Christ is a symbol for Light

Christ is a symbol for Light

 I have selected quotes from NHL that say that the name Christ is a symbol for Light (the inner Light). In addition, I can mention that also Moses used the symbolic name Christ in the NHL scriptures when he talked about the bronze snake.

“Fire is chrism. Light is fire. I do not mean ordinary fire, which has no form, but other fire, which is pure white in appearance, beautifully bright and imparting beauty.” (Gospel of Philip)

“So it is necessary to baptize with two elements, light and water, and light is chrism.” (Gospel of Philip)

“The tree of life, however, is in the middle of the garden. It is an olive tree, and from it comes chrism, and from chrism comes resurrection.”(Gospel of Philip)

“Chrism is superior to baptism. We are called Christians from the word “chrism,” not from the word “baptism.” Christ also has his name from chrism, for the father anointed the son, the son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us.” (Gospel of Philip)

“But when the seed is revealed, then perfect light will shine on everyone, and all who are in the light will [receive the] chrism.” (Gospel of Philip)

“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)

By Christer Hamre

Political Universe

Political Universe

Jer 10:1 ¶ Hear ye the word which Yahweh hath spoken unto you, O house of Israel:––
2 Thus, saith Yahweh––Unto the way of the nations, become not ye accustomed, Nor, at the signs of the heavens, be ye dismayed,––Because the nations are dismayed at them.

The bible mostly uses very straightforward language. The majority is a simple communication. Error is often made when people 'interpret' according to their theories, out of context, the simple communication as symbolic. To further confuse, some others may interpret prophetic 'symbolic' language as literal.

The Deity’s signs are in the political universe. This, in a sense corresponds to the physical universe, which has its earth, sea, and firmament or aerial expanse; in which are set its greater and lesser lights, and constellations -- its Sun, Moon, and Stars. It has its hurricanes, eclipses, hailstorms, and so forth, which affect injuriously those who belong to the Body Politic, whether they be rulers or the common people.

Heavens Representing Rulership. the heavens can refer to the Deity in his sovereign position. Thus, when Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the experience the Babylonian emperor was due to have would make him “know that the heavens are ruling,” it meant the same as knowing “that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind.”—Da 4:25, 26.

heaven and earth are Two states of mind, the ideal spiritual mind heaven and the lower carnal mind the earth. There are two planes of consciousness, the heaven and the earth, or more properly, "the heavens and the earth." One is the realm of the Christ consciousness of pure thoughts in harmony with the Divine mind; the other, is the thinking of the flesh or carnal mind. By becoming sons of God we can reflect his "image" and "likeness" to be transformed into the spiritual man.

Jesus says Lk 21:25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Heavens and Earth:

The heavens and earth encompass our whole experience of the natural world. In analogy, in prophecy, they relate to the whole political world. The aspects of the political world, the focus of the bible prophecy, are related to aspects we understand of the natural world. In the political world some are elevated above others into ruling positions. Those great ones that rule are 'high' above the ordinary person and are said to be in 'the heavens'. The Hebrew for 'heaven'(sha^mayim) is from a word for 'lofty', or 'high'. One can rise in power into the political heavens, and likewise descend.

Lam 2:1 ¶  How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!

Mt 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Lu 10:15  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
Lu 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

 The ordinary person is said to be of the earth. 

In Hebrew a word for 'earth' (ăda^ma^h) is related to the name Adam.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. (Psalm 96:11)
Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: (Isaiah 1:2)
Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! (Isaiah 44:23)
In all of these instances the heavens and earth have human emotions, and skills, which inanimate nature cannot have. They are poetry and prophecy are analogy. Isaiah particularly uses this analogy
Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth;
for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:13)
Isaiah is both poetry and prophecy. Note the poetic pairs: heavens - people, earth - afflicted.
In any instance when you read 'heavens' in a prophetic book, or a prophetic song, where it is speaking of the fate of nations, think first it means political heavens.

Heavens Shake & Earthquake

In the natural world the heavens do not shake. But in the political 'heavens' large events can 'shake' the political structure. Isaiah uses this image, note how the shaking is the result of God's anger. God is not angry at the natural world, rather at the people who live on earth.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:13)
If the earth are the common people a great earthquake, is an event that like a natural earthquake changes their political world. This symbol or analogy is also used throughout the western world.
An example from a source which is not religious at all is the 'Socialist Review, No.126, December 1989, pp.11-14', by Tony Cliff titled “Earthquake in the East”
We are witnessing the most massive earthquake of the social and political order in Eastern Europe. It is on a scale reminiscent of 1848 and 1917.....To understand an earthquake you have to look at the pressure inside the system. It is summed up with Marx’s statement that when the social system becomes a brake on the development of the productive forces, the epoch of the social revolution starts.

Note Tony Cliff does not explain he is using an analogy- he uses the word 'earthquake' as synonymous for revolution, assuming his audience understands. In revelation, this analogy of an earthquake is used a few times.
The smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Rev 8:4-5)
There is no way in the natural world a fire will cause the earth to quake! This is symbolic of people.

Sun & Moon

Just as the sun dominates the heavens of the natural world, so the sun is representative of the supreme ruler in the political world. The moon is the lesser ruler. Jacob had not trouble understanding his son Joseph's dream.
“Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me. ”He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?”(Genesis 37:9-10)
In the tribe of Israel now numbering many people in the extended family, Jacob was the supreme ruler, and his wife was secondary by virtue of reflected glory. Isaiah is clearly not speaking of the natural moon and sun, when he writes,

Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.(Isaiah 24:23)

 But we can easily understand how the religious authority, who are secondary to the national leaders and secondary in the political 'heavens', like the moon, will be put to silence by such an event.

Just as the natural sun and moon set and rise, so do kings and religious powers. They can be covered or decrease. They can also be 'turned to blood', which means they are attacked violently and wounded.

Stars

We understand this word, thanks to Hollywood's use of the term in the early 1900's, before electric light spillage prevented us from seeing stars and Satnav replaced all navigation by stars. If someone says “for the stars, silver is the new black”, we would not look with concern to the heavens, but rather conclude famous people were wearing silver in preference to black. Stars in prophetic analogy also are famous people. They may not be political rulers, though some have such a personality they become stars. Some stars become political rulers. Daniel explains the analogy
Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and those who turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)
The wise shall have influence or 'shine' so we know of them like we see natural stars. Deborah uses this rich language in her song of victory
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.(Judges 5:19-20)
Sisera was not defeated by stars doing strange things. If we read the parallel account, he was defeated by the kings of Canaan. (See Judges chapter 4)  Notice the poetic links: kings came = from the sky, Kings of Canaan = stars, and, waters = courses.

Philosophical Oracle

Philosophical Oracle

Proverbs 1:2 for one to know wisdom and discipline, to discern the sayings of understanding, 3 to receive the discipline that gives insight, righteousness and judgment and uprightness, 4 to give to the inexperienced ones shrewdness, to a young man knowledge and thinking ability.

The consciousness of Understanding comes into manifestation in two ways or through two channels, viz.: body and language. Truth is ever seeking expression through these two channels. In this lesson we consider Wisdom's expression through spoken language. If you have attained to this consciousness, your “speech will always be seasoned with salt.” Col. 4:6 "out of the abundance (of wisdom) of the heart the mouth will speak" its wisdom; your utterances will be from the wisdom consciousness; and therefore will be wise.

Education in early times, before the era of books, consisted in oral teaching, or training under a tutor, who presented his ideas in the form of trite sayings, epigrams, proverbs, parables and allegories, which embodied truth in the form most readily understood and remembered.

1-4. To intellect the wisdom of the Solomon consciousness expresses itself in terms of spoken language, uttered for the purpose of conveying its "wisdom," "instruction," understanding and "discretion" to everyone who is meek enough to receive it.

What is the first step in developing wisdom? The exercising of our perceptive faculties. As we develop perception we learn "to discern the words of understanding."

