The Sophia of Jesus Christ

The Sophia of Jesus Christ was translated from codices of the Nag Hammadi scrolls, and is dated somewhere between the 1st and 4th century A.D., found in Egypt in 1945. The debate about dating is critical since some argue that they reflect the 'true, recorded, sayings' of Jesus Christ, which is conceivable if in fact they do date back as far as the 1st century, whilst others argue that they are in fact considerably later and an unreliable secondary source, at best post facto hearsay. The manuscript itself has been dated to the 4th century, although it is possible that it is a transcription of an earlier document.

Most scholars argue that the text is of gnostic origin based on the similarities between the mystical teachings found in the text and standard Gnostic themes. However, those commited to the position that this is an authentic document that reflects the actual teachings of Jesus would certianly debate this point as the Gnostic movement postdates Jesus by at least a century. The Sophia purports to be a conversation between Jesus and his disciples after his resurrection from the dead. Highly mystical, this content of this text concerns creation of gods, angels and the universe with an emphasis on infinite and mystical truth.

Until copyright rules can be ascertained, the translation can be seen at [Sophia].

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