Justin the Gnostic The Book of Baruch

 The Book of Baruch

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

The following is the outline of the system.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will and Agency 2 Nephi 2:14

Will and Agency

in

The Tripartite Tractate and the book of Mormon

Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Will

the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action.

The will of God, God's will is always perfection and all good for all His children; perfect health in mind and body; abundance of every good thing including joy, peace, wisdom, and eternal life. He does not will suffering or imperfection in any form.

Agency

the ability to take action or to choose what action to take:

The protest gave us a sense of agency, a sense of our own power to make a difference.
When the legal system acquitted these women on the grounds of insanity it denied their agency.

The Fall of the Logos

This aeon was last to have <been> brought forth by mutual assistance, and he was small in magnitude. And before he begot anything else for the glory of the will and in agreement with the Totalities, he acted, magnanimously, from an abundant love, and set out toward that which surrounds the perfect glory, for it was not without the will of the Father that the Logos was produced, which is to say, not without it will he go forth. But he, the Father, had brought him forth for those about whom he knew that it was fitting that they should come into being. (The Tripartite Tractate)

The Father and the Totalities drew away from him, so that the limit which the Father had set might be established - for it is not from grasping the incomprehensibility but by the will of the Father, - and furthermore, (they withdrew) so that the things which have come to be might become an organization which would come into being. If it were to come, it would not come into being by the manifestation of the Pleroma. Therefore, it is not fitting to criticize the movement which is the Logos, but it is fitting that we should say about the movement of the Logos that it is a cause of an organization which has been destined to come about. (The Tripartite Tractate)

For the will held the Totality under sin (the subjection of the all to sin), so that by that will he might have mercy on the Totality and they might be saved, while a single one alone is appointed to give life, and all the rest need salvation. Therefore, it was from (reasons) of this sort that it began to receive grace to give the honors which were proclaimed by Jesus, which were suitable for him to proclaim to the rest, since a seed of the promise of Jesus Christ was set up, whom we have served in (his) revelation and union. (The Tripartite Tractate)

76:23-77:11. The fall occurred in accordance with the Father's will.

the fall is caused by an act of will, but is never described as the result of a prohairesis, which for him implies a rationally deliberated decision;

It is the Will of the Father that agency was given to all of the aeons

This explanation of the descent, which attributes it to the divine will, does not seem entirely compatible with the theory that the fall was caused by the autonomy of the soul-aeon

the Father allows the fall to take place (he also has foreknowledge of it: 76:29-30) rather than actively causes it.

The Fall of Man

The noble elect substance which is in him was more exalted. It created and it did not wound them. Therefore they issued a command, making a threat and bringing upon him a great danger, which is death. Only the enjoyment of the things which are evil did he allow him to taste, and from the other tree with the double (fruit) he did not allow him to eat, much less from the tree of life, so that they would not acquire honor [...] them, and so that they would not be [...] by the evil power which is called "the serpent." And he is more cunning than all the evil powers. He led man astray through the determination of those things which belong to the thought and the desires. <He> made him transgress the command, so that he would die. And he was expelled from every enjoyment of that place. (The Tripartite Tractate)

This is the expulsion which was made for him, when he was expelled from the enjoyments of the things which belong to the likeness and those of the representation. It was a work of providence, so that it might be found that it is a short time until man will receive the enjoyment of the things which are eternally good, in which is the place of rest. This the spirit ordained when he first planned that man should experience the great evil, which is death, that is complete ignorance of the Totality, and that he should experience all the evils which come from this and, after the deprivations and cares which are in these, that he should receive of the greatest good, which is life eternal, that is, firm knowledge of the Totalities and the reception of all good things. Because of the transgression of the first man, death ruled. It was accustomed to slay every man in the manifestation of its domination, which had been given it as a kingdom because of the organization of the Father's will, of which we spoke previously. (The Tripartite Tractate)

man must experience evil and death to the full in order to be able to appreciate the immense good of eternal life

The Fall according to the Gospel of Truth

Since error had no root, she was in a fog regarding the father. She was preparing works and forgetfulnesses and fears in order, by these means, to beguile those of the middle  and to make them captive. The forgetfulness of error was not revealed. It did not become light beside the father. Forgetfulness did not exist with the father, although it existed because of him.  What exists in him is knowledge, which was revealed so that forgetfulness might be destroyed and that the father might be known. Since forgetfulness existed because the father was not known, if the father comes to be known, from that moment on forgetfulness will cease to exist. (Gospel of Truth)


book of mormon 2 nephi 2:14-27

2:14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

What is Fate?

 What is Fate?

In this study we will look at the Gnostic understanding of Fate. But first an introductory reading from The Apocryphon of John:

24 I said, "Christ, where did the counterfeit spirit come from?''

He said to me, "(It all began) when the Mother whose mercy is great and the holy Spirit, the compassionate, who troubles herself with us—the seed that is, the Epinoia of the light awakened the thinking of human beings of the generation of the eternal, luminous, perfect Human. Then the Chief Ruler knew that they surpassed him in the excellence of their wisdom. He wanted to restrict their plan for he was ignorant. He did not understand [that] they were wiser than he. He made a plan with his powers. {He made a plan and begot Fate.}

They begot Fate and they bound the gods of heaven and angels and demons and human beings with measures and seasons and times in order to keep them all in its fetter—for it was lord over them all. (The Apocryphon of John)

Understanding Fate

fate--"That which is destined or decreed; appointed lot. Fate suggests inevitability and immutability in strict use, but usually carries no clear implication of whether it is good or evil" (Webster). 

