Papyrus Berolinensis 22220

Introduction

Somewhere in the dry heat of Egypt, in a year we cannot precisely name, a scribe bent over a sheet of papyrus and copied words that he believed were sacred. He wrote carefully, with the deliberate hand of someone who understood that the text before him was not merely literature but revelation — a living record of teachings that had been passed down through communities of believers who existed at the very edge of what would eventually become orthodox Christianity. When he finished, the document passed into hands we cannot trace, through communities we can only partially reconstruct, until finally it was buried, lost, and eventually forgotten beneath the shifting sands of one of history's most fertile archaeological landscapes. Centuries later, that papyrus would resurface in a Berlin collection, carrying with it questions that have never been fully answered and secrets that have never been fully told.

The manuscript known to scholars as Papyrus Berolinensis 22220 is not a household name. It does not enjoy the celebrity of the Gospel of Thomas, discovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945 alongside a cache of texts that permanently reshaped our understanding of early Christian diversity. It has not generated the popular controversy of the Gospel of Judas, which exploded into public consciousness in 2006 when the National Geographic Society announced its authentication and translation. And yet, among the specialists who have spent their careers piecing together the fragmented textual world of early Christianity, this papyrus occupies a position of quiet but profound importance. It is, in many respects, exactly the kind of document that changes everything — not with a single dramatic revelation, but with the slow, accumulating weight of evidence that refuses to be dismissed.

What we are dealing with here is a text that scholars have cautiously, sometimes reluctantly, associated with a broader family of early Christian writings sometimes grouped under the designation of 'gospel literature' — though that term itself is contested and requires careful unpacking. The fragments preserved in this papyrus contain dialogue, instruction, and what appear to be sayings attributed to a figure identified as the Savior, a designation that appears frequently in Gnostic and proto-Gnostic Christian literature of the second and third centuries. The language is Coptic, the script is careful and practiced, and the content is — there is no other word for it — extraordinary. These are not the familiar words of the canonical gospels. They are something older, stranger, and in their own way, more intimate. They read like a conversation overheard through a very thin wall.

To understand why this matters, you need to appreciate something about the world in which early Christianity developed. The faith that would eventually become the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, and later of the Western world, did not emerge as a single, unified movement with a clear creed and a settled canon of scripture. It emerged as a riot of competing voices, overlapping communities, and divergent interpretations of a shared foundational experience. In the first three centuries of the Common Era, there were Christians in Alexandria who believed that salvation came through hidden knowledge rather than faith alone. There were communities in Syria who preserved sayings of Jesus that never made it into Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. There were teachers in Rome, Antioch, and Carthage who wrote gospels, epistles, and apocalypses that circulated widely, were read in worship, and were treated as authoritative scripture — until, gradually, they were not.

The process by which certain texts were included in the New Testament canon and others were excluded was not a clean, rational, or even fully transparent process. It was the result of theological disputes, political pressures, episcopal authority, and the slow consolidation of what historians call 'proto-orthodox' Christianity — the strand of the faith that would eventually triumph and define itself, retroactively, as the only true version of what Christians had always believed. The texts that were excluded — the ones we now call apocryphal, deuterocanonical, or simply 'lost' — did not disappear because they were obviously fraudulent or universally rejected. Many of them disappeared because they were inconvenient. They preserved memories, teachings, and theological perspectives that the emerging orthodox consensus could not accommodate.

This book is about one of those texts. It is about what the fragments of this ancient papyrus contain, what they suggest about the communities that produced and preserved them, and what they reveal about a version of early Christian spirituality that has been largely invisible to mainstream readers for nearly two millennia. But it is also about something larger: the ongoing, never-finished project of recovering the full complexity of early Christianity, and the ways in which that recovery continues to challenge, unsettle, and ultimately enrich our understanding of one of the most influential religious traditions in human history.

The Savior's Opening Call to Rest

The Savior said to his disciples, "Already the time has come, brothers, for us to abandon our labor and stand at rest. For whoever stands at rest will rest forever. And I say to you, be always above time. Do not be afraid, for anger arouses anger; but since you have accepted these words concerning it with fear and trembling, it set them up with governors, for from it nothing was forthcoming. But when I came, I opened the path, and I taught them about the passage which they will traverse — the elect and the solitary, who have known the Father, having believed the truth and all the praises while you offered praise.

