LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOM 341sayings seem deliberately obscure and enigmatic as they play with contradic-
tions and paradoxes of the human condition.
The Secret Book of James is a Coptic text in Nag Hammadi Codex I, a
codex that contains several Valentinian texts. This has led some scholars to
consider the Secret Book of James to be a gnostic and perhaps a Valentinian
document. It contains themes that are typical of gnostic texts—knowledge,
self-knowledge, fullness, deficiency, and the like. Further, the discussion of
people being of three parts—body, soul, and spirit—is reminiscent of the
threefold division of elemental stuff and of people in Valentinian thought.
The Secret Book of James was probably written in the first half of the sec-
ond century; portions of the text may well be even older. The text was most
likely composed in Greek, though it claims to have been written in Hebrew.
The place of composition is unknown. The reference to burial "in the sand"
could suggest that the author was writing in Egypt, but the reference may well
be corrupt and in need of emendation (see the notes).
THE SECRET BOOK OF JAMES
1
James^2 writes to thos.^3
Peace be with you from peace,
love from love,
grace from grace,
faith from faith,
life from holy life.^4JAMES'S SECRET BOOKS
You have asked me to send you a secret book revealed to Peter and me by the
master, and I could not turn you down, nor could I speak to you, so I have
- The Secret Book of James: Nag Hammadi library, Codex 1,2, pp. 1,1 to 16,30, translated by
Marvin Meyer. - This is apparently James the just, the brother of Jesus and leader of the church in Jerusalem
(see Gospel of Thomas 12), though here James is also made part of the apostolic circle of the
twelve. - The salutation of the letter is in large part restored. Some scholars restore the name of the re-
cipient to read Cerinthos, a well-known early Christian teacher. - These lines are partially restored.