The meaning of Gnosis

The meaning of Gnosis

The meaning of knowledge--"Acquaintance with fact; hence, scope of information" (Webster). Intellectual knowledge is independent of feeling; it is literal knowledge without consideration of the Spirit. Man can store up a great fund of knowledge gleaned from books and teachers, but the most unlettered man who sits at the feet of his Lord in the silence comes forth radiant with the true knowledge, that of Spirit.

The meaning of knowing (Gnosis) --There is in man a knowing capacity transcending intellectual knowledge. Nearly everyone has at some time touched this hidden wisdom and has been more or less astonished at its revelations. The knowing that man receives from the direct fusion of the Mind of Christ with his mind is real spiritual knowing.

Liberating Gnosis John 8:32

Liberating Gnosis 
or
Liberating Knowledge

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


**Liberating Gnosis: Know Thyself**


**“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)**


To “know thyself” is both a secular and sacred imperative, a proverb that has echoed through the halls of philosophy and revelation alike. The call to self-knowledge is not mere introspection, but a journey into *Liberating Gnosis* — a divine, experiential knowledge that frees the mind and spirit.


In Biblical and mystical Christian thought, self-knowledge and God-knowledge are not distinct pursuits. They are twin aspects of the same awakening. **“He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going. He knows as one who, having become drunk, has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own.”** (Gospel of Truth)


This gnosis is about awakening from forgetfulness. From this forgetfulness, we return to ourselves and to God — for our origin and destination are the same. The wisdom of Hippolytus affirms this divine return through self-awareness: **“Discover God within thyself, for he has formed thee after his own image.”** (ANF., vol. 5, p. 153)


The Valentinian tradition captures this liberating power of gnosis beautifully: **“But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.”** (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)


These lines compel us to reckon with our original creation, our present condition, and our destiny in the resurrection. They speak not of speculative theology, but of personal restoration and divine alignment. This restoration begins in self-awareness and culminates in union with the divine.


The *Teachings of Silvanus* echo this same awakening: **“Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created.”** This tripartite being — body, soul, and mind — reflects the image of God and reveals how we are interwoven with divine intention.


Philo of Alexandria also urges us to pursue this self-knowledge: **“Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason.”** (Philo: On the Migration of Abraham)


Philo furthers this vision of inner knowledge governed by divine reason: **“Learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts… who it is who moves those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible… whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe.”** (Philo: On Flight and Finding)


Thus, “know thyself” is not simply ancient Greek wisdom — it is a gospel imperative. Alexander Campbell recognized this harmony: **“‘Know thyself’ was the wisest maxim of the wisest philosophers… ‘Know thyself’ is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation.”** (The Christian Baptist, Vols. 5–6)


Likewise, John Calvin reminds us that: **“Knowledge of ourselves lies, first, in considering what we were given at creation,” and, second, in calling to mind “our miserable condition after Adam’s fall.”** (Institutes I.1.1) Self-knowledge, he teaches, is impossible without divine revelation.


Scripture, again and again, reminds us of our frailty and dependence. **“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”** (James 4:14) **“We will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.”** (2 Samuel 14:14) **“Like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes… in the evening it is cut down and withers.”** (Psalm 90:5–6)


These verses call us back to humility. As Moses prayed: **“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”** (Psalm 90:12)


This self-knowledge is not sterile self-awareness, but the recognition of our need for restoration. It points us to the Father through the Son. As the *Gospel of Truth* declares: **“After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the Father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the Father’s face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory.”**


We cannot know God in His fullness, but we can know Him through His image — Jesus Christ. **“Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to comprehend the likeness of this One… You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father… A king is not usually known apart from an image.”** (The Teachings of Silvanus)


Finally, liberating gnosis is summarized in the Gospel’s power: **“That is the gospel of him whom they seek… Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness… 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.”** (Gospel of Truth)


Here, Christ is not just a messenger of knowledge — He *is* the knowledge, the living image of the Father, the path that liberates.


In conclusion, to **know thyself** is to begin the journey toward God. It is not prideful introspection but humble recognition — of our created nature, our fallen condition, and our future hope. Only through Christ — the image of God — can we truly know both ourselves and the One who made us. This is *Liberating Gnosis*.

