| Greek Gospel Of The Egyptians |
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The suppressed Greek ''Gospel of the Egyptians'', (which is quite distinct from the later, wholly Gnostic Coptic Gospel Of The Egyptians ), written in the second quarter of the 2nd century AD, was already cited in Clement Of Alexandria 's miscellany, the ''Stromata'', where quotations give us many of the brief excerpts that are all that remain; it was also mentioned by Hippolytus , who alludes to "these various changes of the soul, set forth in the Gospel entitled according to the Egyptians" and connects the ''Gospel of the Egyptians'' with the Naasene sect. Later, that 4th-century collector of Heresies , Epiphanius Of Constantinople , asserts that the Sabellians made use of this gospel; though it is unlikely that he had any firsthand information about Sabellius, who taught in Rome in the mid-2nd century, his connection of the gospel with Sabellius would confirm a date early in the 2nd century, whereas the euphemism, the Word '' Logos '', as an appellation of the Saviour, which appears in the gospel, betokens the influence of the '' Gospel Of John '', thus suggesting a date ''ca'' 120 – 150. At Earlychristianwritings.com its date is estimated ''ca'' 80 – 150. No text for it exists outside of these testimonies. From these few fragments, it is unknown how much more extensive the contents were, or what other matters they discussed, or whether the known fragments present essentially the nature of the whole entity, which is apparently a "sayings" tradition worked into the familiar formula of a Duologue . Also, due to the fragmentary nature, it is unknown whether it constitutes a version of some other known text. The ''Gospel of the Egyptians'' was apparently read in Egyptian churches in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The known fragments of text takes the form of a discussion between the disciple . The rejection of marriage was also supported by the Enkratites and many of the other early Christian groupings praised Celibacy , and therefore it is difficult to tell from what group the text originated. Another comparable verse appended to the '' Gospel Of Thomas '', probably in Egypt, reads: :"114. Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary leave us, for females are not worthy of life." Jesus said, "Look I shall guide her to make her male so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." (translation by Elaine Pagels and Marvin Myer in Elaine Pagels, ''Beyond Belief'' 2003, pp241f). The so-called Second Epistle Of Clement (chapter xii.2) closely paraphrases a passage that was also quoted by Clement Of Alexandria (in ''Stromateis'' iii): :iii. 13. 92. "When Salome inquired when the things concerning which she asked should be known, the Lord said: When ye have trampled on the garment of shame, and when the two become one and the male with the female is neither male nor female." Clement adds, "In the first place, then, we have not this saying in the four Gospels that have been delivered to us, but in that according to the Egyptians." The trope appears in the '' Gospel Of Thomas '',saying 37): :"When you strip naked without being ashamed, and take your garments and put them under your feet like little children and tread upon them, then {Link without Title} will see the child of the living." (''Thomas'', Layton translation) For a somewhat later Gnostic work assigning a prominent role to Jesus' female disciples, see '' Pistis Sophia ''. EXTERNAL LINKS
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