What is Faith? Hebews 11:1

What is Faith? Hebews 11:1

What Is Faith?

"Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Hebrews 11:1)

The Greek word for "faith" (πίστις pistis) conveys the idea of confidence, trust, firmness, or persuasion. This means faith is not a blind belief but rather a deep conviction based on evidence and reason.

Faith as Substance

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as the "substance" (hypostasis), meaning it has a concrete reality. Faith is not a vague hope but a foundation built on the reliability of what God has revealed. The term “substance” here emphasizes the solid ground upon which faith rests.

Additionally, the phrase "things not seen" does not only refer to future promises but can also relate to past divine actions that are now learned through testimony (pragmaton). This aligns with Hebrews 11:3, which states that "faith" allows believers to perceive God’s hand in history and trust in His future fulfillment. As Romans 10:17 states, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

How Do We Obtain Faith?

Faith is not something imposed by God; rather, it is our response to His revelation. Although human nature is weak, we can still trust in what God has made known through His word.

Developing faith is a process that unfolds in three stages:

• Hearing and Understanding – As we read the Scriptures, we recognize their harmony and truth. (Romans 10:17)
• Experiencing God's Work – Faith grows as we see God's influence in our lives. (1 Peter 1:3-12)
• Active Trust – Faith becomes stronger through prayer and deeper knowledge. (Colossians 3:10)

Faith and Love

Faith is not a passive state; it must be accompanied by action. The Gospel of Philip states:

"Faith receives, love gives. [No one can receive] without faith, and no one can give without love. So to receive we have faith and to love we give. If someone gives without love, that person gets no benefit from what was given. Anyone who receives something but does not receive the Lord is still a Hebrew." (Gospel of Philip)

Faith and love work together. Faith allows us to receive God's promises, while love compels us to give. Without love, faith alone is incomplete.

Faith and Justification

Justification means being counted as righteous before God. Though humans are imperfect, God considers them righteous if they truly have faith. Paul highlights this in Romans 4:3-5, where Abraham was counted righteous due to his faith, not his works. The Greek words used—logizomai ("count"), reckon, and impute—show that righteousness is attributed based on faith.

Faith as Spiritual Growth

Faith is not merely a mental concept but a transformative power. The Gospel of Philip compares faith to farming:

"Farming in this world depends on four things, and a harvest is gathered and taken into the barn as a result of water, earth, air, and light. God’s farming also depends on four things: faith, hope, love, and knowledge. Faith is the earth in which we take root. Hope is the water with which we are nourished. Love is the air through which we grow. Knowledge is the light by which we [ripen]." (Gospel of Philip)

Faith is the foundation (earth) in which believers are rooted. Hope sustains them (water), love enables growth (air), and knowledge leads to spiritual maturity (light).

Faith vs. Belief

While "faith" is often equated with "belief," they are distinct. Faith implies confidence and understanding, not just intellectual assent. In Paul’s writings, faith is linked to a conscious awakening:

"'Awakened by the message' and 'faith comes from what is heard.' This emphasis on hearing, as an event, which awakens faith, is central to Paul."

Faith involves comprehension and practice, not just belief in Jesus but living by His teachings. Jesus emphasized that faith is foundational for building the Kingdom of God. He told Peter:

"According to your faith be it done unto you." (Matthew 9:29)

Faith as a Rational Understanding

Spiritual faith is more than emotional conviction—it is a rational, conscious trust in God's promises. The New Testament emphasizes that faith is based on understanding, not blind belief. Many translations use "belief" as a verb for faith because "she faiths" is not grammatically correct. However, "believe" can be misleading if it suggests a passive or blind acceptance rather than a well-founded conviction.

True faith involves confidence in God’s word, action based on that trust, and growth in spiritual wisdom. It is both substance and evidence—a reality and proof of what God has promised.

Churches are Bazaars of Mahuzzims John 2:13-16

*Churches are Bazaars of Mahuzzims

**Revelation 11:1-2** (KJV):

*"And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months."*

The measuring of the temple, while the outer court is excluded, signifies a distinction between true worship and what has been profaned by the nations. This parallels Jesus' cleansing of the temple, where He expelled the merchants and money changers who had turned a house of worship into a Bazaar.

### **Bazaars in the Temple**

**Matthew 21:12 (BSB):**

*"Then Jesus went into the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves."*

**John 2:13-14:**

*"Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those selling cattle and sheep and doves and the money brokers in their seats."*

**John 2:15-16:**

*"So, after making a whip of ropes, he drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the temple, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. And he said to those selling the doves: 'Take these things away from here! Stop making the house of my Father a house of merchandise!'"*

### **Heracleon's Commentary on John 2:13-16**

Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators on John, interpreted this event symbolically:

**Fragment 13:**

*"Those who are found in the temple selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting there represent those who give nothing away out of charity, but regard the entrance of strangers to the temple as an occasion of trade and profit-making, and who provide the sacrifices for the worship of God for their own gain and love of money."*

Heracleon connects the merchants in the temple with religious leaders who exploit worship for material gain. The presence of sellers and money changers reflects a system where spiritual access is commodified, rather than freely given.

**Fragment 13 (continued):**

*"And the whip which Jesus made of small cords and did not receive from another is an image of the power and energy of the Holy Spirit which blows away the wicked. The whip and the linen and the napkin and all such things form an image of the power and energy of the Holy Spirit... The whip was tied to a piece of wood, and this wood is a type of the Cross. On this wood the merchants who were intent on gain, and all wickedness was nailed up and done away... Out of these two substances was the whip made, for he did not make it of dead leather, but in order that he might make the Church no longer a den of robbers, but the house of his Father."*

Heracleon sees the whip as a symbol of divine authority, tied to the Cross, signifying the judgment of those who corrupt worship. The action of driving out the merchants represents a purification of the spiritual community.

### **The Merchandisers of Religion**

Those engaged in the selling of sacrifices and currency exchange within the temple courts symbolize the commercialization of faith. They were not merely providing a service; they were exploiting worshippers for financial gain. This pattern continued beyond the temple period, manifesting in the corruption of religious institutions that turned worship into a Bazaar.

**Revelation 18:13** describes the merchants who trade in “the bodies and souls of men,” reflecting the spiritual commerce that dominates institutional religion. The outer court  had become a **Bazaar**—a place of traffic, where faith was reduced to transactions.