In the Greco-Roman world fate was considered to be the overwhelming force that determines the destiny of all earthly and heavenly 

The philosophy of the Stoics stressed fate or natural destiny; one should be of high virtue but strive for indifference to pain or pleasure.

Astrologers in the ancient world like today considered “the position of the stars at the hour of birth, by various arts of computation and divining . . . determined the fate of individuals.” (Gesenius’s Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, translated by S. P. Tregelles, 1901, pp. 166, 167)

The Pharisees Regarding their ideas about fate or providence, Josephus reports: “[They] attribute everything to Fate and to God; they hold that to act rightly or otherwise rests, indeed, for the most part with men, but that in each action Fate co-operates.”—The Jewish War, II, 162, 163 (viii, 14).

Valentinian Understanding

In the system of Valentinus, the seven heavens (referred to as the Hebdomad), and even the region above them (referred to as the Ogdoad), were regarded as but the lowest and last stage of the exercise of creative power. Above them was the Pleroma, where were exhibited the first manifestations of the evolution of subordinate existence from the great First Principle.

The Ogdoad, is a place where the fallen Wisdom dwells, having been formed “in being” (κατ᾿οὐσίαν) and “in knowledge” (κατὰ γνῶσιν) by two emanations of the Pleroma, viz. Christ and Holy Spirit. The formation “in being”seems to have given rise to the realm of the fixed stars, whereas the formation “in knowledge” led, on the one hand,to the separation of passions from the fallen Sophia, and, on the other hand, to the generation of the spiritual substance (τὸ πνευματικόν), which will play a crucial role in the Valentinian soteriology.
The separated passions were, in turn, transformed by the Holy Spirit into two other substances, the material and the psychic one.

The next level is the level of the Hebdomad. It is created by Wisdom from the psychic substance, along with its ruler and his angels. This ruler, called Demiurge, is responsible for the formation of the psychic and material elements, thus becoming a creator of the sublunary world. His realm, the Hebdomad, seems to correspond to the seven planetary spheres. Finally, along with the formation of the material elements, the Demiurge also created the devil and the evil spirits. The devil is described as κοσμοκράτωρ, the ruler of the (sublunary) world.

It is against this background that a particular view of fate, widespread in early Christian literature, is reflected in the Valentinian narrative. This view includes two suppositions: (a) the notion of fate as a force exerted by or mediated through the heavenly bodies, which somehow determines the course of events, including human action, in the sublunary realm; (b) the belief that fate in this sense either does not exist or does not pertain to the Christians. Various versions of this view can be found in the Christian apologists, Bardaisan of Edessa, and some gnostic texts from the Nag Hammadi library.

The Powers and Forces

69 Fate is a union of many opposing forces and they are invisible and unseen, guiding the course of the stars and governing through them. For as each of them arrived, borne round by the movement of the world, it obtained power over those who were born at that very moment, as though they were its own children. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotu)

70 Therefore through the fixed stars and the planets, the invisible powers holding sway over them direct and watch over births. But the stars themselves do nothing but display the activity of the dominant powers, just as the flight of the birds (for omens) indicates something but effects nothing. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotu)

71 Now the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the seven stars which follow them rising now in conjunction, now in opposition, . . . these, moved by the powers, show the movement of substance toward the creation of living beings and the turn of circumstances. But both the stars and the powers are of different kinds: some are beneficent, some maleficent, some right, some left, and that which is born shares in both qualities. And each of them comes into being at its own time, the dominant sign fulfilling the course of nature, partly at the beginning, partly at the end. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotu)

As the heavenly bodies are carried around by the motion of the cosmos, these powers ride upon them, and whichever has reached the upper position obtains authority over those beings that are born in that particular moment.
The text says that the seven ‘planets’ (i.e. five planets plus the Sun and the Moon), moved by those powers, somehow indicate “the motion of the substance to the becoming of the animals”
(71): this enigmatic phrase probably refers to the above-­‐mentioned teaching of the psychic substance, from which the Demiurge creates the souls of beings generated in the sublunary realm. Our passage suggests that each generated being has its own dominant power, which also seems to be responsible for its coming to life and dying. This, at least, is how I take this sentence:  "And each of them comes into being at its own time, the dominant sign fulfilling the course of nature, partly at the beginning, partly at the end." (Exc. Th. 71).

that which is born finds itself in the midst of a battlefield: powers are different, some are right, some are left, some beneficient, some maleficent, and “that which is born is shared by them“, that is to say, that which is born can be subdued by either side of the battle,one being the side of God (i.e., presumably, the Demiurge) and the other the side of the devil:

72 From this situation and battle of the powers the Lord rescues us and supplies peace from the array of powers and angels, in which some are arrayed for us and others against us. For some are like soldiers fighting on our side as servants of God but others are like brigands. For the evil one girded himself, not taking the sword by the side of the king, but in madly plundering for himself. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotu)

Birth

74 Therefore the Lord came down bringing the peace which is from heaven to those on earth, as the Apostle says, “Peace on the earth and glory in the heights.” Therefore a strange and new star arose doing away with the old astral decree, shining with a new unearthly light, which revolved on a new path of salvation, as the Lord himself, men's guide, who came down to earth to transfer from Fate to his providence those who believed in Christ.

75 They say that the results prophecied show that Fate exists for the others and the consideration of calculations is a clear proof. For example, the Magi not only saw the Lord's star but they recognized the truth that a king was born and whose king he was, namely of the pious. At that time only the Jews were noted for piety; therefore the Saviour going down to the pious, came first to these who at that time were carrying fame for piety.

