The Ascent of the Soul The Gospel of Mary

The Ascent of the Soul The Gospel of Mary

The Ascent of the Soul in The Gospel of Mary


"And Desire said, 'I did not see you go down, yet now I see you go up. So why do you lie since you belong to me?'
"The soul answered, 'I saw you. You did not see me nor did you know me. You took the garment (I wore) for my (true) self. And you did not recognise me.'
"After it had said these things, it left rejoicing greatly.
"Again, it came to the third Power, which is called 'Ignorance.' [It] examined the soul closely, saying, 'Where are you going? You are bound by wickedness. Indeed you are bound! Do not judge!'
"And the soul said, 'Why do you judge me, since I have not passed judgement? I have been bound, but I have not bound (anything). They did not recognise me, but I have recognised that the universe is to be dissolved, both the things of earth and those of heaven.'
"When the soul had brought the third Power to naught, it went upward and saw the fourth Power. It had seven forms. The first form is darkness; the second is desire; the third is ignorance; the fourth is zeal for death; the fifth is the realm of the flesh; the sixth is the foolish wisdom of the flesh; the seventh is the wisdom of the wrathful person. These are the seven Powers of Wrath.
"They interrogated the soul, 'Where are you coming from, human-killer, and where are you going, space-conqueror?'
"The soul replied, saying, 'What binds me has been slain, and what surrounds me has been destroyed, and my desire has been brought to an end, and ignorance has died. In a world, I was set loose from a world [an]d in a type, from a type which is above, and (from) the chain of forgetfulness which exists in time. From this hour on, for the time of the due season of the aeon, I will receive rest in silence.' "

The beginning of the vision is missing the revelation starts with the second power Desire. I would suppose that the vision is a revelation to Mary Magdalene about herself about her own enlightenment

"And Desire said, 'I did not see you go down, yet now I see you go up. So why do you lie since you belong to me?'

"The soul answered, 'I saw you. You did not see me nor did you know me. You mistook the garment (I wore) for my (true) self. And you did not recognise me.'

"After it had said these things, it left rejoicing greatly.

The Garment here is the ego or personality which the soul clothes itself with it is not the true real self which is the Christ consciousness

Again, it came to the third Power, which is called 'Ignorance.' [It] examined the soul closely, saying, 'Where are you going? You are bound by wickedness. Indeed you are bound! Do not judge!'




Ignorance judges the soul to be bound by the wickedness of the passions and lacking in discernment do not judge it commands. The soul is bound to the lower world by its physical nature which produces sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery


Mary Magdalene represents the psyche of the carnal consciousness. This psyche is demoniacal, and from it Jesus cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). It is there that the emotions have their centres of action. It is the seat of desire.

Now the female offspring of the soul are wickedness and passion, but a healthy state of the passions and virtue is male,

The feelings and affections, which are the seat of the emotions in our unenlightened heart, belong to the soul.

The soul is ascending through different levels of the carnal consciousness or the senses until it raises to the higher self the Christ consciousness which releases the soul from the emotional errors (the demons) that have their existence in the unenlightened heart and establishes peace and repose in the consciousness

The purification of the soul is a change of mind and purpose (Acts 5:31; 11:18). Belief in the gospel of the kingdom is to have this state of mind and character according to “the law of faith.” The Gospel is intended to enlighten and purify the mind while enriching the emotions, attitudes and decisions with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal 5:22-23) . Where the truth prevails there is 'righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17) which will result in edification of one another (v 19).

The 7 forms of the fourth power represent the 7 demons cast out of Mary Magdalene. The powers are the Archons or the rulers of power of the senses

The 2nd Power is Desire the carnal mind craving, the 3rd Power is Ignorance it believes it has power to judge others, but the soul knows that all power belongs to God alone, the fourth Power is Wrath which has 7 forms the seven Powers of Wrath

the 7 forms of the fourth power are (spiritual) darkness, the second desire (craving), the third ignorance (of the Truth), the fourth is the zeal for death (a lack of consciousness), the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh (which enslaves the emotions), the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh (materialistic worship, born of the carnal mind), the seventh is the wrathful wisdom (false doctrines and theories born of the carnal mind, which is a counterfeit of true Wisdom). These are the seven powers of wrath (the limited and inferior thoughts and attitudes ).

Their collective character and name is wrath

The idea of seven steps of ascent to divinity (which correspond to the seven heavens) is widely known.

The Ascent of the Soul in The Gospel of Mary is not about the soul ascending to the literal heavens but the heavens which is a state of consciousness in harmony with the thoughts of God.

The Ascent of the Soul is to it free from the powers of human nature not matter

The 4 Powers are within ourselves

The 4 Powers are the 7 forms which are established as parts of our Being

They represent the senses

the powers are a personification of human nature or human qualities this is seen from the Testament of Reuben chapter 2 the concerning the seven spirits of error

Testament of Reuben

2:1 And now hear me, my children, what things I saw concerning the seven spirits of error, when I repented.
2:2 For seven spirits are established against man, and they are the sources of the deeds of youth.
2:3 And seven other spirits are given to man at creation, so that by them every human deed is done.
2:4 The first is the spirit of life, with which man's whole being is created. The second is the spirit of sight, with which comes desire.
2:5 The third is the spirit of hearing, with which comes instruction. The fourth is the spirit of smell, with which is given tastes for drawing air and breath.
2:6 The fifth is the spirit of speech, with which comes knowledge.
2:7 The sixth is the spirit of taste, for consuming food and drink; by it comes strength, because in food is the substance of strength.
2:8 The seventh is the spirit of procreation and intercourse, with which comes sin through fondness for pleasure.
2:9 For this reason, it is the last in order of creation, and the first in that of youth, because it is filled with ignorance, and leads the youth as a blind man into a ditch, and like an animal over a cliff.

