Man as a Mirror of the Pleroma: The Marcosian Perspective

# Man as a Mirror of the Pleroma: The Marcosian Perspective

In Valentinian Gnosticism, Marcus (the Marcosian) presents a detailed cosmology that connects the human form to the structure of the Pleroma, portraying man as a microcosm reflecting the fullness of the divine. Central to this understanding is the concept of **aeons**, which are **personified aspects or attributes of the Deity**, functioning in a manner analogous to the Kabbalistic **sefirot**. These aeons are not independent divine beings; rather, they are emanations of the Deity, through which the fullness of the Pleroma is expressed. The Marcosian schema emphasizes a **structured and numerical reflection** of these aeons within human anatomy, portraying man as an embodiment of divine order.

At the core of the Marcosian system is the **Ogdoad**, a group of eight aeons, which includes **Bythos (Depth) and Sige (Silence), Nous (Mind) and Aletheia (Truth), Logos (Word/Reason) and Zoe (Life), Anthropos (Man/Human) and Ecclesia (Church)**. Each of these aeons represents a distinct attribute of the Deity, and collectively they illustrate the completeness of the divine Pleroma. Bythos and Sige signify the unfathomable source and its silent potential; Nous and Aletheia embody the first movement toward understanding and truth; Logos and Zoe represent the rational and living principles of the Pleroma; Anthropos and Ecclesia signify the ultimate reflection of the Pleroma in both humanity and the Church. The Marcosian perspective interprets these aeons as **symbolically mirrored within the human body**, creating a profound microcosmic correspondence.

Irenaeus, in *Against Heresies*, provides one of the clearest expositions of the Marcosian claim that the Ogdoad is reflected in human anatomy:

> “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.”

This passage lays out the Marcosian system of human reflection of the Pleroma, showing how various **numerical structures** correspond to the divine order:

1. **Tetrad (4)** – This refers to the four senses seated in the brain: sight, hearing, smell, and taste. The Tetrad is the first level of correspondence, reflecting the initial emanations of the Pleroma in the human form. Marcus emphasizes that these faculties are not merely physical functions but manifestations of divine attributes, demonstrating that human perception mirrors the structure of the Deity.

2. **Ogdoad (8)** – The Ogdoad, composed of the eight aeons, is reflected in paired sensory organs and tastes: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a twofold taste (bitter and sweet). This duality corresponds to the relational and complementary nature of the aeons themselves. By mapping the Ogdoad onto the paired senses, Marcus illustrates the idea that the fullness of the Pleroma is subtly embedded in human corporeality. Additionally, the Ogdoad is described as **“hidden in the viscera”**, indicating that while these attributes are mirrored in the body, the most profound aspects of the divine remain invisible, inaccessible, and spiritual.

3. **Decad (10)** – The Decad, represented in the fingers of the hands, reflects the human ability to act, create, and manipulate the material world. Each finger corresponds symbolically to an element of divine completeness, demonstrating that even human action is structured in accordance with the Pleroma. Marcus’ insight here emphasizes that human agency is not separate from the divine order but participates in its manifestation.

4. **Duodecad (12)** – The division of the human body into twelve members symbolizes a broader reflection of the Pleroma in corporeal form. This number completes the microcosmic image, linking all aspects of the body into a comprehensive reflection of divine fullness. The Duodecad demonstrates that human embodiment is not arbitrary; rather, it is a carefully ordered reflection of cosmic structure.

Through these structures, Marcus illustrates that **man embodies multiple layers of correspondence to the Pleroma**. The Tetrad reflects cognitive faculties; the Ogdoad mirrors the relational and paired nature of aeons; the Decad signifies agency and interaction; and the Duodecad reflects overall structural harmony. This approach demonstrates that human beings are not simply biological entities but are symbolic microcosms, capable of manifesting the patterns of divine order.

The Marcosian perspective also emphasizes that the aeons themselves are **personifications of divine attributes**. They are not independent beings but emanations of the Deity, each illustrating a particular quality or function of the fullness of the Pleroma. This mirrors the structure of the Kabbalistic **sefirot**, where each sefirah represents a distinct attribute of the Deity rather than a separate god. By using personification, Marcus provides a symbolic and relational framework that helps human beings comprehend and relate to the Pleroma without fragmenting its unity.

The dualities present in the Ogdoad, such as Bythos and Sige or Logos and Zoe, further emphasize the Marcosian understanding of balance and complementarity within the Pleroma. These aeons function in pairs, reflecting the interplay of potential and manifestation, silence and expression, thought and life. By situating these dualities within human anatomy, Marcus demonstrates that humans are inherently capable of reflecting and participating in this divine interplay.

Marcus’ microcosmic model also addresses the **hidden and visible dimensions** of divine reflection. While the paired senses and body members illustrate aspects of the Pleroma, the deepest elements, such as the Ogdoad hidden in the viscera, indicate that not all divine qualities are overtly manifested in the material world. This highlights the Valentinian emphasis on the tension between the visible material world and the invisible spiritual fullness of the Pleroma, showing that the human form is both a reflection and a vessel for hidden divine truth.

Moreover, the Marcosian schema underscores the **material and corporeal grounding** of divine reflection. Human faculties, organs, and limbs are not merely functional; they are imbued with symbolic significance, demonstrating that the divine is reflected materially in the human body. This perspective aligns with Valentinian theology, which sees the Pleroma as corporeal and tangible, rather than abstract or immaterial. Humanity, as a microcosm, therefore participates directly in the structure of divine fullness.

In conclusion, the Marcosian view of man as a mirror of the Pleroma provides a **structured, numerical, and symbolic model** of human correspondence to the divine. Through the Tetrad, Ogdoad, Decad, and Duodecad, Marcus demonstrates that human anatomy and faculties are reflections of aeons, which are themselves personified attributes of the Deity. The Ogdoad, including Bythos and Sige, Nous and Aletheia, Logos and Zoe, Anthropos and Ecclesia, represents the fullness of divine order, mirrored subtly in human form. By situating the Pleroma within the human microcosm, Marcus emphasizes that humanity is not merely material but an embodiment of divine structure, capable of reflecting both the visible and hidden aspects of the fullness of the Deity. This Valentinian Marcosian perspective presents man as a **living image of the Pleroma**, integrating cognition, perception, action, and structural embodiment into a unified reflection of divine order.

