The Nag Hammadi Scriptures

Synopsis

The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, edited by Marvin Meyer, is the most complete, up-to-date, one-volume, English-language edition of the renowned library of Gnostic manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945, which rivaled the Dead Sea Scrolls find in significance. It includes the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the recently discovered Gospel of Judas, as well as other Gnostic gospels and sacred texts. This volume also includes introductory essays, notes, tables, glossary, index, etc. to help the reader understand the context and contemporary significance of these texts which have shed new light on early Christianity and ancient thought. The compilation of ancient manuscripts that constitute The Nag Hammadi Scriptures is a discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about the early Christian church, ancient Judaism, and Greco-Roman religions.

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the Nag Hammadi Scriptures, including their discovery, content, and significance.

Real example:

The Nag Hammadi Scriptures were discovered in 1945 in a jar buried in a cave near Nag Hammadi, Egypt. They consist of 13 leather-bound codices containing 52 Coptic texts.

Chapter 2: The Gospel of Thomas

This chapter examines the Gospel of Thomas, a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus.

Real example:

Saying 114 states, "Jesus said, 'When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one, then you shall enter the kingdom.'"

Chapter 3: The Gospel of Philip

This chapter analyzes the Gospel of Philip, which explores themes of Christianity and Gnosticism.

Real example:

The Gospel of Philip contains a myth about the origin of the world, where Sophia (Wisdom), a female divine figure, is said to have given birth to a child who is both good and evil.

Chapter 4: The Hypostasis of the Archons

This chapter discusses the Hypostasis of the Archons, a Gnostic text that describes the creation of the world by a flawed and oppressive group of beings known as archons.

Real example:

The Hypostasis of the Archons states, "And when he lifted up his eyes and saw the light, which is his mother, he envied her, because she is prior to him. And he stole a portion of her light and put it into his heart."

Chapter 5: The Tripartite Tractate

This chapter examines the Tripartite Tractate, which consists of three discourses on Christian theology and ethics.

Real example:

The Tripartite Tractate teaches that true faith is not a matter of external observance, but of inner spiritual transformation. It states, "The one who has faith in him is indeed complete, and he will not waver."

Chapter 6: The Apocryphon of James

This chapter analyzes the Apocryphon of James, which presents an alternative account of Jesus' life and teachings.

Real example:

The Apocryphon of James includes a dialogue between Jesus and his brother James, in which Jesus reveals secret knowledge about the nature of the universe and the path to salvation.

Chapter 7: Other Nag Hammadi Texts

This chapter explores other important texts from the Nag Hammadi collection, including the Gospel of Truth, the Letter of Peter to Philip, and the Paraphrase of Shem.

Real example:

The Gospel of Truth, one of the most poetic texts in the collection, declares, "Truth is a sea of light, and all things exist within it. The entire universe is held together by a single power, which is love."