THE (SECOND) APOCALYPSE OF JAMES

THE (SECOND) APOCALYPSE OF JAMES (YA’AQOV)

A Paraphrase by Jackson Snyder 2/11-17/2007

Editor’s note: This text, already known from the Nag Hammadi Library, was bundled in with the newly discovered “Gospel of Judas.” While this Apocalypse is Gnostic in character, there are several important historical possibilities that we may surmise from it. First, that Yahshua and Ya’aqov (James) were both nursed at the breast of the same “mother,” and second, we have another witness to the manner in which James died with close parallels to earlier material. Also, we find Theuda mentioned as “father” of James, which, from conventional understanding, would make James the nephew of Yahshua. I have corrected this in my paraphrase to “Theuda the brother” – Theuda being the brother known by various surnames – Jude, Thaddeus, Addai, etc. JHS

This is an utterance that Ya’aqov haZadiq (James the Just) spoke in Jerusalem that Mareim, one of the priests, wrote down. He told it to Theuda the brother of haZadiq, since he was his relative.

Mareim the Priest said: “Hurry and bring Miryam, your wife and your close relatives so that they may hear of this, that they may inquire of Theuda; he will understand it all and explain it to you. Ya’aqov haZadiq always spoke while the multitude was seated. But now he entered and did not sit down in a certain place as was his custom. This time he sat above the fifth flight of steps, the highly esteemed place while all our people listened intently to the words he said.”

* *

You all know me. I received my revelation from the Fulfillment[1] of Imperishability. I was first summoned by the great one who obeyed Yahweh: The one who passed through the heavens into the world; who stripped himself and went about naked; who was seen in a perishable body – though he was about to be brought up into imperishability.

This Present Master appeared as a son who seeks, and as a brother who was sought. He will return to the One who ‘begot’ him, for in him he is united and freed, even as he came forth to unite those who found him. Now again I am rich in knowledge, having gained unique insight from he who comes from above about that which is above.

I am the vessel of him I knew, the container for what was revealed to me and hidden from everyone else; that which will be revealed through him at the appropriate time and place.

Such things I see have already been proclaimed through these sayings: that he will be judged with the unjust, and he who lived without blasphemy died by blasphemy. He who was cast out of temporal life was cast into life imperishable.

What I tell you now in the flesh came forth from he who was flesh; but the knowledge of spiritual things must come from spirit. The flesh told me,

(That is, Yahshua told me) “Though I am surely dying, it is in the midst of life that I shall be found. I entered this age in order that they might judge my works. I shall again come forth in another age to judge their works. I do not blame slaves; I hurry to free them; I want to take them above the one (him) who wills to rule over them. If they are helped in this way, slaves will begin to rule over themselves.

“I am the secret brother who prayed to the Father until the Father decided to usher in the rule of imperishability for the first begotten son - then for all the brethren.

“I am the first begotten son who will destroy the dominion of them all.

I am the beloved.

I am the Just One.[2]

I am the son of the Father.

I speak even as I heard.

I order even as I received the order.

I show you even as I have been shown.

“Behold, I speak in order that I may come forth. Pay attention to me so that you might see me!

“If I have come into being then who am I? I did not come as I am, nor would I have appeared as I am. For I once existed for a brief period of time but now I live forever.”

(Ya’aqov again:) Once while I was meditating, that one who hated and persecuted you opened the gate and came in to me.[3] He said to me, “Hail, my brother; my brother, hail!” As I lifted up my eyes to stare at him and my mother said to me, “Do not be frightened, my son, of him calling you ‘my brother’; for you were both filled up with this same milk. Because of this he calls me ‘my mother.’ He is not a stranger to us. He is your brother.”

Then he said to me these words,

“I have a great many other lost brothers.[4] But I will find them all and they will come forth. Yet I am the stranger; and they have no knowledge or thought of me, for they know me only in this flesh. But it was fitting that others might come to know me through you.

“You are the one to whom I say: Hear and understand – for the multitude, when they hear, will be slow-witted. But you (on the other hand) will be able to understand as well as I am able to explain to you.

“Your father is not my father. But my father has become a father to you.

“This virgin about whom you hear – namely, the virgin [...].

“For this Father’s words have been profitable for me, for I have listened to him; and what I tell you will likewise be profitable to you. Your Father, whom you see as being rich, will grant that you inherit all these ones that you see.

“So profitable will be these words that I proclaim to you that you simply must open your ears to hear and understand; then walk accordingly!

“It is because of you[5] that they pass by, made active by that one who is glorious. Others will covet this glorious inheritance and, if they want, will cause a disturbance in order to seize possession.

“For this knowledge is coveted by the inferior creator[6] and the civilization he began and finished not, yet it is not even for those who are descending, sent forth by him to create this present appearance of reality.

“Yet after this is made known, when the inferior creator is ashamed, he shall be disturbed that his labor, which is far off from the aeons[7] and is, in fact, nothing. And his inheritance, which he boasted to be great, will in actual appearance be small. His gifts are not blessings. His promises are but evil schemes. For you are not an instrument of his compassion, but it is through you that he does violence. He wants to do unjustly unto us, and will exercise dominion for the time allowed him.

“But understand and know the Father who has compassion. He has not bestowed (upon the son) an inheritance that is limited, nor does the son have a limited number of days, but it is as eternal day for Him. […]

“For in fact, we cannot say the son has come from the fallen ones just because he is despised. Instead, he boasts in it so that he may not be corrected. Because of this he is superior to others who are below, those who you looked down on. After he imprisoned those belonging to the Father, he seized them and molded them to resemble himself. And it is with him that they now exist.

