The Gospel of Truth: Christology, Deification and the Kingdom of God

Abstract

The 'Gospel of Truth', rediscovered in 1945 as part of the Nag Hammadi Codices after being hidden in the fourth century, has been extensively studied by scholars in order to ascertain its genre, purpose and place in theological literature. It is agreed by most scholars that it is a Valentinian text and thus adheres to the beliefs of this heterodox early Christian sect, either in an early or advanced form. In contradistinction to this view, it is the position of the present dissertation that the 'Gospel of Truth' is best interpreted according to proto-orthodox Christian presuppositions as they relate to the eschatological Kingdom of God and the concomitant deification of Christians. In particular, it is argued that the gnosis of the Father made available through the metaphorical 'Book of the Living' published by Christ on the cross is designed to bring about the transformation of both Christians and the world.