3:1 In addition to all these there is an eighth spirit of sleep, with which is brought about the trance of nature and the image of death.
3:2 With these spirits are mingled the spirits of error.
3:3 First, the spirit of fornication resides in the nature and in the senses; the second, the spirit of insatiableness, in the stomach; the third, the spirit of fighting, in the liver and gall.
3:4 The fourth is the spirit of flattery and trickery, in order that through excessive effort one might appear to be at the height of his power.
3:5 The fifth is the spirit of pride, that one may be boastful and arrogant. The sixth is the spirit of lying, which through destructiveness and rivalry, handles his affairs smoothly and secretively even with his relatives and his household.
3:6 The seventh is the spirit of injustice, with which are thefts and acts of rapacity, that a man may fulfil the desire of his heart; for injustice works together with the other spirits by the taking of gifts.
3:7 And with all these the spirit of sleep is joined which is that of error and fantasy.
3:8 And so every young man is destroyed, darkening his mind from the truth, and not understanding the Law of God, nor obeying the admonitions of his fathers as befell me also in my youth.
3:9 And now, my children, love the truth, and it will preserve you: hear you the words of Reuben your father.

The Son of Man is within you The Gospel of Mary

The Son of Man is within you The Gospel of Mary

33) When the Blessed One had said this, He greeted them all,saying, Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves.

34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.
37) Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom.
38) Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.
39) When He said this He departed.

Jesus departs saying, “the Son of Man is within you,” so do not be lead astray by false teachings. The disciples weep and are very distressed by what Jesus has said.

34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.

Regarding the "Son of Man", or “Son of Adam”, “the Son of Man is within you.” another translation renders that as “the Seed of True Humanity” or child of true humanity. The Eastern term is “atman”, the true self or Spirit of Life within.

Such gendered terminology definitely requires contextualisation, however, some scholars have favoured new translations of terms that are gender neutral terms. For instance, “Son of Man” appears in earlier translations like Wilson and MacRae, yet, is abandoned by King in favour of “child of true humanity,” 43 while De Boer replaces the term with “Human Being

43 King, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala, p. 33.
44 De Boer, Mary Magdalene, pp. 81-86.

Some commentary found in a footnote of the same translation adds:

“The disciples must search within themselves, to find the Seed of True Humanity that is within each person. They must guard against those who try to lead them astray by requiring that a person conform to what is outside.” (The Complete Gospels, Robert J. Miller)

Like the Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Mary has recourse here to the Gospel of Luke 17:20-23 where Jesus warns the disciples not to let themselves be led astray by false signs the saying in Luke the kingdom of God is in your midst.” is turned into the affirmation that the the Son of Man is within you in the gospel of mary .

Luke 17 no one will say, 'Look here!' or 'There!' For you see, the kingdom of God is among you."

The Gospel of Luke declares that the Kingdom is already present. Believers do not need to wait for its coming because it is present in the mission of Jesus.

The Gospel of Thomas also teaches that the presence of the kingdom is within the believer and it also locates it outside of us as well which would be the Church

Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realise that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."

(113) His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" Jesus said, "It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is' or 'there it is.' Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."

The Kingdom is not in the sky or the sea rather God's kingdom is already present within the believer and outside as the Church God's spiritual Kingdom

82) Jesus said, "He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom."

Here in Saying 82 Jesus is identified as both fire and Kingdom for the king is the kingdom therefore we should understand that since Jesus is the Kingdom and the kingdom is within you thus the son of man is within you

The Testimony of Truth
he has to come to know the Son of Man, that is, he has come to know himself. This is the perfect life, that man know himself by means of the All. (The Testimony of Truth)


the Son of Man is within you in it is there within oneself that one must seek him and it is there that one will find him only so is it possible to follow after him

The son of man is Jesus, the true self within or the Christ consciousness we must follow him or it

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.

this last saying is a reference to the Saviour's earlier command to find the son of man within. to find the son of man within or to put on the perfect Man means to to know the Christ consciousness one's true self whose roots are nourished by the Good We must acquire this spiritual self or spiritual image as one's truest identity

Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.

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.

Jesus represents God's idea of man in expression (Son of man); Christ is that idea in the absolute (Son of God). The Christ is the man that God created in His image and likeness, the perfect-idea man, and is the real self of all men.

Christ is the one and only complete, ideal man in the mind of the everywhere present God; the "only begotten Son of God" and "hid with Christ in God." The "Son of man" is the thought of this spiritual man, or idea of God, and like all thoughts is subject to the limitations of its own identity. By voluntarily casting off these limitations the man identity may come into realization of its own universality as the only begotten of God. So we find Jesus referring to Himself as both the "Son of God" and the "Son of man," because He had reached a place in understanding where He realized His relation to Being. In John 7:29 Jesus explains this realization when He says, "I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me."

