Texts in Conversation
The Gospel of Philip quotes Matthew's cry of abandonment and explains it through separation. Placed beside Adam and Eve's division, Jesus' cry connects his suffering on the cross with the loss of unity, making reunion part of the answer to death.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Matthew 27:46
New Testament
44 The robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 45 Now from noon until three, darkness came over all the land. 46 At about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”
Gospel of Philip 8:25
Nag Hammadi
The days when Eve dwelt [inside] Adam, death did not exist. When she was separated from him, death came into being. When he enters again and receives it to himself, no death will occur. “[My] God, my God, why, O Lord, [have] you forsaken me?” It was on the cross that he spoke all this, because in that place he was divided. It was from what is [...] that he was begotten [...], through God. The [...] from among the dead [...] is, however, [...] he was complete [...] of flesh. However, this [...] is true flesh. [...] is not true, [but ...] image of what is true. A bridal chamber is not made for animals, nor is it made for slaves, nor for polluted women, but it is made for free men and virgins.
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Notes and References
“... First, there is sympathetic absorption of canonical Gospel mater- ial. The Gospel presupposes the familiar narrative outline of Jesus’ earthly career. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan.11 He is a teacher and miracle-worker: Philip includes reference to the parable of the good Samaritan, for example, and has a miracle in which Jesus makes seventy-two colors all white.12 There is reference to the last supper, as well as to the crucifixion, when Jesus departs.13 Additionally, the name “Jesus” is commonly used, along with “Lord,” “son of man,” and “Son.” ...”
Gathercole, Simon
"Afterword: Reading Gospels with the Gospel of Philip" in Pierce, Madison N.; Byers, Andrew J.; Gathercole, Simon (ed.) Gospel Reading and Reception in Early Christian Literature
(p. 237) Cambridge University Press, 2022
* 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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