Texts in Conversation
Romans' movement from slavery to freedom gains a further stage in the Gospel of Philip. Those who have received truth through images still await its full disclosure, so freedom depends on seeing what the images conceal rather than changing masters.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Romans 6:18
New Testament
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Gospel of Philip 12:24
Nag Hammadi
Consequently, the perfect things were opened for us by the secrets of the truth, and the Holies of the Holies was disclosed, and the bedroom invited us inside. As long as it is concealed, evil remains inactive. However, it has not been removed from the presence of the offspring of the holy Spirit. They are slaves to evil. However, when it will be exposed, then the perfect light will pour out on everyone, and all those who dwell inside it will [obtain chrism]. The slaves will then be free, [and] the captives redeemed. “[Every] plant [that] my Father who is in heaven has not planted [will be] uprooted.” Those who have been divided will be united, [the empty] will be filled.
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Notes and References
“... Heracleon explains that the psychics either must obey the will of the devil, fulfilling the desires of the flesh. or they obey “‘righteousness,”’ the demiurge’s law.'°* In the latter case, they become obedient to “the mpe of the teaching’ (6:17-18) which they received (since psychics receive only ‘‘types and images" of the truth).''" Nevertheless, although now they receive only “types and images," the writer of the Gospel} of Philip says that when the “hidden things of the truth” are revealed to them, “then the perfect light will pour out upon everyone; then the slaves will be free, and the captives delivered.''''' For the present, however, Paul says he must speak to them “‘in human terms, because of the weakness of your flesh” (6:19).'! ...”
Pagels, Elaine Hiesey
The Gnostic Paul: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters
(p. 31) 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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