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The Nag Hammadi Library

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This collection of texts gives a fascinating view of early Christian texts and views, particularly in light of the fact that these were not the writings that made it into the mainstream of church and biblical canonical development, but rather were influential in an underground, almost subversive way, in much of ancient and oriental Christianity -- were it not for the existence of texts such as these, indeed, we would not have the canon of the Bible which we have today (the political motivations behind deciding which books belonged in the Bible and which books didn't owe largely to texts such as those in the Nag Hammadi Library).

'This volume...marks the end of one stage of Nag Hammadi scholarship and the beginning of another. The first stage was concerned with making this library of texts available; the second stage has been characterised by the discussion and interpretation of the texts.'

This book represents an advance in both translation and analysis; this is part of the canon of the Gnostic sect, which saw more orthodox Christianity (from which Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies derive) as the ones who were heretical.

'The Nag Hammadi library also documents the fact that the rejection was mutual, in that Christians described there as 'heretical' seem to be more like what is usually thought of as 'orthodox'.'

Gnosticism was ultimately eliminated from mainstream Christianity, save the occasional resurgence of underground and spiritual movements. Of course, Gnosticism was not an exclusively Christian-oriented phenomenon: many of the texts refer to Hebrew Scriptures only, and the question of Jewish Gnosticism is discussed by Robinson.

The Dead Sea Scrolls (of which these texts are NOT a part, despite the fact that they often get cited and analysed as part of that body of documents) shed light on the pluralistic nature of first century Judaism; the idea that there was a sect primarily of Jewish gnostics which had little or no knowledge or regard of Christianity (still at this point one sect of many, particularly in cosmopolitan centres such as Alexandria) is not a strange one.

The Nag Hammadi library consists of twelve books, plus eight leaves of a thirteenth book. There are a total of fifty-two tracts. These are now kept in the Coptic Museum in Cairo, and, as the name suggests, are written in Coptic, although it is clear that the texts are Coptic translations of earlier Greek works. Coptic is the Egyptian language written with the Greek alphabet; there are different dialects of Coptic, and the Nag Hammadi library shows at least two. They were found in codex form (book form rather than scroll form). They were discovered in the mid 1940s, just a few years prior to the discovery of the first Dead Sea Scrolls (another reason for the combination of the texts in the public imagination).

Included in these texts are The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Truth, The Gospel of Mary and other gospel contenders (alas, in fragmentary form--the translation in this volume however is the complete Nag Hammadi text). The Gospel of Thomas has perhaps been the highest profile text from Nag Hammadi; it has been translated and commented upon extensively, particularly in modern scholarship which discusses gospel development.

'Whoever find the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death.'

This gospel does not correspond to the narrative form with which modern readers are familiar; it is a collection of sayings (one modern scholar argues that the victory of the four canonical gospels was a victory of style, rather than substance).

This gospel also helps illuminate some of the early struggles in church formation (why exactly did it go from a house-based, relatively gender-neutral organisation to a male-exclusive-hierarchical model?).

Simon Peter said to them, 'Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life.' Jesus said, 'I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.'

Other writings include various Acts of apostles, pieces of wisdom literature, parables and stories, most of which have some basis in Hebrew scripture or Christian scripture traditions.

The afterword, by Richard Smith, traces the idea of gnosticism through medieval and renaissance writers, through the enlightenment up to the modern day, in philosophy, theology, culture and the arts. From Blake to Gibbons to Melville to modern motion pictures, Gnostic ideas permeate many works, even before the Nag Hammadi library was available for study and contemplation.

'A quite self-conscious incorporation of Nag Hammadi texts into a science fiction novel appeared in Harold Bloom's 1979 novel The Flight to Lucifer: A Gnostic Fantasy. In it the reincarnated Valentinus and his companions fly to a planet called Lucifer. Quoting our gnostic texts, the heroes wage a violent battle against Saklas, the Demiurge who is worshipped in his 'Saklaseum'. Bloom, more successful as an interpreter of literature, later confessed that The Flight to Lucifer reads as though Walter Pater were writing Star Wars. But, then, so does much ancient gnostic writing.'

This is a wonderful collection, a truly fascinating view of texts that shared the religious stage with the proto-canonical Biblical texts. It gives insight into the varieties of early Christianity and Judaism. And it makes for interesting reading.

