I wanted to do a short post to clear up some misunderstandings on the meaning and significance of the demiurge, as related to Gnostic thought. Having this information, in my opinion, actually explains a lot about creation itself.
I believe there are a lot of articles on the net which have regurgitated a literal understanding of the term from Gnostic writings and those who have written about the Gnostics, especially the early church fathers. But these regurgitated writings are very short-sighted, and are trying to explain a term that comes from many groups of people that expressed their mythologies through complex terms with many veils in the first few centuries after Christ.
The first thing we must understand and accept about the demiurge is that the term was never meant to express a personal being, whether evil or good. Such an opinion is a very elementary literal interpretation of veiled mystical writings. In the earliest mentions of the demiurge (such as Plato), there was never originally a concept of an evil God that created the physical world, and to later express any such connotation to the meaning of YHWH in the Old Testament became sorely misguided. It is true that the Gnostic groups such as the Sethians and Ophites did name the demiurge Yaldaboath, and assigned him as the evil creator God YHWH—the antagonist of the father of Jesus Christ. But why they did this, perhaps, has more to do with a corruption of original Gnostic thought, where they branched off and created their own religious ideas within the umbrella of what we consider today Gnosticism. In one sense, we can consider them heretics of Gnostic thought, similar to why later church fathers eventually declared Origen a heretic of Orthodox Christianity. Of course some will disagree with me, but that is the conclusion I have arrived at after extensive studies.
Yaldaboath
Gnostic branches called the Ophites and Sethians named the Demiurge as Yaldaboath, who claimed that this entity defiantly declared he himself alone was God with no other beside him. The Valentians, a group of advanced Gnostics who followed the teachings of Valentinus declared that Gnostics who believed the demiurge was evil were just as foolish as the Orthodox Church believers who claimed a strict literal view of the scriptures. Why would the Valentinus’ camp say this? Because they understood the original concept of the demiurge, which we’ll discuss below.
Original Concept of the Demiurge
The original meaning of the demiurge is not a self-aware entity, but a description for the potential of the archetypal man. The demiurge, often called the world soul, higher self, or even the Logos, is simply a concept explaining how the physical universe was created. The Demiurge can more correctly be called the blueprint and process of physical creation rather than a being that commanded it. It is often called the world soul because the soul is the interface of spirit and the physical body. Without the soul, spirit could not animate the physical body. The soul is made up of etheric energy that vivifies the body, and contains the energetic qualities of mind and emotion (in humans and even animals) that is expressed in the physical body. Therefore, the demiurge can be considered the interface and blueprint for spirit that created and animates the universe.
The demiurge is not evil, but necessary as an emanation of the ONE that became limited in order to create and experience itself. It is my belief that the initiation of creation happened by impulse, not by conscious decision of a supreme entity. That impulse evolved into self-awareness and the ability to know itself, and since this is an inherit function of the ONE Father, we can in retrospect say it is now the supreme, self-aware entity. And because time is only an illusion, and everything exists simultaneously, therefore that supreme entity always was and always will BE. Thus the paradox! The unconscious and the conscious God existing simultaneously. Yes, a little mind-boggling, I know!
The astute reader may now ask, where did the original impulse come from? The answer: no-“thing,” or infinity, is unstable, and therefore the impulse to create is an inherit function of nothingness (potential for everything), which births creation. Since some “thing” is but a limitation of the infinite, another paradox is this: limitations of the infinite creates the space for interaction between those limitations, which includes us and everything you see. Of course this is a very simplified explanation, but hopefully it means something to you.
I am not alone in this interpretation. Ancient Egyptian and far Eastern mythologies, such as Atum, the self-created Egyptian God that stepped out of the watery chaos and then used the energy from the chaos to create his children (emanations, limitations of himself) essentially explain the same thing. Even the concept of Elohim, as explained by the commentator Michael in my last article shows that even the Jewish Mystics of antiquity thought along similar lines.
So how does this relate to the demiurge?
The demiurge is a metaphor for the unconscious world soul, and in the case of humanity, a spark of the divine spirit, (potential of Godhood through knowledge of good and evil) has been placed, and the lower self comprehends it not. But once the lower personality is united with the higher spiritual ego, it becomes perceived. And the true self is known.
One can now see why some later Gnostic thought considered the demiurge to be evil. Since the physical nature is antagonistic to the spiritual nature, one can say that it is bad. But this is really not the case. The concept of the demiurge is simply a way of explaining a necessary component of creation itself. I hope that makes sense to everyone who may have been interested.
