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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 Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 5 2:2 and Gospel of Philip 3:28

Early Christian · Nag Hammadi

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Summary

Against Heresies Book 5 and the Gospel of Philip connect eating Jesus' flesh with resurrection, but disagree about whose flesh rises. Irenaeus expects believers' own bodies to rise later. Philip makes receiving Jesus' flesh a share in his life now.

Passages

Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 5 2:2

Early Christian
2 But vain in every respect are they who despise the entire dispensation of God, and disallow the salvation of the flesh, and treat with contempt its regeneration, maintaining that it is not capable of incorruption. But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist the communion of His blood, nor the bread which we break the communion of His body. For blood can only come from veins and flesh, and whatsoever else makes up the substance of man, such as the Word of God was actually made.
175–190 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 5

Gospel of Philip 3:28

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

“... An appeal to eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus in the context of a discussion of the resurrection is also not unique to the Gos. Phil. Irenaeus argues on the basis of Jesus’ incarnation and resurrection that through the Eucharist we partake of his flesh and blood and are assured of the ‘salvation of the flesh’ (Haer. 5.2.2).14 This connection may already be present in John 6:54b with the promise of ‘being raised on the last day,’ but it is understandably omitted in the Gos. Phil. since the author is intent on showing the necessity of being resurrected now, in this world (56.15–20; 66.16–21; 73.1–4).15 Irenaeus and the Gos. Phil. disagree about 12 Schmid, Eucharistie, 368–370. 13 See A.H.C. Van Eijk, “The Gospel of Philip and Clement of Alexandria,” VC 25 (1971): 118. 14 However, Irenaeus does not use John 6 in Haer. 5.3–16 where he correlates Jesus’ resurrection in the flesh with our resurrection in the flesh. 15 Nagel, Rezeption, 399. PDF PAGE 125 108 Chapter 7: The Gospel of Philip the timing of the resurrection, as well as the object of the resurrection. For Irenaeus, those who partake of the flesh and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist will experience a resurrection of their own flesh and blood, while in the Gos. Phil., those who receive the Word and Holy Spirit in the Eucharistic flesh and blood of Jesus experience his resurrection and inherit the kingdom of God (56.32–57.3).16 ...”
Lorne R. Zelyck, John among the Other Gospels: The Reception of the Fourth Gospel in the Extra-Canonical Gospels (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2013), 107–108.

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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Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 5 2:2 and Gospel of Philip 3:28

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