The Pleroma is the Body of Christ

The Pleroma is the Body of Christ

The fullness which is Christ’s- and His “fullness” is God’s fullness- is shared with us: “Of His fullness have all we received” (Jn. 1:16). In this sense the church, as the body of Christ, is “the fullness of Him that fills all in all” (Eph. 1:23; 4:13). 

Through knowing Christ, the believers are therefore “filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). So the fact that Jesus had “all the fullness of God” doesn’t make Him "God" Himself in person; because we will not become God Himself in person because we are filled with God’s fullness; any more than a son is his father. In the same way as Christ’s body after His resurrection was filled with the Spirit and nature of God- so will ours be (1 Cor. 15:49; Phil. 3:20,21).

The ‘fulness’ of Christ dwells ‘bodily’ in the church, even as the ‘fulness’ of the Godhead dwells ‘bodily’ in Him. 

The term Body of Christ has two main but separate meanings: it may refer to Jesus' words over the bread at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in Luke 22:19–20, or to the usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:12–14 and Ephesians 4:1–16 to refer to the Christian Church.

The Body of Christ as the Christian Church is what we are going to look at

The "Body of Christ" is used by other Protestants to collectively describe believers in Christ, as opposed to only those who are members of the Catholic Church. In this sense, Christians are members of the universal body of Christ not because of identification with the institution of the Church, but through identification with Christ directly through faith. 

members of the body of Christ, --All those who forsake everything pertaining to the personal, limited self and measure up to the Christ standard in thoughts and acts, thus bringing forth the unlimited fruits of Spirit, are members of the one body: the body of Christ.

it is sometimes called the Mystical body of Christ, a mystical union of all Christians into a spiritual body with Jesus Christ as their head. 

1 Corinthians 12::12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1 Corinthians 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestras perceived each other. The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and unathletic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical. Interesting findings, to say the least! With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music? The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they subordinate their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play beautiful music.

"The beauty and purpose and usefulness of the human body is in its diversity" (GVG, Ber 57:308).

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

the mystical body of Christ. By faith, its elements are "members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." Hence, they are "bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh;" and, therefore, the beloved Eve of the last Adam, the Lord who is to come from heaven, and make her of the same holy spiritual nature as his own. Thus, the church is figuratively taken out of the side of her Lord; for every member of it believes in the remission of sins through his shed blood; and they all believe in the real resurrection of his flesh and bones, for their justification unto life by a similar revival from the dead. "Your bodies are the members," or flesh and bones, "of Christ; ... and he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (ICor. 6:15, 17). "I have espoused you to one husband," says Paul, "that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2Cor. 11:2). It will be perceived, then, that the church as defined, is in the present state the espoused of Christ, but not actually married

Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

ONE BODY: See Eph 1:23; 2:15,16. The church is not an organization, but an organism. It is alive. It has a life of its own.

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

A PERFECT MAN --- into the measure of the full age of the fulness of the Christ: who is THE HEAD, from whom the whole Body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint (heir) supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:3, 4, 13, 15, 16).

Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

v.23 “the fullness” Grk. pleroma. This is a derivative of pleroo used in this phrase also. These words clearly link with the Lord’s promise of “baptism in Spirit” (Acts 1:4) which in its fulfilment is described in Acts as being “filled with Holy Spirit”. cf. John 1:16 and notes there. “of him” i.e. Christ.
 The fulness of Spirit in Christ was in turn “poured out” on believers, so that they were “filled with Holy Spirit”. “that filleth” = Grk. pleroo (cf. 3:19; 4:10; 5:18; Acts 2:2; 13:52) where this word clearly is associated with the Spirit gifts. “all in all”

the Church is the fullness (pleroma) of Christ ( Ephesians 1:23 ). It forms one whole with Him; and the Apostle even speaks of the Church as "Christ" (1 Cor. 12:12). 

“That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:19). “The fulness of him that filleth all (his ecclesias) in all (places),

His body was like the beryl." The "body" here is the "One Body" of which Paul speaks in his epistles; as, "the Ecclesia which is His body, the fulness of Him (the Spirit) who perfects all things in all" saints. When the fulness is brought in the body will be complete (Rom. 11:25; Eph. 1:23); and it will then be "like a beryl."

Concerning the fullness, it is I.  I (the christ) was sent down in the body (of Jesus) for the seed that had fallen away. And I came down to their mortal model. But they did not recognize me, thinking I was a mortal. I spoke with the one who is mine, and the one who is mine listened to me just as you also who have listened to me today. And I gave him authority to enter into the inheritance of his fatherhood. And I took him the one who is mine up to my Father. They the Aeons were brought to completion filled with rest through his salvation. Since he was deficiency, he became fullness. The Letter of Peter to Philip (Nag Hammadi Codex VIII, 2)

The Interpretation of Knowledge

For no beast exists in the Aeon. For the Father does not keep the sabbath, but (rather) actuates the Son, and through the Son he continued to provide himself with the Aeons. The Father has living rational elements from which he puts on my members as garment

He became an emanation of the trace. For also they say about the likeness that it is apprehended by means of his trace. The structure apprehends by means of the likeness, but God apprehends by means of his members. He knew them before they were begotten, and they will know him. And the one who begot each one from the first will indwell them. He will rule over them.

But who is it that redeemed the one who was reproached? It is the emanation of the name. For just as the flesh has need of a name, so also is the flesh an Aeon that Wisdom has emitted. It received the majesty that is descending, so that the Aeon might enter the one who was reproached, that we might escape the disgrace of the carcass and be regenerated in the flesh and blood of ... (8 lines missing)... destiny. He [...] and the Aeons [...] they accepted the Son although he was a complete mystery [...] each one of his members [...] grace. When he cried out, he was separated from the Church like portions of the darkness from the Mother, while his feet provided him traces, and these scorched the path of the ascent to the Father.

