Metalogos The Gospels of Thomas & Philip & Truth

himself (Th 3), thereby sees that he has in truth all
along been an eternally begotten Son of God,
born ‘from above’ (Gk ΑΝΩΘΕΝ, Jn 3:7-8+31).
However, the vast multitudes of humankind are
evidently unaware of being Children of the Most
High, rather than children of local couples. Hence
confusion and evil, and hence the need for
evangelization (see Paterson Brown, ‘God and the
Good’: www.metalog.org/files/tpb/god.g.html).
II
Let us now consider the following quite
extraordinary entry in the Philip Gospel: ‘Adultery
occurred first, then murder. And (Cain) was
begotten in adultery, (for) he was the son of the
serpent. Therefore he became a manslayer just
like his other father, and he killed his brother.’ (Ph
46). In whatever sense could it be said that Cain
was born of the serpent?
We may first call to mind one of the
traditionally most difficult canonical passages, from
John's Gospel: ‘You [unbelievers] are of your
Father the Devil;... he was a murderer from the
origin;... he is a liar and the Father of
Lies’ (Jn 8:44). Utilizing this important parallel, to
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