You Are Mistaken, Samael": The Blindness of the Rulers in the *Hypostasis of the Archons

 **"You Are Mistaken, Samael": The Blindness of the Rulers in the *Hypostasis of the Archons***

In the *Hypostasis of the Archons* ("The Reality of the Rulers"), an early Christian-Gnostic text preserved in the Nag Hammadi Library, the chief ruler—named Samael—is portrayed as blind, arrogant, and ignorant. This figure is a personification of worldly power that pretends to divine authority, yet is spiritually blind and fundamentally alienated from truth. His declaration, “I am God; there is none apart from me,” is not simply a claim to deity—it is a blasphemous expression of delusion and domination. This figure encapsulates all human regimes and institutions that falsely claim divine legitimacy while oppressing truth and blinding humanity.

> **"Their chief is blind; because of his power and his ignorance and his arrogance he said, with his power, 'It is I who am God; there is none apart from me.' When he said this, he sinned against the entirety."**

> (*Hypostasis of the Archons*)

This declaration, falsely attributing absolute divinity to a creature, echoes the words of **Isaiah 47:8** and **Daniel 11:36**, both of which speak of arrogant human rulers exalting themselves above all others. In the Christian interpretation, it connects with **2 Thessalonians 2:3-4**, a passage that describes a future apostasy centered on a usurping power:

> **“Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”**

> (*2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, ESV*)

In the Gnostic view, this “man of sin” is **not a supernatural devil**, but a worldly authority—political or religious—that has elevated itself to godlike status, drawing worship and obedience away from the Father of Truth.

### **Samael: The God of the Blind**

> **“And this speech got up to incorruptibility; then there was a voice that came forth from incorruptibility, saying, 'You are mistaken, Samael' – which is, 'god of the blind.'”**

> (*Hypostasis of the Archons*)

The name *Samael* is often translated as *“god of the blind.”* This blindness is **spiritual**—a lack of knowledge, humility, and awareness of the true divine order. The Gnostic author is using mythic language to critique **institutional arrogance** and the **delusions of human power**. Samael, in this context, represents **the Roman Empire**, **the papacy**, and any worldly authority that claims divine status while perpetuating oppression and ignorance.

This blindness is echoed throughout Scripture. The Apostle Paul prayed that believers would have the **“eyes of their hearts enlightened”**:

> **“I do not cease to give thanks for you… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the Spirit of wisdom… having the eyes of your hearts enlightened.”**

> (*Ephesians 1:16–18*)

Jesus warned of the spiritual condition of those who claim to see, yet are blind:

> **“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”**

> (*Revelation 3:17*)

John also described spiritual blindness as hatred, saying:

> **“Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”**

> (*1 John 2:11*)

And Peter speaks of those who fail to grow in love as being spiritually blind:

> **“If you do not have these qualities… you are blind and have forgotten that you were cleansed from your past sins.”**

> (*2 Peter 1:5–9*)

In all these cases, blindness is the inability to perceive **truth, love, and the character of God**—a hallmark of the rulers condemned in Gnostic and apostolic texts alike.

### **The Voice of Incorruptibility: A Divine Rebuke**

The phrase *“then there was a voice that came forth from incorruptibility”* is profoundly important. It signals that truth—incorruptible and unchangeable—still speaks in the midst of delusion. When Samael falsely claims to be the only god, the voice of truth declares: **“You are mistaken.”**

This is not merely a mythic episode; it is a warning to all generations: no human authority, no system of power, no religious hierarchy can usurp the place of the true Deity without committing blasphemy. The rebuke of Samael mirrors the voice in **Revelation 18:4**:

> **“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins.”**

The spiritual blindness of Samael has extended through history in the form of **tyranny**, **imperial religion**, and **institutional corruption**. The **soul-merchants** of the earth—those who trade in spiritual authority for wealth and influence—have led multitudes into delusion:

> *“The soul-merchants of the earth have been able to establish themselves as the spiritual guides of the people. Blind, intensely blind and intoxicated, they are leading the blind and reeling multitudes into an unfathomable abyss.”*

These are the **false shepherds** Jesus warned of—the blind guides of the blind (Matthew 15:14). These are not spirits in the air, but people in robes, pulpits, and thrones.

### **The Temple of God Usurped**

The *man of sin* is said to “sit in the temple of God,” showing himself to be God. The early Christians interpreted this not as a future Antichrist, but as **the Roman religious-political system**, later echoed in **the papacy**, which claimed infallibility and universal spiritual authority.

The Gnostics and the apostles both recognized that the **true temple** is the **ecclesia**—the body of believers, the community of truth—and that the desecration of that temple occurs when **human power places itself above divine truth**.

---

### **Conclusion: The True Authority and the Fall of the False**

In the *Hypostasis of the Archons*, Samael represents all arrogant claims to divine power. He is blind because he has power without knowledge, pride without wisdom, and authority without love. His reign is one of ignorance, domination, and spiritual blindness.

But his lie does not go unchallenged. The incorruptible voice of truth declares, “You are mistaken.” This is the gospel protest against every false god and counterfeit system.

The message is timeless: **No human institution—be it empire or church—can replace the Father of Truth.** Every power that claims to be “God” will be exposed, and every blind ruler will be rebuked. And to the faithful, the v

oice of incorruptibility still speaks: **“Come out of her, my people.”**