“There were three who traveled with the Lord all the time: His mother Mary, her sister, and Magdalene, who is called his companion; because Mary is his sister, his mother, and his partner (companion). Miriam is a sister, a mother, and a wife (koinonos). “The Father” and “The Son” are single names; “the Holy Spirit” (Breath) is a double name, because they are everywhere: above, below, in the visible and the invisible. Spirit [Pneuma] becomes manifest when descending, and hidden when ascending.
“The holy ones make use of threatening powers. These powers are blinded by the Breath (Holy Spirit) to believe they are serving the human, but in truth they are working for the holy ones.” (The Gospel of Philip vs. 32-34)
There are three Marys, and there are three names of God. The third Mary is Magdalene. The third name of God is the Spirit (Breath).
The name of Magdalene is Koinonos. The name of Spirit is Pneuma.
Mary is a name for a spiritual companion. Spirit is a name for Divine Presence.
The awakened ones make use of all powers, recognizing that all things are connected to the Divine. The Spirit, which is everywhere, collaborates with us so that all things work together for our good. For if God’s Spirit fills all things, then no weapon formed against us may prosper, and whatever they intend for evil will become our greatest blessing.
These cryptic ideas from the Gospel of Philip invite us to dig deeper into their possible meanings. Why are we told that there were Marys who traveled with Jesus? Why does his mother and her sister have the same name? Or, is the second Mary his sister (and not his mother’s sister)? Was Mary Magdalene his wife? Is that the deeper meaning of “Koinonos”?
Why are these three Miriams juxtaposed with the Father, Son and Spirit? How are Magdalene and the Holy Spirit analogous? Is Magdalene his “companion” in the same way the Spirit is “the comforter”?
If “the Holy Spirit is a double name” does that suggest that “Magdalene” is also a double name? The Tower? The Companion?
What are we to make of this idea that “the holy ones use threatening (or harmful) powers”? What do we mean by “use”? Are these powers merely principles? Or are they spirits? Or are they people who are still unaware of their Oneness with the Divine? Why does the Holy Spirit blind them rather than heal their blindness? Is this a temporary arrangement until the day these blind ones awaken on their own to the truth of Divine connection?
I’ve done my best to suggest possible answers to these questions, but I’m not entirely confident in my assumptions.
Is Mary “a sister, a mother, and a wife,” in the same way that God is a Father, a Son and a Spirit? What are we to make of this comparison? Perhaps Magdalene is a soul companion to Jesus in the same way God’s Spirit is our companion. We can never escape God’s Spirit. If we ascend to the Heavens or make our bed in the grave, God’s Spirit is there with us, always.
What are the implications of the similarities between Koinonos and Pneuma? The Spirit of God is the Breath, and God breathed into the first Adam his own breath of life, so God’s presence is as near as our own breath. Is this a metaphor for the companion of Jesus? Is she as near to him as his own breath? Are they one in the spirit and the flesh?
Sometimes all we have are mysteries. Sometimes the questions are the answer. Awe and wonder are companions of curiosity, and as children of God, we are encouraged to become changed and transformed by the renewing of our minds.
It’s okay to step into the unknown. There is no shame in admitting we do not understand everything. What matters most is that we are not offended by the mystery or discouraged by the unanswered questions.
We trust in our experience of God. We trust when we don’t understand.
This is faith. Not certainty.
This is hope. Not confidence.
This is love. And the greatest of these is love.
The new book, “The Quantum Gospel of Mary and the Lost Gospel of Truth”is now available on Amazon.The book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has been interviewed on CNN with Anderson Cooper, Coast to Coast Radio with George Noory, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.”He co-hosts The Heretic Happy Hour Podcastand his solo podcast, Second Cup With Keith which are both available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Podbean or wherever you find great podcasts.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In