“I saw from the height that those events happened, and I have explained how they happened. These fallen were acquainted with me when they were in another form, and, while I was watching them, they came to know me as I am, through those whom I know.

“Now before certain events happen they will make a covenant to make an end of you . . ..

“I know how they attempted to descend upon this place so that he might approach the little children, yet I want to reveal myself through you and the Spirit of Power, so that the Father might reveal which of the little children belong to you.

“Those who seek to walk in the way that is before the gate and wish then to enter may open the good gate through you. And as they follow you they may enter and you may escort them inside and give a reward to each one who is ready for it.

“For you are not the redeemer

nor a helper of strangers.

You are an illuminator and a redeemer of those who are mine,

and now of those who are yours.

You shall reveal me to them;

you shall bring good among them all.

You they will admire because of every powerful work.

You are he whom the heavens bless.

You he shall envy, he who calls himself your superior.[8]

“I am the Gate of Entrance for the ones you instructed in these ways.

For your sake they will be told all and will come to repose.

For your sake they will reign and will become kings.

For your sake they will have pity on whomever they pity.

For just as you are first having clothed yourself,

you are also the first who will strip[9] himself,

and you shall become as you were before you were stripped.”

And he kissed my mouth. He took hold of me, saying, “My beloved! Behold, I shall reveal to you those things that neither the heavens nor their archons[10] have known. Behold, I shall reveal to you those things that he did not know, he who boasted that ‘there is no other except me.’

“Am I not alive? Because I am a father, do I not have power to do anything? Behold, I shall reveal to you everything, my beloved. Understand and know what I reveal so that you may come forth just as I am. Behold, I will show you the Hidden One. Now stretch out your hand. Take hold of me.”

So I stretched out my hands and I did not find him as I thought. But afterward I heard him saying,

“Understand and take hold of me.”

Then I understood, and I was afraid. And I was exceedingly joyful.

Therefore, I tell you: judges, you have been judged. You did not spare, but you were spared. Be sober and hear what you cared not to know.

He was that one whom the creator of the heaven and the earth,

and dwelled in it, did not see.

He was this one who is the life.

He was the light.

He was that one who will come to be.

And again he shall provide an end for what has begun

and a beginning for what is about to be ended.

He was the Holy Spirit and the Invisible One who did not fall upon the earth.

He was the virgin and controls what he wants happen to him.

I saw he was naked, and there was no garment clothing him.

That which he wills happens to him [...].

So you who hear me, abandon this difficult, erratic way and walk in accordance with the One who desires you become free! Walk with me and pass above every dominion. For he will not judge you for what you did in the past, but will have mercy on you. For it is not you that did them, but your Master within.[11] He will not be wrathful, but a kind Father.

But you have judged yourselves, and because of this you will remain in their fetters. You have oppressed yourselves, and you will repent, but you will not profit at all. See him who speaks – and seek him who is silent. Know the One who came to this place and understand him who went forth from it. I am the Just One (haZadiq) but I do not judge. I am not a master, then, but I am a helper.

For He was cast out before he stretched out his hand to aquit.

I am silent, yet he allows me to hear. So play your trumpets, your flutes and your harps in this house. The Master has taken you captive from the rulers who closed your ears so that your ears may not hear the sound of my word. Yet you will heed in your hearts, and you will call me the Just One.

Therefore, I am telling you: I gave you your house, which you say that Elohim has made –

this house through which he promised you an inheritance. Yet this house I shall doom to destruction and the derision of those who are in ignorance. For behold, those who judge in deliberate ignorance will be judged in justice.

* *

(Here Mareim the priest again narrates:) On hearing all these words, the rulers and the crowd were disturbed for the rest of the day, but they demonstrated they had not been persuaded.

So Ya’aqov arose and went forth speaking in this way henceforth. And he entered again on that same day and spoke for a few hours. And I was with the priests and revealed nothing of our friendly relationship, since all of them were saying with one voice, “Come, let us stone the Just One.” And they arose, saying, “Yes, let us kill this man, that he may be taken from our midst. For he will be of no use to us.”

And they found him standing (on the parapet) by the columns of the temple beside the mighty corner stone. And they decided to throw him down from the height, and they cast him down. And they derided him and they spat upon him. They seized him and struck him as they dragged him upon the ground. They stretched him out, and placed a stone on his bosom. They all placed their feet on the stone, saying, “You have erred!”

Since he was still alive, they raised him up and made him dig a hole and stand in it. After covering him to his waist, they stoned him. And he stretched out his hands and said this prayer; it is not the prayer that traditions about him record:

Elohi, Abbi –

You who saved me from this dead hope,

who made me alive through a mystery of what he wills,

do not let these days of this world be prolonged for me,

for the day of your light remains when these days pass in salvation.

Deliver me from this journey!

Do not let your grace be left behind in me, but may your grace become pure!

Save me from this evil death!

Bring me alive from a tomb, because your graceful love is alive in me

to accomplish a work of fullness!

Save me from sinful flesh, because I trusted in you with all my strength!

Because you are the life of the life, save me from a humiliating enemy!

Do not give me into the hand of a judge who is severe against sin!

Forgive me all my debts of the days of my life!

Because I am alive in you, your grace is alive in me.

I have renounced everyone, but you I have confessed.

Save me from evil affliction! Now is the time and the hour.

O Holy Spirit, send my Salvation, the light of his countenance,

the light of his face in the power of his righteousness.

After Ya’aqov spoke this way he fell silent. And this are his words that I, the priest Mareim, wrote down.