Aeons that exist in that place. Some exist in the visible Church - those who exist in the Church of men - and unanimously they proclaim to one another the Pleroma of their aeon. And some exist for death in the Church on whose behalf they go - she for whom they are death - while others are for life. Therefore they are lovers of abundant life. And each of the rest endures by his own root. He puts forth fruit that is like him, since the roots have a connection with one another and their fruits are undivided, the best of each. They possess them, existing for them and for one another. So let us become like the roots, since we are equal

Moreover, if they would wait for the exodus from the (earthly) harmony, they will come to the Aeon. If they are fit to share in the (true) harmony, how much the more those who derive from the single unity? They ought to be reconciled with one another. Do not accuse your Head because it has not appointed you as an eye but rather as a finger. And do not be jealous of that which has been put in the class of an eye or a hand or a foot, but be thankful that you do not exist outside the Body. On the contrary, you have the same Head on whose account the eye exists, as well as the hand and the foot and the rest of the parts. Why do you despise the one that is appointed as [...] it desired to [...] you slandered [...] does not embrace [...] unmixed body [...] chosen [...] dissolve [...] of the Aeon [...] descent [...] however plucked us from <the> Aeons that exist in that place. Some exist in the visible Church - those who exist in the Church of men - and unanimously they proclaim to one another the Pleroma of their aeon. And some exist for death in the Church on whose behalf they go - she for whom they are death - while others are for life. Therefore they are lovers of abundant life. And each of the rest endures by his own root. He puts forth fruit that is like him, since the roots have a connection with one another and their fruits are undivided, the best of each. They possess them, existing for them and for one another. So let us become like the roots, since we are equal [...] that Aeon [...] those who are not ours [...] above the [...] grasp him [...] since [...] your soul. He will [...] we gave you to him. If you purify it, it abides in me. If you enclose it, it belongs to the Devil. Even if you kill his forces that are active, it will be with you. For if the soul is dead, still it was enacted upon (by) the rulers and authorities.

Receive now the teaching of the one who was reproached - an advantage and a profit for the soul - and receive his shape. It is the shape that exists in the presence of the Father, the word and the height, that let you know him before you have been led astray while in (the) flesh of condemnation.

Likewise I became very small, so that through my humility I might take you up to the great height, whence you had fallen. You were taken to this pit. If now you believe in me, it is I who shall take you above, through this shape that you see

Here, then, was a symbolic man blazing in glory and power: and representative of the Eternal Spirit hereafter to be manifested in a NEW ORDER OF ELOHIM -- aggregately ONE MAN -- the One Man of the One Spirit, whom the true believers shall all come unto 



 Daniel saw the "perfect man" -- the Eternal manifested in the glorified flesh of a multitude -- symbolically represented in the measure of his full age.






Daniel next informs us concerning the Spirit-man "the Man of the One" that "

The Pleroma in the Septuagint

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The Pleroma in the Septuagint: The Waters Above the Heavens

In the Septuagint, the Greek word πλήρωμα (plērōma) appears in several passages that describe the created world, including the sea, the heavens, and the earth. While a surface reading might interpret plērōma simply as the fullness or abundance of the physical world, from a Valentinian perspective, it refers to something deeper: not a spiritual abstraction outside the cosmos, but a corporeal, material, atomic realm that undergirds and completes all things—the Pleroma.

The Pleroma is not beyond or separate from the universe; it is within the universe. It is not immaterial or incorporeal, but composed of atoms—though of a finer, incorruptible order. It is tangible and physical, the structured totality of the divine emanations (Aeons), arranged in atomic harmony. It is this structured realm that gives coherence and fullness to all creation.

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Psalm 148:4–5 – “Waters Above the Heavens”

“Praise Him, O highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He gave the command and they were created.”

In this passage, the “waters above the heavens” are not to be interpreted as mere poetic metaphor. Valentinians understand this to signify the corporeal Pleroma—a structured material realm composed of atoms, distinct from earthly seas yet just as physical. These waters are the atomic fullness above the visible sky, located above the firmament, in a higher layer of the Natural World.

The Aeons, who proceed from Bythos (the Depth), dwell within this upper atomic structure—a realm made of atoms not subject to decay. These “waters above” are not mystical abstractions but part of the same universe, organized in higher form. They represent the Pleroma as a physical foundation, supporting the visible heavens from above with ordered atomic configuration.

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1 Chronicles 16:32 – “The Sea and Its Fullness”

“Let the sea roar, and the fullness [πλήρωμα] thereof.”

While this verse speaks of the sea and its fullness, a Valentinian reading understands the plērōma as more than just natural abundance. The sea, often a symbol of the unstable and chaotic lower world, is shown here as being filled—not with emptiness or randomness, but with something from above. That something is the atomic order of the Pleroma, which descends to bring structure and meaning.

The Pleroma does not originate from the sea, but pours into it, infusing even the turbulent depths with the divine arrangement of atoms that reflects the harmony of the Aeons. The sea's fullness is its participation in the structured, atomic plērōma.

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Psalm 89:11 – “The World and Its Fullness”

“The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: the world and the fullness [πλήρωμα] thereof, thou hast founded them.”

Here, both heaven and earth, and the plērōma of the world, are described as founded by the Deity. From a Valentinian view, this founding is atomic and corporeal. The fullness is not merely spiritual in an abstract sense—it is the divine atomic structure emanating from the Aeons, configuring the world into a coherent and purposeful whole.

The Pleroma is not a distant realm but the material source of divine order, present within the universe, layered above the visible sky, yet constructed from the same fundamental substance—atoms, only in incorruptible form. The plērōma is thus the unseen but real foundation that upholds all that exists.

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Psalm 96:11 – “Let the Sea Roar and the Earth Be Glad”

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness [πλήρωμα] thereof.”

This verse portrays a universal rejoicing that includes heaven, earth, and sea. The plērōma of the sea allows it to participate in this harmony—not because it is spiritualized, but because it is being ordered by the atomic emanations of the Aeons. Valentinian teaching sees the sea’s fullness as the result of the material descent of Aeonic structure into the lower realms.

This is not immaterial influence, but corporeal transformation—the extension of atomic order from the Pleroma into the Natural World. The Pleroma does not exist in a realm of pure spirit; it exists as material structure, hidden but real, composed of atoms that do not decay.

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Psalm 98:7 – “The World and They That Dwell Therein”

“Let the sea roar, and the fullness [πλήρωμα] thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

This passage highlights the inclusiveness of divine order. The sea, again a figure of chaos, is made full by the descending order of the Pleroma. The plērōma is atomic reality—the Aeons’ tangible, incorruptible emanations, extending their harmony into the lower world.