John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

In this study we will look at Liberating Gnosis, as we have already noted (in other posts), that gnosis refers to a knowledge which transcending intellectual knowledge. It is experiential knowing a knowledge gleaned from first-hand (personal) experience. This gnosis consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Gnosis has the effect of liberating the mind 

The Gospel of Truth puts it: 

He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going. He knows as one who, having become drunk, has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own. (Gospel of Truth)

Whence did he come? Whither does he go? The answer to both is God. Here again, genuine self-knowledge is actually knowledge of God, and vice versa. Hippolytus in his "Elucidations" went so far as to proclaim that the maxim "Know thyself" means to "discover God *within* thyself, for he has formed thee after his own image." (ANF., vol. 5, p. 153).

Another Valentinian text the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus states:

78 Until baptism, they say, Fate is real, but after it the astrologists are no longer right. But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

From this saying we can conclude that liberating knowledge involves insight of our original nature at creation next our sinful condition after Adam’s fall. What happens after death, how we will be restored what it means to be born again and the resurrection.

A similar saying to the one above from Theodotus is found in the text called the Teachings of Silvanus from the Nag Hammadi Library:

But before everything (else), know your birth. Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created. The body has come into being from the earth with an earthly substance, but the formed, for the sake of the soul, has come into being from the thought of the Divine. The created, however, is the mind, which has come into being in conformity with the image of God. The divine mind has substance from the Divine, but the soul is that which he (God) formed for their own hearts. For I think that it (the soul) exists as wife of that which has come into being in conformity with the image, but matter is the substance of the body, which has come into being from the earth. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

"Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created."

This part of the saying from Silvanus seems similar to a few says from Philo of Alexandria:

Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason. (Philo: On the Migration of Abraham)

The body, the soul, reason and external senses in Philo could be connected or related in some respect to the earth, the formed, and the created in The Teachings of Silvanus which stand for the body, the soul, and the mind.

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason is synonymous with the whole person

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason are synonymous with the whole person since the preceding words, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves imply a parallelism between the two expressions.

Philo invites people to explore the realm of sense perception, the reader is invited to know himself and every part of himself and how everything is governed by the invisible mind within the person or by the mind of God within the universe:

"Dwell, therefore," says she, "O my child, with him," not all thy life, but "certain days;" that is to say, learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made, and how it is by nature calculated to energise, and who it is who moves those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible, in an invisible manner, whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe.(Philo: On Flight and Finding)

from these quotations we can see that to "know thyself" is not just a conscious awareness of one's thoughts and emotions but also a insight of our makeup

Know thyself

"Know thyself" was the wisest maxim of the wisest philosophers of the wisest pagan nation of antiquity. "Know thyself" is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation. And while the wisest man of the wisest nation in theology taught as his first maxim that "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom"and while the Saviour of the world taught that "it is eternal life to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ whom he commissioned" both concur in inculcating the excellence and in teaching the utility and importance of self-knowledge (The Christian Baptist, Volumes 5-6 1827-1828 Edited by Alexander Campbell)

but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

According to John Calvin "Knowledge of ourselves lies, first, in considering what we were given at creation," and, second, in calling to mind "our miserable condition after Adam’s fall." Both of these are undiscoverable outside God’s written Word. (Institutes I.1.1)

Such lack of self-examination leads to a lack of self-knowledge, and therefore people drift along through life, making their decisions according to the dictates of their own natural desires. There is a refusal - albeit heavily masked - to take on board the fact that life is so short that all too soon the finality of death will be upon us. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away”. “We will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again”. “Like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers” (James 4:14; 2 Sam. 14:14; Ps. 90:5,6). Moses, a truly thoughtful man, recognised this, and pleaded to God: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Ps. 90:12) Therefore, in view of life’s brevity, we should make our acquisition of true wisdom a number one priority. 

Knowing God

After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the father’s face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory. (Gospel of truth)

Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to comprehend the likeness of this One. For it is difficult not only for men to comprehend God, but it is (also) difficult for every divine being, (both) the angels and the archangels. It is necessary to know God as he is. You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father, for this image reveals the true likeness in correspondence to that which is revealed. A king is not usually known apart from an image. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

It is impossible to know God according to his divine nature but we can know God according to his personality and character.

