sexual
union; cp. Israelite concubinage, non-marital sexual union (in which any offspring do not inherit), as Abraham with
Hagar and Ketura (Gen 16 & 25:1-6) or King David (II-Sam 15:16)forbidden neither by the Torah nor by Christ ( Ex
20:14, Lev 20:10, Mt 5:28 refer only to the wife of another man, not to an unmarried woman or a widow); see
Companion, Prostitution, Sacrament and Unite.
Measurement (51): Heb lq#-m (m-shql: of-shekel/weighing) is apparently here being punned with xy#m (mashiakh: Messiah).
Messiah (20a): Heb xy#m (mashiakh); see Anointed.
Messianic (6): Heb Messiah with Gk suffix - (thus follower of the Messiah); see Christic.
Mirrored (65/93): Gk : imaged; see Image in Th Notes.
Mode (122): Gk ; the term for the Platonic forms (often as ), as well as the Aristotelian species; note
also the evident allusion to the four primary elements of ancient physics: earth, water, air and fire (recast in modern formulation as the four basic states of matter: solid, liquid, gas and plasma).
Mystery (21/64/73/85/89/104/131/136/142): Gk ; secret or sacrament, a term from the ancient Mediterranean mystery religions; see Sacrament, Mk 4:11, Th 62, Tr 5/45.
Nationalist (4): Heb ywg (goy: corpse!) = Gk ; non-Israelite, pagan, Gentile, as in Ps 2, Mt 18:17/20:25/
24:9, Ac 4:25-26.
Natural (126): see Vintage/Kind/Natural in Th Notes.
Nazarene (20b): Heb of Nazareth ( NT Gk spelling , as in Mk 1:24); to be carefully distinguished
from:
Nazirite (51): Heb ryzn (nazir: crowned, consecrated; LXX and NT Gk spelling , as in Num 6:1-8 LXX,
Jud 13:5Mt 2:23); Hebrew holy man or woman (1) with uncut hair, (2) abstaining from products of the grapevine, and
(3) avoiding corpsesthe latter two rules of which Christ implicitly abrogated (Lk 7:11-17/22:17-18).
Novice (1): Gk (proselyte, toward-comer); a Torah convert (Num 9:14, Tob 1:8, Mt 23:15, Ac 2:10)
such as St Nicholas of Antioch (Santa Claus, the first Gentile Disciple!) at Ac 6:5 and Cornelius at Ac 10:1-2; A pro-

43

selyte is a full Jew: Abraham Chill, Biblio. 27.

Paradise (15): Gk , a term introduced into Gk by Xenophon, from Sanskrit paradesa (garden) via
Persian pardes (park); see Gen 2:8 LXX where it translates the Heb Ng (gan, garden), Lk 23:43!
Patrimony (64): attribution of the begetting of children to human parents rather than directly to God; matrimonypatrimony (or marriageinheritance) signifies mutual logical entailment, as in Gen 25:5-6 and also laws
170-71 of the Code of Hammurabi; Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace: An illegitimate son cannot inherit; see Cain, Dt
14:1, Hos 1:10, Mt 23:8-9, Lk 20:34-36, Jn 1:12-13/11:52, Th 105, as well as The Maternal Spirit and Theogenesis.
Paul (25/96/115): Latin small; the supposed Apostle (but see The Paul Paradox); remarkably, Mt 5:19 can thus
be read Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments [much less all of them, as in Rom 7:6!] ... shall be
called Paul (i.e. small) in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Perfect (15): Gk (completed); it is essential to note that Biblical morality exhibits a three-valued rather
than a binary logic: (1) evil/wrong [in violation of the Torah], (2) good/right [in accordance with the Torah], and (3)
perfect [in accordance with the Messiah]; see Mt 5:48/19:16-21, T.P. Brown, God and the Good (Religious Studies,
1967: www.metalog.org/files/tpb/god.g.html).
Philip The Apostle (98): (Philip = Gk : friend of horses) Mk 3:18, Jn 1:43-46/12:21/
14:8; NB distinct from:
Philip The Evangelist (Colophon): Ac 6:1-6/8:4-40/21:8-14!; prominent early Disciple, one of the Seven and author
of this text.
Prostitution (131): Gk (from : to sell) does not mean fornication* (non-adulterous sexual
relations outside of marriage, including importantly concubinage [Heb #glp, pilegesh] as in Gen 16:3/25:6), but rather
prostitution (cultic or commercial sexual relations, as in porno-graphy); Gen 38, Josh 2, Pro 6:26; see Mk 7:21!!, Th
105; prostitution is forbidden by Dt 23:17 (cultic) & Lev 19:29 (commercial)note that the blame falls solely on her
parents, her procurer and her clients, and not on the prostitute herself, who is a victim, thus Mt 21:31; NB using eroticism in advertising is commercial prostitution; Bruce Malina, Does PORNEIA mean Fornication?, Novum Testamentum, 1972, notes that there is no evidence in traditional or contemporary usage of the word porneia that takes it to
mean pre-betrothal, pre-marital, heterosexual intercourse of a non-cultic or non-commercial nature, i.e. what we call
fornication today; whereas what makes a given line of conduct ... unlawful, is that it is expressly prohibited by the
Torah.... In no case is pre-betrothal, non-commercial, non-cultic heterosexual intercourse (what is commonly called
fornication today) prohibited! As in the present case of Ph 131, as well as Mt 5:32, the term could by
extension also be used for other sexual relations explicitly prohibited by the Torah, such as incest, male homosexuality
or adultery (i.e. infidelity by a wifemonoandry being one of the females punishments at Gen 3:18); see Mate, Gen
25:1-6, II-Sam 3:2-5/5:13/15:16, Mt 5:32, Jn 8:2-11. (*as importantly and doubtless intentionally mistranslated at Mk
7:21 in Jeromes Latin Vulgate [405 AD], as well as in William Tyndales English NT [1525]whereas Martin Luthers
German NT [1522] has it translated correctly as harlotry; www.metalog.org/files/malina.html)
Rebirth (72): Copt `po n-.ke.sop (birth another time: C778b/090b/349b) ! Gk (generation from
above [up-place]; the Gk can mean either birth from above or birth again; compare Jn 3:3 with 3:31).
Recognition (13/116/122/127/133/134): see Th Notes.
Restoration (72): Gk (from-down-stand), as in Ac 1:6/3:21in the secular papyri this term is
used for the repair of buildings, returning estates to their rightful owners and balancing accounts.
Sacrament (64/73/85/104/131/142): see Mystery and Ph 127; Ph 73 gives a sequential and hierarchical list of five
Sacraments: (1) Baptism [moral cleansing re the Torah]; (2) Chrism [the Messianic Discipleship]; (3) Eucharist [the
communal meal, commemorating Yeshuas sacrifice]; (4) Atonement [suffering for the salvation of others: empathy,
persecution]; and (5) Holy Bridal-Chamber [uniting of the male with the female Disciples, to celebrate their eternal
birth thru the mating of the Father with the Sacred Spirit].
Sacred Spirit (6): see Spirit and Sacred Spirit in Th Notes.
Savior (59): Gk = Copt nou6m (C243b) = Heb (#y (ysha); see Yeshua in Th Notes, Tr 1.
Symbol (72/74a/106/136/140): Gk (type, alphabetical letter, pattern, model, general idea).
Torah (100): Heb hrwt (arrow, directive); the 613 commandments or mitzvot of the OT Law, also specifically the
five books of Moses (GenDt); Ps 9:7-10, Mal 4:4, Mt 5:17-19/23:23, Lk 16:31, Tr 36; in what script was the Decalogue
written at Sinai?re the origin of the (Semitic) alphabet; see Baptism and Perfect, also Abraham Chill, Biblio. 27.
Transition (68): Copt mhte (C190b) = Gk (middle); between alternatives, neither the one nor the other
(Rev/Ap 3:16!); see Wickedness 12 in Th Notes.
Trust (4/122): Gk (faith); not mere factual opinion, but rather personal confidence in someone or something.
Union/Unite (65/116/120/137): Copt tw6 (C438a: combine or couple, copulate); NB first Mt 19:12 (celibacy) in the

44

context of the previous four Sacraments, and only then the fifth Sacrament! (Ph 73); see Companion, Mate and Sacrament.
Wisdom (39/40/43/59): Gk = Aram tmkx (khokmt, Ex 35:35); see Tr 16/30/34, Philosopher in Th Notes.

1.

The Gospel of Truth is joy for those who have received from the Father of truth the gift of recognizing

him, thru the power of the Meaninga who comes forth from the fullness which is in the thought and mind of the
Father. This is he who is called the Saviorthat being the name of the task which he is to do for the atonement of
those who had been unacquainted with the Name of the Father. 1
2. Now, the Gospel is the revelation of the hopeful, it is the finding of themselves by those who seek him. For
since the totality were searching for him from whom they came forthand the totality were within him, the Inconceivable Incomprehensible, he who exists beyond all thought ahence unacquaintance with the Father caused
anxiety and fear. Then the anxiety condensed like a fog so that no one could see. 2

Wherefore confusion grew strong, contriving its matter in emptiness and unacquaintance with the truth, preparing to substitute a potent and alluring fabrication for truthfulness. But this was no humiliation for him, the Inconceivable Incomprehensible. For the anxiety and the amnesia a and the deceitful fabrication were nothing
whereas the established truth is immutable, imperturbable and of unadornable beauty. Therefore despise confusion! It has no roots and was in a fog concerning the Father, preparing labors and amnesia and fear in order
thereby to entice those of the transition and take them captive. 3
3.

The amnesia of confusion was not made as a revelation, it is not the handiwork of the Father. Forgetfulness
does not occur under his directive, although it does happen because of him. But rather what exists within him is
acquaintanceshipthis being revealed so that forgetfulness might dissolve and the Father be recognized. Since
amnesia occurred because the Father was not recognized, thereafter when the Father is recognized there will be no
more forgetting.

4.

5. This is the Gospel of him who is sought, which he has revealed to those perfected thru the mercies of the Father
as the secret mystery: Yeshua the Christ! He enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness. He
illumined them. He gave them a path, and that path is the truth which he proclaimed.
6. Therefore confusion was enraged at him and pursued him in order to suppress and eliminate him. He was nailed
to a crossbeam, a he became the fruit of recognizing the Father. Yet it did not cause those who consumed it to
perish, but rather to those who consumed it he bestowed a rejoicing at such a discovery. For he found them in
himself and they found him in themselvesbthe Inconceivable Incomprehensible, the Father, this perfect-one who
created the totality, within whom the totality exists and of whom the totality has need. For he had withheld within
himself their perfection, which he had not yet conferred upon them all. 6

The Father is not jealous, for what envy could there be between him and his members? a For if the way of this
aeon had prevailed they would not have been able to come unto the Father, who retains within himself their
fulfillment and bestows it upon them as a return to himself with a recognition which is single in perfection. It is he
who ordained the totality, and the totality is within him b and the totality had need of him. It is like a person with
whom some have been unacquainted, yet who desires that they recognize and love him. For what did they all lack
except acquaintance with the Father?7

7.

Mt 1:21, Jn 17, Ac 4:12; a .

Ph 125.
3
Ph 68; aLeo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina: That universal solution which life gives to all questions, even the most complex and
insolvable: one must live in the needs of the daythat is, forget.
6a
Anti-Gnostic: Dt 21:22-23, Jn 19:18, Ac 10:39; bJn 14:20.
7
Jn 14:9; aMk 15:10!, Th 77; bJn 17:21, Ph 21.
2a

45

Thus he became a reposeful and leisurely guide in the place of instruction. The Logos came to the midst and
spoke as their appointed teacher. There approached those who considered themselves wise, putting him to the test
yet he shamed them in their vanity. They hated him because they were not truly wise. Then after them all there
also approached the little children, those who are acquainted with the Father. Having been confirmed, they
learned of the face-forms of the Father. a They recognized, they were recognized; they were glorified, they glorified. Revealed in their heart was the living book of life, this which is inscribed in the thought and mind of the
Father and which has been within his incomprehensibility since before the foundation of the totality. No one can
take this (book) away, because it was appointed for him who would take it and be slain b.8

8.

9. No one of those who trusted in salvation could have become manifest unless this book had come to the midst.
This is why the merciful and faithful-oneYeshua!patiently endured the sufferings in order to take this book,
since he knew that his death is life for many. a Just as the fortune of the deceased master of the estate remains
secret until his bequest is opened, so also the totality remained hidden so long as the Father of the totality was
invisiblethis-one thru whom all dimensions originate. This is why Yeshua appeared, clothed in that book. 9

He was nailed to a crossbeama in order to publish the edict of the Father on the cross. Oh sublime teaching,
such that he humbled himself unto death while clad in eternal life! He stripped off the rags of mortality in order to
don this imperishability which none has the power to take from him. Entering into the empty spaces of the terrors,
he brought forth those who had been divested by amnesia. b Acting with recognition and perfection, he proclaimed
what is in the heart [of the Father, in order to] make wise those who are to receive the teaching. Yet those who are
instructed are the living, inscribed in this book of life, who are taught about themselves and who receive themselves from the Father in again returning to him. 10

10.

11. Because the perfection of the totality is in the Father, it is requisite that they all ascend unto him. When
someone recognizes, he receives the things that are his own and gathers them to himself. For he who is unacquainted has a lackand what he lacks is great, since what he lacks is Him who will make him perfect. Because
the perfection of the totality is in the Father, it is requisite that they all ascend unto him. Thus each and every one
receives himself.11

He pre-inscribed them, having prepared this gift for those who emerged from him. Those whose names he
foreknew are all called at the end. Thus someone who recognizes has his name spoken by the Father. a For he
whose name has not been spoken remains unacquainted. How indeed can anyone hearken whose name has not
been called? For he who remains unacquainted until the end is a figment of forgetfulness and will vanish with it.
Otherwise why indeed is there no name for those wretches, and why do they not heed the call? 12
12.

Thus someone with acquaintance is from above. When he is called he hears and heeds and returns to Him who
called, ascending unto him. And he discovers who it is that calls him. In recognition he does the volition of him
who called. He desires to please him, and granted repose he receives the Name of the One. He who recognizes
thus discovers from whence he has come and whither he is going. He understands like someone who was
intoxicated and who has shaken off his drunkenness and returned to himself, to set upright those things which are
his own.13

13.

He has brought many back from confusion. He went before them into the spaces thru which their hearts had
migrated in going astray, due to the depth of Him who encompasses all dimensions without himself being
encompassed. It is a great wonder that they were within the Father without recognizing him, and that they were
able to depart unto themselves because they could neither comprehend nor recognize him in whom they were. For
thus his volition had not yet emerged from within himself. For he revealed himself so that all his emanations
would reunite with him in recognition.

14.

Isa 5:21, Mt 18:10; aPs 17:15, Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, V.6: The Son is said to be the Fathers face, being the
revealer of the Fathers character to the five senses by clothing Himself with flesh; banti-Gnostic.
9
Rev/Ap 5:1-5; aanti-Gnostic.
10 a
Anti-Gnostic; bPh 75; Dt 21:22-23, Hch 10:39, Vrd 6.
11
Mt 5:48.
12 a
I-Sam 3:10, Lk 19:5.
13
Th 28.

46

This is acquaintance with the living book, whereby at the end he has manifested the eternal-ones as the
alphabet of his revelation. These are not vowels nor are they consonants, such that someone might read them and
think of emptiness, but rather they are the true alphabet by which those who recognize it are themselves expressed. Each letter is a perfect thought, each letter is like a complete book written in the alphabet of unity by the
Father, who inscribes the eternal-ones so that thru his alphabet they might recognize the Father. 15

15.

His wisdom meditates on the Meaning His teaching expresses it His acquaintance revealed it His dignity
is crowned by it His joy unites with it His glory exalted it His appearance manifested it His repose received
it His love embodied ita His faith embraced it.16

16.

Thus the Logos of the Father comes into the totality as the fruit of his heart and the face-form of his volition.
But he supports them all, he atones them and moreover he assumes the face-form of everyone, purifying them,
bringing them backwithin the Father, within the Mother, Yeshua of infinite kindness. The Father uncovers his
bosom,a which is the Sacred Spirit, revealing his secret. His secret is his Son! 2 Thus thru the compassions of the
Father the eternal-ones recognize him. And they cease their toil of seeking for the Father and repose in him, recognizing that this is the repose.17

17.

Having replenished the deficiency, he dissolved the scheme. For the scheme is this world in which he served
as a slave, and deficiency is the place of envy and quarreling. Yet the place of the unity is perfect. Since deficiency occurred because the Father was not recognized, thereafter when the Father is recognized there shall be no
deficiency. Just as with ignorance: when someone comes to know, the ignorance dissolves of itselfand also as
darkness dissipates when the light shinesso also deficiency vanishes when perfection appears. Thus from that
moment on there is no more scheme, but rather it disappears in the fusion of the unity. For now their involvements are made equal at the moment when the fusion perfects the spaces. 18

18.

19. Each one shall receive himself in the unification and shall be purified from multiplicity unto unity in acquaintanceshipconsuming matter in himself like a flame, darkness with light, and death with life. Since these things
have thus happened to each one of us, it is appropriate that we think of the totality so that the household be holy
and silent for the unity. 19

It is like some who move jars from their proper places to unsafe places, where they are broken. And yet the
master of the house suffered no loss but rather rejoiced, for those unsound jars were replaced by these which are
fully perfect. This is the judgment which has come from above, like a double-edged sword drawn to cut this way
and that as each one is judged.20

20.

There came to the midst the Logos, which is in the heart of those who express it. This was not a mere sound,
but rather he became a body. a A great disturbance occurred among the jarsfor lo some were emptied, others
were filled, some were supplied, others were overturned, some were cleansed, others were broken. All of the
spaces quaked and were agitated, having neither order nor stability. Confusion was in anguish at not discerning
what to dodistressed and lamenting and shearingb from understanding nothing.21

21.

22. Then when recognition approached with all its emanations, this was the annihilation of confusion, which was
emptied into nothingness. The truth came to the midst, and all his emanations recognized and embraced the Father
in truth and united with him in a perfect power. For everyone who loves the truth attaches himself to the mouth of
the Father with his tongue by receiving the Sacred Spirit. a The truth is the mouth of the Father, his tongue is the
Sacred Spirit joined to him in truth. This is the revelation of the Father and his self-manifestation to his eternal-

15

Ps 139:16, Rev/Ap 1:8.

Definitively anti-Gnostic.
17 a
Odes of St Solomon, 8:17, My own breasts I prepared for them, that they might drink my holy milk and live thereby; see
also Ode 19; bPh 20b.
18
Th 61b.
19
Ps 46:10, Zech 2:13.
20
Rev/Ap 1:16.
21 a
Anti-Gnostic!; bLev 19:27+Num 6:5.
16 a

47

ones. He has revealed his secret, explaining it all. 22

23. For who is the Existent-One, except for the Father alone? All dimensions are his emanations, recognized in
coming forth from his heart like sons from a mature person who knows them. Each one whom the Father begets
had previously received neither form nor name. Then they were formed thru his self-awareness. Although indeed
they had been in his mind, they had not recognized him. The Father however is perfectly acquainted with all the
dimensions, which are within him.

Whenever he wishes he manifests whomever he wishes, forming him and naming him. And in giving him a
name, he causes him to come into being. Before they came into being, these assuredly were unacquainted with
him who fashioned them. I do not say however that those who have not yet come into being are nothingsbut
rather they preexist within him who shall intend their becoming when he desires it, like a season yet to come. a
Before anyone is manifest (the Father) knows what he will bring forth. But the fruit that is not yet manifest neither
recognizes nor accomplishes anything. Thus all dimensions themselves exist within the Father who exists, from
whom they come forth, and who established them unto himself from that which is not. 24

24.