I end this post with a quote from Joseph Campbell in one of his sermons:
“A new idea has got into the air, so to speak—new in emphasis, anyhow. It is that the universal and eternal substance, whatever it is, is itself in the process of becoming, and never can be anything else. It is sort of a push or drive towards betterment. The eternal something—I cannot think of a better name for it at the moment—which has produced everything that is, including ourselves, is unceasingly trying to express itself in fuller and more adequate forms, and will go on doing so forever and ever. It cannot help it; it is its nature so to do, though it does not know it is doing it. It does not begin to know till it evolves human consciousness; it knows in us, and in no other way…The average human mind is coming more and more to feel a difficulty in believing in the existence of a divine being, or indeed, a being of any sort, who is eternally perfect without the trouble of becoming so.”
Mr. Campbell has brilliantly explained above one of the most profound mysteries of the universe, and within that explanation is the true concept of the demiurge!
Perhaps the Ophites and the Sethians understood this too, but explained the demiurge as evil in their mythology only to explain the inherent differences of the lower and higher self, and thus never meant it literally. But then I cannot reconcile Valentinus’ followers criticisms of them. I guess we may never know, and can only speculate. But I do believe we can, in the very least, understand that the concept of the demiurge, in its original conception, was not the self-aware evil God that many on the internet today teach him to be.
I think you had better read the words of the Christ again in the Pistis Sophia. Jesus clearly defines Yaldobaoth as the lion faced power that has entrapped you in a living hell, your body. He clearly tells us that we are all Sophia and have been tricked by the false light. Re read it and then we can talk…
Seanah….
I understand your reasoning, but even the Pistis Sophia (a late 4th century Gnostic text) agrees with my point: wisdom reaches into the world soul to redeem it, and the archetypal man reaches its divine potential. This cannot be accomplished EXCEPT in a physical body. The same gnostics taught that he that receives not the resurrection in this life receives nothing after death.
We have to think more deeply. Remember, in Gnostic tradition Sophia created the demiurge. Yes, it has been said this was a mistake, but in my opinion this is silly and is a superficial reading of the texts. Are they really saying that the personification of WISDOM created a mistake? Or is it a myth simply to explain the reason there is evil in the world?
Joshua I’d like to start off by saying I think that you have a great website with a very informative blog and it is my hope that after reading this reply that you might consider my request.
In reading your post I was trying to come up with the best way of thoughtfully respond with my 2 cents’ worth. I finally realized that you were speaking from an intellectual viewpoint. Many people would also agree with your synopsis of what the demiurge is or what the demiurge represents. Because of personal experiences I can relate to Seanah’s reply and understand it. If one has a favorable viewpoint of the demiurge, it abruptly changes when they have a series of welcome or unwelcome spiritual encounters, or a series of revelations that clearly makes them aware of the darkness that exists in this world goes far beyond the surface level of the thoughts and actions that we partake in. The most important thing is that one will realize there is an evil force has always been present in this world and is directly impacting us. This allows one to began perceiving the things that they cannot physically see. It’s nothing that I could convince others of by mere words. It’s an experience that each person would have to encounter for themselves.
Choosing or not choosing to connect with your higher self is not determined simply by choice. I believe the seed of the demiurge is a physical antagonist to mankind and the world in every way and that the human body is indeed a physical trapping imposed by the demiurge. One of the most profoundly helpful Gnostic writings in laying it all out is titled “The Origin of the World”. The Paraphrase of Shem is very insightful as well and is a must read. The difficult thing about these two writings is that both are hard to digest because so many things are going on at the same time and it’s easy to lose track of how they relate to one another.
The Paraphrase of Shem specifically mentions that even the water is corrupted by the demiurge. It includes a passage that states:
“O Shem, they are deceived by manifold demons, thinking that through baptism with the uncleanness of water, which is dark, feeble, idle, and disturbing, the water will take away sins. And they do not know that from the water to the water there is bondage, error, unchastity, envy, murder, adultery, false witness, heresies, robberies, lusts, babblings, wrath, bitterness. . . . Therefore, there are many deaths that burden their thoughts. For I foretell it to those who have understanding. They will refrain from the impure baptism.” I think that this is also referring to the effects of Genesis 1:2 when it mentions the Spirit of God/Elohim moved upon the face of the waters.
