Against Heresies (Book I, Chapter 18)
Moses, then, they declare, by his mode of beginning the account of the creation, has at the commencement pointed out the mother of all things when he says, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth; Genesis 1:1 for, as they maintain, by naming these four —God, beginning, heaven, and earth — he set forth their Tetrad. Indicating also its invisible and hidden nature, he said, Now the earth was invisible and unformed. Genesis 1:2 They will have it, moreover, that he spoke of the second Tetrad, the offspring of the first, in this way — by naming an abyss and darkness, in which were also water, and the Spirit moving upon the water. Then, proceeding to mention the Decad, he names light, day, night, the firmament, the evening, the morning, dry land, sea, plants, and, in the tenth place, trees. Thus, by means of these ten names, he indicated the ten Æons. The power of the Duodecad, again, was shadowed forth by him thus:— He names the sun, moon, stars, seasons, years, whales, fishes, reptiles, birds, quadrupeds, wild beasts, and after all these, in the twelfth place, man. Thus they teach that the Triacontad was spoken of through Moses by the Spirit. Moreover, man also, being formed after the image of the power above, had in himself that ability which flows from the one source. This ability was seated in the region of the brain, from which four faculties proceed, after the image of the Tetrad above, and these are called: the first, sight, the second, hearing, the third, smell, and the fourth, taste. And they say that the Ogdoad is indicated by man in this way: that he possesses two ears, the like number of eyes, also two nostrils, and a twofold taste, namely, of bitter and sweet. Moreover, they teach that the whole man contains the entire image of the Triacontad as follows: In his hands, by means of his fingers, he bears the Decad; and in his whole body the Duodecad, inasmuch as his body is divided into twelve members; for they portion that out, as the body of Truth is divided by them — a point of which we have already spoken. But the Ogdoad, as being unspeakable and invisible, is understood as hidden in the viscera.
2. Again, they assert that the sun, the great light-giver, was formed on the fourth day, with a reference to the number of the Tetrad. So also, according to them, the courts of the tabernacle constructed by Moses, being composed of fine linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, pointed to the same image. Moreover, they maintain that the long robe of the priest falling over his feet, as being adorned with four rows of precious stones, Exodus 28:17 indicates the Tetrad; and if there are any other things in the Scriptures which can possibly be dragged into the number four, they declare that these had their being with a view to the Tetrad. The Ogdoad, again, was shown as follows:— They affirm that man was formed on the eighth day, for sometimes they will have him to have been made on the sixth day, and sometimes on the eighth, unless, perchance, they mean that his earthly part was formed on the sixth day, but his fleshly part on the eighth, for these two things are distinguished by them. Some of them also hold that one man was formed after the image and likeness of God, masculo-feminine, and that this was the spiritual man; and that another man was formed out of the earth
In Valentinian Gnosticism, the Genesis creation account as depicted by Moses is seen as a mystical narrative, revealing the structure of the divine world through symbolic numbers and cosmic principles. This interpretation places Genesis as an esoteric text, containing insights into the emanations and orders of divine entities or *aeons*, which collectively represent aspects of the spiritual fullness, or *Pleroma*. The Valentinian reading focuses on the Tetrad, Decad, Duodecad, and Ogdoad—groupings of divine principles that signify the different stages and structures within the emanative process of creation.
The *Tetrad* represents the primal foundation, a grouping of four principles. Valentinians interpret Genesis 1:1, where Moses writes, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” as an implicit reference to the mother of all things. Here, “God,” “beginning,” “heaven,” and “earth” signify the four foundational powers: *Bythos* (the depth or Father), *Ennoia* (thought or beginning), *Nous* (mind or heaven), and *Aletheia* (truth or earth). These four powers are the primary emanations within the Pleroma, the initial structuring of divine existence, and represent the completeness and generative potency at the heart of the spiritual cosmos. The formless, invisible state of the earth in Genesis 1:2 signifies the Tetrad’s mysterious, unmanifest nature, hidden yet fundamental to all things.