How do we do this? The obvious way is to submit ourselves to training under persons who already have understanding and perception. We can also train ourselves through meditation, prayer, and study.

How do we acquire the mental acuteness called "prudence" in this lesson? Mental acuteness is a product of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. We acquire it as we progress in these four quickened faculties.

Why are knowledge and discretion rare gifts in young people? Because young people generally give little heed to them. Although the faculties are available to everyone, the person who develops them becomes outstanding in comparison with those who fail in this regard.

 

E=MC2 vs C=FP2

E=MC2- vs C=FP2

Well, I am no Einstein, not even a physicist, but I believe there is spiritual wisdom hidden in this natural law. Let’s consider the divine equation revealed to Einstein: E=MC². Why divine? As mentioned before, it is because all truths support The Truth. All the truths from math, science, chemistry, etc exist because they shadow a higher Truth.
So back to E=MC² where E is energy, M is mass, and C is the speed of light in a vacuum. One thing we know from this equation is that energy and mass are directly related. In fact, one could really think of all matter as condensed light! Hard to even imagine how much light is stored in our small, frail bodies. Converting this natural equation into a spiritual one is difficult, but here is my understanding.
It seems clear that C (speed of Light and a constant) is the shadow of God’s glory, power and will because they are both constants. Some “science sticklers” may bring up the point that the speed of light is not constant except in the vacuum of space and is slower in other mediums. Well, I think this fact also relates to a spiritual truth. If the speed of light {C} is the shadow of God’s will or power then let’s consider if it is the same at every level of existence. It seems clear that God’s will is not always done here on Earth. On the other hand, God’s will before time and space in the void was done at that moment called “here and now.” In that moment God’s will or power is constant and there is nothing greater. This is like the speed of light. In the void, the speed of light {C} is a constant. Like God’s will and power, “C” only becomes lessened, in a sense, in lower mediums like our world. So now, back to the equation at hand.
I believe that E (energy) is a shadow of our consciousness, or spiritual energy if you like. Our spiritual energy is our “light” that Jesus said we should not keep hidden. I think then M (mass) represents our faith in God. Faith is the substance of our spiritual life like mass is the substance of all things. Things exist in this world because they have mass. God exists in our consciousness because we have faith. Faith has spiritual weight like mass has weight. So, the equation for this is spiritual law then would be as follows:
Consciousness of God {C} = Faith in God {F} x Power of God² {P²} or C=FP².
Let’s consider this spiritual theory. The first question that might arise is why P²? Well, again in this world we have the Holy Spirit and the Son helping us to the Father, so this would be P x P or P². The power of God {P} “squared” sounds a bit absurd, but man cannot even fathom a single P. Can you imagine God’s power? Wouldn’t trying to grasp God’s power {P} be like counting to infinity? If we can agree that God has power that cannot be measured, why then would it be any different for P x P? See my point? So let’s test this theory as best we can.
When our Consciousness of God {C} increases then does our Faith {F}, or closeness to God also increases? Yes, I believe this true. Our awareness of God is directly proportional to our faith and closeness to God.
JAS 4:7 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
As our faith grows, we grow closer to God and our understanding and knowledge of him and life increases. Einstein was certainly no dummy! What he discovered in the natural has its meaning in the spiritual just as every shadow has its higher reality. Perhaps in “heaven” we will have P³- the power of Father, Son and Holy Spirit available to our consciousness! We can’t even imagine! Talk about being able to fly high! Until they then though, it seems we are to remain a bit “grounded” by the earthly forces that be.

GRAVITY-
1COR 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Gravity may be my favorite force of nature. Why? This is because without a doubt it represents God’s love. As Paul alludes to, love is the greatest “force” in the spiritual universe! Gravity, like God’s love, is a complete mystification. Man cannot explain the force of gravity, but simply labels it a “law” that just is the way it is. We have no earthly idea why objects attract one another, but without gravity (and certainly God's love), life as we know it could not exist.
If one examines the law of gravity closely and then looks up to find the higher law or force it represents, we must come to the conclusion that God’s love is the spiritual form of gravity. They seem to parallel each other in every way imaginable. Like God, gravity is ever present, ever active, ever lasting. It doesn’t run out, run down and it is everywhere there is mass. The greater that mass of an object is the greater is the force of gravity. Again, spiritual mass would represent our faith or nearness to God. The closer we get to God, the stronger our love (spiritual gravity) becomes. This is the higher law of Love.

GAL 5:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
It is written that God is love, and any that love are born of God. What a profound mystery that Love has created. It seems clear that the will of gravity and the will of God are the same- to be ONE. Both are constant, unyielding and dominating in their kingdoms. Gravity and God’s love affects all things at all times. It is unwavering no matter the circumstances. What is really interesting is what happens when gravity is taken to extreme limits.
The notion of “black holes” was at first mere speculation. Then later they became theoretical, but today they are all but accepted as fact. The black hole is all about extreme gravity. It is a sinkhole for all mass and energy- even light. The force of gravity becomes so strong that it overpowers all other forces of the universe! Now, that sounds like God’s love! It seems that within a black hole, the laws of physics are superseded by a higher order of “laws” just as Christ supersedes the Law of Moses.
As discussed in the article The Meaning of Life, matter and consciousness are inversely related in that as matter decreases in the universe, overall consciousness increases. So in the black hole, matter is taken from this world and consciousness is given into the spiritual realm. Again recall the spiritual equation of consciousness:
Consciousness {C} = Faith in God {F} x Power of God² {P²}
As our faith grows, our consciousness (or awareness) of God’s will also increases. This is the same relationship we see with gravity within the black hole. The black hole is drawing all things together just as God is drawing us all back so that God is all in all. The closer the mass becomes the greater the force of gravity. God’s love increases as we come together as well. We are called to love our neighbor as our self, but do we realize why? It is because we are all part of the Body of Christ. As we come together because of the overpowering force of God’s love, we become ONE body! And like the mass transformed in the black hole, we are also transformed into a higher state of being in Christ!
What I also find interesting is a black hole is likely formed when a large star goes super nova. In other words, once a star has surrendered a critical amount of mass through the process of fusion, it then explodes and collapses upon itself. It gives all that it can, and then it begins to take EVERYTHING back! This is the nature of God and the “Cycle of Life,”. If all has come from God and all is returning to God, then love is the gravity making this possible.

Gnostic Christianity's Response to Terrorism

 Gnostic Christianity's Response to Terrorism

Hate repaid with hate is twice the hate. Return hate with love is the true Christian response to terrorism. Non-violence illustrate this response. Wars have killed billions. If we practiced what Jesus and Paul taught terrorism would have been defeated by love.

Love "is the answer". Non-violence is its weapon. Peace and abundance is love's reward.

In their own words, Jesus and Paul's response to terrorism is:

Jesus in Matt 5:38-42 (JBV)43 “YOU heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous. 46 For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? 48 YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect.

Paul in Rm 12:14-21(JBV)

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be patronizing but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone. Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God's anger. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine-I will pay them back, the Lord promises. But there is more: If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food, and if he is thirsty, let him drink. Thus you heap red-hot coals on his head. Resist evil and conquer it with good.

Paul in Phil 2:1-6 (JBV)

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first, but everybody thinks of other people's interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus: His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God.

 

Egyptian Symbolism: Three Stories Become One (Paperback)

By Christen Hamre

https://www.bookdepository.com/Egyptian-Symbolism-Christer-Hamre/9781788308830

https://www.waterstones.com/book/egyptian-symbolism/christer-hamre/9781788308830

"Christer Hamre shines new light on Middle Eastern history in setting out to show that the biblical scriptures and the Gnostic scriptures are from one and the same root story, a story about the belief systems in Egypt. The significance of Egyptian numerology, the number system in ancient texts, and its rich symbolism are the basis for some intriguing findings. Judaism is really an Egyptian story. The centre of Judeo-Christian culture was not Jerusalem but Luxor in Egypt. Jesus Christ and Tutankhamen were one and the same person. Most revolutionary is the re-dating of events to the tune of 1,300 years. The depth and breadth of research into documents and artifacts builds a powerful case that will be an invigorating challenge for the discerning reader."

