Jesus’ Body

Despite its heterogeneous contents, the Gospel of Philip expresses themes that bring it into contact with the canonical gospels. It refers to Jesus’ virginal conception through the Holy Spirit, as attested in Matthew and Luke, only to reject it—together with the emphasis on the fulfilment of prophecy and continuity with the history of Israel. Jesus had an earthly as well as a heavenly father, and Mary was defiled by no supernatural power. The author juxtaposes two views of the (fleshly) resurrection: that of the canonical gospels, where appearances of the risen Jesus occur after his death, and his own distinctive view of resurrection as a present reality, prior to death, both for the Lord himself through his baptism and for believers in union with him. The author of this gospel draws from both Jesus traditions and the Pauline corpus, even as he criticizes concepts integral to the canonical gospels.