Who is the Demiurge? Hebrews 11:10

Who is the Demiurge?

Or 

What is the Demiurge? 

Hebrews 11:10

### The Demiurge in Valentinian and Biblical Contexts

The term "Demiurge," derived from the Greek *dēmiourgos* (craftsman or builder), holds a nuanced place in ancient religious and philosophical thought. While it is not explicitly used in the Bible outside of the Greek translation of Hebrews 11:10, its conceptual framework resonates within both biblical and Valentinian contexts.

#### The Demiurge in Valentinian Tradition

In Valentinian Gnosticism, the Demiurge is seen in a positive light, contrasting with the negative portrayal of Yaldabaoth in Sethian Gnosticism. For Valentinians, the Demiurge is not a malevolent creator but an entity that reflects the divine. As stated in the *Excerpts of Theodotus* (47:1-3), the Demiurge is described as "an image of the Father." Similarly, the *Tripartite Tractate* (100:21-30) identifies the Demiurge as "the lord of all of them," bearing titles like "father," "god," "demiurge," and "judge," signifying his role as a representation of the divine attributes.

This perspective aligns with Basilides’ exalted description of the Demiurge: “He is more ineffable than ineffables, more potent than potencies, wiser than the wise, superior to every excellence that one can name” (*Fragments of a Faith Forgotten*, p. 253). Such depictions emphasize the Demiurge's role as a craftsman who orders the material universe, reflecting the divine will.

#### The Demiurge in Biblical Texts

In Hebrews 11:10, the term *dēmiourgos* is translated as “builder” or “maker,” applied to God as the architect of a city with foundations, symbolizing the Heavenly Jerusalem. The verse states: “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker (*dēmiourgos*) is God.” This reference underscores the providential role of God as the ultimate craftsman, shaping a transcendent reality that surpasses the material world.

This concept finds echoes in apocryphal and early Christian texts. For instance, *Wisdom of Solomon* 13:1 reflects on humanity’s failure to recognize the "craftsman" (*technitēs*) behind creation while marveling at the works of the universe. Similarly, 1 Clement 20:11 speaks of the Creator who "ordered" the cosmos in harmony, emphasizing the divine wisdom and intentionality behind creation.

#### Fragment 13 and Hebrews 11:10

Fragment 13 of Valentinian tradition offers a spiritual interpretation of John 2:13-16, where Jesus ascends to Jerusalem and cleanses the temple. This ascent is seen as symbolic of the transition from the material realm to the animate (psychic) place, an intermediate state that mirrors Jerusalem. The “sanctuary” represents the Holy of Holies, reserved for the spiritual, while the outer courts symbolize those who achieve salvation outside the Pleroma.

Connecting this to Hebrews 11:10, the "city with foundations" can be interpreted as the spiritual reality beyond the animate realm. Just as the sanctuary signifies the Holy of Holies accessible only to the spiritual, the Heavenly Jerusalem represents the ultimate dwelling place for those who transcend the material and psychic realms. The Demiurge, as the builder of the material universe, serves as an intermediary step in the divine plan, crafting the visible world as a precursor to the ultimate spiritual fulfillment in the Pleroma.

#### The Architect and the Divine Plan

The language of Hebrews 11:10 and Fragment 13 highlights the duality of creation as both material and spiritual. The Demiurge, as an image of the Father, fulfills a critical role in ordering the cosmos, making the material world a reflection of divine harmony. This ordered creation, in turn, points toward the ultimate reality of the Heavenly Jerusalem, a city not built by human hands but by God as the true Demiurge.

In Valentinian thought, this progression aligns with the journey of the soul (understood here as the physical body and animate being) from ignorance to knowledge, from material existence to spiritual communion. The sanctuary and the Holy of Holies represent stages in this ascent, mirroring the believer's journey toward the Pleroma.

#### Conclusion

The concept of the Demiurge, as understood in Valentinian tradition and hinted at in biblical texts, underscores the interconnectedness of creation and divine purpose. In Hebrews 11:10, God as the *dēmiourgos* points to the ultimate fulfillment of creation in the Heavenly Jerusalem. Fragment 13 complements this by illustrating the spiritual ascent through the temple’s symbolism. Together, they provide a profound vision of a cosmos ordered by the divine craftsman, leading humanity toward its ultimate destiny in the fullness of the Pleroma.

### Etymology of Demiurge

The word *demiurge* originates from the Greek *δημιουργός* (*dēmiourgos*), a compound of *dēmos* (a unified group of people) and *ergon* (work). Initially, it denoted a craftsman or artisan who worked for the public, gradually expanding to mean a producer or creator. Strong's Concordance (1217) defines *dēmiourgos* as a workman, builder, or framer, emphasizing the public or collective aspect of their labor. In classical texts, the term often referred to God as the cosmic craftsman, as seen in Plato's works and later in early Christian writings like *1 Clement* and *Wisdom of Solomon*.

In Hebrews 11:10, the term *dēmiourgos* is used to describe God as the "builder and maker" of the city with foundations, referring to the Heavenly Jerusalem. This highlights God's role as the divine architect who designs and actualizes a transcendent reality beyond the physical universe.