My interpretation of the Nag Hammadi Library

 My interpretation of the Nag Hammadi Library

My interpretation of the Nag Hammadi Library when the different uses of words in different scripts, but with similar content, are decoded is:

Spirit is the same as Mind. Psyche is what is named the holy spirit, it is a woman, symbolised with Zoe in the Garden of Eden. Mind is not physical, but the woman is physical, she is the word. Adam was lured by her (mother nature), and he copulated with her (the forbidden fruit), and he materialized as the physical Man in nature. It is a story of the birth of consciousness.

I like the Song of Songs in the Bible, about Solomon, and it shows that also he was the same as Adam, and he fell in love with her. Some say it is the greatest love song ever, but it is not a song about historical people. It was a story about how physical consciousness came into being, by the fact that Man fell in love with The Garden (mother nature).

The story clearly states that man came from Mind and materialized in the Psyche (word). The word is what grounds us, and it can easyily be observed when one stops the inner talk (content of the psyche). If the inner talk is stopped, there will only be mind, and the psyche will be dormant. Every time the waking ego starts talking to itself again, it will be grounded in the physical image that is created by the word (self-hypnosis).

God is Mind, and physical expression is the Psyche. The Son is the one that express itself through its Psyche (holy spirit). Since the Psyche is the Mother, and she has no substance, she is off course a virgin. Jesus tried to tell people that all are projecting themselves into the physical image, but for the one caught in the psyche that is not so easy to understand. Seems like James understood it though, he who was named the brother of Jesus, by Jesus, even if they were not related.

Another way to say it is that being in flesh is like awakening in a dream, the dream becomes dense and is observed as matter. In dreams when the body sleeps there are no time and no space, and the substance is like a hologram, but it feels real even if no bodily senses are participating in the dream. The density of the physical realm is what creates the sensation of time moving in one direction. In dreams while sleeping the word direction has no meaning, the dream is not limited by either time or space. I have hence for myself concluded that Jesus talked about this projection of the inner being out into the flesh of the outer being. If you knew about the inner entity you would also know Jesus, and you would also know his Father. He always talked about this inner entity (Osiris), and not the outer being (Seth). The stories in ancient times were told with symbolism because it is difficult to talk about such things if they are not packed in metaphors.

The hardest thing to realize is that matter is an illusion, an illusion created by the mind. So, the NHL scripts are correct, the story say that the unimagniable Father is The Mind, the observer of all the other minds (spirits). God materialises himself through his creations, and hence he is hidden behind his light. The Psyche (named Sopdet in Egypt), the first Psyche, came from Mind (God). She got a son named Sopdu in Egypt, and he is the Mind-Psyche behind the entity Horus. But before Sopdet God created his Son, he is named Sah in Egypt. Sah is the spiritual mind from physical Osiris (the inner person).

it is difficult to formulate the words correctly in a short text

The psyche has no substance, but the woman has. That means that Earth, which is that woman, has substance.

But the Earth is projected from the unsubstantial psyche, the image that is experienced as the flesh comes from the psyche that has no substance. The image is an illusion, though it is real, one can navigate and act in this illusion.

It is difficult to talk about a subjective world that becomes objective, and that the subjective world is prior to the objective world.

I know Egyptian Symbolism and I can see things spoken about in the NHL that is hidden for those that do not recognize that NHL is Egyptian stories written in words. The NHL learned me much more about Egypt than what is available in Egypt itself about the connected stories. The stories in Egypt are short, and they are also not in one line of thought, hence compilation of symbols may change drasticly. The good thing about NHL is that the stories are complex, and it helped me a lot to put faces to the names in NHL.

Editor's Question: Mind is the 8th level in the discourse on the 8th and 9th what is the 9th and 10th levels

there are 14 levels, and Paul reached the tenth according to Apocalypse of Paul. Jesus/Osiris will be the 13th, and the 14th is the Father himself. Horemheb was he who built the tenth pylon/pillar at the Tempel of Karnak. It is still missing the 11th-13th pillar there.

I can before that time give you the information about the 1st to the 14th as a quote from NHL :)

The Apocalypse of Paul should be read as well to see what he thought abouth the 10th.

__________________________________________

Now, the first kingdom says of the illuminator that he came from . . . a spirit . . . to heaven. He was nourished in the heavens. He received the glory of that one and the power. He came to the bosom of his mother, and in this way he came to the water.

And the second kingdom says of him that he came from a great prophet. And a bird came, took the child who was born, and brought him onto a high mountain. And he was nourished by the bird of heaven. An angel came forth there. He said to him, “Rise! God has given you glory.” He received glory and strength, and in this way he came to the water.

The third kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin womb. He was cast out of his city, he and his mother; he was brought to a desert place. He was nourished there. He came and received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

The fourth kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin. . . . Solomon sought her, he and Phersalo and Sauel and his armies, which had been sent out. Solomon himself sent his army of demons to seek out the virgin. And they did not find the one whom they sought, but the virgin who was given to them. It was she whom they fetched. Solomon took her. The virgin became pregnant and gave birth to the child there. She nourished him on a border of the desert. When he was nourished, he received glory and power from the seed from which he was conceived, and in this way he came to the water.

And the fifth kingdom says of him that he came from a drop from heaven. He was thrown into the sea. The abyss received him, gave birth to him, and brought him to heaven. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

And the sixth kingdom says that one . . . came down to the realm that is below in order to gather flowers. She became pregnant from the desire of the flowers. She gave birth to him in that place. The angels of the flower garden nourished him. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the seventh kingdom says of him that he is a drop and came from heaven to earth. Dragons brought him down to caves, and he became a child. A spirit came over him and raised him to the place from where the drop had come. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the eighth kingdom says of him that a cloud came over the earth and enveloped a rock. He came from it. The angels above the cloud nourished him. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the ninth kingdom says of him that from the nine muses one separated. She came to a high mountain and spent some time seated there, so that she desired her own body in order to become androgynous. She fulfilled her desire and became pregnant from her desire. He was born. The angels who were over the desire nourished him. And he received glory there and power, and in this way he came to the water.

The tenth kingdom says of him that his god loved a cloud of desire. He fathered him in his hand and cast upon the cloud above him some of the drop, and he was born. He received glory and power there, and in this way he came to the water.

And the eleventh kingdom says of him that the father desired his own daughter. She was pregnant from her father. She cast her child . . . tomb out in the desert. The angel nourished him there, and in this way he came to the water.

The twelfth kingdom says of him that he came from two luminaries. He was nourished there. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water.

And the thirteenth kingdom says of him that every birth of their ruler is a word. And this word received a mandate there. He received glory and power, and in this way he came to the water, that the desire of those powers might be satisfied.

But the generation without a king says that god chose him from all the eternal realms. He caused knowledge of the one of truth, who is undefiled, to reside in him. He said, “Out of a foreign air, from a huge eternal realm, the great illuminator appeared. And he made the generation of those people whom he had chosen for himself shine, so that they should shine on the whole eternal realm.”

By Christen Hamre

https://www.bookdepository.com/Egyptian-Symbolism-Christer-Hamre/9781788308830

I AM

I AM-

EX 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.' "

I am. Is there anything more true or pure than this statement? Many years ago when my mind was much darker and my pride much greater, I believed that those “New Agers” who went around saying “I AM” were a bunch of evil idiots. Well, I guess I owe them an apology. I am learning not to scoff so easily because truth is found everywhere if we have the eyes to see it. They like so many other “religions” have truth in them, but keeping this truth from the corruption of the natural mind is the hard part. Even so, there is great truth in the statement, “I AM.” The Eastern religions long ago discovered this truth, so Moses wasn’t the only one.