### **Bazaars as Mahuzzims**

The book of Daniel describes a religious system that venerates Mahuzzims—strong guardians, or spiritual intermediaries:

**Daniel 11:37-39 (paraphrased):**

*"Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the lawful desire of women in matrimony, nor any God, but shall magnify himself above all. And in his seat, he shall honor Mahuzzims, that is, strong guardians, the souls of the dead; even with a God whom his fathers knew not shall he honor them, in their Temples, with gold and silver, and with precious stones and valuable things."*

Mahuzzims represents the veneration of saints and relics, the institutionalization of religious commerce, and the rise of monasticism, which emphasized celibacy and the worship of the dead. The Greek Orthodox Church and the Latin Church, through councils and decrees, turned places of worship into **Bazaars**, where spiritual power was traded, and salvation was marketed.

### **The Final Judgment on the Bazaars**

The cleansing of the temple foreshadows the coming judgment upon false religious systems. Just as Jesus drove out the merchants, Revelation prophesies the fall of Babylon—the great religious and economic system that profits from spiritual deception.

The temple, measured by the reed in Revelation 11, represents true worship, while the outer court, given to the nations, signifies a corrupted religious order. The distinction between the true temple and the Bazaar remains critical in discerning authentic worship from systems that trade in spiritual merchandise.

The Bazaar is not merely a physical market but a structure of deception where faith is commodified, and salvation is put up for sale. But just as Jesus cleansed the temple, a greater purification is coming—one that will restore the house of the Father to its rightful state.

Matthew 21:12 ►,Berean Study Bible

Then Jesus went into the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.

John 2:13 Now the passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 
14 And he found in the temple those selling cattle and sheep and doves and the money brokers in their seats.

Heracleon: Fragment 13, on John 2:13-16 The ascent to Jerusalem signifies the ascent of the Lord from material realm things to the animate (psychic) place, which is an image of Jerusalem. (In John 2:14, “In the sanctuary he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business.”) The words, "In the sanctuary, he found” and not "in the temple" are used so that it may not be thought to be the mere “calling” (animate), apart from the Spirit, which elicits help from the Lord. The sanctuary is the Holy of Holies, into which only the High-Priest enters, into which the spiritual go. The temple courtyard, where the Levites also enter, is a symbol of the animate ones who attain a salvation outside the Fullness (Pleroma). 

This is a similar to a description of the Temple in the Gospel of Philip

The Gospel of Philip The Temple in Jerusalem

There were three structures for sacrifice in Jerusalem. One opened to the west and was called the holy place; a second opened to the south and was called the holy of the holy; the third opened to the east and was called the holy of holies, where only the high priest could enter. The holy place is baptism; the holy of the holy is redemption; the holy of holies is the bridal chamber. Baptism entails resurrection and redemption, and redemption is in the bridal chamber. The bridal chamber is within a realm superior to [what we belong to], and you cannot find anything [like it…. These] are the ones who worship [in spirit and in truth, for they do not worship] in Jerusalem. There are people in Jerusalem who [do worship] in Jerusalem, and they await [the mysteries] called [the holy] of holies, the curtain [of which] was torn. [Our] bridal chamber is the image [of the bridal chamber] [70] above. That is why its curtain was torn from top to bottom, for some people from below had to go up.
John 2:15 So, after making a whip of ropes, he drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the temple, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 

16 And he said to those selling the doves: “Take these things away from here! Stop making the house of my Father a house of merchandise!”

Heracleon: Fragment 13, on John 2:13-16 Those who are found in the temple selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting there represent those who give nothing away out of charity, but regard the entrance of strangers to the temple as an occasion of trade and profit-making, and who provide the sacrifices for the worship of God for their own gain and love of money.

Heracleon: Fragment 13, on John 2:13-16 (In John 2:15-16, “And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade.’”) And the whip which Jesus made of small cords and did not receive from another is an image of the power and energy of the Holy Spirit which blows away the wicked. The whip and the linen and the napkin and all such things form an image of the power and energy of the Holy Spirit. . . The whip was tied to a piece of wood, and this wood is a type of the Cross. On this wood the merchants who were intent on gain, and all wickedness was nailed up and done away. . . Out of these two substances was the whip made, for he did not make it of dead leather, but in order that he might make the Church no longer a den of robbers, but the house of his Father.

All who were buying and selling there, are the receivers, and servitors of the rulers of the Religious World

the "Names and Denominations" of "the Religious World" are a miserably executed counterfeit of the true, and current only with such as are indifferent to, or ignorant of the truth.

the rulers of the Religious World are merchandisers of souls the house of the Father was turned into Bazaars, or places of traffic in spiritual merchandise, and in "the bodies and souls of men!" (Rev 18:13). 

The Limitations of Using the Zodiac: A Gnostic Perspective

 The Zodiac

**The Limitations of Using the Zodiac: A Gnostic Perspective**

In the Gnostic tradition, the use of the zodiac and its connection to fate, providence, and the ordering of the universe is critically examined. While ancient cultures such as the Babylonians and the Greeks saw the zodiac as a means of understanding the cosmos and human destiny, Gnosticism, particularly in texts such as *Eugnostos, the Blessed*, rejects these frameworks as incomplete and misleading. The Gnostic perspective is rooted in the belief that true knowledge of God and the divine order transcends worldly systems of thought, including astrology.

### The Zodiac in Ancient Texts

The term "zodiac" is often associated with the twelve signs that make up a band of the heavens along which the sun, moon, and planets appear to move. The Hebrew word for zodiac is *mazzaroth* (also translated as “constellations of the zodiac”), found in scriptures such as 2 Kings 23:5 and Job 38:32. In these passages, the zodiac is linked with worship practices that were condemned in ancient Israel. Kings like Josiah sought to eliminate foreign god worship, which included veneration of the celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and the signs of the zodiac.

2 Kings 23:5 specifically mentions the actions of foreign priests making sacrificial offerings "to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations of the zodiac and to all the army of the heavens." This reference places the zodiac in the context of idolatrous worship, condemning the idea of celestial bodies as divine powers influencing human destiny. 

In Job 38:32, the term *mazzaroth* appears once more, but it is framed differently as a reference to the constellations in their proper course. The verse, "Can you bring forth the Mazzaroth constellation in its appointed time?" questions human ability to control or understand the divine orchestration of the cosmos. This passage highlights the celestial phenomena as part of God's domain, outside human understanding or manipulation.

### The Gnostic Rejection of the Zodiac

For Gnostics, the belief that celestial bodies or constellations could influence human fate or control the destiny of individuals was considered a false and incomplete understanding of the divine. In texts like *Eugnostos, the Blessed*, Gnostic thought directly challenges such ideas.

In the text, Eugnostos states:

*"Rejoice in this, that you know. Greetings! I want you to know that all men born from the foundation of the world until now are dust. While they have inquired about God, who he is and what he is like, they have not found him. The wisest among them have speculated about the truth from the ordering of the world. And the speculation has not reached the truth. For the ordering is spoken of in three (different) opinions by all the philosophers; hence they do not agree."*

Eugnostos critiques the common philosophical explanations of the world. He presents three views about the ordering of the universe: self-direction, providence, and fate. However, he dismisses all of them as flawed. He argues that these views are ultimately human speculations, leading nowhere near the truth of the divine. In Gnostic thought, the material world and its celestial mechanics, including the zodiac, are not responsible for human fate or the divine order.