Whoever lacks root also lacks fruit, but still he thinks to himself: I have become, so I shall deceasefor
everything that (earlier) did not (yet) exist, (later) shall no (longer) exist. a What therefore does the Father desire
that such a person think about himself?: I have been like the shadows and the phantoms of the night! When the
dawn shines upon him, this person ascertains that the terror which had seized him was nothing. They were thus
unacquainted with the Father because they did not behold him. Hence there occurred terror and turmoil and weakness and doubt and division, with many deceptions and empty fictions at work thru these. 25

25.

It was as if they were sunk in sleep and found themselves in troubled dreamseither fleeing somewhere, or
powerlessly pursuing others, or delivering blows in brawls, or themselves suffering blows, or falling from a high
place, or sailing thru the air without wings. Sometimes it even seems as if they are being murdered although no
one pursues them, or as if they themselves are murdering their neighbors since they are sullied by their blood. 26

26.

Then the moment comes when those who have endured all this awaken, no longer to see all those troubles
for they are naught.a Such is the way of those who have cast off ignorance like sleep and consider it to be nothing,
neither considering its various events as real, but rather leaving it behind like a dream of the night. Recognizing
the Father brings the dawn! This is what each one has done, sleeping in the time when he was unacquainted. And
this is how, thus awakened, he comes to recognition.27
27.

How good for the person who returns to himself and awakens, and blest is he whose blind eyes have been
opened! And the Spirit ran after him, resurrecting him swiftly. Extending her hand to him who was prostrate on
the ground, she lifted him up on his feet who had not yet arisen. Now the recognition which gives understanding
is thru the Father and the revelation of his Son. Once they have seen him and heard him, he grants them to taste
and to smell and to touch the beloved Son.28

28.

When he appeared, telling them about the incomprehensible Father, he breathed into them a what is in the
thought of doing his volition. Many received the light and returned to him. But the materialists were alien and did
not behold his likeness nor recognize him, although he came forth incarnate b in form. Nothing obstructs his course
for imperishability is indomitable. Moreover he proclaimed beforehand that which was new, expressing what is
in the heart of the Father and bringing forth the flawless Logos. 29
29.

30.

Light spoke thru his mouth, and his voice gave birth to life. a He gave to them the thought of wisdom, of mercy,

22

Th Prolog/108; aAc 2:1-4.

Th 19; aPh 1.
25 a
Wisd 2:2, We were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been; Victor Hugo, Les
Misrables: Did I exist before my birth? No. Shall I, after my death? No.
26
James Joyce, Ulysses, 2: History ... is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake.
27
Isa 29:7-8; aTh 2.
28
The five senses: emphatically anti-Gnostic!; Th 19.
29 a
See [inflate] in Jn 20:22 [LSJ, Biblio. 19+23: to blow in], also Gen 2:7; Odes of St Solomon, 18:19, The
Most High breathed into them; banti-Gnostic, Jn 1:14.
24

48

of salvation, of the Spirit of power from the infinity and the kindness of the Father. He abolished punishment and
torment,b for these caused some who had need of mercy to go astray from his face in confusion and bondage. And
with power he pardoned them, and he humbled them in acquaintanceship. 30
He became a path for those who had strayedacquaintance for the unawarediscovery for those who seek
stability for the waveringand immaculate purity for those who were defiled.
31.

32. He is the shepherd who left behind the 99 sheep that were not lost, in order to go searching for this-one which
had strayed. And he rejoiced when he found it. For 99 is a number that is counted on the left hand, which tallies
it. But when 1 is added, the entire sum passes to the right hand. So it is with him who lacks the One, which is the
entire right handhe takes from the left what is deficient in order to transfer it to the right, and thus the number
becomes 100. Now, the signification within these words is the Father. 32

Even on the Sabbath he labored for the sheep which he found fallen into the pit. He restored the sheep to life,
bringing it up from the pit, so that you Sons of heart-understanding may discern this Sabbath on which the work
of salvation must never cease, and so that you may speak from this day which is above, which has no night, and
from the perfect light which never sets.33

33.

Speak therefore from your hearts, for you are this perfect day and within you dwells this abiding light. Speak
of the truth with those who seek it, and of acquaintanceship unto those who in confusion have transgressed.
Support those who stumble, reach out your hand to the sick, feed those who are hungry, give repose to the weary,
uplift those who yearn to arise, awaken those who sleepfor you are the wisdom that rescues! 34

34.

35. Thus strength grows in action. Give heed to yourselvesbe not concerned with those other things which you
have already cast out of yourselves. Do not return to what you have regurgitated, be not moth-eaten, be not wormeatenfor you have already cast that out. Do not become a place for the Devil, for you have already eliminated
him. Do not reinforce those things that made you stumble and fall. Thus is uprightness!

For someone who violates the Torah harms himself more than the judgment harms him. a For he does his deeds
illicitly, whereas he who is righteous does his deeds for the sake of others. Do therefore the volition of the Father,
because you are from him. For the Father is kind, and things are good thru his volition. He has taken cognizance
of whatever is yours, so that you may repose yourselves concerning such thingsfor in their fruition it is recognized whose they are.36

36.

The Sons of the Father are his fragrance, for they are from the grace of his face. Therefore the Father loves his
fragrance and manifests it everywhere. And blending it with matter, a he bestows his fragrance upon the light, and
in his repose he exalts it over every likeness and every sound. For it is not the ears that inhale the fragrance, but
rather the breathb has the sense of smell and draws it to oneselfand thus is someone baptized in the fragrance of
the Father.37

37.

Thus he draws into harbor his original fragrance which had grown cold, unto the place from which it came. It
was something which in psychic form had become like cold water permeating loose soil, such that those who see
it think it to be dirt. Then afterward, when a warm and fragrant breeze blows, it again evaporates. Thus coldness
results from separation.a This is why the Faithful-One cameto abolish division and bring the warm fullness of
love, so that the cold would not return but rather there should be the unification of perfect thought. This is the
Logos of the Gospel of the finding of the fullness by those who await the salvation which comes from on high.
Prolonged is the hope of those who awaitthose whose likeness is the light which contains no shadowat that
time when the fullness finally comes. 38

38.

30 a

II-Sam 23:2; bLk 23:34, Jn 8:2-11!

Mt 18:12-13, Th 107.
33
Mt 12:11, Th 27/34, Ph 142.
34
Mt 25:31-46!
36 a
St Augustine, Confessions, I: Every disorder of the soul is its own punishment; Jn 16:28, Lk 6:43-44.
37 a
Anti-Gnostic!; bspirit; Ph 118.
38
II-Pet 3:3-13, Ph 85/112; aTh 11, Ph 86.
32

49

The deficiency of matter did not originate thru the infinity of the Father, who came in the time of inadequacy
although no one could predict that the indestructible would arrive in this manner. But the profundity of the
Father abounded, and the thought of confusion was not with him. It is a topic for falling prostrate, it is a reposeful
topicto be set upright on ones feet, in being found by This-One who came to bring him back. For the return is
called: Metanoia!39
39.

This is why imperishability breathed forthto seek after the transgressor so that he might have repose. For to
forgive is to remain behind with the light, the Logos of the fullness, in the deficiency. Thus the physician hastens
to the place where there is illness, for this is his hearts desire. a But he who has a lack cannot hide it from him who
possesses what he needs. Thus the fullness, which has no deficiency, replenishes the lack. 40

40.

(The Father) gave of himself to replenish whomever lacks, in order that thereby he may receive grace. In the
time of his deficiency he had no grace. Thus wherever grace is absent, there is inferiority. At the time when he
received this smallness which he lacked, a (then the Father) revealed to him a fullness, which is this finding of the
light of truth that dawned upon him in unchangeability. This is why the Christ was invoked in their midstso that
they would receive their returning. He anoints with the Chrism those who have been troubled. b The anointing is
the compassion of the Father who will have mercy upon them. Yet those whom he has anointed are those who are
perfectedc.41

41.

42. For jars which are full are those which are sealed. Yet when its sealant is destroyed, a jar leaks. And the cause
of its being emptied is the absence of its sealant, for then something in the dynamics of the air evaporates it. But
nothing is emptied if the sealant has not been removed, nor does anything leak away, but rather the perfect Father
replenishes whatever is lacking.

He is good. He knows his seedlings, for it is he who planted them in his paradise. Now his paradise is his
realm of repose. This is the perfection in the thought of the Father, and these are the Logoi of his meditation.
Each one of his Logoi is the product of his unitary volition in the revelation of his meaning. While they were still
in the depths of his thought, the Logos was the first to come forth. Furthermore he revealed them from a mind that
expresses the unique Logos in the silent grace called thought, since they existed therein prior to becoming manifest. So it occurred that (the Logos) was the first to come forth, at the time when it pleased the will of him who
intended it.43

43.

Now the volition of the Father is that which reposes in his heart and pleases him. Nothing exists without him,
nor does anything occur without the volition of the Father. a But his volition is unfathomable. b His volition is his
imprintc, and no one can determine it nor anticipate it in order to control it. But whenever he wills, what he wills
existseven if the sight does not please them. They are nothing before the face of God and the volition of the
Father. For he knows the beginning and the ending of them allat their finish he shall question them face-to-face.
Yet the finish is to receive acquaintance with This-One who was hidden. d Now this is the Fatherthis-one from
whom the beginning came forth, this-one to whom all these shall return who came forth from him. e Yet they have
been manifest for the glory and joy of his Name. 44
44.

Now the Name of the Father is the Son. He first named him who came forth from himself, and who is himself.
And he begot him as a Son. He bestowed his own Name upon him. It is the Father who from his heart possesses
all things. He has the Name, he has the Son who can be seen. Yet his Name is transcendentalfor it alone is the
mystery of the invisible, which thru him comes to ears completely filled with it. 45

45.

46.

For indeed the Name of the Father is not spoken, a yet rather it is manifested as a Son. b Accordingly, great is the

39

Mk 1:4+15, Tr 28.
Diatessaron [150 AD]: Where there is suffering, [Christ] says, to there the physician hastens.
41 a
Mt 18:4, Th 21/22/46, Tr 8; bTh 2; cMt 5:48, Ph 28.
43
Jn 1:1.
44 a
Ps 139:16, Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19; bIsa 40:13; cCop i`nos, Gr : literally, footprint; dPs 11:7/17:15; eTh 77; Clement of
Alexandria, Stromata, V.6: Having become Son and Friend, [the Disciple] is now replenished with insatiable contemplation
face to face.
45
Mt 1:21, Lk 1:31, Jn 17:6-26!, Ph 11!
40 a

50

Name! Who therefore could proclaim a Name for him, the supreme Name, except him alone whose Name this is,
together with the Sons of the Name?those in whose heart the Name of the Father reposes and who themselves
likewise repose in his Name. Because the Father is immutable, it is he alone who begot him as his own Name
before he fashioned the eternal-ones, so that the Name of the Father would be Lord over their headsthis-one
who is truly the Name, secure in his command of perfect power. 46
The Name is not mere verbiage, nor is it only terminology, but rather it is transcendental. He alone named him,
he alone seeing him, he alone having the power to give him a name. Whoever does not exist has no namefor
what names are given to nothings? But this existing-one exists together with his Name. And the Father alone
knows him, and he alone names him.

47.

The Son is his Name. He did not keep him hidden as a secretbut rather the Son came to be, and (the Father)
alone named him. Thus the Name belongs to the Father, such that the Name of the Father is the Son. How otherwise would compassion find a name, except from the Father? For after all, anyone will say to his companion:
Whoever could give a name to someone who existed before him?as if children do not thus receive their names
thru those who gave them birth!

48.

Firstly, therefore, it is appropriate that we think on this topic: what is the Name? Truly (the Son) is the Name
thus also he is the Name from the Father. He is the existent Name of the Lord. Thus he did not receive the
Name on loan as do others, according to the pattern of each individual who is to be created in his heart. For he is
the Lordly Name. There is no one else who bestowed it upon him, but he was unnamable and it was ineffable until
the time when He who is Perfect gave expression to (the Son) alone. And it is (the Son) who has the power to
express his Name and to see him. Thus it pleased (the Father) in his heart that his desired Name be his Son, and he
gave the Name to himthis-one who came forth from the profundity.
49.

50. (The Son) expressed his secret, knowing that the Father is benevolent. This is exactly why (the Father) brought
this-one forthso that he might speak of the dominion and his place of repose from which he came, and render
glory to the fullness, the majesty of his Name, and the kindness of the Father. He shall speak of the realm from
which each one cameand each one who issued from that place shall thus be hastened to return unto it again, to
share in receiving his substance in the place where he stood, a receiving the tasteb of that place, receiving nourishment and growth. And his own dominion of repose is his fullness. 50

Thus all the emanations of the Father are plenitudes, and the source of all his emanations is within the heart of
Him from whom they all flourish. He bestowed their destinies upon them. a Thus is each one made manifest, such
that thru their own meditation they [return to] the place to which they direct their thought. That place is their
source, which lifts them thru all the heights of heaven unto the Father. They attain unto his head, which becomes
their repose. And they are embraced as they approach him, so that they say that they have partaken of his face in
embraces. Yet they are not thus made manifest by exalting themselves. They neither lack the glory of the Father,
nor do they think of him as being trite or bitter or wrathful. But rather he is benevolent, imperturbable and kind
knowing all the dimensionalities before they come into existence, and having no need of edification. 51

51.

52. This is the manner of those who themselves belong on high thru the grandeur of the immeasurable, as they
await the Unique and Perfect-One who makes himself there for them. And they do not descend unto the abode of
the dead. They have neither jealousy nor lamentation nor mortality there among them, but rather they repose
within him who is reposeful. They are neither troubled nor devious concerning the truth, but rather they themselves are the truth. The Father is within them and they are within the Father, perfected and made indivisible in
the truly good, not inadequate in anything but rather given repose and refreshed in the Spirit. And they shall obey
their source in leisure, these within whom his root is found and who harm no soul. This is the place of the blest,
this is their place!52

46

Ex 3:14, Th 13; asee Ph 11, note b; also Lao Tse, Tao Te Ching, 1: The name which can be named is not the Eternal
Name; bJn 17:6.
50 a
Th 28; banti-Gnostic.
51 a
Ps 139:16, Pro 20:24, Jn 5:19.
52
Jn 17:21-23, Ph 102.

51

Wherefore let the remainder understand in their places that it is not appropriate for me, having been in the
realm of repose, to say anything further. But it is within his heart that I shall beforever devoted to the Father of
the totality, together with those true Brothers and Sisters upon whom pours the love of the Father and among
whom there is no lack of him. These are they who are genuinely manifest, being in the true and eternal life and
speaking the perfect light which is filled with the seed of the Father, and who are in his heart and in the fullness
and in whom his Spirit rejoices, glorifying him in whom they exist. He is good, and his Sons and Daughters are
perfect and worthy of his Name. For it is children of this kind that he the Father desires.

53.

Notes to Truth
The translation of the Gospel of Truth is concordant with that of Thomas and Philip, and therefore words discussed in the notes there are not duplicated here. Online are (1) the Coptic text: www.metalog.org/files/truth.html; (2)
Kendrick Grobels detailed textual commentary (Biblio. 14, www.metalog.org/files/grobel1.html ); and (3) a preliminary version of another extraordinary text from the Nag Hammadi library, perhaps also by Valentine: www.metalog.
org/files/supremacy.html.
Acquaintanceship (4): see Recognition in Th Notes.
Count (32): this refers to the ancient technique of finger-calculation, whereby numbers 199 were counted on the
left hand, but from 100 upward on the right hand; the number 100 itself was formed by touching the right forefinger-tip
to the upper joint of the thumb (the Hindus call such a symbolic hand-posture a mudra).
Dead, Abode of the (52): Copt emnte (C056aC008b: west, as the entrance to the underworld) = Heb lw)#
(sheol: plead) = Gk (hades: unseen).
Emanation (14/22/23/51): Copt 5h (C392); Th 77; Grobel (Biblio. 14) convincingly shows that this term is analogous to the Neo-Platonic notion of divine radiation, wherein all beings are likened to sunbeams emanating from the one
God; see Plotinus, Enneads, V.3.12: The analogy of light from a sunthe entire intellectual order may be figured as a
kind of light, with the One in repose at its summit as its King; cp. also A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
Beyond Illusion and Doubt (1999): In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah: Everything is
emanating from Me. Christ says that he is the son of God, and this means that he emanates from God.
Eternal-Ones (15): see Aeon in Ph Notes; all creatures considered as eternal, relative to the trans-dimensional
mind of God (Lk 20:38, Jn 6:54, Angel, Image and Symbol).
Face-Form (8/17): Copt moung n-.6o (C175a/646b: form of face); Gen 32:30/33:10, Th 76; here the idea seems
similar to that expressed in those extraordinary Hindu religious paintings which show all men and creatures as countless manifestations of one transcendental Deity (the Brahman)this metaphysic is found in the Upanishads and the
Bhagavad Gita; see Emanation.
Form (23/29/38/52): Latin FORMA; it is a noteworthy idiosyncrasy of both this text and the Supremacy that the
Latin term is employed rather than the Gk (www.metalog.org/files/supremacy.txt).
Logoi (43): Gk ; this is the plural of (see Meaning in Th Notes), indicating that each Son-or-Daughter of God is a divine Logos like unto the Savior (see Lk 6:40 with Jn 1:1+Th 108, also Ph 133 where John the Baptist is
quoted as Logos!).
Metanoia (39): see Mind, Change of in Th Notes.
Midst (8): Copt mhte (C190b: amidst, in transition, hence this transitory world); see Transition in Ph Notes and in
Tr 3.
Recognize (1): see Recognition in Th Notes, Hos 6:6, Mt 5:8.
Scheme (18): Gk ; form, plan, appearance as opposed to the substantial reality.
Seal (42): Copt tb-be (C398b); a sealant such as retsina, used to affix the top onto a jar/amphora to make it airtight
(perhaps led to the tradition of retsina flavoring in Gk wine).

52

Commentary
(1) Are the Coptic Gospels Gnostic?
The leaning of sophists towards the bypaths of apocrypha is a constant quantity.
James Joyce, Ulysses

ver since the initial announcement of the Nag Hammadi discovery, and unto the present day, the library
as a whole has been consistently called Gnostic, both in the scholarly literature and in the popular press. 1 To
begin with, the entire Nag Hammadi Library was so labeled in the first published editions of Thomas ( 1956+59:
www.metalog/files/th_coptic/03a.gif; from Biblio. 7)which classification was subsequently accepted by virtually
everyone who looked into the text. Thus, representative of almost all subsequent publications was the report of
Robert M. Grant & David Noel Freedman, The Secret Sayings of Jesus (1960): [Regarding] the Gospel of
Thomas, [Jean] Doresse looked through this gospel in the spring of 1949 and later announced that it was a
Gnostic composition.... The Gospel of Philip contains nothing but Gnostic speculations. Wiser counsel, at least
regarding Thomas, soon came from no less an authority than Gilles Quispel at the centenary meeting of the
Society of Biblical Literature in 1964: The Gospel of Thomas ... is not gnostic at all. The adherents of the gnostic
interpretation ... must explain how the author could possibly say that the buried corpse could rise again (logion 5,
Greek version). Unfortunately, however, Quispels seemingly irrefutable point was soon eclipsed by a surge of
fascination, in both academic publications and the media, with Gnosticisms apparently more exotic enticements.
While there may well be gnostic writings amongst the several dozen titles found so significantly near the site
of Saint Pachomius archetypal monastery, the three Coptic Gospels in that collection are demonstrably not
Gnostic in content. This can most readily be shown via an ordinary syllogism; the remainder of the present essay
will then consist in proving the two premises, from which the conclusion follows as proven. 2
1. No text, which affirms the basic reality and sanctity of incarnate life, can properly be labeled
gnostic.
2. The Coptic Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth (like the entire Old Testament, the New Testament
Gospels and Acts) explicitly assert the sacred reality of incarnate life.
Therefore 3. They are not gnostic writings or compilations. QED
Proof of the First Premise:
Gnosticism, Encyclopdia Britannica CD-ROM edition 2002: In the Gnostic view, the unconscious self of
man is consubstantial with the Godhead, but because of a tragic fall it is thrown into a world that is completely
alien to its real being. Through revelation from above, man becomes conscious of his origin, essence, and transcendent destiny. Gnostic revelation is to be distinguished ... from Christian revelation, because it is not rooted in
history and transmitted by Scripture. It is rather the intuition of the mystery of the self. The world, produced from
evil matter and possessed by evil demons, cannot be a creation of a good God; it is mostly conceived of as an
illusion, or an abortion.

