The Second Apocalypse of James is a
Gnostic
Gnosticism (from grc, γνωστικός, gnōstikós, , 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems which coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized pe ...
writing. It is the fourth
tractate
A tractate is a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject; the word derives from the Latin ''tractatus'', meaning treatise.
One example of its use is in citing a section of the Talmud, when the term '' masekhet'' () is used ...
in
Codex
The codex (plural codices ) was the historical ancestor of the modern book. Instead of being composed of sheets of paper, it used sheets of vellum, papyrus, or other materials. The term ''codex'' is often used for ancient manuscript books, with ...
V in the
Nag Hammadi library
The Nag Hammadi library (also known as the " Chenoboskion Manuscripts" and the "Gnostic Gospels") is a collection of early Christian and Gnostic texts discovered near the Upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945.
Thirteen leather-bound papyr ...
, immediately following the
First Apocalypse of James
The First Apocalypse of James is a late second century Gnostic apocalypse.
Contents
The form of the text is primarily that of a Revelation Dialogue/Discourse between James the brother of Jesus (James the Just) and Jesus, with a rather frag ...
.
The order is a deliberate scribal choice, since the first text prepares
James the Just for his death as a
martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
, and the second text describes his death in detail.
The existing
Coptic
Coptic may refer to:
Afro-Asia
* Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya
* Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century
* Coptic alphabet ...
version was likely translated in c. 300 AD from a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
original written in c. 150 AD (possibly earlier than the ''First Apocalypse'').
In the text, James serves as a Gnostic redeemer
who tries unsuccessfully to persuade the people to understand
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
before his
martyrdom
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...
.
Summary
Because of the fragmentary state of the tractate, the speakers are not always clear.
The beginning of the text is introduced as a discourse spoken by James the Just in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, right before his death, and written down by the priest Mareim and shared with Theuda, father of James. James says to come with his wife Mary and relatives. James claims to have received revelation from the
Pleroma
Pleroma ( grc-koi, πλήρωμα, literally "fullness") generally refers to the totality of divine powers. It is used in Christian theological contexts, especially in Gnosticism. The term also appears in the Epistle to the Colossians, which is t ...
of Imperishability and says that he obeyed
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
. James calls himself the brother in secret who prayed to the
Father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
. He recounts a visit from his step-brother Jesus, whom he did not recognize at first, but who called him "brother."
James goes on to talk about the virgin and how understanding the Father can be profitable. James warns about the
false ruler, far from the
aeons
The word aeon , also spelled eon (in American and Australian English), originally meant "life", "vital force" or "being", "generation" or "a period of time", though it tended to be translated as "age" in the sense of "ages", "forever", "timel ...
, who uses evil schemes, commits violence, and exercises unjust dominion. James says that the Father has compassion, is not limited by time or possessions, and is superior to those who are below. James saw things from a height and explains how they happened. He wishes to reveal things to those who seek to enter and walk in the way that is before the door. James is an illuminator and redeemer who will bring good among all. Those who are instructed in these things will come to rest and reign.
James states that Jesus kissed his mouth and called him beloved. Jesus claims to reveal
hidden knowledge that neither the heavens nor their
archons know. He also claims to reveal information that a being who boasts of being the only one and having power over everything did not know. Jesus told James to understand and know these revelations. James advises the crowd to renounce the difficult and variable way and walk in accordance with Jesus. Those who are ignorant are doomed to destruction and derision.
The people are not persuaded by the James's speech and decide to
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
him to death. They throw him down and drag him upon the ground before stoning him. James stretches out his hands and
prays
''Prays'' is a genus of moths of the family Praydidae, formerly assigned to (depending on the author) Plutellidae or Yponomeutidae.
Selected species
*'' Prays acmonias'' - Meyrick, 1914 (from India)
*''Prays alpha'' - Moriuti, 1977 (from Japan) ...
to God to save him from this place of sojourn and sinful flesh. He asks for forgiveness of his debts of the days of his life and renounces everyone except for God. The text ends with the James' falling silent after his prayer.
Analysis
The father of James is named as Theuda instead of
Joseph
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...
. Some
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
consider James the Just to be the same person as
James, son of Alphaeus
James, son of Alphaeus (Greek: Ἰάκωβος, ''Iakōbos''; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܚܠܦܝ; he, יעקב בן חלפי ''Ya'akov ben Halfai''; cop, ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲁⲗⲫⲉⲟⲥ; ) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jes ...
,
and so Theuda would be an alternate form of Alphaeus, since both names mean "flow" or "change."
James says that Jesus kissed his mouth, but this kiss is meant as a showing of equal status between them or of familial relation rather than being romantic.
In the text, Jesus calls James "my beloved" twice. Biblical scholar
James Tabor
James Daniel Tabor (born 1946 in Texas) is a Biblical scholar and Professor of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he has taught since 1989 and serv ...
believes that James is the
disciple whom Jesus loved
The phrase "the disciple whom Jesus loved" ( grc, ὁ μαθητὴς ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ho mathētēs hon ēgapā ho Iēsous, label=none) or, in John 20:2; "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" ( grc, τὸν ἄλλον μα ...
in the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
.
References
{{Authority control
Christian apocalyptic writings
James, 2
2nd-century Christian texts
James, brother of Jesus
Nag Hammadi library