The One Who Is: The Divine Name Yahweh in the Nag Hammadi Scriptures

**Title:** The One Who Is: The Divine Name Yahweh in the Nag Hammadi Scriptures  

In several Gnostic texts of the Nag Hammadi collection, God is designated or addressed as *The One Who Is*. This profound title underscores God's nature as the ultimate source of all being and existence. For instance, in *The Sophia of Jesus Christ*, God is described as The One Who Is ineffable, beyond all comprehension and human language. Similarly, in *Allogenes*, God is addressed directly as "You are The One Who Is." In the *First Apocalypse of James*, Christ tells James to "cast away the bond of flesh," declaring that James will no longer be merely himself but will become united with *The One Who Is*.  

This phrase raises important theological and historical questions: Was this title for God inspired by Exodus 3:14, where God speaks to Moses from the burning bush? In the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), God reveals Himself with the phrase, *Egō eimi ho ōn*, typically rendered as "I am The One Who Is." Alternatively, some scholars argue that this concept reflects theological developments present in Jewish Alexandrian thought, particularly as articulated by Philo of Alexandria.  

Philo, a Jewish philosopher living in Alexandria during the first century CE, made significant contributions to reconciling biblical teachings with Greek philosophy. He frequently discussed God using both biblical and philosophical terminology, emphasizing that God is the only true being. In his work *Quod deterius potiori insidiari solet*, Philo wrote that God alone truly exists, while everything else merely seems to exist and is transient by nature.  

Philo’s theology often drew upon the Septuagint’s portrayal of God as *ho ōn* (The One Who Is) and connected it to concepts of divine immutability and self-sufficiency. His writings reveal a profound attempt to harmonize the Mosaic understanding of God with broader philosophical notions, particularly the distinction between the eternal and the transitory. For Philo, God is the ultimate, unchanging source of existence, distinct from the fleeting phenomena of the physical world.  

It is possible that Gnostic authors, influenced by Jewish Alexandrian thought and familiar with the Septuagint, adopted this title to express their understanding of the divine. In Gnostic cosmology, *The One Who Is* symbolizes the transcendent, incorruptible, and ineffable God above all material existence. This God stands in contrast to the lower powers or entities that govern the flawed material world.  

The focus on *The One Who Is* also underscores a key aspect of Gnostic soteriology: the return to divine unity. Gnostics believed that through spiritual enlightenment and liberation from the material realm, individuals could transcend their earthly limitations and become united with the divine. This return to God was seen as a restoration of the original, pure state of being.  

Unlike later Christian theological traditions that emphasized a personal relationship with God rooted in moral and ethical behavior, Gnostic texts often present salvation as an awakening to hidden knowledge (*gnosis*) that reveals one's divine origin and destiny. The understanding of God as *The One Who Is* encapsulates this transcendent truth.  

The designation *The One Who Is* in the Nag Hammadi Scriptures likely has its roots in both the Septuagint's translation of Exodus 3:14 and the philosophical interpretations of thinkers like Philo of Alexandria. This title reflects a vision of God as the eternal and transcendent source of all existence, a concept central to Gnostic spirituality. It is a profound reminder of the ultimate goal of gnosis: the return to unity with *The One Who Is*, beyond the illusions of the material world.  

References to the divine name Yahweh as "The One Who Is" in the Nag Hammadi Scriptures. In Gnostic texts, particularly those from the Nag Hammadi Library, "The One Who Is" represents the divine essence often associated with transcendent aspects of God, wisdom (Sophia), and revelation. Notably, both Valentinian and Sethian traditions used variations of this title, such as "The One Who Is," "He Who Is," or "You Who Are," to emphasize God's eternal and dynamic nature.  

### **Sophia of Jesus Christ (NHC III.4) and Parallel Passages**  

In *Sophia of Jesus Christ* (NHC III.4, p. 94.5), "The One Who Is" appears as a title for the highest divine reality, reflecting the unknowable and eternal God:  

> "The Savior said, 'The One Who Is is ineffable. From the foundation of the world until now, no power, no authority, no creature, no nature has known the One Who Is. Only the One Who Is, and anyone to whom this One wishes to give revelation through the emissary from the first light, knows the One Who Is.'"  

This passage parallels *Eugnostos* (NHC III.3, p. 71.13f.; NHC V.1, p. 2.8f.), where the same expression underscores the divine source of wisdom and truth:  

> "The One Who Is is ineffable. From the foundation of the world, no power, no authority, no creature, no nature has known the One Who Is. Only the One Who Is knows itself."  

### **The Tripartite Tractate and Gospel of Truth**  

In *The Tripartite Tractate* (NHC I.5, p. 62), the divine nature of "The One Who Is" reveals God's benevolence in granting beings the capacity for understanding:  

> "In the same way, he would gracefully allow them to understand who the One Who Is is—that is, the one who knows himself eternally."  

Similarly, the *Gospel of Truth* describes divine revelation:  

> "The One Who Is has an appearance of its own, not like anything you have seen and received, but an alien appearance that surpasses everything and is superior to the universe."  

### **The Secret Book of John**  

In *The Secret Book of John*, the ineffability of "The One Who Is" is described in cosmic terms:  

> "The One is majestic and has an immeasurable purity. The One is a realm that gives a realm, life that gives life, a blessed one that gives blessedness, knowledge that gives knowledge, a good one that gives goodness, mercy that gives mercy and redemption, grace that gives grace."  

### **The First Revelation of James**  

In *The First Revelation of James* (NHC V.3, p. 24), Jesus speaks of "The One Who Is" and reveals divine mysteries to his brother James:  

> "Once nothing existed except the One Who Is. That one is unnamable and ineffable. I also am unnamable, from the One Who Is, although I have been given many names. We both come from the One Who Is, but I am before you."  

### **Valentinian and Sethian Usage**  

Both Valentinian and Sethian traditions demonstrate a profound reverence for the divine as "The One Who Is," "He Who Is," or "You Who Are." While Valentinians emphasized the harmony and emanative structure of divine Aeons, Sethians often highlighted the cosmic struggle between light and ignorance. Despite these differences, both groups affirmed the eternal, dynamic force of God as essential to creation, enlightenment, and restoration.  

### **Conclusion**  

Throughout the Nag Hammadi Scriptures, "The One Who Is" serves as a profound expression of the divine essence. It underscores the dynamic, sustaining force of God, the source of wisdom and life, and a figure of revelation for the enlightened believer. These references reinforce the central theme of God's active role in guiding creation and empowering believers toward ultimate restoration at the Resurrection of the Dead.