The origins of Gnosticism

The origins of Gnosticism

first Jewish Gnosis had no mythologies to it, it saw the Law and the Deity as part of its orthodox beliefs see Non-Mythological Gnosis and Jewish Gnosis

Anti-Jewish Gnosticism started in Judaism itself it first came about from a rejection of the law of Moses this can be seen from the books of Maccabees

1 Maccabees 1:11 In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us."
[12] This proposal pleased them,
[13] and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.
[14] So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom,
[15] and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
[16]

According to 2 Macc 4:10 When the king had granted this and Jason had taken possession of his office, he immediately made his fellow citizens change to the Greek way of life. 11 He set aside the customs established for the Jews by royal generosity, negotiated through John the father of Eupolemus (the one who had made the official journey to secure friendship and alliance with the Romans). He abolished the lawful government and introduced customs contrary to the law.

This is the creation of Anti-Jewish Gnosticism here

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After the Exile the Jews return to their land under Persian overlords allowed the Jews to rebuild their temple and worship freely

However the Persians were defeated in the year 332 BCE at the battle of Gaugamela by Alexander the Great, near where Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire, had once stood. 

Following the death of Alexander, his kingdom was “divided toward the four winds.” His many generals quarreled among themselves as they grabbed for territory. for the next 30 years, they fought for control of the empire. Judea was first controlled by the Ptolemies of Egypt (r. 301–200 BCE) and later by the Seleucids of Syria (r. 200–167). 

Among the Jews most susceptible to Hellenistic influence were the priests. To many of them, accepting Hellenism meant allowing Judaism to progress with the times. One such Jew was Jason (called Joshua in Hebrew), the brother of the high priest Onias III. (Onias III is described as a pious man who, unlike the Hellenizers, fought for Judaism ) While Onias was away in Antioch, Jason offered a bribe to the Greek authorities. Why? To induce them to appoint Jason as high priest in place of Onias. The Greek Seleucid ruler Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.E.) readily accepted the offer. Greek rulers had not previously interfered with the Jewish high priesthood, but Antiochus needed funds for military campaigns. He was also pleased to have a Jewish leader who would more actively promote Hellenization. At Jason’s request, Antiochus granted Jerusalem the status of a Greek city (polis). And Jason built a gymnasium where young Jews and even priests competed in the games.

Treachery begat treachery. Three years later Menelaus, who may not have been of the priestly line, offered a higher bribe, and Jason fled. To pay Antiochus, Menelaus took large sums of money from the temple treasury. Since Onias III (in exile in Antioch) spoke out against this, Menelaus arranged his murder.

When a rumor spread that Antiochus had died, Jason returned to Jerusalem with a thousand men in an effort to take the high priesthood from Menelaus. But Antiochus was not dead. Hearing of Jason’s action and of disturbances among the Jews in defiance of his Hellenization policies, Antiochus responded with a vengeance.

 He tried to show himself mightier than Jehovah God. He tried to Grecize or Hellenize Judea and Jerusalem. He put High Priest Onias III out of office. For a bribe he put the high priest’s brother Jesus into that high office, in order to further the Hellenizing of the Jews. He went to the extreme of trying to eradicate the Jewish religion, the worship of Jehovah God. In defiance of their God he rededicated the temple that had been built by Governor Zerubbabel and assigned it to the Olympian Zeus or Jupiter. The rededicated temple’s high priest was Jesus, who Grecized his name to Jason. On Chislev 15 of the year 145 of the Seleucid era, or in December, 168 B.C., a pagan altar was erected on top of the great altar of Jehovah in the temple courtyard where Jehovah’s daily burnt offering used to be offered. Ten days later, or Chislev 25, a sacrifice was offered on the pagan altar for the first time. (1 Maccabees 1:54-59) .