The body of Christ is a Corporate Being

The body of Christ is a Corporate Being

“Now you are Christ’s body, and members individually,” in a spiritual sense. (1Co 12:27

The body of Christ refer to a the higher state of consciousness which Jesus' message produces. Jesus is the first fruits or prototype of this higher consciousness the Christ-consciousness. Jesus' teachings put the body of Christ-consciousness in reach of us all.

The body of Christ is also a Corporate Being called the Son of Man (Dan 7 Rev 1) others call it the mystical body of Christ it refers to large number/body of people who are in the Christ consciousness or the Corporate Being the Son of Man the multitudinous Christ

"I will be who I will be." This proclamation of Deity at the bush announced His purpose to manifest Himself in flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). This was fulfilled in an individual, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:5,6,26), and will ultimately be so in a community: the multitudinous Body of Christ.

God told Israel that His Name was YAHWEH, meaning 'I will be who I will be' (Ex.3:13-15).
 This name was then slightly extended: "God said moreover (i.e. in addition) unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Yahweh God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob...this is My name for ever, and my memorial to all generations" (Ex.3:15).

God's full name is therefore "Yahweh Elohim".

The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, and our English translation inevitably misses out a lot of detail when it comes to translating the Hebrew words for 'God'. One of the common Hebrew words translated 'God' is 'Elohim', meaning 'mighty ones'. God's "memorial", the Name by which He wants us to remember Him, is therefore

YAHWEH ELOHIM
meaning
HE WHO WILL BE REVEALED IN A GROUP OF MIGHTY ONES.

It is therefore God's purpose to reveal His character and His essential being in a large group of people. By obedience to His word we can develop some of God's characteristics in ourselves now, so that in a very limited sense God is revealing Himself in the true believers in this life. But God's Name is a prophecy of the time to come when the earth will be filled with people who are like Him, both in character and by nature (cp. 2 Pet.1:4). If we wish to be associated with the purpose of God and to become like God to die no more, living for ever in complete moral perfection, then we must associate ourselves with His Name. The way to do this is to be baptized into the Name - i.e. Yahweh Elohim (Matt.28:19). This also makes us the descendants ("seed") of Abraham (Gal.3:27-29) who were promised the eternal inheritance of the earth (Gen.17:8; Rom.4:13) - the group of 'mighty ones' ('Elohim') in whom the prophecy of God's Name will be fulfilled

Pleroma and Kenoma 2 Corinthians 4:18

Pleroma and Kenoma 2 Corinthians 4:18

Pleroma and Kenoma can be understood via 2 Corinthians 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen (kenoma), but on the things which are unseen (pleroma); for the things which are seen are temporal (kenoma), but the things which are unseen are eternal (pleroma)."

How can one "look" at something unseen? Not by using your fleshy eyes, but by using your spiritual eye. When gnosis comes, you are able to "see" the unseen. Since it is unseen, it cannot be conceptualized. You can only "gnow" it.

The Archangel Michael the God of the Jews

The Archangel Michael the God of the Jews

The biblical Book of Deuteronomy stipulates that “the Most High, El, gave to the nations their inheritance” and that “Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob and his allotted heritage” (32:8-9). 

Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the royal realm of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days, and, look! Michael, one of the foremost princes, came to help me; and I, for my part, remained there beside the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:21 However, I shall tell you the things noted down in the writing of truth, and there is no one holding strongly with me in these [things] but Michael, the prince of YOU people.

Michael, michåel (Heb.)--who is like unto God?; who is like God; who is assimilated of God; Godlike; who is like expanding power. Michael represents mercy and loving-kindness.

"The archangel" (Jude 9), or "one of the chief princes" who came to help Daniel (Dan. 10:13). He is mentioned in Revelation 12:7 as the leader of the heavenly army that wars against the dragon. There are several Israelites by this name mentioned in the Bible, too (Num. 13:13; I Chron. 5:13; 6:40; 7:3; 8:16; 12:20; 27:18).

The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is Michael, the archangel. (Da 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Re 12:7; Because of his preeminence and his being called “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [God’s] people,” he is presumed to be the angel that led Israel through the wilderness. (Ex 23:20-23)

Michael being "one of the chief" implies a hierarchy amongst Angels; hence Jude 9 speaks of "Michael the Archangel".

The LXX renders Dan. 12:1 as “the great Angel” (AV “great prince”). The closeness of association between the Angel Michael and His people Israel is shown by the fact that when He 'stands up' in the last days many of the people of Israel

Hebrews 1 labours the point that the Lord Jesus was not an Angel. This Angel was not the Lord Jesus, but just as Michael represented Israel (Dan. 12:1), so this Angel was the representative of the Messiah.

Michael is the Angel especially responsible for Israel, and therefore one of the most powerful Angels- "Michael one of the chief princes" (Dan. 8:13), "the great prince" (Dan. 12:1). The LXX renders Dan. 12:1 as “the great Angel” (AV “great prince”). Under Michael's control there are many other Angels similarly dedicated to the affairs of the people of Israel- Dt. 11:12 describes the land of Israel as "a land which Yahweh thy God careth for: the eyes of Yahweh thy God (i. e. the Angels) are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year". In passing, does the phrase "Yahweh thy God" refer to the Angel which led them through the wilderness? The Angel Michael? Remember Moses was speaking to the people of Israel at this time, and as we saw earlier, they very much conceived of the "Yahweh thy God" in terms of the Angel of the presence going with them. Thus God was promising that His Angels would physically be present in the land and would be especially sensitive to the events there. The degree to which God wanted Israel to conceive of Him in terms of Angels is shown by carefully considering the command for Israel not to have chariots (Dt. 17:16 cp. Is. 2:7). As this form of transport became increasingly popular, it must have seemed as crazy as Christians being told not to possess motor cars. There must have therefore been a highly significant teaching behind it. Was the purpose of it to make Israel look to the Angel-cherubim chariots of God? The word for 'cherubim' carries the idea of a chariot; the notion of horsemen corresponds with the Angel horseriders of Zechariah and Revelation.