The Gnostic rejection of astrology is profound. Eugnostos continues:

*"For some of them say about the world that it was directed by itself. Others, that it is providence (that directs it). Others, that it is fate. But it is none of these. Again, of the three voices I have just mentioned, none is true. For whatever is from itself is an empty life; it is self-made. Providence is foolish. Fate is an undiscerning thing."*

Eugnostos refutes these views by explaining that real truth cannot be found through the lens of fate, providence, or self-governance. According to Gnosticism, such ideas are superficial and inadequate explanations of the divine order. The true nature of the world is not bound by celestial forces or predestination.

### The Gnostic Path to Knowledge

For Gnostics, knowledge of the divine truth is the path to immortality, not adherence to the stars or the ordering of the material world. Eugnostos emphasizes the importance of seeking knowledge of the true God, transcending the limits of human speculation and celestial influence:

*"Whoever, then, is able to get free of these three voices I have just mentioned and come by means of another voice to confess the God of truth and agree in everything concerning him, he is immortal dwelling in the midst of mortal men."*

This Gnostic principle stresses that true salvation and immortality come through direct knowledge of the divine, not through the understanding or manipulation of the cosmos. The human quest for truth, in this sense, is about transcending the physical realm and understanding the divine light that lies beyond the stars.

### Conclusion

In conclusion, the Gnostic perspective on the zodiac underscores a fundamental difference between traditional interpretations of the cosmos and Gnostic spirituality. While ancient cultures and some religious traditions used the zodiac to explain fate and divine order, Gnosticism emphasizes the inadequacy of such methods in understanding the true nature of the divine. As Eugnostos teaches, true knowledge comes not from the stars, but from transcending the false systems of the world and connecting with the God of truth.

2 Kings 23:5 And he put out of business the foreign-god priests, whom the kings of Judah had put in that they might make sacrificial smoke on the high places in the cities of Judah and the surroundings of Jerusalem, and also those making sacrificial smoke to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations of the zodiac and to all the army of the heavens

Job 38:32 Can you bring forth the Mazzaroth constellation in its appointed time? And as for the Ash constellation alongside its sons, can you conduct them?

Zodiac meaning: a belt of the heavens within about 8° either side of the ecliptic, including all apparent positions of the sun, moon, and most familiar planets. It is divided into twelve equal divisions or signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces).

The zodiac is the name given by people of old to an imaginary band passing around the heavens, wide enough to include the circuits of the sun and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, and Saturn. It is just a convenient method of reference to the position of the stars. Animal figures and outlines were chosen to represent these stars, and their relative position in the heavens, for animistic reasons

The Hebrew word for Zodiac is Mazzaroth or mazzalohth

“The Mazzaroth constellation.” Hebrew, Mazzarohth´; Greek, Mazouroth´ (as in 2Kings 23:5 where it is translated “constellations of the zodiac”);

The Aramaic Targum equates Mazzaroth with the mazzalohth´ of 2 Kings 23:5, “constellations of the zodiac,” or “twelve signs, or, constellations.” Some believe that the word is derived from a root meaning “engird” and that Mazzaroth refers to the zodiacal circle.

-Or, the signs of the Zodiac. The Heb. is mazzaloth, probably a variant form of mazzaroth (Job 38:32). The word is used in the Targums, and by rabbinical writers, in the sense of star, as influencing human destiny, and so fate, fortune, in the singular, and in the plural of the signs of the Zodiac (e.g., Ecclesiastes 9:3; Esther 3:7). It is, perhaps, derived from 'azar, "to gird," and means "belt," or "girdle;" or from 'azal, "to journey," and so means "stages" of the sun's course in the heavens.

The constellations or signs of the zodiac are, no doubt, intended (comp. Job 38:32, where the term מַזָּדות may be regarded as a mere variant form of the מַזָּלות of this passage). The proper meaning of the term is "mansions;" or "houses," the zodiacal signs being regarded as the "mansions of the sun" by the Babylonians (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 3. p. 419). And to all the host of heaven

2 Kings 23:5 And he put out of business the foreign-god priests, whom the kings of Judah had put in that they might make sacrificial smoke on the high places in the cities of Judah and the surroundings of Jerusalem, and also those making sacrificial smoke to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations of the zodiac and to all the army of the heavens

Beyond Fate

Unlike the Pharisees, says Josephus, the Sadducees denied the workings of fate, maintaining that an individual, by his own actions, was solely responsible for what befell him. (Jewish Antiquities, XIII, 172, 173 [v, 9]) 

Like the Sadducees some Gnostics rejected the ideas of "self governed", "Fate", and "Providence"  

Eugnostos, the Blessed, to those who are his.

Rejoice in this, that you know. Greetings! I want you to know that all men born from the foundation of the world until now are dust. While they have inquired about God, who he is and what he is like, they have not found him. The wisest among them have speculated about the truth from the ordering of the world. And the speculation has not reached the truth. For the ordering is spoken of in three (different) opinions by all the philosophers; hence they do not agree. For some of them say about the world that it was directed by itself. Others, that it is providence (that directs it). Others, that it is fate. But it is none of these. Again, of three voices that I have just mentioned, none is true. For whatever is from itself is an empty life; it is self-made. Providence is foolish. Fate is an undiscerning thing. (Eugnostos, the Blessed)

Whoever, then, is able to get free of these three voices I have just mentioned and come by means of another voice to confess the God of truth and agree in everything concerning him, he is immortal dwelling in the midst of mortal men. (Eugnostos, the Blessed)

The Savior said to them: "I want you to know that all men are born on earth from the foundation of the world until now, being dust, while they have inquired about God, who he is and what he is like, have not found him. Now the wisest among them have speculated from the ordering of the world and (its) movement. But their speculation has not reached the truth. For it is said that the ordering is directed in three ways, by all the philosophers, (and) hence they do not agree. For some of them say about the world that it is directed by itself. Others, that it is providence (that directs it). Others, that it is fate. But it is none of these. Again, of the three voices I have just mentioned, none is close to the truth, and (they are) from man. But I, who came from Infinite Light, I am here - for I know him (Light) - that I might speak to you about the precise nature of the truth. For whatever is from itself is a polluted life; it is self-made. Providence has no wisdom in it. And fate does not discern. But to you it is given to know; and whoever is worthy of knowledge will receive (it), whoever has not been begotten by the sowing of unclean rubbing but by First Who Was Sent, for he is an immortal in the midst of mortal men." (Eugnostos, the Blessed)