76 As, therefore, the birth of the Saviour released us from “becoming” and from Fate, so also his baptism rescued us from fire, and his Passion rescued us from passion in order that we might in all things follow him. For he who was baptised unto God advanced toward God and has received “power to walk upon scorpions and snakes,” the evil powers. And he commands the disciples “When ye go about, preach and them that believe baptise in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” in whom we are born again, becoming higher than all the other powers.

That’s why the Lord came, to show “a new path of salvation“ to those who believe him. This new path is a path leading beyond fate, liberating man from fate and delivering him to providence: „Therefore a strange and new star arose doing away with the old astral decree, shining with a new unearthly light, which revolved on a new path of salvation, as the Lord

himself, men's guide, who came down to earth to transfer from fate to his providence those who came to believe in Christ“ (74). According to our author, this delivery takes place through baptism, which is „called death and an end of the old life when we get rid of the evil principalities, but it is also called life according to Christ, of which he is the only Lord“

Freedom from Fate

According to Valentinian teaching, one's fate depended on whether one had attained to gnosis or not. Those who did not have gnosis were believed to be subject to judgement and punishment by the Craftsman (demiurge) and his associates in the "Middle" (Gospel of Philip 66:7-20).

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. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotu)

Thus baptism is a transcendence of fate, delivering the believer to providence: „Until baptism fate is real, but after it the astrologists are no longer right.“

Clement of Alexandria compares humans governed by fate to marionettes on strings.6 Tatian describes fate as an invention of evil demons who rule over nativities and generate various courses of life without any sense of justice, simply to amuse themselves like spectators in a theatre.“But we are above fate,“ says Tatian defiantly, “and instead of rambling (planetary) demons, we have come to know one ruler who does not ramble; we are not led by fate and have rejected its lawgivers.”7

Beyond Fate

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

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

Eugnostos, the Blessed, to those who are his.

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

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

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

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

Man, through his thought, is working out his own salvation; he is created in the image and likeness of God and is finally to reach "the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14).

What is Abraxas?

What is Abraxas?

Abraxas: An entity who has various roles in Gnostic and magical systems. Th e letters of the word Abraxas in Greek *gematria, in which each letter of the Greek alphabet is given a unique value, add up to 365, which in the Basilidean system described by *Irenaeus represents the 365 *emanations from the supreme being. Abraxas appears frequently on engraved magical *gems, usually depicted with a rooster head. The name might have originated from Hebrew Arba (“four,” referring to the *tetragrammaton, the divine name) Sabaoth, “lord of hosts.” Abraxas is also a deity in C. G. *Jung’s *Seven Sermons to the Dead. (Smith A.P. - A Dictionary of Gnosticism)

Etymology

J. B. Passerius derives it from abh, "father", bara, "to create", and a- negative—"the uncreated Father".

Wendelin discovers a compound of the initial letters, amounting to 365 in numerical value, of four Hebrew and three Greek words, all written with Greek characters: ab, ben, rouach, hakadōs; sōtēria apo xylou ("Father, Son, Spirit, holy; salvation from the cross").

According to a note of Isaac de Beausobre's, Jean Hardouin accepted the first three of these, taking the four others for the initials of the Greek anthrōpoussōzōn hagiōi xylōi, "saving mankind by the holy cross".

Basilides

One of Basilides’ Demiurge created an ethereal world; in other words, a higher sphere. The second created the lower, material world—the cosmos. These worlds, which include 365 spheres were called by Basilides Abraxas. They were full of contradictions: evil and virtue, truth and falsehood, the sacred and the vile, pain and joy, birth and death—all intertwine inextricably in an amazing way. This is Abraxas—our world, and therefore it is so frightening in its inconceivability.

Irenæus remarks of the Basilidans, that "they use images, incantations, and all other things pertaining unto Magic." Further on (xxiii.) he adds their custom of giving names to their images of pretended angels. 

In the system described by Irenaeus, "the Unbegotten Father" is the progenitor of Nous, and from Nous Logos, from Logos Phronesis, from Phronesis Sophia and Dynamis, from Sophia and Dynamis principalities, powers, and angels, the last of whom create "the first heaven". They in turn originate a second series, who create a second heaven. The process continues in like manner until 365 heavens are in existence, the angels of the last or visible heaven being the authors of our world.[2] "The ruler" [principem, i.e., probably ton archonta] of the 365 heavens "is Abraxas, and for this reason he contains within himself 365 numbers".

Lastly, Epiphanius, after stating that Basilides had taught that the Supreme Being--out of whom proceeded Mind, Intelligence, Providence, Strength, and Wisdom--was named Abraxas, proceeds to describe in what manner the idea was embodied by the heresiarch: "Having taken their vain speculations, he and his followers have converted them into a peculiar and definite form, as a foundation for their own erroneous idolatrous and fictitious doctrines." Further on he adds: "With respect to their 'Kavlacav,' what person with any understanding would not laugh at their converting a Hebrew word into a bodily shape in order to represent their idol; at their personified Principalities; in a word, at their fondness for images; whilst through these fancies they sow error in the minds of the ignorant for the furtherance of their disgraceful and lying trade?" Then proceeding, it would appear, to the analysis of the figure itself, he exclaims: "It is a Spirit of deceit, which, like the playing upon a pipe, leads the ignorant into many sins against the Truth. Yea, even his legs are an imitation of the Serpent through whom the Evil One spake and deceived Eve. For after the pattern of that figure hath the flute been invented for the deceiving of mankind. Observe the figure that the player makes in blowing his flute. Both he not bend himself up and down to the right and to the left, like unto it (the serpent)? These forms hath the Devil used to support his blasphemy against heavenly things, to destroy with destruction things upon earth, to encompass the whole world, taking captive right and left all such as lend an ear to his seductions."

