The Gospel of Mary remains incomplete to this day, after being lost for nearly fifteen hundred years. It is believed to be genuine writing from the 5th century, copied from the 2nd century oral story, as other pages have slowly been added to the collection. However, the book’s past is unknown, including why much of it is missing. The translation and publishing of this document was halted drastically due to setbacks including both world wars.
This text has been deemed “forbidden” according to history, whether purposely or accidentally. As certain details fail to match other parts of the Bible, for example, the disciples cry from fear rather than joyfully spreading the word of God as they do in the Book of Matthew, it is possible that it was purposely cut from the official canon. Additionally, it is possible that the text was considered unacceptable as it had a female author and presented a woman as one of Jesus’s most trusted followers. Though the Bible includes feminine heroes, there are no female writers, adding to why it may have been excluded from the Christian faith for so long. While it is valid to presume the text was purposely excluded from the narrative, there is potential for time to be at fault. As the document was physically written centuries after its plot occurred, one can agree that the story survived oral history. It is strange to consider how the story managed to live orally for centuries, only to be injured physically. It is possible that with its physical existence, people valued it less and less, not worrying about losing what it says. However, it is also possible for it to have slowly been lost as people moved and were faced with conflicts. Because there is no evidence of other copies, it is likely that the book was not considered greatly important or that it was openly admonished by society. Though the Gospel of Mary was lost for hundreds of years, its survival is impressive. Situations such as these push people to wonder how much history and literature is missing from today’s eyes.
Read the text and commentary here: http://www.gnosis.org/library/GMary-King-Intro.html