The knowledge of ourselves is impossible apart from the knowledge of God.  

self knowledge can only be understood with the knowledge of God and our sinful nature which comes from the scriptures 

But there we learn self-knowledge in a wholly practical way: from our original state we gratefully learn that “we are ever dependent” on God our Maker for everything; while reflection on our present sinful and wretched state “should truly humble us and overwhelm us with shame.” (Institutes II.1.1)

Liberating Gnosis 

That is the gospel of him whom they seek, which he has revealed to the perfect through the mercies of the father as the hidden mystery, Jesus the anointed.  Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness. He enlightened them and gave them a path. And that path is the truth that he taught them.  For this reason error was angry with him, so she persecuted him. She was distressed by him, and she was made powerless. He was nailed to a tree.  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. (Gospel of Truth)

Here Jesus and the gospel are one: it is nailed to the tree in his person. Thought only nailed to a tree, the gospel became a fruit of knowledge, thereby making its tree into a tree of knowledge — but not knowledge of good and evil ( Gen. 2:9) — knowledge of the Father

Jewish Gnosis

Jewish Gnosis

**Gnosticism: Its Roots in Jewish Mysticism and Esoteric Knowledge**

Gnosticism, a prominent religious and philosophical movement of the early centuries CE, emerged in part from Jewish mystical traditions. Its evolution can be traced back to the Second Temple period when Jewish thought began to embrace a more esoteric and speculative approach to knowledge, particularly in the Pseudepigrapha and Dead Sea Scrolls communities. This period also witnessed the development of Cosmogonic-theological speculations, which provided the foundation for later Gnostic ideas.

### Jewish Mysticism and the Emergence of Esoteric Knowledge

During the Second Temple period, Jewish intellectual circles engaged in deep theological and cosmogonic speculations. These were centered around the origins and structure of the universe, as well as the nature of divine beings. Two well-established terms emerged in Jewish mysticism: *Ma'aseh Bereshit* (the work of creation) and *Ma'aseh Merkabah* (the work of the chariot). These concepts were rooted in early Jewish traditions found in texts like Genesis and Ezekiel, which explored the mystery of the divine realm and the heavenly throne. 

In the *Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice*, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, the worship around the throne of God is described as a heavenly ritual. These texts reveal that Jewish apocalyptists and mystics were actively engaged in visionary exegesis, interpreting divine realities and the actions of heavenly creatures. Furthermore, some of the texts discovered at Qumran indicate that the Dead Sea community was also engaged in Merkabah exegesis, a mystic practice that focused on ascending to the divine realm through mystical visions and experiences.

### The Development of the Merkabah Doctrine

The Merkabah (or "chariot") mysticism, which deals with the divine throne and the vision of God's glory, was further developed in the apocalyptic literature of the period. From 300–100 BCE, the Book of Enoch, a key text in Jewish apocalypticism, began to incorporate Merkabah themes. The book, divided into ninety chapters, opens with a description of Enoch’s vision: 

*"In the Name of God, the merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and of great mercy, and holiness. This Book is the Book of Enoch the prophet. May blessing and help be with him who loves Him, for ever and ever. Amen."* (1 Enoch 1:1)

Enoch describes a visionary experience in which he sees the heavens and receives revelation from the angels. The narrative continues with the history of fallen angels and their interactions with humanity, particularly their instruction in the arts of war, peace, and luxury. One of the most significant sections is Enoch 41:1:

*"And after that I saw all the secrets of the heavens, and how the kingdom is divided, and how the actions of men are weighed in the balance. And there I saw the mansions of the elect and the mansions of the holy, and mine eyes saw there all the sinners being driven from thence which deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, and being dragged off: and they could not abide because of the punishment which proceeds from the Lord of Spirits."* (1 Enoch 41:1)

In this vision, the division of the heavenly realm and the destinies of the righteous and sinners are revealed. The heavens are portrayed as a place of judgment, where actions on earth are weighed and the elect are separated from the sinners.

### The Esoteric Knowledge of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Parallel to the development of Merkabah mysticism in apocalyptic texts, the Dead Sea Scrolls also emphasize the redemptive power of esoteric knowledge. This knowledge is seen as a means for the select few to bridge the gap between humanity and the divine. The *Community Rule* (Serekh ha-Yachad) from the Dead Sea Scrolls expresses this idea clearly:

*"From the God of Knowledge comes all that is and shall be. Before ever they existed He established their whole design, and when, as ordained for them, they come into being, it is in accord with His glorious design that they accomplish their task without change."* (1QS)

In this text, it is emphasized that knowledge comes from God, and that human beings are tasked with fulfilling their roles within a divine plan. The *Community Rule* also contrasts the paths of righteousness and wickedness, with the righteous guided by the "Prince of Light" and the wicked by the "Angel of Darkness." This dualistic understanding echoes Gnostic themes of light versus darkness, knowledge versus ignorance.

In the *Thanksgiving Hymns* found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, there is a plea for divine knowledge to guide the seeker toward truth:

*"For you shall instruct your servant with your holy spirit to know the spirits of man for you have cast their lot according to the spirits between good and evil to accomplish their task."* (1QH)

Here, knowledge is portrayed as a divine gift that enables the individual to discern between good and evil, and to walk in the light of truth. This echoes Gnostic thought, where knowledge (gnosis) is the means of salvation, leading the seeker out of ignorance and into union with the divine.