Moses came into the presence of God, and God’s name was I AM. What does “I AM” mean? Well, among other possibilities, it means I exist. It means there is no name that is sufficient for “I.” Who is this “I?” The “I” is the true self- your spirit from God. This “I” does not change, but simply reaches higher and higher realizations as consciousness increases. This is what Jesus did. Jesus came to realize that he wasn’t the man of flesh the world called Jesus.

JN 8:58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am.”

Jesus became aware that he was truly spirit from God, so he existed before his body of flesh did. The prophet Jeremiah said that God knew him before he was in the womb. So the real Jesus didn’t come into being in Mary’s womb, but exists eternally in the mind of God as we all do. He existed before Mary gave him the name Jesus. He existed before the world taught him to be Jewish. He existed before and after his body was crucified. Jesus knew that he wasn’t flesh or soul, which can both be destroyed in this world. Jesus realized that “I” is his true, spiritual self from God. Remember that born of flesh is flesh and will die. That born of God is spirit and cannot die. So who am “I”?

Many times we will say things like, “I am hungry” or “I am short.” However, the truth is my body is hungry and my body is short. “I” am not a body of flesh. Jesus said the flesh counts for nothing because the spirit gives life. “I” use my body to move through this world, but it is no more who I AM than the car I drive. So, I am not my body.

It is the same with the mind “I” use. If I say, “I am angry!” It is really our mind that feels this feeling. “I am” above my mind. I can change my mind, so that I am not angry. The mind is something I have- a helper. Adam was given Eve as a helper, so the spirit is given the mind. Yet, my mind is not who I am. The mind can fall into state of depression for little or no reason, but “I” can override the mind and choose to be happy. This “I” is the true, higher self. This is who I am.

The world will also try to tell me who I am with labels. The world will say I am an American, but I know better. The world will try to tell me I am a white man, but I know better. The world will try to tell me that I am funny, or skinny, or short or intelligent, but I know better. The world labels the outer you while God calls the inner you his child. Again, peel off the layers the world wraps us in. I am not a Christian. If “I” were born in another place would “I” be a Hindu? No, “I” am the same person, but with different layers given by the world. The world of shadows cannot tell us who we are. God tells us who we are.

PS 82:6 “I said, ‘You are Gods. You are all sons of the Most High!’”

God calls us his OFFSPRING, and so we are this and nothing less. When Paul says there is not male or female in Christ, don’t we believe him? When he says there are no labels of any kind in Christ, don’t we believe him?

COL 3:11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

So if we are in Christ, then we are not any of these things, but simply part of the Body of Christ. If we are the Body of Christ, then we have the spirit of Christ- the spirit of sonship! We are the Sons of God coming to this world to do God’s will on earth as it is in heaven!

So the true self is the Son of God. The false self is called the son of the devil. I have the choice to serve either. While our ego and carnal mind may deceive us for a time, the power and light of Christ grows stronger each day. The day is coming when our will and Christ’s will be one. The time draws nearer when the voice we used to call God’s is accepted as our very own.

Ransom and Redemption

Ransom and Redemption

Christ came to ransom some, to save others, to redeem others. He ransomed those who were strangers and made them his own. And he set his own apart, those whom he gave as a pledge according to his plan. It was not only when he appeared that he voluntarily laid down his life, but he voluntarily laid down his life from the very day the world came into being. Then he came first in order to take it, since it had been given as a pledge. It fell into the hands of robbers and was taken captive, but he saved it. He redeemed the good people in the world as well as the evil. (Gospel of Philip)

 , 24 and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom [paid] by Christ Jesus.

The word for "redemption" is the Greek apolutroseos, from the verb apolutroo, which signifies to redeem by paying the full (apo) ransom (lutron) price. It has the idea of a release from captivity through the purchase of freedom.

This has been obtained by the sacrifice of Christ in which he has dissolve or nullified the law of condemnation for himself and those who believe and obey him (BASF, clause 8). 

Thus, the redemption from sin's flesh seen accomplished in the Lord, is also available to his people. Christ is the author of salvation (Jn. 3:16).

Three Greek words rendered "redeemed" are used in relation to the principle of redemption

(1) — To buy in the slave market. See ICor. 6:20; 7:23; 2Pet. 2:1. Christ has entered the market of humanity, coming under the dominion of death himself (Rom. 6:9) through the nature he bore identically with us, that he might purchase from the dominion of sin (Rom. 6:14) those upon whom he places his Name.

(2)— to buy out of (Gr, ek) the slave market. See Gal. 3:13; 4:5. This has the idea of the freedom extended after being released from the former master. In this sense, Christ has acted as a deliverer by "bringing many sons to glory" (Heb. 2:10), taking them out of the sphere of flesh to "deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (v. 15).

(3)  — to set free by paying a price. See Tit. 2:14; IPet. 1:18. This includes the principle of payment involved in the transaction. The means of redemption is emphasized, it being accomplished through the death of Christ "with the precious blood" (IPet. 1:19) that speaks of the sacrificial process undertaken by the Lord. Thus, the process of redemption is demonstrated: In order to perform the will
of Yahweh, that mankind be redeemed from the dominion of death into which they had fallen through transgression, it was necessary that Jesus enter into the "market place" (agorazo) which he did by being of the same nature as those he came to save (Heb. 2:14). Whilst in that arena, he paid the price necessary (lutroo) by freely giving of his "precious blood" (IPet 1:9) for himself (Heb. 13:20) and for those purchased (Lk. 22:20). By that means, as our great high priest (Heb. 4:14) he has led us out (ekkagorazo) of the market place of hopeless humanity, to bring us into full harmony with Yahweh (Heb. 6:20).

translated "ransom" are also different in the Greek. In Mark the word is lutron, and signifies "a means of loosing", from luo, to loose (see Gal. 1:4; John 10:17-18), but in Timothy it is antilutron, and signifies "the price paid" — lutron, "equivalent to" — anti, what is necessary. So the use of the word antilutron indicated that the price necessary to free all had been paid.

Under the law, ransom was the price paid for redemption, as, for example, the freeing of a slave (see Exod. 30:11-16, and compare with IPet. 1:7). The Scriptures set forward the hope of redemption (Job 19:25), the problem and price of redemption (Psa. 49:7-9), the result of redemption (Hos. 13:14; Isa. 35:10), the fact of redemption (ICor. 6:20; 7:23).

The Representative Nature of Christ's Offering

20 The soul that is sinning—it itself will die. A son himself will bear nothing because of the error of the father, and a father himself will bear nothing because of the error of the son. Upon his own self the very righteousness of the righteous one will come to be, and upon his own self the very wickedness of a wicked one will come to be.

Jesus did not die as a substitute offering. Yahweh denied the principle of substitution in Ezek. 18:20, and this is shown in the offering of Christ. If Jesus died as a substitute, there would be no room for forgiveness, for forgiveness is completely out of place in a debt that has been fully paid. But that forgiveness is required, is shown in Rom. 3:25.

25 God set him forth as an offering for propitiation through faith in his blood. This was in order to exhibit his own righteousness, because he was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past while God was exercising forbearance

Christ offered for us, not instead of us (ICor. 15:3; Jn. 10:15,18; Heb. 7:25). His resurrection was as necessary for justification as his death (Rom. 4:25; 8:34; ICor. 15:14-18) which demonstrates that the substitution doctrine is wrong, for did he rise instead of those who will be saved! The offering of Jesus reveals what is necessary for us to obtain life — to renounce the flesh and live unto God.

As he was crucified, so must we be (Gal. 5:24); as he rose to newness of life, so also must we (Rom. 6:4). By this means,

Christ, having obtained redemption for himself and for us (Heb. 9:12;  in which he has dissolve or nullified the law of condemnation for himself and those who believe and obey him (BASF, clause 8). Thus, the redemption from sin's flesh seen accomplished in the Lord, is also available to his people. Christ is the author of salvation (Jn. 3:16).

What does it mean to be "born again"?

What does it mean to be "born again"?