Eugnostos starts by refuting three propositions about the nature of the world which to him represent the basic shortcomings of contemporary philosophy, or perhaps of philosophy as such: (1) the world is governed by itself, (2) by a providence, or (3) is subject to predestination. His refutation is neither philosophical in the proper sense of that word, nor does it deal with the implications of these propositions in detail: That which is from itself leads an empty life, providence is foolish, and that which is subject to destiny or fate is something that does not attain knowledge. According to Eugnostos, real insight is not reached through philosophy; what matters is to be able to refute the propositions of philosophy and by means of another proposition to gain access to and reveal the god of truth. The attainment of this, he says, means to be immortal amidst the mortals

Justin the Gnostic The Book of Baruch

 The Book of Baruch

The teachings of this Justin (not to be confused with the famous Christian apologist Justin Martyr) are among several different mythic and doctrinal systems summarized in an antihereticalwork probably composed in Rome by the Christian writer Hippolytus around 222–235 C.E.24 According to Hippolytus, Justin made use of several sacred books, but Hippolytus summarizes the myth found in a book that Justin himself deemed particularly noteworthy, a book bearing the name of one of its mythic figures, Baruch (Hippolytus, Ref. 5.24.2–3).

The following is the outline of the system.

There are three principles of the Universe: (i.) The Good, or all-wise Deity; (ii.) the Father, or Spirit, the creative power, called Elohīm; and (iii.) the World-Soul, symbolized as a woman above the middle and a serpent below, called Eden. From Elohīm (a plural used as a collective) and Eden twenty-four cosmic powers or angels come forth, twelve follow the will of the Father-Spirit, and twelve the nature of the Mother-Soul. The lower twelve are the World-Trees of the Garden of Eden. The Trees are divided into four groups, of three each, representing the four Rivers of Eden. The Trees are evidently of the same nature as the cosmic forces which are represented by the Hindus as having their roots or sources above and their branches or streams below. The name Eden means Pleasure or Desire.

Thus the whole creation comes into existence, and finally from the animal part of the Mother-Soul are generated animals, and from the human part men. The upper part of the Garden is called the "most beautiful Earth"; that is to say, Cosmic Earth, and the body of man is formed of the finest. Man having thus been formed, Eden and Elohīm depute their powers unto him; the World-Soul bestows on him the soul, and the World-Spirit infuses into him the spirit. Thus were men and women constituted.

And all creation was subjected to the four groups of the twelve powers of the World-Soul, according to their cycles, as they move round as in a circular dance

But when the man-stage was reached, the turning-point of the world--process, Elohīm, the Spirit, ascended into the celestial spaces, taking with him his own twelve powers. And in the highest part of the heaven he beheld the Great Light shining through the Gate (? the physical sun), which led to the Light-world of The Good. And he who had hitherto thought himself Lord of Creation, perceived that there was one above him, and cried aloud: "Open me the gates that I may acknowledge the [true] Lord; for I considered myself to be the Lord." And a voice came forth, saying: "This is the Gate of the Lord; through this the righteous enter in." And leaving his angels in the highest part of the heavens, the World-Father entered in and sat down at the right hand of the Good One.

And Elohīm desired to recover by force his spirit which was bound to men, from further degradation; but the Good Deity restrained him, for now that he had ascended to the Light-realm he could work no destruction.

And the Soul (Eden) perceiving herself abandoned by Elohīm, tricked herself out so as to entice him back; but the Spirit would not return to the arms of Mother Nature (now that the middle point of evolution was passed). Thereupon, the spirit that was left behind in man, was plagued by the soul; for the spirit or mind desired to follow its Father into the height, but the soul, incited by the powers of the Mother--Soul, and especially by the first group who rule over sexual passion and excess, gave way to adulteries and even greater vice; and the spirit in man was thereby tormented.

Now the angel, or power, of the World-Soul, which Baruch.especially incited the human soul to such misdeeds, was the third of the first group, called Naas (Heb. Nachash), the serpent, the symbol of animal passion. And Elohīm, seeing this, sent forth the third of his own angels, called Baruch, to succour the spirit in man. And Baruch came and stood in the midst of the Trees (the powers of the World-Soul), and declared unto man that of all the Trees of the Garden of Eden he might eat the fruit, but of the Tree Naas, he might not, for Naas had transgressed the law, and had given rise to adultery and unnatural intercourse.

And Baruch had also appeared to Moses and the prophets through the spirit in man, that the people might be converted to the Good One; but Naas had invariably obscured his precepts through the soul in man. And not only had Baruch taught the prophets of the Hebrews, but also the prophets of the uncircumcised. Thus, for instance, Hercules among the Syrians had been instructed, and his twelve labours were his conflicts with the twelve powers of the World-Soul. Yet Hercules also had finally failed, for after seeming to accomplish his labours, he is vanquished by Omphalē, or Venus, who divests him of his power by clothing him with her own robe, the power of Eden below.

Last of all Baruch appeared unto Jesus, a shepherd boy, son of Joseph and Mary, a child of Christology.twelve years. And Jesus remained faithful to the teachings of Baruch, in spite of the enticements of Naas. And Naas in wrath caused him to be "crucified," but he, leaving on the "tree" the body of Eden--that is to say, the psychic body or soul, and the gross physical body--and committing his spirit or mind to the hands of his Father (Elohīm), ascended to the Good One. And there he beholds "whatever things eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man"; and bathes in the ocean of life-giving water, no longer in the water below the firmament, the ocean of generation in which the physical and psychic bodies are bathed. This ocean of generation is, of course, the same as the Brāhmanical and Buddhistic saṁsāra, the ocean of rebirth.

Hippolytus tries to make out that Justinus was a very vile person, because he fearlessly pointed out one of the main obstacles to the spiritual life, and the horrors of animal sensuality; but Justinus evidently preached a doctrine of rigid asceticism, and ascribed the success of Jesus to his triumphant purity.

The Book of Baruch by the Gnostic Justin 

Justin or Justinus was an early Gnostic Christian from the 2nd century AD He is counted among the earliest Gnostic schools, among Simon Magus, Menander, Saturninus and Dositheus

According to Justin, there were three primordial, eternal entities. Reigning supreme was the male Good One, owner of foreknowledge (identified with the Monad and the creator of the universe, as well as the Greek Priapus), under which there were the male Elohim (the Jewish god and Demiurge or creator of the world) and the female Edem (identified with Gaia and described as a "half virgin, half viper" being similar to Echidna).

As the drama unfolds and Edem brings out her angels, including the serpent Naas (from nahash, Hebrew for "serpent"), to fight against what is left of Elohim's spirit on earth, Baruch, a top angel of the Good, sends a series of liberators—Moses, Herakles, prophets, and finally Jesus—to ensure redemption and return

Baruch (Hebrew for "blessed") is the good tree of life and the chief paternal angel, and Naas (from nahash, Hebrew for "serpent") is the evil tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the chief maternal angel.