The world and its inhabitants, seen through this lens, are not abandoned or left to entropy. They are destined to be configured by the same atomic structure that upholds the heavens. The fullness of the sea and the world is the result of their material incorporation into the Pleroma’s order, not by spiritual elevation, but by atomic reconstitution.

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Conclusion

The word πλήρωμα (plērōma) in the Septuagint holds far more than a poetic meaning when viewed through the Valentinian lens. It describes not merely the fullness of nature, but a corporeal, atomic structure that sustains all creation. The Pleroma is not beyond the universe but exists within it—above the heavens, yet just as material and physical as the lower world, only in a form not subject to decay.

Psalm 148 describes the waters above the heavens—not a spiritual dimension, but a tangible, atomic domain. 1 Chronicles 16, Psalms 89, 96, and 98 all show how the plērōma extends into the sea and the world, bringing harmony and structure.

The Pleroma is composed of atoms in their most refined, incorruptible state, forming the Aeons who transmit divine order throughout the cosmos. This is not a realm of shadows or metaphors—it is real, structured, and physical. It is the atomic source of fullness, the material cause behind the harmony and completeness of all creation.

Through this understanding, the Pleroma emerges not as something outside the world, but as its deepest layer, its atomic root, and its ultimate end.

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Commentary on the 30 Aeons as Atoms in the Pleroma

# Commentary on the 30 Aeons as Atoms in the Pleroma

In Valentinian cosmology, the **aeons** are not separate divine beings or conscious personalities. They are indivisible **emanations** of the One, symbolic of the qualities and energies of divine being. Interpreting these aeons as **atoms** of the Pleroma reveals a corporeal and dynamic vision: they are *living types*, not because they think or perceive, but because they **express motion, energy, and relational force** that animate the fullness of divine order. These are *not* minds or spirits in themselves, but essential powers in unified relation, forming the structure of divine fullness.

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### First Generation:

**Bythos (Depth, the One)** and **Sige (Silence)**

* *Bythos* is the primal atom, the indivisible origin from which all others emerge. It is the living type of infinite depth—potential not as abstraction but as active generation.

* *Sige* is the silent interval that allows for emergence—not conscious quiet but receptive stillness. Together, they define the foundational relation of force within calm—the rhythm of being.

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### Second Generation:

**Nous (Mind)** and **Aletheia (Truth)**

* *Nous* is not a conscious mind but the atomic source of directed emergence within divine substance.

* *Aletheia* is truth in form—expressing essential reality as an embodied presence. These two convey divine ordering through their active and grounding roles.

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### Third Generation:

**Sermo (Word, Logos)** and **Vita (Life, Zoe)**

* *Sermo* is the surge of directed energy—articulation as dynamic force rather than sound.

* *Vita* is vitality as motion and joining, the outgoing motion that unites. These atoms function not by intention but by expression of force.

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### Fourth Generation:

**Anthropos (Man)** and **Ecclesia (Church)**

* *Anthropos* is the image of the divine in actualized form, not a person but a corporeal reflection.

* *Ecclesia* is the joining force, bonding and assembling into unity. They represent divine likeness not by thinking but by existing as integrative forces.

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### Fifth Generation:

This generation expresses dual atomic qualities from the overflow of prior relations. They arise through active resonance and show the bodily consistency of divine manifestation.

* **Bythios (Profound)** and **Mixis (Mixture)**

  * *Bythios* is depth saturated with activity; *Mixis* is the binding of distinct forces.

* **Ageratos (Never-aging)** and **Henosis (Union)**

  * *Ageratos* is incorruptible continuity; *Henosis* is the fusing of distinct elements into coherence.

* **Autophyes (Essential nature)** and **Hedone (Pleasure)**

  * *Autophyes* is origin from within; *Hedone* is the felt integrity of unified motion.

* **Acinetos (Immovable)** and **Syncrasis (Commixture)**

  * *Acinetos* is firmness without decay; *Syncrasis* is mixing that retains distinctiveness.

* **Monogenes (Only-begotten)** and **Macaria (Happiness)**

  * *Monogenes* is the unique expression of singular presence; *Macaria* is fulfillment through active unity.

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From *Anthropos* and *Ecclesia* arise further atomic pairs—expressing qualities not as traits of minds, but as interactions of living corporeality:

* **Paracletus (Comforter)** and **Pistis (Faith)**

  * *Paracletus* sustains presence; *Pistis* maintains cohesion over time.

* **Patricas (Paternal)** and **Elpis (Hope)**

  * *Patricas* transmits generative structure; *Elpis* extends toward future embodiment.

* **Metricos (Maternal)** and **Agape (Love)**

  * *Metricos* holds and forms; *Agape* draws and joins in mutual presence.

* **Ainos (Praise)** and **Synesis (Intelligence)**

  * *Ainos* lifts through vitality; *Synesis* draws forces into unity.

* **Ecclesiasticus (Son of Ecclesia)** and **Macariotes (Blessedness)**

  * *Ecclesiasticus* is ordered transmission; *Macariotes* is the stable richness of active union.

* **Theletus (Perfect)** and **Sophia (Wisdom)**

  * *Theletus* is active completeness; *Sophia* is the understanding seen in relational harmony.

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### Conclusion: Aeons as Corporeal Atoms of Divine Form

To regard the thirty aeons as **atoms** is to understand the Pleroma as a *living, embodied* reality. These atoms are indivisible expressions of divine qualities—not persons, spirits, or minds—but **living types** that act through their own being, manifesting energy, force, and coherence.

This aligns with ancient material views where atoms are not inert particles but energetic and active. In Valentinian theology, this becomes sacred: the **Pleroma is filled**, not with abstractions, but with corporeal emanations of divine presence.

Thus, the aeons are not metaphors—they are real, active, embodied presences. Their existence shows how divine fullness becomes manifest—not through thought, but through **energetic relation, corporeal intensity, and 

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Commentary on the 30 Aeons as Living Atoms in the Valentinian Pleroma

In Valentinian theology, the Pleroma is not an abstract or immaterial space but the corporeal and material fullness of divine existence. It is composed of Aeons—emanations from the primal Source. These are not personal beings, minds, or spiritual abstractions, but indivisible, incorruptible, and active material units—living atoms that compose the divine order.

