The Apocryphon of John is an early Christian text that likely originated in the 2nd century AD. It is part of the collection of texts known as the Nag Hammadi library, discovered in Egypt in 1945. The Apocryphon of John is a Gnostic text – meaning it reflects a Gnostic worldview. Gnosticism was an early Christian movement which held that salvation came through secret knowledge (gnosis in Greek). As such, Gnostic texts like the Apocryphon of John claim to disclose secret teachings about God, creation, and salvation.
The Apocryphon of John purports to contain secret revelations given by Jesus to the apostle John. It describes how the supreme God originally created a series of divine beings called Aeons. One of these Aeons, Sophia, desired to create without her male counterpart. The result was the flawed, ignorant Creator-God of Genesis, whom the Gnostics called the Demiurge. The Demiurge in turn created the material world.
The Apocryphon goes on to explain that within humans is the divine spark of Sophia. Through gnosis or secret knowledge, the divine spark can be awakened and freed from the material world. The text explains this salvation process in detail, describing how the soul ascends through various powers and realms. The end goal is for the soul to reunite with the true, supreme God beyond the Demiurge and all material creation.
The Apocryphon of John gives insight into Gnostic beliefs about God, creation, salvation, and the spiritual nature of humanity. As an alleged secret teaching of Jesus, it also sheds light on early Christian diversity and gnostic claims to possess hidden knowledge. While not recognized as Scripture by mainstream Christianity, the Apocryphon is valued by scholars as an important source on Gnosticism and early Christianity.
Key ideas in the Apocryphon of John:
– The true, supreme God originally generated a series of divine beings called Aeons.
– One Aeon named Sophia desired to create without her male counterpart. Her flawed creation was the ignorant Demiurge.
– The Demiurge in turn created the material world. He is the inferior, jealous Creator-God of Genesis.
– Within humans is a divine spark of Sophia’s essence. Through gnosis this can be awakened.
– The goal is for the soul to ascend through realms and powers, escaping the Demiurge and material world.
– Ultimate salvation comes from reuniting with the true God beyond all creation.
– Secret knowledge (gnosis) about the true nature of God, humanity, and the world leads to salvation.
The Apocryphon of John was highly influential in Gnostic circles. As a secret teaching purportedly from Jesus himself, it helped shape Gnostic beliefs about the nature of salvation and the spiritual journey. While differing from and conflicting with emerging orthodox Christianity, the Apocryphon of John preserves an important early Christian perspective.
While the Apocryphon of John was composed in Greek, the surviving version is a Coptic translation discovered at Nag Hammadi. The text is not divided into chapters or verses. It is believed to date to around 150-180 AD, making it one of the earliest Gnostic writings available. The Apocryphon of John emphasizes the importance of secret knowledge given only to a select few – an approach at odds with emerging orthodoxy’s emphasis on the public gospel and creeds.
The contents are framed as a discourse between Jesus and John son of Zebedee. After his resurrection, Jesus shares revelations about the true nature of the spiritual universe and the path to salvation. The Apocryphon includes cosmological speculation, theology, anthropology, and soteriology – subjects which would continue to preoccupy Gnostic writers for centuries.
The Apocryphon of John shares ideas and motifs with other Gnostic texts of the period, but is distinctive in purporting to directly share Jesus’ secret teachings. Early church fathers such as Irenaeus mentioned the Apocryphon specifically as emblematic of Gnostic error. While the Nag Hammadi library preserved the Apocryphon of John for modern study, it is unknown how extensively the text circulated in ancient times. Still, as an alleged first-hand teaching of Jesus Himself, the Apocryphon carried authority and influenced Gnostic spirituality.
Major sections and themes of the Apocryphon of John include:
The Monad – The supreme, undivided source of all being. Beyond comprehension or duality.
The Aeons – A series of divine beings generated by the Monad. They exist in male/female pairs.
Wisdom/Sophia – The final female Aeon, who desires to create without her male counterpart.
The Creation of the Demiurge – Sophia’s creation (without her male counterpart) is the Demiurge, an inferior ignorant deity.
The Creation of the Material Universe – The Demiurge fashions the material world in imitation of the true spiritual world.
Adam and Eve – The Demiurge creates Adam and Eve but cannot give them true spiritual life.
The Divine Spark in Humanity – Within humans is a divine essence or spark of Sophia’s power. The promise of gnosis.
The Path of Ascent – How the soul travels through the realms and powers, guided by secret knowledge.
The Goal of Salvations – Escape from the Demiurge and materiality to reunite with the spiritual God beyond all creation.
Secrets Hidden in the World – By discerning the sparks of light in the material world we can begin to know the unknown true God.
There are several complete translations available of the Apocryphon of John, along with extensive scholarly commentary. The text continues to be studied by scholars seeking to reconstruct early Christian history and understand Gnostic sects. For modern seekers, the Apocryphon and Gnostic ideas remain fascinating windows into forgotten spirituality from early Christianity’s beginnings. While condemned as heretical by the mainstream church, broad scholarly consensus today acknowledges early Christian diversity, with manifold groups transmitting Jesus’ teachings in their own distinctive voices.