Coincidentally the book of Job addresses this with some very clever wordplay that seems pretty clear but in a hidden way.
Job 15:14-16 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. 16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like WATER?
I’m not asking you to read those writings but I think the old cliche of “A picture is worth a thousand words” is most appropriate for this topic of discussion. Yes, we know that the body is the temple of God and that the kingdom of God is within us. I’m thankful to Bill Donahue and others who helped millions of people to become aware of this fact in more than just a literary way. Unfortunately, there is also another kingdom that wants to dwell within the human body and have put blockages in place that prevent the archetypal man from manifesting. The evidence is startling and there is no amount of meditating nor any known method of spiritual practices that can eradicate this because it is throughout the entire body.
There are 3 specific anatomical areas of the body that clearly show how we are imprisoned and it’s almost inconceivable that it’s not been noticed more. I’ve not shared this with anyone yet, but I think you would be more than shocked, but receive it positively and it would probably inspire you to write another great article that informs many others of hidden truths that will now be revealed. This consists of three images from google search. (along with my description of what each image appears to represent) They would require proper attribution to be on your website. It’s quicker to send the links directly to your contact dialog box (If it’s okay with you) and see if this is compelling enough to you to began considering an alternative viewpoint on the demiurge. If not,that’s understandable too.
To conclude, I think you are doing a great service to many people by providing many wonderful truths that change lives and inspire others.
@Mike @Josh Mike thanks for this. I am studying exactly this. I call it the blood on the doorposts and the killing of the first-born. Josh, if Mike agrees, can you forward Mike’s references to me ?
Thanks,
Leo.
Leo…
As long as Mike agrees I’d be happy to. Let me take a look first and reply to Mike and get his feedback.
Yes Leo, all of the information is available for anyone to view 🙂
Thanks Mike,
I will await my email inbox 🙂
Hey Mike…
Thanks for the comment. I’m always open to acquire new knowledge. I’ll be happy to take a look, although I’ve got a busy weekend and a next week ahead of me, but I will get to it if you want to send.
Thanks.
Thanks for replying back Joshua. I will forward it to you shortly and I think you will find this very interesting to say the least 🙂
Hello, thank you for your explanation. I understand that there are no difference between physical body and soul, and there are no difference between soul and spirit of God/Goddess…. inside the full consciouness. This illusion of separation between the “3 bodies of God” exists in order that God have knowledge of God.
What’s about the archonts ? Are they the intelligences of the physical body, agents of the unconsciouss, agents of Demiurge ?… Perhaps are they fallen angels who have forgotten the spirit of God whom they originate. Also could they remember who they are before to fall in density ? Could they remember who they are through the humans ? Because one can imagine that, like we have a conscious and an unconsciouss, we are archangels and archonts at the same time. No difference exists between archonts and archangels inside the full consciouness : at the middle and outside of the creation in the same no time.
Sorry for my aproximative english !…
Sebastien…
Archons really represent the emotional and mental thought forms, making up the impulses, habits, passions, and desires of the ego. Like angels and demons, we have positive and negative. Thought forms of the lower ego, or personality, can be seen as energy of the soul which are essentially unconscious, repetitively reinforced entities by the habitual patterns we think about ourselves in the past and present. When we are guided by the higher, spiritual principles these negative thought forms dissipate and that which is of spiritual significance build up the immortal spiritual ego. This is why it is said that in physical death, the lower personality drops away, but the energetic signatures of our negative thoughts and emotions will be carried over into the blueprint for our next life if they are not dealt with in our current life.
Thanks a lot Joshua for your answer. It’s interesting to keep in mind this alchemical definition. It is a mean to take our responsability without judge external entities, though it’s possible that these one have their autonome life in the noosphere (collective unconscous). Erasing the false gods in our sky, one contribate to cleared the invisible sky of the earth.
As usual I enjoy reading your posts. This one again is really helpful. For me it helps to explain this yearning for growth, understanding, experience and lots of other names I could give it that can feel uncomfortable at times and yet compulsive – as a natural process in our lives, as it is a natural process of the universe. Harnessing this in a helpful way is our work. I can also see how this same yearning can lead us to hide from ourselves, or to become dependent on outside factors, like various addictions, when it feels too difficult. I’m not sure what I am saying can be understood by anyone reading it, but thank you!
Joanne…
A great way to look at it, and is related in my reply to Sebastien. When we let spiritual principles guide our yearning, instead of the passions and desires of the ego, we advance.