Nag Hammadi library

And the Father nodded approval; the whole pleroma of the lights was well pleased. The

<ministers> came forth: the first one, the great Gamaliel (of) the first great light Harmozel, and the great Gabriel (of) the second great light Oroiael, and the great Samlo of the great light Davithe, and the great Abrasax of the great light Eleleth. And the consorts of these came forth by the will of the good pleasure of the Father: the Memory of the great one, the first, Gamaliel; the Love of the great one, the second, Gabriel; the Peace of the third one, the great Samblo; the eternal Life of the great one, the fourth, Abrasax. Thus were the five ogdoads completed, a total of forty, as an uninterpretable power.

and the receivers of the great race, the incorruptible, mighty men <of> the great Seth, the ministers of the four lights, the great Gamaliel, the great Gabriel, the great Samblo, and the great Abrasax, and they who preside over the sun, its rising,

Abrasax and Sablo and Gamaliel will descend and bring those men out of the fire and the wrath, and take them above the aeons and the rulers of the powers, and take them away [...] of life [...] and take them away [...] aeons [...] dwelling place of the great [...] there, with the holy angels and the aeons. The men will be like those angels, for they are not strangers to them. But they work in the imperishable seed.

In the *Revelation of Adam, one of three *angels, along with *Sablo and *Gamaliel, who will descend and rescue people from fi re and wrath, probably from *Sodom and Gomorrah. (Smith A.P. - A Dictionary of Gnosticism)

With the availability of primary sources, such as those in the Nag Hammadi library, the identity of Abrasax remains unclear. The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, for instance, refers to Abrasax as an Aeon dwelling with Sophia and other Aeons of the Pleroma in the light of the luminary Eleleth. In several texts, the luminary Eleleth is the last of the luminaries (Spiritual Lights) that come forward, and it is the Aeon Sophia, associated with Eleleth, who encounters darkness and becomes involved in the chain of events that leads to the Demiurge's rule of this world, and the salvage effort that ensues. As such, the role of Aeons of Eleleth, including Abraxas, Sophia, and others, pertains to this outer border of the Pleroma that encounters the ignorance of the world of Lack and interacts to rectify the error of ignorance in the world of materiality.

Abraxas? Is this Yaldaboath?
Yes and they are all the same demiurge. Representing the ego.

Gems

They’re mandalas that function as a kind of armillary sphere. A model of the universe
So of course they’re malleable. They can represent both the fatalism of the kosmos, but also the nest in which the egg of gnosis grows and finally cracks open.

Gematria

So these are models that mean specific things. ABRASAX is a code for “365” meaning the cycle of the year and the inescapability of time. So that’s bad.
But hey, if you befriend / cajole / blackmail the concept of time, you can liberate yourself. Not be defined or imprisoned by time. So that’s good.
Gnosticism frequently presents a reality: “the system sucks.”
Then it presents an alternative: “if it’s a system, it can be hacked.”
So it’s both the fatalism of the universe and our opportunity to break free of that cycle.
It’s not about repainting the walls of the prison.
We’re not in the paint business.
We’re in the dynamite business.

Abraxas is the archetype that splits unity into duality, the first emanation. The literal Y from masc/fem, light/dark. 'Is Abra_A_ threshold' is a statement, not a question. Look at "is". I is the straight line like a spur from the void. 0 and i form Q. O and Y form OF with two parallel paths. V and A show direction, up or down. W/M are obviously double V/A. T is the crossroad and K is the split of decision.

0 to 1 to Y to X to W to 3 then V. Instead of 3 to V, if they mirror to E they produce 5. The 5 create the " which symbolize a fully generative fractal. Single letters such as s are only given withered fractals as '. People who don't pay attention to what they do use that fractal as their trash bin. This is the reasoning behind the quadrinary algorithm YHUh.

There are letters that show transition, translation, transversity: S/Z, N,X. O is a basin. U is a cup to be filled; if it overflows, it spills into the void. Society currently appears to be trying to create a black hole. Now, look up THE OF AND TO A IN AS I.

Pneuma is paired with Abraxas—Magic. Abraxas is referenced in many places in the Nag Hammadi texts, particularly in the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit. The letters in Abraxas refer to the 7 classical planets, the days of the week, the Pleroma plus the 6 primary Aeons (7). When decoded using numerology the letters in Greek add up to 365—to represent the 365 powers of the heavens and the number of days in a year. It’s likely that Abraxas is also the ruler of time—something that is both made by man and yet eternal and universal. Carl Jung referred to Abraxas as “the God who is difficult to know” and “the unlikely, likely one, who is powerful in the realm of unreality”. If Pneuma takes the form of our inner spirit, then Abraxas represents an invisible, external power—magical, transformative, unknowable, and yet supremely powerful and influential. Pneuma represents the incredible and knowable power within us, that brings revelation. Abraxas represents the incredible, unknowable powers outside of us that brings with it surprising and unexpected things—it keeps us on our toes.

The Holy Spirit is God's Wife

The Holy Spirit is God's Wife

We know that The holy spirit is a force, the invisible power and energy of the Father by which God is everywhere present that is effluent from His person and presence, filling universal space. The Spirit is not a 'separate' or 'other' person. Ac 7:55, 56; Re 7:10 It is God's own radiant power, ever out flowing from Him, by which His 'everywhereness' is achieved. Ps 104:30; 1 Cor 12:4-11.