Zech. 1:11 describes the Angels as walking "to and fro through the earth (Heb. 'eretz'- the land, of Israel), and behold, all the earth (land) sitteth still and is at rest". "They are the eyes (Angels) of the LORD which run to and fro through the whole earth" (Zech. 4:10). It may even be that the satan Angel of Job was walking to and fro through the land of Israel (going up and down in the "earth"- land) rather than through the whole planet, inspecting the true worshippers (who would only have been located in the area around Israel in all probability). Perhaps it is to the physical presence of the Angel in the land that Ezek. 35:10 refers " Thou (the Arabs) hast said, These two nations and these two countries (Israel and Judah) shall be mine, and I will possess it; whereas the LORD (the Angel Michael) was there". Yet this same Angel ministered judgement on Israel- Ezek. 7:14 and 20:17 describe God's eye (the Angel Michael) not sparing or pitying, and in so doing goes back to the language of Is. 63 where we see that the Angel was capable of showing pity, but ceased to because of Israel's sin (v. 9,10). Ps. 83 also speaks of the Arab aggression towards Israel and therefore Michael in the last days: "They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people" (v. 3)- Israel are Michael's people. They say "let us take to ourselves the houses of God" (v. 12)- i. e. the Angel's dwelling place in the temple. They will be punished by a mighty theophany involving " a wheel. . . the wind. . the fire. . . Thy tempest. . . Thy storm" (v. 13-15)- all of which is the language of the Angel-cherubim and God manifestation in the Angels (e. g. Ps. 104:1-4).

Amos 7 speaks of God through His Angels 'standing up' for Israel as the result of the prayer of Amos and a faithful remnant. Amos sees visions of the impending judgements on Israel. After each he prays "O Lord God, forgive, I beseech Thee: who shall stand for Jacob? ('If you, his Angel-God, don't?') For he is small". The answer comes: "The Lord repented for this. It shall not be, saith the Lord". He repented for the sake of one intense prayer! Notice too Amos asking "Who shall stand for Jacob?". Michael the Angel stands for Israel in the court of Heaven, and thus it appears Amos is pointing out that if Israel is condemned and punished they will have no Angel with them- and so the Angel changes His mind.

All the Angels are righteous, but they act out the roles of the various situations on earth, and God gives His judgment upon them. Dt. 32:8 LXX suggests each nation has a representative Angel. We note that the prince of Persia "withstood". God of course could have forced him to do His will.

Michael the Angel stands for Israel in the court of Heaven (as the Angel 'God of Jacob'; Dan. 12:1), and it would appear that He is the same Angel that appeared to the patriarchs in making the promises and thus the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was understood by them in terms of an Angel.

This is made specific in Gen. 48:15,16, where Jacob says : "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil. . . ". This Angel earlier told Jacob that He was "the God of Bethel"" (Gen. 31:11,13), where "Jacob vowed a vow saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go. . . " (28:20). Thus to him 'God' was the Angel.

Other references lend support: "The Angel of the Lord appeared unto (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. . . He said, I am the God of. . Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. . . I have surely seen the affliction of My people (the Angels are the eyes of the Lord). . . and I am come down to deliver them. . to bring them up out of that land unto a good land (this was all done by the Angel which led Israel through the wilderness). . . the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me (language of limitation). . . ye shall say unto (Pharaoh), The Lord, God of the Hebrews, hath met with us (Ex. 3:2,6,7,8,9,18). The Angel stresses at least three times in the chapter that He is the God of the patriarchs. Notice too how He also calls Himself the "God of the Hebrews"- i. e. the God of Israel. If "the God of Jacob" has reference to Angels, should not also "the God of Israel"? Frequently the phrase "the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel" is found in the prophets; and we have seen that "the Lord of Hosts" is invariably an Angelic title.

"The mighty God of Jacob" dwelt in the ark (Ps. 132:2,5); this was an Angel ( cp. Acts 7:46.

"The God of Hosts (Angels) is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge, Ps. 46:7,11 emphasizes. Note too the reference in v. 4 to "the tabernacles of the most high"- another Angelic phrase.

“The God of Jacob” gave a law, and he also “went out over the land of Egypt” (Ps. 81:4,5 RV)- all references to the work of the Angel on Sinai and at the Exodus.

Jacob was renamed Israel. The elders saw “the God of Israel”, or Jacob- i.e. they saw an Angel (Ex. 24:10).

