Gnosticism genesis book of john

Those who favor interpretation 1 quote the similar phrase in genesis and john in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth. There are few books more misinterpreted that john s first epistle. The secret book according to john is the most important surviving gnostic text. Further, from 230 passages of this kind, almost 200 are linked with genesis 111 filoramo and gianotto 1984, 55. The gnostic adoption of johns gospel and its canonization by the. Gnosticism borrowed elements from christians, just as the whole of christianity took a certain gnostic flavor, to the point that some books of the new testament, especially the. It unfolds the gnostic truth about the supreme deity and about the many aeons, or light beings, which had emanated from gods fullness. To paraphrase john dominic crossan, it is unclear whether gnosticism was a christian heresy, a jewish heresy, or an original religion that powerfully merged with both. The three with oroiael were insight, perception, and memory.

The apocryphon of john the secret book of john the secret revelation of john. Since many date the gospel during the later part of the first century, they also prefer a similar date for the epistles. No less than three of the codices of the nag hammadi collection of early christian writings open with the apocryphon or secret book of. The first two pages of the of the apocryphon of john from a book found in nag hammadi. Genesis and platonizing philosophy in the secret revelation of john the three forms of first thought nhc xiii,1, and the secret book of john nhc ii,1 and par. Johannine literature and the gnostics oxford handbooks. A gnostic treatise, the testimony of truth, tells a different story. In terms of plot, it sets the stage, and in terms of theology, it provides a context for understanding johns gospel through a gnostic lens.

The book opens with john, the son of zebedee, being questioned by a pharisee. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of god. Through the influential thesis of hans jonas, for a long time modern scholars considered gnostic schools as being, par excellence, antijewish philosophical and religious movements. Christ is the creator of the beginning of this world, so obviously he had to be present before it was created which supports his eternality. Excerpt from the introduction the secret book of john, by stevan. Genesis 23, canonical interpretation and the challenge of. Reading sex and gender in the secret revelation of john. Now jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. Gnosticism and gnostic interpretation oxford biblical studies online.

Gnosticism international standard bible encyclopaedia. The secret book of john was probably written by jewish gnostics in the first century ce, or even a century before. Since it was known to irenaeus, a church father, it must have been written before 180 ce. Part of the library of books found in nag hammadi, egypt, in 1945, this central myth of gnosticism tells the story of how god fell from perfect oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how b. Jun 21, 2018 the gnostic world of john walton to change the churchs view of god making all things in the space of six days, theistic evolution must first change the churchs understanding of genesis. It helps to remember that many things were going on during the rise of christianity in the 2 nd to 4 th centuries. If there is a single basic gnostic text, the secret book of john is it.

The gospel of john and the gnostic myth of redemption. Early church officials were familiar with the text and it was still in use in the 8th century ce by the audians of mesopotamia. The apocryphon of john deals with the creation, the fall, and the salvation of humankind. The story is loosely based on genesis chapters one through as a timeline. Revelation, hebrews and even the first few chapters of genesis are among them. This post links to ancient gnostic works about adam and eve. Along with many other gnostic texts, it was excluded from the formal list of the books of the bible called the canon of scripture by the council. Scholars investigating the nag hammadi find discovered that some of the texts tell the origin of the human race in terms very different from the usual reading of genesis.

Gnostic exegesis on book of genesis 122 50 % refer to historical books, 25 % to prophets and 25 % to sapiential books. It was known to the church father irenaeus, so it must have been written before around 180 ce. Also the number of tribes of israel, and the number of students disciples and messengers apostles of jesus in the early church. It contains nearly 1700 entries, from aachiaram, an angel in the secret book of john to zostrianos. There are three versions of the manuscript translated from greek into coptic. The basic text of the apocryphon of john existed in some form before 185 c. Learn how the god of genesis, viewed by the gnostics as a lesser, imperfect divinity, came into being. The nag hammadi gospel of thomas, for example, does not include a. While it is critical of the jewish god, its terminology and mythic motifs. Similarly, john omits any mention of the raising of jairuss daughter but according to marks gospel it was john who was a privileged witness. Gnostics following this school of thought often fell into licentiousness. Pagels, the noted religious historian, had the importance of the book of genesis brought to her attention in a.

Since no mention is made of the persecution under domitian, which began. Gnosticism in 1 john and 2 john most of the christians already know the famous passage talking about the false teachers and deceivers. There was a renewed interest in gnosticism after the 1945 discovery of egypts nag hammadi library, a collection of rare early christian and gnostic texts, including the gospel of thomas and the apocryphon of john. A major question in scholarly research is the qualification of gnosticism as either an interreligious phenomenon or as an. Relying upon the early chapters of genesis, the author developed his mythology. Hoeller supplies just such a book with this new offering. While repeating the words of the orthodox version of genesis, the gnostic source states that the serpent was wiser than all the animals that were in paradise. Gnosticism and other religious movements of antiquity karen l. The creation of man and woman in the secret book of john.