### Hebrew Names of God and Their Influence on Gnostic Systems

The Gnostic systems, especially those influenced by Jewish mysticism, incorporated various Hebrew names for God, which were believed to carry hidden, esoteric meanings. Names like *Iao* (possibly derived from Yahweh), *Adonaios* (from "Adonai," meaning "Lord"), and *Elohim* (meaning "God") were central to Gnostic theology. In some Gnostic traditions, these names were not merely titles but represented different aspects of the divine.

For example, Justin, a second-century figure, taught that there were three primary entities in the divine realm: the transcendent *Good*, the male intermediate figure *Elohim*, and the earth-mother figure *Eden* (or *Israel*). According to Justin, creation resulted from the union of Elohim and Eden, with the first humans created as symbols of their marital unity. This cosmology draws heavily on Jewish mystical ideas, especially those found in the Hebrew Bible.

### Conclusion

Gnosticism, with its emphasis on esoteric knowledge, cosmology, and the relationship between the human and the divine, emerged from the rich soil of Jewish mysticism during the Second Temple period. Texts like the *Book of Enoch* and the *Dead Sea Scrolls* show a deep engagement with Merkabah mysticism and the transformative power of divine knowledge. This tradition was later absorbed into Gnostic thought, which continued to develop the idea that esoteric knowledge could lead to salvation by bridging the gap between humanity and the divine. In this way, Gnosticism can be seen as both an evolution of Jewish mysticism and a distinctive theological movement in its own right.

Gnosticism grow out of the Jewish mystic schools 

During the second temple period the Jewish understanding of knowledge stared to take a more esoteric view in the Pseudepigrapha and Dead Sea Scrolls community. at the same time within Judaism Cosmogonic-theological speculations, started to develop

The Cosmogonic-theological are based on the first sections of Genesis and Ezekiel, for which there are in Jewish speculation two well-established and therefore old terms: "Ma'aseh Bereshit" and "Ma'aseh Merkabah."

The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice from the Dead Sea Scrolls Qumran community The Songs describe worship around the throne of God in the heavenly realms. Jewish apocalyptists engaged in visionary exegeses concerning the divine realm and the divine creatures A small number of texts unearthed at Qumran indicate that the Dead Sea community also engaged in merkabah exegesis.

From 300–100 BCE, in Apocalyptic literature like the Book Of Enoch we can see that the Merkabah doctrine is being developed. 

The book of Enoch is divided into ninety chapters, and begins with the preface: "In the Name of God, the merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and of great mercy, and holiness. This Book is the Book of Enoch the prophet. May blessing and help be with him who loves Him, for ever and ever. Amen. Chapter I. This word is the blessing of Enoch with which he blessed the chosen and the righteous that wore of old. And Enoch lifted up his voice and spoke, a holy man of God, while his eyes were open, and he saw a holy vision in the heavens, which the angels revealed to him. And I heard from them everything, and I understood what I saw." After this follows the history of the angels, of their having descended from heaven, and produced giants with the daughters of men; of their having instructed them in the arts of war, and peace, and luxury.

1 enoch 41:1 And after that I saw all the secrets of the heavens, and how the kingdom is divided, and how the 2 actions of men are weighed in the balance. And there I saw the mansions of the elect and the mansions of the holy, and mine eyes saw there all the sinners being driven from thence which deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, and being dragged off: and they could not abide because of the punishment which proceeds from the Lord of Spirits. 3 And there mine eyes saw the secrets of the lightning and of the thunder, and the secrets of the winds, how they are divided to blow over the earth, and the secrets of the clouds and dew, and there 4 I saw from whence they proceed in that place and from whence they saturate the dusty earth. And there I saw closed chambers out of which the winds are divided, the chamber of the hail and winds, the chamber of the mist, and of the clouds, and the cloud thereof hovers over the earth from the 5 beginning of the world. And I saw the chambers of the sun and moon, whence they proceed and whither they come again, and their glorious return, and how one is superior to the other, and their stately orbit, and how they do not leave their orbit, and they add nothing to their orbit and they take nothing from it, and they keep faith with each other, in accordance with the oath by which they 6 are bound together. And first the sun goes forth and traverses his path according to the commandment 7 of the Lord of Spirits, and mighty is His name for ever and ever. And after that I saw the hidden and the visible path of the moon, and she accomplishes the course of her path in that place by day and by night-the one holding a position opposite to the other before the Lord of Spirits.