Note that Naas is both the tree of knowledge and (since his name derives from the Hebrew nahash, "snake") the serpent of seduction to eat from the tree.

Eden is many: garden, earth, Israel, a symbol of Eve, and them earth mother.

Naas Maternal angel of Edem, identified with the evil tree of the knowledge of good and

evil, in the Book of Baruch. The term derives from nahash, Hebrew for "serpent" (as with Naassenes).

**The Serpent in the Book of Baruch by Justin the Gnostic**  

Welcome to Pleroma Pathways apocalyptic and mystic Christianity where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts.  

The Book of *Baruch*, attributed to Justin the Gnostic, offers a unique and layered understanding of the serpent within Gnostic cosmology. Unlike traditional biblical interpretations that portray the serpent as an embodiment of temptation and evil, this text presents the serpent Naas as a maternal angel and a pivotal figure in a cosmic drama involving divine, earthly, and infernal forces.  

### **The Cosmic Entities**  

According to Justin, three primordial and eternal entities exist:  

1. **The Good One**: The supreme, male figure identified with the Monad and the ultimate source of foreknowledge and creation.  

2. **Elohim**: A subordinate male figure identified as the Demiurge, or the creator of the physical world, akin to the Jewish God.  

3. **Edem**: A female entity described as "half virgin, half viper," embodying both nurturing and destructive aspects, reminiscent of the Greek figure Echidna.  

This triadic structure forms the framework for understanding the origins of the world and its ongoing struggle between good and evil.  

### **Naas: The Maternal Serpent**  

Naas, whose name derives from the Hebrew *nahash* (meaning "serpent"), plays a dual role in Justin's cosmology. As a maternal angel of Edem, Naas is identified with the "evil tree of the knowledge of good and evil." The text states:  

> "*Naas, the serpent, stands both as the tree of knowledge and as the seducer, drawing forth the children of Edem into rebellion.*"  

This complex portrayal blurs the lines between the serpent as a mere tempter and as a symbolic force of knowledge and opposition. Naas embodies both the dangerous allure of forbidden wisdom and the agent that catalyzes human awareness and liberation.  

### **The Conflict Between Elohim and Edem**  

The drama described in *Baruch* unfolds as Edem, alongside her angels—including Naas—wages war against Elohim and what remains of his divine spirit on earth. This battle reflects a cosmic struggle between the spiritual and material realms. The maternal, earthly force of Edem, symbolized by the serpent, stands in opposition to the structured order imposed by Elohim.  

> "*Edem brought forth her serpentine offspring, and among them Naas, who sought to consume what remained of Elohim's breath upon the earth.*"  

Here, the serpent Naas serves as a maternal force of opposition, embodying chaos, seduction, and rebellion.  

### **Baruch as the Redeeming Angel**  

Baruch, whose name means "blessed" in Hebrew, is described as the "good tree of life" and the "chief paternal angel." As a representative of the Good One, Baruch plays a crucial role in the redemption narrative of *Baruch*. He sends a series of liberators throughout history, including Moses, Herakles, the prophets, and ultimately Jesus Christ.  

> "*Baruch, the blessed tree of life, sent forth messengers to restore what had been consumed by Edem and her serpents, that the children of the earth might return to the Good.*"  

This portrayal emphasizes a redemptive mission aimed at countering the chaos introduced by Edem and Naas.  

### **Symbolism of Eden and the Trees**  

In Justin's cosmology, Eden represents multiple concepts:  

- The garden of creation  

- The earth  

- Israel  

- Eve  

- The earth mother  

The serpent Naas, being identified with the tree of knowledge, also symbolizes the duality inherent in creation—the knowledge of both good and evil. This duality contrasts with Baruch, the "good tree of life," who embodies divine wisdom and redemption.  

### **The Role of Redemption**  

The conflict between Baruch and Naas is central to Justin's narrative. As Edem and her angels, including Naas, wage war against Elohim’s remaining spirit on earth, Baruch intervenes by sending a series of liberators to ensure redemption. These liberators include Moses, Herakles, the prophets, and ultimately Jesus Christ.  

Through these redemptive figures, Baruch seeks to counteract the influence of Naas and guide humanity back to the Good One. Justin's account portrays Jesus not merely as a savior but as the culmination of a long line of divine messengers tasked with restoring harmony and overcoming the deception represented by Naas.  

### **Gnostic Symbolism of Naas**  

Naas, as both the tree of knowledge and the serpent of seduction, holds a dual role in Justin’s cosmology. On one hand, he represents the pursuit of knowledge divorced from divine wisdom, leading to corruption and separation from the Good One. On the other hand, his association with the maternal angel Edem emphasizes the complexity of creation, where both nurturing and destructive forces coexist. This duality echoes broader Gnostic themes, where the material world is often seen as a place of entrapment but also a realm where redemption is possible through divine knowledge and intervention. Naas, while initially a figure of rebellion, ultimately serves as a catalyst for the redemptive work of Baruch and the liberators.  

### **Conclusion**  

The serpent in the *Book of Baruch* by Justin the Gnostic represents a complex and multifaceted figure, embodying both opposition and transformation. Naas, as the maternal angel of Edem, challenges traditional views of the serpent as purely malevolent. Instead, the text presents a nuanced narrative where the serpent plays a critical role in the cosmic struggle between material chaos and spiritual redemption. The Gnostic reinterpretation found here reflects the broader themes of opposition, liberation, and the pursuit of divine wisdom inherent in Gnostic thought.

We Are the Aeons of God Genesis 22:17

We are the Aeons of God 

2enoch 65:3 And the Lord broke up the age for the sake of man ... and divided into times, and from the times he established years, and from the years he set months, and from the months days. And he set the seven days, and in them he set hours, and minutely measured the hours so that a person might think about time, and so that he might count the years and the months and the days and the hours and the perturbations and the beginnings and the endings, and that he might keep count of his own life from the beginning unto death

Just as the present aeon, though a unity, is divided by units of time and units of time are divided into years and years are divided into seasons and seasons into months, and months into days, and days into hours, and hours into moments, so too the aeon of the Truth, since it is a unity and multiplicity, receives honor in the small and the great names according to the power of each to grasp it - by way of analogy - like a spring which is what it is, yet flows into streams and lakes and canals and branches, or like a root spread out beneath trees and branches with its fruit, or like a human body, which is partitioned in an indivisible way into members of members, primary members and secondary, great and small. (The Tripartite Tractate)

So what's being said here is there is the definition of time and time is not a measure of numbers but rather time is a measure of individuality and having those individual experiences is what passes time by way of analogy like a spring which is what it is it flows into streams and lakes and canals and branches so it's the passing of a stream of experience that is time

Noting that Aeons are the materialization of motion; being time.