Ps. 76 describes the God of Jacob as dwelling in Zion (v. 2)- where the Angel lived "At Thy rebuke. . . both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep" (v. 6)- the language of Ex. 15:1 concerning the Angelic destruction of Pharaoh at the Red Sea (the "Lord" in the pillar of fire and cloud which caused their destruction was the Angel which travelled in the same pillar and talked to Moses- Ex. 14:24 cp. 33:9)

Ps. 81 has much Angelic language. "A law of the God of Jacob" (v. 4) refers to the Angels who gave the law. "I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt" (v. 10)- Angelic work. The same kind of links are found in Ps. 114 between the wilderness Angel and the "God of Jacob"-"When Israel went out of Egypt. . . the (Red) Sea. . . fled. . . at the presence of the God of Jacob; which turned the rock into a standing water" (the work of the Angel standing on the rock at Rephidim).

God and his Angel(s) are interchangeable there is an angel named Yahweh who is the Archangel Michael but not the Deity himself. the Archangel Michael functions as the Deity's personal manifestation on earth

Article taken and adapted from Angels by Duncan Heaster (Christadelphian) 10-2 The Angel Michael and Israel

Yaldabaoth is not Yahweh

Yaldabaoth is not Yahweh

"He Who Is" or "The One Who Is"

In the Nag Hammadi Library the divine name Yahweh is used in prayers and hymns the Deity is addressed as  "He Who Is" or "The One Who Is" "You-who-are". This is a literal translation of the divine name into English Yahweh means "He-Who-Will-Be" or "He-Who-Is"

The Savior said: "He Who Is" is ineffable. (The Sophia of Jesus Christ)

"He Who Is" sometimes translated "The One Who Is"

The description of the divine name in the Septuagint of Exodus 3:14 He Who Is for ehyeh asher ehyeh I Will Be Who I will Be

Hebrew אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה‬ (´Ehyeh´ ´Asher´ ´Ehyeh´), ; Leeser, “I WILL BE THAT I WILL BE”; Rotherham, “I Will Become whatsoever I please.

Greek., Ego´ eimi ho on, “I am The Being,” or, “I am The Existing One”;

Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I am HE WHO IS (ho ōn): and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, HE WHO IS (ho ōn) hath sent me unto you.

Exodus 3:14  And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall ye say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.

In his fifth book of Stromata, Clement of Alexandria refers to some passages of the Hebrew Bible which present riddles. Among these, Clement includes a text that speaks about "the secret four-letter name, which was affixed to those who alone had access to the innermost sanctuary; the name is called Jave/Yave, which means the 'One who is and who will be'. Among Greeks, too, the name God contains four letters" (5.6.34,5).

In the first Apocalypse of James, Christ exhorts James to cast away the bond of flesh that encircles him, and continues: Then you will reach The-One-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are The-One-who-is.

the Gnostic should cut the bond with the material world; then the inner self will be able to return to its origin and be united with ‘The-One-Who-Is’, the transcendent God. Was this designation for 

In the Gospel of the Egyptians (c. 150 CE), one reads: O glorious name, really truly, o existing aion, Ieêouôa (ιιιιεεεεηηηηοοοουυυυωωωωαααα), his unrevealable name is inscribed on the tablet (...) the Father of the light of everything, he who came forth from the silence (...) he whose name is an invisible symbol. A hidden, invisible mystery came forth Ieouêaô (each vowel is repeated 22 times).

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE oooooooooooooooooooooo uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Here in the Holy book of the Great Invisible Spirit or the Gospel of the Egyptians each of the vowels is written 22 times and there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet

this means Ieou, or Yao is alpha and omega 

 the Greek equivalent Ieou of the Hebrew Yah {, which is most likely "a graecizcd form of Ya(hw)ê,

Barbelo 

The word Barbelo apparently comes from Hebrew Be-arba Eloha

The meaning of the Semitic/Aramaic name is uncertain ("God is in the four," "daughter of the lord," "mighty through God").

The name of Barbelo seems to be based on a form of the holy four-letter name of God within Judaism, and it apparently comes from Hebrew-perhaps ‘God (compare EL) in (b-) four (arb(a)," 

Barbelo comes "from the Hebrew baba' ‘eloh, ‘in the four is God'. with an abbreviated feminine ‘o' added to make the name a feminine aspect of God. 

'The Deity-in Four', with reference to the Tetragrammaton Τετραγράμματον, meaning "[consisting of] four letters"), יהוה in Hebrew and YHWH the ineffable four letters name of God

The Deity or Lord-in Four the four letters of the divine name Barbelo proceeds or is emanated from the four letters of the divine name

The memorial, in its simplest form, is ehyeh asher ehyeh, "l will be who I will be." Asher, "who," the relative pronoun in this memorial, is both singular and plural, masculine and feminine.

Barbelo is feminine aspect of God, Barbelo is mother, wisdom and the holy spirit or active force.

Barbelo she is Mother/Father and She brought forth the Christos through Him who is the Light.

Barbelo as the Mother the titles the Father and Mother (these are the masculine and feminine names of one androgynous being 

The Holy Spirit - Barbelo, is not a person or primordial being controlled by the Father it is an aspects of the mind of God or mental powers, unfolding or expanding from its thought to become an idea

Clearly we can see that the divine name YHWH is used in the Nag Hammadi Library being translated as "He Who Is" or ‘The-One-who-is’, ‘You-Who-Are’, which is the meaning of the word Yahweh "He Who Is "He Causes to Become or "I am The Existing One"

This shows that Yahweh is not Yaldabaoth

Yaldabaoth is not Yahweh

In the Apocryphon of John Yaldabaoth has two sons Elohim and Yahweh again this shows that Yaldabaoth and Yahweh are not the same person 

The Apocryphon of John:

The first ruler saw the young woman standing next to Adam and noticed that the enlightened afterthought of life had appeared in her. Yet Yaldabaoth was full of ignorance. So when the forethought of all realized this, she dispatched emissaries, and they stole life out of Eve.