The Spirit is personal in that it is of God Himself: it is not personal in the sense of being some other person within the Godhead" The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.

However there is another meaning to the Holy Spirit a deeper meaning

1. The Holy Spirit is the group of all the angels who are married to God.

2. The Holy Spirit is our spiritual Mother.

3. The whole congregation is regarded as being one body, one wife.

4. God has a family of which he is the father, the Holy Spirit is the mother, God's wife, and Jesus is now the firstborn son.

The holy spirit is described by John as the helper:

Jn 14:26 But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you .

But Adam's wife was described in the same way:

Gen 2:18 And Yahweh Elohim went on to say: It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.

Just as Eve was a complement and helper to Adam so the holy spirit is God's helper, and a complement to him. It is his wife. It is Jesus' mum and ours. The four are a family. The holy spirit although was not mentioned much in the old testament, here are all the explicit references to it as 'the holy spirit'...Ps 51:11 Isaiah 63:10, 11

But it was referred to more in other ways...Deut 34:9 Jn 14:17 Ex 35:31

Since the holy spirit imparts wisdom it must be an intelligent being or beings. Likewise we can deduce that the holy spirit is a living intelligent thing because it can plead for us:

So since it is a living spirit, so it must consist either of an angel or of a group of them. We know that there is more than one angel...

Ps 104:4 Making his angels [his messengers] spirits, his ministers a devouring fire.

Heb 1:13 But with reference to which one of the angels has he ever said: Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth on behalf of those who are going to inherit salvation?.

The holy spirit does God's ministering and contains ministers, who are holy spirits plural. So the holy spirit is a group of angels. So it must be the group of all the angels who are married to God, all the angels who are in a covenant with God who are partakers of the divine nature

Hence Paul said: Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

The Jerusalem above is God's heavenly administration which is all of the loyal angels, which is all of the holy spirits. Paul explicitly states that these angels are our Mother, for they give birth to all the new angels. Now mother's plead with father's not to be too hard on errant sons. And that is precisely the meaning of Romans 8:26, the holy spirit interceding with God for the sanctified ones, is the mother interceding with the father for her sons.

God does refer to a whole nation of people as one person...

Ex 4:22 And you must say to Pharaoh: This is what Yahweh has said: Israel is my son, my firstborn.

He also refers to the entire church as Jesus' wife, one person in the singular...

Ephesians 5:22 Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord,

23 because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation, he being a saviour of [that] body.

24 In fact, as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, so let wives also be to their husbands in everything.




So the whole congregation is regarded as being one body, one wife. Here is a table of greater or lesser husbands and wives...

                                              Husbands Wives

                                                 Joseph             Mary

                                                President First Lady 

                                                        King Queen

                                                  Jesus            Christian church

                                                     Priest Congregation

                                  Managing Director    Board of directors

                            President of corporation    All the vice presidents as a group

                                  Manager of sports team        Sports Team

                                                   Field Marshal His Army

                                                    Prime Minister Cabinet

                                                          God           Holy Spirit, all the holy angels

The very word 'corporation', or 'incorporated' means a lot of people regards as one body.

Now the Holy Spirit is the Mother of everyone living spiritually whereas Adam called his wife Eve because:

Gen 3:20 After this Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she had to become the mother of everyone living.

So God does have a family, and in this family he is the father, the holy spirit is the mother, God's wife, and Jesus is now the firstborn son. So there it is. There is nothing mystical or indecipherable about it, we are just talking about your regular family (well OK they are a rather powerful example!). This is why you cannot blaspheme against God or against his wife, who wears his name but you could blaspheme against Jesus, before he was resurrected...

Mat 12:31 On this account I say to you: Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven.

32 For example, whoever speaks a word [in blasphemy] against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks [in blasphemy] against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come.

So the holy spirit has the same status as God, being his wife, so it cannot just be one angel, for if it was, then that angel would also be a God to be worshipped with the same status as Yahweh.

Incidentally the holy spirit, or helper or comforter, the spirit of the truth, the spirit of wisdom, sent by God, is always referred to in the neuter in scripture. However, the spirit of truth, sent by Jesus, which is also called a helper is referred to in the masculine...

Jn 15:26 When the helper arrives that I will send you from the Father, the spirit of the truth, which proceeds from the Father, that one will bear witness about me.

Jn 16:7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means come to you, but if I do go my way, I will send him to you.

Jn 16:13 However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things coming.

This 'spirit of the truth', the one sent by Jesus, as opposed to the one sent by Yahweh, is the angel of Revelation that presented Revelation in signs to John...

Rev 1:1 A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent forth his angel and presented [it] in signs through him to his slave John.

So all of the holy angels together, as the holy spirit, are feminine. But each individual angel is masculine.

Heb 1:13 But with reference to which one of the angels has he ever said: Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth [as the holy spirit] on behalf of those who are going to inherit salvation?.

The holy spirit itself is the helper, the ministering spirit for all of us, and so are these angels. So the one is the sum of the others.

Sophia and Creation Proverbs 8:22

Sophia and Creation

SOPHIA is BORN

Proverbs 8:22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; (New International Version)

THE LORD BROUGHT ME FORTH AS THE FIRST OF HIS WORKS, BEFORE HIS DEEDS OF OLD: This section was anticipated by Pro 3:19,20: "By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew." Now it is to be greatly amplified.