These aeons do not possess thought, will, or sensation. They are alive in the sense that they move, join, unfold, and express energy. They are physical—not made of earthly matter, but of the substance proper to the Pleroma: material, structured, and unbreakable.

Like the atomic theory of Democritus and Epicurus, in which the world is built from irreducible particles in motion, the Valentinian Pleroma is composed of these elemental units—not dead particles, but self-sustaining, indissoluble entities. Each Aeon is a living type: not a personality, but a unique form of divine material expression.

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First Generation: Bythos and Sige — Depth and Silence

• Bythos (“Depth”) is the first atom—absolute, indivisible, and ungenerated. It is not a sphere or point, but the material root of all emanation.

• Sige (“Silence”) is the stable medium into which Bythos moves. It is not space or emptiness, but a receptive condition that allows generation to begin.

Together, they express the relation of motion and stability, the initiating polarity of all corporeal emanation.

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Second Generation: Nous and Aletheia — Mind and Truth

• Nous (“Mind”) is not a thinking entity but a structuring atom. It brings material form and order into manifestation.

• Aletheia (“Truth”) is the steadfast material condition that reveals and stabilizes what Nous generates.

These two are active bodies in relation: one forming, the other stabilizing.

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Third Generation: Logos and Zoe — Word and Life

• Logos (“Word”) is not speech, but energetic transmission—a forward-moving material surge.

• Zoe (“Life”) is vitality itself—not conscious life, but the ceaseless, productive motion of corporeal being.

Together, they advance the outward expansion of the Pleroma through active material processes.

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Fourth Generation: Anthropos and Ecclesia — Humanity and Assembly

• Anthropos (“Humanity”) is not mankind, but a living mold of form, representing relation and likeness in material expression.

• Ecclesia (“Assembly”) is the unifying body that gathers and joins, not as a mind, but as the material bond of collective harmony.

These express the structure and consolidation of corporeal unity.

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Fifth Generation: Differentiated Aeons — Corporeal Relations in Fullness

These pairs are further material distinctions, expressing qualities of divine reality:

• Bythios (“Profound”) and Mixis (“Mixture”): Deep, saturated presence and active combining of forms.

• Ageratos (“Incorruptible”) and Henosis (“Union”): Unfading substance and material integration.

• Autophyes (“Self-originated”) and Hedone (“Pleasure”): Innate stability and the restfulness of proper relation.

• Acinetos (“Immovable”) and Syncrasis (“Commixture”): Fixedness and the joining of distinct materials into a stable whole.

• Monogenes (“Only-begotten”) and Macaria (“Happiness”): Singular material identity and fulfilled harmony.

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From Anthropos and Ecclesia emerge additional material expressions of relational reality:

• Paracletus (“Supporter”) and Pistis (“Trust”): Upholding force and the reliability of material bonds.

• Patricas (“Paternal”) and Elpis (“Hope”): Directional formation and sustained material expectancy.

• Metricos (“Maternal”) and Agape (“Love”): Nurturing enclosure and cohesive attraction between bodies.

• Ainos (“Praise”) and Synesis (“Insight”): Exaltation through elevation and the unifying clarity of corporeal arrangement.

• Ecclesiasticus (“Offspring of Ecclesia”) and Macariotes (“Blessedness”): Structured continuation and the fulfilled state of union.

• Theletus (“Willed”) and Sophia (“Wisdom”): Purposeful completion and the ordered visibility of material understanding.

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Aeons as Living, Material Atoms of the Divine Fullness

These thirty Aeons are not immaterial, mental, or metaphorical. They are corporeal and material, the irreducible bodies that form the architecture of divine reality. They do not act by choice or thought but by their nature. They do not symbolize immaterial truths, but exist as the material constituents of the Pleroma itself.

There is no need to picture them as patterns, shapes, or symbols. Each Aeon is what it is by its own stable structure, motion, and relation to the others. They are living not because they perceive, but because they are active, durable, and productive.

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Conclusion

To speak of the Aeons as living atoms is to restore the corporeal realism of Valentinian cosmology. These Aeons are not metaphors, nor minds, nor ethereal energies. They are real, material beings in the highest sense: indivisible, incorruptible, and in ceaseless motion. Their relations generate all divine structure—not symbolically, but materially.

The Pleroma is not an invisible heaven of thoughts and spirits. It is the organized material field of divine being, filled with active, living atoms that give structure, movement, and unity to all that exists within it.

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Sethian The Hierarchy of the Pleroma Or The Hierarchy of the Aeons

**Sethian Hierarchy of the Pleroma**

In Sethian Gnosticism, the structure of the Pleroma reveals the unfolding of the divine through a series of emanations from the ineffable source. This hierarchy embodies the sacred complexity of divine attributes, arranged in a sacred order from the ineffable Monad to the divine figures that govern the fullness of spiritual reality.

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**The Monad**

At the pinnacle of the Sethian cosmology stands the Monad—the supreme, ineffable One. This primal source is beyond all comprehension and naming, representing the ultimate unity from which all existence flows. The Monad is the "Unknown God," the "Ineffable Parent," utterly transcendent and indivisible. It is not a being in the conventional sense but the absolute origin of all things, the uncaused cause whose essence is beyond definition. The Monad is the source from which all subsequent emanations arise, embodying pure potential and infinite simplicity.

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**Barbelo: The First Emanation**

From the depths of the Monad emanates Barbelo, the first thought or first principle—often called the “Mother-Father” or the “First Life.” Barbelo is the divine feminine aspect, the image and reflection of the Monad’s ineffable nature. She is the archetype of divine wisdom and the formative power of creation, embodying the first movement of self-awareness and will within the unmanifest source.

Barbelo represents the perfect balance of masculine and feminine principles, containing within herself the fullness of divine attributes. She is the immediate radiance of the Monad, the divine “forethought” and “presence” that initiates the unfolding of the spiritual universe. As the first emanation, Barbelo is both the creative cause and the receptacle of all further emanations.

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**Autogenes: The Self-Generated Son**

Emanating from Barbelo is Autogenes, the “Self-Generated One,” also known as the Son or the “Only-Begotten.” Autogenes is the active principle of divine manifestation, the living expression of the Monad’s power made manifest through Barbelo. He is the intermediary figure who bridges the transcendent Monad and the unfolding layers of divine fullness.

