The Johannine Gospel in gnostic exegesis.
Heracleon’s Commentary on John

Pagels E.



The complete text of Heracleon’s commentary has been lost. Portions are preserved in the surviving sections of Origen’s commentary on John, written about 50 years later, c. 230. Origen extensively quotes, then responds to Heracleon. For an extensive analysis of Heracleon’s Commentary, see Pagels’ The Johannine Gospel in Gnostic Exegesis: Heracleon’s Commentary on John, her 1st book, based on her 1970 doctoral dissertation.