Nag Hammadi Library
Noun
Meaning
a collection of 13 ancient papyrus codices translated from Greek into Coptic that were discovered by farmers near the town of Nag Hammadi in 1945; the codices contain 45 distinct works including the chief sources of firsthand knowledge of Gnosticism
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Examples
In the Apocryphon of John (several versions of which are found in the Nag Hammadi library), the Demiurge has the name " Yaltabaoth ", and proclaims himself as God: : Now the archon who is weak has three names.
The discussion of gnosticism changed radically with the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library and led to a revision of older assumptions.
The exception to the fragmentary evidence (i.e. reiteration of passages in works of other authors) is a complete Coptic tractate titled Zostrianos (after the first-person narrator) discovered in the Nag Hammadi library in 1945.
"The Nag Hammadi library consists of twelve books, plus eight leaves removed from a thirteenth book in late antiquity and tucked inside the front cover of the sixth.
The Nag Hammadi library itself is full of passages that appear to encourage abstinence over indulgence.
The Nag Hammadi library Sometimes popularly known as the Gnostic Gospels after Elaine Pagels ' 1979 book of the same name, but the term has a wider meaning.