[Chapter 52] 

l And after those days in that place where I had seen all the visions of that which is hidden -for 2 I had been carried off in a whirlwind and they had borne me towards the west-There mine eyes saw all the secret things of heaven that shall be, a mountain of iron, and a mountain of copper, and a mountain of silver, and a mountain of gold, and a mountain of soft metal, and a mountain of lead. 3 And I asked the angel who went with me, saying, 'What things are these which I have seen in 4 secret?' And he said unto me: 'All these things which thou hast seen shall serve the dominion of His Anointed that he may be potent and mighty on the earth.' 5 And that angel of peace answered, saying unto me: 'Wait a little, and there shall be revealed unto thee all the secret things which surround the Lord of Spirits. 


In the literature of the Dead Sea Sect. Common to both gnosticism and the Dead Sea Scrolls is the view of esoteric "knowledge" as a redemptive factor, which enables a group of select people to bridge the abyss separating the human from the divine, and to rise "from a spirit perverse to an understanding of you and to stand in one company before you with the everlasting host and the spirits of knowledge, to be renewed with all things that are and with those versed in song together" 

 The Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yachad, 1QS)

From the God of Knowledge comes all that is and shall be.
Before ever they existed He established their whole design, and when, as ordained for them, they come into being, it is in accord with His glorious design that they accomplish their task without change.
The laws of all things are in His hand and He provides them with all their needs.
He has created man to govern the world, and has appointed for him two spirits in which to walk until the time of His visitation: the spirits of truth and injustice.
Those born of truth spring from a fountain of light, but those born of injustice spring from a source of darkness.
All the children of righteousness are ruled by the Prince of Light and walk in the ways of light, but all the children of injustice are ruled by the Angel of Darkness and walk in the ways of darkness.
The Angel of Darkness leads all the children of righteousness astray, and until his end, all their sin, iniquities, wickedness, and all their unlawful deeds are caused by his dominion in accordance with the mysteries of God.

the thanksgiving hymns

Because I know all these things I will utter a reply of the tongue praying and entreating and turning back from all my sins and searching your spirit of Knowledge and clinging fast to your holy spirit and adhering to the truth of your Covenant and serving you in truth and with a perfect heart, and loving your truth.

For you shall instruct your servant with your holy spirit to know the spirits of man for you have cast their lot according to the spirits between good and evil to accomplish their task.
You have favoured me, your servant, with a spirit of knowledge, that I may choose truth and goodness and loathe all the ways of iniquity.

Hebrew words and names of God provide the makeup for several gnostic systems

Iao Perhaps from Yahu, Yahweh, but possibly also from the magic cry iao in the Mysteries.

The Old Testament phrase Yahweh sabaoth or 'Jehovah of Armies' was thought a proper name, hence Jupiter Sabbas.

Adonaios  From the Hebrew term for "the Lord", used of God; Adonis of the Syrians representing the Winter sun in the cosmic tragedy of Tammuz. In the Mandaean system Adonaios represents the Sun.

From Elohim, God (El). Elaios, or Ailoaios, or sometimes Ailoein

 A 2nd-century figure, Justin (not to be confused with the more famous Justin Martyr), taught that there were three original entities, a transcendent being called the Good, a male intermediate figure named Elohim (the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament), and an earth-mother figure named Eden or Israel. 

According to Hippolytus, Justin taught that all things came from three unbegotten principles, two male and one female. The first male principle, and the most transcendent of the three, is a principle who alone is called “Good.” This is an allusion to some version of the saying attributed to Jesus about there being “only one who is Good,” though the “Good” as highest principle was also found in Platonic philosophy.26 The second male principle is Elohim, which is of course one of the names used of God in Jewish Scripture. In Baruch, Elohim is indeed the God of creation and Lord of heaven, but he is a secondary divine power. Unlike the Good, who has foreknowledge of all things, Elohim lacks foreknowledge and, at first, also lacks any knowledge of the existence of the Good. The third principle, who is female, is named Eden or Israel. Like Elohim, Eden is also without foreknowledge. She is Mother Earth and is described as looking like a young woman down to the groin, but like a serpent below that. In the beginning, creation results from the marriage of heaven and earth. Elohim and Eden desire one another with genuine love and from their union are begotten a company of twenty-four angels. Twelve of these belong to Elohim: Michael, Amen, Baruch, Gabriel, Essadaios (the remaining seven names are missing in the manuscript); twelve belong to Eden: Babel, Achamoth, Naas, Bel, Belias, Satan, Sael, Adonaios, Kavithan, Pharaoth, Karkamenos, and Lathen. According to Baruch, these angels are the true allegorical meaning of the trees of Paradise that “God planted in Eden.” Baruch asserts that the tree which Scripture calls the tree of life is actually the angel Baruch, while the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the same as the angel Naas, the Hebrew word for “serpent.” In this garden, the angels then create the first humans. The human beings are created from the finest portion of the earth, that is, from the humanlike regions of Eden above the groin; animals are created from the beastly regions of Eden below the groin. Then into each of the first humans, Adam and Eve, the angels place some soul from Eden and some spirit from Elohim. Possessing these elements from both Elohim and Eden, the first human couple are nothing less than living symbols of the marital unity and love of Eden and Elohim. The couple is commanded to “increase and multiply and inherit the earth, that is, Eden” (cf. Gen. 1:28). Eden brings all of her power, as a sort of estate, and gives it to Elohim in the marriage arrangement. “Whence,” according to Justin, “in imitation of that first marriage wives offer a dowry to husbands to this very day, obeying a divine and ancestral law that originated with the dowry to Elohim from Eden” (Hippolytus, Ref. 5.26.10). 