Proof of the Second Premise:

Thomas 5 (Gk): nothing that has been buried shall not be raised ( )
Th 12: for whose sake the sky and earth have come to be (paei n-ta.t.pe mn- p.ka6 4wpe etbht.3-)
Th 22a: the inside as the outside and the outside as the inside (p.sa n.6oun n-.qe m-.p.sa n.bol auw p.san.
bol n-.qe m-.p.sa n.6oun)

The citations in Modern Scholarly Comments, in the Introduction above, are but notable exceptionswhich the student will
encounter only by an extensive review of the more academic literature. More typical are the prejudicial titles of Elaine
Pagels best-selling The Gnostic Gospels (1979); E.J. Brills entire scholarly series, Nag Hammadi Studies: The Coptic Gnostic Library; and The Coptic Gnostic Library: A Complete Edition of the Nag Hammadi Codices, General Editor James M.
Robinson (2006 edition)for these last two, more appropriate titles would surely be The Coptic Monastic Library etc.
2
Modally: 1. (x)(x ~x); 2. a,b,c; 3. ~a,b,c; = entailment; ~ = negation; x = x asserts incarnate sanctity; x = x
is Gnostic; a,b,c = Coptic Gospels.

53

Th 22b: a hand in the place of a hand and a foot in the place of a foot (ou.2i` e.p.ma n-.n.ou.2i` auw ou.
erhte e.p.ma n-.ou.erhte)
Th 28: incarnate I was manifest to them (a.ei.ouon6 ebol na.u 6n-.sarc)
Th 29: the flesh has come to be because of spirit (n-ta.t.sarc 4wpe etbe p\n\a\)
Th 55: his cross (pe3.sros)
Th 101: my mother bore my body (ta.maau gar nta.s.mise pa.swma ebol)
Th 113: the Sovereignty of the Father is spread upon the earth (t.m-nt.ero m-.p.eiwt e.s.por4 ebol
6i`m-.p.ka6)
Philip 25: it is necessary to arise in this flesh (6aps- pe e.twoun 6n- teei.sarc)
Ph 72: the power of the cross (t.dunamis m-.p.sros)
Ph 77: on the cross (6i p.sros)
Ph 78: the Lord arose from among the dead;... he is incarnate (a.p.`oeis twoun ebol 6n- net.moout ...
ounta.3 m-mau n-.sarc)
Ph 89: his body came into being on that day (pe3.swma n-ta.3.4wpe m-.foou et.m-mau)
Ph 107: the Living Water is a body (p.moou et.on6 ou.swma pe)
Ph 114: the Saint is entirely holy, including his body (p.rwme et.ouaab 3.ouaab thr.3 4a 6rai e.pe3.
swma)
Ph 132: Abraham ... circumcised the flesh of the foreskin (abra6am ... a.3.sbbe n-.t.sarc n-.t.
akrobustia)
Ph 137: under the wings of the cross and in its arms (6a n-.tn6 m-.p.sros auw 6a ne3.2boei)
Truth 6+10: he was nailed to a crossbeam (a.u.a3t.3- a.u.4e)
Tr 8: it was appointed for him who would take it and be slain (e.s.kh m-.pet.na.3it.3- n-.se.6l-6wl.3-)
Tr 9: Yeshua ... knew that his death is life for many (i\h\s\ ... 3.saune `e pi.mou n-toot.3- ou.wn6- n-.6a6 pe)
Tr 16: his love embodied it [the Logos] (5.agaph n-.toot.3- a.s.r- ou.swma 6iww.3)
Tr 21: the Logos ... became a body (pi.4e`e ... a.3.r- ou.swma)
Tr 29: he came forth incarnate in form (n-ta.3.ei abal 6i.toot.s- n-ou.sarc n-.smat)
Tr 30: light spoke thru his mouth (e.a.3.4e`e abal 6n- rw.3 n-2i p.ouaein)
Tr 37: the Father loves his fragrance and ... blends it with matter (p.iwt maie m-.pe3.staei auw ... e.3.
4a.tw6 mn- 5.6ulh)

It would merely beg the question to claim that all such passages were inserted into otherwise Gnostic
documents; to omit from consideration all and only contrary passages per se, constitutes the logical fallacy called
petitio principii. Moreover, one would then have to ask why the remaining logia of these three Gospels should be
considered gnostic to begin with, since the sanctity of incarnate reality is there nowhere denied.
Conclusion: The Gospels of Thomas, Philip and Truth are not Gnostic compositions or compilations.
It is admittedly scandalous that virtually an entire generation of scholars should have erred regarding something so elementary and so vitally important as this (Th 39!). There were of course a wide variety of Gnostic
movements and scriptures in antiquity, often influenced by Platonisms epistemological distrust of the senses; and
indeed there have been many gnostico-theosophical sects together with their writings in modern times, no doubt
more often influenced by Oriental religious traditions than by Plato. But this has no direct bearing on the three
Coptic Gospels, whichlike the four canonical Gospelscannot rightly be considered Gnostic documents.1
1

For a recently discovered Coptic Gospel (found, not at Nag Hammadi, but rather in the 1970s near El Minya in Egypt),
which by contrast clearly is Gnostic as well as pseudonymous, see the Gospel of Judas Iscariot. That document contains such
typical Gnostic ramblings as: The first is Seth who is called Christ, the second is Harmathoth who is [...], the third is Galila,
the fourth is Yobel, the fifth is Adonaios; these are the five who ruled over the underworld, and first of all over chaos.... Then
Saklas said to his angels: Let us create a human being after the likeness and after the image. They fashioned Adam and his
wife Evewho is called, in the cloud, Zoe (www9.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel). See also April D. DeConick, Gospel Truth, New York Times Op-Ed, 1.XII.07 (www.metalog.org/files/gosp.judas/DeConick.html).

54

(2) The Maternal Spirit

As one whom his mother comforts, so shall I comfort you.
Isa 66:13
The origin of the world is its Mother;
recognize the Mother and you recognize the child,
embrace the child and you embrace the Mother.
Lao Tse, Tao Teh Ching, 5
I am the Father and the Mother of this Universe.
Bhagavad Gita, 9.17
It is spoken by the Maker, Modeler, Mother-Father of Life, of Humankind.
Popul Vuh of the Quich Maya, Prologue.

In a remarkable saying in the Thomas Gospel, the Savior asserts: My mother bore my body, yet my True
Mother gave me the life.1 (Th 101; cf. Th 15/46) This passagethe only recorded occasion in which Christ refers
to God as his Mother 2is subsequently elucidated by an equally surprising entry in the Philip Gospel: Some say
that Mariam was impregnated by the Sacred Spirit. They are confused, they know not what they say. Whenever
was a female impregnated by a female? (Ph 18) For in this latter logion, attention is being drawn to the fact that
spirit is of feminine gender in the Semitic languages (Heb, xwr [rakh]: breath, wind, spirit). This fundamental
point, traditionally obscured in scriptural translation and largely ignored by commentators, clearly has the most
far-reaching theological implications.
It is simply ungrammatical, whenever there are alternate forms either available or readily constructed in a
given language, for a word to be used to refer to a being of the opposite gender thus for example Hebrew/
English )ybn/prophet and h)ybn/prophetess.3 But furthermore, xwr itself is very occasionally used as of masculine gender, as in Ex 10:13: hbr)h-t) )#n Myrqh xwrw, the east wind brought the locusts, where the verb )#n
is in the qal perfect third-person masculine singular. Thus xwr could elsewhere in the OT have been employed in
the masculine in referring to the Divine Spirit, if that had been considered more appropriate.
Let us also note the salient parallel between Isa 66:13 LXX and Jn 14:16:
.
Like if of-someone mother helpmates, thus also I helpmate you.
.
And-I shall-request of-the Father, and another helpmate he-will-give you.
This evident allusion strongly conveys a maternal concept of the Paraclete.
Now of course in Greek is neuter and masculine, while SPIRITUS and ADVOCATUS in
Latin are both masculine in gender. Hence starting from the earliest versions of both the Old and New Testaments
in non-Semitic tongues, the very idea was lost which Thomas is conveying and Philip emphasizing in the foregoing quotations. Thus from having the neuter form instead of a feminine form in Greek,
we pass to e.g. el Espritu instead of la Espritu in Spanish, der Geist instead of die Geist in German, and in
English he/him in place of she/her referring to the Helpmate (Heb, Mxn-m: participle, and thus without gender)
in Jn 16:7 ff.
We need hardly remind ourselves of the confusions, schisms and even religious machismo to which this
1

ta.maau gar n-ta.[s.mise m-mo.i eb]ol [ta.maau] de m-.me a.s.5 na.ei m-.p.wn6 ; see Bear in Th Notes.

But see the Gospel of the Hebrews: The Savior says:... my Mother the Sacred Spirit (cited by Origen, Commentary on
John, II.6), as well as the maternal image in the Mother Hen parable at Mt 23:37, and also the quotes from Gilles Quispel and
Raymond Brown in Modern Scholarly Comments, Introduction, above.
3
Nonetheless, the contrary grammatical gender can be used in order to obtain a determined cognitive effectthus an ordained female may be called a priest rather than a priestess, in order to emphasize an equality of ecclesiastical role between the two sexes. The metaphorical meanings of sentences in which are used the masculine or the feminine of ... terms,
[are] completely distinct, Pedro Jos Chamizo Domnguez, Metfora y conocimiento, Universidad de Mlaga, 1998.

55

gender-shift has given rise across the centuries, as theologians struggled to make sense of a presumably all-male
Trinity. Thus, as is well known, the Orthodox/Catholic rupture of 1054 AD resulted from the vexed filioque controversy over the procession of the third member of the Trinity. 1 With the Sacred Spirit as a maternal figure,
however, the underlying idea is clarified: Father God and Mother Spirit and Incarnate Son as the basic mystery of
three-in-one, the threefold Godhead. Here the concept is evidently that of a transcendental holy family, in which
the Divine Childand indeed each child2 (Mt 18:10, Jn 11:52)is eternally born, not of the physical union between human parents, but rather of the mystical union between the paternal and maternal aspects of the Divinity:

And so, as to the filioque controversy, it is precisely a third possibilityand neither the Oriental nor the
Occidental doctrinethat resolves the issue: the Sacred Spirit does not proceed from the Father, either with or
without the Son; rather the Son proceeds (is born) from the Father joined with the Sacred Spirit. This logically
coherent form of the Trinitarian concept has for centuries been effectively obscured by a simple grammatical
shift.
One might therefore say that in the flesh Yeshua was once born of the Virgin Mariam, whereas in the Spirit
she is eternally born of him; the Virgin is the Incarnation of the maternal Spirit, just as Yeshua is the Incarnation
of God the Father (Jn 19:26-27!).
Herewith are the other passages in Thomas, Philip and Valentine which directly concern this topic: Yeshua
sees little children who are being suckled. He says to his Disciples: These little children who are being suckled are
like those who enter the Sovereignty. (Th 22) In the days when we were Hebrews we were fatherless, having
only our Mother. Yet when we became Messianics, the Father came to be with the Mother for us. (Ph 6) She
alone is the truth. She makes the multitude, and concerning us she teaches this alone in a love thru many. (Ph 12)
His (true) Mother and Sister and Mate is (called) Mariam. (Ph 36) A Disciple one day made request of the
Lord for something worldly; he says to him: Request of thy Mother and she will give to thee from what belongs to
another. (Ph 38) Wisdom is barren without Sonshence she is called the Mother,... the Sacred Spirit, the True
Mother who multiplies her Sons. (Ph 40) The wisdom which humans call barren is the Mother of the Angels.
(Ph 59) Adam came into being from two virginsfrom the Spirit and from the virgin earth. (Ph 90) The Mother
is the truth, yet the conjoining is the recognition. (Ph 116) He supports them all, he atones them and moreover he
assumes the face-form of every one, purifying them, bringing them backwithin the Father, within the Mother,
Yeshua of infinite kindness. The Father uncovers his bosom, which is the Sacred Spirit, revealing his secret. His
secret is his Son! (Tr 17).
In numerous entries in the latter part of Philip, reference is then made to the or Bridal-Chamber
wherein the Son is born of the mystical union of the Father with the Spiritthus for example: If it is appropriate
to tell a mystery, the Father of the totality mated with the Virgin who had come downand a fire shone for him
on that day. He revealed the power of the Bridal-Chamber. Thus his body came into being on that day. He came
forth from the Bridal-Chamber as one who has issued from the Bridegroom with the Bride. This is how Yeshua
established the totality in his heart. And thru these, it is appropriate for each one of the Disciples to enter into his
repose. (Ph 89) This primal mystery is then celebrated in the sacrament of the Holy Bridal-Chamber (Th 75, Ph 73/
79).

Filioque: combination of Latin words meaning and of the Son, added to the Nicene Creed of 325 AD by the Visigothic III
Council of Toledo in 589 AD: CREDO IN SPIRITUM SANCTUM QUI EX PATRE {FILIOQUE} PROCEDIT : I believe in the
Sacred Spirit, who from the Father {and the Son} proceeds; the Orthodox Church did not accept the inclusion, leading to the
final rupture of 1054 AD between the Eastern and Western Churches.
2
I assume that (uniquely born) in Jn 1:14 refers to the singularity of the Virgin Birth, and not to Christs
being the only Son; see Jn 1:12-13/20:17.

56

(3) Theogenesis
wnlkl dx) b) )wlh
Mal 2:10

The canonical Gospels clearly teach that the disciple per se is born of God rather than of human parents:
To all who received him,... he gave power to be generated children of God; who were born, not of ... the will of a
human, but of God (Jn 1:12-13); You are all Brothers and Sisters, and [so] call no man your father on earth, for
you have but one Father, the celestial (Mt 23:8-9). And hence the Saviors astonishing assertion in Thomas 101:
My mother (the Virgin) bore me, but my true Mother (the Sacred Spirit) gave me the life.
Furthermore and most importantly, with reference to the remainder of mankind (those who are not yet disciples), the canonical text states: I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also,... so there
shall be one flock, one shepherd;... to gather into One the children of God who are scattered abroad (Jn 10:16/
11:52); and Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19).
This most fundamental messianic doctrine may be summarized as follows: The person instructed by the
Logos, who thus comes to know himself (Th 3), thereby sees that he has in truth all along been an eternally begotten Son of God, born from above (Gk , Jn 3:7-8+31). However, the vast multitudes of humankind are
evidently unaware of being Children of the Most High, rather than children of local couples. Hence confusion and
eviland hence the need for evangelization.
II
Let us now consider the following quite extraordinary entry in the Philip Gospel: Adultery occurred first,
then murder. And (Cain) was begotten in adultery, (for) he was the son of the serpent. Therefore he became a
manslayer just like his other father, and he killed his brother. (Ph 46). Now, in whatever sense could it be said that
Cain was born of the serpent?
We may first call to mind one of the traditionally most difficult canonical passages, from Johns Gospel:
You [infidels] are of your Father the Devil;... he was a murderer from the origin;... he is a liar and the Father of
Lies (Jn 8:44). Utilizing this important parallel, to say that Cain was born of the serpent, is to say that he was born
of a lie. In what sense, then, was Cain born of an untruth?
Of consummate relevance here is the fact that Cain in Hebrew signifies product:
zyq: fit together, fabricate, make artificially, forge, Hebrew-Aramaic and English Lexicon of the
Old Testament (#8544), by F. Brown, S.R. Driver and C.A. Briggs, 1906; based upon Wilhelm
Gesenius, Lexicon Manuale Hebraicum et Chaldaicum, 1833 (included in Biblio. 23).

So in the Genesis account, by giving the name Cain to the infant, the woman and the man were saying that
the child was at least in part their own creation: I have produced a man with the help of Yahweh (Gen 4:1)
rather than entirely the Lords creation, merely produced thru them: You do not know how the spirit comes to the
bones in the womb of a woman (Ecc 11:5).1
And so they called themselves the parents of the child, rather than calling God its sole progenitor. Furthermore, in so doing they forgot that God is their own Parent as well. And thus in turn they claimed complete moral
authority over the infant as well as over themselvesjudging good and evil like gods, instead of letting God alone
proclaim judgment (Gen 3:5, Mt 7:1-2).2
This then was the Fall, the original transgression of humankind in the remotest past: accepting the misconception called human generation, instead of the reality of divine generation, down across the generations. Who1
This same fundamental error is reflected in the common English expression to give birthas if the woman were producing the child on her own, instead of receiving it from God. It would be better always to use the verb to bear.
2
To know good and evil is equivalent to deciding on ones own and with absolute independence what is good and what is
evil; that is, to have complete autonomy [from God] in moralsSanta Biblia Reina-Valera 95, Edicin de Estudio, note to
Gen 2:9. On the logic of morality, see T.P. Brown, God and the Good, Religious Studies (1967): www.metalog.org/files/
tpb/god.g.html.

57

ever recognizes father and mother, shall be called the son of a harlot (Th 105). Which confusion Christ came to
rectify, by proclaiming that all humankind are in truth Angels born of God and thus Brothers and Sisters, rather
than mere children of humans (see Mt 12:46-50/18:10/23:9, Ph 64).
III
Philip 46 is thus a logion which seems genuinely to illumine and clarify not only the OT concept of Original
Sin, but also the notoriously difficult passage at Jn 8:44.