Truth did not come into the world naked but in symbols and images. The world cannot receive truth in any other way. There is rebirth and an image of rebirth, and it is by means of this image that one must be reborn. What image is this? It is resurrection. Image must arise through image. By means of this image the bridal chamber and the image must approach the truth. This is restoration.

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)

The "image of rebirth" which speaks of those who have obtained the perfect gnosis being born again into the power that is above all things. This rebirth has its heavenly counterpart (the 'image of rebirth' that is the resurrection) 

"There is rebirth and an image of rebirth" Christ's 3-fold "birth": (1) virgin birth (Luk 1:35), (2) baptism (Mat 3:17), and (3) resurrection (Rom 1:3,4).

Traditionally Baptism symbolizes acceptance of God. For Gnostic Christians, Baptism means to be born "as children of choice and knowledge". (Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, p. 62.) 

In early Gnosticism, Baptism represents that instant when an initiate first understands Jesus' knowledge teachings. This understanding surfaces in Jn 3:7, "unless one is born anew…or from above [preferred to born again]…he cannot see [comprehend] the kingdom of God."

What does "born again" mean?

"Born Anew" (Jn 3:3 rsv) and "Born from above" (3:3 jbv) are closer to the first century Greek than "born again" (3:3 kjv). In Gnostic Christianity, Jesus' words "truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" (3:3 rsv) meant that unless one's reasoning mind/flesh is born anew in Christ consciousness (Stage IV), he cannot comprehend the possibility of a kingdom of God here on earth. If the jbv of 3:3, "born from above" is preferred, it, too, infers that the reasoning mind must be elevated to the same level as that of God. The kjv of 3:3, however, encourages us to understand that we must be reborn, in a mystical sense, through belief in Jesus. In effect, the kjv supports Orthodox Christianity's belief that Jesus is Lord and Savior, whereas the rsv and jbv support the idea that Jesus' logos/logic teachings renew our minds.

Born from above

The awakening of man to a consciousness of his unity with the Eternal Spirit; the change from carnal to spiritual consciousness through the begetting and quickening power of the word of Truth. It is the change that comes here and now. Jesus made no mention of resurrection after death as having any part in the new birth. "Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Begetting and quickening take place in man's inner consciousness, but the process of being "born anew" (John 3:3) includes the whole man, spirit, soul, and body. To be born again is to be made "a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17) having "this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5) and a body like unto His glorious body.

rebirth, change following--Moral regeneration: Tit 3:5; 1Pe 1:23-25; Gal 4:29; Rom 8:4-9. When man is begotten and born of the Word he is no longer "flesh . . . as grass" (I Pet. 1:24) but is eternal and abiding, not subject to death and corruption.

Nicodemus (John 3:1-15) was not acquainted with the power of Spirit, and had no understanding of regeneration although he was a "teacher of Israel " Israel meaning thoughts pertaining to the religious department of the mind:

The new birth is a vague uncertainty to the intellectual Christian, hence there has gradually been evolved a popular belief in a change to come to the soul after death in those who have accepted the church creed and been counted Christians. But in his instructions to Nicodemus, Jesus makes no mention of a postmortem resurrection. He cites the blowing of the wind as an example of those who are born of Spirit. The new birth is a change that comes here and now. It has to do with the present man, the "Son of man," the real I AM in each of us. "And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even BO must the Son of man be lifted up." This man in each of us is divine now, is in heaven now, but his manifestation is still in limbo. He must be lifted out of this condition into a spiritual one; this is being "born anew."

The two important factors in the new-birth process are to put away the old and to receive the new. Water is the natural and familiar symbol of cleansing from impurity, sin, and all its material filth. Spirit is the principle of the new life of harmony, the power from on high that puts in divine order both mind and body.

The Pharisees refused to be baptized by John. They did not consider that they needed the repentance that he demanded. They thought that they were good enough to take high places in the kingdom of God, because of their popularly accepted religious supremacy. Many people today refuse to deny their short-comings: they hold that they are now perfect in Divine Mind and that it is superfluous to deny that which has no existence. However, they are still subject to the appetites and passions of carnality, and will continue to be so until they are "born anew."

The new birth may be explained in a few words, as follows: It is the change from carnal to spiritual consciousness through the begetting and quickening power of the word of Truth. The begetting and quickening take place in man's inner consciousness, and the process of being born anew includes the whole of man--spirit, soul, and body. To be born again is to be made a "new creature," having "this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," and a body like "the body of his glory."

Covenant Relationship With God

Covenant Relationship With God

A Personal Relationship With God

covenant--A solemn agreement or compact between two or more parties. "My covenant shall stand fast with him" (Psalms 89:28).


Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 17:2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly

What is the significance of God’s covenant with Abraham? This covenant represents the development of faith from so-called “blind” faith to faith that becomes great through spiritual understanding.


The most oft repeated feature of the promises to Abraham can be easily overlooked. Notice how the personal pronouns are the key words: " I will establish my covenant…between me and you and your descendants…to be your God…I will be their God" (Gen. 17:6-8).

God Almighty is committing Himself to Abraham and Abraham's seed in a way so insistent and so awesome that only contemplation of it can invoke the true sense of wonder which we ought to have at being in covenant relationship with God Almighty.

The fact that the basis of our relationship with God is an eternal covenant means that we do not drift in and out of fellowship with God according to our awareness of Him. We are His people. Every hour of every day.


What is indispensable to the proper observance of a covenant? A substantial understanding and a willingness to observe the terms and provisions of the covenant. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”


Gen 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.

What significance to us has the rite of circumcision? “Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter.” It signifies clean, upright, unselfish, faith-centered life, with everything that would interfere with its proper functioning eliminated.

53. His disciples asked him: "Is circumcision useful or not?" He replied: "If it were useful then they would be born already circumcised. On the other hand, true circumcision in the spirit is entirely beneficial.' (The Gospel of Thomas Saying 53)


Jeremiah, one of the greatest of the Prophets has the vision of God making a covenant with man. And he says, “I will put my law in their inward parts and in their heart while I write it, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.” It was probably the first awareness of the law of consciousness, the law of mind action, the law of cause and effect.




Jeremiah, for example, prophesized that the new covenant will not be written on tablets of stone (externally recorded) but rather on the heart, meaning within the mind. See Eph 1:18 Note S. "Jeremiah sees the terms of the new covenant written not on tables of stone, i.e., promulgated externally, but written upon the heart, i.e., understood by the mind of each member of the restored Israel (31:22f)." (244)

“I WILL BE WITH YOU”

There are two other things promised to Abraham and his descendants: “I will be their God…I will be with you” (Gen. 17:8; 26:3; 28:15 cf. Ex. 6:7). The Lord Jesus Christ is ‘God with us’ (Emmanuel, Is. 7:14).




In what way did Jesus Christ become the “mediator of a new covenant”? Jesus proved anew that, by loving the things of spiritual significance and seeking to express them, man enters into a vital relation with God and finds the satisfaction that is “life indeed.” This bringing of life and immortality to light gave men a new understanding of God and led them to enter into a new relation with him.



Third, Paul illustrates that an oath of God stands behind Jesus' priesthood. "Another distinctive mark of the new covenant is that an oath (of God) accompanied its establishment. Priests in the Levitican order took their office without an oath. The high priest of the new covenant was addressed with an oath. Through the prophetic scriptures PS 110:4, God assured him [Jesus] that his appointment was firm and unchangeable. God is not going to change his mind [Paul concluded]. Jesus is, therefore, the surety of a better covenant because behind him and his mission stands the determination of God himself, who has bound himself with an oath and thereby firmly established his promise to men" GEN 7:20-22

James the Just

 James the Just, Apostle Brother of Jesus 

James (Ya'aqov) the Just was the Apostle brother of Jesus (Yeshua) the Nazarene who became the leader of the early Jewish-Christian community in Jerusalem. James and the other brothers initially didn't approve of Jesus' ministry. But they did become followers later, and were members of the early community of believers who lived in Jerusalem after Jesus departed. 

