Texts in Conversation
The Gospel of Philip appears to give Galatians' image of putting on Jesus a visible form in baptism. Taking off ordinary clothes before entering the water makes room for wearing the living man, linking the change of clothing with receiving a new life.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Galatians 3:27
New Testament
23 Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.
Gospel of Philip 10:43
Nag Hammadi
The cup of prayer contains wine, and it contains water, because it has been established as the type of the blood for which thanksgiving is offered, and it fills with the holy Spirit, and it belongs to the completely Perfect Man. Whenever we drink this, we obtain the Perfect Man. The living water is a body. We must don the living man. Consequently, descending to the water, he strips himself naked, in order that he can don that one. A horse begets a horse, a man begets a man, a god begets a god. This is the way it is with [the] bride[groom] and brides [as well]. They [come to be] from the [bridegroom and bride].
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Notes and References
“... The initiated reader could see in 3:23-25 Paul’s declaration of the liberation of the elect—as ‘‘sons of God” (cf. 3:26) from the restraints and tutelege of the demiurge's law. One Valentinian teacher describes how those “baptized into God” (ef. 3:27) in the name of the Father, Son, and holy spirit, are “reborn” and “become higher than all the other powers.” ** Apparently referring to 3:27, the author of the Gospel of Philip says that “the living water is a body. It is fitting that we put on the living man. Because of this. when he is about to go down to the water he unclothes himself, so that he may put on this one.”’** Rheginos’ teacher adds that those who have died and been raised with the savior in baptism now “wear him.’ ** Those who still identify themselves in terms of racial and social distinctions, however (as Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free; ef. 3:28) are not yet truly Christian.*’ ...”
Pagels, Elaine Hiesey
The Gnostic Paul: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters
(p. 108) 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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