The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library [Hardcover]

Marvin W. Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 8, 2005

The Meaning of the Nag Hammadi, now in paperback opens the with the thrilling adventure story of the discovery of the ancient Papyrii at Nag Hammadi. Muhammad Ali, the fellahin, discovered the sealed jar, he feared that it might contain a jinni, or spirit, but also had heard of hidden treasures in such jars. Greed overcame his fears and when he smashed open the jar, gold seemed to float into the air. To his disappointment, it was papyrus fragmenst, not gold, but for scholars around the world, it was invaluable.

Meyer then discusses the pre–Christian forms of wisdom that went onto influence what Christians believe today. In addition, some Nag Hammadi texts are attributed to Valentinus, a man who almost became Pope, and whose rejection changed the church in significant ways. Text by text, Meyer traces the history and impact of this great find on the Church, right up to our current beliefs and popular cultural fascination with this officially suppressed secret knowledge about Jesus and his followers.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Before the discovery of the Nag Hammadi documents in the 1940s, Gnosticism was considered to be a form of anti-Christian heresy taught by some early church fathers and condemned by others. Modern readers depended on secondary works condemning Gnosticism in order to understand its proponents' point of view. But with the unearthing of the Gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi, scholars have a better idea of the scope and direction of Gnostic teaching in the early years of Christianity as told by its adherents. Meyer, professor of Bible and Christian studies at Chapman University in California, boasts nine previous publications on the subject and demonstrates a deep understanding of both the history and content of the documents. After briefly recounting their discovery, he analyzes their content, sorting through the teachings and relating them, not just to the biblical text, but even to the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code. Although there is no new material, the author's concise presentation will appeal to many readers. Meyer writes clearly, bringing both the people and the times of the early Gnostic writings to life and making them accessible to scholar and layperson alike. (Nov.)
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About the Author

Marvin Meyer is one of the foremost scholars on early Christianity and texts about Jesus outside the New Testament. He is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies at Chapman University in Orange, California. Among his recent books are The Gospel of Judas, The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus, The Gospels of Mary, The Gospel of Thomas, and The Nag Hammadi Scriptures.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; First Edition edition (November 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060821086
• ISBN-13: 978-0060821081
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,039,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marvin Meyer is one of the foremost scholars on gnosticism, the Nag Hammadi library, and texts about Jesus outside the New Testament.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine overview on the contents of the Nag Hammadi codexes and of gnostic schools of thought, April 26, 2006

By 

A. G. Corwin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library (Hardcover)

The Nag Hammadi codexes are a series of papyrus books originating from around 300 AD, discovered buried near the town of Nag Hammadi by Egyptian farmers just after World War II. Long an outpost of Coptic and gnostic thought in early christianity, Egypt has proven to be an archeological bounty when it comes to early religious works. Upon examination of the codexes by scientists and scholards it was discovered they contained early christian writings including many of what are considered gnostic texts and gospels. Meyer's book dissects and discusses the various schools of gnosticism, their relation to greek and egyptian religious beliefs, and the value offered by certain texts like the Gospel of Mary which lie outside the official Christian canon.

Meyer also does an excellent job summarizing each codex with the works contained within. He explains the differences between the Valentinian Gnostics and the Sethian gnostics, which are baffling to say the least, and shows that early christianity was even more diverse then we ever believed. So how did the Codexes become buried in the sands? Meyer makes a strong case for Coptic monks from monastery close to Nag Hammadi being the source of the compilation of the Codexes, as monks in those days were often scribes. Meyer believes that after Christian leaders like Irinaeus declared the acceptable, approved list of what would become the New Testament from the hundreds of various gospels, letters, and essays in the early church, the monks took everything that might be heretical and had them buried.

Meyer succeeds in making clear what is considered fact, what is scientific theory, and what is his personal opinion. The reader is allowed to make up their own mind without undue influence, which in works on religion or archeology is so often not the case. Meyer's writing is concise and easy to digest, and the pages move quickly without bogging down into jargon. Fair warning though, only minor passages from the codexes are contained in this book. There are many other works available that contained detailed translations. Good overview on the subject, recommended for those interested in the topic.

A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1/2 a book is better than no book at all, February 1, 2006

By 

Dr. James Gardner (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library (Hardcover)

In 2005 Meyer produced 2 books which deal with the gnostic texts, both published by HarperCollins who are a leading company in the Christology field. Meyer's other book, The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus, is a collection of common (Mary, Philip, Thomas) and obscure (Baruch, Seth) texts and provides a valuable resource for the serious student. When reading that book I longed for a more comprehensive in-depth discussion of gnosticism and the texts themselves. Well, here it is! Meyer provides us with an excellent discussion of gnosticism and a detailed analysis of the texts themselves.

I suppose someone (either Meyer himself or his publisher) made the decision to do 2 good books instead of one excellent one. Too bad. There is a certain redundancy to owning both of these books, yet neither one is fully complete. Maybe the economics of publishing requires such decisions, but the reality of purchasing also dictates decisions. If you had to choose only 1, I would go with the texts themselves, and forgo the excellent work in the other book. If you can afford both, go for it.

My main criticisms of the current book are (a) Meyer's updated translation (e.g., the "Son of Man" is NOT the "child of humankind"), (b) the lack of a narrative strand in the text descriptions, and (3) the lack of integration between the general discussion and the text discussions. Otherwise this is a fine 1/2 book.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, February 24, 2006

By 

Michael Way (Monrovia, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library (Hardcover)

While this book does not contain any new information about the Nag Hammadi texts not covered in other books, it does contain the whole story of their discovery in Egypt along with some of the more important gnostic myths. If you aren't familiar with Christian gnosticism, it is a great place to start your study. If you are, having both the discovery of the texts and a brief description of the gnostic belief system in one volume can be very useful.