BROUGHT ME FORTH: "There are two roots 'qanah' in Hebrew, one meaning 'to possess', and the other meaning 'to create'. The older translations did not know of the second root, but suspected in certain places that a meaning like that was necessary (eg, Gen 4:1; 14:19; Deu 32:6). Ugaritic confirmed that it was indeed another root" (NEtn). Instead of "possessed" (AV), this new translation is attested in Ugaritic with the meaning "to create, bring forth" (cp Gen 4:1, re birth of Cain; Gen 14:19,22). Pro 8:22 reads in the KJV: "The LORD POSSESSED me [Wisdom] in the beginning of his way, before his works of old" -- this uses the old meaning of 'qanith' (to get, or acquire), and was adamantly supported and expounded by earlier commentators. But that translation surely misses the point; the context of Pro 8 is the Creation! The RSV, following the more recent scholarship, translates the same passage: "The LORD CREATED ME at the beginning of his work"; and the NIV translates: "The LORD BROUGHT ME FORTH as the first of his works." And now 'Wisdom' is seen, rightly, as the first of emanation of Yahweh's "creations"!

"To be brought forth" should be understood as an emanation of the Deity:

7:25 For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.

7:26 For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. (Wisdom of Solomon) 

AS THE FIRST OF HIS WORKS: 'As the "reshith" of His ways, or works"; cp sw Pro 1:7; 3:9; 4:7. The word can mean either "first" in point of time, or "most important" overall. Here it may signify "firstborn" particularly -- bearing in mind that, paradoxically, the "firstborn" in Bible terms was not necessarily the one "born FIRST", but could (and often did) mean a younger one elevated to a leading role.

Sophia is the daughter of Sige or "silence", (Greek σιγή) Sophia is the youngest Aeon she was elevated to the position of the firstborn

29 They say that Silence, who is the mother of all who were put forth by Depth, with regard to what she had nothing to say kept silence about the inexpressible and with regard to what she did not understand she called it incomprehensible. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus )

Pro 8:23I WAS APPOINTED: The verb "nissakhti" is not a common word; it occurs here and in Psa 2:6 for the coronation of the king. It means "installed, set." WBC points out, however, that it may be derived from "cakak" in Psa 139:13: "For you created ['qanah': cp v 22 here] my inmost being: you knit me together ['cakak'] in my mother's womb." If so, this reinforces the "birth" analogy, that goes along with the personification of "Wisdom".

FROM ETERNITY, FROM THE BEGINNING, BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN: "Eternity" = "olahm" -- the hidden age, the age to come. "Beginning" = "rosh", the head, first, or primary time. "World" = "eretz", the earth, or land.

In the Septuagint the word "BEGINNING" is"Archee"; signifying "first in order", from root "arch, archon" = a ruler. Cp v 15. "The beginning":

Thus Sophia's first act was to put forth (by emanation) the Demiurge the chief Archon: 

47 Now the Saviour became the first universal creator. “But Wisdom,” the second, “built a house for herself and hewed out seven pillars” and first of all she put forth a god, the image of the Father, and through him she made heaven and earth, that is “heavenly things, and the earthly” – the things on the right hand and on the left. This, as an image of the Father, then became a father and put forth first the psychic Christ, an image of the Son, then the archangels as images of the Aeons, then the angels of the archangels from the psychic and luminous substance to which the prophetic word refers, “And the Spirit of God was superimposed upon the waters,” declaring that in the combination of the two substances, made for him, the simple was superimposed but the heavy and material substance is borne under, the thick and coarse. But it is even suggested that this was incorporeal in the beginning when it is called “invisible.” Yet it was never invisible to any man that ever lived nor to God, for he made it. But he has somehow declared its absence of form, shape and design. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus )

Proverbs 8:22 ¶ Yahweh brought me forth (by a process of emanation) in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths (before the creation of the Pleroma and the boundaries between the depths of the immeasurable deep), I was brought forth; when there were no fountains (the Pleroma) abounding with water (the Aeons). 

Note the Pleroma did not always exist it was created by the Logos and Sophia:

And through his word the holy Pleroma came into existence......He created the holy Pleroma in this way: four gates with four monads within it, one monad to each gate and six helpers (parastatai) to each gate, and twelve dodecads to each gate, and five pentads of powers to each gate, making 24 helpers (parastatai) ; and 24 myriad powers to each gate, and nine enneads to each gate, and ten decads to each gate, and twelve dodecads to each gate, and five pentads of power to each gate, and an overseer who has three aspects - an unbegotten aspect, a true aspect and an unutterable aspect - to each gate.  (The Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex)

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens (the Pleroma), I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth (Bythos):
28 When he established the clouds above (the Aeons): when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Sophia and Creation 

Sophia creates the heavens and the earth and the archangels

Genesis 1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Note "God created" — The Hebrew is bar a Elohim: a verb in the singular number combined with a noun in the plural : "Mighty ones he created" these are all the spirits which serve before him

In the book of Jubilees we see the creation of the archangels

[The book of Jubilees Chapter 2]
1 And the angel of the presence spake to Moses according to the word of the Lord, saying: Write the complete history of the creation, how in six days the Lord God finished all His works and all that He created, and kept Sabbath on the seventh day and hallowed it for all ages, and appointed it as a sign for all His works.
2 For on the first day He created the heavens (the Pleroma) which are above and the earth and the waters and all the spirits (the Aeons) which serve before him -the angels of the presence, and the angels of sanctification, and the angels [of the spirit of fire and the angels] of the spirit of the winds, and the angels of the spirit of the clouds, and of darkness, and of snow and of hail and of hoar frost, and the angels of the voices and of the thunder and of the lightning, and the angels of the spirits of cold and of heat, and of winter and of spring and of autumn and of summer and of all the spirits of his creatures which are in the heavens and on the earth, (He created) the abysses and the darkness, eventide <and night>, and the light, dawn and day, which He hath prepared in the knowledge of his heart.
3 And thereupon we (the Elohim, the spirits or the Aeons the Eternals) saw His works, and praised Him, and lauded before Him on account of all His works; for seven great works did He create on the first day.
4 And on the second day He created the firmament in the midst of the waters, and the waters were divided on that day -half of them went up above and half of them went down below the firmament (that was) in the midst over the face of the whole earth. And this was the only work (God) created on the second day.

