What is the Gospel of Philip?

Response

Similar to the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip is a compilation of teachings attributed to Jesus. The Gospel of Philip emphasizes the significance of the “sacrament of marriage” as a “sacred mystery.” Unlike the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip does not assert to have been authored by Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples. It is named “the gospel according to Philip” because Philip is the only disciple mentioned in it 73:8.

The most comprehensive manuscript of the Gospel of Philip was unearthed in the Nag Hammadi library in Egypt in 1945. It is recorded in the Coptic language and is estimated to date back to the 4th century AD. The Gospel of Philip is categorized as a Gnostic gospel, offering a Gnostic interpretation of Jesus and His teachings. Although there are a few verses in the Gospel of Philip that bear resemblance to the four canonical Gospels, a thorough examination of the text reveals numerous irreconcilable disparities and a fundamentally different message concerning Jesus’ identity and purpose.

Of particular interest in the Gospel of Philip is its portrayal of Jesus’ connection with Mary Magdalene. In his widely-read book The Da Vinci Code, author Dan Brown cites the Gospel of Philip as proof of Jesus’ marriage or relationship with Mary Magdalene. However, the Gospel of Philip does not explicitly state that Jesus was wed to Mary Magdalene. It does not even suggest a romantic involvement between Jesus and Mary. The segment addressing this issue is significantly damaged, with several parts being illegible. The Gospel of Philip mentions, with missing sections denoted by “…”: “and the companion of the … Mary Magdalene … more than … the disciples … kiss her … on her … the rest of the disciples … they said to him … why do you love her more than all of us?” Even if we assume that Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene, the text does not insinuate anything beyond a friendly relationship. A single man kissing a single woman on the cheek, though uncommon in that era, does not necessarily imply romantic involvement.

hat culture is by no means indicative of a romantic relationship.

Whatever the case, even if the Gospel of Philip explicitly stated that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, that would not make the idea true. The Gospel of Philip was not written by the Apostle Philip or anyone who had ever met Jesus. The original writing of the Gospel of Philip is dated to the 3rd century AD at the earliest, at least 200 years after Jesus’ death. The only value in studying the Gospel of Philip is in learning what heresies existed in the early centuries of the Christian church.