Gospel of Truth

The Gospel of Truth (Evangelium Veritatis, abbreviated EvVer or EV ) is a Gnostic text in Coptic, probably dating from the 2nd century. It is part of the Nag Hammadi (Egypt). There is a third copy of the first Code ( NHC I, 3) supplies and parts thereof in Code XII. Irenaeus mentions a Gospel of that name. Whether it is the same, is open.

Name and category

The Scripture bears no explicit title; ancient custom, the first two words were accordingly ( "The Gospel of Truth is a rejoicing ...") taken as a title. From the genre wise, it is no gospel, but a preaching style text with instructive and admonitory sections.

Dating

The terms and echoes of the Valentinian Gnosis place identification than in Irenaeus ( Adversus haereses III 1.9 ) mentioned " Gospel of Truth " close. In this case, the text around 150 AD would have arisen. Some " Jewish-Christian radicals " ( p. 19.9 f ) indicate an earlier origin.

Content

  • Introduction: origin, place and meaning of the word, which emerged from the " Heavenly Father " ( p. 16.31 to 17.3 )
  • Committing the mistake of finding the divine world after "the origin " (for lack of clear knowledge of the Father ); Creation of the material world with the error ( as a substitute for the true reality ) ( p. 17.4 to 18.3 )
  • Emergence of the " insight" (gnosis ) of the Father ( p. 18.4 )
  • Role of the Redeemer, revelation of Gnosis as a book
  • Consequences of disclosure
  • Return to the rest in the Father

Important statements

  • "The name Gospel means: Here is the man revealed to hope. Here all who seek may find what they are looking for. "(P. 17)
  • " The mistake was concerned with power in order to create a nice substitute for the true reality. Visible world " (p. 17)
  • " Therefore, if one gets to know the Father, then can no longer exist from then on forgetting. This is the gospel of God, after the people are looking for. / Jesus Christ has revealed it. He is the hidden secret. "(P. 18)
  • "Who is to last but not according to knowledge, which is a creature of oblivion, and he shall pass away with forgetting together. " (P. 21)

Expenditure

  • James M. Robinson ( ed.): Nag Hammadi Studies (NHS ). Brill, Leiden 1948ff. ISSN 0169-7749 pp. 37-49. ( Coptic and English translation)
  • Klaus Berger, Christiane Nord: The New Testament and early Christian writings. Frankfurt 1999, pp. 1050-1067. ( Introduction and German translation )
  • Hans -Josef Klauck: Apocryphal Gospels, published by Catholic Biblical Association, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-460-33022-8, pp. 177-188.
  • Uwe- Karsten Plisch: What is not in the Bible. Apocryphal writings of early Christianity. German Bible Society, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-438-06036-1.
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