This is a book of more interest to scholars, perhaps, than to the general public. The Nag Hammadi library was discovered in the Egyptian desert, near Nag Hammadi, in 1945. The library was composed of scrolls buried by the Gnostics, who in the fourth century maintained a monastery nearby. They were contained in a buried clay jar, in an apparent attempt by Gnostic Christians to save them from destruction by the Constantinian Christians who had orders from the Christian Emperor, Constantine, to destroy all such writings as heresy, along with those who adhered to them.

Over the nearly 2,000 years buried in the desert sand, time took its toll, and many of the scrolls were fragmentary as a result. Yet the 38 scholars who undertook the translation from the ancient Egyptian (coptic) in which they were written, did a magnificent job: not only translating, but also making commentaries comparing them to those gospels which Constantine's scholars considered canonical, and discarding all others as heretical.

This volume is one of the results, with the various codices identified with the translators, and beginning with their commentaries.

Other volumes of a similar nature, including two books by Dr. Elaine Pagels--one of the translators--"The Gnostic Gospels" and "Beyond Belief," are also available on Amazon. Dr. Pagels taught at Barnard College, where she chaired the Department of Religion, and Columbia University. She is currently professor of religion at Princeton.

The Nag Hammadi Library consists of twelve codices as well as fragments of a thirteenth, and fifty-two separate tractates. A brief history of the effort to translate and edit the materials is included in the preface to this book.

The struggle to eliminate the Gnostics and their ancient literature, by the Constantinian Christians (who prevailed and became the universally accepted Christianm church) was highly succesful, so much so that the only evidence of the Gnostic literature, for centuries, were the disparaging remarks in the writings of the orthodox authors referring to the heretics.

Until the discovery of these scrolls, in 1945!

For those who are interested in this subject matter, this is a most interesting book, and one you will wish to own.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of The Road to Damascus: Our Journey Through Eternity
and other books

I'll admit that I'm a beginner in the study of Gnosis, and over estimated myself when I ordered this book. After reading snippets of it, like I would the bible, I realized that I was nearly in over my head. This book is confusing. Many others who I've spoken to have advised that one reads many books about the Nag Hammadi findings before they read the actual findings. They couldn't be closer to the truth. Besides the fact that it's confusing, it's a common Gnostic belief that you must learn from a teacher before learning on your own.

On that note, despite how useful this book is. I'd advise anyone, at all interested in the subject matter, to first look for books by Elaine Pagels and Stephan Hoeller, first to get an idea of what you can expect to actually be reading.

The Nag Hammadi Codices is to Christianity as the Dead sea scrolls are to Judaism. This book is the aggregate work of dozens of scholars to translate and present this important collection to the public. Written roughly towards the end of the fifth century C.E. this is a collection of heretical gnostic texts written in Egypt most likely by a group of Valentinian Monks. This is the largest collection of primary sources of Gnostic writing ever found. It contains several extremely important early Christian texts such as The Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, The Apocryphon of James, and the Dialogue of the Saviour. The translation work is inspired and the introduction is superb. Occaisionally the lacunae in many of the writings can be very distracting making it harder to read through no fault of the editors. However, aside from that this is a highly engageing read. My hat goes off to the people who brought us this masterwork. Each tractate has an introduction and overview that greatly aids the reader in his/her understanding of the book overall. For those with an interest in Christianity or, more specifically in gnostic Christianity this book is an absolute must.

Many reviewers have noted that they have found spiritual enlightenment through reading these texts. I am an atheist with a passion for history, so the value that I found in the Nag Hammadi Library was of a different sort. The texts reveal the Gnostics as they saw themselves, not as the Church Fathers characterized them, and thus these texts have provided a wealth of information for the study of ancient Gnosticism and, by extension, ancient Christianity. Although some of these texts may be perhaps found on the internet, it is entirely worthwhile to purchase this volume. The translation has been conducted by a team of scholars, correctly noting the lacunae and those places where reconstruction of the text is conjectural or where the English equivalent is approximate. This ensures an accurate translation. Moreover, the notes alone justify the low, mass paperback price of the book. Each one of the documents is introduced with excellent notes on estimated dating and other information critical to an understanding of the text. This volume is a welcome addition to the personal library of any person who professes an interest in the history of early Christianity, and it is absolutely necessary to anyone who is interested in ancient Gnosticism.

For centuries, the only knowledge that we had available about the Gnostics was through the words of their opponents. These opponents were defenders of "orthodox" faith, so they had their own agenda to push. Irenaeus of Lyon, (c. 185 AD), said that to mention the Gnostic teachings is to refute them, so confident was he in the inherent stupidity of Gnosticism.

