Editing Mary Magdalene (section)

===Gospel of Philip===
{{Main|Gospel of Philip}}
[[File:· Evangelio de Felipe · Codex II, 3 · Biblioteca Copta de Nag Hammadi ·.png|thumb|upright|Text of the [[Gospel of Philip]] from [[Nag Hammadi]]]]

The [[Gospel of Philip]], dating from the second or third century, survives in part among the texts found in Nag Hammadi in 1945.{{efn|name=OT&NT}} In a manner very similar to {{bibleverse||John|19:25–26|9}}, the Gospel of Philip presents Mary Magdalene among Jesus's female entourage, adding that she was his ''koinônos'',{{sfn|Ehrman|2006|page=215}} a Greek word variously translated in contemporary versions as 'partner, associate, comrade, companion':<ref>Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Koinonos". ''The New Testament Greek Lexicon''. {{Cite web |url=http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/koinonos.html |title=Koinonos Meaning in Bible – New Testament Greek Lexicon – King James Version |access-date=November 29, 2016 |archive-date=November 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129210419/http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/koinonos.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>{{sfn|Ehrman|2006|page=215}}

{{blockquote|There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and [[Mary of Clopas|her sister]], and Magdalene, who was called his companion. His sister,{{efn |name=confusing}} his mother and his companion were each a Mary. |source={{harvnb |Grant |1961 |pp=129–140}} }}

The Gospel of Philip uses cognates of ''koinônos'' and Coptic equivalents to refer to the literal pairing of men and women in marriage and sexual intercourse, but also metaphorically, referring to a spiritual partnership, and the reunification of the Gnostic Christian with the divine realm.{{sfn|Marjanen|1996|pp=151–160}} The Gospel of Philip also contains another passage relating to Jesus's relationship with Mary Magdalene.{{sfn|Ehrman|2006|page=215}} The text is badly fragmented, and speculated but unreliable additions are shown in brackets:

{{blockquote|And the companion of the [saviour was] Mary Magdalene. [Christ] loved Mary more than [all] the disciples, [and used to] kiss her [often] on the [–].{{efn| Its still disputed till date on which body part was mentioned here}} The rest of the disciples [were offended by it and expressed disapproval]. They said to him, "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Saviour answered and said to them, "Why do I not love you like her? When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness."<ref name=GospelOfPhilip />|source={{harvnb|Grant|1961|pp=129–140}} }}

For early Christians, kissing did not have a romantic connotation and it was common for Christians to kiss their fellow believers as a way of greeting.{{sfn|Dickson|2006|p=95}}{{sfn|Ehrman|2006|page=216}}{{efn|See, for instance, {{bibleverse|1 Thessalonians|5:26|9}}, {{bibleverse|Romans|16:16|9}}, {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|16:20|9}}, {{bibleverse|2 Corinthians|13:12|9}}, {{bibleverse|Mark|14:43–45|9}}, {{bibleverse|Matthew|26:47–50|9}}, {{bibleverse|Luke|22:48|9}}, and {{bibleverse|1 Peter|5:14|9}}}} This tradition is still practiced in many Christian congregations today and is known as the "[[kiss of peace]]".{{sfn|Ehrman|2006|page=215}} Ehrman explains that, in the context of the Gospel of Philip, the kiss of peace is used as a symbol for the passage of truth from one person to another{{sfn |Ehrman |2006 |pages=215–216}} and that it is not in any way an act of "divine [[foreplay]]".{{sfn |Ehrman |2006 |page=216}}