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### Connection Between Demiurge and Arche

The word *archē* (ἀρχή) in Greek, meaning "beginning," "principle," or "rule," shares an etymological and conceptual relationship with *dēmiourgos*. Strong's Concordance (746) defines *archē* as "first in order," derived from the root *arch-* (to rule). It is also linked to *archon* (758), meaning "ruler" or "leader." Thus, *archē* implies both an origin point and authority, tying the concept of creation to governance or rulership.

In the Gospel of John 1:1-3, *archē* is used to introduce the Word (*Logos*):

> "In the beginning (*archē*), was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him, nothing was made that has been made."

This passage emphasizes the *Logos* as the origin (*archē*) and intermediary of creation. Ptolemy’s commentary on John further elaborates that the *Logos* emanates from the Father as the principle (*archē*) of all things. The *Logos*, in turn, energizes the Demiurge, enabling him to fashion the material cosmos.

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### The Demiurge as the First Archon

The connection between *archē* and *archon* (ruler) becomes significant when considering the Demiurge as the "first archon." In Valentinian tradition, the Demiurge is often portrayed as the craftsman working under the authority of the *Logos*. Heracleon, in his commentary on John 1:3, clarifies that "all things were made through him," meaning the *Logos* caused the Demiurge to create the world. The Demiurge operates as an agent or intermediary, crafting the material realm on behalf of the *Logos*.

This intermediary role aligns with the broader usage of *archē* to denote both origin and rule. For instance, in Colossians 1:16, Christ is described as the head of all principalities (*archai*):

> "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers (*archai*) or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."

The Demiurge, as the first *archon* from the *archē*, serves as a subordinate ruler within this hierarchy.

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### Architect and the *Logos*

The term *dēmiourgos* can also be translated as "architect," derived from *archē* (beginning) and *tektōn* (craftsman). In this sense, the Demiurge functions as the cosmic architect, shaping the material universe according to the blueprint provided by the *Logos*. Heracleon’s commentary emphasizes this dynamic:

> "It was not the Word who made all things, as if he were energized by another, but the one 'through whom' all things were made."

Here, the *Logos* energizes the Demiurge, providing the creative power and design necessary for the material cosmos. The Demiurge, while a creator, is ultimately subordinate to the *Logos*, working "on behalf of" the higher divine principle.

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### Conclusion

The etymology of *dēmiourgos* and its connection to *archē* reveals a layered understanding of creation and authority. In Valentinian theology and the Gospel of John, the Demiurge is portrayed as an agent of the *Logos*, functioning as the first *archon* who shapes the material realm. This relationship highlights the interdependence between the *Logos* as the origin (*archē*) and the Demiurge as the craftsman (*dēmiourgos*), working together to fulfill the divine plan.

Thus, the Demiurge, while an artisan and ruler, remains subordinate to the *Logos*, whose emanation from the Father represents the true beginning and principle of all things. This layered cosmology underscores the harmony between creation, governance, and divine purpose.

### The Demiurge as the Personification of the Elohim  

The term *Demiurge*, derived from the Greek *dēmiourgos*, originally meant "craftsman" or "artisan." It signifies someone working on behalf of others, a concept reinforced in Strong’s Concordance (1217), which describes the *dēmiourgos* as someone laboring for a unified group or community. In the biblical sense, this aligns with the Elohim of Genesis, a collective term that represents "mighty ones" or divine beings who act under a singular guiding principle—the Spirit of God.


Though *Elohim* is plural, it is frequently paired with singular verbs, suggesting unity in purpose and action. For example, in Genesis 1:1, "Elohim created the heavens and the earth," portrays a coordinated effort of the heavenly host under the influence of God's Spirit (Genesis 1:2). This plurality united by a single divine will mirrors the role of the Demiurge as a craftsman working under the direction of a higher authority, the Logos or Word of God.


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### The Archangel Michael as a Demiurge


The Archangel Michael, described in Scripture as the chief of angels, exemplifies the concept of the Demiurge as an agent of the Divine Will. The Book of Daniel (10:13, 12:1) presents Michael as a protector and leader of God's people, acting as an intermediary between God and creation. In this role, Michael administers the commands of the Deity to the angels below him, orchestrating their actions in harmony with the divine purpose.


Early Christian and Jewish traditions often depict Michael as the foremost among the Elohim, embodying the qualities and intentions of the Creator. This portrayal aligns with the understanding of the Demiurge as a craftsman who fashions the material world on behalf of the Supreme Deity. As described in *Excerpts of Theodotus* (33:4), the Demiurge, while possessing divine authority, is distinct from the uncreated and eternal God, functioning as an intermediary rather than the ultimate source of creation.


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### The Demiurge as a Collective of Angels


The Elohim, described as God’s “family in heaven” (Ephesians 3:15), operate collectively as the Demiurge. These angels, emanations of the Divine Spirit, act as instruments of the Father’s will. Psalm 103:19-22 emphasizes their role:
> "Bless the Lord, all His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His will."


This portrayal of the Elohim as a unified body under the direction of God aligns with the Demiurge’s role as a craftsman working on behalf of a greater power. Genesis 1:2 further supports this idea, where the Spirit of God directs the creative actions of the Elohim, who collectively shape the material cosmos.


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### Distinction Between the Demiurge and the Supreme Deity


While the Demiurge holds a vital role in creation, it is not synonymous with the Supreme Deity, the Uncreated and Eternal Spirit. Instead, the Demiurge is a divine agent or representative—often equated with the highest angelic being or a collective of angels. This distinction is crucial in understanding the relationship between the Creator and creation.