Apparently, john used the language of gnosticism to show that jesus was the true religion of all gentiles. But there is one locus classicus, of the gnostic myth that is found in a book called the apocryphon johannis or, in english, the secret book of john. So, for example, the secret book of john has christ offer adam and eve the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which turns out to be gnosis salvation itself. In its interpretation of creation, the secret book of john engages not only the genesis narrative, but also numerous other ancient cultural resources including. For gnosticism, the tree of knowledge in the garden of eden genesis 2.

I now turn to ellen van woldes 1997 study of genesis 23 the book as a. Gnosticism in 1 john and 2 john gnosticism in the bible. The secret book of john is the most significant and influential text of the ancient gnostic religion. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john or the secret revelation of john, is a 2ndcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret teachings. Nevertheless, the list of texts that scholars widely agree were authored by the classic gnostics or sethians, as some scholars prefer to call them for the reasons noted above is a relatively short one. And he suffered no man to follow him, save peter, and james, and john the brother of james. An awardwinning classic study of gnosticism that situates the movement within 2ndcentury debates on the nature of what it meant to be fully and properly christian. The secret book of john makes an exception for renegades people who received the gnostic truth but then turned away. While it is apparent that irenaeus and justin martyr did not know the gnostic myth in its final form as found in the apocryphon of john, it is clear from their writings that some of the main structural characteristics of gnostic thought existed as a nonchristian system, circa 185 ce. Writing on the academic study of gnosticism was challenging, especially. The gospel of john, written before the major gnostic writings recovered so far, clearly refutes the dualistic teachings that were giving strength to the gnostic philosophies of the time by pointing to jesus being human and yet god, thereby arguing against the spiritualism and the perverted symbology promoted by gnostics at that time. Gnostic cosmology and the apocryphon of john lecture.

This ancient gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest the secret book of john is the most significant and influential text of the ancient gnostic religion. Through this string of connections, the archons also corresponded to the seven days of creation in the book of genesis. It argues for the key significance of the early gnostic cerinthus for the genesis of the johannine literature and presents a roughly chronological treatment first of nonvalentinian, then valentinian, representatives of gnosis and their knowledge. Pdf fragments of a gnostic anthropology in the gospel of. This due to these books becoming interpreted based on theological and doctrinal parameters, instead of using the books to form those parameters. Only a handful of manuscripts containing the authentic writings of such groups were known. The message of the alien god and the beginnings of. The first part of the revelation is devoted to the spiritual world of light. Since no mention is made of the persecution under domitian, which began about a. Using the framework of a revelation delivered by the resurrected christ to john the son of zebedee, this tractate offers a remarkably clear description of the creation, fall, and salvation of humanity. Apjohn, the gnostic bible as it is sometimes called in schol. This is a rerecorded version better sounddelivery of an older talk by dan attrell based on his paper what athens has got to do with jerusalem.

It is imperative that the serious student of the bible come to a basic understanding of logos, which is translated as word in john 1. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and. Nov 27, 2019 the text in question is a secondcent ury sethian gnostic christian text of secret teachings. Bound together with these gospels is the apocryphon literally, secret book of john, which. John is therefore the secret book of john, a book with a message not. The site includes the gnostic library, with the complete nag hammadi library online and a large collection of other primary gnostic. Pdf gnostic origins and the apocryphon of john robert. As the title secret book of john implies, this story was meant to serve as an addition to the gospel of john specifically, a prequel. This immensely important discovery includes a large number of primary gnostic scriptures texts once thought to have been entirely destroyed during the early christian struggle. The gnostics interpreted the plural us in genesis 1. It is presented here with permission of the author. The apocryphon of john is an important work of mythological gnosticism.

The three aeons with harmozel were grace, truth, and form. I then turn to the apocryphon of john, a text that has often been mentioned as one of the most striking examples of early christian gnosticism. What the bible says about gnosticism from forerunner commentary when the apostle john wrote his first epistle near the end of the first century, the gnostic philosophy had swept through the roman world and had already made serious inroads into the church. Most trinitarians believe that the word logos refers directly to jesus christ, so in most versions of john logos is capitalized and translated word some versions even write jesus christ in john 1. The gnostic world of john walton is genesis history. An influential group of scholars thought that gnostics rejected the. The apo cryphon of john no less than three of the codices of the nag hammadi collection of early christian writings open with the apocryphon or secret book of john, a document which in scholarly literature is sometimes referred to as the gnostic bible1. In 1 john, the prophet explains how important is to believe in god. A dictionary of gnosticism is a scholarly yet accessible guide that covers the people, mythology, movements, scripture, and technical terms related to this prechristian western religion. A vast collection of materials dealing with gnosis and gnosticism, both ancient and modern. In the first group, almost 70 % are references to genesis. Doc critical gnostic interpretations of genesis 2009. The story of the storytellers the gnostic gospels pbs. This is what john tells us at the end of his gospel.

