The Gospel of the Naassenes, a Gnostic sect, is only known through several quotations found in the Philosophoumena of Hippolytus.
Oxyrhyncus The excavations in Egypt in recent years have yielded some remarkable results in the discovery of various early Logia of Jesus, edited and published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897, 1907 and 1911. In 1896 Forbes Robinson published several Sa hidic fragments of importance, but not earlier than the 3d century. See AGRAPHA.
The Gospels dealing with the Passion and Resurrection are nine in number.
The Gospel of Exists in IN mere fragment preserved by Epiphanius. It is re ferred to in the 'Pistis Sophia.' It was in use by an Egyptian Gnostic sect during the 4th cen tury. It probably had its origin in the last quarter of the 2d century.
The Gospel of Matthias was elected an apostle after the Resurrection and it is assumed that he received secret revelations from Jesus. There are no quotations from the Gospel, but Clement of Alexandria quotes from the 'Traditions of Matthias.' According to Hippolytus the 'Traditions) seem to have originated with Basilidcs and Isidore.
The Gospel of Exists in three fragments only, one of which is in Coptic. It had its origin among the Barbel() Gnostics whom Irenmus refuted.
The Gospel of Exists in Latin, Greek and Coptic fragments, some of them as early as the 9th century. According to the fragments Jesus allows Bartholomew to see and interrogate Satan. He is 600 cubits high and 300 broad and is guarded by 6,064 angels. Bartholomew kicks and infuriates Satan and learns from him some of his secrets for tempting men.
The Gospel of Is sometimes called the 'Acts of In recent years it had been very widely circulated. It gives an account by a supposed eyewitness of the trial and death of Christ with many fabulous addi tions. It is probably not older than the 4th or 5th century.
The Gospel of Is largely con jectural as to its existence. Various frag ments have been considered to belong to it, but without certain proof.
The Gospel of Originated among the Ophite Gnostics according to Eni phanius. It is alluded to in the Sophia.' Further than this neither details nor quota tions are preserved for us.
The Gospel of Of Gnostic origin and Epinhanius preserves the only quotations from it that have come down to our day.
The Gospel of Judas Composed by Gnostic Cainites in the 2d century. It represents Judas as having a very avaricious wife who encouraged him to steal from the Apostolic purse for her benefit. At her itisti gation he finally betrayed his Master in order that he might again minister to her greed.
In addition to these gospels there are a number of Coptic unclassified fragments deal ing with the Passion and Resurrection which are of undoubted early origin, in some cases a near approach to Gospel quotations. In fact they may be passages carelessly quoted from the canonical Gospels. The most famous frag ment was a bit of papyric discovered at Fayum. It is of the 3d century and was first published by Gustav Bickel! in 1886.
In addition to all the above documents, tlm following are mentioned by the early fathers of the Church. There are no fragments or quotations from them in existence known to the scholars of this day: (The Acts of An drew' ;