This is to say, it is the Church consisting of many men that existed before the aeons, which is called, in the proper sense, "the aeons of the aeons." This is the nature of the holy imperishable spirits, upon which the Son rests, since it is his essence, just as the Father rests upon the Son.

Sophia and the Tree of Life

SOPHIA is the TREE OF LIFE and the POWER OF GOD
Proverbs 3
13 Happy is the man that findeth Sophia, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 The Lord by Sophia hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.


This is in the Tanakh or the "Old Testament" and can not be denied. This is the "WORD OF GOD" not man's interpretation.
SOPHIA LIVES

Complete list of codices

 Complete list of codices found in Nag Hammadi (a collection of gnostic writings). Copied.

    Codex I (also known as The Jung Codex):

        The Prayer of the Apostle Paul

        The Apocryphon of James (also known as the Secret Book of James)

        The Gospel of Truth

        The Treatise on the Resurrection

        The Tripartite Tractate

    Codex II:

        The Apocryphon of John

        The Gospel of Thomas a sayings gospel

        The Gospel of Philip

        The Hypostasis of the Archons

        On the Origin of the World

        The Exegesis on the Soul

        The Book of Thomas the Contender

    Codex III:

        The Apocryphon of John

        The Gospel of the Egyptians

        Eugnostos the Blessed

        The Sophia of Jesus Christ

        The Dialogue of the Savior

    Codex IV:

        The Apocryphon of John

        The Gospel of the Egyptians

    Codex V:

        Eugnostos the Blessed

        The Apocalypse of Paul

        The First Apocalypse of James

        The Second Apocalypse of James

        The Apocalypse of Adam

    Codex VI:

        The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles (includes The Hymn of the Pearl)

        The Thunder, Perfect Mind

        Authoritative Teaching

        The Concept of Our Great Power

        Republic by Plato - The original is not gnostic, but the Nag Hammadi library version is heavily modified with then-current gnostic concepts.

        The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth - a Hermetic treatise

        The Prayer of Thanksgiving (with a hand-written note) - a Hermetic prayer

        Asclepius 21-29 - another Hermetic treatise

    Codex VII:

        The Paraphrase of Shem

        The Second Treatise of the Great Seth

        Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter

        The Teachings of Silvanus

        The Three Steles of Seth

    Codex VIII:

        Zostrianos

        The Letter of Peter to Philip

    Codex IX:

        Melchizedek

        The Thought of Norea

        The Testimony of truth

    Codex X:

        Marsanes

    Codex XI:

        The Interpretation of Knowledge

        A Valentinian Exposition, On the Anointing, On Baptism (A and B) and On the Eucharist (A and B)

        Allogenes

        Hypsiphrone

    Codex XII

        The Sentences of Sextus

        The Gospel of Truth

        Fragments

    Codex XIII:

        Trimorphic Protennoia

        On the Origin of the World

gnosticism from nag hammadi to the gospel of judas

 

gnosticism from nag hammadi to the gospel of judas by David Brakke, Ph.D., M.Div.

In Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas, Professor David Brakke of The Ohio State University is your guide in a richly detailed immersion in the theology, sacred writings, rituals, and outstanding human figures of the Gnostic movements. At the heart of the story is the 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices, a mysterious cache of ancient documents unearthed in the Egyptian desert, that gave us firsthand accounts of the Gnostics’ beliefs, practices, and ways of life. Studying these invaluable texts, along with more recent discoveries, such as the astonishing Gospel of Judas and Gospel According to Mary, gives you a profound look at Gnostic spirituality and its singular impact on religious history.

The Two-fold Sophia

The Two Types of Wisdom

The Two-fold Sophia

There is Echamoth and there is Echmoth. Echamoth is simply wisdom, but Echmoth is the wisdom of death—that is, the wisdom that knows death, that is called little wisdom. (The Gospel of Philip)

From the Gospel of Philip we can see there are two types of wisdom

Echamoth is Wisdom simply
Echmoth is the Wisdom of death or "the little Wisdom"


There are two types of wisdom the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God.

The rulers of this age, Paul argues, knew Sophia but not Christ-Sophia [higher wisdom]


1Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God (Divine Wisdom) the world by wisdom (human wisdom called philosophy) knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.


1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.



The Sophia of this age is the lower form of wisdom in those who are material or carnally minded not spiritual


The other Sophia is of God a wisdom of God, formally hidden in mystery'. (1 Co 2:6-7) Now revealed in Jesus Christ (Col 1:26-28)—1Co 1:24, 30; compare 1Co 2:7, 8; Pr 8:1, 10, 18-21.

The Fall of Wisdom

Rom 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. 

Rom 1:22 Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish 

Rom 1:28 And just as they did not approve of holding God in accurate knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mental state.

What Paul is talking about in Romans 1:28 would of happened around the time of Genesis chapter 11 Those who abandoned accurate knowledge of God created a false wisdom which is a image of the true wisdom this is the fall of wisdom

James 3:15  This wisdom is not one, from above, coming down, but is earthly, born of the soul, demoniacal!

