MARY THE MAGDALENE---------TEACHER AND ‘BISHOP’.

Mary was obviously very close to Jesus, and this was not only due to the fact that she was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who Jesus knew very well. She was apparently a ‘Courtesan’ with the Roman occupation and ran into trouble with the Sadducees over this. She was the woman saved by Jesus from being stoned as an adulteress. Jesus also cured her of the seven deadly spirits or vices. She apparently was ‘born again’ and became a devoted follower, never leaving his side. From her appearance she seem to be of Greek and Hebrew ancestry and in all likelihood was originally a follower of the Essenes. As was Jesus and his family also. The Essenes were much more eclectic and very different from the Sadducees and Pharisees. They also had no discrimination against women. So women could rise and be Elders and Teachers in the Church just as much as men. So as it is obvious, from the naming of a Gospel after her, Mary was a leader or ‘Bishop’ in the Early Church. There isn’t much description of Jesus and the Renunciant Essenes but there is a description of his brother James, which is in the introduction. Mary no doubt was of the same group as James and his brother Simon. There is much talk of Jesus and Mary having a sexual relationship, but this is unlikely considering their renunciant state. As far as kissing her on the mouth in front of the disciples, many family members do this and too much shouldn’t be read in to it. More important is the fact she was at the crucifixion and the first to see Jesus on his reappearance, from the tomb.

When Saul of Tarsus took over the guiding of the Gentile Church there were some great changes. The Jerusalem and original Church was still very Essenic but St Paul wasn’t. This was because he wasn’t an Essene but a Pharisee, and this would account for the lack of woman Teachers or Rebbes. The course of the Church continued in this fashion until it was established by Constantine. The original Essenic Christians of Mary, James, Simon and the original apostles split into different groups. Generally becoming known as Nazorites, Gnostics and eventually some became Sufis and Shia  mystics.

Considering this, it is the present Church that could be considered ‘heretical’ or not following the teachings of Jesus and having female Rebbes, Teachers or Priests.

 

 

 

(The text appears in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 (Akhmim Codex). This Coptic codex was acquired in Cairo in 1896 by Dr. Rheinhardt, but due to war and misfortune it was not published until 1955. The codex contains parts of three texts: The Gospel of Mary, the Apocryphon of John and the Sophia of Jesus Christ. By the time of its publication in 1955, the Nag Hammadi texts had also appeared, and it was found that versions of the latter two texts (the Apocryphon of John and the Sophia of Jesus Christ) were also included in the Nag Hammadi collection. These manuscripts were used conjointly to produce the translations of the two texts as they now appear in the Nag Hammadi Library

The Gospel of Mary manuscript, the only know version of which is found in the Akhmim Codex, is missing pages 1 to 6, and pages 11 to 14 -- these included sections of the text up to chapter 4, and portions of chapter 5 to 8.)

The Gospel According to Mary. Purports by Tony O’Clery.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4

...Will matter then be destroyed or not?

22) The Saviour said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots.

PURPORT: This is a reference to the fact that all nature or creation is one, and all returns to its root. It actually goes a step further and alludes to the concept of Pralaya, where the entire universe is resolved into itself, or Creator.

23) For the nature of matter is resolved into the roots of its own nature alone.

PURPORT: Everything springs from a consistent proto creation energy, and all matter and energy are one. They all spring from the ‘Creator’.

24) He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

PURPORT: This is not just listening but inwardly digesting and taking the word of a great teacher or guru.

25) Peter said to him, Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world?

26) The Saviour said There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin.

27) That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order to restore it to its root.

28) Then He continued and said, That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you.

29) He who has a mind to understand, let him understand.

30) Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body.

31) That is why I said to you, Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature.

32) He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

33) When the Blessed One had said this, He greeted them all, saying, Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves.

34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.

35) Follow after Him!

36) Those who seek Him will find Him.

37) Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom.

38) Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.

39) When He said this He departed.

Chapter 5

1) But they were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they spare us?

2) Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you.

3) But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men.

4) When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Saviour.

5) Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Saviour loved you more than the rest of woman.

6) Tell us the words of the Saviour which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them.

7) Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.

8) And she began to speak to them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision. He answered and said to me,

9) Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is the treasure.

10) I said to Him, Lord, how does he who sees the vision see it, through the soul or through the spirit?

11) The Saviour answered and said, He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind that is between the two that is what sees the vision and it is [...]

(pp.11-14 missing)

Chapter 8:

...it.

10) And desire said, I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. Why do you lie since you belong to me?

11) The soul answered and said, I saw you. You did not see me nor recognise me. I served you as a garment and you did not know me.

12) When it said this, it (the soul) went away rejoicing greatly.

13) Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance.

14) The power questioned the soul, saying, Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge!

15) And the soul said, Why do you judge me, although I have not judged?

16) I was bound, though I have not bound.

17) I was not recognised. But I have recognised that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the heavenly.

18) When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms.

19) The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of wrath.

20) They asked the soul, Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?

21) The soul answered and said, What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome,

22) and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died.

23) In a aeon I was released from a world, and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient.

24) From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence.

Chapter 9

1) When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Saviour had spoken with her.

2) But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.

3) Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things.

4) He questioned them about the Saviour: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?

5) Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Saviour?

6) Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have always been hot tempered.

7) Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries.

8) But if the Saviour made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Saviour knows her very well.

9) That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Saviour said.

10) And when they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach. -The Gospel According to Mary.

L       Excerpts from the Nag Hammadi Library. This passage is from the Gospel of Philip:

** And the companion of the [Savior is] Mary Magdalene. [But Christ loved] her more than [all] the disciples [and used to] kiss her [often] on her [mouth]. The rest of [the disciples were offended] by it [and expressed disapproval]. They said to him, "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Savior answered and said to them, "Why do I not love you like her? When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness" (NHC II.3.63.32ff) (Robinson 1977: 138).**

Also this:

**There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary his mother and her sister and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary (NHC II.3.59.6-11) (Robinson 1988: 145).**