James was one of the three Apostles who were always with the Savior in the most intimate moments of His inner life and exaltation (James, John and Peter). Among the three he was the more learned on the formal side. James and the other early followers in Jerusalem still regarded themselves as Jewish and followers of The Way taught by Jesus. They worshiped regularly in the main Jewish Temple, and continued to adhere to many of the old Jewish laws and traditions. Outsiders regarded them as a new Jewish sect and refered to them as Nazarenes.

After Paul began to convert non-Jews to the faith, a dispute arose over whether these new converts had to follow the old Jewish religious laws and traditions. Around 48 CE, Paul traveled to Jerusalem to try to resolve the issue. According to the Canonical 'Book of Acts', it was James who made the final decision. The fact that James made the final decision indicates that at this time he was the highest authority in the existing Christian community in Jerusalem. 

According to Apostolic tradition, James was the author of the Canonical 'Epistle of James.'

Further evidence for the importance of his role was uncovered hidden in a cave in Egypt in 1945, with the discovery of 13 leather-bound codices containing 52 Apocryphal treatises buried in a sealed jar. Written in Coptic and Greek during the 3rd and 4th centuries the leather-bound codices became known as 'The Nag Hammadi Scriptures.' A passage found in 'The Gospel of Thomas', indicates that Jesus designated his brother James to take over the leadership after he departed. And 'The Secret Book of James' (Apocryphon of James) a letter attributed to James of esoteric revelations which Jesus made only to Peter and himself. Singled out at a time when the Apostles were together writing down their books of what they remembered of Christs words and life. 

But ultimately the overall leadership gradually shifted from James to Paul. This happened because the number of converts in other cities grew rapidly, and soon far outnumbered the members of the original group in Jerusalem. James died in 62 AD, as a result of conflicts with the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem. According to the 1st century Roman Jewish historian Flavis Josephus, a Jewish council condemned him 'on the charge of breaking the law,' then had him executed by stoning. Another account of James' death was reported by 3rd-4th century early Christian historian Eusebius of Caesarea. It says that the Pharisees, upset by his teachings, threw him from the summit of the Temple, stoned him, then broke his skull with a fuller's club. 

In 2002 an ancient ossuary (stone box which Jews used as a storage vessel for the bones of dead relatives) was discovered in Jerusalem bearing an Aramiac inscription 

'Ya'aqov bar Yosef akhui Yeshua' 

(James son of Joseph brother of Jesus) 

The ossuary was discovered empty and dates between the 1st century BC and 70 CE. And currently belongs to a private antiquities collector, its authenticity is still being questioned. If aithentic as indicated, the inscription would be the earliest surviving written reference to Jesus (Yeshua) the Nazarene. 

~“The Lord imparted the gnosis (knowledge) to James the Just, to John and Peter, after His Resurrection these delivered it to the rest of the Apostles, and they to the Seventy.”

-Clement of Alexandria

~"We are aware that you will depart from us, who will be our leader?"

Jesus answered "No matter where you come from, it is to James the Just that you shall go, for whose sake heaven and earth have come to exist." 

-The Gospel of Thomas

~You have asked me to send you a secret book revealed to Peter and me by the master, and I could not turn you down, nor could I speak to you, so I have written it in Hebrew and have sent it to you, and to you alone. But since you are a minister of the salvation of the saints, try to be careful not to reveal to many people this book that the savior did not want to reveal even to all of us, his twelve students. Nonetheless, those who will be saved through the faith of this treatise will be blessed.

~Now, the twelve students were all sitting together, recalling what the savior had said to each of them, whether in a hidden or an open manner, and organizing it in books. I was writing what is in my book. Look, the savior appeared, after he had left us, while we were watching for him. Five hundred fifty days after he rose from the dead, we said to him, 

“Did you depart and leave us?”

Jesus said, “No, but I shall return to the place from which I came. If you want to come with me, come.”

They all answered and said, 

“If you order us, we shall come.”

He said, “I tell you the truth, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven because I ordered it, but rather because you yourselves are filled. Leave James and Peter to me that I may fill them.”

When he called the two of them, he took them aside and commanded the rest to keep doing what they were doing.

~Again after this we wished to send our spirits up to the majesty. When we ascended, we were not allowed to see or hear anything. The other students called to us and asked us, 

“What did you hear from the teacher? What did he tell you? Where did he go?”

We answered them, “He ascended. He gave us his right hand, and promised all of us life. He showed us children coming after us, having commanded us to love them, since we are to be saved for their sakes.”

When they heard this, they believed the revelation, but they were angry about those who would be born. Not wishing to give them reason to take offense, I sent each of them to a different location. I myself went up to Jerusalem, praying that I might acquire a share with the loved ones who are to come.

I pray that the beginning may come from you. This is how I can be saved. They will be enlightened through me, by my faith, and through another’s that is better than mine. I wish mine to be the lesser.

-The Secret Book of James

~But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to Cæsar, had been sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares which they had laid for him, turned against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles.The following daring measures were undertaken by them against him.

Leading him into their midst they demanded of him that he should renounce faith in Christ in the presence of all the people. But, contrary to the opinion of all, with a clear voice, and with greater boldness than they had anticipated, he spoke out before the whole multitude and confessed that our Saviour and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. But they were unable to bear longer the testimony of the man who, on account of the excellence of ascetic virtue and of piety which he exhibited in his life, was esteemed by all as the most just of men, and consequently they slew him. Opportunity for this deed of violence was furnished by the prevailing anarchy, which was caused by the fact that Festus had died just at this time in Judea, and that the province was thus without a governor and head.

The manner of James’ death has been already indicated by the above-quoted words of Clement, who records that he was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple, and was beaten to death with a club. But Hegesippus, who lived immediately after the apostles, gives the most accurate account in the fifth book of his Memoirs. He writes as follows

“James, the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the Church in conjunction with the apostles.He has been called the Just by all from the time of our Saviour to the present day for there were many that bore the name of James.

He was holy from his mother’s womb and he drank no wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat flesh. No razor came upon his head he did not anoint himself with oil, and he did not use the bath. He alone was permitted to enter into the holy place for he wore not woolen but linen garments. And he was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship of God, and asking forgiveness for the people."

Because of his exceeding great justice he was called the Just, and Oblias, which signifies in Greek, ‘Bulwark of the people’ and ‘Justice,’ in accordance with what the prophets declare concerning him.

Now some of the seven sects, which existed among the people and which have been mentioned by me in the Memoirs, asked him, ‘What is the gate of Jesus?’

and he replied that he was the Saviour.

On account of these words some believed that Jesus is the Christ. But the sects mentioned above did not believe either in a resurrection or in one’s coming to give to every man according to his works. But as many as believed did so on account of James.

Therefore when many even of the rulers believed, there was a commotion among the Jews and Scribes and Pharisees, who said that there was danger that the whole people would be looking for Jesus as the Christ. Coming therefore in a body to James they said, 

‘We entreat thee, restrain the people for they are gone astray in regard to Jesus, as if he were the Christ. We entreat thee to persuade all that have come to the feast of the Passover concerning Jesus for we all have confidence in thee. For we bear thee witness, as do all the people, that thou art just, and dost not respect persons. Do thou therefore persuade the multitude not to be led astray concerning Jesus. For the whole people, and all of us also, have confidence in thee. Stand therefore upon the pinnacle of the temple, that from that high position thou mayest be clearly seen, and that thy words may be readily heard by all the people. For all the tribes, with the Gentiles also, are come together on account of the Passover.’

The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said

‘Thou just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, forasmuch as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus.’

And he answered with a loud voice, 

‘Why do ye ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of Man? He himself sitteth in heaven at the right hand of the great Power, and is about to come upon the clouds of heaven.’

And when many were fully convinced and gloried in the testimony of James, and said, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ 

these same Scribes and Pharisees said again to one another, ‘We have done badly in supplying such testimony to Jesus. But let us go up and throw him down, in order that they may be afraid to believe him.’

