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Gospel of Mary

Mary comforts frightened disciples, shares a vision and faces Peter's challenge in a fragmentary gospel about revelation and authority.5 sources5 sources1. Hartenstein2. Mattison)3. Mattison)4. Mattison)5. Mattison)

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Mark M. Mattison's translation ↗ · Public-domain translation with missing pages marked.

George W. MacRae and R. McL. Wilson's translation ↗ · A translation of the surviving text, including Mary's vision and the disciples' dispute.

At a glance

Genre
Post-resurrection dialogue gospel (Judith Hartenstein's classification).1
Written
Early second century (Karen King).6 7
Author
King regards the attribution to Mary as pseudonymous—written under another person's name.6 7
Language
Coptic, with two third-century Greek fragments overlapping surviving passages.5 sources5 sources1. Hartenstein8. Bernhard7. Bricker9. Bernhard10. Bernhard
Length
Less than half survives; the beginning and four later pages are missing.1 2 3

Summary

Who has authority to teach when disciples disagree? Mary comforts frightened disciples and shares a vision after the Savior leaves. Andrew doubts her teaching; Peter questions whether Jesus preferred a woman. Levi defends her, and the disciples leave to preach. Critical historian Karen King reads this as affirming leadership through spiritual maturity regardless of gender. The text calls its central figure simply Mary; critical scholar Judith Hartenstein identifies her as Mary Magdalene. The beginning is missing, and another gap interrupts Mary's revelation. The Greek fragments do not fill those gaps.9 sources9 sources1. Hartenstein3. Mattison)5. Mattison)11. Mattison)12. Mattison)6. King2. Mattison)9. Bernhard10. Bernhard

Contents

  1. Teaching and departure

    Berlin codex, pages 7–9

    The Savior gives parting instructions and tells the disciples to preach.6 sources6 sources1. Hartenstein13. Mattison)14. Mattison)15. Luke 17:2116. Mark 4:917. Mark 16:15

  2. Mary comforts and teaches

    Pages 9–17, with a gap at 11–14

    Mary encourages the grieving disciples and describes a vision of the Lord. After the missing pages, her account describes a soul passing hostile powers, including Wrath's seven powers.4 sources4 sources1. Hartenstein3. Mattison)4. Mattison)2. Mattison)

  3. A challenge and a defense

    Pages 17–19

    Andrew doubts Mary's account. Peter questions whether the Savior spoke privately to a woman. Levi defends her, and the disciples go out to preach.5 11 12

Stories

  • Passing the powers

    Pages 15–17

    The soul confronts hostile powers on its ascent. Because the beginning of this episode is missing, Hartenstein says it is unclear whose soul is ascending.4 sources4 sources3. Mattison)4. Mattison)1. Hartenstein2. Mattison)

  • Levi answers Peter

    Pages 17–19

    Levi appeals to the Savior's judgment of Mary rather than Peter's anger. King reads this ending as affirming Mary's authority to teach the men.11 12

Connections to the Bible

Echoes and allusions

Shared figures

  • John 20:11–18medium confidence

    King connects Mary's teaching role with John's Mary Magdalene, commissioned to take news of the risen Jesus to the disciples. Luke 8:2 also names Mary Magdalene among Jesus' women supporters.6 18 19

Why read it, and why isn't it Scripture?

King's early-second-century dating and judgment of pseudonymous attribution separate this book from Mary's own lifetime. Evangelical writer Vivian Bricker rejects it as too late for the canon she holds was closed by about AD 100. That is her theological position. Critical historian Lee Martin McDonald describes canon lists varying for centuries; early Latin church writer Augustine's general rule weighed reception among churches, not simply a title's claim to authorship.4 sources4 sources6. King7. Bricker20. McDonald 202221. Shaw) 1887

Why readers value it

Academic (critical)

Karen King values the book's account of leadership grounded in spiritual maturity regardless of gender. Her case concerns historical importance, not adding it to the canon.6

Academic (critical)

King sees it developing Mary's role as a messenger to the disciples, a role she connects with John and the later title apostle to the apostles.6 18 19

Arguments about authority

Protestant: evangelical

Vivian Bricker rejects the book on grounds of date and her tests of authority, uniqueness and acceptance by churches; her AD 100 boundary is a theological judgment.7

Protestant: evangelical

Roger Nicole gives apostolic origin fundamental, though not exclusive, importance in assessing New Testament books.22

Misconceptions

  • Myth This gospel says Jesus married Mary.

    Actually: It describes the Savior's special love for her, without reporting a marriage. Critical historian Bart Ehrman rejects the marriage inference.23 24

  • Myth Gregory's homily explicitly called Mary Magdalene a prostitute.

    Actually: Gregory called the woman a sinner and identified Luke 7's woman and Mary of Bethany with Mary Magdalene. Catholic priest William Saunders defends the identification while acknowledging Luke does not name her; King rejects the conflation.8 sources8 sources25. Great26. Great27. Pearse28. Luke 7:3729. Saunders6. King30. Ehrman31. Pearse

Further reading

Sources

31 sources from 19 works

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