Great article. My favorite part was-
“And because time is only an illusion, and everything exists simultaneously, therefore that supreme entity always was and always will BE. Thus the paradox! The unconscious and the conscious God existing simultaneously.”
The impulse, the dream that begot this physical creation, exists simultaneously with the unconscious dreamer. And neither have more importance than the other, and both are divine Truth.
Could the unconscious God ever gain awareness, separate from that which is already aware? In other words, could the conscious part of God (us and the rest of reality) gain enough awareness and lucidity of you will, to awaken the dreamer? Or is that another paradox of no-time, and the unconscious or unmanifest is unchangeable?
Also,
Atum, the self-created Egyptian God that stepped out of the watery chaos and then used the energy from the chaos to create his children ”
Coincidence this name rhymes with Adam?
Justin…
You stated that Atum and Adam have a correlation. Yes, this is true. Hebraic and Egyptian mythology are linked, and teach the same principles. You might find the link between Atum and Adam very interesting in this blog post: http://kosmosidikos.blogspot.com/2010/01/adam-and-atum.html
I suggest taking a look at it, which will answer many of your questions, and if you wanted more detail, you can reference the scholarly works at the bottom of the page.
As far as your other question is concerned, if I am understanding you correctly, then yes, this is the reason God and man are ever becoming, to reach this goal of “KNOW THYSELF.” The awareness of God is every growing into infinity within manifestation.
I will definitely check out that link., thank you.
I do think that answers my question, or confirms it. Sometimes I pull a lot of phrases and terms that I pick up here and there during my seeking, and the questions can get a bit convoluted or unusual. And of course it’s all interpretation anyway…
Know Thyself has become my main goal, and I love how there’s so many ways to achieve it, yet it also seems impossible at the same time. I’ve been experimenting with lucid dreaming and self inquiry, both are great tools for this work.
Lucid dreaming is a wonderful experience. I’ve only had two occasions of this, where I clearly knew and was convinced I was dreaming, and was able to experience quite a bit before stirring.
Since we sleep almost a 3rd of our lives, it makes sense that we would make dreaming an exploratory experience as well.
Joshua,
Below are two definitions for demiurge taken from an Oxford dictionary:
demiurge /”di;mI@;dZ, “dEm-/
· n.
1 (in Platonic philosophy) the creator of the world.
2 (in Gnosticism) a heavenly being subordinate to the supreme being, considered to control the material world.
– DERIVATIVES demiurgic /-“@;dZIk/ adj. demiurgical adj.
– ORIGIN C17: via eccles. L. from Gk dUmiourgos ‘craftsman’, from dUmios ‘public’ + -ergos ‘working’.
I am of the opinion that ‘creators’ are beings who have the capacity to transform order out of chaos through the operation of Logos.
In this context, I think it would make sense if by demiurge is meant humanity.
Laurens…
I was hoping someone would bring it to this level of thinking! Another way of looking at the Demiurge is the self on the lower plane, the astro, mental, and physical plane. You are exactly right. At the deepest understanding, the demiurge lacks spirit, the true cause for sentience, and it rather makes up man’s desire nature, which knows not the truth of the self.
Josh, you did it again 🙂
IMO in each of us is a part of the Demiurge working, creating, caring, tearing down, and then be creative again. It is to us the choice to become more conscious about it.
see for more Valentaian : http://gnosis.org/library/valentinus/Demiurge.htm
Leo…
Thanks for the link. It is also my belief that most misinterpret the greatest school of gnostics, Valentinus and his followers, by thinking, they too, didn’t have a deeper hidden esoteric meaning within their own scriptures. Meaning, just as we interpret the gospels as non-literal, so they did write the same way, but with so much more depth. What we have about the teachings of Valentinus are heresay from church fathers like Irenaeus, who IMHO, didn’t have a dang clue about what they were truly arguing against! To read some of Irenaeus’ frustrations are priceless!
Hi Josh,
This is a very interesting article about a subject I do not know much about and that somehow did not appeal to me at all. Its mythology was and still is totally unknown to me and somehow did not sound positive. The main reason not to like it was that the demiurge was painted in a negative light and as such was equated with YHWH, the God of the Jews and of the Old Testament. As opposed to the God of the New Testament (our God) who was a God of Love.
As already at a very young age I was involved in the history of Christianity in relation to peoples of other religions and especially the Jews, which turned out to be very ugly indeed, I just could not buy this principle and refrained from any further research of Gnostic mythology.
