What is Mysticism? 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

What is Mysticism?

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**Welcome to Pleroma Pathways apocalyptic and mystic Christianity where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts.**

### The Spiritual Discernment of Mysticism in Christian Tradition

The Christian path has always been one marked by deep spiritual mystery, intuition, and the experience of divine presence. At its heart, the Christian faith teaches that the highest truths are not comprehended by human reasoning alone but must be spiritually discerned. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

> "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

This passage encapsulates the essence of Christian mysticism: that true understanding of divine realities comes not through natural reason but through the active force of God's Spirit.

**What is Mysticism?** Mysticism is defined as the "practice of the presence of God; the life of prayer that results in intuitive knowledge and experience of God." It is the recognition that spiritual realities can only be known directly by the Spirit's illumination. The Bible, far from being merely a historical or doctrinal book, contains more high mysticism than any other text, inviting believers to continually seek deeper communion with the living God.

A mystic, therefore, is "a person who has intimate, firsthand acquaintance with God; a man of prayer." Jesus Christ is described as the greatest mystic of all ages, as he lived in continual communion with the Father and revealed the mysteries of the Kingdom.

Mystics, throughout history, have been identified by their deep yearning for union with God. As it has been written:

> "Mystics are the ones who hunger and thirst after righteousness, as the Bible puts it, the ones who yearn for continued or increased union with the other reality they themselves feel is the real reality—the reality which heals and makes all things new again. Their yearning is their most distinctive mark and has been called by some a 'deep and burning wound,' because it propels them toward the transcendent nature of life much as a lover is drawn toward the object of his love."

This deep yearning is not merely a psychological development but a transformation of the very self into unity with the transcendent reality — the Absolute, the Pleroma. It involves a process called **self-transcendence**, which is "letting go of egoistic interests and practical, worldly matters," allowing the small self to dissolve into the higher Self, into God Himself.

Mysticism is not a path free from difficulty. The mystic must undergo a profound selflessness. As noted:

> "The path of the mystic can be experienced as painful because of the degree of selflessness that is required along the way. But, this path can also be the most glorious experience in the spiritual development of the soul if the disciple thoroughly understands the process of transformation that is taking place. Prayer is the foundation and daily bread upon which this stage of enlightenment depends."

Without prayer, this transformation is nearly impossible. Through prayer, the mystic maintains connection with God and allows the Spirit to illuminate hidden truths.

Mysticism has always been part of Christianity. However, a crucial distinction must be made between **institutional Christian mysticism** and **Gnostic mysticism**. In the former, the mystics "achieved awareness of one's self through the teaching and rituals from the scriptures; they came to know God because the church told them to do so." Institutional mysticism was mediated through the Church's teachings and sacraments.

In contrast, the early Christian mystics, known as the **Gnostics**, emphasized **direct perception** of God through personal experience and intuitive insight. As the **Gospel of Thomas** proclaims:

> "When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty." (The Gospel of Thomas)

Gnostic Christianity taught that self-knowledge was the pathway to divine knowledge — not mediated by external authority but through an interior awakening. Jesus himself is seen as the great way-shower in Gnostic Christianity. His teaching was not merely about moral behavior but about the inner transformation that leads to direct union with God.

This way is one of **opening the heart** to God, experiencing profound unity with all creation, and surrendering to the divine will. Gnostic teaching expresses it thus:

> "It is fundamentally an opening of the heart accompanied by a sense of oneness with God and all creation, a sense of gratitude and joy for all things that flow into one’s life and a willingness to manifest that which God wants to express through one’s life."

The Gospel of Thomas affirms Jesus' presence in all things:

> "Jesus said: I am the light that is above them all. I am the all; the all came forth from me, and the all attained to me. Split a piece of wood: I am there. Lift a stone, and you (plur.) will find me there." (The Gospel of Thomas, Saying 77)

This mystical vision sees Christ not confined to heaven or a future kingdom but present everywhere, in every piece of wood, every stone, and every breath of life.

Thus, Christian mysticism — especially in its Gnostic expression — is the profound realization that God's presence is within and around us always, waiting to be perceived by the heart that is awakened through prayer, self-forgetting, and Spirit-taught understanding.

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Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

The Nag Hammadi Library : The Gospel of Thomas : When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

What is mysticism?

--The practice of the presence of God; the life of prayer that results in intuitive knowledge and experience of God.

The Bible contains more high mysticism than any other book. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. It is necessary to call upon God's holy spirit or active force to help guide us into the deep mysticism of the Bible.

A mystic--a person who has intimate, firsthand acquaintance with God; a man of prayer. Jesus was the greatest mystic of all ages

"Mystics are the ones who hunger and thirst after righteousness, as the Bible puts it, the ones who yearn for continued or increased union with the other reality they themselves feel is the real reality — the reality which heals and makes all things new again. Their yearning is their most distinctive mark and has been called by some a 'deep and burning wound,' because it propels them toward the transcendent nature of life much as a lover is drawn toward the object of his love. 

The term is also descriptive of the slow and painful completion process of joining totally with, or being in, the transcendent state — a process which should not be confused with psychological development. The latter is a matter of self-understanding, self-acceptance and personal integration. The former involves itself with self-forgetting, the disappearance of the self into mysterious union with God, the Absolute, the Transcendent aspect of reality, the Pleroma. Thus the term self-transcendence (with its emphasis on the small 's' in the word self, as opposed to the Self, higher aspect of the personality) means letting go of egoistic interests and practical, worldly matters"

The mystic yearns for God-awareness, and God-awareness only! The "things" that are added unto as the result of seeking God are no longer of importance to the mystical mind. The path of the mystic can be experienced as painful because of the degree of selflessness that is required along the way. But, this path can also be the most glorious experience in the spiritual development of the soul if the disciple thoroughly understands the process of transformation that is taking place. Prayer is the foundation and daily bread upon which this stage of enlightenment depends. Without it, the process is indeed a difficult one.

Mysticism has always been part of the Christian tradition, Christian mystics achieved awareness of one's self through the teaching and rituals from the scriptures; they came to know God because the church told them to do so.

However the early Christian mystics known as Gnostics looked beyond reason and found intuition to be the reliable pathway to know one’s self. So mysticism, as practiced by Gnostics, is a direct perception of the reality of God, free of any church teaching or sacrament. Gnostic Christianity has a name for this direct perception of God — self knowledge and self gnosis— and that is why Christian mystics are known as Gnosticism.

Gnostic Christianity teaches that we also can have an awareness of our real self, just as did Jesus. In

Gnostic Christianity, Jesus is often referred to as the way-shower, he who shows the way. What is this way that Jesus taught?

Gnostic Christianity teaches that it is fundamentally an opening of the heart accompanied by a sense of oneness with God and all creation, a sense of gratitude and joy for all things that flow into one’s life and a willingness to manifest that which God wants to express through one’s life.

Gospel of Thomas Saying 77) Jesus said: I am the light that is above them all. I am the all; the all came forth from me, and the all attained to me. Split a piece of wood: I am there. Lift a stone, and you (plur.) will find me there."