(4) Angel, Image and Symbol

Behold! The Lord is our mirror;
open your eyes and see them in him,
and learn the manner of your face.
Odes of St Solomon, 13:1
When the ultimate level of non-reaction has been reached,
awareness can clearly see itself as independent
from the fundamental qualities of nature.
Patajali, The Yoga Sutra, I.16
Everything has a surface, forms, sounds and colors....
How can we consider any of them to be the Primitive Being?
The Book of Chuang Tsu, 19
That called Body is a portion of Soul discerned by the five senses.
William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Nature is a mirror, the very clearest of mirrors; look into it and admire!
Feodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment

he remarkable angel/image/symbol analysis woven thru the three Coptic Gospels proposes replacing [A]
the worldly frame of reference (paradigm, protocol, model, program, vocabulary) with [B] a celestial frame of
reference (paradigm, protocol, model, program, vocabulary). According to the former, we are electronic machines
in a material universe; according to the latter, we are eternal spirits in the mind of God, reflecting his imagination
in our five senses.
I. (Th 5/84) Nothing is hidden; our sensory images do not disguise anything ulteriorthat is, there is nothing
behind or beyond or within them. In philosophical terms, there is no material substratum underlying what is
perceived. So in his superlative study, Claude Tresmontant states that biblical metaphysics is characterized by the
absence of the negative concept of matter.... The Hebrew tradition ... uncompromisingly affirms the goodness of
reality, of the sensible world, of created things.... [Thus] the Hebrew conception of the sensible insofar as it
differs from the Greek, is [of] a world in which the idea of matter does not occur.... Hebrew is a very concrete
language.... It has no word for matter nor for body [as contrasted with soul], because these concepts do not
cover any empirical realities. Nobody ever saw any matter nor a body, such as they are defined by substantial
dualism. The sensible elementswood, iron, waterare not matter; they are sensible realities.... If we wish to
refer to the sensible as matter, there can be no objection. It is just a question of words. But then we must make
quite sure of our meaning and not refer to ... an inconceivable material substance. (Biblio. 17; in the Middle
Ages, the Jewish philosophers adopted the term mlg [golem, embryo; only in Ps 139:16] to signify matter.)
II. (Th 19/22/36/50/67/80/83, Ph 24/26/81/84/95) Starting with this implicit axiom that there can be no such
thing as matter (that being, in our modern phrase, an essentially non-referential term), the texts proceed to designate our entire sensory field as imagery (icons). This latter therefore serves as a collective term for what recent
philosophers have called phenomena or sense-dataincluding ones interior soliloquy, memories, emotions
and fantasies, as well as those perceptions which comprise ones individual incarnation together with its empirical
environment.
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III. (Th 37/42, Ph 9/30/47/85/112) But imagery logically presupposes a consciousness which perceives them, a
witness. This correspondingly juxtaposed individual ego is then designated as an angel, a pure awareness
which like a mirror reflects (contemplates) its spacio-temporal complex of sensory images. In this way, the
angel is said to be mated with its imagery. Furthermore, as all space and time are merely relations among the
images, the angel is itself non-spacio-temporal or eternal; thus Jn 3:15-16+36/5:24/6:47+54, etc.
IV. (Mt 18:10, Th 5/15/17/52/59/76/91, Ph 65/107) Therefore there is a Universal Consciousness corresponding
to the meta-totality of all imagery; this superego is by definition God (Gen 1:26, in our imagination). Each
person or angel is thus like a mirror in the mind of God, individually reflecting in his five senses the plethora of
the divine imagination. (This importantly does not entail that everyone be explicitly cognizant of that relation,
which presumably requires instruction by the Logos.) There is here a lovely word-play on : our sensory
images are themselves holy icons.
V. Thus, regarding the primordial query of Thales of Miletus (625-546 BC) as to the basic substance of the
perceptible Universefrom which all subsequent scientific and philosophical inquiry aroseChrist appears to
have taught that it is composed of Gods imagination. It would, I think, be impossible to exaggerate the innovative brilliance of this insight.
VI. (Jn 5:19, Th 75, Ph 6/32/40/93/130/143) To know ones incarnate self as essentially a reflection of imagery
in the mind of God, is then to know that one is eternally born in the Bridal-Chamber of the mystical union of the
Two into One: the Light with the Spirit, the Father with the Mother, the Bridegroom with the Bride, and Christ
with the Totality. (the Song of Songs)
VII. (Th 83, Ph 78, Tr 8/17) But a mirror is itself a type of image, not somehow separate from the visual field,
but rather a symmetrical spacial configuration within itas is indeed an echo a symmetrical temporal configuration in the auditory field. In just such a symmetry are the pair, the angel and its image, united: each individual is a
particular reflection within the universal divine imagery. The incarnate Christ is then proposed as the perfect
mirror-image (face-form) of the Father, in which God beholds himself ideally reflected. We ourselves, on the
other hand, are intended by God as imperfectthough perfectible (Mt 5:48, Lk 1:6, Tr 53)mirror-images of incarnation in his imagination.
VIII. (Jn 1:1-3, Ph 10/11/13/25/72/136, Tr 43) Remaining to be considered would be the entire topic of semantics, which is to say of the logos or meaning itself; what is it precisely that characterizes those imagessounds,
pictures, gestures, inscriptions, etc., or thoughts thereofwhich serve as specifically symbolic images, including linguistic icons? Words and sentences are, after all, themselves images (whether physical or mental) which
are being put to a symbolic, communicative use. Are then propositions and their components perhaps, like the
persons who use them, essentially reflectional? This would imply that the symbolism of language consists in a
polydimensional mirroring of its possible denotationsjust as the identity of a person consists in his reflecting
his own imagery and in his being a reflection (incarnation) of God. Here we would have to analyze the various
interrelations of at least six parallel binaries: ego/imagery, substance/attribute, subject/object, subject/predicate,
active/passive and variable/functionboth among individuals and regarding the Godhead.
IX. Regarding only the syntactical structure which is required e.g. in order to format noun-phrases and verbphrases, we might well think that a persons being essentially a subjective mirroring of objective images could in
itself enable him inherently to understand the subject-predicate as well as the active-passive (Jn 5:19) grammatical
forms. This would perhaps help to explain the necessarily innate linguistic capacity of children (thus Noam
Chomsky) to understand, generate and transform new sentences in the language.
X. Children, however, assuredly learn single words before they learn sentences; so individual words are
indeed primitive in language. Now, since a word is an image (sound, inscription, etc.), we might raise the question
whether there is a significant logical parallel between such ordinary linguistic icons and computer icons. For the
latterfar from being mere picturesrepresent files of programs as well as of data; so we might hypothesize that
a word is a type of image which designates a file either of data (including images) or of a program. Thus men
will, quite naturally, have made computers as simplified models of their own rationality. It is important to note,
however, that ordinary language is generally analog (i.e. has continuous rather than digital truth-functions),
whereas modern computers function in a binary calculus.
XI. Such a unique and extraordinary metaphysic, which might be called Spiritual Idealism, has significant
parallels with (1) the Neoplatonism of Plotinus in his Enneads; (2) George Berkeleys philosophy of Subjective
Idealism, according to which sensible things cannot exist otherwise than in a mind or spirit; whence ... there must
be some other Mind wherein they exist [Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous]; (3) Gottfried Wilhelm
Leibniz schema of ourselves as monads mirroring the Universe, with God as the Supreme Monad [ Mona59

dology, 56]; (4) the ego/phenomena analysis of Immanuel Kant, where the unity of consciousness preceding all
empirical data,... the transcendental unity of apperception is in essential polarity with the [sensory] manifold of
all our intuitions [Critique of Pure Reason, A106-7]see especially his eloquent transcendental hypothesis
[A779/B807]; (5) Ludwig Wittgensteins Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, 5.64, Notebooks 1914-1916 [7.VIII.16,
2.IX.16], and Philosophical Investigations [#373, Theology as grammar]; (6) Martin Bubers I and Thousee
also William Jamess prior The Will to Believe: The universe is no longer a mere It to us, but a Thou, if we are
religious; (7) Hans Reichenbachs The Philosophy of Space & Time [Dover Books, New York, n/d]; (8) Maurice
Merleau-Pontys Phenomenology of Perception; and (9) much traditional Oriental epistemology: Hindu, Buddhist,
and Taoist [Th 30!]thus e.g. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Essays in Zen Buddhism [2nd Series]: The entire structure
of [Mahayana] Buddhist philosophy is based on an idealistic monism; cp. also the polymorphic incarnationism of
the Bhagavad Gita, 11:5: Behold my forms in hundreds and thousandsdiverse, divine, of many colors and
shapes.

(5) The Paul Paradox

.
Rev/Ap 2:2

hose who study the New Testament may well note that popular red-letter editions of the text, with
Christs words thus highlighted, contain virtually no such rubrics thruout the Epistles of Paul. With the sole
exception of the Eucharistic formula at I-Cor 11:24-25, he does not quote any sayings of the historical Yeshua/
Jesus, either as found in the written Gospels or from a contemporaneous oral tradition. 1 Indeed furthermore, he
never even once alludes to the panorama of the Saviors life story from the Nativity up to the Passion, as well as
his elaborate teaching, which fill the pages of the first four books of the New Testament. This is, on the face of it,
a most troubling omission.
Beyond this remarkable lack of historical concern, however, there is an even more enigmatic aspect of Pauls
record in the New Testament. For an objective, philosophical reading of the documents would seem to reveal a
number of logical contradictions, both within his biography and also between his theology and that of the Evangelists. It must be emphasized that these anomalies are conceptual rather than empirical in nature. For although
they of course occur in interwoven historical, theological and normative contexts within the NT, they nevertheless
present themselves as a priori problems of analytical consistency between various textsregardless of the truth
or falsity of any factual claims being made or presumed by those texts. Furthermore, these discrepancies must be
similarly distinguished from logically posterior issues concerning the ancient composition, editing, redactions or
dating of the New Testament writings, all of which are factual/historical topics.
In sum, and stated more formally: the Pauline antinomies are logical contradictions and therefore cannot in
principle be resolved by means of either historical investigation or textual criticism, both of which are empirical
methodologies.
Neither is this the place to provide a retrospective survey of the many past commentaries on these complex
questions. I shall only append a series of quotations from a large number of eminent figures who are in general
agreement that Pauls doctrines appear to be seriously at odds with the Gospel message. These excerpts suffice to
show that what might be called the Paul paradox has been recognized by a remarkably wide spectrum of prominent individuals across the centuries.
II
Here then is the matrix of antinomies, along with a brief statement of the apparent logical contradiction in
each case. The original Greek should always be checked, at least via Adolph Knochs superlative interlinear
1

Although, astonishingly, at Ac 13:24-25 he does quote John the Baptist! Ac 20:35, on the other hand, is actually a citation
from Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, II.97.4; whilst Ac 26:14 is the first half of line 1574 of the Agamemnon of Aeschylus,
which then continues: ... The blow will hurt thee.

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(Biblio. 16), as translations since antiquity have oftenintentionallyblurred these very discrepancies. It should

be borne in mind, however, that such contrasts are oftentimes analog rather than binary in nature; as so commonly
in real life, instead of either/or, it may be a case of more or lessas for instance in #17, where one might donate
to the poor anywhere from nothing up to everything (cf. Lk 19:8-9, but also Ac 5:1-11!) . Others of the following
dichotomies, on the other hand, are irreducibly binary in form.
01. Ac 9:7 (Dt 4:12) Ac 22:9

In the propositional calculus of modern logic, p & not-q is the truth-functional negation of q & not-p.
Thus they heard the voice but did not see anyone directly contradicts they saw the light but did not hear the
voice. Yet that famous event on the Damascus road was the sole original justification for Pauls supposed commission in independence of Peter/Kefa and the other Apostles. (Cf. E. Pagels, 1975/79, in the Appendix)
02. Ac 9:26-29 Gal 1:17-2:1

Did Paul then travel immediatelyor seventeen years later!from Damascus to Jerusalem in order to meet
the entire Apostolic circle?
03. Mt 1:16/22:41-45, Lk 3:23 Rom 1:3

Paul asserts that Christ is descended from David, which the Gospels explicitly deny.
04. Mt 23:21, Lk 2:49/19:45-46 Ac 17:24

The Gospels endorse the OT designation of the Temple in Jerusalem as the very House of the L ORD. Paul
nevertheless proclaims to the Athenians that God inhabits no sanctuary made by human hands.
05. Ac 1:15 I-Cor 15:5-6

How can Christ have appeared to the Twelve, and then to over 500 Brothers at once, at a time (prior to the
Ascension) when there were only eleven Apostles (Iscariot being gone and Matthias not yet chosen) and the entire
Discipleship numbered only 120?
06. Mt 10:2+40/16:15-19 Gal 2:6+11-13

The explicit designation of Simon Peter as the foremost Apostle, with all the delegated authority of the Lord
himself, logically precludes any other Disciple or Apostle opposing him to his face and (worse yet) calling him a
hypocrite. Had Paul indeed nothing to learn from the original Apostles?
07. Mt 28:16-20, Ac 1:8/10:1-11:18/15:7-8+13-18 Gal 2:6-9

The Gospel doctrine is clearly that, after the resurrection, the remaining eleven Apostles were sent forth to
proclaim the good news to the whole world. Paul nevertheless claims to be the one and only Apostle to the gentiles (the Apostle as he is often called), while Peter and the others according to this view were to be restricted to
evangelizing among the Jews!
08. Mt 5:48, Lk 1:6, Jn 1:14/6:53-56 Rom 8:8

The incarnation of the Logos, and also the injunction to be perfect, entail that those who are in the flesh can
indeed please God.
09. Lk 24:36-43, Jn 11:43-44/20:27, Ac 1:9-11, Ph 25! I-Cor 15:50

The evangelists proclaim an incarnate resurrection and parousia (second coming), whereas Paul on the contrary takes an anti-corporeal, frankly Gnostic position.
10. Lk 4:5-8, Jn 18:36/19:18, Ac 4:26 (Ps 2:2) Rom 13:1-5

The celestial kingdom is described in the Gospels as of another order from the entire realm of the nations,
which are ruled by Satan and whereby Christ was crucified. On the other hand, the secular authorities with all
their weaponry (including Mk 15:16 ff.?) are stated by Paul to be Gods own armed force for punishing sinners!
11. Mt 22:21 Ac 25:11

Christ cedes taxes to Caesar, Paul cedes his personal security to him (Nero, no less!).
12. Dt 23:15-16, Mt 23:10-12, Jn 8:31-36 Col 4:1, I-Tim 6:1-2, Philem 10-19

The re-conceptualization in the Gospels promises to emancipate the believers from oppressive relationships,
while Paul literally endorses slavery within the Discipleship.
13. Mt 12:46-50/23:8-9, Lk 14:25-26, Jn 1:12-13/3:1-8/11:52 Col 3:18-21, I-Tim 5:8

Christ teaches that family ties are to be renounced in favor ofthat is, replaced bythe Father/Motherhood
of God together with the Brother/Sisterhood of the incarnate Sons and Daughters, whereas Paul adamantly defends the traditional family structure.
14. Mt 19:10-12, Lk 14:20-26/18:28-30/20:34-36, Ph 64! I-Cor 7:2-16+9:5?, Eph 5:22-24, I-Tim 3:1-4:3

The Gospels stipulate that those worthy of salvation must transcend matrimony (note that Lk 18:28-30
occurs after Lk 4:38-39); let us not forget that, according to Gen 3:16, monandry (having only one husband) was
Eves punishment for disobedience. Thus, if a married couple entered the Discipleshipfor example, if the wife
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of Simon Peter [Mk 1:30] also joined the communitythey would thereafter be considered Brother and Sister
rather than man and wife. Paul notwithstanding permits a continuation of marriage among the Disciples.
15. Gen 25:1-6, Jud 19:1, II-Sam 3:7/15:16, I-Chr 2:46, Th 61b!, Ph 36/59 I-Cor 7:9/9:5!?1

The Old Testament permits concubine (mistress, girl-friend) relationships outside of marriage, any sons of
which do not inherita vital institution that Christ did not abolish. Paul, however, states that the only two alternatives are to marry or to burn.
16. Num 6:5, Lev 19:27, Jud 13:5, I-Sam 1:11, Mt 2:23, Tr 21 I-Cor 11:14

The Hebrew tradition was that long hair on male or female is a sign of holiness and special devotion to God.
Indeed the word at e.g. Mt 2:23 is (the LXX or Septuagint term for Nazirite), not (someone from Nazareth, as e.g. at Mk 10:47). Were not Samson, the Prophet Samuel, John the Baptist and Christ himself thus consecrated from birth?
17. Mt 6:24-34/10:8, Mk 10:13-31, Lk 10:38-42/14:28-33, Ac 4:32-36 Ac 18:1-3, I-Cor 11:34, II-Thes 3:6-12

Christ decrees a cessation of working for mammon, donating all private possessions to the poor, and
following thereafter a lifestyle both communal and itinerantwithout anxiety day-to-day like the birds and the
flowers, with all shared possessions being distributed equitably among those who have needthus lifting the
curse of toil from mankind (Gen 3:17-19). Pauls advice, on the contrary, is to eat at home and avoid idlers, who
must either work or go hungry.
18. Mt 11:25/18:1-5, 21:16 (Ps 8:2), Mk 10:15, Th 4 I-Cor 13:11

Yeshua teaches that one must become childlike in order to find the Kingdom; Paul says the exact opposite.
19. Mk 7:14-23, Lk 7:34 Rom 14:21, I-Cor 8:13

Either we ought, or we ought not, to maintain some particular diet for religious reasons. Yet Paul agrees with
neither the OTs dietary rules (kashrut) nor the Saviors remarkable midrash (commentary) thereupon.
20. Mt 12:19 (Isa 42:2), Lk 10:7 Ac 17:16-34/20:20

Paul preaches house-to-house, as well as in the streets and squarescontrary to Christs paradigm.
21. Mt 6:5-6 I-Tim 2:8

Paul demands the very same outspoken prayer which Christ condemns as exhibitionist; the Savior states that
one should only pray in solitude and in secret, never openly.
22. Mt 18:1-4, Mk 9:33-35, Lk 14:7-11 II-Cor 11:5-12:13

Pauls recounting of his travels is insubordinately boastful and rivalrousrather than humble, respectful and
obedienttoward those who preceded him in the Discipleship: the , elders (in the faith).
23. Mt 5:43-48/7:1-5/9:10-13/18:21-35, Jn 8:2-11 I-Cor 5, Gal 5:12, Tit 3:10-11

The Gospel attitude toward wrongdoers is merciful, yet Pauls is frankly inquisitional. Is turning someone
over to Satan for the extermination of the flesh intended to mean delivering him to the secular authorities for execution (as in Jn 19:17-18)? Are we to love our enemies or condemn and castigate them?
24. Mt 23:8-12 Ac 20:28, Gal 4:19, Phlp 2:22, I-Tim 1:2/3:1-13

Paul introduces the terms father and deacon and bishop to designate religious leadersthe very sort of
title (along with pastor, minister, etc.) which Christ had explicitly prohibited. Indeed, the passage in Matthew
would seem to preclude any kind of hierarchy in the Discipleship other than simple seniority (thus
in Ac 21:18, Jas 5:14, I-Pet 5:1, II-Jn 1)by which criterion Paul was obliged to submit to the original Apostles,
quite contrary to II-Cor 11:5+Gal 2:6.
25. Gen 17:10, Lk 2:21 Ac 16:3?, Gal 5:2, Phlp 3:2, Tit 1:10-11
Saying that it is necessary to gag ( ) circumcisionist

dogs is conceptually inappropriate in an

Apostolic context. In any event, even if Christ referred to circumcision parabolicallyas in Th 53he certainly
did not forbid its physical practice.
26. Lk 11:27-28, Jn 4:1-30/11:20-35/20:11-18, Th 21 I-Cor 14:34-35, I-Tim 2:11-15

Various women speak up boldly to the Savior. Later, Mariam Magdalene as first witness (!) of the resurrection is sent by Christ to angel ( : p66* )* A B) his rising to the Apostles themselves. This is not a
teaching of mere female submissiveness or keeping quiet in the Convocation!
27. Lk 7:36-8:3/10:38-42/23:55-24:11, Jn 12:1-3, Th 61b/114, Ph 59 I-Cor 7:1-2, Eph 5:22-24, Tit 2:4-5

The Gospels represent women as an intimate part of Christs entouragethus rescinding the punishment of
husband-domination in Gen 3:16. Paul emphatically opposes any liberated role for females.
1

NB The Greek text here, often mistranslated, is : a Sister as a womannot inversely a woman (wife) as
a Sister, which is a very different concept, chronologically reversed. There can be companionship between the Brothers and
Sisters in the Discipleship, but not marriage (see #14, Lk 10:1?!, Ph 36/59).