Autogenes represents the Logos, the divine word and reason, the power by which the spiritual cosmos is ordered and maintained. He embodies the dynamic movement of creation, the source of life and illumination for all beings within the Pleroma. Autogenes is the expression of divine intent, the perfect image of the Father’s will in action.

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**The Four Luminaries**

Following the emergence of Autogenes, the Sethian texts describe a further emanation of four great luminaries, each carrying specific divine attributes and functions within the Pleroma. These luminaries are the guardians and rulers of the various realms of the spiritual universe, maintaining order and harmony throughout.

The four luminaries are named Harmozel, Oroiael, Daveithe, and Eleleth, each associated with different aspects of divine governance and cosmic administration:

* **Harmozel**: The highest of the luminaries, Harmozel holds dominion over the first realm of the Pleroma and is considered the chief ruler among them. He embodies divine grace and the administration of pure light.

* **Oroiael**: Next in the hierarchy, Oroiael is associated with divine understanding and judgment, governing the spiritual laws that govern the unfolding cosmos.

* **Daveithe**: This luminary oversees the realm of spiritual life and vitality, embodying divine nurturing and the flow of life-force within the Pleroma.

* **Eleleth**: The fourth luminary is linked to wisdom and revelation, serving as a guide for souls and a protector of sacred knowledge.

These luminaries act as essential agents in the unfolding of divine fullness, manifesting particular facets of the divine will and preserving the integrity of the spiritual order.

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**Nature and Significance of Emanations**

The entire Sethian hierarchy is characterized by the process of emanation—divine realities issuing forth from the Monad in a nonviolent and continuous outpouring. This is not a division or fragmentation but an unfolding, a spreading forth that reveals the fullness of the One without diminishing it.

Each emanation is both distinct and unified with the source, reflecting a specific attribute or power of the Monad while remaining inseparable from the whole. The hierarchy represents the living body of the divine, where each aeon or luminary expresses an essential dimension of the ineffable fullness.

The Pleroma, meaning “fullness,” is thus a spiritual cosmos composed of these emanations, where the divine essence manifests in a multiplicity of harmonious forms. The aeons and luminaries are not separate gods but aspects or expressions of the one divine reality, each with its own station, role, and function within the sacred order.

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**The Hierarchical Order**

The Sethian Pleroma is arranged in a clear hierarchy. The Monad is absolute and transcendent, beyond all names and distinctions. From the Monad proceeds Barbelo, the first thought and divine mother, embodying the fullness of potentiality and awareness. From Barbelo emanates Autogenes, the self-generated Son, the active principle of divine creation.

Following these primary emanations, the four luminaries manifest, each governing specific realms and attributes within the spiritual fullness. This layered structure reflects the gradations of divine presence, from the unknowable source to the accessible, ordered expressions of divine power.

This hierarchy is not static but dynamic—each level continually reflects and participates in the nature of the levels above and below. Through this ordered procession, the spiritual universe is sustained, and the path for returning to the ultimate source is illuminated.

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**Conclusion**

The Sethian hierarchy of the Pleroma reveals a profound spiritual architecture of divine emanation. Beginning with the Monad, the ineffable source, the divine fullness unfolds through Barbelo, Autogenes, and the four luminaries, manifesting the multiple dimensions of the spiritual universe.

Each emanation carries a specific aspect of the divine nature, creating a cosmos of light, wisdom, life, and love. Together, these divine beings form a harmonious unity that reflects the singular source while allowing for the richness and diversity of spiritual existence.

Through this hierarchy, Sethian Gnosticism presents a vision of reality where the divine is both one and many—an ineffable source radiating forth in endless fullness, guiding the spiritual return to the origin and the restoration of cosmic harmony.

**Sethian Hierarchy of the Pleroma**

*Or*

**The Hierarchy of the Aeons**

There are many parallels between Gnosticism and Christianity, including a belief in angels. One key difference between these two religious belief systems is that Gnostics recognize a divine hierarchy above the angels. This hierarchy, known as the *Pleroma*, is populated by beings called *aeons*. Angels act as messengers between humankind and the aeons of the Pleroma, and ultimately between humankind and the true God. As messengers, angels are not directly worshipped, but they are called upon to take prayers to the true God on behalf of humankind—a practice somewhat analogous to Catholics praying for the intercession of saints.

While the transcendent Deity or invisible spirit is ineffable and beyond direct comprehension, the *pleroma* (Greek for “fullness” or “full perfection”) of the divine is a hierarchical family of personified aeons. These aeons emerge as the fruit of the spirit’s self-contemplation or self-expression. The fullness, or *pleroma*, becomes a vast number of self-aware aeons that arrange themselves into a hierarchical order.

The Pleroma is a hierarchy in which each aeon occupies a station according to a certain level of *gnosis*—a deep, experiential knowledge of the divine. The primal Tetrad, a fundamental group of four, is both a single complex unity and a quartet of unities. The unities relate to one another in a hierarchy and sequence that mirrors their intrinsic character and function. Names in this Ogdoad (group of eight) are significant and patterned to reinforce the numerical and functional structure of the aeonic realm. They indicate hierarchy and role.

The hierarchy extends downward from the Pleroma to the spiritual realm of Wisdom’s resolution, then to the Demiurge, and finally to the material world. Because the Demiurge creates the seven heavens, he is called the Hebdomad (the sevenfold), and Akhamoth (Wisdom) is called the Ogdoad, thereby “preserving the number of the original, first Ogdoad of the Pleroma” (Against Heresies 1.5.2–4).

Sophia (Wisdom), or simply the Logos, is described as the final emanation of the divine hierarchy called the Plêrôma or “Fullness,” at the head of which resides the supreme Deity—the One beyond Being.

Aeons are arranged into many *hypostases*, angelic orders, or hierarchies surrounding the One, although all are ultimately one with their source. The *Gospel of the Egyptians* lists at least five orders of aeons: thrones, powers, glories, authorities, and angels. It states:

> “...and the thrones which are in them, and the powers which surround them, glories, authorities, and the powers” (Gospel of the Egyptians).