Gnosis And Intuition Philippians 1:9

Gnosis And Intuition Philippians 1:9

Intuition is like a tutor that teaches you from within

Philippians 1:9 ¶  And, this, I pray--that, your love, may be, yet more and more, pre-eminent in personal knowledge and all perception, (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)

The World Book Encyclopedia says: “Some people incorrectly call intuition ‘intuitions are based on experience, particularly the experience of individuals with great sensitivity.” The individual builds up “a storehouse of memories and impressions,” the Encyclopedia argues, from which the mind may draw a “sudden impression [called] an intuition, or ‘hunch.’”

intuition--The natural knowing capacity.

spiritual intuition Inner knowing; the immediate apprehension of spiritual Truth

I would define intuition from a biblical perspective as “being led by Holy Spirit.” the holy spirit leads God’s people today.  Gal 5:16, 18

Being led by the Spirit is only available to those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ as sons and daughters of God (Rom 8:14; Joh 3:5-8; 2Co 1:21, 22).

to know intuitively

Biblical Intuition is linked to the spirit or the mind not the heart

For example, Jesus “knew” or “perceived” the hearts and intentions of others (Matt 22:18). 

18  But Jesus perceived <1097> (5631) their wickedness, and said Why tempt ye me, [ye] hypocrites?

Ro 7:7  What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had <1097> not known <1097> sin, but by the law: for I had <1492> not known <1492> lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

intuitive knowledge apart from experience

Many times in the New Testament two Greek words are used together 1097. γινώσκω ginosko and 1492. εἴδω eido

The Greek word 1097 is defined as to know experientially as contrasted to oia or eido 1492 which means to know intuitively to perceive with the outward senses particularly with physical sight

The Greek word 1097 γινώσκω ginosko signifies objective knowledge, what a man has learned or acquired.

oida, which signifies "to know (intuitively) without effort; to understand subjectively" (Bullinger); thus to appreciate as a theory.

The English expression ‘being acquainted with’ perhaps conveys the meaning. Oἶδα/Oida conveys the thought of what is inward, the inward consciousness in the mind, intuitive knowledge not immediately derived from what is external.

Abbott-Smith wrote: γινώσκω, to know by observation and experience is thus prop. distinguished from οἶδα, to know by reflection (a mental process, based on intuition or information)

discernment

.Another word that could be used for intuition is having discernment (Phil 1:9). 

Philippians 1:9 ¶  And, this, I pray--that, your love, may be, yet more and more, pre-eminent in personal knowledge and all perception, (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)

Philippians 1:9 And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment (NWT)

discernment Lit., “sense perception.” Greek., aisthesei; Latin., sensu. 

144. αἴσθησις aisthesis [ah’-ee-sthay-sis]; from 143; perception, i.e. (figuratively) discernment: —  judgment. 

143. αἰσθάνομαι aisthanomai [ahee-sthan’-om-ahee]; of uncertain derivation; to apprehend (properly, by the senses): —  perceive.

145 αἰσθητήριον aistheterion [ahee-sthay-tay’-ree-on]  from a derivative of 143; n n; TDNT-1:187,29;  [{See TDNT 36 }] a faculty of the mind for perceiving, understanding, judging

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses <145> exercised to discern both good and evil.

knowledge and Intuition

Proverbs 14:6 The ridiculer has sought to find wisdom, and there is none; but to the understanding one knowledge is an easy thing.