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28. Mt 3:11-17/28:19-20, Ph 73/96/115! Rom 6:3-4, Col 2:12

The Gospels endorse Johns Baptism in water as signifying repentance and cleansing vis--vis the Torah, and
which furthermore is explicitly to be undertaken in the Name. Paul, however, sees Baptism as a metaphorical or
participatory dying!
29. Lk 23:43, Jn 5:24/8:51, Rev/Ap 20:4-6, Th 1/18/19/111, Ph 43 I-Thes 4:16-17

Christ teaches that his Disciples will not experience death, regardless of martyrdom, whereas Paul writes of
the dead in Christ.
30. Gen 4:1-5, Mk 15:10, Ph 134 I-Tim 6:10

Paul claims that the love of money is the root of all evil; but in the paradigm cases of Cain killing Abel and
the Chief Priests delivering up the Savior, envy is cited as the underlying ill, while Philip states that ultimately the
problem is confused ignorance (as in Lk 23:4, Ac 3:17).
31. Mt 5:17-19/19:16-19, Lk 16:29-31, Ac 21:17-24!, 4QMMT:C.26b-31* Rom 7:6, Gal 3:10/5:18

If the entire Torahthe Decalogue in particular, but also the remaining mitzvot (moral rules) such as Lev
19:18 et passimis in effect until the sky and earth pass away, then the Mosaic Law is not an obsolete curse from
which believers are absolved. This was the very topic at issue when, after Paul had completed his three missionary journeys, all of the Elders (!) in Jerusalem required him to take the Nazirite vowto prove his continuing adherence to the Law of Moses. (*The works of the Torah ... will be reckoned to you as righteousness;
from the Dead Sea Scroll, Miqsat Maase ha-Torah)
32. Mt 7:21/11:2-6!/19:16-19/25:31-46, Jn 13:34!/14:21/15:10, Jas 2:14-26 Rom 3:28/10:9, I-Cor 15: 35-44

Christ says that ones calling him Lord is not enough, but rather that the Disciples total obedience is
demanded; both the OT and the Gospels require adherence to a plenitude of divine commandments, with resultant
fruitful deeds. Indeed, it was precisely by his worksand not merely by his faiththat Christ proved his own
authority to John the Baptist! Paul on the other hand states that a simple confession of faith, along with a belief in
Christs (merely spiritual, not corporeal) resurrection, sufficesa thoroughly antinomian doctrine. (This subject
must be carefully distinguished from that of forgivenessboth among humans and between God and humankind
as a preeminently innovative tenet in the teaching, first of John the Baptist and subsequently of Christ [Mk 1:4].
For of course absolution logically presupposes a transgression of the rules, not their abrogation; compare e.g.
Ezek 18 with Mt 6:14-15.)
33. Gen 49, Mt 19:28, Ac 1:13-26, Rev/Ap 2:2!/21:14, Barnabas 8:3! I-Cor 9:1-2, II-Cor 11:5-13

Finally, we must observe the fact that the permanent tally of the Apostles was established by the Savior at
exactly twelve (for obvious reasons of historical symbolismnote the symmetry at Rev/Ap 21:12-14), and moreover that Paul was never numbered in that circle; not even Barnabas in his Epistle recognizes Pauls Apostleship!:
[The Apostles] to whom he gave the power of the Gospel to preach; and there are twelve as a testimony to the
tribes, because there are twelve tribes of Israel (8:3).
III
Paul of Tarsus is an enigmatic and contradictory figure. Caught in the ethical dilemma of calling all men
transgressors by the Torah, only to reject the Torah precisely for thus condemning them (Gal 3:10!), he was unacquainted with Christs historical teachings and practice; nor was he willing to learn of them from the original
Apostles (Gal 2:6). Thus his soteriology focused entirely on the Passion, of which he was aware, interpreting
Christs mission as exclusively an OT Sacrifice. Whereas the innovating Messianic message Christs teachings
as incarnate in his lifestyle, elaborated thruout the canonical Gospels prior to the Passion narrativeswas entirely
unknown to Paul. (On the 3-valued logic of Biblical morality, See Perfect in Ph Notes)
This is not to deny that he composed some eloquently poetic passages (such as Col 1:15-20); but these must,
in light of the aforelisted doctrinal conflicts, be considered no more than ornamentation in Pauls writings. Those
documents, in their entirety, proclaim a discipleship which is fundamentally incompatible with the message of
Christ himself as recorded in the historical Gospels.
Remarkably enough, prior to Clement of Alexandria and Irenaeus of Lyon at the close of the second century,
there is no single author who quotes from both the Gospels and Pauls Epistles. There was thus an exceedingly
long period of open schism between the traditions of the Twelve and of Paul, prior to the earliest attempts at integration.
And yet the irony, of course, is that the canonical Gospels themselves, of which tradition Paul was so
manifestly ignorant, were ultimately only preserved by the Pauline Churchwhich indeed has also disseminated
worldwide the very OT which Paul himself had disparaged. On the other hand, the Petrine/Apostolic Church
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(which by definition maintained the Gospel side of the foregoing matrix) seems not to have survived the persecutions of the first two centuries.
Paul was personally in charge of the stoning of Stephen (Ac 7:58-8:1), since according to Dt 17:7 the witnesses who laid their cloaks at his feetwere under his direct authoritywere obliged to cast the first stones.
Was he also the captain of the Temple guard who arrested Kefa and John in Ac 4:1? Might one even ask as to
his involvement the night Christ himself was arrested? (Remember that Lk 22:63-65 takes place at the hands of the
Temple guard, not those of the Romans.) Thus perhaps the puzzling II-Cor 5:16,
: We have known Christ according to the flesh. This would certainly explain Pauls subsequent obsession with unmerited forgiveness!
In any event, my purpose here has been merely to format a set of scriptural dichotomies which exhibit the
underlying logic of the ancient Messianic/Paulianity schism, as essentially a conceptual (and of course personal/
pragmatic) rather than a factual issue. This in turn may hopefully serve to stimulate in the reader a reconsideration
of the apostolic status of Saul of Tarsus. For he evidently never joined Christs Discipleship at allwhich would
indisputably have meant accepting Peters spiritual authoritymuch less became an Apostle.
These basic questions can no longer be papered over, nor can they be settled by institutional fiat. For their
illuminating implication is that traditional Christianityas defined by the classical NT canon including both the
Gospels and Marcions collection of Pauls Epistlesis logically self-contradictory and hence inherently unstable
(as the intervening centuries have all too clearly demonstrated). In a more positive light, since the Pauline
teaching amounts to an essentially Old Testament lifestyle (patriarchal families, property, priests, sanctuaries,
ceremonies, Mosaic righteousness), we might say that Pauline Christianity adopted the Gospel vocabulary parabolically. Thus, to take the prime example, the traditional Christian Mass or Communion has served in the
Churches periodic reunions as a ceremonial symbol for actually living together and therefore always eating
togetherwhich was, most evidently, the Eucharist ( , as it was called) as celebrated in the first-century
Apostolic Petrine Community. In this manner, Christianity across the centuries has been fundamentally a parable
of the original Discipleship.

Appendix: Critiques of Paul

(in chronological order)
Tertullian, The Prescription against Heretics (200 AD): Forasmuch as Peter was rebuked because, after he had lived with the
Gentiles, he proceeded to separate himself from their company out of respect for persons, the fault surely was one of conversation, not of
preaching. For it does not appear from this, that any God other than the Creator, or any Christ other than [the son of] Mary, or any hope
other than the resurrection, was [by him being] announced.
Macarius Magnes, Apocriticus, III.30-36 (ca. 300): [Paul] says, As many as are under the Law are under a curse (Gal 3:10). The
man who writes to the Romans The Law is spiritual (7:14), and again, The Law is holy and the commandment holy and just (7:12),
places under a curse those who obey that which is holy!... In his Epistles he praises virginity (I-Tim 4:1, I-Cor 7:25), and then turns
round and writes, In the latter times some shall depart from the faith,... forbidding to marry (I-Tim 4:1-3). ... And in the Epistle to the
Corinthians he says, But concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord (I-Cor 7:25).
Flavius Claudius Julianus (363): Paul ... surpasses all the conjurers and impostors who ever lived. [quoted by John Henry Newman, Christian Doctrine, 2.6.1.18]
St John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians (391): What is this, Oh Paul! Thou who neither at the beginning nor after three years
wouldest confer with the Apostles, do you now confer with them after fourteen years are past, lest you should be running in vain? Better
would it have been to have done so at first, than after so many years; and why did you run at all, if not satisfied that thou were not running
in vain? Who would be so senseless as to preach for so many years, without being sure that his preaching was true?... As James says, You
see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them which have believed; and they are informed of you, that you teach to
forsake the Law (Acts 21:17 ff.).... Paul himself, who meant to abrogate circumcision, when he was about to send Timothy to teach the
Jews, first circumcised him and so sent him.... He not only does not defend the Apostles, but even presses hard upon those holy men....
What could they, each of whom was himself perfectly instructed, have learned from him?... Why did not the Apostles, if they praised your
procedure, as the proper consequence abolish circumcision?... The words, I resisted him to the face (Gal 2:11) imply a scheme; for had
their discussion been real, they would not have rebuked each other in the presence of the disciples, for it would have been a great
stumbling-block to them.... Be not surprised at his giving this proceeding the name of hypocrisy; for he is unwilling, as I said before, to
disclose the true state of the case, for the correction of the disciples. On account of their vehement attachment to the Law, he calls the
present proceeding hypocrisy, and severely rebukes it, in order effectually to eradicate their prejudice. And Peter too, hearing this, joins in
the feint, as if he had erred, that they might be corrected by means of the rebuke administered to him.... The whole difficulty was removed
by Peters submitting in silence to the imputation of hypocrisy.... Observe how [Paul] has resolved the matter to a necessary absurdity.
St Augustine of Hippo, Letter 28, to Jerome (394): I have been reading also some writings ascribed to you, on the Epistles of the
Apostle Paul. In reading your exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians,... most disastrous consequences must follow upon our believing

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that anything false is found in the sacred books: that is to say, that the men by whom the Scripture has been given to us and committed to
writing, did put down in these books anything false.... For if you once admit into such a high sanctuary of authority one false statement as
made in the way of duty, there will not be left a single sentence of those books which, if appearing to any one difficult in practice or hard to
believe, may not by the same fatal rule be explained away, as a statement in which intentionally and under a sense of duty, the author
declared what was not true.... If indeed Peter seemed to (Paul) to be doing what was right, and if notwithstanding, he, in order to soothe
troublesome opponents, both said and wrote that Peter did what was wrongif we say thus,... nowhere in the sacred books shall the
authority of pure truth stand sure. Letter 40, to Jerome (397): If it be possible for men to say and believe that, after introducing his
narrative with these words, The things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not, the apostle (Paul) lied when he said of Peter
and Barnabas, I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel,... [then] if they did walk uprightly, Paul wrote
what was false; and if he wrote what was false here, when did he say what was true? The Harmony of the Gospels, III.25.71 (400): The
statement which Paul gives ... runs thus: He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve; after that He was seen of above five hundred brethren
at once. And thus it is not made clear who these twelve were, just as we are not informed who these five hundred were.... For now the
apostle might speak of those whom the Lord designated apostles, not as the twelve, but as the eleven. Some codices, indeed, contain this
very reading. I take that, however, to be an emendation introduced by men who were perplexed by the text, supposing it to refer to those
twelve apostles who, by the time when Judas disappeared, were really only eleven.
St Jerome, Letter 112, to Augustine (404): Porphyry ... accuses Paul of presumption because he dared to reprove Peter and rebuke
him to his face, and by reasoning convict him of having done wrong; that is to say, of being in the very fault which he himself, who blamed
another for transgressing, had committed.... Oh blessed Apostle Paulwho had rebuked Peter for hypocrisy, because he withdrew himself
from the Gentiles through fear of the Jews who came from Jameswhy are you, notwithstanding your own doctrine, compelled to circumcise Timothy (Acts 16:3), the son of a Gentile, nay more, a Gentile himself?
Nestorius, The Bazaar of Heracleides, Fragment 272 (450 AD): Paul preaching: Of the Jews is Christ who was in flesh. What then?
A mere man is Christ, oh blessed Paul?
Anselm of Laon (1117), Gloss on I-Corinthians 15: He was seen by Cephas; prior to the other males, to whom, as we read in the
Gospel, he appeared. Otherwise this would be contrary to the statement that he appeared first to the women.
Peter Abelard, Sic et Non (1120): Writing in reply to St. Augustine, after he had been brought to task by Augustine concerning the
exposition of a certain spot in Pauls Epistle to the Galatians, Jerome said (Epist.112.4), You ask why I have said in my commentary on
Pauls letter to the Galatians that Paul could not have rebuked Peter for what he himself had also done. And you asserted that the reproof of
the Apostle was not merely feigned, but true guidance, and that I ought not to teach a falsehood. I respond that ... I followed the
commentary of Origen. Letters of Direction (before 1142): We know of course that when writing to the Thessalonians the Apostle [Paul]
sharply rebuked certain idle busybodies by saying that A man who will not work shall not eat.... But was not Mary sitting idle in order to
listen to the words of Christ, while Martha was ... grumbling rather enviously about her sisters repose?
Tales from the Old French, Of the Churl who Won Paradise, (circa 1200): How is this, Don Paul of the bald pate, are you now so
wrathful who formerly was so fell a tyrant? Never will there be another so cruel; Saint Stephen paid dear for it when you had him stoned to
death. Well I know the story of your life; thru you many a brave man died, but in the end God gave you a good big blow. Have we not had
to pay for the bargain and the buffet? Ha, what a divine and what a saint! Do you think I know you not?
St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I-II, Q.103, Art.4, Reply Obj.2 (1272): According to Jerome, Peter [in Gal 2:6-14]
withdrew himself from the Gentiles by pretense, in order to avoid giving scandal to the Jews, of whom he was the Apostle; hence he did
not sin at all in acting thus. On the other hand, Paul in like manner made a pretense of blaming him, in order to avoid scandalizing the
Gentiles, whose Apostle he was. But Augustine disapproves of this solution.
John Duns Scotus, Summa Theologica, III.55.1, Obj.2 (ed. Jerome of Montefortino, 1728-34; based on Opus oxoniense, 1298-99):
The order in which Christs resurrection is related to have been made known, seems inappropriate. For it is presented as having been
revealed firstly to Mary Magdalene, and that through her the Apostles learned that Christ was alive; but the recorded command of the
Apostle in I-Tim 2 is well-known, saying: I do not permit a woman to teach.
Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly (1509): There are many things in St. Paul that thwart themselves.... I was lately myself at a
theological dispute, for I am often there, when one was demanding what authority there was in Holy Writ that commands heretics to be
convinced by fire rather than reclaimed by argument; a crabbed old fellow, and one whose supercilious gravity spoke him at least a doctor,
answered in a great fume that Saint Paul had decreed it, who said, Reject him that is a heretic, after once or twice admonishing [him].
Sta Teresa of Avila, Accounts of Conscience, XVI (1571): It seemed to me that, concerning what St. Paul says about the
confinement of womenwhich has been stated to me recently, and even previously I had heard that this would be the will of God[the
Lord] said to me: Tell them not to follow only one part of the Scripture, to look at others, and [see] if they will perchance be able to tie my
hands.
Blaise Pascal, Penses, 673 (1660): Saint Paul ... speaks of [marriage] to the Corinthians [I-Cor 7] in a way which is a snare.
Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, Reply to Sor Filotea de la Cruz (1691): This should be considered by those who, bound to Let women
keep silence in the Church [I-Cor 14:34], say that it is blasphemy for women to learn and teach, as if it were not the Apostle himself who
said The elder women ... teaching the good [Tit 2:3].... I would want those interpreters and expositors of Saint Paul to explain to me how
they understand that passage Let the women keep silence in the Church.... Because Saint Pauls proposition is absolute, and encompasses
all women not excepting saints, as also were in their time Martha and Mary,... Mary mother of Jacob, Salome, and many other women that
there were in the fervor of the early Church, and [Paul] does not except them [from his prohibition].
John Locke, The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695): It is not in the epistles we are to learn what are the fundamental articles of
faith, where they are promiscuously and without distinction mixed with other truths.... We shall find and discern those great and necessary
points best in the preaching of our Savior and the apostles ... out of the history of the evangelists.... And what that was, we have seen
already, out of the history of the evangelists, and the acts; where they are plainly laid down, so that nobody can mistake them.... If all, or
most of the truths declared in the epistles, were to be received and believed as fundamental articles, what then became of those christians
who were fallen asleep (as St. Paul witnesses in his first to the Corinthians, many were) before these things in the epistles were revealed to
them? Most of the epistles not being written till above twenty years after our Saviours ascension, and some after thirty.... Nobody can add
to these fundamental articles of faith.

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Matthew Henry, Exposition of the New Testament, vol. V (1721): Paul took [Timothy] and circumcised him, or ordered it to be done
(Acts 16:1-3). This was strange. Had not Paul opposed those with all his might that were for imposing circumcision upon the Gentile
converts? Had he not at this time the decrees of the council at Jerusalem with him, which witnessed against it? He had, and yet circumcised
Timothy.
Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette (10 April 1735): A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian.
Thomas Morgan, The Moral Philosopher (1737-40): St. Paul then, it seems, preachd another and quite different Gospel from what
was preachd by Peter and the other Apostles.
Peter Annet, Critical Examination of the Life of St. Paul (letter to Gilbert West, 1746): We should never finish, were we to relate all
the contradictions which are to be found in the writings attributed to St. Paul.... Generally speaking it is St. Paul ... that ought to be regarded
as the true founder of Christian theology,... which from its foundation has been incessantly agitated by quarrels [and] divisions.
Emanuel Swedenborg, A Continuation of the Last Judgment (1763) & The True Christian Religion (1771): He seated himself at the
table and continued his writing, as if he were not a dead body, and this on the subject of justification by faith alone and so on, for several
days, and writing nothing whatever concerning charity. As the angels perceived this, he was asked through messengers why he did not
write about charity also. He replied that there was nothing of the Church in charity, and if that were to be received as in any way an essential attribute of the Church, man would also ascribe to himself the merit of justification and consequently of salvation, and so also he would
rob faith of its spiritual essence. He said these things arrogantly, but he did not know that he was dead [Jas 2:26] and that the place to which
he had been sent was not Heaven.
Charles Churchill, The Conference, Poems (1763): May I (can worse disgrace on manhood fall?) be ... baptized a Paul; may I
(though to his service deeply tied by sacred oaths, and now by will allied), with false, feigned zeal an injured God defend, and use his name
for some base private end!
Voltaire, Paul, Dictionnaire philosophique portatif (Chez Varberg edition, Amsterdam 1765): Paul did not join the nascent society
of the Christians, which at that time was half-Jewish.... Is it possible to excuse Paul for having reprimanded Peter?... What would be
thought today of a man who intended to live at our expense, he and his woman, judge us, punish us, and confound the guilty with the innocent?
Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, I.15.2 (1776): Judaizing Christians seem to have
argued ... from the divine origin of the Mosaic law ... that if the Being, who is the same through all eternity, had designed to abolish those
sacred rites which had served to distinguish his chosen people, the repeal of them would have been no less clear and solemn than their first
promulgation: that, instead of those frequent declarations, which either suppose or assert the perpetuity of the Mosaic religion, it would
have been represented as a provisionary scheme intended to last only to the coming of the Messiah, who should instruct mankind in a more
perfect mode of faith and of worship: that the Messiah himself, and his disciples who conversed with him on earth, instead of authorizing
by their example the most minute observances of the Mosaic law, would have published to the world the abolition of those useless and
obsolete ceremonies.
Juan Josef Hol, The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel (compiled by Hol in his native Mayan language 1782, 3rd Spanish edition
by the UNAM 1973): Only in the crazed times, through the mad priests, did it happen that sadness entered into us, that Christianity
entered us. Because these same Christians were those who brought here the true God; but this was the beginning of our misery, the
beginning of the taxes, the beginning of alms, the cause from which arose hidden discord, the beginning of the battles with firearms, the
beginning of the outrages, the beginning of the plundering of everything, the beginning of slavery for debt, the beginning of debts glued to
ones back, the beginning of the continuous quarreling, the beginning of suffering,... the Antichrist upon the Earth, tiger of the villages,
wildcat of the villages, leech on the poor [American] Indian. But the day will arrive when the tears of their eyes reach unto God, and the
justice of God comes down upon the world in a single blow.... Brothers, little brothers, sons of servants come to the world! When the King
comes and is recognized, the face of the Son of God will be crowned. And the Bishop, which is called the Holy Inquisition, will come
before Saul to beg concord with the Christians, so that oppression will cease and misery will end.
Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1794): That manufacturer of quibbles, St. Paul,... [wrote] a collection of letters under the name
of epistles.... Out of the matters contained in those books,... the church has set up a system of religion very contradictory to the character of
the person whose name it bears. It has set up a religion of pomp and of revenue, in pretended imitation of a person whose life was humility
and poverty.
Red Jacket (Chief of the Iroquois Tribe in New York), Address to a Christian Missionary (1805): Brother: Listen to what we say.
There was a time when our forefathers owned this great island. Their seats extended from the rising to the setting of the sun. The Great
Spirit had made [all this] for the use of the Indians,... because He loved them.... But an evil day came upon us. Your forefathers crossed the
great waters and landed on this island.... They called us brothers. We believed them, and gave them a large seat.... Brother: Our seats were
once large, and yours very small. You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets. You have
got our country, but you are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us.... You say that you are right, and we are lost. How do
you know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. ... Brother: You say there is but one way to worship and
serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agree, as you can all read
the book?
Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Characteristics of the Present Age (1806): [The] Christian System ... [is] a degenerate form of Christianity,
and the authorship of which ... [must be] ascribed to the Apostle Paul.
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Short (1820): Paul was the ... first corrupter of the doctrines of Jesus.
Jeremy Bentham, Not Paul But Jesus (1823): It rests with every professor of the religion of Jesus to settle with himself, to which of
the two religions, that of Jesus or that of Paul, he will adhere.
Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, (1831): So, good brother, you refuse to give me a penny to buy a crust from a baker?
| Qui non laborat non manducet. [II-Thes 3:10]
Ferdinand Christian Baur, The Christ Party in the Corinthian Church, the Opposition between Petrine and Pauline Christianity in
the Ancient Church, and the Apostle Peter in Rome (1831): What kind of authority can there be for an Apostle who, unlike the other
Apostles, had never been prepared for the Apostolic office in Jesus own school but had only later dared to claim the Apostolic office on
the basis of his own authority? The Church History of the First Three Centuries (1853): The only question comes to be how the Apostle

