This is a collection of Stromateis upon certain extracts from the Valentinian library, with a view to how they relate among one another.
As of 1987, several excerpts from the works of Christian gnostic founder Valentinus have been extracted and published. In addition, Coptic translations of a "Gospel of Truth (GTr)" and "A prayer of Paul (PPl)" have been found, published and translated, once more, into English. Valentinus's terminology and beliefs as the excerpts define them are consistent with the verbiage and beliefs of the two Coptic texts.
Bentley Layton in 1987 published the excerpts as Fragments A-H, and then dealt with GrT and PPl separately. He also delivered commentary upon them. He did not give quite enough commentary, in my opinion, so I intend to provide some of that here.
I do not read Coptic and do not have immediate access to the Greek text. Therefore my observations will be based on his translation. Also I have not grappled with Fragments A, B, E, or H.
Fragment C describes a scene in a heaven of angels, prior to Adam's arrival to Earth. Adam has already been designed by the supreme creator and his physical model is, in this scene, on display before the angels. Adam does exist, in a sense, but is not himself the "preexistent human being"; he has only been "modeled" on this ideal. Enough of Adam's "seed of higher essence" shines through that it incites awe, terror, and perhaps jealousy among the angels.
Fragment D is an argument on the same theme; that "a portrait is inferior to an actual face", yet the portrait still might bear some of its subject's majesty. Fragment D explains that "the portrait might be honoured by the painter's name". God's holy Name, therefore, is the means by which humankind differs from a mindless statue and "completes the lack".
Fragment F is an excerpt from a sermon delivered to the gnostic congregation. It calls its listeners "children of eternal life". It also claims, "when you nullify the world and are not yourselves annihilated, you are lord over creation".
These phrases are riddles if read within the context of the fragment alone. The congregation which heard them must have had access to a lexicon which explains these terms. Possible definitions exist in the Gospel of Truth.
In the conclusion of the Gospel of Truth, the gnostics dwell with the Father eternally and receive His love. The end of the conclusion describes the gnostics as the Father's "children". A term such as "children of eternal life" would refer to such a cosmology.
Earlier in the Gospel of Truth, it asserts that God has "nullified the realm of appearance" and explains, "the realm of appearance... is the world" at GTr 24.20. The Gospel of Truth relies on a Platonist / Pythagorean understanding of the world as a shadow of their true selves. Its addition to this understanding is that it proposes to "nullify" the shadow realm.
Fragment F most likely depends on the Gospel of Truth.
Clement of Alexandria creditted Fragment G to the essay, "On Friends". Fragment G incorporates two assertions: first, "Many of the things written in publicly available books are found in the writings of God's church. For this shared matter is the utterances that come from the heart, the law that is written in the heart." and then "This is the people of the beloved, which is beloved and which loves him." Fragment G, as part of an epistle about friendship, is citing a doctrine defined elsewhere.
The Gospel of Truth for its part does not assert doctrine on this point, but does incorporate a similar doctrine in its salvation-history. After Jesus has delivered his teachings (19.17-33), "in their hearts appeared the living book of the living, which is written in the father's thought and intellect. And since the foundation of the entirety it had been among his incomprehensibles."
In both, the "book in the heart" exists outside the Biblical and even gnostic canon, and reveals itself in agreement with this canon. Fragment G asserts the "law that is written in the heart" had revealed itself in "publicly available books", and in the Gospel of Truth the "living book" was preexistent but only appeared during Jesus's ministry.
Fragment G and the Gospel of Truth both derive from a common doctrine. More literature, and more of "On Friends", will have to be uncovered before the direction of dependence may be ascertained.
The Prayer of Paul is given the title "A prayer of Paul the Apostle" in Coptic, but its text does not claim to be by Paul. Quite the opposite: by "give me healing for my body as I request of you through the Evangelist", the prayer is citing an "evangelist"'s authority who is not the author.
The prayer is close to both Johannine and Pauline theology, also like the Gospel of Truth. It does not cite any other Gospel, unless one counts the ending "for thine is the kingdom and the glory and the praise and the [?] for ever and ever" - which might be Matthean, but is not found in all texts of Matthew, and could equally be from the Didache or just be a common early Christian coda.
The text does not state outright which "evangelist" is meant, whether John or Paul. At this point, the text first requests "authority", and then requests some form of bodily aid through this evangelist. In Luke's work, Paul performs healing; but there is no hint of Luke's work in this poem. This "evangelist" might be John's Gospel, which does contain healing miracles. The book would then contain magical properties. Any of these might agree with the Gospel of Truth.
The author has "emanated" from the god, is the author's "intellect", "fullness", and "repose" - all of which concepts may be found together in the Gospel of Truth.
The prayer is not a pseudepigraph, at least not as written. It was probably written by Valentinus or a close follower.
I conclude that the Gospel of Truth was the basis for at least one Valentinian sermon (Fragment F) and that Irenaeus accurately identified it as Valentinus's most important work. With the Gospel of Truth firmly in the Valentinian library, the Prayer "of Paul" can also be identified as a prayer written (in good faith!) for the Valentinian liturgy, although (given its nature as inexpert pastiche) probably not by Valentinus himself.
The Gospel of Truth had its own canon. Layton noted Galatians, John 1-20, 1 John, Revelation of John, Matthew, Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Hebrews. I would add that the Gospel of Thomas was cited alongside that of John (32.13-19). Luke-Acts went unmentioned, but if it was known to Valentinus he deliberately ignored it. Mark must have been known, but had also been sidelined in favour of John. While the crucifixion was important to Valentinus, the passion was not, so 1 Peter and then 1 Clement and Barnabas also did not appear although they probably did exist at this time. Likewise Valentinus found no use for apocalyptic, apocrypha-citing Jude. 2 Peter, 2-3 John, and the pseudo-Pauline Pastorals very possibly did not exist.
Any thoughts? e-mail me :^) zimriel@sbcglobal.net
The first version of this project was written 30-1 March 2008.