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Gospel of Philip

About this book

Divine Names; Resurrection

Chapter 3

Some say that Mary conceived by means of the holy Spirit.⁠ They are wrong, not understanding what they say. Has a female ever conceived by means of a female? Mary is the virgin whom no power has defiled. It is a great anathema for the Hebrews, who are the apostles and [the] apostolic ones. This virgin, whom no power has defiled, [...] the powers have defile[d] themselves. The Lord also [would] not [have] said, “my [Father, who is in] heaven,” if he did not have another father. He instead would only have said, [“my Father.”] The Lord said to the [disciples:] “[Take] [from] every [house], and bring (it) into the house of the Father. Do not, however, steal from the house of the Father, and do not take away.” “Jesus” is a concealed name; “Christ” is a revealed name. “Jesus,” consequently, does not exist in any language. Rather, “Jesus” is his name by which he is called. However, regarding “Christ,” its name in Syriac is “Messiah,” but in Greek it is “Christ.” Everyone else has it in accord with each one of their respective languages. “The Nazarene” is the revealed (form) of the concealed. Christ possesses all things inside himself, regardless of whether that be a man, or an angel, or a symbolic image, as well as the Father. Those who say the Lord died first and then rose, they are wrong, because he rose first, and then he died. If someone does not gain the resurrection first, he will not (be able to) die. As God lives, that person would ‹not› d‹ie›. No one would conceal an important and valuable item in a container that looks valuable. Often, however, countless sums have been placed inside a container of little worth. This is the way it is regarding the soul: It is something valuable, and it has come to dwell inside a lowly body.⁠ Some are afraid that they might be resurrected naked. They consequently wish to rise in the flesh, and [they] do not understand that those who wear the [flesh] are the ones who are naked.⁠ These [able] to unclothe themselves [are] not naked. Flesh [and blood shall] not inherit the kingdom [of God].⁠ What shall not inherit? What we wear on us. What, however, shall also inherit? What belongs to Jesus and his blood.⁠ He consequently said: “He who will not eat my flesh and drink my blood, life is not in him.”⁠ What is this? His flesh is the Logos, and his blood is the holy Spirit.⁠ He who has obtained these possesses food, and he possesses drink and garments. Regarding myself, I find in error others who say that it will not rise, or both of them are in error. You say the flesh will not rise. Tell me, though, what shall rise, so we can congratulate you. You say “the spirit inside the flesh.” It is also this other light inside the flesh, it being a logos, because regardless of what you say, you say nothing except in the flesh. It is necessary to rise in this flesh, because all things dwell inside it.⁠ In this world, those who wear garments surpass the garments. In the kingdom of Heaven, the garments surpass those who have donned them.

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Corinthians 15:50 and Gospel of Philip 3:26

New Testament · Nag Hammadi

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Summary

The Gospel of Philip quotes 1 Corinthians to deny that ordinary flesh and blood inherit God's kingdom. It then treats Jesus' flesh as something people can receive, using Paul's exclusion to distinguish their own bodies from the life Jesus gives.

Passages

1 Corinthians 15:50

New Testament
48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
55–57 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Corinthians

Gospel of Philip 3:26

Nag Hammadi
Some are afraid that they might be resurrected naked. They consequently wish to rise in the flesh, and [they] do not understand that those who wear the [flesh] are the ones who are naked. These [able] to unclothe themselves [are] not naked. Flesh [and blood shall] not inherit the kingdom [of God]. What shall not inherit? What we wear on us. What, however, shall also inherit? What belongs to Jesus and his blood. He consequently said: “He who will not eat my flesh and drink my blood, life is not in him.” What is this? His flesh is the Logos, and his blood is the holy Spirit. He who has obtained these possesses food, and he possesses drink and garments.
180–250 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Gospel of Philip

References

“... The parallel with John 6:53–54 is within a larger argument related to resurrection in the ‘flesh’ (56.26–57.22). The author disagrees with those who claim that human flesh and blood will be resurrected, as well as those who contend that only the indwelling spirit/light will ascend. The former position is rejected with a reference to 1 Cor 15:50, and the latter because the spirit/light is still in the flesh. The author states his own position—it is necessary to be resurrected in the flesh of Jesus which is appropriated through the sacraments—with an appeal to John 6:53–54. ...”
Lorne R. Zelyck, John among the Other Gospels: The Reception of the Fourth Gospel in the Extra-Canonical Gospels (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2013), 106.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1 Corinthians 15:50 and Gospel of Philip 3:26

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