The Supreme Deity manifests His will through the angels, who serve as embodiments of His attributes and execute His purpose in the material world. These angels, collectively the Demiurge, reflect the Father's presence without being the Father Himself. This harmonizes with the Gospel of John 1:3, which attributes the creation of all things to the *Logos* ("through whom all things were made").


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### The Demiurge and Yaldabaoth


Unlike Gnostic traditions that portray the Demiurge as the malevolent *Yaldabaoth*, the biblical and Hebraic concept of the Demiurge emphasizes its benevolence and alignment with divine justice. The Demiurge is not an evil spirit or a false god but an agent of the Creator, executing divine justice and facilitating prophecy.


As the Archangel Michael and the Elohim administer the will of the Supreme Deity, they embody the role of the Demiurge in crafting the material world. They are not autonomous or adversarial but operate in harmony with the divine purpose, serving as instruments of God's creative and redemptive plan.


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### Conclusion


The Demiurge, understood through the lens of biblical theology, represents the Elohim, a collective of angels led by the Archangel Michael, who act under the authority of the Supreme Deity. Far from being a false god or malevolent force, the Demiurge embodies divine craftsmanship, executing the will of the Eternal Spirit through the *Logos*.


This framework maintains the distinction between the uncreated God and His agents, emphasizing their role as intermediaries who shape creation according to the divine plan. Whether seen as a single archangel or a collective body, the Demiurge is a real and benevolent force, fulfilling the Creator's purpose in the cosmos.


















The concept of the demiurge originates from the understanding that the Deity is not the immediate creator of the physical universe.


First it should be noted that Valentinians do not use the term Yaldabaoth. It should also be noted that Basildians and Valentinians speak about the Demiurge with positive terms unlike the Sethians who speak very negatively about Yaldabaoth:

Basilides: "After this, from the universal Seed and conglomeration of seed-mixture there burst forth and came into existence the Great Ruler, the head of the sensible universe, a beauty and magnitude and potency that naught can destroy." This is the demiurge; but let no mortal think that he can comprehend so great a being, "for he is more ineffable than ineffables, more potent than potencies, wiser than the wise, superior to every excellence that one can name. (Fragments of a Faith Forgotten, p. 253 by G.R.S. Mead )


According to Valentinian tradition, the Demiurge is formed as an "an image of the Father"(Excepts of Theodotus 47:1-3). A similar description occurs in the Tripartite Tractate: "He is the lord of all of them, that is, the countenance which the logos brought forth in his thought as a representation of the Father of the Totalities. Therefore, he is adorned with every name which is a representation of him, since he is characterized by every property and glorious quality. For he too is called 'father' and 'god' and 'demiurge' and 'king' and 'judge' and 'place' and 'dwelling' and 'law'" (Tripartite Tractate 100:21-30). Because he is seem as the image of the true God and Father, Valentinians have no problem using the terms "Father" and "God" to describe him (cf. also Against Heresies 1:5:1, Valentinian Exposition 38).




Is the word demiurge used in the Bible?


Yes in Hebrews 11:10




In Hebrews chapter 11:10 we get the only Biblical reference to the word Demiurge

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker <1217> is God.

This is used as a prophecy about the Heavenly Jerusalem

The Greek word is used in the apocrypha 

Wisdom 13:1 For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature;

and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists,
nor did they recognize the craftsman while paying heed to his works;

1Clem 20:11

All these things the great Creator and Master of the universe ordered to be in peace and concord, doing good unto all things, but far beyond the rest unto us who have taken refuge in His compassionate mercies through our Lord Jesus Christ

Notice that clement says the creation was "ordered" 

2Mac.4:1 This Simon now, of whom we spake afore, having been a betrayer of the money, and of his country, slandered Onias, as if he ha terrified Heliodorus, and been the worker of these evils.

The language here applied to God as the "architect" or framer of the universe is often used in the classic writers.

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker <1217> is God.

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

The Demiurge is the maker of the psychic and material realms

Etymology of Demiurge

The word "demiurge" is an English word derived from demiurgus, a Latinised form of the Greek δημιουργός or dēmiourgos. It was originally a common noun meaning "craftsman" or "artisan", but gradually came to mean "producer", and eventually "creator". 

strong's concordance 1217 δημιουργός demiourgos day-me-oor-gos’ 

from 1218 and 2041; n m; TDNT-2:62,149;  {See TDNT 182 } 

AV-maker 1; 1 

1) a workman for the public 

2) the author of any work, an artisan, framer, builder 

dēmiourgós (from 1218 /dḗmos, "a unified group of people" and 2014 /epiphaínō, "work") – properly, someone working on behalf of a group of people (used only in Heb 11:10).

God is called ὁ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ δημιουργός in Plato, rep. 7, p. 530 a.; ὁ δημιουργός τῶν ὅλων in Josephus, Antiquities 1, 7, 1, and often in ecclesiastical writers from Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 20, 11 [ET]; 26, 1 [ET]; 33, 2 [ET] on; (cf. Philo, de mut. nom. § 4; de opif. mund., Muller, edition, p. 133; Piper, Einl. in monument. Theol. § 26; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word). In the Scriptures, besides, only in 2 Macc. 4:1 κακῶν δημιουργός). (Cf. Trench, § cv.)

