The Mystery of Marriage in the Gospel of Philip

Abstract

In the Old Testament one of the most striking analogies provided to the relation of God with Israel is derived from human marriage. This analogy does not come as a complete surprise when one recalls the importance of marriage in the patriarchal narratives and in the story of creation. The prophet Hosea did not entirely lack precedents when he acted out a parable of the relation of God to Israel in his marriage to the faithless Gomer. God loves Israel as a husband loves his wife; and in Hosea's parabolic action this love was revealed as established in grace rather than based on works. Among some of the rabbis the covenant at Sinai was treated as God's wedding with Israel 1. It is significant, however, that in Judaism only God was the husband. Neither Moses nor any messianic figure ever took his place 2. The Philonic allegories of the union of the soul with the Logos, or even with Wisdom, the daughter of God, seem to be the product of an individual's exegesis and they refer to individuals, not to a community 3. In two Matthaean parables, those of the Wedding Banquet (22:2-14) and the Wise and Foolish Virgins (25:1-13), the coming reign of God is portrayed as a wedding, but is by no means clear that Jesus is the bridegroom. On the other hand, according to Mark 2:19 (and parallels) Jesus referred to himself as a bridegroom and stated that the sons of the bridechamber could not fast