It also describes the unity of praise among these aeons:

> “She (Providence) passed through all the aeons which I mentioned before. And she established thrones of glory, and myriads of angels without number who surrounded them, powers and incorruptible glories, who sing and give glory, all giving praise with a single voice, with one accord, with one never-silent voice, (...) to the Father, and the Mother, and the Son.” (Gospel of the Egyptians)

Aeons may also be arranged in a numerical hierarchy from the One to “the countless myriads”:

> “Among the things that were created the monad is first, the dyad follows it, and the triad, up to the tenths. Now the tenths rule the hundredths; the hundredths rule the thousandths; the thousands rule the ten thousands. This is the pattern among the immortals.” (Eugnostos)

This numerical ordering emphasizes unity at every level, composed as follows:

1. Monad — onefold

2. Dyad — twofold

3. Triad — threefold

4. Tetrad — fourfold

5. Pentad — fivefold

6. Hexad — sixfold

7. Heptad or Hebdomad — sevenfold

8. Ogdoad — eightfold

9. Ennead — ninefold

10. Decad — tenfold

11. Dodecad — twelvefold

In Sethian Gnosticism, there is a hierarchy of feminine principles, likely rooted in Jewish Wisdom Literature. At the pinnacle is Barbelo, the ultimate savior and exalted divine mother, and a lower figure, Sophia, who gave rise to Yaldabaoth, the creator of the material world. The Demiurge or creator sought to confine Adam, so he created a physical body to contain him and placed parts of his mother’s essence in humanity. Finally, Epinoia, spiritual Eve, appears to enlighten Adam (mankind) with the knowledge of his association with Barbelo, the divine *Protennoia* (first thought).

Some Gnostic texts teach of the “Beyond the Deep,” a hierarchy of Deeps. This is seen in *The Untitled Text* from the Bruce Codex and in the *Pistis Sophia* treatise. It asserts that seeking a “beginning” in the infinite is absurd because infinitude has no beginning. The text states:

> “This is he who is sought in every place. And this is the Father from whom, like a light-spark, the monad came forth, beside which all the worlds are as nothing... It is this which moved all things with its shining. And they received gnosis and life and hope and rest and love and resurrection and faith and rebirth and the seal. This is the ennead which came from the Father of those without beginning, who alone is Father and Mother unto himself, whose pleroma surrounds the twelve deeps -”

The twelve deeps are then enumerated:

1. The all-wise from which all sources have come.

2. The all-wise from which all the wise have come.

3. The all-mystery from which all mysteries have come.

4. The all-gnosis out of which all gnoses have come.

5. The all-chaste from which everything chaste has come.

6. Silence, containing every silence.

7. The insubstantial door from which all substances have come forth.

8. The forefather from whom all forefathers have come into existence.

9. The all-father and self-farther, the source of all fatherhood.

10. The all-powerful from which every power has come.

11. That which contains the first invisible one, source of all invisible ones.

12. The truth from which all truth has come. (*The Untitled Text from the Bruce Codex*)

The same text also mentions five types of angels, though their precise order is uncertain:

> “These are the powers which were given to the forefather who was placed in the aeon of the mother. And there were given to him myriads upon myriads of glories, and angels and archangels and ministers, so that those that are of matter should serve him.” (*Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex*)

Finally, Basilides—a related Gnostic thinker—does not urge abandonment of the material realm into negativity but instead offers a new life by appealing to the grand hierarchy of rulers above the material world:

> “When one turns to the greater hierarchy of Being, there results a ‘creation of good things’” (Fragment C, translation modified).

Love and personal creation—the begetting of the Good—are the culmination of Basilides' dialectical system, marking one of the earliest Christian philosophical expressions that, while heterodox, affirms a hopeful vision of salvation rooted in a cosmic hierarchy.

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This detailed Sethian view of the Pleroma reveals a cosmos structured not merely as a duality of light and darkness, but as an intricate, ordered fullness of divine beings. Each aeon, deep, or power reflects a level of divine self-expression, participating in the ineffable source. Through this hierarchy, human beings can approach gnosis and reunite with their divine origin beyond the material confines fashioned by the Demiurge.

The Aeonian Realm

The Aeonian Realm

**The Aeonian Realm in the Bible: Aeonian Realm for Them and Us to Inhabit Immediately Here and Now**

Welcome to *Pleroma Pathways* apocalyptic and mystic Christianity, where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts. In this document, we will delve into the concept of the Aeonian Realm as described in the Bible. For believers, this realm represents a divine dimension that is not confined to future hope but can be experienced here and now. By examining the term *aionios*—the Greek word meaning "aeonian" or "eternal"—we will discover its deeper significance in both spiritual and corporeal contexts, bringing clarity to its relevance for the faithful in the present age.

**The Aeonian God**

The first and most profound aspect of the Aeonian Realm is God Himself. The Bible introduces God as the "Aeonian God," emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. In Romans 16:26, Paul refers to God as the "Aeonian God," highlighting His timeless existence: "the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever." Similarly, in the Old Testament, Genesis 21:33 declares, "Abraham called on the name of YHWH, the Aeonian God." This title reflects God's existence beyond time and space, a Deity who was, is, and always will be. He transcends our natural understanding of time, dwelling outside the constraints of physical existence.

Isaiah 57:15 speaks of God inhabiting "eternity" or more precisely, the *aeon*, which refers not just to a measure of time but to the fullness of divine presence. The Hebrew word *olam* is translated as "aeon" in the Greek, signifying the realm of spiritual motion or divine thought. God’s eternal nature allows His will and presence to permeate all of creation instantly, unbound by time or space. As we understand it, God's divine realm of *aeon* is an active, timeless force that transcends human concepts of temporal limitations.

**Aeonian Dwellings**

The Bible speaks of aeonian dwellings, places prepared by God for His faithful. These are not physical mansions made of brick and mortar but spiritual, invisible realms where believers may dwell in the presence of God, both now and forever. In Luke 16:9, it is written: "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting (aeonian) habitations." Similarly, 2 Corinthians 5:1 provides further insight: "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal (aeonian) house in heaven, not built by human hands." These dwellings are described not as physical structures but as spiritual abodes—spaces in God's presence for those who are part of His divine kingdom.