Human Wisdom

Ecclesiastes describes human wisdom

The “wisdom” of Proverbs is not the “wisdom” of Ecclesiastes. The former is godly wisdom; the latter is usually human wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 1:16 I entered into counsel with my own mind, saying, Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom, yes, more than all who have been over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge.
17 And I gave my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I perceived that this also is a searching after wind and a feeding on it.
18 For in much [human] wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Human Wisdom on a limited scale is attainable by man through his own efforts,
Human wisdom can bring much sorrow and it does not bring real satisfaction.



. 19 For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise [men] perish, and the intelligence of the intellectual [men] I will shove aside.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this age? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not get to know God, God saw good through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing

18 Let no one be seducing himself: If anyone among YOU thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.

Human wisdom is foolishness with God this is the real fall of wisdom those that did not hold God in accurate knowledge but chose the wisdom of the world instead that is, the world of mankind alienated from God. (1Co 1:20)

Wisdom is Personified

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her" (Proverbs 3:13-15).

"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1).

These verses, and indeed the rest of the chapters in which they appear, show that wisdom is personified as a woman, but because of this, no-one has the idea that wisdom is a literal beautiful woman who roams around the earth; all recognize that it is a very desirable characteristic which all people should try to acquire.

Wisdom is personalized in the book of Proverbs, depicted there as a woman inviting persons to receive what she has to offer. That is why in Proverbs human wisdom is an adulteress woman (2:16 Wisdom, on the other hand, is personified as a virgin

Divine Wisdom

Wisdom is more than just a personification; she is an expression of the feminine aspects of God.

Jesus says wisdom is know by her children (Matt 11:19 compare Luke 7:35)
and we are born of the spirit (John 3:6)

Wisdom or Sophia is a feminine aspects of God or one of God's attributes

Therefore God is androgynous being both Father and Mother the holy spirit is the feminine aspect of God. In Hebrew the word spirit is a feminine noun. That is why it can be spoken of as a Mother giving birth. John 3:8 However The holy spirit is a force, the invisible power and energy of the Father by which God is everywhere present. The Spirit is the power of God through which God's Family works. The chosen messengers have been given only the power and authority from Yahweh they need to accomplish their mission. Gen 1:2; Num 11:17; Mt 3:16; John 20:22; Ac 2:4, 17, 33. The Spirit is not a 'separate' or 'other' person. Ac 7:55, 56; Re 7:10 The spirit is God's own radiant power, ever out flowing from Him, by which His 'everywhereness' is achieved. Ps 104:30; 1 Cor 12:4-11.

The Spirit is personal in that it is of God Himself: it is not personal in the sense of being some other person within the Godhead"

Therefore the Sophia is a feminine aspect of God his holy spirit. Sophia can be described as the wisdom of God, and, the holy spirit or active force which emanates from God. The Sophia is seen as being expressed in all creation and the natural world as well as, the Holy Spirit is an equivalent expression with Sophia, being the feminine counterpart to the masculine Logos. Whereas the latter is manifested in Jesus of Nazareth, the former is effectively manifested in the Church which Begets, anoints, Empowers, leads God’s people today. Joh 3:5-8; 2Co 1:21, 22 Ga 5:16, 18.

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.

The feminine aspects of God. Gnostics held that she was the syzygy (female twin divine Aeon) of the logos (i.e. the Bride of Christ), and Holy Spirit of God who is the Father-mother

Wisdom and Wisdom of Death

There is Echamoth and there is Echmoth. Echamoth is simply wisdom, but Echmoth is the wisdom of death—that is, the wisdom that knows death, that is called little wisdom. 
The Gospel of Philip

Echamoth is one thing and Echmoth, another. Echamoth is Wisdom [divine wisdom] simply [“single eyed” and in tune with the will of the Father], but Echmoth is the Wisdom of death [“double mindedness” still intellectualizing and analyzing things eventually leading you to go your own way according to your own hearts desires], which is the one who knows death [he knows he will die physically but not that he will rise. So his wisdom is all physical, it is worldly wisdom, based upon the false premise that his physical existence is all he will ever have], which is called "the little Wisdom" [these still cling to “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and cannot progress form the "letter" and will use it for unrighteous gain - these will hinder themselves and others from progressing to “the tree of life” still “deny its power” in them]. (Philip 28)

The upper and a lower Sophia

there is a distinction of an upper and a lower Sophia

sige is the higher sophia

Sige is an aspect of the Monad, Sige is the Silent Though the hidden higher part of Sophia or Wisdom Sige the great silence or void from which all creation sprang:

29 They say that Silence, who is the mother of all who were put forth by Depth, with regard to what she had nothing to say kept silence about the inexpressible and with regard to what she did not understand she called it incomprehensible. (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus )

Silence or Sige is the highest and most exalted manifestation of Sophia, whose lower manifestation as the last of twelve aeons is associated with the creation of the world. It has been suggested that the doubling or even pluralization of Wisdom in Gnostic sources could be read out of a Hebrew word used for Wisdom in Proverbs. As Deirdre Good puts it, “The strange (plural) form twmkj iin Proverbs 1:20; 9:1; 14:1; 24:7 might have suggested to Gnostic readers of Wisdom passages that there were many Sophias

the lower Sophia is the author of ignorance

But I shall call upon the imperishable knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth. Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a female. She produced you without a male, since she was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then they will fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their mother. (The (First) Apocalypse of James)