What I originally got acquainted with however was what you called: “a corruption of original Gnostic thought, where they branched off and created their own religious ideas within the umbrella of what we consider today Gnosticism.” I never knew there was a difference between the two because I had turned away from the subject almost immediately.
What you describe in your article is totally different however and does appeal to me.
You write: “The first thing we must understand and accept about the demiurge is that the term was never meant to express a personal being, whether evil or good. Such an opinion is a very elementary literal interpretation of veiled mystical writings. In the earliest mentions of the demiurge (such as Plato), there was never originally a concept of an evil God that created the physical world, and to later express any such connotation to the meaning of YHWH in the Old Testament became sorely misguided.” This approach makes it possible for me to look at the subject with fresh eyes as it were.
Do you not think that what you write about the Original concept of the Demiurge could also be used to describe the meaning of the name YHWH? The same equation but in a positive sense this time?
I like the way you describe the demiurge as an emanation of the ONE that became limited in order to create and experience itself. It is indeed mind boggling. You and I used to disagree about a conscious or unconscious decision to start this process. But the paradox of the unconscious and the conscious God existing simultaneously solves this problem neatly!
Anny, like you the concept of the Demiurge never set well, especially when comparing it to Jehovah. I love many Gnostic ideas (even the Gospel of John has gnosticism all over it!), but when I got to the later gnostic views of the demiurge (and some early gnostics), I thought, what the heck! But as with all things, never read anything at face value, even when it’s scholarly. Many scholars I believe are finally starting to get what the gnostics were truly about, but I still think most of their true beliefs and writings are still poorly understood. In fact, the entire first three centuries of Christianity are!
You write: “Do you not think that what you write about the Original concept of the Demiurge could also be used to describe the meaning of the name YHWH? The same equation but in a positive sense this time?”
Hmm., this is a good point. In fact, if you check out my article on the Tetragrammaton you CAN see similarities. The gnostics, even the Valentinians, would clearly argue that the Demiurge and the ONE true God are distinct on the surface level, but the archetypal man coming into his own through the process of suffering could show many parallels.
In how far is it possible for us to enter into the state of mind of any kind of people who live in a different time, culture, part of the world etc.
When we ponder what people have written in the past we mostly still look at any given subject from the way we view it now. And even in the different phases of your own life we view things from, literally, different standpoints and at any one time we cannot imagine that we have ever seen it differently. So how we interpret any scripture at all may say more about us and our spiritual advances (or not) than about these scriptures themselves. Would it even be possible for us, as we are now, to imagine what these Gnostic teachings might have meant to the people in the time they were written?
Still, many biblical texts sound negative as well when looked at literally and I was surprised to see how many of them proved to be positive instead of negative, promises instead of punishments. We only had to discover the principle, hidden in the Hebrew alphabet, to crack the code. So something similar might be the case for the Gnostic teachings. The imagery that is used has to be deciphered first, I guess, in order to understand their meaning in a more positive way.
Anny…
So true. To assume that we can enter their shoes and then try and fill them is certainly almost impossible, even when studying direct quotes. I recently went through this on restudying the quotes from Origen on reincarnation. In some instances (especially in his earlier years) he stated things that proved he believed in it. But in his later years his statements are more reserved. Was he doing this to appease a certain new religious power that he didn’t want to offend (it seems so), but no one really knows.
As far as your question goes on knowing the gnostics, there is more evidence there. There are many works which can be compared together, and seems to paint a more clear picture. But it does take an in-depth analysis, which I am fairly certain the student of history can begin to build some truth upon.
Gnostic history is the key to understanding the grand picture of early Christianity. That I am pretty sure of. Marcion is the reason the New Testament idea got going, which is too long to explain in a comment, but caused a chain of reactions that set Christianity on it’s path.
Here is an excerpt from the “Gospel of the Holy Twelve”
Lection XC
What Is Truth?
1. AGAIN the twelve were gathered together in the Circle of palm trees, and one of them even Thomas said to the other, What is Truth? for the same things appear different to different minds, and even to the same mind at different times. What, then, is Truth?
2. And as they were speaking Yeshua appeared in their midst and said, Truth, one and absolute, is in God alone, for no man, neither any body of men, knoweth that which God alone knoweth, who is the All in All. To men is Truth revealed, according to their capacity to understand and receive.