And they cried out, saying, ‘Oh! oh! the just man is also in error.’ And they fulfilled the Scripture written in Isaiah, ‘Let us take away the just man, because he is troublesome to us therefore they shall eat the fruit of their doings.’

So they went up and threw down the just man, and said to each other, 

‘Let us stone James the Just.’ 

And they began to stone him, for he was not killed by the fall but he turned and knelt down and said, ‘I entreat thee, Lord God our Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’

And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of the Rechabites, who are mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out, saying, 

‘Cease, what do ye? 

The just one prayeth for you.’

And one of them, who was a fuller, took the club with which he beat out clothes and struck the just man on the head. And thus he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him on the spot, by the temple, and his monument still remains by the temple. He became a true witness, both to Jews and Greeks, that Jesus is the Christ. And immediately Vespasian besieged them.

These things are related at length by Hegesippus, who is in agreement with Clement. James was so admirable a man and so celebrated among all for his justice, that the more sensible even of the Jews were of the opinion that this was the cause of the siege of Jerusalem, which happened to them immediately after his martyrdom for no other reason than their daring act against him.

Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his writings, where he says,  

“These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called the Christ. For the Jews slew him, although he was a most just man.”

And the same writer records his death also in the twentieth book of his Antiquities in the following words “But the emperor, when he learned of the death of Festus, sent Albinus to be procurator of Judea. But the younger Ananus, who, as we have already said, had obtained the high priesthood, was of an exceedingly bold and reckless disposition. He belonged, moreover, to the sect of the Sadducees, who are the most cruel of all the Jews in the execution of judgment, as we have already shown.

Ananus, therefore, being of this character, and supposing that he had a favorable opportunity on account of the fact that Festus was dead, and Albinus was still on the way, called together the Sanhedrim, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ, James by name, together with some others, and accused them of violating the law, and condemned them to be stoned.

But those in the city who seemed most moderate and skilled in the law were very angry at this, and sent secretly to the king, requesting him to order Ananus to cease such proceedings. For he had not done right even this first time. And certain of them also went to meet Albinus, who was journeying from Alexandria, and reminded him that it was not lawful for Ananus to summon the Sanhedrim without his knowledge.

And Albinus, being persuaded by their representations, wrote in anger to Ananus, threatening him with punishment. And the king, Agrippa, in consequence, deprived him of the high priesthood, which he had held three months, and appointed Jesus, the son of Damnæus high priest.”

These things are recorded in regard to James, who is said to be the author of the first of the so-called catholic epistles. But it is to be observed that it is disputed at least, not many of the ancients have mentioned it, as is the case likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude, which is also one of the seven so-called catholic epistles. Nevertheless we know that these also, with the rest, have been read publicly in very many churches.

-Eusebius 

-Church History

The Initiations of the Pythagoreans

 The Initiations of the Pythagoreans

The ancient Mystery schools were renowned for their tightly guarded esoteric knowledge of the scared Mysteries and sciences, where all was taught orally, and the difficult levels of initations, which took many years to complete and an advanced level of education before being allowed acceptance. The great Greek philosopher Pythagoras (born around 500 BC) was initiated in all the Grecian, Barbarian and Phoenician sacred Mysteries during his youth, before being initiated in the Egyptian and Chaldean sacred Mysteries, spending 22 years in Egypt then a further 12 years in Babylon. Most notably in the Egyptian mystery schools Pythagoras had to win the respect of the priests before being allowed initiation and was given the most difficult precepts, which he performed so swiftly that he won their admiration and was granted initiation in all the most scared Egyptian sciences, a honor never before granted to a foreigner. He was 56 years old before he returned to Samos then onto Crotone, Italy were he founded his Mystery school most famously remembered for perfecting mathematics, geometry, astronomy, philosophy and metaphysics along with having a powerful political influence. 

The initiations of the Pythagorean Mystery school were among the most difficult of the ancient world and many failed or were rejected, (which ultimately lead to Pythagoras's death at the hands of some of those he did not accept as disciples). He did not allow his followers to attend his lectures and teachings in the person until they had successfully acomplished 7 years of initiations, beginning by examining the candidates judiciously and observed their mannerisms and disposition, neglecting

then for 3 years while subjecting trails and tests upon them. After this they were compelled to not speak a word for 5 years before becomig known as esoterics and deemed worthy to share in his doctrines in the person. Prior to this they were taught by the second hand teachings of his disciples. Those who failed initiations or were rejected were given double the wealth the came with and sent away, a tomb was then erected to symbolically represent their deaths and they were forbidden to associate with any Pythagoreans whom considered them as dead.

The following accounts of the initiations of the Pythagoreans and those prior of Pythagoras in Egypt and Babylon are sourced from the writings of Neoplatonic philosophers Porphyry, Iamblicus and Diogenes Laertius.

~As he was a young man, and devoted to learning, he quitted his country, and got initiated into all the Grecian and barbarian sacred mysteries. Accordingly, he went to Egypt, on which occasion Polycrates gave him a letter of introduction to Amasis, and he learnt the Egyptian language, as Antipho tells us, in his treatise on those men who have been conspicuous for virtue, and he associated with the Chaldaeans and with the Magi.

Afterwards he went to Crete, and in company with Epimenides, he descended into the Idaean cave, and in Egypt too, he entered into the holiest parts of their temples, and learned all the most secret mysteries that relate to their gods. Then he returned back again to Samos, and finding his country reduced under the absolute dominion of Polycrates, he set sail, and fled to Crotona in Italy. And there, having given laws to the Italians, he gained a very high reputation, together with his scholars, who were about three hundred in number, and governed the republic in a most excellent manner; so that the constitution was very nearly an aristocracy.

~He was the first person, as Timaeus says, who asserted that the property of friends is common, and that friendship is equality. And his disciples used to put all their possessions together into one store, and use them in common and for five years they kept silence, doing nothing but listen to discourses, and never once seeing Pythagoras, until they were approved, after that time they were admitted into his house, and allowed to see him. They also abstained from the use of cypress coffins, because the sceptre of Jupiter was made of that wood, as Hermippus tells us in the second book of his account of Pythagoras.

~And he was so greatly admired, that they used to say that his friends looked on all his sayings as the oracles of God. And he himself says in his writings, that he had come among men after having spent two hundred and seven years in the shades below. Therefore the Lucanians and the Peucetians, and the Messapians, and the Romans, flocked around him, coming with eagerness to hear his discourses; but until the time of Philolaus, there were no doctrines of Pythagoras ever divulged; and he was the first person who published the three celebrated books which Plato wrote to have purchased for him for a hundred minae. Nor were the number of his scholars who used to come to him by night fewer than six hundred. And if any of them had ever been permitted to see him, they wrote of it to their friends, as if they had gained some great advantage.

~Pythagoras died in this manner. When he was sitting with some of his companions in Milo's house, some one of those whom he did not think worthy of admission into it, was excited by envy to set fire to it. But some say that the people of Crotona themselves did this, being afraid lest he might aspire to the tyranny. And that Pythagoras was caught as he was trying to escape, and coming to a place full of beans (of which he considered scared), he stopped there, saying that it was better to be caught than to trample on the beans, and better to be slain than to speak, and so he was murdered by those who were pursuing him. And in this way, also, most of his companions were slain being in number about forty but that a very few did escape, among whom were Archippus, of Tarentum, and Lysis, whom I have mentioned before.

-Diogenes Laertius

-The lives and opinions of eminent philosophers

~Antiphon, in his book on illustrious Virtuous Men praises his perseverance while he was in Egypt, saying, Pythagoras desiring to become acquainted with the institutions of Egyptian priests, and diligently endeavoring to participate therein requested the Tyrant Polycrates to write to Amasis, the King of Egypt, his friend and former host, to procure him initiation. Coming to Amasis, he was given letters to the priests of Heliopolis, who sent him on to those of Memphis, on the pretense that they were the more ancient. On the same pretense, he was sent on from Memphis to Diospolis. From fear of the King the latter priests dared not make excuses but thinking that he would desist from his purpose as result of great difficulties, enjoined on him very hard precepts, entirely different from the institutions of the Greeks. These he performed so readily that he won their admiration, and they permitted him to sacrifice to the gods, and to acquaint himself with all their sciences, a favor theretofore never granted to a foreigner.