The Gospel of John Chapter 1

The Gospel of John 1:1  ¶  Originally (746 ἀρχή), was, the Word, and, the Word, was, with God; and, the Word, was, God.
2  The same, was originally (746 ἀρχή), with God.
3  All things, through him, came into existence, and, without him, came into existence, not even one thing: that which hath come into existence, (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)

Ptolemy's Commentary on The Gospel of John Prologue:

Now since he is speaking of the first origination, he does well to begin the teaching at the beginning, i.e with the Son and the Word. He speaks as follows: "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning, with God." [Jn 1:1] First, he distinguishes three things: God; beginning; Word. Then he unites them: (Logos [Word], Theos [God], and Arche [beginning] are one) this is to show forth both the emanation of the latter two, i.e. the Son and the Word, and their union with one another, and simultaneously with the Father. For the beginning was in the Father and from the Father; and the Word was in the beginning and from the beginning. Well did he say, "The Word was in the beginning", for it was in the Son. "And the Word was with God." So was the beginning. "And the word was God"; reasonably so, for what is engendered from God is God. This shows the order of emanation. "The entirety was made through it, and without it was not anything made." [Jn 1:3] For the Word became the cause of the forming and origination of all the aeons that came after it.  (Ptolemy's Commentary on The Gospel of John Prologue)

The Greek term translated "word" is Logos. It signifies the outward form of inward thought or reason, or the spoken word as illustrative of thought, wisdom and doctrine.

John is teaching that in the beginning, God's purpose, wisdom or revelation had been in evidence. It was "with God" in that it emanated from him; it "was God" in that it represented Him to mankind and it became the motive power of all that God did, for all was made with it in mind, and it presented the hope of life to mankind (see John 1: 3-4).

The logos is the cause of the forming and origination of Pleroma not the physical universe this can be seen from Heracleon: Fragments from his Commentary on the Gospel of John 1:3

The Demiurge in Ptolemy's Commentary is the beginning or Arche

Beginning

What does he mean by beginning? You see some can argue that he means beginning as in God forever and eternal past. But if that’s the case, there really is no beginning with God others might argue well beginning in the sense that when God conceived of creating the perfect sons and daughters of God the human beings. Whatever other beings he might have created in the universe that was the beginning and the son was there from the beginning.

The message here is that God has everything in mind from the beginning. Whatever he produces from the beginning and as the Brethren of that beginning Christ is the eternal forever in the past or at the beginning at the time of which he conceived the concept of the son as being part of the story of humankind. This does not really matter because for us humans from our perspective it is the beginning of everything anyway and that’s really all we need to know and we’ll probably likely ever know anyway.

The Greek word ἀρχή arche translated beginning has a connection to the word ruler or Archon

746 ἀρχή arche ar-khay’ 

from 756; n f; TDNT-1:479,81;  {See TDNT 102 } 

AV-beginning 40, principality 8, corner 2, first 2, misc 6; 58 

746. ἀρχή arche ar-khay’; from 756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank): —  beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule. 

BEGINNING: "Archee"; signifying "first in order", from the root "arch, archon" = a ruler. 

strong's concordance 756 ἄρχομαι archomai ar’-khom-ahee middle voice of 757

strong's concordance 757. ἄρχω archo ar’-kho; a primary verb; to be first (in political rank or power): —  reign (rule) over. 

NASB Translation

began (62), begin (7), beginning (8), begins (2), begun (1), proceed (1), rule (1), rulers (1), starting (2). 

This brings us to the next Greek word 758 ἄρχων archon

strong's concordance 758 ἄρχων archon ar’-khone 

present participle of 757; n m; TDNT-1:488,81;  {See TDNT 102 } 

AV-ruler 22, prince 11, chief 2, magistrate 1, chief ruler 1; 37 

1) a ruler, commander, chief, leader 

Archon (historical, Ancient Greece) The title of a magistrate in a number of states of Ancient Greece, and in the city states (poleis) of the Achaean League.

Archon (Greek: ἄρχων, árchon, plural: ἄρχοντες, árchontes) is a Greek word that means "ruler", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem αρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch and hierarchy. 

The Greek word Archon is connected to the Greek word Archee (Beginning) 

In the Gospel of John the Demiurge is the first archon from the Greek word Archee translated beginning Archee 746 ἀρχή it is also translated principality or principalities in Eph 1:21 Eph 3:10 Eph 6:12 Col 1:16

Christ the head of all Principalities {#Eph 1:21 Col 1:16 2:10 } 

Demiurge can be translated Architect from Arche (Gr. "beginning") 

Heracleon: Fragments from his Commentary on the Gospel of John: 

John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.”) The sentence: "All things were made through him" means the world and what is in it. It excludes what is better than the world. The Aeon (i.e. the Fullness), and the things in it, were not made by the Word; they came into existence before the Word. . . “Without him, nothing was made” of what is in the world and the creation. . . "All things were made through Him," means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom” or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . . It was not the Word who made all things, as if he were energized by another, for "through whom" means that another made them and the Word provided the energy (Heracleon: Fragments from his Commentary on the Gospel of John)

The Demiurge is working on behalf of someone else that is the word or logos 

The Demiurge is a personification of the Elohim

Though Elohim is in the plural, and signifies "mighty ones," it is most frequently used with a verb in the singular number, as in Gen. 1:1. This suggests that the Elohim, though constituting a great number of immortal beings, are being motivated by a single power, "the spirit of God" (Gen. 1:2). The Elohim, therefore, comprise a great company united as one, and obeying in unison the motivating power of the great Increate. The Psalmist declared: "Yahweh hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all. Bless Yahweh, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. Bless ye Yahweh, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure. Bless Yahweh, all His works in all places of His dominion" (Psalm 103:19-22).