The Prayer, Teaching, and Dialogue with Disciples

"So when you offer praise, do so like this: Hear us, Father, just as you heard your only-begotten Son, and received him, and gave him rest from all toil. You are the one whose power and armor is light, the living word of repentance and life. You are the thinking and the entire serenity of the solitary. Again: Hear us just as you heard your elect. Through your sacrifice, these will enter; through their good works, these have saved their souls from these blind limbs, so that they might exist eternally. Amen.

"I will teach you. When the time of dissolution arrives, the first power of darkness will come upon you. Do not be afraid and say, 'Behold, the time has come!' But when you see a single staff, understand the work, and the governors come upon you. Truly, fear is the power. So if you are going to be afraid of what is about to come upon you, it will engulf you. For there is not one among them who will spare you or show you mercy. But look at what is within you, since you have mastered every word on earth. It will take you up to the place where there is no ruling tyrant. When you see those who will tell you the reasoning of the place of truth, hold fast to that truth, to this living word and your joy. Raise your souls by means of the word, so that they do not perish. For the crossing place is fearful before you. But you, with a single mind, pass it by! For its depth is great and its height is enormous. With a single mind, and with the fire of all the powers within you, pass through, and do not forget the Son."

Matthew said, "How shall we do so?"

The Savior said, "The things inside you will sustain you and remain with you."

Judas said, "Lord, what will become of these souls — these little ones — when they depart? Where will they go? Will they receive the spirit?"

The Lord said, "Receive them. These do not die; they are not destroyed, for they have known their consorts and him who would receive them. For the truth seeks out the wise and the righteous."

The Savior said, "The lamp of the body is the mind. As long as the things inside you are set in order, your bodies are luminous. But as long as your hearts are dark, the luminosity you anticipate will not come. I will go and send my word to you."

His disciples said, "Lord, who is it who seeks, and who reveals?"

The Lord said to them, "He who seeks reveals."

Matthew said, "Lord, when I speak, who is it who listens?"

The Lord said, "It is the one who speaks who also listens, and it is the one who can see who also reveals."

Mary said, "Lord, behold — where do I bear the body while I weep, and where shall I go while I laugh?"

The Lord said, "The body weeps on account of its works, but the mind laughs in the spirit. If one does not stand in darkness, he will be able to see. So I tell you: the light stands in the darkness, and those who cannot see the light are those who were brought from the lie. You will give of yourself and exist forever. Then all the powers which are above, as well as those below, will be with you. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth over the end of all these things."

Judas said, "Tell us, Lord, what existed before heaven and earth came to be."

The Lord said, "There was darkness and water, and spirit upon the water. And I say to you: what you seek and inquire after is within you — the power and the mystery of the spirit, for from wickedness the mind comes to behold the light."

Someone said, "Lord, tell us where the soul is established, and where the true mind exists."

The Lord said, "The fire of the spirit came into existence in both. On this account the soul came into existence, and the true mind came into existence within them. If someone sets his soul up high, then he will be exalted."

And Matthew asked him, "It is he who takes it up who is the stronger."

The Lord said, "He is stronger than you, to follow you and all the works of your hearts. For just as your hearts are, so is the means to overcome the powers above as well as those below. I say to you, let him who possesses power renounce it and repent. And let him who seeks, find, and rejoice."

Judas said, "Behold, I see that all things exist like signs upon the earth. On this account did they happen thus."

The Lord said, "When the Father established the cosmos, he drew water from it, and his Word came forth from it, and it inhabited many places. It was higher than the path that surrounds the entire earth, and the collected waters existed outside them. Around the water, a great fire encircled them like a wall. When many things had become separated from what was inside, the earth was established. He looked at it and said to it, 'Go, and bring forth from yourself, so that you will not be in want from generation to generation, and from age to age.' Then it cast forth from itself fountains of milk and fountains of honey, and oil and wine and good fruits, and sweet flavor and good roots, so that it might not be deficient from generation to generation, and from age to age. And above it, standing in its beauty, there was a great light, powerful, resembling nothing else, for it rules over all the aeons above and below. Light was taken from the fire and scattered in the regions above and below. All the works which depend on them govern the heaven above and the earth below. On them depend all the works."

And when Judas heard these things, he bowed down and offered praise to the Lord.

Mary hailed her brethren, saying, "Where are you going to put these things about which you ask the Son of God?"

The Lord said to her, "Sister, who will be able to inquire about these things except someone who has somewhere to put them in his heart? They must come forth and enter, so that they might not hold back this impoverished cosmos."

Matthew said, "Lord, I want to see that place of life, where there is no wickedness, but only pure light!"

The Lord said, "Brother Matthew, you will not be able to see it as long as you are carrying flesh around."