Although it is still worth reading, the book is now showing its age, and some of its key theoretical stances no longer hold. Furthermore, the heresy john combats most likely reflects the beginnings of gnosticism see background and setting which was in its early stages during the latter third of the first century when john was actively writing. Dec 24, 2017 apparently, john used the language of gnosticism to show that jesus was the true religion of all gentiles. Critical gnostic interpretations of genesis gerard p. The creation of man and woman in the secret book of john 2000 gerard luttikhuizen. Scholar elaine pagels explores the gnostic gospels. New light on the ancient tradition of inner knowing quest books, 2002 buy the book there has long been need for a comprehensive introductory guide to the gnostic tradition. Hoeller the following article was published in quest, september 1997.

Until the 20th century the works of irenaeus and other heresiologists orthodox christian writers who described unorthodox groups were the principal sources of information about gnostic movements. Within this narrative there is an angelic revelation dialogue where an angel repeats and elaborates the authors fragment of cosmogonic myth in much broader scope, concluding. View of reading the apocryphon of john as genesis fan fiction. I then turn to the apocryphon of john, a text that has often been. This site includes the entire hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. The secret book apocryphon of john 1 contains a revelation allegedly granted by the exalted christ to his disciple john. Apr 02, 2021 one noteworthy development in 2ndcentury christianity was the emergence of teachers and groups claiming that the god described in the hebrew bible is not the supreme deity but only an inferior creatorgod demiurge. And what do you get if you follow his son, jesus christ. The treatise begins with a fragment of cosmogony, which leads to what is framed as a true history of the events in the genesis creation story, reflecting gnostic distrust of the material world and the demiurge that created it. The classic gnostics sethians gnosticism explained.

The secret revelation of john is broadly structured as an intertextual reading of the first chapters of genesis with platonizing cosmology, especially that of the timaeus. Gnostic interpretations of genesis oxford handbooks. The gnostic world of john walton the aquila report. This is an eye opening glance into the gnostic scriptures, exploring secret societies and secret teachings along with common misconceptions of gnosticchristianity and how this form of christianity may be making a tremendous comeback.

Exegesis of genesis 1 in the gospels of thomas and john jstor. Genesis and platonizing philosophy in the secret revelation of john paulhubert poirier, the three forms of first thought nhc xiii, 1, and the secret book of john nhc ii, 1 and par. The nag hammadi library, a collection of thirteen ancient books called codices containing over fifty texts, was discovered in upper egypt in 1945. Pagels, the scholar who has contributed more than any other to the popular interest in gnosticism, found herself in the capital city of sudan holding a discussion with the foreign minister of that country. Here is a brief summary of the secret book of john. In this section, i first discuss a set of exegetical questions and observations that dutch scholar ellen van wolde 1954 brought up in a book chapter on genesis 23 1997. Adam and eve in ancient gnostic literature cf 1 tim.

Dunderberg, thomas isayings and the gospel of john, in thomas at. The hypostasis of the archons or the reality of the rulers is an exegesis on the book of genesis 16 and expresses gnostic mythology of the divine creators of the cosmos and humanity. Each came into being with three additional aeons along with its own. The creation of man and woman in the secret book of john 2000. The nag hammadi gospel of thomas, for example, does not include any. Explain fundamentals of gnosticism, moses talked with lesser god, existence. Explore the gnostic conception of god in this book, as a complex intellect consisting of numerous aspects called aeons.

Secret book of johnas ammunition for his own attack on such. The secret book of john tells the story of the devolution of god from perfect oneness. Mar 27, 2021 the twelve messengers or apostles, linked to the twelve signs of the zodiac twelve number of signs of the zodiac, and so the number of cosmic authorities produced by the demiurge in the secret book of john. First we hear of an unimaginable, indescribable perfect god, the being beyond being called brahman in hinduism, or ein sof in mystical judaism. The secret book of john aka the apocryphon of john is generally regarded as the most heretical of gnostic texts, establishing the tenets of the gnost. Background and structure the tradition of the church has for while proclaimed john, the son of zebedee and gentleman of the gentleman, who was also at his jesus breast, the author of the gospel. Gnostic genesis account by justin taylor genesology werdsmith. It describes jesus appearing and giving secret knowledge gnosis to john the apostle.