3. The One Truth hath many sides, and one seeth one side only, another seeth another, and some see more than others, according as it is given to them.
4. Behold this crystal: how the one light its manifest in twelve faces, yea four times twelve, and each face reflecteth one ray of light, and one regardeth one face, and another another, but it is the one crystal and the one light that shineth in all.
5. Behold again, When one climbeth a mountain and attaining one height, he saith, This is the top of the mountain, let us reach it, and when they have reached that height, lo, they see another beyond it until they come to that height from which no other height is to be seen, if so be they can attain it.
6. So it is with Truth. I am the Truth and the Way and the Life, and have given to you the Truth I have received from above. And that which is seen and received by one, is not seen and received by another. That which appeareth true to some, seemeth not true to others. They who are in the valley see not as they who are on the hill top.
7. But to each, it is the Truth as the one mind seeth it, and for that time, till a higher Truth shall be revealed unto the same: and to the soul which receiveth higher light, shall be given more light. Wherefore condemn not others, that ye be not condemned.
8. As ye keep the holy Law of Love, which I have given unto you, so shall the Truth be revealed more and more unto you, and the Spirit of Truth which cometh from above shall guide you, albeit through many wanderings, into all Truth, even as the fiery cloud guided the children of Israel through the wilderness.
9. Be faithful to the light ye have, till a higher light is given to you. Seek more light, and ye shall have abundantly; rest not, till ye find.
10. God giveth you all Truth, as a ladder with many steps, for the salvation and perfection of the soul, and the truth which seemeth to day, ye will abandon for the higher truth of the morrow. Press ye unto Perfection.
11. Whoso keepeth the holy Law which I have given, the same shall save their souls, however differently they may see the truths which I have given.
12. Many shall say unto me, Lord, Lord, we have been zealous for thy Truth. But I shall say unto them, Nay, but, that others may see as ye see, and none other truth beside. Faith without charity is dead. Love is the fulfilling of the Law.
13. How shall faith in what they receive profit them that hold it in unrighteousness? They who have love have all things, and without love there is nothing worth. Let each hold what they see to be the truth in love, knowing that where love is not, truth is a dead letter and profiteth nothing.
14. There abide Goodness, and Truth, and Beauty, but the greatest of these is Goodness. If any have hatred to their fellows, and harden their hearts to the creatures of God’s hands, how can they see Truth unto salvation, seeing their eyes are blinded and their hearts are hardened to God’s creation?
15. As I have reveived the Truth, so have I given it to you. Let each receive it according to their light and ability to understand, and persecute not those who receive it after a different interpretation.
16. For Truth is the Might of God, and it shall prevail in the end over all errors. But the holy Law which I have given is plain for all, and just and good. Let all observe it for the salvation of their souls.
Can anyone explain further points #12 and #13? I have a vague idea but I am not sure.
If this is more original or not, it does gives new perspectives. Even to other acclaimed ‘only the true’ narratives.
On the origin of the world :
http://gnosis.org/naghamm/origin.html
Thanks Mike for such a bountiful ‘bone to chew on’.
Leo, thank you for your kind comments. I don’t know if you will find this helpful, but the bible even gives a very strong hint of the gnostic version(s) of how the world was created. Luke 7:33-35 is a passage that comes out of nowhere to specifically mention Sophia in the greek text.
Luke 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 35 But WISDOM is justified of all HER CHILDREN.
Wisdom has multiple meanings, but the word used in this verse distinctively refers to Sophia. Additionally, Sophia is mentioned at least 51 times in the new testament.
https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_4678.htm
Thanks Mike,
I will check your references. What interests me most is bringing this knowledge into practice, that it can settle and expand. There are imo counter forces that actively prevent people to come to Sophia. They even commit attrocities to prevent the real Wisdom to spread. There is a war waging on more levels then most of us are willing to admit.
For one example see https://grahamhancock.com/ted-war-on-consciousness-hancock/
Graham Hancock tells his side of a story of suppression.
I truely believe that human kind has been infected with virusses in the psychic area. It is what imo kills the inner child, the first born is imo the intuitive inner voice connected to Sophia. That is why I interpret some Biblical texts as an instruction to safeguard the peripheral area of the bodies. Some people claim God is all good and refuse to look into that matter. I am also receptive for new angles. Even the most repulsive (in me) ideas I am willing to examine. I sort off circle around them, hoping / expecting a ‘participation mystique”, cf Carl Jung. It helps to create a neutral stance beforehand or after being triggered into an emotion or an maybe outdated thinking pattern.