Matthew said, "Lord, even if I will not be able to see it, let me at least know it!"

The Lord said, "Everyone who has known himself has seen it in everything given to him to do, and has come to it through his goodness."

Judas responded, saying, "Tell me, Lord, how it is that what shakes the earth moves."

The Lord picked up a stone and held it in his hand, saying, "What am I holding in my hand?"

He said, "It is a stone."

He said to them, "That which supports the earth is that which supports the heaven. When a Word comes forth from the Greatness, it will come upon what supports the heaven and the earth. For the earth does not move. Were it to move, it would fall. But it neither moves nor falls, so that the First Word might not fail. For it was that which established the cosmos and inhabited it, and inhaled fragrance from it. I tell you, all the sons of men, you are from that place. In the hearts of those who speak out of joy and truth, you exist. Even if it comes forth in the body of the Father among men and is not received, still it returns to its place. Whoever does not know the work of perfection knows nothing. If one does not stand in the darkness, he will not be able to see the light. If one does not understand how fire came into existence, he will burn in it, because he does not know the root of it. If one does not first understand water, he knows nothing. For what use is there for him to be baptized in it? If one does not understand how the blowing wind came into existence, he will blow away with it. If one does not understand how the body he bears came into existence, he will perish with it. And how will someone who does not know the Son know the Father? To someone who does not know the root of all things, they remain hidden. Someone who does not know the root of wickedness is no stranger to it. Whoever does not understand how he came will not understand how he will go, and he is no stranger to this cosmos, which will be humiliated."

Then he led Judas and Matthew and Mary to the edge of heaven and earth. And when he placed his hand upon them, they hoped that they might pass over into it. Judas raised his eyes and saw an exceedingly high place, and he saw the place of the abyss below. Judas said to Matthew, "Brother, who will be able to climb up to such a height or down to the bottom of the abyss? For there is a tremendous fire there, and something very fearful!" At that moment, a Word came forth from it. As it stood there, he saw how it had come down. Then he said to it, "Why have you come down?"

And the Son of Man greeted them and said to them, "A seed from a power was deficient, and it went down to the abyss of the earth. And the Greatness remembered it, and sent the Word to it. It brought it up into his presence, so that the First Word might not fail."

Then his disciples were amazed at all the things he had said to them, and they accepted them on faith. And they concluded that it is useless to regard wickedness.

Then he said to his disciples, "Have I not told you that like a visible voice and flash of lightning, the good will be taken up to the light?"

Then all his disciples offered him praise and said, "Lord, before you appeared here, who was it who offered you praise? For all praises exist on your account. Or who is it who will bless you? For all blessing derives from you."

As they stood there, he saw two spirits bringing a single soul with them in a great flash of lightning. And a Word came forth from the Son of Man, saying, "Give them their garment!" And the small one became like the big one. They were those who had received one another. Then the disciples whom he had chosen stood before him.

Mary said, "See how these things work against one another from the very beginning."

The Lord said, "When you see them become huge, they will prevail. But when you see the Eternal Existent, that is the great vision."

They all said to him, "Tell us about it!"

He said to them, "How do you wish to see it? By means of a transient vision or an eternal vision?" He went on and said, "Strive to save that which can follow you, and to seek it out, and to speak from within it, so that, as you seek it out, everything might be in harmony with you. For I say to you, truly, the living God dwells in you, and you in him."

Judas said, "Truly, I want to understand."

The Lord said to him, "The living one dwells entire, and nothing is lacking."

Judas said, "Who then is it?"

The Lord said to him, "Among all the works which remain, it is they which you must seek."

Judas said, "Behold! The governors dwell above us, so it is they who will rule over us!"

The Lord said, "It is you who will rule over them! But when you rid yourselves of jealousy, then you will clothe yourselves in light and enter the bridal chamber."

Judas said, "How will our garments be brought to us?"

The Lord said, "There are some who will provide for you, and there are others who will receive. For it is they who will give you your garments. For who will be able to reach that place which is the reward? But the garments of life were given to man because he knows the path by which he will leave. And it is difficult even for me to reach it!"

Mary said, "Thus it is with respect to 'the wickedness of each day,' and 'the laborer is worthy of his food,' and 'the disciple resembles his teacher.'" She uttered this as a woman who had understood completely.

The disciples said to him, "What is the fullness, and what is the deficiency?"

He said to them, "You are from the fullness, and you dwell in the place where the deficiency is. And look — his light has poured down upon me!"

Matthew said, "Tell me, Lord, how the dead die, and how the living live."

