The Spiritual Resurrection in the Gospel of Philip

# The Spiritual Resurrection in the *Gospel of Philip*: The Spiritual Resurrection Born from Above  

## Words and Names  

The *Gospel of Philip* emphasizes the deceptive nature of worldly words and names, which often mislead people from reality to illusion. It states:  

> "The names of worldly things are utterly deceptive, for they turn the heart from what is real to what is unreal. Whoever hears the word god thinks not of what is real but rather of what is unreal. So also with the words father, son, holy spirit, life, light, resurrection, church, and all the rest, people do not think of what is real but of what is unreal, [though] the words refer to what is real. The words [that are] heard belong to this world. [Do not be] [54] deceived. If words belonged to the eternal realm, they would never be pronounced in this world, nor would they designate worldly things. They would refer to what is in the eternal realm." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

This passage suggests that worldly terminology can obscure spiritual truth, requiring deeper insight to understand the true nature of divine realities.  

## Christ Arose, Then Died  

A striking assertion in the *Gospel of Philip* is that Jesus was first resurrected and then died:  

> "Those who say that the master first died and then arose are wrong, for he first arose and then died. If someone is not first resurrected, would that person not die? As God lives, that one would <die>." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

This passage refers to Jesus' baptism, where He arose from the waters and was anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Logos became manifest in Him, and He was "born again," symbolizing spiritual resurrection.  

## This World, the Resurrection, and the Middle  

The *Gospel of Philip* divides human existence into three states: life in this world, resurrection, and a middle place of death:  

> "A person is either in this world or in the resurrection—or in the middle place. May I not be found there! In this world there is good and evil, but the good of the world is not really good and the evil of the world is not really evil. After this world there is evil that is really evil: this is called the middle. The middle is death. As long as we are in this world, we should acquire resurrection, so that when we take off the flesh we may be found in rest and not wander in the middle. For many go astray on the way." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

This passage teaches that spiritual resurrection must be attained in this life to avoid the "middle place," where one is lost in spiritual death.  

## Truth and Nakedness  

Truth comes to the world in symbols and images, making it accessible only to those who seek deeper understanding:  

> "Truth did not come into the world naked but in symbols and images. The world cannot receive truth in any other way. There is rebirth and an image of rebirth, and it is by means of this image that one must be reborn. What image is this? It is resurrection. Image must arise through image. By means of this image the bridal chamber and the image must approach the truth. This is restoration. Those who receive the name of the father, son, and holy spirit and have accepted them must do this. If someone does not accept them, the name will also be taken from that person. A person receives them in the chrism with the oil of the power of the cross. The apostles called this power the right and the left. This person is no longer a Christian but is Christ." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

Here, resurrection is depicted as an image of rebirth, linked to the bridal chamber and anointing with oil, which signifies transformation into Christ.  

## Resurrection and Baptism  

Baptism is directly linked to resurrection, which must be received in this life:  

> "People who say they will first die and then arise are wrong. If they do not receive the resurrection first, while they are alive, they will receive nothing when they die. So it is said of baptism, 'Great is baptism,' for if people receive it, they will live." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

The spiritual resurrection is therefore a present reality, not merely a future event.  

## Chrism Is Superior to Baptism  

Chrism, or anointing, is described as a higher mystery than baptism:  

> "Chrism is superior to baptism. We are called Christians from the word 'chrism,' not from the word 'baptism.' Christ also has his name from chrism, for the father anointed the son, the son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. Whoever is anointed has everything: resurrection, light, cross, holy spirit. The father gave all this to the person in the bridal chamber, and the person accepted it. The father was in the son and the son was in the father. This is heaven’s kingdom." (*Gospel of Philip*)  

Anointing grants resurrection, symbolizing union with the Father and Son in the kingdom.  

## The Treatise on the Resurrection  

The *Treatise on the Resurrection* echoes the *Gospel of Philip* in asserting that resurrection must be realized in this life:  

> "O Rheginos, do not lose yourself in details, nor live obeying the flesh for the sake of harmony. Flee from being scattered and being in bondage, and then you already have resurrection. If you know what in yourself will die, though you have lived many years, why not look at yourself and see yourself risen now? You have the resurrection, yet you go on as if you are to die when it is only the part destined to die that is moribund." (*Treatise on the Resurrection*)  

## Resurrection and the Renewal of the Mind  

Paul emphasizes that resurrection involves the renewal of the mind:  

> "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)  

Paul equates renewal with knowledge:  

> "We are saved by the renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5)  

> "We are renewed by knowledge." (Colossians 3:10)  

Jesus also affirms this:  

> "Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth." (John 17:17)  

## The Resurrection as Transformation  

Resurrection is the transformation of the mind and heart:  

> "The resurrection lifts up the seat of reasoning and emotion of the mind and heart until they conform to the mind of God, and this renewal of the mind makes a complete transformation of the carnal mind or ego."  

Jesus declared:  

> "The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God." (John 5:25)  

## Conclusion  

The *Gospel of Philip* and *The Treatise on the Resurrection* teach that resurrection is a present reality attained through spiritual awakening. This aligns with Paul's teaching that renewal by knowledge and the Holy Spirit brings transformation. While resurrection includes the future hope of entering the restored Kingdom of God, it must begin in this life through the reception of divine knowledge, anointing, and the mind of Christ.

