The Gnostic Gospels (Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books)

CHAPTER FOUR

For a more technical discussion of this topic, see E. Pagels, “Gnostic and Orthodox Views of Christ’s Passion: Paradigms for the Christian’s Response to Persecution?” in The Rediscovery of Gnosticism, ed. B. Layton (Leiden, 1979), I.

1. Tacitus, Annals 15.44.2–8. Emphasis added.

2. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 18.63.

3. Mark 14:43–50.

4. Ibid., 15:1–15.

5. Ibid., 15:37.

6. Luke 23:34–46; John 19:17–30.

7. Mark 15:10.

8. John 11:45–53.

9. Josephus, The Jewish War 2.223–233.

10. John 11:47–48.

11.Ibid., 11:49–50.

12. Apocalypse of Peter 81.4–24, in NHL 344. Note, again, use of translation by J. Brashler, The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter.

13. Second Treatise of the Great Seth 56.6–19 in NHL 332.

14. Acts of John 88, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 225.

15.Ibid., 89, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 225.

16. Ibid., 93, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 227.

17. Ibid., 94, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 227.

18. Ibid., 95.16–96.42, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 220–231. For discussion, see E. Pagels, “To the Universe Belongs the Dancer,” in Parabola IV.2 (1979), 7–9.

19. Ibid., 97, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 232.

20. Ibid., 97, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 232.

21. Ibid., 101, in NT APOCRYPHA II, 234.

22. Treatise on Resurrection 44.13–45.29, in NHL 51; for discussion, see Pagels, “Gnostic and Orthodox Views of Christ’s Passion,” also K. F. Tröger, Die Passion Jesu Christi in der Gnosis nach den Schriften von Nag Hammadi (Berlin, 1978).

23. Suetonius, Life of Nero 6.16.

24. Tacitus, Annals 15.44–2–8.

25. See the discussion by R. MacMullen, Enemies of the Roman Order: Treason, Unrest, and Alienation in the Empire (Cambridge, 1966).

26. M. Smith, Jesus the Magician (San Francisco, 1978).

27. Ibid.; especially 81–139.

28. For a fuller discussion, see W. H. C. Frend, Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church (Oxford, 1965; New York, 1967); Frend, “The Gnostic Sects and the Roman Empire,” in Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Vol. V (1954), 25–37.

29. Pliny, Epistles 10.96. Emphasis added.

30. Ibid., 10.97. Emphasis added.

31. Justin Martyr, I Apology 1.

32. Justin, II Apology 2.

33. Ibid., Apology 3.

34. “The Martyrdom of Saints Justin, Chariton, Charito, Euelpistis, Hierax, Paeon, Liberian, and Their Community,” Recension A, 3, in The Acts of the Christian Martyrs, ed. H. Mursurillo (Oxford, 1972), 47–53. Hereafter cited as CHRISTIAN MARTYRS.

35. Ibid., Recension B, 5, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 53.

36. Loc. cit.

37. “Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp” 9–10, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 9–11. Emphasis added.

38. “Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs” 1–3, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 86–87.

39. Ibid., 14, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 88–89.

40. Tertullian contemptuously cites their arguments in Scorpiace 1.

41. Ignatius, Romans 6.3.

42. Ibid., 4.1–5.3.

43. Ignatius, Trallions 9.1.

44. Ibid., 10.1. Emphasis added.

45. Ignatius, Smyrneans 5.1–2.

46. Justin, II Apology 12.

47. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 110.4.

48. Justin, I Apology 13.

49. Justin, II Apology 15.

50. Frend, Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church, 5–6.

51. “Martyrs of Lyons” 9, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 64–65.

52. Ibid., 15, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 66–67.

53. Ibid., 18–56, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 67–81.

54. Irenaeus, AH 3.18.5.

55. Ibid., 3.16.9–3.18.4. Emphasis added.

56. Ibid., 3.18.5. Emphasis added.

57. Tertullian, Apology 15.

58. Tertullian, De Anima 55.

59. Tertullian, Scorpiace 1. Emphasis added.

60. Ibid., 1, 5, 7. Emphasis added.

61. Hippolytus, REF 10.33. Emphasis added.

62. Irenaeus, AH 4.33.9. Emphasis added.

63. Apocryphon of James 4.37–6.18, in NHL 31–32. Emphasis added. On the figure of James, see S. K. Brown, James: A Religio-Historical Study of the Relations between Jewish, Gnostic, and Catholic Christianity in the Early Period through an Investigation of the Traditions about James the Lord’s Brother (Providence, 1972).

64. Apocryphon of James, 6.19–20, in NHL 32.

65. 2 Apocalypse of James 47.24–25, in NHL 250.

66. Ibid., 48.8–9, in NHL 250.

67. Ibid., 61.9–62.12, in NHL 254–255.

68. Testimony of Truth 31.22–32.8, in NHL 407.

69. Ibid., 33.25–34.26, in NHL 408.

70. “Martyrdom of Polycarp” 2, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 4–5.

71. Tertullian, Apology 50.

72. “Martyrdom of Saint Justin” (Recension C) 4, in CHRISTUN MARTYRS, 58–59.

73. Testimony of Truth 30.18–20; 32.22–33.11, in NHL 408.

74. Apocalypse of Peter 72.5–9, in NHL 340.

75. Ibid., 73.23–24, in NHL 341.

76. Ibid., 74.1–3, in NHL 341.

77. Ibid., 74.5–15, in NHL 341.

78. Ibid., 79.11–21, in NHL 343.

79. Ibid., 78.1–2, in NHL 342.

80. Ibid., 80.5–6, in NHL 343.

81. Ibid., 78.31–79.2, in NHL 343.

82. Ibid., 81.15–24, in NHL 344.

83. Ibid., 83.12–15, in NHL 344.

84. Gospel of Truth 18.24–20.6, in NHL 38–39.

85. Ibid., 18.24–31, in NHL 38.

86. Ibid., 20.10–32, in NHL 39.

87.Tripartite Tractate 113.32–34, in NHL 86–87.

88. Ibid., 114.33–115.11, in NHL 87.

89. Ibid., 113.35–38, in NHL 87.

90. Gospel of Truth 23.33–24.9, in NHL 41.

91. Interpretation of the Knowledge 10.27–30, in NHL 430.

92. Irenaeus, AH 3.18.5.

93. Luke 12:8–12.

94. Clemens Alexandrinus, Strornata 4.71 ff.

95. Ibid., 4.33.7.

96. Loc. cit.

97. Tacitus, Annals 15.44.2–8.

98. “Martyrs of Lyons” 57–60, in CHRISTIAN MARTYRS, 80–81.

99. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 110.

100. Tertullian, Ad Scapulam 5.

101. Tertullian, Apology 50.