Following this, Moses introduces the *second Tetrad*, an offspring grouping that stems from the first. This secondary Tetrad includes the concepts of *abyss*, *darkness*, *water*, and the *spirit* moving upon the water, suggesting the movement of divine thought into a receptive, potential state. Here, water represents the unmanifest potential within creation, over which the spirit or breath of divine power hovers, preparing for formation.
Moses continues by evoking the *Decad*, or a sequence of ten principles, which Valentinians correlate with the first ten acts or creative elements introduced in Genesis. Each element—light, day, night, firmament, evening, morning, dry land, sea, plants, and trees—symbolizes one of the ten *aeons* that stemmed from the second Tetrad. This Decad signifies the structured manifestation of divine qualities, progressing toward a more defined, ordered creation. Each creation day is a representation of the Divine Mind unfolding in a sequence of emanative acts, moving from the abstract to the concrete.
The *Duodecad*, a grouping of twelve, is symbolized by the twelve additional components of creation: sun, moon, stars, seasons, years, whales, fishes, reptiles, birds, quadrupeds, wild beasts, and, finally, humanity. Each of these twelve represent another layer of emanations, mirroring the archetypal principles as they extend into material diversity. Humanity, the twelfth, embodies the culmination of divine manifestation within creation, as the human form bears the likeness of the higher power and contains within it the entire structure of divine attributes.
Humanity itself is considered an image of the divine order of the Triacontad—the thirty *aeons*—by possessing certain faculties and physical attributes that mirror the divisions within the Pleroma. The human brain, with its four faculties of sight, hearing, smell, and taste, reflects the Tetrad. The ten fingers are seen as an image of the Decad, while the twelve primary body parts, according to Valentinian teaching, represent the Duodecad. Additionally, the *Ogdoad*—the mystical grouping of eight—is hidden within the internal organs of humanity, symbolizing a deep, unspeakable inner mystery.
In the tabernacle and priestly attire, Moses, according to Valentinians, further encodes these cosmic patterns. The four colors used in the tabernacle (fine linen, blue, purple, and scarlet) represent the Tetrad, while the twelve stones of the priestly breastplate correlate with the Duodecad, reflecting humanity’s divine pattern through sacred symbols. Likewise, the sun, created on the fourth day, signifies the Tetrad’s influence over creation’s illumination and direction.
Finally, the creation of humanity, as understood within Valentinian Gnosticism, has a dual aspect. One interpretation holds that humanity was made on the sixth day, representing their earthly, physical nature. Others propose humanity’s completion on an “eighth day,” signifying a higher, spiritual aspect that transcends mere physicality, aligning humanity with the Ogdoad and its hidden, ineffable reality.
Thus, the Genesis creation narrative, in this view, is not a mere account of physical creation but a symbolic exposition of the cosmic order as envisioned in Valentinian Gnosticism. Each number, sequence, and created element speaks to a hidden, metaphysical truth, pointing to a structure of emanated powers and beings, each emerging from the ultimate source, *Bythos*, and cascading down through the various levels of spiritual and material existence.
@everyone Commentary reconstruction
In the emanation of the 30 aeons, as viewed through the combined lenses of Christian Kabbalah and Valentinian Gnosticism, the phrase *bara Elohim*—translated as “powers He (EL) created” or “Mighty Ones He (EL) created”—serves as a foundation. This phrase unveils a process whereby EL, the Supreme Being, emanates the Elohim, or Mighty Ones, as expressions of His corporeal power and substance. Here, EL is not an abstract force but a tangible intelligence, whose essence flows into these Elohim, setting them as active agents within creation.
This is not a creation from nothing, but a transfer of divine essence. Proverbs 8:22 states that Yahweh "produced" wisdom at the beginning of His way, reflecting a dynamic process of emanation where EL transmits His own substance into the powers known as the Elohim. This production of the Elohim aligns with Christian Kabbalistic thought, which teaches that the Elohim are not separate, autonomous entities, but extensions of EL’s own corporeal essence.