 Jn. 7:17 is relevant here: "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know of this teaching, whether it is of God, or I speak from myself". He who wishes above all things to live God's life, to have His Spirit, to live the life eternal with Him... they will intuitively know whether the Lord's doctrine is right or not. This intuitive element is in fact what leads to faith in the first place. There is a strong tendency to talk this down, and assume that it is by intellectual process that a person decides what is true or otherwise. But all appeal to intellectual process alone to decide 'truth' is flawed. For we are talking of spiritual things and not material. And legitimate intellectual process varies between persons. They may come to different conclusions about the same teaching which they analyze. And some are far more capable of intellectual analysis than others. There has to be something beyond intellectual process to decide truth. Here the Lord expresses this as a willing to do God's will, a heart for God, a desire for eternity. In a word, we must be open to the things of the Spirit. And then, the teachings make sense and there is an intuitive congruence between them and our own spirit. (Proverbs: 

We need to make it clear that we do not think that if people acquire all intellectual knowledge they will have knowledge of God. Knowing God is about having a relationship with Him based upon that knowledge, not just knowing facts about Him. True spiritual knowledge gnosis or acquaintance a knowledge of a realm far superior to intellectual knowledge. However, whilst we agree that we cannot make knowledge of God a function of the intellect, we also have to show our disagreement with the perspective that the intellect can only know about God, it is incapable of knowing God.

And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

It is possible to know God- you can find many Bible verses that say so. And the issue of that knowledge is in a life lived with Him.

There has to be an element of passion and emotion in our appeal. The doctrines must have meaning in practice; If a man is not emotionally moved by the truth, he is not of the truth”.

It is not enough to be acquainted with the texts and to know how to draw from them quotes and arguments. One must possess the spiritual knowledge of the Father from within.

Intuition is perhaps more important for this than intellectual knowledge, for intuition alone revives their writings and makes them a witness. It is only from within that we can perceive and distinguish what (actually) is the truth


But on the other hand, we have to make the point, that we can’t just let our feelings / intuition guide us alone; or else we will end up believing whatever we ‘feel’ is right. We will have become the authority... and as we must constantly stress, the Bible alone is to be our authority.

Gnosis

Gospel of Thomas Saying (3) Jesus said, "[If] those who lead you [say to you, 'See], the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky [will precede you. If they say that] it is under the earth, then the fish of the sea [will enter it, preceding] you. And, the [kingdom of God] is inside of you, [and it is outside of you. Whoever] knows [himself] will discover this, (then you will be known). [And when you] come to know yourselves, [you will realise that] you are [sons] of the [living] father. [But if you] will [not] know yourselves, [you dwell] in [poverty] and it is you who are that poverty."

So know yourself, and be not carried away with impulses and desires beyond your power; and let not a desire of unattainable objects carry you away and keep you in suspense. For you shall not lack anything which may be possessed by you." (Philo of Alexandria)

Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason. (Philo of Alexandria)

learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made, and how it is by nature calculated to energise, and who it is who moves through those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible, in an invisible manner, whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe (Philo of Alexandria)

Renewed by Accurate Knowledge Colossians 3:10

Renewed by Accurate Knowledge 

or 

Salvation by Accurate Knowledge

Colossians 3:10

Strip off the old personality with its practices, 10 and clothe yourselves with the new personality, that is being renewed through accurate knowledge according to the image of the One who created it”​—Col. 3:9, 10

Salvation by knowledge is a general principle of absolute truth

Some Gnostics believed that in order to acquire salvation one must possess a certain knowledge, or gnosis, which must be interpreted from the sayings of Jesus

Gospel of Thomas Saying 1 And he said, "Whoever finds the correct interpretation of these sayings will never die." Translated by Stevan Davies

Now, what is faith? It is the express approval of the mind to definite points of information. Before faith can take place, the mind must be informed; that  is, it must first know or be aware of the subject of faith. Hence, knowledge  (though only in the limited sense of information) is the foundation of faith.

Exercising Faith in the Lord Jesus, and believing the gospel, are exactly the same thing; for the gospel is made up of glad tidings concerning the Lord Jesus Christ: and if a man believe the gospel, he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. If he is ignorant of the gospel, he cannot exercise Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "the Lord Jesus Christ" is not the mere name of the Saviour as a personage, but a grand doctrinal symbol, which can only be understood by those who are acquainted with the gospel in its full extent.

The first thing a person has to do, then, in order to gain salvation, is to exercise faith in the gospel. To do this he must know the gospel, for as Paul says, "How shall they put faith in him of whom they have not heard"? (Rom. 10:14). Knowledge must always precede faith; for a person cannot put faith in that of which he has not previously been informed.