The first ruler defiled Eve and produced in her two sons, a first and a second: Elohim and Yahweh.

Elohim has the face of a bear,
Yahweh has the face of a cat.

ln the BG and llt,l version il is Eloim who is the righteous one and rules over fire and wind, and Yave (IIl,l : € I ¡yr r ) is the unrighteous one and rules over water and earth (BG 62. 12- l8; lll,l 31.12-19).

Ialdabaoth Greek Ιαλνταμπαόθ Yaldabaoth Hebrew ילדאבהות (Literally "Children of the Void," or Children of the Abyss (depth of the waters) from ילדה = yalda= child; בהו = bohu = void; אבהות = abbott = fatherhood, parentage, paternity).

Yaltabaoth

And when she saw (the consequences of) her desire, it changed into a form of a lion-faced serpent. And its eyes were like lightning fires which flash. She cast it away from her, outside that place, that no one of the immortal ones might see it, for she had created it in ignorance. And she surrounded it with a luminous cloud, and she placed a throne in the middle of the cloud that no one might see it except the holy Spirit who is called the mother of the living. And she called his name Yaltabaoth.
The Apocryphon of John

And when Pistis Sophia desired to cause the thing that had no spirit to be formed into a likeness and to rule over matter and over all her forces, there appeared for the first time a ruler, out of the waters, lion-like in appearance, androgynous, having great authority within him, and ignorant of whence he had come into being. Now when Pistis Sophia saw him moving about in the depth of the waters, she said to him, "Child, pass through to here," whose equivalent is 'yalda baoth'.
On the Origin of the World

Since that day, there appeared the principle of verbal expression, which reached the gods and the angels and mankind. And what came into being as a result of verbal expression, the gods and the angels and mankind finished. Now as for the ruler Yaltabaoth, he is ignorant of the force of Pistis: he did not see her face, rather he saw in the water the likeness that spoke with him. And because of that voice, he called himself 'Yaldabaoth'. But 'Ariael' is what the perfect call him, for he was like a lion. Now when he had come to have authority over matter, Pistis Sophia withdrew up to her light.
On the Origin of the World

In the gnostic scriptures Yaldabaoth is described as a lion or a lion-faced serpent these are symbols of the outward senses or ego

O Ialdabaoth, who art the rational ruler of the outward senses,

Yaldabaoth (ignorance via the ego) is created when reason follows the outward senses

The Gnostics held that Yaldabaoth was the lord of this world and dominates the human condition. Yaldabaoth defines human psychological existence. humans are of necessity ego-bound in the sense of being required to develop an individual ego for the gnostics the figure of Yaldabaoth is the shadow of ego development Yaldabaoth is the archetype that creates and sustains an inevitable development within human consciousness toward the formation of the focal narcissistic ego

mankind has observed the characteristics and habits of animals and has applied them in a figurative or symbolic sense to persons, peoples, governments, and organizations. Thus Yaldabaoth is a symbol of human consciousness individually and organised collectively in opposition to God

lion-faced serpent The "serpent" is outward senses of consciousness. It may also be called desire, Those who had been bitten by the fiery serpents that is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,.
In the Bible wicked people and nations are described has a lion

.Because of the lion’s fierce and predatory characteristics, the animal was also used to represent wicked ones (Ps 10:9), persons who oppose God and his people (Ps 22:13; 35:17; 57:4; Jer 12:8), false prophets (Eze 22:25), wicked rulers and princes (Pr 28:15; Zep 3:3), the Babylonian World Power (Da 7:4). And the seven-headed, ten-horned wild beast out of the sea, which gets its authority from the dragon , was depicted as having a lion’s mouth. (Re 13:2) At Psalm 91:13 the lion and the cobra seem to denote the power of the enemy, the lion being representative of open attack and the cobra of underhanded scheming, or attacks from a concealed place.—Compare Lu 10:19; 2Co 11

The lions of Daniel 6:10-23 represent the savage thoughts that arise in us.

Re 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Pr 28:15 ¶ As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

Ps 22:21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
Isa 5:29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

1Pe 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:


2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
Like the Beast in Rev 13:1 Yaldabaoth is described as ascending out of the sea there appeared for the first time a ruler, out of the waters, lion-like in appearance

The "Seas" of Genesis 1:10 represent the unformed state of mind. We say that a man is "at sea" when he is in doubt about a mental process; in other words he has not established his thoughts in line with the principle involved, he is unstable.

Water ("the sea"), in Mark 6:47-51, represents doubt; it can also be understood as denial of sin bad thoughts and beliefs. The racing thoughts have formed a sea of thought, and to walk over it safely requires that one have faith in oneself. Faith necessary to accomplish so great a work comes from understanding--understanding of God and Christ.