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Paul appears in his Epistles to be so indifferent to the historical facts of the life of Jesus.... He bears himself but little like a disciple who has
received the doctrines and the principles which he preaches from the Master whose name he bears.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Lords Supper (1832): It does not appear that the opinion of St. Paul, all things considered, ought to
alter our opinion derived from the evangelists.
Sren Kierkegaard, Letter to Peter Wilhelm Lund (1.VI.1835): In Christianity itself there are contradictions so great that they
prevent an unobstructed view. The Journals (1849): In Christ the religious is completely present-tense; in Paul it is already on the way to
becoming doctrine. One can imagine the rest!... This trend has been kept up for God knows how many centuries. (1850) When Jesus
Christ lived, he was indeed the prototype. The task of faith is ... to imitate Christ, become a disciple. Then Christ dies. Now, through the
Apostle Paul, comes a basic alteration.... He draws attention away from imitation and fixes it decisively upon the death of Christ the
Atoner. (1854) What Luther failed to realize is that the true situation is that the Apostle [Paul] has already degenerated by comparison
with the Gospel. (1855) It becomes the disciple who decides what Christianity is, not the master, not Christ but Paul,... [who] threw
Christianity away completely, turning it upside down, getting it to be just the opposite of what it is in the [original] Christian proclamation.
For Self-Examination Recommended to the Present Age, I (1851): Gods Word is indeed the mirrorbut, butoh, how enormously
complicatedstrictly speaking, how much belongs to Gods Word? Which books are authentic? My Task, The Moment (1.IX.1855):
If in the apostle [Paul]s proclamation there is even the slightest thing that could pertain to what has become the sophistry corruptive of all
true Christianity, then I must raise an outcry lest the sophists summarily cite the apostle. It is of great importance ... to correct the enormous
confusion Luther caused by inverting the relation and actually criticizing Christ by means of Paul, the Master by means of the follower....
What I have done is to hold Christs proclamation alongside the apostles.
George Henry Borrow, The Bible in Spain (1843): It was scarcely possible to make an assertion in their hearing without receiving a
flat contradiction, especially when religious subjects were brought on the carpet. It is false, they would say; Saint Paul, in such a chapter
and in such a verse, says exactly the contrary.
Herman Melville, Typee (1846): Better will it be for them for ever to remain the happy and innocent heathens and barbarians that
they now are, than, like the wretched inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii], to enjoy the mere name of Christians without experiencing any of the vital operations of true religion, whilst, at the same time, they are made the victims of the worst vices and evils of civilized
life.... Ill-fated people! I shudder when I think of the change a few years will produce in their paradisaical abode; and probably when the
most destructive vices, and the worst attendances on civilization, shall have driven all peace and happiness from the valley, [it will be] proclaim[ed] to the world that the Marquesas Islands have been converted to Christianity!... [Similarly,] the Anglo-Saxon hive have extirpated
Paganism from the greater part of the North American continent; but with it they have likewise extirpated the greater portion of the Red
race.
Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849): Why need Christians be still intolerant and
superstitious? ... In all my wanderings I never came across the least vestige of authority for these things.... It is necessary not to be Christian
to appreciate the beauty and significance of the life of Christ.... It would be a poor story to be prejudiced against the Life of Christ because
the book has been edited by Christians. Journal (1 Jan 1858): There are many words which are genuine and indigenous and have their
root in our natures.... There are also a great many words which are spurious and artificial, and can only be used in a bad sense, since the
thing they signify is not fair and substantialsuch as the church, the judiciary,... etc. etc. They who use them do not stand on solid ground.
It is vain to try to preserve them by attaching other words to them [such] as the true church, etc. It is like towing a sinking ship with a
canoe.
Benjamin Jowett, The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Galatians and Romans (1855): Our conception of the Apostolical
age is necessarily based on the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St. Paul. It is in vain to search ecclesiastical writings for further
information.... Confining ourselves, then, to the original sources, we cannot but be struck by the fact, that of the first eighteen years after
the day of Pentecost, hardly any account is preserved to us.... It seems as if we had already reached the second stage in the history of the
Apostolic Church, without any precise knowledge of the first.
Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit (1857): There was the dreary Sunday of his childhood, when he sat with his hands before him, scared
out of his senses by a horrible tract which commenced business with the poor child by asking him, why he was going to perdition?,... and
which, for the further attraction of his infant mind, had a parenthesis in every other line with some such hiccoughing reference as 2
Ep.Thess. c.iii v.6 & 7 [Keep away from any brother who travels about in idleness].
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859): The Gospel always refers to a pre-existing morality,... the Old Testament.... St. Paul, a declared
enemy to this Judaical mode of interpreting the doctrine ... of his Master, equally assumes a pre-existing morality, namely that of the
Greeks and Romans;... even to the extent of giving an apparent sanction to slavery.
John Henry Newman, Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864), Appendix 7: St. Paul circumcised Timothy [Ac 16:1-3], while he cried out
Circumcision availeth not. [Gal 5:6]
Ernest Renan, Saint Paul (1869): True Christianity, which will last forever, comes from the Gospels, not from the epistles of Paul.
The writings of Paul have been a danger and a hidden rock, the causes of the principal defects of Christian theology.
Feodor Dostoyevsky, The Diary of a Writer (1880): If slavery prevailed in the days of the Apostle Paul, this was precisely because
the churches which originated then were not yet perfect, as we perceive from the Epistles of the Apostle himself. However, those members
of the congregations who, individually, attained perfection no longer owned or could have had slaves, because these became brethren, and a
brother, a true brother, cannot have a brother as his slave. The Brothers Karamazov (1880): This child born of the son of the devil and of
a holy woman:... they baptized him Paul.
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Dawn (1881): The story of one of the most ambitious and obtrusive of souls, of a head as superstitious as it
was crafty, the story of the Apostle Paulwho knows this, except a few scholars? Without this strange story, however, without the
confusions and storms of such a head, such a soul, there would be no Christianity.
Leo Tolstoy, My Religion (1884): The separation between the doctrine of life and the explanation of life began with the preaching of
Paul who knew not the ethical teachings set forth in the Gospel of Matthew, and who preached a metaphisico-cabalistic theory entirely
foreign to Christ; and this separation was perfected in the time of Constantine, when it was found possible to clothe the whole pagan organization of life in a Christian dress, and without changing it to call it Christianity.
Adolf von Harnack, History of Dogma, I (1885): The Pauline Gospel is not identical with the original Gospel.... The empty grave on

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the third day ... is directly excluded by the way in which Paul has portrayed the resurrection (1 Cor. XV).... Paul knows nothing of an
Ascension.... Every tendency which courageously disregards spurious traditions, is compelled to turn to the Pauline Epistleswhich, on
the one hand, present such a profound type of Christianity, and on the other, darken and narrow the judgment about the preaching of Christ
himself.
James George Frazer, The Golden Bough (1890): If Christianity was to conquer the world, it could not do so except by relaxing a
little the exceedingly strict principles of its Founder.
Frederick Engels, On the History of Early Christianity (1894): Attempts have been made to conceive ... all the messages [of Johns
Rev/Ap] as directed against Paul, the false Apostle.... The so-called Epistles of Paul ... are not only extremely doubtful but also totally
contradictory.
William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience (Gifford Lectures, 1901): This is the religious melancholy and conviction of
sin that have played so large a part in the history of Protestant Christianity.... As Saint Paul says: self-loathing, self-despair, an unintelligible and intolerable burden ... [a] typical [case] of discordant personality, with melancholy in the form of self-condemnation and
sense of sin.
William Wrede, Paul (1904): The obvious contradictions in the three accounts [of Pauls conversion in Ac 9/22/26] are enough to
arouse distrust of all that goes beyond this kernel.... The moral majesty of Jesus, his purity and piety, his ministry among his people, his
manner as a prophet, the whole concrete ethical-religious content of his earthly life, signifies for Pauls Christologynothing whatever....
If we do not wish to deprive both figures of all historical distinctness, the name disciple of Jesus has little applicability to Paul.... Jesus or
Paul: this alternative characterizes, at least in part, the religious and theological warfare of the present day.
Albert Schweitzer, The Quest for the Historical Jesus (1906): Paul ... did not desire to know Christ after the flesh.... Those who want
to find a way from the preaching of Jesus to early Christianity are conscious of the peculiar difficulties raised.... Paul shows us with what
complete indifference the earthly life of Jesus was regarded by primary Christianity. Paul and His Interpreters (1912): The system of the
Apostle of the Gentiles stands over against the teaching of Jesus as something of an entirely different character, and does not create the
impression of having arisen out of it.... It is impossible for a Hellenized Paulinism to subsist alongside of a primitive Christianity which
shared the Jewish eschatological expectations.... To the problem of Paulinism belong ... questions which have not yet found a solution:...
the relation of the Apostle to the historical Jesus ... and towards the [Mosaic] Law.... He does not appeal to the Master even where it might
seem inevitable to do so.... It is as though he held that between the present world-period and that in which Jesus lived and taught there
exists no link of connection.... What Jesus thought about the matter is ... indifferent to him.... Critics [have] demanded of theology proof
that the canonical Paul and his Epistles belonged to early Christianity; and the demand was justified. Out of My Life and Thought (1931):
The rapid diffusion of Pauls ideas can be attributed to his belief that the death of Christ signified the end of the [Mosaic] Law. In the
course of one or two generations this concept became the common property of the Christian faith, although it stood in contradiction to the
tradition teaching represented by the Apostles at Jerusalem. The Mysticism of St. Paul (1931): What is the significance for our faith and
for our religious life, of the fact that the Gospel of Paul is different from the Gospel of Jesus?... The attitude which Paul himself takes up
towards the Gospel of Jesus is that he does not repeat it in the words of Jesus, and does not appeal to its authority.... The fateful thing is that
the Greek, the Catholic and the Protestant theologies all contain the Gospel of Paul in a form which does not continue the Gospel of Jesus,
but displaces it.
Abdul-Bah (son of Bahullh), Some Answered Questions (1908): Paul permitted even the eating of strangled animals, those
sacrificed to idols, and blood, and only maintained the prohibition of fornication. So in chapter 4, verse 14 of his Epistle to the Romans....
Also Titus, chapter 1, verse 15.... Now [according to Paul] this change, these alterations and this abrogation are due to the impossibility of
comparing the time of Christ with that of Moses. The conditions and requirements in the latter period were entirely changed and altered.
The former laws were, therefore, abrogated.
Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth (1909): Paul ... advised against sexual intercourse altogether. A great change from the divine
view. Notebooks (date?): If Christ were here now, there is one thing he would not bea Christian.
Jos Ortega y Gasset, A Polemic (1910): Between remembering Jesus as did St Peter, to thinking about Jesus as did St Paul,
stands nothing less than theology. St Paul was the first theologian; that is to say, the first man who, of the real Jesusconcrete,
individualized, resident of a certain village, with a genuine accent and customsmade a possible, rational Jesus, thus adapted so that all
men and not only the Jews could enter into the new faith. In philosophical terms, St Paul objectifies Jesus.
Gerald Friedlander, The Jewish Sources of the Sermon on the Mount (1911): Paul has surely nothing to do with the Sermon on the
Mount.... The Sermon says: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves
(Matt.vii.15). This is generally understood as a warning against untrustworthy leaders in religion.... Does the verse express the experience
of the primitive Church? Might it not be a warning against Paul and his followers?
Miguel de Unamuno, The Tragic Sense of Life (1913): Paul had not personally known Jesus, and hence he discovered him as
Christ.... The important thing for him was that Christ became man and died and was resurrected, and not what he did in his lifenot his
ethical work as a teacher. The Agony of Christianity (1931): During Christs lifetime, Paul would never have followed him.
George Bernard Shaw, Androcles and the Lion, Introduction (1915): There is not one word of Pauline Christianity in the
characteristic utterances of Jesus.... There has really never been a more monstrous imposition perpetrated than the imposition of Pauls soul
upon the Soul of Jesus.... It is now easy to understand why the Christianity of Jesus failed completely to establish itself politically and
socially, and was easily suppressed by the police and the Church, whilst Paulinism overran the whole western civilized world, which was at
that time the Roman Empire, and was adopted by it as its official faith. Everybodys Political Whats What? (1944): A government which
robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
Henry Louis Mencken, The Jazz Webster, A Book of Burlesques (1916): ArchbishopA Christian ecclesiastic of a rank superior
to that attained by Christ.
Martin Buber, The Holy Way (1918): The man who, in transmitting Judaism to the peoples, brought about its break-up,... this
violator of the spirit,... [was] Saul, the man from Tarsus.... He transmitted Jesus teaching ... to the nations, handing them the sweet poison
of faith, a faith that was to disdain works, exempt the faithful from realization, and establish dualism in the [Christian] world. It is the
Pauline era whose death agonies we today [in World War I] are watching with transfixed eyes. Two Types of Faith (1948): Not merely
the Old Testament belief and the living faith of post-Biblical Judaism are opposed to Paul, but also the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount....

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One must see Jesus apart from his historical connection with Christianity.... It is Peter, [not Paul,] who represents the unforgettable
recollection of the conversations of Jesus with the Disciples in Galilee.
Thomas Edward Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1919): Christianity was a hybrid, except in its first root not essentially
Semitic.
Carl Gustav Jung, The Psychological Foundations of Belief in Spirits (1919): Sauls ... fanatical resistance to Christianity,... as we
know from the Epistles, was never entirely overcome. A Psychological Approach to the Dogma of the Trinity (1940): It is frankly
disappointing to see how Paul hardly ever allows the real Jesus of Nazareth to get a word in.
Herbert George Wells, The Outline of History (1920): St. Paul and his successors added to or completed or imposed upon or
substituted another doctrine foras you may prefer to thinkthe plain and profoundly revolutionary teachings of Jesus, by expounding ...
a salvation which could be obtained very largely by belief and formalities, without any serious disturbance of the believers ordinary habits
and occupations.
James Joyce, Ulysses (1922): Peter and Paul. More interesting if you understood what it was all about.... Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Isaac Babel, Sir Apolek, Red Cavalry Stories (1923): Saint Paul, a timorous cripple with the shaggy black beard of a village
apostate.
Joseph Klausner, Jesus of Nazareth, III.3 (1926): In all Pauls writings we find no reliable historical facts about the life and work of
Jesus.... He was not one of Jesus disciples nor, apparently, had he ever seen him while he was on earth; in the latter event he must have
been subservient to James, the brother of Jesus, to Peter and the other Apostles. From Jesus to Paul, VI (1943): Saul was the real founder
of Christianity as a new religion.... The disciples and brethren of Jesus who were intimate with the crucified Messiah during his lifetime
and had received instruction, parables, and promises from his own lips, would reproach Paul in effect thus: You are not a true apostle, and
in vain do you on your own authority set aside the ceremonial laws; for you did not attend the Messiah, you were not intimate with him,
and you cannot know his teaching first-hand.... [Regarding] the vision on the road to Damascus,... we have here an attack of falling
sickness or epilepsy.... We find in him also the characteristics of a thorough melancholiac.... There is almost no abusive name which Paul
does not give to his opponents. They are false brethren, false apostles, hypocrites and dissemblers.... The whole apostleship of Paul
is based on the heavenly vision which he saw on the road to Damascus.... Paul was far from being a saint.
Rudolf Bultmann, Jesus and the Word (1926): The Church ... could not possibly have taken for granted the loyal adherence to the
[Mosaic] Law and defended it against Paul, if Jesus had combated the authority of the Law. Jesus did not attack the Law, but assumed its
authority and interpreted it... It was some time after his death when Paul and other Hellenistic missionaries preached to the Gentiles a
gospel apart from the Law.... Jesus desires no ... sexual asceticism. The ideal of celibacy indeed entered Christianity early; we find it
already in the churches of Paul. But it is entirely foreign to Jesus. The Significance of the Historical Jesus for the Theology of Paul
(1929): It is most obvious that [Paul] does not appeal to the words of the Lord in support of his strictly theological, anthropological and
soteriological views.... When the essentially Pauline conceptions are considered, it is clear that there Paul is not dependent on Jesus. Jesus
teaching isto all intents and purposesirrelevant for Paul.
Franz Kafka, The Castle (1926): Barnabas is certainly not an official, not even one in the lowest category.... One shouldnt suddenly
send an inexperienced youngster like Barnabas ... into the Castle, and then expect a truthful account of everything from him, interpret each
single word of his as if it were a revelation, and base ones own lifes happiness on the interpretation. Nothing could be more mistaken.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Divine Milieu (1927): The mystical Christ, the universal Christ of St. Paul, has neither meaning
nor value in our eyes except as an expansion of the Christ who was born of Mary and who died on the cross. The former essentially draws
his fundamental quality of undeniability and concreteness from the latter. However far we may be drawn into the divine spaces opened up
to us by Christian mysticism, we never depart from the Jesus of the gospels.
Jos Carlos Maritegui, Seven Interpretive Essays on Peruvian Reality (1928): The missionaries did not impose the Gospel; they
imposed the cult, the liturgy.... The Roman Church can consider itself the legitimate heir of the Roman Empire.... This compromise in its
origin extends from Catholicism to all Christendom.
Mahatma Gandhi, Discussion on Fellowship, Young India (1928): I draw a great distinction between the Sermon on the Mount
and the Letters of Paul. They are a graft on Christs teaching, his own gloss apart from Christs own experience.
Kahil Gibran, Jesus the Son of Man (1928): This Paul is indeed a strange man. His soul is not the soul of a free man. He speaks not
of Jesus nor does he repeat His Words. He would strike with his own hammer upon the anvil in the Name of One whom he does not know.
Oswald Spengler, The Decline of the West (II, 1928): Paul had for the Jesus-communities of Jerusalem a scarcely veiled contempt....
Jesus is the Redeemer and Paul is his Prophetthis is the whole content of his message.
John Langdon-Davies, A Short History of Women (1928): It was through [St. Paul] that the offensive attitude towards women was
finally expressed in the Catholic Church.
Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms (1929): That Saint Paul.... Hes the one who makes all the trouble.... He was a rounder and
a chaser and then when he was no longer hot he said it was no good. When he was finished he made the rules for us who are still hot.
Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Essays in Zen Buddhism (Second Series, 1933): Te-shan (780-865 [AD]) ... was very learned in the teaching
of the sutra and was extensively read in the commentaries.... He heard of this Zen teaching in the south [of China], according to which a
man could be a Buddha by immediately taking hold of his inmost nature. This he thought could not be the Buddhas own teaching, but
[rather] the Evil-Ones.... Te-shans idea was to destroy Zen if possible.... [His] psychology reminds us of that of St. Paul.
Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity (1934): As far as Paul is concerned, in the Apocalypse [Rev/Ap 21:14]
only the names of the twelve apostles are found on the foundations of the New Jerusalemthere is no room for Paul.... For Justin [Martyr,
in the mid-second century], everything is based on the gospel tradition.... The name of Paul is nowhere mentioned by Justin;... not only is
his name lacking, but also any congruence with his epistles.... If one may be allowed to speak rather pointedly, the apostle Paul was the
only arch-heretic known to the apostolic age.... We must look to the circle of the twelve apostles to find the guardians of the most primitive
information about the life and preaching of the Lord.... This treasure lies hidden in the synoptic gospels.
Herbert A.L. Fisher, A History of Europe (1935): Paul of Tarsus ... drew a clear line of division between [the] two sects.... Christian
and Jew sprang apart.
Henry Miller, Black Spring (1936): That maniac St. Paul.
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Culture and Value (notes from 1937, published 1980): The spring which flows gently and limpidly in the