Hence, the first inquiry on the part of a person anxious to be saved will be, WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? Until they know this, they cannot go on to the second stage of "faith unto salvation" ready to be revealed in the last time.
The gospel is styled "the one faith," because it is made up of things which require faith to receive them - the act of the mind by which these things are comprehended.

It is laid down as a principle, "Without faith IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD" (Heb. 11:6), and it is affirmed of believers, "Ye are saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8), and " the just shall live by faith," (Heb. 10:38). Now this faith, in scriptural usage, is not a mere abstract reliance on the power of Yahweh, but the confidence of specific promise. It is said that "faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness" (Rom. 4:9). Now let us note the character of this righteousness acquiring faith:-

20 But because of the promise of God he did not waver in a lack of faith, but became powerful by his faith, giving God glory 21 and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. 22 Hence “it was counted to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:20, 21). (Christendom Astray from the Bible by Robert Roberts)

You may say : But the Bible says, we are saved by “the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

It also says, we are renewed by knowledge” (Col. 3:10). In this, however, it does not contradict its self, but rather makes the one phrase explanatory of the other; as if he had said, “we are renewed by the Holy Spirit through knowledge.” The Holy Spirit renews or regenerates a person intellectually and morally by putting faith in the truth. “Sanctify them by thy truth,” says Jesus; “thy word, O Father, is truth” (John 17:17).

“Ye are clean,” said he to his apostles, “through the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). God’s power is manifested through agencies. His Spirit is His power by which He effects intellectual, moral, and physical results. When He wills to produce intellectual and moral effects, it is by knowledge revealed by His Spirit through the prophets and apostles.

This knowledge becomes power when received into “good and honest hearts”; and because God is the author of it, it is styled “the Knowledge of God” (2 Pet. 1:2), or “the word of truth” (James 1:18), by which He begets sinners to Himself as His sons and daughters. “The word of the truth of the gospel,”" the gospel of the kingdom.” “the incorruptible seed,” “the word,” “the truth as it is in Jesus,”" the word of the kingdom,”" the word of reconciliation,” “the law and the testimony,” “the word of faith,” “the sword of the spirit which is the word of God,” “the word of Christ,” “the perfection of liberty,” etc.-are all phrases richly demonstrating "the power of God” by which He saves His people from their sins, and translates them into the Hope of the kingdom and glory to which He invites them. The truth is the power that makes men free indeed (John 8:32, 36).

Hence Jesus says, “My words are spirit, and they are life.” The prophets, Jesus, and the apostles were the channels through which it was transmitted to mankind; and the spirit the agent by which the knowledge was conveyed to them. Hence, the knowledge or the truth being suggested to the prophets by the spirit is sometimes styled “the spirit” (Rom. 2:20). 

The spirit is to the truth as cause and effect; and by a very common figure of speech, the one is put for the other in speaking of them relatively to the mind and heart of man. So that the phrase “renewed by the holy spirit” is equivalent to renewed by putting faith in the truth testified by the Holy Spirit (John 15:26: 14:13-14).(Clerical Theology Unscriptural by Dr. John Thomas)

Paul also prayed that ones in the Colossian congregation, who obviously had some knowledge of God’s will, for they had become Christians, “be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.” (Col 1:9) Such accurate knowledge should be sought by all Christians (Eph 1:15-17; Php 1:9; 1Ti 2:3, 4), it being important in putting on “the new personality” and in gaining peace.—Col 3:10; 2Pe 1:2.

Is it possible to come to a knowledge of the truth without applying it in our daily life? Quite possible. Such knowledge however is only an academic knowledge, the heart being left unenlightened. To be “where Christ is” is to be one with Christ and therefore to be about the Father's business.

How do we come to know God, the good? This knowledge comes as we learn to express active goodness. Praise, thanksgiving, loving-kindness, and faithfulness, each in degree reveals God to us as we give it active expression.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in accurate knowledge after the image of its creator- Because in status we have 'put on the new man', "put on, therefore... mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind", i.e. bring forth in yourself the characteristics of Jesus, seeing you have 'put Him on' in baptism (Col. 3:10,12). Clothe your personality with Him, submerge yourself within Him, seeing you 'put on' Christ in baptism. We are to live out in practice how the Lord sees us by status.

Do religions ceremonies, or sacred locations have power to make God known to us? These things are unknown in scriptural teaching. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. Jesus was instructing the woman at the well concerning the only locality where God can be contacted by the mind of man; that locality is within one's own soul. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you." which is Christ in you, the hope of glory