Time

What is time? Time is the motion of the sun, moon, and stars in relationship to one another.

Psalm 104:19 He has made the moon for appointed times. The sun itself knows well where it sets

The planetary luminaries of the Sun and the moon define years and months. The earth itself defines 'days', although it is the rotation with respect to the Sun that we actually see. So a day is one time of the earth around itself. A month is one time of the moon around the earth. A year is one time of the earth around the Sun. All three are ‘times’ of revolution, cycles. These are God’s celestial time pieces. In scientific terms a 'time' is a 'cycle'.

So in the bible a 'Time' can stand literally or symbolically for a day, a month or a year (occasionally also for an hour).

Spiritual Time

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so ... in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the (1) stars of heaven and (2) as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies," (Genesis 1:14-15, Genesis 22:17).

God Himself is the Great Light which the earthly sun symbolizes. Mother Wisdom is symbolized by the moon, and the stars are human beings. And in that regard, the figure of a man is shaped like the familiar 5-pointed star. Our numbers and our "work" constitute "days, seasons, and years". In our world men use clocks, watches, sun dials, and hourglasses to mark "TIME".

Spiritually speaking each son and daughter (sun/moon) pair as one day of spiritual "TIME" is the equivalent of 1000 earthly years. No man has made it alive down here for a full "day". Adam and Methuselah came closest, but their time was cut short because of the introduction of "sin". One looks at a "watch" in order to tell the time. Heavenly "Watchers" look at men below to observe our motions (works). 

Because all men are "watched" by the Heavenly Hosts, we are all "human watches" designating time. Watches "tick" and so do fleshy watches. Our hearts beat daily as time goes by. When our hearts stop beating, the watch stops and time is up h. An hourglass is filled with sand which trickles downward as the hour passes. When all the sand is in the lower part of the glass, one hour has expired. 

Man's body is the "sands of time". When a certain number of human bodies have been lowered in their graves, one spiritual hour has passed. And in regard to this time analogy, when Jesus warned us in parable "not to build a house on sinking sand", he was teaching us not to build our doctrines and place our confidence in the teachings, traditions, and opinions of men, because man's mind and thinking is also under the influence and regulation of sin, (Proverbs 16:25; Daniel 7:4; Revelation 13:4-7). 

We Are Signs and Seasons

“’Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Zechariah 3:8 compare Isaiah 8:18 Isaiah 20:3 Ezekiel 12:11 Ezekiel 24:24

Men are also for signs and seasons. God uses them to be signs to the kingdoms of this world and as markers for the watching Hosts above.  Abraham was made into a "sign" by God to symbolize Faith. Moses was made into a very important sign to Pharaoh and later generations. (Exodus 7:1) The most famous sign was Jesus himself. Everything he did or said has very great importance and impact for humanity and the revelation of the judgment. Revelation 17:15. Revelation 10:11

Ode 12

He has filled me with words of truth, that I may proclaim Him.
And like the flowing of waters, truth flows from my mouth, and my lips declare His fruits.
And He has caused His knowledge to abound in me, because the mouth of the Lord is the true Word, and the entrance of His light.
And the Most High has given Him to His generations (Aeons), which are the interpreters of His beauty, [the Key of Knowledge found within His Word]
And the narrators of His glory,
And the confessors of His purpose,
And the preachers of His mind,
And the teachers of His works.
5 For the swiftness of the Word is inexpressible, and like its expression is its swiftness and force; 

6 And its course knows no limit. Never doth it fail, but it stands sure, and it knows not descent nor the way of it. 

7 For as its work is, so is its end: for it is light and the dawning of thought; 

8 And by it the generations (Aeons) spoke to one another, and those that were silent acquired speech. [Blessed are they who by means thereof have understood everything, and have known the Lord in His truth]

The Aeons are personified in the Odes the generations of [past] aeons (Ode 12:4, 8) are represents as, some of them, "speaking" while others are "silent." The generations are past aeons of believers the Elect. They speak to each other by the word, the prophetic messages of the scriptures

The Patriarchs were called Fathers of the Age." or the The Leader of the Age (or, World), "the days of the Fathers of the Age (or, World}."

and the Father is actively carrying out His Thought of Redemption, by the Word, through the aeons, and not as the mere object of a contemplative

Philo speaks of "aeon" as being in the life of God what "time" is in the life of Man. Time is measured by material motion, but aeon by immaterial or spiritual motion. Spiritual motion can only be conceived of, by us men, as "Thought". It is God's Thought. God's Thought as is reiterated throughout the Odes is a Thought, Plan, or Design, of Redemption for Man. This Thought was revealed by God's Word or Son moving and expressing Himself in the sons of Man, more especially in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three Philo calls "measures of aeon," that is to say, phases of God s Thought of Redemption as it was developed through Faith, Joy, and Righteousness

For him the heroes of Israel are incarnate thoughts of God. His series of illustrations is a picture-book of the progressive phases of God's foreordained redemptive Purpose expressed in human beings. It represents spiritual lives (which are, as Philo says, "measures of aeon 1"],

Philo says (i. 277) that "time," xpuvos, being measured by the motions of the material Cosmos, may be called son of Cosmos, but only the grandson (not the son) of God, who is the Father of Cosmos. Aeon, he says, is the archetype of Time. We might be disposed to say that it must be measured by the motions of God's Thought; but he thinks of God's Thought as never past or future but always present: (id.) "In aeon, nothing has passed away, nothing is future, but everything simply subsists." The Hebrew view is that God combines past, present, and future, in a motion that is also rest. Elsewhere Philo says that the race of Wisdom produced (i. 455) "the threefold fruits of him that seeth, [namely], Israel." These are "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and he calls these three "measures of aeon" i.e. apparently of divine Time. According to Philo (i. 342), "aeonian" does not mean "infinite in time" but "He that is graciously giving (6 x n P l C"f Ji(l "^--- always and continuously...," in other words, "infinite in His scope of graciousness," so that no limit of space, time, or thought, can be attached to it.

The Jews believed that all through the generations, from Adam to Abraham, God was waiting for the latter that He might begin to build His Habitation. Before Abraham, all was swamp. When he came, the rock rose to the surface, and building became possible. In effect, the Building was begun when Abraham "believed."

When Abraham "believed." Nothing outward and visible took place then. But inwardly and invisibly a new spiritual period began, the period, or age (aeon), of "Faith." Such an age is not measured by days or years or by "time" at all. For time depends on material, acoti on spiritual, motion

With Abraham began the aeon of Faith.