Jesus affirms this concept in John 14:3, where He assures His followers: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." This place is not in a far-off, distant heaven but is intended for immediate experience, showing that the Kingdom of God, represented by the aeonian realm, is accessible now. This connection is not bound by physical locations but by the spiritual presence of God, which believers can experience today.

**The Nature of the Aeonian Realm**

The *aeonian realm* is not confined to an afterlife or a distant time. It represents God's divine purpose, unfolding in the present and the future. As the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is aeonian." This verse reinforces that the true nature of the divine realm—the aeonian—is invisible and transcendent. It reflects the divine kingdom which is not dependent on earthly time or space but is present and eternal in the heart of believers.

Paul also teaches that by faith, believers can comprehend the divine aeonian order, which is the revelation of God's will throughout creation. Hebrews 11:3 explains: "By faith we understand that the ages (aeons) were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." This passage asserts that the aeons, the spiritual dimensions through which God interacts with His creation, are manifestations of His divine thought. These aeons are not eternal in themselves but are created by God's will to reveal His eternal purpose.

**The Union of Believers in the Aeonian Realm**

The union of believers is another vital aspect of the aeonian realm. In Ephesians 2:18, it is written, "For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." Believers, united in the spiritual man, partake in this divine realm, making them one with the body of Christ. This unity is not bound by physical space or time but is a spiritual connection that transcends earthly limitations. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:3, even though he was "absent in the body," he was "present in spirit." This demonstrates that the aeonian realm is not confined by our earthly understanding of time and distance.

Furthermore, Hebrews 12:23 speaks of the Church being connected with "the spirits of just men made perfect," showing that believers in the aeonian realm are united with saints from all ages, both living and dead. This spiritual unity reflects the eternal nature of the aeonian realm, where believers are all one in Christ, a mystical body connected beyond time and space.

**The Aeonian Realm for Today**

The aeonian realm is not a distant future but a present reality for those who walk in the spirit. It is a realm where God's will is immediate, present, and actively shaping the lives of believers. The resurrection from the dead, as described in Daniel 12:2, represents the ultimate realization of this realm—a divine restoration that affects all believers, both living and dead, to partake in the fullness of God's presence. As believers align their hearts and minds with God’s aeonian thought, they partake in the unfolding of God's timeless, spiritual realm here and now.

In conclusion, the aeonian realm is not a distant promise but a present reality that believers are called to inhabit. It is a realm of divine thought, spiritual unity, and timeless purpose, made accessible through Jesus Christ. As we fix our eyes not on the visible but on the invisible, we enter into this aeonian reality, experiencing the eternal presence of God in our lives today and in the age to come.

They will receive you into aeonian dwellings (Luke 16: 9). We have a building from God, an aeonian house in heaven, not built by human hands (2 Cor 5: 1). I am going to prepare a place for you, so that you also may be where I am (John 14: 3). The natural mind thinks about living in a physical house made of brick or stone. Solomon even built a physical house of stone where God could live. Jesus did not go to prepare a mansion in the sky for his followers to enjoy after they died. Rather he prepared an invisible, spiritual place for them and us to inhabit immediately here and now.

Heb 9:14 How much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who through an age-abiding spirit offered himself unspotted unto God, purify our conscience from dead works, to the rendering of divine-service, unto a Living God?

Here Paul uses the words Aeonian Spirit, to make it clear that he is referring to the supernatural, heavenly, invisible Spirit that proceeds from God, rather than its earthly shadow the wind.

Spirit develops the organism of all creatures, and preserves it from disorganization. It is what pathologists term the vis medicatrix natwras; and physiologists, " the vital principle." When the spirit and breath of the Creator are withdrawn from a man or a sparrow, there remain no healing power and vitality in their several bodies; and the immediate tendency in them is to corruption and dust. Hence, all creatures in the air, earth, and seas, are spirit-farms. The types or patterns, after which they were created were all in the mind of Deity before they were created; and when they were formed, the formation was out of spirit-matter and by spirit according to pattern. Every creature is therefore a spirit in this sense; but not necessarily immortal because a spirit. The immortality of a spirit depends upon the constitution of the matter or substance of the peculiar form. A spirit form of a flesh and blood organization is essentially mortal and corruptible; for death and corruption are peculiar to that material constitution.

His spirit withdrawn, and the cohesive affinity of their substance departed, and its gaseous elements entered into new combinations, destructive of the forms, termed man, cattle, fowl, and so forth. Hence the Deity is styled by Moses in Numb, xxvii. 16, " YAHWEH, Elohim of the spirits of all flesh " : that is, the spirit self-styled HE SIIALL BE, is the powers of all flesh-emanations of his power. The spirit-power of the lion is the power of Jehovah; and so of all other creatures. Hence the facility with which he can open and shut their fierce and voracious mouths, as in the case of Daniel and his persecutors. This universal diffusion of spirit places all created things in telegraphic communication with the will of the Deity. What he wills needs not batteries and wires for transmission.

The spiritual union of the members of the Church, living and the dead. They are all part of a single "mystical body of Christ", with Jesus as the head

The natural man cannot possibly understand the love of Christ, but the Spirit " in the inner man" can fully comprehend it (Eph. 3:16-19). This failure of the natural man to understand the things of the spirit is the basic reason for all division between genuine brethren. Time and again we are reminded of the fact that our fellowship with each other is due to the fact that we both have the spiritual man inside us (Eph. 2:18; 4:3,4; Phil. 1:27;2:1).

Our spiritual man is not limited by the bonds of space. Thus Paul was bodily absent from Corinth, " but present in spirit" (1 Cor. 5:3), i.e. his spiritual man was present with them. It was the same with Colosse: " I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit" (Col. 2:5). When our spiritual man groans, Christ groans too in Heaven, an infinite distance away (Rom. 8:23 cp. 26). There is no time barrier, either. Thus our spiritual man is in close fellowship with " the spirits of just men made perfect" , having died many years ago (Heb. 12:23). This is the glorious unity of the Spirit; we are not just connected with all living saints, wherever they may be, but with the spiritual characters of all true saints throughout history.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 Jn. 5:1). Our spiritual man is what is born of God. All true believers are here spoken of as if they are their spiritual man. All true believers in Christ therefore have a spiritual man within them, which we must seek out, even imagine at times, and with which we should fellowship