Yahweh is spirit (John 4:24), and His angels are spirit beings (Psalm 104:4; Heb. 1:7). They are "His family in heaven" (Eph. 3:15), being emanations of Him, and doing His will through His all-pervading spirit (Gen. 1:2). Thus they act as a unit, though being innumerable in number.

The Archangel Michael is the highest of all the angels as stated before, the angels are emanations of the uncreated and eternal spirit or Deity, Michael relays the commandments and orders of the Deity to all the angels below him, being the highest of all. So in a way, he could be seen as Hebraic religious idea of a "Demiurge" who fashioned the world for God.

See the post Yahweh is the head angel in the Old Testament

The Archangel Michael could be seen as the "Demiurge" who fashioned the world for the Deity.-spiritual nature. In comparison with the true God he is rather "coarse" or "rough" (Excerpts of Theodotus 33:4).

The term "demiurge" does not refer to the One True Deity, though the demiurge may very well be seen as a god, angel or elohim. The Demiurge is simply the craftsman of the universe, but is not the Supreme Intelligence of the universe the Uncreated and Eternal Spirit. In other word, whether the Demiurge is a god or not, it is not God or "THE One True Deity."

The Deity manifests himself through his angels, these angels are ever present, embodiment of the qualities of the Father, and thus manifesting the Father's will and presence in this world, without being the Father Deity themselves. These angels are always serving the Father and creating by his will and collectively are the Demiurge of the world through whom the Father administers his will.


The Demiurge is never referred to has Yaldabaoth 

The Demiurge is a real god, not a "false god".

The Demiurge is an elohim or angel

The Demiurge is not Satan, he is not a demon, and he is not an evil spirit or the personification of evil .The Creator or archangel Michael implements the Father's will and administers justice.

After all, he rendered the prophecies and reality of the Saviour.

The Gnostic Creation Story in the Tripartite Tractate

The Gnostic Creation Story in the Tripartite Tractate

Some Remarks on the Tripartite Tractate

The Tripartite Tractate is one text from the Nag Hammadi Scriptures as a different form of the Gnostic Creation myth which alters the myth ascribing the fall to a masculine Aeon the Logos 

In the beginning there was only the self-existent and transcendent Deity who is called the Eternal Spirit which has male and female attributes dwelling in silence and repose. The Deity is both corporeal and non-corporeal at the same time

From the transcendent Deity there was emanated a male principle called Mind and a female principle called Thought. In these principles emanated others, in male and female pairs to the total of thirty knows as Aeons who collectively constitute the fullness or the divine realm which others would call the spirit world which is beyond the physical heavens it is also called the 3rd Heaven.

Of all the Aeons only the first pair Mind and thought knew and comprehended the greatness of the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit and could behold him but the last and youngest Aeon Logos or (Reason).

The intent, then, of this one who is the Logos, was good. When he had come forth, he gave glory to the Father, even if it led to something beyond possibility, since he had wanted to bring forth one who is perfect, from an agreement in which he had not been, and without having the command. and without the knowledge or consent of his female counterpart Sophia (wisdom) he projected from his own being a flawed emanation.

Thus the Logos motivated by abundant love and seeking only to give glory to the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit creates other beings which are the seven archangels their leader is Michael who is the Demiurge the creator of the material cosmos or the physical heavens

But when the logos perceives that these are inferior to the emanations of the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit indeed mere shadows and phantoms of them, lacking reason and light, dwelling in ignorance, bringing forth more and more defective creatures little weakling, hindered by the illnesses by which he too was hindered

This logos is the cause of the creation of the world and the lower beings including mankind but the logos is not the agent of creation the Demiurge is the agent of creation being used by the logos as a hand

This defective Logos is interceded for by his counterpart the Divine Logos or First Thought the Son in the Pleroma  

Heracleon interpreted this in the same way he identifies the logos not with the agent of creation but with the casue making the creator lower than the logos 

Fragment 1, on John 1:3 (In John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.”) The sentence: "All things were made through him" means the world and what is in it. It excludes what is better than the world. The Aeon (i.e. the Fullness), and the things in it, were not made by the Word; they came into existence before the Word. . . “Without him, nothing was made” of what is in the world and the creation. . . "All things were made through Him," means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom” or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . . It was not the Word who made all things, as if he were energized by another, for "through whom" means that another made them and the Word provided the energy.

The archon is the agent of creation being used by the logos as a hand

Valentinian Cosmology Explained

Valentinian Cosmology

Valentinian Cosmology is pretty complicated doctrinal things and some modern Gnostics have a tendency to think that Gnosticism is post doctrinal and that dogma and doctrine are bad things but to the classical Gnostics they were important and and for us as modern Gnostics they're important because cosmology (Cosmogony is the study of the creation of the universe.) determines anthropology (Christian anthropology is the study of the human ("anthropology") as it relates to God) our view of mankind.