Then after the aeon of Joy typified by Isaac, and the aeon of Hopeful Endurance typified by Jacob, and after the silent aeons of the Egyptian oppression during which the patriarchal seed was being prepared to grow up into the tree of national life came Moses

This Aeon

However believers should be careful that the aeon their mind and heart is dwelling on is not the present aeon of this order of things: 

2Cor 4:4  In whom, the god of this age, hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, to the end they may not discern the radiance of the glad-message of the glory of the Christ--who is the image of God.

Our mind can easily become corrupted. The joys and goals of this age can distract us or even replace our God-given hope

Rom 12:2  and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what [is] the will of God — the good, and acceptable, and perfect.

 What is meant by being “conformed to this age”? To be “conformed to this age” is to attach greater importance to the joys and goals of this life rather than to spiritual matters. Things of the Spirit should always come first in our life.

"be not fashioned or shaped in harmony with this present age, either in your thinking or your way of life".

"This age" — Gr. aion, the age. Paul refers to the present times in which the works of the flesh predominate in the ways of mankind, which are antagonistic to the ways of the Spirit (Jn. 7:7), and from which believers had separated in order to serve the Truth (Gal. 1:4). Paul told the Ephesians that "in time past ye walked according to the course (aion) of this world (kosmos), according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). It was the "princes of this world (aion)" that "crucified the Lord of glory" in their ignorance of the divine purpose (1Cor. 2:8), for the wisdom of this aion is deceptive (1cor 3:18), and it blinds "the minds of them which believe not" (2Cor. 4:4). Therefore, believers should not seek identification with the aims and objects of an "age" that is destined to pass away in ignominy. By not conforming to this age, we must concentrate our spiritual gaze upon the age to come, which will replace this sorrowing, sinful present existence (Eph. 2:7).

CONCLUSION

We are the Aeon of God. Each man is his own hourglass, and every time a man dies a "human watch" ceases. We are God's stars and we roll up as a scroll rolled together as fast as we die. We are TIME stuck together by PASSING OVER to that "general assembly of the church of the firstborn" that Paul talked about. Each "star" rises when the Father calls his spiritual name which He alone knows. 

So let us rejoice in the goodness of the Most High as revealed in this Judgment Hour! "There is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven", Ecclesiastes 3:1. This is YOUR TIME TO LAUGH!

The Gnostic Crucifixion of Jesus John 19 John 19

The Gnostic Crucifixion of Jesus John 19

metaphysical Meaning of the Crucifixion John 19

The Gospel of Thomas Saying 55. Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate father and mother cannot be my disciple, and whoever does not hate brothers and sisters, and carry the cross as I do, will not be worthy of me."

The Apocryphon of James

I answered and said to him, “Master, we can obey you if you wish, for we have forsaken our fathers and our mothers and our villages, and followed you. Give us the means not to be tempted by the evil devil.”
The master answered and said, “What good is it to you if you do the father’s will but you are not given your part of his bounty when you are tempted by Satan? But if you are oppressed by Satan and persecuted and do the father’s will, I say he will love you, make you my equal, and consider you beloved through his forethought,  and by your own choice. Won’t you stop loving the flesh and fearing suffering? Don’t you know that you have not yet been abused, unjustly accused, locked up in prison, unlawfully condemned, crucified without reason,  or buried in the sand  as I myself was by the evil one? Do you dare to spare the flesh, O you for whom the spirit is a wall surrounding you? If you consider how long the world has existed before you and how long it will exist after you, you will see that your life is but a day and your sufferings an hour. The good will not enter the world. Disdain death, then, and care about life. Remember my cross and my death, and you will live.”
I answered and said to him, “Master, do not mention to us the cross and death, for they are far from you.”
The master answered and said, “I tell you the truth, none will be saved unless they believe in my cross, for the kingdom of god belongs to those who have believed in my cross. Be seekers of death, then, like the dead who seek life, for what they seek becomes apparent to them. And what is there to cause them concern? As for you, when you search out death, it will teach you about being chosen. I tell you the truth: No one afraid of death will be saved, for the kingdom of death  belongs to those who are put to death.  Become better than I. Be like the child of the holy spirit.” (The Apocryphon of James)

 The Gospel of Truth:

For this reason error was angry with him, so it persecuted him. It was distressed by him, so it made him powerless. He was nailed to a cross. He became a fruit of the knowledge of the Father. He did not, however, destroy them because they ate of it. He rather caused those who ate of it to be joyful because of this discovery. (The Gospel of Truth)


The cross represented Jesus' love, symbolizing his willingness to sacrifice his life for us; from this fact, that He cry out with strong emotion upon the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,"(8) the long-suffering, patience, compassion, and goodness of Christ are exhibited, since He both suffered, and did Himself forgive those who had ill-treated Him. For the Word of God, who said to us, "Love your enemies, and pray for those that hate you,"(9) Himself did this very thing upon the cross; loving the human race to such a degree, that He even prayed for those putting Him to death.

Instead of dying upon the cross like the two thieves that were crucified with him, Jesus simply passed through death and came out fully alive on the other side. The bodies of the robbers were turned to dust, while that of Jesus became alive again, was glorified, and, as is plainly taught in the Scriptures,

However there is another meaning to the crucifixion. The cross is referred to is a crossing out of the old, and thus a making way for the new. Jesus' experience on the cross symbolizes the last step to be taken by each individual, when he fully surrenders to God and enters into the “kingdom of the heavens,”.

What is represented by Jesus' thirst and the attempt to satisfy it with vinegar? Thirst is the physical desire for more life. This desire can be satisfied only by the realisation that life is spiritual. The attempt to satisfy it with vinegar shows the vanity of material counterfeits. What thought is represented by the sponge filled with vinegar that was given to Jesus to drink? The vinegar soaked sponge represents the final bitterness and agony of the separation between the carnal mind and the will of God.

now, "when he had tasted, he would not drink." The wording here suggests that Jesus was glad enough to take the drink that was put to his lips, but when the first taste of it told him what its purpose was, he would not have it.

. Jesus refused the sour wine that was presented to him to alleviate his suffering

"The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink if"? So to have faced crucifixion and death in a state of intoxication would have been, in a sense, to have turned away from the cup which his Father now held out to him.


In Matthew 27:46 it is stated that at this stage of the crucifixion Jesus cried: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The Christ left Jesus on the cross. The Christ the spiritual man, did not die on the cross

Jesus did died, but the fact that He was resurrected proves that He did overcome death. His body did not see corruption

What is symbolized by crucifixion on Golgotha, “The place of a skull”? The skull is the place where the carnal mind is “crossed out,” that the consciousness may awake to the newness of timeless life. Jesus (the carnal intellect) was crucified at “The place of the skull” that Christ (Truth) might become all in all.

