Gnostic Gospels

In December 1945, an astonishing archaeological discovery was made by an Arab farmer in Upper Egypt near the town of Nag Hammadi on the Jabal al-Tarif, a mountain like a honeycomb with its more than 150 caves.

In stone jars were found 52 copies of ancient manuscripts, the so-called Gnostic Gospels, were found in 13 leather-bound papyrus codices (handwritten books). They were written in Coptic and were part of a monastery library.

The term Gnostic gospels refers to a number of Gnostic writings from which the word gospel originates from the title. All these writings are known in a Coptic translation of an original Greek text that has been lost. Some Greek fragments are known from only two of these writings.

Gnosticism was (and still is) a theosophy with many ingredients. Occultism and Eastern mysticism were mixed with astrology and magic. They collected sayings of Jesus adapted to their own interpretation (as in the 'gospel' of Thomas) and they offered their followers an alternative and competing form of Christianity.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were almost certainly written in the period 50-80 AD, and those of John in the period 80-100. The letters of the apostle Paul, whose message corresponds to these Gospels, come from the 1950s-70s.

The Gnostic scriptures were written in the 2nd and 3rd centuries after Christ.

The fact remains that the New Testament writings of the Bible are the oldest, most complete, and most reliable accounts of the life, teachings, and work of Jesus. If you really want to listen to him, it is best to just pick up the Bible.

The Gnostic Gospels found at Nag Hammadi concern:

The Gnostic Gospels have been rejected by the Catholic Church.