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Gospels seems to have froth on it in Pauls Epistles.... To me its as though I saw human passion here, something like pride or anger, which
is not in tune with the humility of the Gospels.... I want to askand may this be no blasphemyWhat might Christ have said to Paul?...
In the Gospelsas it seems to meeverything is less pretentious, humbler, simpler. There you find huts; in Paul a church. There all men
are equal and God himself is a man; in Paul there is already something like a hierarchy.
Kenneth Patchen, The Journal of Albion Moonlight (1941): We were proceeding leisurely down the main street in St. Paul when
suddenly, without warning of any kind, an immense octopus wrapped his arms around our car.
Bertrand Russell, An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish (1943): Tobacco ... is not prohibited in the Scriptures, though, as Samuel
Butler pointed out, St. Paul would no doubt have denounced it if he had known of it.
Will Durant, Caesar and Christ (1944): Paul created a theology of which none but the vaguest warrants can be found in the words of
Christ.... Through these interpretations Paul could neglect the actual life and sayings of Jesus, which he had not directly known.... He had
replaced conduct with creed as the test of virtue. It was a tragic change.
Shaw Desmond, Religion in the Postwar World (Oxford University Socratic Club, 1946): Paul taught the opposite of Jesus.
Paul Schubert, Urgent Tasks for New Testament Research, in H.R. Willoughby (ed.), The Study of the Bible Today and Tomorrow
(1947): As regards Paul and his letters there is no notable agreement [among modern theologians] on any major issue.
Robert Frost, A Masque of Mercy (1947): Paul: hes in the Bible too. He is the fellow who theologized Christ almost out of
Christianity. Look out for him.
Frank Harris, My Life and Loves (vol.3, 1949): Christianity, mainly because of Paul, has attacked the sexual desire and has tried to
condemn it root and branch.
Herbert J. Muller, The Uses of the Past (1952): Saul of Tarsus, who became St. Paul,... knew Jesus only by hearsay, and rarely
referred to his human life.... Paul preached a gospel about Jesus that was not taught by the Jesus of the synoptic Gospels.... Setting himself
against [the] other disciples,... he was largely responsible for the violent break with Judaism.... He contributed a radical dualism of flesh
and spirit unwarranted by the teachings of Jesus.
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (1953): St. Paul enjoined self-effacement and discretion upon women.... In a religion that
holds the flesh accursed, woman becomes the devils most fearful temptation.
Federico Fellini, La Strada (1954): Where are we? | In Rome. Thats St. Pauls.| Then were joining the circus?
Nikos Kazantzakis, The Last Temptation of Christ (1955): The door opened. A squat, fat hunchback, still young, but bald, stood on
the threshold. His eyes were spitting fire.... Are you Saul?, Jesus asked, horrified.... I am Paul. I was savedglory be to God!and now
Ive set out to save the world.... My fine lad, Jesus replied, Ive already come back from where youre headed.... Did you see this
resurrected Jesus of Nazareth?, Jesus bellowed. Did you see him with your own eyes? What was he like? A flash of lightninga flash
of lightning which spoke. Liar!... What blasphemies you utter! What effronteries! What lies! Is it with such lies, swindler, that you dare to
save the world? Now it was Pauls turn to explode. Shut your shameless mouth!, he shouted.... I dont give a hoot about whats true and
whats false, or whether I saw him or didnt see him.
Charles Seltman, Women in Antiquity (1956): This man of Tarsus, being somewhat hostile both to women and to mating, began to
advocate both the repression of females and the intemperate practice of perpetual virginity,... greatly degrading women in the eyes of
men.... Nonsensical anti-feminism was due, in the first instance, to Paul of Tarsus.... For Paul sex was indeed a misfortune withdrawing
mans interest from heavenly things.... As the Church increased in influence within the Roman Empire, it carried along with it the corpus of
Pauline writings, and the implicit subordination of the female. The dislike, even the hatred, of women grew to be pathological.... [Pauls]
teaching about women as interpreted by his successors continues even today to shock thoughtful persons.... The Galilean ... was himself
displaced by the Church Militant on earth, disobedient to Jesus, seeking new ways to power.... It had overthrown the precepts of Jesus. The
theology of Love,... having been recast as Christendom, borrowed from the simpler nature religions Fear as the finest instrument for the
attainment of power.
G. Ernest Wright & Reginald H. Fuller, The Book of the Acts of God (1957): The earliest Church glossed over the death of Jesus
and concentrated its attention on the resurrection,... [whereas] much prominence is given in the Pauline epistles to the notion that [it was]
by his death [that] Christ won the decisive victory over the powers of evil. This mythological notion was not a feature of the earliest
preaching.... [Furthermore,] both the theology and the practice of baptism underwent a number of changes. For the primitive Church,
baptism had been performed in the name of Jesus, and its benefit defined as the remission of sins and ... the gift of the Holy Spirit,... [but]
St Paul can speak of baptism as a symbolical participation in Christs death and resurrection;... such ideas have been frequently ascribed to
the influence of the mystery religions, in whose rites the initiate sacramentally shared the fate of the cult deity.... [Moreover,] the Pauline
churches were the first to detach the [Eucharistic] rite with the bread and cup from the common meal.... All three synoptic gospels are the
products of the non-Pauline ... churches.
William D. Davies, Paul and Jewish Christianity, in J. Danilou (ed.), Thologie du Judo-Chriantianisme (1958): JewishChristians [opposing Paul] ... must have been a very strong, widespread element in the earliest days of the Church.... They took for granted
that the gospel was continuous with Judaism.... According to some scholars, they must have been so strong that right up to the fall of
Jerusalem in AD 70 they were the dominant element in the Christian movement. The Apostolic Age and the Life of Paul, Peakes
Commentary on the Bible (1962): Of the history of the Church at Jerusalem between AD 44 and the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 we know
very little.... Attempts at ... minimizing the gulf between Gentile and Jerusalem Christianity break down on the opposition which the
Pauline mission so often encountered from Jewish Christians.... Acts has so elevated Paul that others who labored have been dwarfed, and
any assessment of the rise of Gentile Christianity must allow for the possible distortion introduced by this concentration of Acts on Paul....
The Epistles and Acts reveal that Paul came to regard himself ... as the [one and only] Apostle to the Gentiles.
Lawrence Durrell, Clea (1960): For a brief moment [freedom] looked possible, but St. Paul restored ... the iron hand-cuffs.
Gershom Scholem, On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism (1960): Paul read the Old Testament against the grain. The incredible
violence with which he did so, shows ... how incompatible his experience was with the meaning of the old books.... The result was the
paradox that never ceases to amaze us when we read the Pauline Epistles: on the one hand, the Old Testament is preserved; on the other, its
original meaning is completely set aside. The Crisis of Tradition in Jewish Messianism (1968): The religious strategy of Paul ... [is]
downright antinomian.

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Hans Joachim Schoeps, Paul: The Theology of the Apostle in the Light of Jewish Religious History (English translation 1961):
[Drawing a] stark contrast between the religion of the law and the religion of grace,... Paul had lost all understanding of the character of the
Hebraic berith [covenant] as a partnership involving mutual obligations, [and thus] he failed to grasp the inner meaning of the Mosaic law.
Max Dimont, Jews, God, and History (1962): If Paul had lived today, he might have ended up on a psychiatrists couch. Throughout
his life he was overwhelmed with an all-pervasive sense of guilt which pursued him with relentless fury.... The custom had been for nonJewish converts to become Jews first, then be admitted into the Christian sect. Paul felt that pagans should become Christians directly,
without first being converted to Judaism.... Slowly he changed early Christianity into a new Pauline Christology.... Christianity was no
longer a Jewish sect, for Paul had abandoned the Mosaic tradition.
Nils A. Dahl, The Particularity of the Pauline Epistles as a Problem in the Ancient Church, Neotestamentica et Patristica: Eine
Freundesgabe, Herrn Professor Dr. Oscar Cullman (1962): The particularity of the Pauline Epistles was felt as a problem, from a time
before the Corpus paulinum was published and until it had been incorporated into a complete canon of New Testament Scripture. Later on,
the problem was no longer felt,... when they served as sources for reconstruction of a general biblical theology or a system of paulinism.
Erich Fromm, The Dogma of Christ (1963): Paul appealed ... to some of the wealthy and educated class, especially merchants, who
by means of their adventures and travels had a decided importance for the diffusion of Christianity.... [This] had been the religion of a
community of equal brothers, without hierarchy or bureaucracy, [but] was converted into the Church, the reflected image of the absolute
monarchy of the Roman Empire.
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar (1963): The only trouble was, Church, even the Catholic Church, didnt take up the whole of your life. No
matter how much you knelt and prayed, you still had to eat three meals a day and have a job and live in the world.
William H. McNeill, The Rise of the West (1963): A question which immediately arose in the Christian communities outside
Palestine was whether or not the Mosaic law remained binding. Pauls answer was that Christ had abrogated the Old Dispensation by
opening a new path to salvation. Other followers of Christ held that traditional Jewish custom and law still remained in force.... Neither
Peter and James, the leaders in Jerusalem, nor Paul ... could persuade the other party.
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963): The real architect of the Christian church was not the disreputable, sun-baked Hebrew
who gave it his name but [rather] the mercilessly fanatical and self-righteous St. Paul.
Georg Strecker, On the Problem of Jewish Christianity, Appendix 1 to Walter Bauer, op.cit. (1964 ed.): Jewish Christianity,
according to the witness of the New Testament, stands at the beginning of the development of church history, so that it is not the [pauline]
gentile Christian ecclesiastical doctrine that represents what is primary, but rather a Jewish Christian theology.
Jorge Lus Borges, The Theologians (1964): The Historionics ... invoked I-Corinthians 13:12 (For now we see through a glass,
obscurely) in order to demonstrate that everything we see is false. Perhaps contaminated by the Monotonists, they imagined that each
person is two persons and that the real one is the other, the one in Heaven.
Gilles Quispel, Gnosticism and the New Testament, in J. Philip Hyatt (ed.), The Bible in Modern Scholarship (papers read at the
100th meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, 1964): The Christian community of Jerusalem ... did not accept [Pauls] views on the
[Mosaic] Law.
Helmut Koester, The Theological Aspects of Primitive Christian Heresy, in James Robinson (ed.), The Future of our Religious
Past (1964): Paul himself stands in the twilight zone of heresy. Introduction to the New Testament (1980): The content of Pauls
speeches in Acts cannot be harmonized with the theology of Paul as we know it from his letters.... Neither is it credible that he affirmed
repeatedly in his trial that he had always lived as a law-[Torah-]abiding Jew.... From the beginning of Acts to the martyrdom of Stephen,
the central figure in the narrative has been Peter. At this point, however, Paul is introduced for the first time.... Peter is always presented as
an apostle, since he belongs to the circle of the Twelve. But in Acts 15 Peter is mentioned for the last time, and Luke has nothing to report
about his journey to Rome or his martyrdom. Even more peculiar is the presentation of Paul. He is neither an apostle nor a martyr....
Furthermore, Luke takes great care to demonstrate that the originator of the proclamation to the gentiles was not Paul (or Barnabas), but
Peter. Ancient Christian Gospels (1990): One immediately encounters a major difficulty. Whatever Jesus had preached did not become
the content of the missionary proclamation of Paul.... Sayings of Jesus do not play a role in Pauls understanding of the event of salvation....
The Epistle of James also shares with the Sermon on the Mount the rejection of the Pauline thesis that Christ is the end of the [Mosaic] law.
with Stephen Patterson, The Gospel of Thomas: Does It Contain Authentic Sayings of Jesus?, Bible Review (1990): Paul did not care
at all what Jesus had said.... Had Paul been completely successful, very little of the sayings of Jesus would have survived.
Lorenzo Turrado, Biblical Commentary by the Professors of Salamanca, VI (1965): The fundamental idea in the exposition of the
Apostle [Paul in Rom 13:1-7] ... is that all authority comes from God, and to disobey them is to disobey God.... The doctrine maintained
here by the Apostle has very grave consequences.... [He does not] consider the case in which those authorities command things which are
unjust.... [Regarding the] incident between Peter and Paul in Antioch [Gal 2:11-14]: Whatever indeed was wrong in the conduct of Peter?...
There were authors, already since Clement of Alexandria, who, trying to salvage the prestige of Peter, sustained that the Cephas whom St
Paul here confronts is not Peter the Apostle, but rather some other Christian, unknown to us today, with the name Cephas.... Neither does
the opinion defended by some Holy Fathers, that it has to do with feigned rebukes, have any basis,... since St Paul clearly gives the
impression that he is speaking quite seriously to Peter.
Juan Leal, Jos Ignacio Vicentini et alia, The Holy Scripture, Text and Commentary by Professors of the Society of Jesus (1965),
II.301: Pauls solution [regarding Rom 13:1-6] is limited.... St Thomas (In omnes S. Pauli epistolas commentaria [Taurini 1924], v.I,
p.181) distinguishes three aspects of power: (1) power as suchconsidered thus, power comes from God; (2) the manner of coming to
powerthis can be ordered, or disordered and illicit; (3) the use of powerwhich can be in conformity with, or contrary to, the precepts of
divine justice. Paul considers only the third aspect.
Emil G. Kraeling, The Disciples (1966): The peculiar, unharmonized relationship between Paul and the Twelve that existed from the
beginning was never fully adjusted.... Modern Biblical research in particular has made it difficult to put the religion of the New Testament
(to say nothing of the Bible as a whole) into the straightjacket of Paulinism.
Ronald D. Laing, The Politics of Experience (1967): Two people sit talking. The one (Peter) is making a point to the other (Paul).
He puts his point of view in different ways to Paul for some time, but Paul does not understand.... Paul seems hard, impervious and cold.
Bruce Vawter, The Four Gospels (1967): We have no authentic information about the activity of most of the Twelve after the first
days of the Church in Jerusalem, but it is likely enough that they remained identified with Jewish Christianity, particularly, perhaps, with

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the Galilean Christianity about which we know practically nothing.... This Christianity ... all but disappeared.
Paul Tillich, A History of Christian Thought (1968): The [Mosaic] law was not evaluated in the negative way in which we usually do
it; for the Jews it was a gift and a joy.... The way of despair ... was the way of people like Paul, Augustine, and Luther.... Pauls conflict
with the Jewish Christians did not have to be continued. Instead of that, the positive elements in the faith, which could provide an
understandable content for the pagans, had to be brought out.
Joseph Campbell, The Masks of God: Creative Mythology (1968): The reign in Europe of that order of unreason, unreasoning
submission to the dicta of authority:... Saint Paul himself had opened the door to such impudent idiocies.
Gnther Bornkamm, Paul (1969): Above all there results the chasm which separates Jesus from Paul and the conclusion that more
than the historical Jesus ... it is Paul who really founded Christianity.... Already during his lifetime Paul was considered an illegitimate
Apostle and a falsifier of the Christian message.... For a long time, Judeo-Christianity rejected him completely, as a rival to Peter and
James, the brother of the Lord.... Paul does not connect immediately with ... [the] words ... of the earthly Jesus. Everything seems to
indicate that he didnt even know them.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel: A Personal History (1971): Jesus probably differed little from many other Jews of his generation. The
new religion was given an anti-Jewish emphasis by Saul,... [who] gave Christianity a new direction. He sought to uproot Jewish law and
commandments, and to eliminate Judaism as a national entity striving to achieve the Messianic vision of the Prophets.
William Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles (1973): Why did Jesus choose only twelve chief Apostles?
Obviously, to correspond to the twelve tribes of Israel.... Paul stoutly maintained that he also was an Apostle.... Yet there is no evidence
that he was ever admitted to that inner circle of the original Twelve.... Those who expect the Acts to be the complete early history of
Christianity are doomed to disappointment.... The Bible student is soon, and perhaps unconsciously, caught up in the personal ministry of
Paul. Peter, though prominent at first, is later ignored, as the Acts unfolds for the reader the story of Paul and his friends.... There is absolutely no evidence that Paul ever recognized the primacy of Peter.
Ronald Brownrigg, The Twelve Apostles (1974): The letters of Paul present a marked contrast to Lukes writings [in his Gospel and
the Acts]. Whereas Luke suggests that the Apostles were a closed corporation of twelve governing the whole Church, Paul disagrees,
claiming his own Apostleship to be as valid as any of the twelve.... Certainly Paul knew no authority of the twelve.... The qualification for
Apostleship, at the election of Matthias [Ac 1:15-26], had been a divinely guided selection and a constant companionship with Jesus
throughout his [active] lifetime.
Elaine H. Pagels, The Gnostic Paul (1975): Two antithetical traditions of Pauline exegesis have emerged from the late first century
through the second. Each claims to be authentic, Christian, and Pauline: but one reads Paul anti-gnostically, the other gnostically....
Whoever takes account of the total evidence may learn from the debate to approach Pauline exegesis with renewed openness to the text.
The Gnostic Gospels (1979): One version of this story [of Pauls conversion] says, The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one; another says the opposite,... Those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of
the one who was speaking to me.
Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity (1976): The Christ of Paul was not affirmed by the historical Jesus of the Jerusalem
Church.... Writings ... by Christian Jews of the decade of the 50s [AD] present Paul as the Antichrist and the prime heretic.... The Christology of Paul, which later became the substance of the universal Christian faith,... was predicated by an external personage whom many
members of the Jerusalem Church absolutely did not recognize as an Apostle.
Irving Howe, World of our Fathers (1976): The view that sexual activity is impure or at least suspect, so often an accompaniment of
Christianity, was seldom entertained in the [east-European Jewish] shtetl. Pauls remark that it is better to marry than to burn would have
seemed strange, if not downright impious, to the Jews.
John Morris Roberts, History of the World (1976): The reported devotional ideas of Jesus do not go beyond the Jewish
observances; service in the Temple, together with private prayer, were all that he indicated. In this very real sense, he lived and died as a
Jew.... Fulfillment of the [Mosaic] Law was essential.... The doctrine that Paul taught was new. He rejected the Law (as Jesus had never
done),... and this was to shatter the mold of Jewish thought within which the faith had been born.
James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Codices (1977): The New Testament Gospels present the resurrected Christ as having a
body that appears to be a human bodyhe is taken for a gardener, or for a traveler to Emmaus; he eats; his wounds can be touched.... Paul
insists again and again that, although he was not a disciple during Jesus lifetime, he did witness a genuine appearance of the resurrected
Christ. But his picture of a resurrection body is a bright light, a heavenly body like a sun, star or planet, not like an earthly body. So the
book of Acts, while recounting in detail Pauls encounter with Jesus as a blinding light, presents it as if it were hardly more than a conversion. For the author [of Acts] places it well outside of the period of resurrection appearances, which he had limited to forty days.
Edward Schillebeeckx, Christ (1977): There is a difference between the theology of the early Jewish Christian congregations in
Jerusalem which are oriented on Jesus of Nazareth, and Pauline theology, which knows only the crucified.
Mircea Eliade, History of Beliefs and Religious Ideas (1978): Paul would have to be seen as fatally opposed to the Judeo-Christians
of Jerusalem,... a conflict of which Paul and the Acts (Gal 2:7-10, Acts 15:29) give contradictory versions.
Barbara Tuchman, A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century (1978): Of all mankinds ideas, the equating of sex with sin has
left the greatest train of trouble.... In Christian theology, via St. Paul, it conferred permanent guilt on mankind.... Its sexual context was
largely formulated by St. Augustine, whose spiritual wrestlings set Christian dogma thereafter in opposition to mans most powerful instinct.
Thomas Maras, The Contradictions in the New Testament (1979): In disagreement with [Matthew and Luke], who wish him to be a
direct Son of God, Paul says to us [in Rom 1:3-4] that in the flesh Jesus is the descendent of David, and only in power is the Son of God.
Patrick Henry, New Directions in New Testament Study (1979): There remains in the popular mind a strong suspicion ... that Paul
corrupted Christianity (or even founded a different religion).... Jesus [was] a teacher in the mainstream of Jewish prophetic piety,... while
Paul ... takes the irrevocable step away from Judaism of rejecting the [Mosaic] law.... Paul imported into the Christian community a form of
religion characteristic of the mysteries,... religious movements of initiation into secret rites and esoteric knowledge.
Og Mandino, The Christ Commission (1980): The disciples and other intimate followers of Jesus are all pious Jews.
Juan Luis Segundo, The Person of Today confronting Jesus of Nazareth (1982): Within less than thirty years of the events narrated
by the Synoptics concerning the life and proclamation, death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul permits himself to compose a long and