With the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library, we finally have the Gnostics speaking for themselves and presenting themselves in their own ways. Our knowlegde of Gnosticism has increased by light years. After decades of politics, back-biting and dealing, the NHL has finally arrived in a single volume, translated into English.

It should be made clear that not all of the works found at Nag Hammadi are strictly Gnostic, though a majority are. Works in the corpus include "The Gospel of Truth", "The Gospel of Thomas", "The Apocryphon of John", "The Three Stelaes of Seth", "The Hypostasis of the Archons" and a huge range of other works. You will find everything from quite moderate Valentinian Gnosticism, (like the Gospel of Truth), right through to the more intense Sethian Gnosticism. In addition are books that are arguably Gnostic, but having elements that are decidely not Gnostic at all, such as "The Teachings of Silvanus". There is even a book of Gnostic polemics against the "orthodox" Christians!

Another note of caution is that some of the works are very strange and symbolic in nature. Some are reasonably clear, though there are elements that are certainly confusing. For example, "The Apocryphon of John" is reasonably easy to get to grips with. However, others are truly hard work. My point: this is not suitable book to begin with if you have never read about Gnosticism or have only read a little about it.

On the other hand, for people looking for more detail and a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Gnostics, this book is a priceless aid and addition to any library. For those looking to walk the Gnostic path, the book provides a wide range of ideas that will give you a lifetime of speculation and work. In fact, it is hard to know where to start in this book, there is so much there.

An example of something that surprised me pleasantly is the great deal of Gnostic ethics that is presented. These ethical standards have a high level that stands in stark and glaring contrast to the picture painted by the likes of Irenaeus, (mentioned above).

To conclude, I would caution people about buying this book as an introduction to Gnostic belief. For introductions, you would be better with Jonas' The Gnostic Religion or Rudolph's Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism, both being very good. For people who have read such books and are looking for something deeper and more detailed, you simply can't go past this book.

For those individuals interested in the evolution of Christian thought, Gnosticism in particular, embarking on a major research project, simply curious about alternative perspectives on the teachings of Jesus Christ, this single volume of fourth-century manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945, is absolutely essential.

Gnostic thought has always been extremely controversial. Its history and various movements throughout the last millennium are fraught with mystery, censorship, intrigue and bloodshed. As some of the manuscripts pose an entirely different view of the Saviour and His teachings, most traditional Christians dismiss these books entirely. Interestingly, these books have been called "heretical"; taking the word heresy in the literal sense, meaning to take the position in opposition to the orthodoxy of the time, the Nag Hammadi texts are indeed heretical.

Throughout theological history, the teachings of the Gnostics, and our knowledge of them as a movement, has really only been provided by the "heresy-hunters", (the first Church Father, Irenaeus of Lyons, and his five book treatise, "Aversus Haereses", translated as, "Against Heresies", is the most noted) giving scholars a seriously one-sided perspective of Gnostic theology, practices and belief. It was only when the Nag Hammadi manuscripts were discovered in 1945 in Upper Egypt, and then painstakingly translated, that we have a greater insight into Gnostic belief, its history and practice.

This edition of the Library has been revised and expanded since it was first published in 1978. General editor, James M. Robinson's Introduction to this volume, in my view, is worth the price of the entire text. He provides for the scholar and curious reader a clear and concise history of these gospels, their at times dubious translations, and general explanation of the library as a whole.

The Nag Hammadi library also contains manuscripts or treatises other than religious traditions from the Judeo-Christian heritage. For example, "The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth", is a previously unknown Hermetic text, that presents a fascinating dialogue between the deities Hermes Trismegistus and his son Tat. As Robinson points out, a number of texts contained in the library are debatable in terms of being truly Gnostic in nature, depending on the individual interpreter, and how they define Gnosticism. Personally, I'll leave that debate to the scholars, however, the text themselves make captivating reading.

Many hours have been spent reading the various manuscripts contained in this volume. It has taken a tremendous amount of energy and concentration on my part to gain an understanding of the spiritual message(s) that some of these texts provide. This is not a quick read, but a long process of study that for me, will continue for years to come. Having said that, this library is an absolute must as a reference, for any student of theology, Christian history, archaeology and antiquity in general. It is well worth the investment.

Nearly all knowledgeable Biblical scholars realize there have been a wide range of writings attributed to Jesus and his Apostles..... and that some of these were selected for compilation into the book that became known as the Bible.....and that some books have been removed from some versions of the Bible and others have been re-discovered in modern times.