Valentinian Cosmology comes from a study of the prologue of the Gospel of John. It is a study of Creation and the Divine Attributes of God together they make up the Pleroma.

To Explain the Divine Attributes Valentinians would refer to the prologue in the Gospel of John when it says "the word was in the beginning," Valentinians believed that John was referring to mind and truth this we can see from Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 6 quoted below

Valentinians believed that some Greek words in the prologue in the Gospel of John and the letters of Paul form the totality of the Divine Attributes which they called the Pleroma

The Pleroma

First of all the Pleroma did not always exist it was produced and formed by the Eternal Spirit this we call the emanation.
(He created the holy Pleroma in this way The Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex)

The word Pleroma means "fullness". It refers to all existence beyond visible universe. 
In other words it is the world of the Aeons, the heavens or spiritual universe. 

Bythos (Ro 11:33) is the spiritual source of everything which emanates the pleroma, 

The Aeons are emanations of the Divine Mind as well as Divine Beings
(For each of the aeons is a name corresponding to each of the Father's qualities and powers the Tripartite Tractate)

The Pleroma is both the abode of and the essential nature of the True Ultimate Deity or Bythos.(Ro 11:33)
The Pleroma as well as being the the dwellings place of the Aeons is also a a state of consciousness

The lowest regions of Pleroma are closest to darkness—that is, the physical universe.

For more information on the Pleroma see my studies
The Pleroma the Waters Above the Heavens
The Concept of the Pleroma

Different myth

Different forms of this Cosmological myth appear in different Valentinian writings for example in the the Tripartite Tractate the fall is because of the actions of the Logos not Sophia as many other text say

Valentinians do not use the terms Barbelo or Yaldabaoth in their myths

Valentinian viewed the emanations we are going to looking at as syzygy that is pairs Logos male Zoe female Anthropos male and Ekklesia female.

This is not really a myth but a study of the mind of God pre-creation it would be best to call this a primordial drama instead of a myth.

 the pattern of heavenly things

The Pleroma the region of light, is the archetypal heavenly things, it is the pattern which was shown to Moses and is called the heavenly things themselves

Acts 7:44–7:4444“Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Heb 9:23 ¶  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Philo of Alexandria: The incorporeal world then was already completed, having its seat in the Divine Reason; and the world, perceptible by the external senses, was made on the model of it; and the first portion of it, being also the most excellent of all made by the Creator, was the heaven, which he truly called the firmament, as being corporeal; for the body is by nature firm....called it the heaven, either because it was already the Boundary{2} of everything, or because it was the first of all visible things which was created; and after its second rising he called the time day, referring the entire space and measure of a day to the heaven, on account of its dignity and honour among the things perceptible to the external senses. 

{philo means that ouranos was derived either from horos, a boundary, or from horaoµ, to see, horatos, visible.}

The Demiurge

In the prologue of the Gospel of John can be interpreted in two ways as a pre-creation myth in this case we should view words such as logos, life, light, man, not as separate beings but as Divine Attributes of the One True Deity. However if we look at this as a creation myth it should be in interpreted that the logos did not make the world this was done by the Craftsman or Demiurge, this can be seen from Heracleon's Commentary on the Gospel of John:

Heracleon Fragment 1, on John 1:3 (In John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.”) The sentence: "All things were made through him" means the world and what is in it. It excludes what is better than the world. The Aeon (i.e. the Fullness), and the things in it, were not made by the Word; they came into existence before the Word. . . “Without him, nothing was made” of what is in the world and the creation. . . "All things were made through Him," means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom” or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . . It was not the Word who made all things, as if he were energized by another, for "through whom" means that another made them and the Word provided the energy.

This Fragment from Heracleon's Commentary on the Gospel of John is in agreement with the Tripartite Tractate:

Over all the archons he appointed an Archon with no one commanding him. He is the lord of all of them, that is, the countenance which the Logos brought forth in his thought as a representation of the Father of the Totalities. Therefore, he is adorned with every <name> which <is> a representation of him, since he is characterized by every property and glorious quality. For he too is called "father" and god" and "demiurge" and "king" and "judge" and "place" and "dwelling" and "law."

The Logos uses him as a hand, to beautify and work on the things below, and he uses him as a mouth, to say the things which will be prophesied.

The things which he has spoken he does

For more information on this see my study on the Demiurge

A brief summary of the Valentinian system

From the transcendent Deity there was emanated a male principle called Mind and a female principle called Thought. 

In these principles emanated others, in male and female pairs to the total of thirty knows as Aeons who collectively constitute the fullness or the divine realm which others would call the spirit world which is beyond the physical heavens it is also called the 3rd Heaven.

John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word (logos or the first thought or reason of God), and the Word was with God (the Monad [meaning the One] the transcendent Deity or the Uncreated Eternal Spirit), and the Word was God. (It was "with God" in that it emanated from him; )
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 ¶ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Note The word “beginning” in John 1:1 cannot refer to the “beginning” of God the Creator, for he is eternal, having no beginning. (Ps 90:2)

John 1:18 No one, hath seen, God, at any time: An Only Begotten God, The One existing within the bosom of the Father, He, hath interpreted him.

"Theos was the Logos."