This emanation aligns with the Christian Kabbalistic idea that creation emerges *ex deo*, “out of God.” The Elohim, then, are not merely created beings but extensions of EL, imbued with His attributes and potency. This process reflects the broader concept in Valentinian Gnosticism, where emanation unfolds within the *Pleroma*, or divine fullness, consisting of 30 aeons arranged in three primary groupings: the Tetrad, the Decad, and the Duodecad. Each grouping represents stages of divine existence, embodying different attributes of EL as they extend through creation.
The process of emanation is not restricted to the creation of the Elohim. It extends to the concept of ruach Elohim—the “Spirit of Elohim”—as seen in Genesis 1:2. The ruach Elohim is described as "moving" or "brooding" over the waters, suggesting a nurturing, empowering force that prepares creation to receive divine order. This brooding principle reflects a deeper cosmic truth: the ruach Elohim is not a mere motion but an empowering force that sets the stage for the unfolding of creation. The brooding spirit permeates every part of creation, infusing the primordial waters with the power necessary to bring forth life and structure.
In Job 33:4, we are told, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Mighty Ones has given me life.” Here, the Mighty Ones—or Shaddai—are equated with the Elohim. This establishes that the Elohim are not merely passive agents but active vessels of divine power. Through the ruach Elohim, which emanates from EL, the Elohim are empowered to act, bringing divine intention into the material world.
The Tetrad is the primal foundation of the Pleroma, consisting of four aeons or divine powers. It begins with *Bythos* (Depth or Father), *Ennoia* (Thought), *Nous* (Mind), and *Aletheia* (Truth), forming the roots of divine being. In Genesis, this Tetrad corresponds symbolically to “God,” “beginning,” “heaven,” and “earth,” which Valentinians interpret as the implicit building blocks of creation. The formless state described in Genesis 1:2, where the earth is “without form and void,” signifies the Tetrad’s initial, unmanifest essence—a state of latent potential awaiting the act of creation.
Flowing from the Tetrad is the Decad, a group of ten aeons embodying specific divine attributes. These aeons are mirrored in Genesis by the elements of creation on each of the first six days: light, day, night, firmament, and so forth. Each day represents an emanative step, where abstract qualities take on structure and form, moving creation from chaos to order. In Christian Kabbalistic terms, this mirrors the Elohim’s unfolding presence, who carry forth EL’s intention by forming and shaping the natural world.
Following the Decad is the Duodecad, the twelve aeons representing further differentiation within the Pleroma. In Genesis, the creation of the sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, and finally humanity corresponds to this grouping, signifying the extension of divine life into the diversity of the natural universe. Each of these entities is seen as embodying an aspect of the divine pattern, echoing the unity of the original emanations while manifesting unique characteristics. Humanity, in particular, is the culmination of this process, as it is endowed with a structure reflecting the entire divine order.
In the Valentinian framework, humanity itself is an image of the full Triacontad—the 30 aeons. The four primary faculties of the human brain reflect the Tetrad; the ten fingers embody the Decad, while twelve main body parts symbolize the Duodecad. This configuration is mirrored in the sacred objects of the tabernacle, where the colors and stones of the priestly attire represent divine powers manifest in the material realm. Even the sun, created on the fourth day, is seen as a symbol of the Tetrad’s influence over illumination and order within creation.
The *ruach Elohim*, or “Spirit of God,” signifies a further emanative process in this understanding. Described in Genesis as moving over the waters, this spirit acts as a life-giving force that prepares creation for divine activity. In Christian Kabbalistic thought, the *ruach* permeates creation at every level, entering into atoms and molecules, setting the groundwork for the Elohim’s continued work. This spirit is not distinct from EL but an extension of His power, a force that empowers the Elohim to manifest EL’s intentions in the cosmos.
The phrase *bara Elohim* ultimately encapsulates the essence of this emanative vision. The Elohim are not independent deities; rather, they are channels of EL’s own life and power, continually receiving from Him as they enact His will. Through this ongoing relationship, creation is understood not as a one-time event but as a continuous flow of divine energy, structured and maintained by the emanative presence of the Elohim. This view reflects the intertwined insights of Christian Kabbalah and Valentinian Gnosticism, where creation is a manifestation of divine fullness, structured through an intricate hierarchy of emanations that reflect the unity and power of EL, the ultimate corporeal source of all being
