Misconceptions About the Mystic Gospel of Mark

The Letter to Theodore, discovered by Morton Smith, has long been a subject of scholarly debate and misinterpretation. Many researchers have misconstrued its context, leading to interpretations that seem out of place for the historical setting described in the letter. One such example is the recent work by Notre Dame musicologist Peter Jeffery, who reads the letter as describing a gospel used for baptism. Jeffery argues that the gospel pericope quoted in the letter does not fit with what little we know about the history of Alexandria’s baptism liturgy and theology. This led him to seek the life setting of the mystic gospel elsewhere, situating it in the intellectual milieu of twentieth-century Anglican scholarship on early Christian baptism and even in a homosexual academic subculture.

Scott Brown, in his paper Behind the Seven Veils, I: The Gnostic Life Setting of the Mystic Gospel of Mark, addresses these misconceptions head-on. Brown argues that “the great mysteries” mentioned in the Letter to Theodore do not refer to baptism and that the gospel pericope does not depict a baptismal scene. Brown’s analysis highlights that the letter’s reference to Mark creating the mystic gospel by adding “certain traditions (λόγια) of which he knew the interpretation would, as a mystagogue, lead the hearers into the innermost sanctuary of the sevenfold veiled truth” (I.24–26), is crucial.

This imagery of entering the innermost sanctuary, when examined in the context of Clement's writings, reveals that this sacred space was not accessible to catechumens or ordinary believers. Instead, it was reserved for the Christian equivalent of the Jewish high priest, whom Clement called the true gnostic. This overlooked evidence from Clement’s writings supports the gnostic life setting of the mystic gospel and aligns with Clement’s broader program of Christian education.

Brown’s work shows that the mystic gospel was intended for advanced initiates who had progressed far beyond the preliminary stages of Christian instruction, not for baptismal candidates. This interpretation challenges the prevailing notion that the mystic gospel was part of a baptismal liturgy, a misconception that has influenced scholarly studies of the “secret” gospel for decades.

By revisiting and reinterpreting the evidence with a nuanced understanding of Clement’s writings and the intended audience of the mystic gospel, Brown’s research paves the way for a deeper appreciation of the text’s true significance within the gnostic tradition. His paper encourages scholars to move beyond the baptismal context and explore the rich, complex history of early Christian texts and their interpretations with fresh insights.

For those interested in a comprehensive analysis of these themes, Scott Brown's paper Behind the Seven Veils, I: The Gnostic Life Setting of the Mystic Gospel of Mark is an essential read. Brown's meticulous scholarship sheds new light on the longstanding debates surrounding the Letter to Theodore and the mystic gospel, offering a clearer understanding of their true historical and theological contexts.