The Lord said, "You have asked me about a saying which eye has not seen, nor have I heard it, except from you. But I say to you that when what invigorates a man is removed, he will be called 'dead.' And when what is alive leaves what is dead, what is alive will be called upon."

Judas said, "Why else, for the sake of truth, do they die and live?"

The Lord said, "Whatever is born of truth does not die. Whatever is born of woman dies."

Mary said, "Tell me, Lord, why I have come to this place — to profit or to forfeit."

The Lord said, "You make clear the abundance of the revealer!"

Mary said to him, "Lord, is there then a place which is without truth?"

The Lord said, "The place where I am not!"

Mary said, "Lord, you are fearful and wonderful, and so are those who do not know you."

Matthew said, "Why do we not rest at once?"

The Lord said, "When you lay down these burdens!"

Matthew said, "How does the small join itself to the big?"

The Lord said, "When you abandon the works which will not be able to follow you, then you will rest."

Mary said, "I want to understand all things, just as they are!"

The Lord said, "He who will seek out life — for this is their wealth. For the wealth of this cosmos is deceptive, and its gold and its silver are misleading."

His disciples said to him, "What should we do to ensure that our work will be perfect?"

The Lord said to them, "Be prepared in the face of everything. Blessed is the man who has found the contest before his eyes. He neither killed nor was killed, but he came forth victorious."

Judas said, "Tell me, Lord, what the beginning of the path is."

He said, "Love and goodness. For if one of these had existed among the governors, wickedness would never have come into existence."

Matthew said, "Lord, you have spoken about the end of everything without concern."

The Lord said, "You have understood all the things I have said to you, and you have accepted them on faith. If you have known them, then they are yours. If not, then they are not yours."

They said to him, "What is the place to which we are going?"

The Lord said, "Stand in the place you can reach!"

Mary said, "Everything established thus is seen."

The Lord said, "I have told you that it is the one who can see who reveals."

His disciples, numbering twelve, asked him, "Teacher, teach us about serenity."

The Lord said, "Everything which I have told you, hold fast to, and you will understand everything."

Mary said, "There is but one saying I will speak to the Lord concerning the mystery of truth: in this we have taken our stand, and to the cosmic powers we are transparent."

Judas said to Matthew, "We want to understand what sort of garments we are to be clothed with when we depart the decay of the flesh."

The Lord said, "The governors and the administrators possess garments granted only for a time, which do not last. But you, as children of truth, are not to clothe yourselves with these transitory garments. Rather, I say to you that you will become blessed when you strip yourselves of them! For what is outside is no great thing."

Mary said, "Speak, Lord — I will listen."

The Lord said, "Speak to your Father."

Mary said, "Of what sort is that mustard seed? Is it something from heaven or is it something from earth?"

The Lord said, "When the Father established the cosmos for himself, he left much over from the Mother of the All. Therefore he speaks and he acts."

Judas said, "You have told us this out of the mind of truth. When we pray, how should we pray?"

The Lord said, "Pray in the place where there is no woman."

Matthew said, "'Pray in the place where there is no woman,' he tells us, meaning 'Destroy the works of womanhood' — not because there is any other manner of birth, but because they will cease giving birth."

Mary said, "They will never be obliterated."

The Lord said, "Who knows that they will not dissolve and pass away?"

Judas said to Matthew, "The works of womanhood will dissolve, and the governors will dissolve with them. Thus will we become prepared for them."

The Lord said, "Right. For do they see you? Do they see those who receive you? Now behold — a true Word is coming forth from the Father to the abyss, in silence, with a flash of lightning, giving birth. Do they see it or overpower it? But you are even more aware of the path, this one, before either angel or authority has known it. It belongs to the Father and the Son, because they are both a single whole. And you will go by the path which you have known. Even if the governors become great, they will not be able to reach it. But listen — I tell you that it is difficult even for me to reach it!"

Mary said to the Lord, "When the works which sustain a thing dissolve, what happens to that work?"

The Lord said, "Rightly asked. For you know that if I dissolve, each thing will go to its own place."

Judas said, "How is the spirit apparent?"

The Lord said, "How is the sword apparent?"

Judas said, "How is the light apparent?"

The Lord said, "It shines in it forever."

Judas said, "Who forgives the works of the world? The cosmos produces works — who forgives those works?"

The Lord said, "It is fitting for whoever has understood the works to do the will of the Father. As for you, strive to rid yourselves of anger and jealousy, and to strip yourselves of your earthly attachments, so that you will live forever. I say this to you so that you will not lead your spirits and your souls into error."