Ascent of the Soul and the End of Mary's Gospel

Following a rather long gap, we come back to find Mary still telling the disciples about what Jesus had revealed to her. It appears that the focus of Jesus' secret teaching - according to Mary - is the Ascent of the Soul from the physical world, through the cosmic powers, and to freedom with God.

"And desire said, 'I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. Why do you lie since you belong to me?' The soul answered and said, 'I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment, and you did not know me.'

The soul escapes this power, only to face another, and finally to face the fourth and last power, which is actually 7 powers.

"They asked the soul, 'Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?' The soul answered and said, 'What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died. ... I was released from the world ... from the fetter of oblivion which is transient. From this time on will I attain to rest ... in silence.'"

And so Mary too falls silent.

Andrew denies that Jesus could have taught her such strange things. Peter challenges her on more pragmattic grounds:

"Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?"

Mary breaks down, denying she's made all this up. Then Levi comes to Mary's defence:

"...if the Savior made her worthy, who are you to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed, and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us, and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said."

And when they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.

And that's it. We don't have the start, but we do have the finish.

I look forward to our discussion!