Sophia of Jesus Christ
Home > Gnostics > Sophia of Jesus Christ Sophia of Jesus Christ At a Glance Gospel Genre: (2/5) ** Reliability of Dating: (3/5) *** Length of Text: Greek Original Language: Ancient Translations: Modern Translations: English Estimated Range of Dating: 50-200 A.D. Chronological List of Early Christian Writings Discuss this text on the Early Writings forum. Text Sophia of Jesus Christ translated by Douglas M. Parrott Eugnostos the Blessed translated by Douglas M. Parrott Resources Sophia of Jesus Christ Books James M. Robinson, ed., The Nag Hammadi Library in English (San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins 1990), pp. 220-243. Recommended Books for the Study of Early Christian Writings Information on Sophia of Jesus Christ The Sophia of Jesus Christ is clearly dependent on Eugnostos the Blessed, both of which were unearthed at Nag Hammadi (in two differing copies for each).
The Sophia of Jesus Christ transforms Eugnostos into a dialogue with Jesus. Douglas M. Parrott places the two side by side in his translation for the book The Nag Hammadi Library in English edited by Robinson. Parrott writes: "The notion of three divine men in the heavenly hierarchy appears to be based on Genesis 1-3 (Immortal Man = God; Son of Man = Adam [81,12]; Son of Son of Man, Savior = Seth). Because of the presence of Seth (although unnamed in the tractate), Eugnostos must be thought of as Sethian, in some sense. However, since it is not classically gnostic and lacks other elements of developed Sethian thought, it can only be characterized as proto-Sethian. Egyptian religious thought also appears to have influenced its picture of the supercelestial realm.
The probable place of origin for Eugnostos, then, is Egypt. A very early date is suggested by the fact that Stoics, Epicureans and astrologers are called "all the philosophers." That characterization would have been appropriate in the first century B.C.E., but not later. Eugnostos and Soph. Jes. Chr. may have influenced the Sethian-Ophites, as described by Irenaeus. Some have proposed an influence by Eugnostos on Valentinianism. Because of the dating of Eugnostos, it would not be surprising if Soph. Jes. Chr. had been composed soon after the advent of Christianity in Egypt - the latter half of the first century C.E. That possibility is supported by the tractate's relatively nonpolemical tone." Some Contemporary Texts Gospel of Thomas (50-140 A.D.) Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel (50-140 A.D.) Apocalypse of Adam (50-150 A.D.) Eugnostos the Blessed (50-150 A.D.) Sophia of Jesus Christ (50-200 A.D.) Gospel of Mark (65-80 A.D.) Epistle of James (70-100 A.D.) Egerton Gospel (70-120 A.D.) Gospel of Peter (70-160 A.D.) Go to the Chronological List of all Early Christian Writings Please buy the CD to support the site, view it without ads, and get bonus stuff!
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