Scholarly Reflections
Pick, Bernhard. "Chapter Six: The Gospel of Philip." Paralipomena: Remains of Gospels and Sayings of Christ. Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company, 1908, 27-29.
Pick takes the apostle Philip, not the evangelist Philip, to be the author of the work recognized by Epiphanius as the Gnostic Gospel of Philip (Pick 1908, 27). Epiphanius preserved one quotation, in which the soul explains here worthiness in terms of separation from the world and descent from heaven, a claim which is laid aside temporarily if she has a son, in which case she delays in her ascent (Pick 1908, 28). The scholarly interpretation which Pick thinks most appropriate for this cryptic statement is that the sould begets ideas, which are her children. If she has earthly ideas, they must be put away before the soul can come before God, indifferent to all earthly concerns (Pick 1908, 28)