Texts in Conversation
The Gospel of Philip appears to reverse 2 Corinthians' fear of being found naked. Wearing ordinary flesh can be nakedness, while Jesus' flesh supplies true clothing, shifting the concern from losing a body to gaining the life needed for resurrection.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
2 Corinthians 5:3
New Testament
1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. 4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.
Gospel of Philip 3:24
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.
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Notes and References
“... Rheginos is encouraged to “depart” from the body (cf. 5:8): ‘for you” his teacher says, ‘absence (from the body) is a gain."'?’ How can this be? “Some are afraid that they will arise naked,’ explains the author of the Gospel of Philip (apparently referring to 5:3-4). To allay such fears he offers a gnostic exegesis of the passage: . therefore they want to arise in flesh (sarx). They do not know that those who bear flesh are already naked! But those who unclothe themselves are not naked. "No flesh and blood shall inherit the kingdom of God.’ What is the flesh that shall not inherit? That which we have. What is that which shall inherit? It is the flesh and blood of Jesus: for this reason he said, “‘whoever does not eat my flesh and drink my blood has no life in him.”” What is it? His flesh is the logos and his drink the holy spirit. Whoever has these has nourishment, and has drink and clothing. ?° ...”
Pagels, Elaine Hiesey
The Gnostic Paul: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters
(pp. 98-99) Fortress Press, 1975
* 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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