Selections from the Gnostic Nag Hammadi Library: The Gospels of Thomas and Philip, Part 2 of 2

The Gospel of Thomas The Parable of the Hidden Treasure “Jesus said, ‘The kingdom can be compared to someone who had a treasure [hidden] in their field. [They] didn’t know about it.’”

Riches and Renunciation “Jesus said, ‘Whoever has found the world and become rich should renounce the world.’”

Those Who are Living Won't Die “Jesus said, ‘The Heavens and the Earth will roll up in front of you, and whoever lives from the Living One won’t see death.’”

The Kingdom is Already Present “His disciples said to Him, ‘When will the kingdom come?’ ‘It won’t come by looking for it. They won’t say, “Look over here!” or “Look over there!'” Rather, the Father’s Kingdom is already spread out over the Earth, and people don’t see it.’”

The Gospel of Philip Life, Death, Light, and Darkness “Those who sow in the winter reap in the summer. The winter is the world, the summer the other age. Let’s sow in the world so that we may reap in the summer. Christ came to buy some but to save others, and to redeem yet others. He bought those who were strangers, made them His own, and set them apart as a pledge as He wanted to. It wasn’t just when He appeared that He laid down His life when He wanted to, but since the day the world came into being, He laid down His life when He wanted to. Then He came first to take it since it had been pledged. It was dominated by the robbers that had captured it, but He saved it, and those who are good in the world He redeemed.”

Seeing Jesus “Jesus took all of them by stealth, because He didn’t appear as He was, but He appeared as [they’d] be able to see Him. He appeared to them (in) [all these] (ways): He [appeared] to [the] great as great. He [appeared] to the small as small. He [appeared] [to the] angels as an angel and to humans as a human. So His Word hid itself from everyone. Some did see Him, thinking they were seeing themselves. But when He appeared to His disciples in glory on the mountain, He wasn’t small. He became great, but He made the disciples great (too) so that they would be able to see Him as great. He said on that day in the Eucharist, ‘You who’ve united the perfect light with the Holy Spirit, unite the angels with us too, with the images!’ Don’t despise the lamb because, without him, it’s impossible to see the door.”