The Spiritual Resurrection in the Gospel of Philip

The Spiritual Resurrection born from above 





Words and Names

The names of worldly things are utterly deceptive, for they turn the heart from what is real to what is unreal. Whoever hears the word god thinks not of what is real but rather of what is unreal. So also with the words father, son, holy spirit, life, light, resurrection, church, and all the rest, people do not think of what is real but of what is unreal, [though] the words refer to what is real. The words [that are] heard belong to this world. [Do not be] [54] deceived. If words belonged to the eternal realm, they would never be pronounced in this world, nor would they designate worldly things. They would refer to what is in the eternal realm. (Gospel of Philip)

Christ Arose, Then Died

Those who say that the master first died and then arose are wrong, for he first arose and then died. If someone is not first resurrected, would that person not die? As God lives, that one would <die>. (Gospel of Philip)

This is referring to baptism Jesus rose from The Waters of baptism and the Logos was manifested within him the word became flesh and Jesus was born again

This World, the Resurrection, and the Middle

A person is either in this world or in the resurrection—or in the middle place. May I not be found there! In this world there is good and evil, but the good of the world is not really good and the evil of the world is not really evil. After this world there is evil that is really evil: this is called the middle. The middle is death. As long as we are in this world, we should acquire resurrection, so that when we take off the flesh we may be found in rest and not wander in the middle. For many go astray on the way. (Gospel of Philip)

Truth and Nakedness

Truth did not come into the world naked but in symbols and images. The world cannot receive truth in any other way. There is rebirth and an image of rebirth, and it is by means of this image that one must be reborn. What image is this? It is resurrection. Image must arise through image. By means of this image the bridal chamber and the image must approach the truth. This is restoration. Those who receive the name of the father, son, and holy spirit and have accepted them must do this. If someone does not accept them, the name will also be taken from that person. A person receives them in the chrism with the oil of the power of the cross. The apostles called this power the right and the left. This person is no longer a Christian but is Christ. (Gospel of Philip)

There is rebirth (the physical Resurrection of the Dead when Believers are made Immortal) and an image of rebirth (the spiritual resurrection), and it is by means of this image that one must be reborn. What image is this? It is (the spiritual) resurrection.

Resurrection and Baptism

People who say they will first die and then arise are wrong. If they do not receive the resurrection first, while they are alive, they will receive nothing when they die. So it is said of baptism, “Great is baptism,” for if people receive it, they will live. (Gospel of Philip)

Believers received the Resurrection in The Rising it from The Waters of baptism this is similar to What Paul is teaching

Joseph the Carpenter

Philip the apostle said, “Joseph the carpenter planted a garden, for he needed wood for his trade. He is the one who made the cross from the trees he planted, and his own offspring hung on what he planted. His offspring was Jesus and what he planted was the cross.” The tree of life, however, is in the middle of the garden. It is an olive tree, and from it comes chrism, and from chrism comes resurrection. (Gospel of Philip)

Chrism Is Superior to Baptism

Chrism is superior to baptism. We are called Christians from the word “chrism,” not from the word “baptism.” Christ also has his name from chrism, for the father anointed the son, the son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. Whoever is anointed has everything: resurrection, light, cross, holy spirit. The father gave all this to the person in the bridal chamber, and the person accepted it. The father was in the son and the son was in the father. This is heaven’s kingdom.(Gospel of Philip)

The anointing is not an anointing with oil it is anointing with the Holy Spirit the anointing with oil is only symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit

O Rheginos, do not lose yourself in details, nor live obeying the flesh for the sake of harmony. Flee from being scattered and being in bondage, and then you already have resurrection. If you know what in yourself will die, though you have lived many years, why not look at yourself and see yourself risen now? You have the resurrection, yet you go on as if you are to die when it is only the part destined to die that is moribund. Why do I put up with your poor training? Everyone finds a way, and there are many ways, to be released from this element and not to roam aimlessly in error, all with the end of recovering what one was at the beginning. (The Treatise on the Resurrection)

Resurrection, according to Paul in Rm 8:10-11, is when the logos/mind of God "dwells in you". Simply said, resurrection is reaching the mind of Christ of the pleroma because here you awaken to your true perfect-self.

Resurrection implies intellectual renewal made possible by understanding Jesus' Christ message. "The 'old man [henos anthropos] must be 'put off' (Col 3:9-10) in order to 'put on' the new spiritual man [pneumatic anthropos].

In this light, resurrection means the transition of our judgmental old self to our nonjudgmental new self .

This transition is made possible by understanding Jesus' knowledge teachings.

The raising of man's mind and heart from the carnal mind to the higher mind of Christ . This is accomplished by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:11).

The resurrection is the lifting up of the whole mind and heart into the mind of Christ. The resurrection lifts up the seat of reasoning and emotion of the mind and heart until they conform to the mind of God, and this renewal of the mind makes a complete transformation of the carnal mind or ego.

The resurrection is a transformation that takes place daily in all who are conforming their lives to the regenerating teachings of Jesus' anointed message. The resurrection takes place here and now in all who conform their lives to the spiritual law under which it works.

Now is the time of the resurrection. "The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God" (John 5:25).



Resurrection, in the above sense, does not rule out life after death in the kingdom of God on earth, only that we can raise to a higher consciousness the mind of Christ  in the here and now before we entering the restored kingdom of God.