Yaldabaoth is not Yahweh but represents the carnal mind or the ego
Yaldabaoth is a personification of human nature
Yaldabaoth describes human psychological existence
the figure of Yaldabaoth is the shadow of ego development Yaldabaoth is the archetype that creates and sustains an inevitable development within human consciousness toward the formation of the focal narcissistic ego

The Ecclesia The Church

The Ecclesia The Church

13 He is “heavenly bread” and “spiritual food” furnishing life by food and knowledge, “the light of men,” that is, of the Church. Therefore those who ate the heavenly bread died, but he who eats the true bread of the Spirit shall not die. The Son is the living bread which was given by the Father to those who wish to eat. “And my flesh is the bread which I will give,” he says, that is, to him whose flesh is nourished by the Eucharist; or better still, the flesh is his body, “which is the Church,” “heavenly bread,” a blessed Assembly. And perhaps just as the elect are essentially derived from the same substance, and as they will also attain the same end. . (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus)


As through the body the Lord spake and healed, so also formerly by the prophets, and now by the apostles and teachers. For the Church is the minister of the Lord's power. Thence He then assumed humanity, [9] that by it He might minister to the Father's will. And at all times, the God who loves humanity [1] invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- in former tithes with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus)

The Term 'Church' or congregation means “called out.” Hence, it pertains to a group of persons called out or called together. It means an assembly of the called.

An assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body

Usually when the NT mentions “the church” in a general sense, reference is being made to the body of Christ

The Church is likened to a body with Christ as the head: "And he is the head of the body, the Church" (Col 1:18); "Now ye [the Church] are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1Co 12:27). Just as a body has many different parts, each with its own function, so the Church is made up of many brethren and sisters, each with their own role: "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him" (vv 17,18). As parts of this body, brethren and sisters should avoid schisms (divisions), and "care one for another" (v 25). In Eph 5 the Church is likened to a bride with Christ as the bridegroom. The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church (v 23). Wives should be subject to their husbands just as the Church is subject to Christ (v 24). Christ loves the Church as a husband should love his wife; such is his love that he gave himself for the Church (v 25). The bride is to be cleansed by "the washing of water by the word" (v 26), and so the Word of God should play a central part in the life of an Church.


When the redemption was proclaimed, the perfect man received knowledge immediately, so as to return in haste to his unitary state, to the place from which he came, to return there joyfully, to the place from which he came, to the place from which he flowed forth. His members, however, needed a place of instruction, which is in the places which are adorned, so that they might receive from them resemblance to the images and archetypes, like a mirror, until all the members of the body of the Church are in a single place and receive the restoration at one time, when they have been manifested as the whole body, namely the restoration into the Pleroma.


The true Christian church is not an external sects, or religious denomination. First of all it is an collection of spiritual ideas in individual consciousness. To establish the church, or congregation, of God in man, a new state of consciousness must be formed. Man must gain an understanding of God as Spirit, and also must understand his own relation to Spirit. This is revealed by the Holy Ghost, which is an embodiment of Divine Mind projected into human consciousness.

The church of God begins its activity in man as a mental perception which must go through certain processes before it is established fully in the consciousness.

Its work is subjective first; that is, it is a silent interior planting of spiritual ideas, which do not make themselves manifest at once.and in time transform the individual.


In an external sense the church of Christ consists of all persons in whom the consciousness of Truth has become firmly established; those who reject the orthodox doctrines of Christianity like the trinity. hell-fire, heaven going, and fallen angels. They comprise that great brotherhood which Jesus Christ established in Spirit. The true church is not made of statements of faith with rules and regulations, nor is it contained in walls of wood and stone; the heart of man is its temple and the Spirit of Christ is the one guide into all Truth.

Becoming Christians according to the Gospel of Philip

How to become a Christian according to the Gospel of Philip

How does a person become a Christian according to the Gospel of Philip? We well answer this question below but first we will look at the meaning of the name Christian 

The Name “Christian”

The word christian is used three times in the New Testament (Ac 11:26, Acts 26:28; 1Peter 4:16) It was first Antioch in Syrian that Christ’s followers became known as Christians. 

5546. Χριστιανός Christianos [khris-tee-an-os’]; from 5547; a Christian, i.e. the exponents of Christ: —  Christian.

— Gr. christianous: "Christ-like; Christ-ones." the Bible shows that it was a God-given name; they "were divinely called first in Antioch Christians" (Young’s) it confirmed their identity (Acts 26:28; 1Peter 4:16).

In the Greek Septuagint, christos was used to translate the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Mašíaḥ, messiah), meaning "[one who is] anointed.

Acts 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (KJV)

The word rendered "called" is chrematisai, defined by Strong as "to utter an oracle, i.e., divinely intimate; by impl. to constitute a firm for business; (gen.) to bear as a title." The word is rendered "warned from God" in ch. 10:22. 

The NWT and Young’s Literal Translation specify that God was involed with the court megerstes using  the name “Christian”

Acts 11:26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians. (Young’s Literal Translation)

Acts 11:26 and, after he found him, he brought him to Antioch. It thus came about that for a whole year they gathered together with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians. (NWT)

From this we can see that the name christian was divinely appointed

The earliest occurrences of the term in non-Christian literature include Josephus, referring to "the tribe of Christians, so named from him;" ( Josephus. "Antiquities of the Jews — XVIII, 3:3".)

Pliny the Younger in correspondence with Trajan; and Tacitus, writing near the end of the 1st century. In the Annals he relates that "by vulgar appellation [they were] commonly called Christians" (Tacitus, Cornelius; Murphy, Arthur (1836). The works of Cornelius Tacitus: with an essay on his life and genius, notes, supplements, &c. Thomas Wardle. p. 287.) and identifies Christians as Nero's scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome. ( Bruce, Frederick Fyvie (1988). The Book of the Acts. Eerdmans. p. 228.)