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complex exposition of what this means, retaining, apparently, only the two final specific events, the death and the resurrection. Jesus
words are not cited (with the exception of those pronounced over the bread and wine at the Last Supper), his teachings are not remembered.
The key terms have disappeared which he employed to designate himself, his mission and his immediate audience: the Son of Man, the
Kingdom of God, the poor.
Abba Eban, Civilization and the Jews (WNET Heritage video #3, 1984): Those who followed the teachings of Jesus were known
among other Jews as Nazarenes. In the beginning, the Nazarene sect was completely Jewish.... Although this had been a Jewish sect, Paul
welcomed new followers without having them convert to Judaism.
Jrgen Moltmann, Political Theology [&] Ethical Theology (1984): The theology of Paul and that of the Reformation interpreted
the death of Jesus theologically as a victim of the law [of Israel]; and they made it very clear that the resurrection and exaltation of Christ
signified the abolition of [that] law with all its demands.... [But] Jesus did not die by stoning, but rather by Roman execution.
Yigael Yadin, The Temple Scrollthe Longest Dead Sea Scroll, Biblical Archaeology Review (Sept/Oct 1984): We must distinguish between the various layers, or strata, to use an archaeological term, of early Christianity. The theology, the doctrines and the practices
of Jesus, John the Baptist and Paul ... are not the same.
Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln, The Messianic Legacy (1986): In what ... does Christianity reside? In what
Jesus taught? Or in what Paul taught? Except by sleight of logic and distortion of historical fact, the two positions cannot be harmonized.
James Michener, Legacy (1987): Women ... will no longer kowtow to the fulminations of St. Paul.
Bruce Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament (1987): According to [some] scholars the presence of contradictions between New
Testament books ... makes it necessary to establish a critical canon.... For example, the eschatology of Luke-Acts cannot, it is said, be
harmonized with Pauls eschatology.... Again, the outlook on the Old Testament law in the Epistle to the Romans certainly appears to be
different from the outlook in Matt. v.18.... Furthermore, the Epistle of James attacks the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith alone. For
these and similar reasons, it is argued,... there [is] no unity within the canon.
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Paul, Insight on the Scriptures (1988): Whose name then appears among those on the twelve
foundation stones of the New Jerusalem of Johns visionMatthias or Pauls? (Rev/Ap 21:2,14) ... Gods original choice, namely Matthias.
Paula Fredriksen, From Jesus to Christ (1988): Scholars, their confusion facilitated by Pauls own apparent inconsistency,... do not
agree even on what Paul said, much less why he said it.
Jostein Gaarder, Sophies World (1991): Was Christ a Christian? That also can certainly be debated.
Gerald Messadi, Saul the Incendiary (Paris 1991): Saul does not really know the teaching of Jesus. In the Epistles there are no
traces of the parables, nor of the expressions and attitudes of Jesus.... The transformation, the essential metanoia of the believer by ethical
meditation, has almost no place in his writings.... Saul quickly arrogates to himself, and it seems incredible, the privilege of the truth. He,
who only glimpsed Jesus, with unparalleled arrogance claims to be the only one who possesses the truth of the teaching of the Messiah
against those who, for their part, knew Jesus personally, against the first disciples. What insolence: he considers Peter a hypocrite!... I
asked myself if Saul wouldnt have participated also in the plot of the Sanhedrin against Jesus.... Before him, there are no Christians, only
Jewish disciples of the Jewish Jesus. After him, Christianity and Judaism will be irreconcilable.... The Epistles make absolutely no mention
of the life of Jesus.... It is the ethical teaching of Saul himself which dominates, as if to replace that of Jesus in Jesus own name.... [He]
does not mention a single miracle of Jesus.... From a strictly Scriptural point of view, the teaching of Saul diverges, in many fundamental
points, from that transmitted by the direct witnesses of Jesus.
Jon Sobrino, Jesus Christ Liberator (1991): Pauls ... Christology is centered on the resurrected Lord, and he does not make a detailed theological appraisal of the life of Jesus.
Stephen Mitchell, The Gospel according to Jesus (1991): Paul of Tarsus ... [was] the most misleading of the earliest Christian
writers,... [and] a particularly difficult character: arrogant, self-righteous, filled with murderous hatred of his opponents, terrified of God,
oppressed by what he felt as the burden of the [Mosaic] Law, overwhelmed by his sense of sin.... He didnt understand Jesus at all. He
wasnt even interested in Jesus; just in his own idea of the Christ.
Paulo Suess, Acculturation, in Ignacio Ellacura & Jon Sobrino (eds.), Mysterium Liberationis (1991): The allegorical exegesis of
Philo (13 BC-45/50 AD), Jewish philosopher and theologian, is present in the writings of Paul,... [who] was in many respects a figure
atypical of the primitive Church,... due to the transition from an agrarian contextvery much present in the parablesto an urban world ...
of the great cities.
Shlomo Riskin, The Jerusalem Post International Edition (28 March 1992): Saul of Tarsus ... broke from Jewish Law, and the
religion thereby created was soon encrusted with pagan elements.
Holger Kersten & Elmar Gruber, The Jesus Conspiracy (1992): Paul makes the whole purpose of Jesus activity rest exclusively in
this dying on the Cross. Here he has little interest in the words and teachings of Jesus, but he makes everything depend on his own
teaching: the salvation from sins by the vicarious sacrificial death of Jesus. Does it not seem most strange that Jesus himself did not give
the slightest hint that he intended to save the entire faithful section of humanity by his death?... Although there are several most delightful
passages in the texts of Paul, Christianity has his narrow-minded fanaticism to thank for numerous detrimental developments, which are
diametrically opposed to the spirit of Jesus: the intolerance towards those of different views, the marked hostility to the body and the consequently low view of woman, and especially the fatally flawed attitude towards Nature.... He turns Jesus teaching of Salvation upside
down, and opposes his reforming ideas; instead of the original joyous tidings, the Pauline message of threats was developed.
Dennis J. Trisker & Vera V. Martnez T., They Also Believe (1992): While many persons believe that Christianity was founded by
Jesus Christ,... it is due to Paul that there exists the organization called Christian.... In the New Testament, we can see how Paul ... was in
disagreement with the church in Jerusalem and even held in suspicion by them.... He did not emphasize the Jewish aspect of the teaching,
and this brought about the first separation within the church. Across the years this separation widened, making the church more pagan and
less Jewish.... Paul was no Apostle.
Xavier Zubiri, The Philosophical Problem of the History of Religions (1993): There is absolutely no doubt that much of St. Pauls
terminology derives from the Mystery Religions.
Bart D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture (1993): Whether seen from a social or a theological point of view,...
Christianity in the early centuries was a remarkably diversified phenomenon.... Matthew and Paul are both in the canon.... Many of Pauls

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opponents were clearly Jewish Christians ... [who] accepted the binding authority of the Old Testament (and therefore the continuing
validity of the [Mosaic] Law) but rejected the authority of the apostate Apostle, Paul. The New Testament (video course, The Teaching
Company, 2000): What did the historical Jesus teach in comparison with what the historical Paul taught?... Jesus taught that to escape
judgment a person must keep the central teachings of the Jewish Law as he, Jesus himself, interpreted them. Paul, interestingly enough,
never mentions Jesus interpretation of the [Mosaic] Law, and Paul was quite insistent that keeping the Law would never bring Salvation.
The only way to be saved, for Paul, was to trust Jesus death and resurrection.... Paul transformed the religion of Jesus into a religion about
Jesus.
Elsa Tamez, Womens Rereading of the Bible, in Ursula King (ed.), Feminist Theology from the Third World (1993): [There are]
contradictions in some of St Pauls writings, which eventually were used to promote the submission of women.... St Paul called for women
to keep silent in church.... When a woman becomes dangerously active or threatening to those in powerful positions, aid is found in the
classic Pauline texts to demand womens submission to men. It is in moments like these that some women do not know how to respond.
Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Supplement 1993): [Regarding] Pauls statement that Jesus was descended from
David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3),... one may ask whether the evangelists who wrote of the virgin conception would have chosen
such phrasing. The Death of the Messiah (1994): Paul ... does not quote Jesus or cite his individual deeds. An Introduction to the New
Testament (1997): One might reflect on what we would know about Jesus if we had just the letters of Paul. We would have a magnificent
theology about what God has done in Christ, but Jesus would be left almost without a face.... I have not come to abolish the [Mosaic] Law
(Matt 5:17); You are not under the Law (Rom 6:14).... Luke is particularly insistent on the reality of Jesus [post-resurrection]
appearance, for Jesus eats food and affirms that he has flesh and bones. In his references to a risen body, Paul speaks of one that is spiritual
and not flesh and blood (I-Cor 15:44,50).... Paul had begun a process whereby Christianity would become almost entirely a Gentile
religion.... Far from being grafted on the tree of Israel, the Gentile Christians will become the tree.... Was it proper for a Christian apostle to
indulge in gutter crudity by wishing that in the circumcision advocated by the [Jewish-Christian] preachers the knife might slip and lop off
the male organ (Gal 5:12)? What entitled Paul to deprecate as so-called pillars of the church members of the Twelve who had walked with
Jesus and the one [James] honored as the brother of the Lord (Gal 2:9)?
John Dominic Crossan, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography (1994): As far as Luke who wrote the Acts of the Apostles is concerned,
Paul was not one of the Twelve Apostles and could never have been one since he had not been with Jesus from the beginning. For Luke,
there are only Twelve Apostles and, even with Judas [Iscariot] gone, it is not Paul [but rather Matthias] who replaces him. Peter and Paul
and the Christian Revolution, PBS documentary (April 2003): What is at stake in this is, if were going to have a Gentile Christian
community and a Jewish Christian community, are we going to have two Churches or one? If were going to have one, how is it to be
integrated together? Thats what is at stake in this: how is the Church, with these two wings, these two divisions as it were, how is it to
remain one Church? Is it going to remain one Church?
Ian Wilson, Jesus: The Evidence (1996): [The] interest [in Pauls letters] lies in their apparent ignorance of any details of Jesus
earthly life.... [Paul] reflected the attitudes of contemporary society towards women rather than what we may now believe to have been
Jesus own ideas.... We seem to be faced with a straight, first-century clash of theologies: Pauls on the one hand, based on his otherworldly [Damascus Road] experience; and James [in his epistle], based on his fraternal knowledge of the human Jesus. And, despite the
authority which should be due to the latter, it would seem to be Pauls that has been allowed to come down to us.... Particularly significant
is [James] gentle but firm stance on the importance of Jesus teaching on communal living.
Alan F. Segal (for Eugene Schwartz), Electronic Echoes: Using Computer Concordances for Bible Study, Biblical Archaeology
Review (Nov/Dec 1997): We can easily quantify allusions by measuring whether a passage in one Biblical work merely repeats a few
words of another or whether it directly quotes several words running.... The results of our research seemed to confirm ... very few clear
parallels between Paul and the Gospels.... [They] almost always express [even] the same ideas in completely different words.... I am unconvinced by the myriad rather weak parallels between the Gospels and Paul. Rather,... the [computer] word study seems to show that the two
are definitely unrelated.
Stephen J. Patterson, Understanding the Gospel of Thomas Today, in Stephen J. Patterson, James M. Robinson & Hans-Gebhard
Bethge, The Fifth Gospel (1998): The so-called Apostles Creed that emerged only in the second century [is] completely lacking in sayings
of Jesus and focused only on his birth and death.
L. Michael White, Pauls Mission and Letters, From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians, PBS Frontline Documentary (April 6-7,
1998): We ha[ve] the story of Pauls life in a complete narrative fashion given to us in the Book of Acts, which details his activities from
the time that he was in Jerusalem to the time that he goes to Damascus. There [he] has a conversion experience and afterward comes back
to Jerusalem. He then moves on to Antioch.... Alongside of our account of Pauls life that we get from the Book of Acts, we also have an
account that Paul himself gives us, and its very important to notice that in some ways these two accounts contradict one another.... For
example in Galatians, when Paul tells us about his early career, he explicitly says he has little or nothing to do with Jerusalem early on.
John Kaltner, Ishmael Instructs IsaacAn Introduction to the Quran for Bible Readers (1999): Jesus acknowledges the authority
of the Law of Moses while ... Paul argues that Jesus death and resurrection has rendered the Law totally obsolete for the Christian.
Anthony Saldarini, Jewish Reform Movements: Qumran and the Gospel of Matthew (Biblical Archaeology Society video lecture,
1999): Jesus wasnt a Christian.... Jesus was a Jew.... To be a follower of Jesus, you dont have to leave Judaism and become a Christian.
To be a follower of Jesus, you have to live Jewish life the way that Jesus taught people to live Jewish life.... Paul says that theres the
Gospel and theres the [Mosaic] Law; thats Pauls polemic, thats somewhere else.
Edgar Lawrence Doctorow, City of God (2000): I will say here of Jesus, that Jew, and the system in his name, what a monstrous
trick history has played on him.... Christianity was originally a Jewish sect. Everybody knows that.... Paulyou know, Paul. Fellow had
that stroke on the road to Damascus?.... Then what? In this case, a new religion.
Daniel Boyarin, The Gospel of the Memra, Harvard Theological Review (2001): For [the Gospel of] John,... Jesus comes to fulfill
the mission of Moses, not to displace it. The Torah simply needed a better exegete, the Logos Ensarkos, a fitting teacher for flesh and
blood. Rather than supersession in the explicitly temporal sense within which Paul inscribes it, Johns typology of Torah and Logos
Incarnate is more easily read within the context of ... a prevailing assumption of Western thought, that oral teaching is more authentic and
transparent than written texts.
Mark D. Given, The True Rhetoric of Romans (paper, Society of Biblical Literature annual meetings, 2001): Concerning the

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sophistic obscurity of Pauls argumentative strategies in Romans,... it is sometimes so hard to tell just what Paul really intends to say about
such controversial subjects as the [Mosaic] Law, Judaism, and the Jewish people that one might ... suggest that the ambiguities are intended
to keep the audience guessing what Paul really thinks.
Harold Bloom, Genius, II.3 (2002): Paul is totally unconcerned with the merely historical Jesus, but only with Jesus as the Christ.
Paul seems to assume that he himself is the Jesus to the Gentiles, as it were, and so a figure who possesses absolute authority.... You can
read and reread all the authentic epistles of Paul, and never know that Jesus ... spoke for the poor, the ill, the outcast.
John R. Donahue, Guidelines for Reading and Interpretation, The New Interpreters Study Bible (2003): The spectrum of
liberation concerns ... [arises from] the dilemma proposed by biblical injunctions so opposed to these [modern] ideals (e.g., slaves obey
your masters [Eph 6:5, Col 3:22, Tit 2:9]; women be submissive to your husbands [Eph 5:22, Tit 2:4-5]).
Tom Powers, The Call of God: Women Doing Theology in Peru (2003): Women are confronted with such biblical passages as 1 Cor.
14:34 ... and 1 Tim. 2:11-14.... However, womens voices will never be muted again.
Thomas R. Melville, Through a Glass Darkly: The U.S. Holocaust in Central America (2005): During [Diego] Casariegos reign [as
Cardinal of Guatemala City], government forces had killed thirteen priests and one nun ... [and also] murdered thousands of catechists and
leaders and tens of thousands of laity. All this was done without a word of protest from the cardinal, in exchange for the pomp and circumstance supplied to the prelate by one illegitimate administration after another.... High-ranking military officers, large land-owners, and
wealthy business leaders continued to use the prelates name to buttress their concepts of a Christian social order: Slaves, be subject to
your masters [Eph 6:5, Col 3:22].
Ioannis Zizioulas (Orthodox Archbishop of Pergamum, President of the Combined International Commission for Theological
Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox), LOsservatore Romano (7 July 2006): St Peter and St Paul could have differing points of view
about certain questions, as is evident in the Biblical account of their lives.
John Barton, Strategies for Reading Scripture, The Harper Collins Study Bible (2006): [There is an] apparent discord between Paul
and James over the question of works. On the face of it, Paul denies that human beings are made righteous by good works, whereas James
affirms that good works are essentialindeed, that faith apart from good works is empty and false.... A critical reading of Paul and James
might result in the conclusion that they really are incompatible, which would have considerable consequences for claims about the inspiration and authority of scripture.
Hershel Shanks, The Dead Sea ScrollsWhat They Really Say (Biblical Archaeology Society ebook, 2007): Paul ... knows nothing
of the virgin birth. In Paul, Jesus becomes the son of God at his resurrection. Read Pauls letter to the Romans, where Jesus was declared
to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:3-4).
Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI), Jesus of Nazareth (2007): Till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from
the Law until all is accomplished (Mt 5:18) only appears to contradict the teaching of Saint Paul [in Rom 7:6].... Jesus has no intention of
abrogating the Ten Commandments.... The commission given to Peter is actually fundamentally different from the commission given to
Paul.
Kathy Ehrensperger, Embodied Theology: Vulnerability and Limitation in Pauls Perception of Leadership, paper for the Society
of Biblical Literature Meetings (2008): Paul in the challenge to his role as an apostle which permeates much of 2 Corinthians seems to
defend himself at a very personal level, thereby giving the impression of reacting out of a sense of personal offense.... Although the issue at
stake in 2 Cor is the acceptance of Paul as an apostle, the issue is not so much personal as theological.
David C. Sim, Matthew, Paul and the origin and nature of the gentile mission: The great commission in Matthew 28:16-20 as an
anti-Pauline tradition, Hervormde Teologiese Studies (2008): The Great Commission at the conclusion of Matthews Gospel is one of its
key texts. In this tradition the risen Christ overturns the previous restriction of the mission to Israel alone, and demands that the disciples
evangelize all the nations. The gospel they were to proclaim included observance of the Torah by Jew and Gentile alike. Matthews account
of the origin and nature of the Gentile mission differs from Pauls view as it is found in the epistle to the Galatians. Paul maintains that he
had been commissioned by the resurrected Lord to evangelize the Gentiles, and that the gospel he was to preach did not involve obedience
to the Torah.
Benedicto Huanca, Paul: from Persecutor to Follower of Christ, Yachay (Journal of Theological Studies, Catholic University of
Cochabamba, Bolivia; 2008): Jesus encouraged his disciples to leave everything [Lk 14:25-33]; Paul encouraged them to maintain the
social role within which they had been called (I-Cor 7:17-18). Jesus promised the tribute-collectors and prostitutes that they would enter the
Kingdom of God before the pious (Mt 21:32); Paul on the contrary excluded prostitutes from the Kingdom of God (I-Cor 6:9). Jesus
ordered his disciples to live in manifest poverty and to renounce earning a living and having possessions (Mt 10:9/6:25 ff.); Paul shows
himself proud of living by his own work and recommends his communities to do likewise (I-Thes 2:9/4:11). Paul orients his ethical
instructions toward the needs of local communities; the ethos of Jesus, on the contrary, is itinerant radicalism. Paul shows himself little
interested in the historical Jesus.

xy#mh twx) t.mn-t.son m-.pe.xristos Christ Brotherhood

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