Explain the significance of Golgotha. Golgotha (“place of the skull”) represents the domain of the carnal mind seperted from spiritual truth. Purely carnal thoughts and desires in a believer must come to an end and absolute Truth (the Christ) must possess him consciously instead.

Who were with Jesus on the cross? The crucifixion of the “two robbers” who were with Jesus they represent the removal from the mind of all thoughts of the past activities of sin or old life which the old man of the flesh who is crucified with Jesus.

Of what is the "darkness over all the land" a symbol? The three hours of "darkness over all the land" symbolize the failure of understanding that settles upon the consciousness and casts its shadow upon the mind and heart in times of great trial.

What is meant by Jesus giving up the spirit to God? The final giving up of all human ambitions and aims is involved in this surrender to God.

At the crucifixion of Jesus it was the human consciousness of this corruptible flesh that died. "Our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that we should no longer be in bondage to sin."

When the thoughts of sin are crossed out, the spiritual truth and life are manifested in the consciousness. "The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus . . . shall give life also to your mortal bodies." This is pictured in the resurrection of Jesus as an angel of Yahweh descending from heaven (the ruling spiritual kingdom) and rolling away the stone from the door of the tomb.

Jesus resurrected the body that was crucified; He did this by putting into the body the true state of consciousness. "put on the new man, having been created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth.

We can resurrect our body just as Jesus resurrected His. "Follow me." We can overcome, and make our body like the body of Jesus. We must do this. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death." We resurrect our body by putting a new mind into it--the mind of Spirit. "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Ignorance and sin kill the body; understanding and righteousness bring it to life.

The Modern Gnostic Priesthood

The Modern Gnostic Priesthood

The following is written by Tomas Kindahl

It’s either paleo-Gnostic (old Gnostic) Mandaeans tarmidas, like these:

or it is neo-Gnostics (new Gnostics), for example like these guys (Ecclesia Gnostica):

The only surviving paleo-Gnostics are the Mandaeans, they branched from Judaism probably before Jesus. They refer John the Baptist — not Jesus.

The neo-Gnostics are (almost always) Christians that has added some beliefs from what’s considered Valentinian scriptures in the Nag Hammadi library. Among them are a lot of annoying New-Age self-elected prophets. There are many branches among the neo-Gnostics.

There are a lot of pseudo-Gnostics (fake Gnostics) too: the common trait being that they don’t care about the Mandean Scriptures nor the Nag Hammadi scriptures, but instead refer to some self-elected prophet, either Aleister Crowley, or Gurdjieff, or Victor Gomez-Rodrigues (calling himself Samael Aun Weor). They’re not in any way useful.

To be “gnostic” means that you claim to have “secret knowledge;” in other words, knowledge revealed only to you which you are meant to reveal to the world in your own time and your own way.

This is a direct contradiction of ancient Christian belief which says that public revelation - that is, new knowledge revealed by God for all people - ended with the death of the last Apostle, the last person given authority directly by Christ.

Thus, a “gnostic priest” is not a “mystic,” which is a person who studies and lives the depth of the public revelation given to the Church (both in Sacred Tradition and in Scripture), but is simply a person who claims to have knowledge from God that no one else has

These people should be avoided, for the sake of your soul.

Been to that church several times. They consider themselves to be Gnostic-Catholics, which, to be sure, is a contradiction. They borrow a lot from orthodox Christian liturgies (both Roman or Protestant) and remold them to better fit the Gnostic heresy. 

Of course, it’s all anachronistic confusion. 

Ancient gnostics had their own liturgical practices and elaborate rituals. And, of course they were basically corruptions of the Christian liturgies of that time. 

Gnosticism is not Christianity though, no more than Islam is Christianity.

The Meaning of Transfiguration Matthew 17

The meaning of transfiguration

The transfiguration--Supernatural change of appearance that takes place as one experiences the full flow of divine power through his being. A lifting up of the consciousness into a state that transfigures the mind causing it to shine by the illumination of the word of god.

The transfiguration of Jesus described in Matthew and Mark took place when Jesus went with three apostles up into a mountain. There the three beheld Him transfigured.

The Treatise on the Resurrection shows that the transfiguration was not a vision but a reality
This treatise is thought to have been written in the second century (The Nag Hammadi Library James Robinson). It appears to us to be true. Here is what is says about the transfiguration...

For if you remember reading in the Gospel that Elijah appeared and Moses with him, do not think the resurrection is an illusion, but it is truth! Indeed it is more fitting to say that the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrection which came into being through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (From The Treatise on the Resurrection)

So the author plainly believes as we do that the 3 apostles Peter James and John say the risen Elijah and the risen Moses.


What is represented by Jesus' taking Peter, James, and John, “up into a mountain apart by themselves?” This represents the raising of faith, wisdom, and love to spiritual consciousness, a state in which these faculties are mentally separated from the carnal mind.

What is represented by the appearance of Elijah with Moses and the conversation with Jesus? In periods of spiritual exaltation the higher faculties are quickened. Elijah represents the ability to give forth revelation or prophesy; Moses represents understanding of the divine law. Their conversation with Jesus represents the expression of these abilities in the mind of a believer.



Moses and Elijah represents the power of spiritual discernment to bring about rapid changes on the mental plane, these changes being later manifested in action.



Can the transfiguration of Jesus be explained in terms that have practical meaning for us in our life? It is known that prayer brings about a rapid outflowing of mental energy, and when faith (Peter), love (John), and discernment (James) are present, there follows a lifting up of the mind into the Christ consciousness that electrifies the new life of a believer.



Of what is the Transfiguration proof? Of the transcendent understanding of the Christ consciousness. Light represents spiritual Truth and understanding. for the fruit that the light produces consists of every form of goodness, righteousness, and truth.



'Light' refers to moral reasoning in which leads to a higher experience of reality


Can true enlightenment be gained anywhere except in the Christ consciousness? True enlightenment comes only from God through the activity of His Spirit indwelling in us. True enlightenment develops in us understanding, compassion, and zeal to serve God or express what we know of the Gospel.

What do angels represent? They represent our thoughts, and they are described also as “ spirits” they represent the seat of wisdom and understanding. Man is “but little lower than the angels,” or our actual expression is a little lower than the scope of our aspiring thoughts.

The Christ body is a transfigured one. We perceive it when we ascend into a high place spiritually, into the secret place of the Most High; when we lift up our thoughts. The apostles of Jesus represent the consciousness of the spiritual man. When we lift up our mental capability, we behold spiritual reality and we see the body of Christ as it is in Truth.

When, therefore, the revelation of the multitude of the Sons of God, represented by John's similitude of the Son of man, shall be manifested, being all like to Jesus in transfiguration, the aspect of the Body will be "as the sun when he shines in its power."