Texts in Conversation
Mark and the Gospel of Philip connect the bridegroom's companions with special access. Mark's guests share his presence without fasting; Philip admits the bridegroom's children to the chamber, giving the wedding image a role in deciding who may enter.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Mark 2:19
New Testament
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?” 19 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast. 20 But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast. 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed. Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins.”
Gospel of Philip 11:77
Nag Hammadi
If a marriage be denuded, it becomes fornication, and not just if the bride takes in the sperm of another man, but even should she just leave her bedroom and be seen, she has fornicated. She must be seen only by her father, and her mother, and the friend of the bridegroom, and the sons of the bridegroom. These are the ones who are allowed to enter the bridal chamber on a daily basis. However, the others are allowed only to desire to hear her voice and to relish her ointment. They are also allowed to feed on the crumbs that fall from the table, like dogs. Bridegrooms and brides belong in the bridal chamber. No one can see the bridegroom together with the bride unless [he become] these.
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Notes and References
“... 122a. [No one can] know when [the man] (p. 82) and his wife unite with one another, except them alone. For the marriage of this world is a mystery for those who have taken a wife. If the marriage of defilement is so secret, how much more is die undefiled marriage a tme mystery! It is not fleshly, but pure. It has nodiing to do with desire, but with die will. It does not belong to the darkness or the night, but to the day and the light. 122b. If a marriage has become (openly) exposed, it has become harlouy. And the bride has played the harlot not only if she has received the seed of another man, but even if she has left her bedchamber and been seen. She ought to show herself only to her father, her mother, die friend ofthe bridegroom'* and the children of the bridegroom.'^ 122c. To these it is permitted to enter every day into the wedding hall. But as for the others, let them desire at least to hear her (the bride's) voice and enjoy (the fragrance of) her ointment.*" And let them feed on the cmmbs that fall from the table, like the dogs*'. 122d. Bridegrooms and brides belong to the bridal chamber. No one can see the bridegroom and the bride, unless [he] become such a one. [...] 78. 74. Cf Lk. 10:34. 75. 1 Peter 4:8. 76. Cr Philostr. Vit. Ap. VI 40. 77. The manuscnpt has he' and 'whom'. 78. C f Jn. 3:29. 79.Cf. .Mk. 2:l9par, 80. Cf. Mt. 25:1-12. 81. Cf. Mk. 7:24-30 par. ...”
Schenke, Hans-Martin
"The Gospel of Philip" in Schneemelcher, Wilhelm; Wilson, R. McL. (ed.) New Testament Apocrypha, Volume 1: Gospels and Related Writings
(p. 204, 208) James Clarke & Co., 1991
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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