Dr. Barton on the Gnostic Gospels

The Gnostics were purveyors, as their name (From the Greek gnosis, knowledge) suggests, of esoteric knowledge and mysteries. To expect them to write their beliefs in plain Greek or Coptic in their books is therefore surely asking too much of them! While the Gospels of the New Testament were written as genuine history (their historical details check out perfectly), the Gonostics deliberately wrote so as to conceal their beliefs under figures. Thus 'Peter' often stands for the Catholic Church (the undivided Catholic Church of the second century). The head of the Apostles, and a stickler for his position, and for the Catholic New Testament. 'Thomas', famed for his doubting, is the initiate, the would-be Gnostic seeking after the Truth. And Mary Magdalene is Gnosticism, misunderstood, disliked, but mysterious, a woman and a man at the same time. Properly understood the Gnostic Gospels are like a library of heretical versions of the Pilgrim's Progress. What a shame that Dr. Langdon pedestrianises them and misses all the wonderful symbolism in them!