The attention focused on Gnosticism by Dan Brown's DaVinci Code may be debatable, but the fact is that increased attention on academics tends to be predominately positive, so I welcome those with first-time or renewed interest. At least first-timers to Gnosticism are not pursuing the oh-so-popular legends of the Holy Grail, Bloodline of Christ, and Mary Magdalene.

This is great......I seldom quote other reviewers, but there is one reviewer of Pagels' books who confided that he had been a Jesuit candidate and had been required to study a wide range of texts but was never was told about the Nag Hamadi texts. He said:

"Now I know why. The Gospel of Thomas lays waste to the notion that Jesus was `the only begotten Son of God' and obviates the need for a formalized church when he says, `When your leaders tell you that God is in heaven, say rather, God is within you, and without you.' No wonder they suppressed this stuff! The Roman Catholic Church hasn't maintained itself as the oldest institution in the world by allowing individuals to have a clear channel to see the divinity within all of us: they need to put God in a bottle, label the bottle, put that bottle on an altar, build a church around that altar, put a sign over the door, and create rubricks and rituals to keep out the dis-believing riff-raff. Real `Us' versus `them' stuff, the polar opposite from `God is within You.' `My God is bigger than your God' the church(s)seem to say. And you can only get there through "my" door/denomination. But Jesus according to Thomas had it right: just keep it simple, and discover the indwelling Divinity `within you and without you.'"

Here are quickie reviews of what is being bought these days on the Gnostic Gospels and the lost books of the Bible in general:

The Lost Books of the Bible (0517277956) includes 26 apocryphal books from the first 400 years that were not included in the New Testament.

Marvin Meyers' The Secret Teachings of Jesus : Four Gnostic Gospels (0394744330 ) is a new translation without commentary of The Secret Book of James, The Gospel of Thomas, The Book of Thomas, and The Secret Book of John.

James M. Robinson's The Nag Hammadi Library in English : Revised Edition (0060669357) has been around 25 years now and is in 2nd edition. It has introductions to each of the 13 Nag Hammadi Codices and the Papyrus Berioinensis 8502.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (0140278079) by Geza Vermes has selected works....a complete work is more difficult to achieve than the publisher's marketing concept indicates. His commentary generates strong reactions.

Elaine Pagels has 2 books (The Gnostic Gospels 0679724532 and Beyond Belief : The Secret Gospel of Thomas 0375501568) that have received considerable attention lately. For many, her work is controversial in that it is written for popular consumption and there is a strong modern interpretation. She does attempt to reinterpret ancient gender relationships in the light of modern feminist thinking. While this is a useful (and entertaining) aspect of college women's studies programs, it is not as unethical as some critics claim. As hard as they may try, all historians interpret the past in the context of the present. Obviously there is value in our attempts to re-interpret the past in the light of our own time.

If you want the full scholarly work it is W. Schneemelcher's 2 volume New Testament Apocrypha.

The Nag Hammadi collection of ancient sacred writings, including the very helpful introductions, should be included in every copy of the Bible. When it was decided to exclude the Gnostic perspective in the canonization of the Bible, the revelation of God was once again distorted and minimized. Our picture of God is vastly improved if we place the Gnostic perspective alongside the hierarchical perspective as found in the New Testament. Anyone serious about the Bible should also read and understand the Nag Hammidi sacred writings, which are very "reader friendly."

The Nag Hammadi Library is a collection of ancient religious texts which were discovered in Egypt in 1945. The people who collected and buried the library are believed to have been Gnostic Christians. The various scriptures are considered to be examples of texts used by them before Christianity achieved favored status during the reign of Constantine.

James Robinson's book is divided into chapters which include English translations of individual scriptures plus discussions of each by noted biblical scholars. A table is also provided to show the appropriate identifications for the texts comprising the thirteen Nag Hammadi Codices and Papyrus Berolinensis 8502. Among the contributors are Elaine Pagels and Karen L. King. For supplementary reading I recommend especially THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS and BEYOND BELIEF by Pagels as well as THE GOSPEL OF MARY OF MAGDALA by King.

I find the subject of Gnosticism to be extremely interesting and suspect that the study of it is just in its infancy. We know that Gnosticism is similar in some respects to primitive Christianity and various eastern religions. Gnosticism is also different in many ways from the orthodox Christianity which ultimately gained the upper hand in the fourth century.It is hard to overestimate the significance of Gnosticism.For anyone wishing to explore this topic, I believe that THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY is a good place to start the journey.