In this text, then, there is ONE DEITY, and he is styled THE LOGOS. This word signifies, "the outward form by which the inward thought is expressed and made known; also, the inward thought or reason itself

No Logos, then there would be no Theos; and without Theos, the Logos could have no existence. This may be illustrated by the relation of reason, or intelligence and speech, to brain, as affirmed in the proposition, No brain, -- no thought, reason, nor intelligence. Call the brain Theos; and thought, reason, and understanding intelligently expressed, Logos; and the relation and dependence of Theos and Logos, in John's use of the terms, may readily be conceived. Brain-flesh is substance, or the hypostasis, that underlies thought; so Theos is substance which constitutes the substratum of Logos. Theos is the substance called Spirit; as it is written, "Theos is Spirit;" and he who uttered these words is declared to be himself both substance and spirit. Dr. John Thomas Eureka Volume 1 Of Deity Before Manifestation in Flesh.

Theos is the Brain, Logos is the Mind or thought

Valentinian Commentary

Ptolemy's Commentary On The Gospel of John Prologue: John, the disciple of the Lord, intentionally spoke of the origination of the entirety, by which the Father emitted all things. And he assumes that the First Being engendered by God is a kind of beginning; he has called it "Son" and "Only-Begotten God." In this (the Only-Begotten) the Father emitted all things in a process involving posterity. By this (Son), he says, was emitted the Word, in which was the entire essence of the aeons that the Word later personally formed.

"Only-Begotten God." meaning a begotten God of the unbegotten God

6 The verse, “In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God and the Logos was God” the Valentinians understand thus, for they say that the “beginning” is the “Only Begotten” and that he is also called God, as also in the verses which immediately follow it explains that he is God, for it says, “The Only-Begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.” (John 1:18) Now they say that the Logos in the beginning, that is to say in the Only-Begotten, in the Mind and the Truth, indicates the Christ, the Logos and the Life [Zoe]. Wherefore he also appropriately calls God him who is in God, the Mind. “That which came into being in him,” the Logos, “was Life,” the Companion. Therefore the Lord also says, “I am the Life.” (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus)

God came forth: the Son, Mind of the All, that is, it is from the Root of the All that even his Thought stems, since he had this one (the Son) in Mind. The Nag Hammadi Library A Valentinian Exposition

The logos here is a personification of the mind of God or the Father's first thought. We will look more at personifications later.





This logos which is mind and truth can be compared with the The Tripartite Tractate:

The Father, in the way we mentioned earlier, in an unbegotten way, is the one in whom he knows himself, who begot him having a thought, which is the thought of him, that is, the perception of him, which is the [...] of his constitution forever. That is, however, in the proper sense, the silence and the wisdom and the grace, if it is designated properly in this way.

7 Therefore, the Father, being unknown, wished to be known to the Aeons, and through his own thought, as if he had known himself, he put forth the Only-Begotten, the spirit of Knowledge which is in Knowledge. So he too who came forth from Know ledge, that is, from the Father's Thought, became Knowledge, that is, the Son, because “through' the Son the Father was known.” But the Spirit of Love has been mingled with the Spirit of Knowledge, as the Father with the Son, and Thought with Truth, having proceeded from Truth as Knowledge from Thought. And he who remained “ Only-Begotten Son in the bosom of the Father” explains Thought to the Aeons through Knowledge, just as if he had also been put forth from his bosom; but him who appeared here, the Apostle no longer calls “ Only Begotten,” but “ as Only-Begotten,” “Glory as of an Only-Begotten.” This is because being one and the same, Jesus is the” First-Born” in creation, but in the Pleroma is “Only- Begotten.” But he is the same, being to each place such as can be contained [in it]. And he who descended is never divided from him who remained. For the Apostle says, “For he who ascended is the same as he who descended.” And they call the Creator, the image of the Only-Begotten. Therefore even the works of the image are the same and therefore the Lord, having made the dead whom he raised an image of the spiritual resurrection, raised them not so that their flesh was incorruptible but as if they were going to die again. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 7)

8 But we maintain that the essential Logos is God in God, who is also said to be “in the bosom of the Father,” continuous, undivided, one God. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus)

The first thought is the logos and also called Mind and Truth

The Father through that first thought brings forth the only begotten Son
Valentinian cosmology starts with this primal being primal being we're going to call the Monad meaning the One. "The Monad who is, the Father, that is, the Root of the All, the Ineffable One He dwells alone in silence, and silence is tranquility since, after all, he was a Monad and no one was before him." Valentinian Exposition.

From the Valentinian Exposition we can we that the primal ineffable Father has two components a male and a female component or aspects, attribute, the male aspects is called Bythos (Ro 11:33) meaning depth and the female aspect is called Sige (1Ki 19:12 ) meaning silence. Silence can be compared to wisdom thus Sige is also Sophia.
This describes the supreme Deity as being androgynous this is what the Valentinian Exposition means when it says "He dwells in the Dyad and in the Pair, and his Pair is Silence, "

This also describes the Deity has incomprehensible and cannot be seen cannot be heard since the Father-Mother is unfathomable and Silent

The primal Depth (the masculine principle) and Ennoia or Sige meaning Thought (the feminine principle) together make up the first Dyadic or a syzygy

This view of God being androgynous can be found in the Bible in the Book of Proverbs God has a feminine aspect wisdom (Sophia):

8:22 Yahweh possessed me," saith the Logos, "in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from olahm (the hidden period) from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the open places, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the deep; when he established the clouds above; when he strengthened the fountains of the deep; when he gave to the sea his decree that the water should not pass his commandment; when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him as one brought up with him (the Logos was with the Theos): and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights with the sons of men" (Prov. 8:22).