About good and bad seeds :
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Tares
The Origin of the World specifically mentions this as well. It states that the so called world rulers/authorities visibly know who has the seed of Christ within them and they attempted to thwart this by mixing their seed with all of humanity in hopes of defiling His seed, but were unsuccessful.
Apparently in current times they found the right (submissive) human bodies and equiped them with advanced technology to find the enlightened ones and they use xray weaponry to disable these ‘advanced beings’.
Years ago in the mainstream Christian church communities, one of the major themes if not the central theme of how to live the the Christian life was characterized by this verse: The just shall live by faith. The importance of the scripture is obvious because it’s mentioned three times in the new testament. (Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38 and Galatians 3:11) It’s interesting how gnostic words are all over the new testament. In these verses the word “faith” means Pistis. (which we know is derived from Pistis Sophia) Pistis is mentioned at least 243 times in the greek new testament texts.
https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_4102.htm
Hi Mike,
Reading about Pistis Sophia gives me more substance for understanding the importance of Faith. It is imo the right companion for Mankind. Understanding the Womanside of Creation and trust its part in developing our future
Thanks, Leo
Gen 2:1-4 ASV And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made. (4) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.
Notice it is said God rests but then the first occurrence of Jehovah (H3068) in scripture appears after in relation to “earth and heaven” being made, notice the order not heaven and then earth, I don’t know what this could mean yet.
Isa 40:28-31 ASV Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding. (29) He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength. (30) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: (31) but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
Jehovah is said to faint not nor be weary, seems appropriate to Gen 2 as it was “God” that rested Jehovah wasn’t mentioned there until verse 4
Gen 1:2 ASV And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Deu 7:9 ASV Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,
Jehovah is the faithful God
Jer 10:10-12 ASV But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation. (11) Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens. (12) He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens.
Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God
Isa 44:24 ASV Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth (who is with me?);
Notice the question “who is with me?”
Isa 45:18 ASV For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.
Notice “Jehovah” is saying that He created it not a waste, yet who is with Him? Why was it (or became) a waste in Gen 1:2?
Psa 115:15-16 ASV Blessed are ye of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth. (16) The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah; But the earth hath he given to the children of men.
I understand what this means on an individual spiritual level, the reader as God judges based on his own thinking (2th 2:4, Joh 1:2-3, Isa 5:20-21) creates a worldview (heaven and earth Rev 21:1, 5) based on the Word that he perceives (Joh 10:34-35), the Word becomes flesh as we are first carnal (Joh 1:14, 1Cor 3:1, Joh 6:63) which must be crucified to reveal the spirit/truth, the reader must come to rest from his works (go to the cross, death) as God did from His to be led by His spirit to dwell with Jehovah the living God, being one with Him (Isa 57:15). How does all this tie in with the physical creation of the world and this other God, Demiurge, if it does at all?
Heb 4:4-6 ASV For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; (5) and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest. (6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,
In Gen 1 the six days are from evening to morning essentially these days are darkness, no such mention of this in regards to the 7th day.
As to why in Gen 1 God says “it was very good” this cant be taken as – this is how it was to be for ever… there is darkness and sea which in the book of Revelation we see the new heaven and earth which has no sea nor darkness, did God make a mistake i think not. It must only be good in regards to the plan God has, a necessary ugly scaffolding for the time being as it were to create what He has in mind.
WHO DOES MY SOUL BELONG TO IM SICK AND TIRED OF BEING CONFUSED AND WANT TO GIVE MY LIFE TO THE ONE WHO HOLD MY EVERLASTING FATE IN HIS HANDS
You don’t HAVE a soul as to have something implies posession. Think of it in terms of a radio (your body) and the signal (the soul), there is no signal in the radio, yet it broadcasts it. You ARE your spirit at the very core though and that is immortal. Follow your instinct, it’s your higher self trying to guide you at key points in your life.
Duane, your soul is yours, not as the personality (which is transient), but as your individuality. The spirit gives the soul life, but you, the self-conscious “I,” is actually the soul, as the immortal thinker. As a man thinks in his heart, so IS he.
Sven…
Spirit is universal. The individuality unionizes itself to the spirit, by purifying the personality (lower nature), thereby making all ONE.
Interesting, could you point me to where those statements are in scripture or is this your interpretation?