We next see the word appear in other early Christian sources in Ignatius, Eph 11.2; Rom 3.2; Pol 7.3. Cf. too Did 12.4; MPol 3.1; 10.1; 12.1-2; EpDiog 1.1; 4.6; 5.1;

This brings us to the gospel of philip a lost christian text found in 1948 it has been classified as a Valentinian document the word Christian is used ten times in the Gospel of Philip the first few paragraphs in the Gospel of Philip make a distinction between a Hebrew and a Christian this is carried on later in the text which we will look at now

I am a Christian

If you say, “I am a Jew,” no one will be moved. If you say, “I am a Roman,” no one will be disturbed. If you say, “I am a Greek, barbarian, slave, free,” no one will be troubled. If you say, “I am a Christian,” the [world] will be shaken. May I [receive the one] whose name the [world] cannot bear to hear. (Gospel of Philip)

If you say, “I am a Jew,” no one will be moved. If you say, “I am a Roman,” no one will be disturbed. 

no one will be disturbed because the world loves its own

The Gentile symbolizes the material, the Jew symbolizes soulical and the Christian typifies the spiritual  .

If you say, "I am a Christian," the world will tremble 

This passage reflects a period when Christians had begun to be persecute for the name at any rate they are thought of as standing apart from other people

In the early years of the church from the 1st century until the 4th century AD Christianity was still a new and unknown faith. it was viewed with suspicion by many and internally Christianity was full of divisions with a huge variety of sects calling themselves christian. Greek Romam Barbarian and jew are fundamentally ethnic categories whereas Christians could come from any race nationality or culture from slaves or free men and women.

The Anointing

The anointing is superior to baptism, for it is from the word "anointing" that we have been called "Christians," certainly not because of the word "baptism". And it is because of the anointing that "the Christ" has his name. For the Father anointed the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. He who has been anointed possesses everything.

Although baptism is often seen as the major expression of a convert’s faith, the Gospel of Philip regarded it as far less important than the anointing—it is only with the anointing that a convert can truly be termed a Christian. Receiving this title is the most immediate effect of anointing.

Notice that the name “Christian” (coming only after the anointing) is one that will make everyone "tremble.”

"And it is because of the anointing that "the Christ" has his name." Jesus was anointed at his baptism with holy spirit and power ()

The verb xplw and the name Christ occur in association in 2 Corinthians 1:21.

Segelberg (193) compares Theophilus ad Autol. i. 12, where it is said that we are called Christians because we are anointed with the oil of God. Tertullian (de Bapt. 7) also derives the name of Christ from the chrism (c£ Iren. Dem. 53; Froidevaux 114 n. 8).

For the Father anointed the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles [giving them the “power to become sons”], and the apostles anointed us [and still do to this day by the written Word].

"He who has been anointed possesses everything." is joint heir with Christ being joined together in union by the fellowship of the spirit

The anointing with literal oil is only symbolic of the anointing of the holy spirit. The anointing with the spirit appears to happen at the same time as the baptism:

Anyone who goes down into the water and comes up without receiving anything and says, “I am a Christian,” has borrowed the name. But one who receives the holy spirit has the name as a gift. A gift does not have to be paid back, but what is borrowed must be paid. This is how it is with us, when one of us experiences a mystery. (Gospel of Philip)

a definite going down and coming up, that is, it was not a baptism of sprinkling only.'

it is a baptism of full submersion in water

"he has borrowed the name at interest" his sin debt has not yet been forgiven (paid) and is accruing interest - this is what the christo-pagan community is all about.

it appears that at the same time a person goes down into the water they receive the holy spirit:

We are anointed through the spirit
"But one who receives the holy spirit has the name as a gift" 
The name of course is the "Christian" name the holy spirit is the anointing

no longer a Christian but is a Christ

We are born again through the holy spirit, and we are conceived through Christ in baptism with two elements. We are anointed through the spirit, and when we were conceived, we were united. No one can see oneself in the water or in a mirror without light, nor can you see yourself in the light without water or a mirror. So it is necessary to baptize with two elements, light and water, and light is chrism.(Gospel of Philip)

to be born again by the holy spirit is to receive the name christian.to be conceived by Christ is to become Christ

Those who receive the name of the father, son, and holy spirit and have accepted them must do this. If someone does not accept them, the name will also be taken from that person. A person receives them in the chrism with the oil of the power of the cross. The apostles called this power the right and the left. This person is no longer a Christian but is Christ. (Gospel of Philip)

receiving the name christian is only the beginning of the journey the end goal is to be come a Christ

People cannot see anything that really is without becoming like it. It is not so with people in the world, who see the sun without becoming the sun and see the sky and earth and everything else without becoming them.

Rather, in the realm of truth,
you have seen things there and have become those things,
you have seen the spirit and have become spirit,
you have seen Christ and have become Christ,
you have seen the [father] and will become father.

[Here] in the world you see everything but do not [see] yourself, but there in that realm you see yourself, and you will [become] what you see.



A Christian is a person who has been anointed with holy spirit
Christian means Christ-like; Christ-ones
A Christian as both Father and Mother