Here wisdom is personified. Wisdom here is not a separate deity. but it is the personification of the attribute of wisdom displayed by God:  truth, justice, value, the beautiful, faithful, eternal companion and handmaid of God.

The personification begins with the love relationship she has with her followers is a guarantee of prosperity, provided they walk in her ways [vv 17-21]. Then, in the astounding passage in vv 22–31, she affirms her origins from God, and from of old before creation. The description of creation in vv 25–29 is not really important here; there is no concentration on creation itself, which merely serves to underscore Wisdom's preexistence. 

So from the Gospel of John chapter 1 and the Book of Proverbs chapter 8 we can see that the God of the Bible also incorporated masculine and feminine characteristics Logos and Sophia through these attribute the Father created the universe

This is the same as the Gnostic understanding

Getting back now to the the prologue of the Gospel of John 

Ptolemy's Commentary On The Gospel of John Prologue "The entirety was made through it, and without it was not anything made." [Jn 1:3] For the Word became the cause of the forming and origination of all the aeons that came after it. 

8 “All things were made by him”; things both of the spirit, and of the mind, and of the senses, in accordance with the activity proper to the essential Logos. “This one explained the bosom of the Father,” the Saviour and [Isaiah said, “And I will pay back their deeds into their bosom,” that is, into their thought, which is in the soul, from which it is first activated] “First-Born of all creation.” But the essential Only-Begotten, in accordance with whose continuous power the Saviour acts, is the Light of the Church, which previously was in darkness and ignorance. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 8)

“And darkness comprehended him not”: the apostates and the rest of men did not know him and death did not detain him.

Ptolemy's Commentary On The Gospel of John Prologue: But furthermore (he says), "That which came into being in it was Life."[Jn 1:4] Here he discloses a pair [syzygy]. For he says that the entirety came into being through it, but Life is in it. Now, that which came into being in it more intimately belongs to it than what came into being through it: it is joined with it and through it it bears fruit. Indeed, inasmuch as he adds, "and Life [Zoe] was the light of human beings", [Jn 1:4] in speaking of human beings he has now disclosed also the Church by means of a synonym, so that with a single word he might disclose the partnership of the pair [syzygy]. For from the Word [Logos] and Life [Zoe], the Human Being [Anthropos] and the Church [Ekklesia] came into being. And he called Life the light of human beings because they are enlightened by her, i.e. formed and made visible. Paul, too, says this: "For anything that becomes visible is light." [Eph 5:13] So since Life made the Human Being and the Church visible and engendered them, she is said to be their light.

Now among other things, John plainly made clear the second quartet, i.e. the Word; Life; the Human Being; the Church.

But what is more, he also disclosed the first quartet. describing the Savior, now, and saying that all things outside the Fullness were formed by him, he says that he is the fruit of the entire fullness. For he calls him a light that "shines in the darkness" [Jn 1:5] and was not overcome by it, inasmuch as after he had fitted together all things that had derived from the passion they did not become acquainted with him. And he calls him Son, Truth, Life, and Word become flesh. We have beheld the latter's glory, he says. And its glory was like that of the Only- Begotten, which was bestowed on him by the Father, "full of grace and truth". [Jn 1:14] And he speaks as follows: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; we have beheld its glory, glory as of the Only-Begotten from the Father." [Jn 1:14] So he precisely discloses also the first quartet when he speaks of the Father; Grace; the Only-Begotten; Truth. Thus did John speak of the first octet, the mother of the entirety of aeons. For he referred to the Father; Grace; the Only-Begotten; Truth; the Word; Life; the Human Being; the Church.


The Nag Hammadi Library A Valentinian Exposition:


That Tetrad projected the Tetrad which is the one consisting of Word and Life and Man and Church. Now the Uncreated One projected Word and Life. Word is for the glory of the Ineffable One while Life is for the glory of Silence, and Man is for his own glory, while Church is for the glory of Truth. This, then, is the Tetrad begotten according to the likeness of the Uncreated (Tetrad). And the Tetrad is begotten [... ] the Decad from Word and Life, and the Dodecad from Man, and Church became a Triacontad. Moreover, it is the one from the Triacontad of the Aeons who bear fruit from the Triacontrad. They enter jointly, but they come forth singly, fleeing from the Aeons and the Uncontainable Ones. And the Uncontainable Ones, once they had looked at him, glorified Mind since he is an Uncontainable One that exists in the Pleroma.


You may be wondering why Ekklesia or Church used in the emanations described here this is because the church is the also part of the pleroma (Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.)


The ultimate transcendent deity Profundity (Βυθός), which is also called First-Beginning and First-Father (Προαρχή, Προπάτωρ) possesses Thought (Ἔννοια), which is also called Grace and Silence (Χάρις, Σιγή), which depicts the primal Deity as a self-thinking Unity.




In Irenaeus’s account, the Grace is mentioned as the conjugal pair of the Father, and they form together with the Mind and Truth the first Tetrad. In addition to the Logos and the Life, another pair, i.e. the Man and the Church, must be added in order to generate the second Tetrad. Consequently, the whole Ogdoad was completed, and it served as the Mother of all Aeons. The Savior was according to Iren. Haer. 1.8.5 the fruit of the entire Pleroma.