~Later he sent him to Anaximander at Miletus, to learn geometry and astronomy. Then Pythagoras visited the Egyptians, the Arabians, the Chaldeans and the Hebrews, from whom he acquired expertery in the interpretation of dreams, and acquired the of use frankincense in the worship of divinities. 

In Egypt he lived with the priests, and learned the language and wisdom of the Egyptians, and three kinds of letters, the epistolic, the hieroglyphic, and symbolic, whereof one imitates the common way of speaking, while the others express the sense by allegory and parable. In Arabia he conferred with the King. In Babylon he associated with the other Chaldeans, especially attaching himself to Zoroaster by whom he was purified from the pollutions of this past life, and taught the things which a virtuous man ought to be free. Likewise he heard lectures about Nature, and the principles of wholes. It was from his stay among these foreigners that Pythagoras acquired the greater part of his wisdom.

-Porphyry

-The Life of Pythagoras

~Here in Egypt he frequented all the temples with the greatest diligence, and most studious research, during which time he won the esteem and admiration of all the priests and prophets with whom he associated. Having most solicitously familiarized himself with every detail, he did not, nevertheless, neglect any contemporary celebrity, whether sage renowned for wisdom, or peculiarly performed mystery he did not fail to visit any place where he thought he might discover something worth while. That is how he visited all of the Egyptian priests, acquiring all the wisdom each possessed. He thus passed twenty-two years in the sanctuaries of temples, studying astronomy and geometry, and being initiated in no casual or superficial manner in all the mysteries of the gods. At length, however, he was taken captive by the soldiers of Cambyses, and carried off to Babylon. Here he was overjoyed to associate with the Magi, who instructed him in their venerable knowledge, and in the most perfect worship of the gods. Through their assistance, likewise, he studied and completed arithmetic, music, and all the other sciences. After twelve years, about the fifty-sixth year of his age, he returned to Samos.

It is said that while he was in Egypt he very much applied himself to geometry. For Egyptian life bristles with geometric problem since, from remote periods, when the gods were fabulously said to have reigned in Egypt, on account of the rising and falling of the Nile, the skillful have been copelled to measure all the Egyptian land which they cultivated, wherefrom indeed the science’s name, geometry, was derived. Besides, the Egyptians studied the theories of the celestial orbs, in

which Pythagoras also was skilled. All theorems about lines seem to have been derived from that country. All that relates to numbers and computation is said to have been discovered in Phoenicia. The theorems about the heavenly bodies have by some been referred to the Egyptians and Chaldeans in common. Whatever Pythagoras received, however, he developed further, he arranged them for learners, and personally demonstrated them with perspicuity and elegance. He was the first to give a name to philosophy, describing it as a desire for and love of wisdom, which latter he defined as the science of objectified truth. Beings he defined as immaterial and eternal natures, alone possessing a power that is efficacious, as are incorporeal essences.

~As he therefore thus prepared his disciples for culture, he did not immediately receive as an associate any who came to him for that purpose until he had tested them andexamined them judiciously. To begin with he inquired about their relation to their parents and kinsfolk. Next he surveyed their laughter, speech or silence, as to whether it was unreasonable further, about their desires, their associates, their conversation, how they employed their leisure, and what were the subjects of their joy or grief. He observed their form, their gait, and the whole motions of their body. He considered their frame’s natural indications physiognomically, rating them as visible exponents of the invisible tendencies of the soul. After subjecting a candidate to such trials, he allowed him to be neglected for three years, still covertly observing his disposition towards stability, and genuine studiousness, and whether he was sufficiently averse to glory, and ready to despise popular honors.  After, this the candidate was compelled to observe silence for five years, so as to have made definite experiments in continence of speech, inasmuch as the subjugation of the tongue is the most difficult of all victories, as has indeed been unfolded by those who have instituted the mysteries. During this probation, however, the property of each was disposed of in common, being committed to trustees, who were called politicians, economizers or legislators. Of these probationers, after the quinquennial silence, those who by modest dignity had won his approval as worthy to share in his doctrines, then became esoterics, and within the veil both heard and saw Pythagoras. Prior to this they participated in his words through the hearing alone, without seeing him who remained within the veil, and themselves offering to him a specimen of their manners. 

If rejected, they were given the double of the wealth they had brought, but the auditors raised to him a tomb, as if they were dead, the disciples being generally called auditors. Should these later happen to meet the rejected candidate, they would treat him as a stronger, declaring that he whom they had by education modeled had died, inasmuch as the object of these disciplines had been to be turned out good and honest men. Those who were slow in the acquisition of knowledge were considered to be badly organized or, we may say, deficient, and sterile. If, however, after Pythagoras had studied them physiognomically, their gait, motions and state of health, he conceived good hopes of them; and if, after the five years’ silence, and the emotions and initiations from so many disciplines together with the ablutions of the soul, and so many and so great purifications produced by such various theorems, through which sagacity and sanctity is ingrained into the soul, if after all this even, someone was found to be still sluggish and

dull, they would raise to such a candidate within the school a pillar or monument, such as was said to have been done to Perialus the Thurian, and Cylon the prince of the Sybarites, who were rejected, they expelled him from the auditorium, loading him down with silver and gold. This wealth had by them been deposited in common, in the care of certain custodians, aptly called Economics. Should any of the Pythagoreans later meet with the reject, they did not recognize him whom they accounted dead.

~Generally, however, it should be known, that Pythagoras discovered many paths of erudition, but that he communicated to each only that part of wisdom which was appropriate to the recipient’s nature and power, of which the following is an appropriate striking illustration. When Abaris the Scythian came from the Hyperboreans, he was already of an advanced age, and unskilled and uninitiated in the Greek learning. Pythagoras did not compel him to wade through introductory theorems, the period of silence, and long auscultation, not to mention other trials, but considered him to be fit for an immediate listener to his doctrines, and instructed him in the shortest way, in his treatise on Nature, and one on the god this Hyperborean Abaris was elderly, and most wise in sacred concerns, being a priest of the Apollo there worshipped. At that time he was returning from Greece to his country, in order to consecrate the gold which he had collected to the god in his temple among the Hyperboreans. As therefore he was passing through Italy, he saw Pythagoras, and identified him as the god of whom he was the priest.

~When Pythagoras tested a novice, he considered the latter’s ability to hold his counsel, “echemuthein” being his technical term for this. Namely, whether they could reserve and preserve what they had heard and learned. Next, he examined their modesty, for he was much more anxious that they should be silent, than that they should speak. Further, he tested every other quality, for instance, whether they were astonished by the energies of any immoderate desire or passion. His examination of their affectability by desire or anger, their contentiousness or ambition, their inclination to friendship or discord, was by no means superficial. If then after an accurate survey these novices were approved as of worthy manners, he then directed his attention to their facility in learning, and their memory. He examined their ability to follow what was said, with rapidity and perspicuity and then, whether they were impelled to the disciplines taught them by temperance and love. For he laid stress on natural gentleness. This he called culture. Ferocity he considered hostile to such a kind of education. For savage manners are attended by impudence, shamelessness, intemperance, sloth, stupidity, licentiousness, disgrace, and the like, while their opposite attend mildness and gentleness. These things then he considered in making trial of those that came to him, and in these the Learners were exercised. Those that were adapted to receive the goods of the wisdom he possessed he admitted to discipleship endeavoring to elevate them to scientific knowledge but if he perceived that any novice was unadapted to them, he expelled him as a stranger and a barbarian.

-Iamblichus 

-The life of Pythagoras