The book of revelation and endtimes prophecy by a gnostic perspective. Is the book of enoch gnostic, are samael and samyaza the same. When these elements are combined with jewish zeal, a religion was created that undoubtedly appealed to a large segment of the christian church. Mansel also holds that there is the possibility that gnosticism derived certain of its features from the kabbala qabbalah, or secret teaching of the jews in the two books, the cepher yetsirah, or book of creation, and the zohar, or book of light.
Since it was known to the church father irenaeus, it must have been written before around 180 ce. It is well worth the attention of anyone interested in early christianity. John, which is a crytic and mystical scripture at the very end of the christian bible. Gnosticism international standard bible encyclopedia. A profound exploration of the bibles most controversial book from the author of beyond belief and the gnostic gospels. Oct 01, 2014 the book of revelation and endtimes prophecy by a gnostic perspective. Book of revelation 01 introduction to the gnostic revelation. The term gnosticism is derived from the greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge, because secret knowledge was so important to the gnostics. Its title is derived from the first word of the text, written in koine greek. Original translation of this text was prepared by members of the coptic gnostic library project of the institute for antiquity and christianity, claremont graduate school. The exact origin s of this school of thought cannot be traced, although it is possible to locate influences or sources as far back. One set of levels is the evident addition of rather lengthy texts a list of magical names, a dialogue on the soul. This was one of the strangest books we had ever published. Sep 21, 2018 the term gnosticism first appeared in the seventeenth century, when a philosopher named henry more used it to describe a heretical belief from thyatira in the book of revelation.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The book of revelation written by gnostic priest cerinthus. And in one form or another it is seen again and again. Gnosticism synonyms, gnosticism pronunciation, gnosticism translation, english dictionary definition of gnosticism. All of these things would have had to have developed in these churches in 4 years or less in order to maintain the 70 ad date. The resources in this collection are intended to assist study of the secret revelationthe secret book, the apocryphonof john, to help it become more widely known, to aid the personal appropriation by modern readers who now surprisingly find themselves part of its history. Five myths about the ancient heresy of gnosticism canon.
May 02, 2007 the book of revelation is the last book in the bible. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john or the secret revelation of john, is a secondcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret. It became a steady seller, but never made it into a french edition which is the second language for most of our. They were considered heretical by the mainstream church. The most important sources for our understanding of gnosticism are the famed nag hammadi texts, thirteen leatherbound papyrus codices. It follows strongly in the apocalyptic tradition of ezekiel and daniel. They are only mentioned in the bible in the book of revelation. The secret book according to john is the most important surviving gnostic text.
It is a curious book unlike any other account in the bible. Gnosticism after gnosis, the greek word for knowledge or insight is the name given to a loosely organized religious and philosophical movement that flourished in the first and second centuries ce. Furthermore, revelation continues in its implications of psychopathic humanism by portraying heaven as a place where god exists forever in the middle of a city serving as a piece of furniture and self edification for the. In the book of ezekiel, the bible calls the king of egypt the great dragon that lie in the midst of his rivers. The first part of revelation also condemns eating meat sacrificed to idols and fornication, both practices which the author attributes to a sect call the nicolaitans, which had a very gnosticinfluenced theology, although the details on their theology differ greatly when comparing the different accounts of the church fathers and more shady sources like psuedotertullian. The book of revelation expounds on the tree of life in two places. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation. Gnosticism was ascetic and exclusivist, and it relied heavily on magic. Final presumption, if zoroastrianism and emanation are related to gnosticism is gnosticism related to hinduism. Did marcion and the gnostics give us the idea for a. The secret book of john is a complex developmental mythology that has been made more complicated because, over the years, versions of it have been improved by several levels of scribal alteration. In the world of biblical studies, at least among some critical scholars, gnosticism has been the darling for sometime now. John, which is a cryptic and mystical scripture at the very end of the christian bible. Sep 14, 2019 the term gnosticism is derived from the greek word gnosis, meaning to know or knowledge.
Did marcion and the gnostics give us the idea for a biblical canon. The concept of gnosticism and the analysis of spiritual. Weddings and the return to life in the book of revelation eliza rosenberg eastern kentucky university i. Written by three anonymous persons under the auspices of the gnostic revelation society, we published it in 1982. The gnostic revelation society is the author of the book of gnostic revelation 5. The adherents were called nicolaitans, nicolaitanes, or nicolaites. This free online course reveals how you can discover the true meaning of the.
Gnosticism and its influence on christianity unlearn the. This video proves with forensic methods, the author to be cerinthus. The book of revelation is the last book in the bible. The book of revelations, a gnostic gospel excommunicate. Bartholomew matthias cerinthus basilides mani hebrews laodiceans nag hammadi library v t e. It has been called the locus classicus for the gnostic mythological system in sum, it is the preeminent gnostic gospel, a sacred reservoir for the defining essence of gnostic myth and revelation.
Nicolaism also nicholaism, nicolaitism, nicolationism, or nicolaitanism was an early christian sect mentioned twice in the book of revelation of the new testament. It was most likely written within a few years after the death of nero in 68 c. The ancient greeks and egyptians like many other cultures around the world had venerated the serpent, and in particular, a serpent god that i believe to be the great dragon found in the bible. The meanings of the two witnesses in the book of revelation, a gnostic scripture. Docetism, a spinoff from gnosticism, comes from the greek word dokesis, meaning appearance. To see syllables so clearly divided like this suggests that the book was a teachers tool produced to help students learn.
While some gnostics were quite sexually licentious as noted above with marcus, a large strain of the. Even the book of revelation cites a couple of gnostic beliefs and practices, referring to knowing the depths of satan and the nicolaitans revelation 2. If god didnt write it through the sainted instrument of someone named john, then who did, and why. The strangest book of the new testament, filled with visions of the rapture, the whore of babylon, and apocalyptic writing of the end of times, the book of revelation has fascinated readers for more than two thousand years, but where did it come from. So until the discovery of the nag hammadi library, most of what. Introduction to revelation transcription gnostic teachings. The principles of gnosticism contradict what it means to be a christian. The beginners guide to the gnostic gospels overviewbible. At the time of johns writing of revelation, gnosticism had worked its way into the church to the degree that it was mentioned in the addresses to multiple churches. Introduction to the gnostic revelation gnostic teachings.
The gnostic apocalypse of peter is a text found amongst the nag hammadi library, and part of. The doctrines of various religious sects flourishing especially in the 2nd and 3rd centuries ad in the near east, teaching that the material world is the. This is because it is one of the only gnostic gospels that actually made it into the bible. Apocryphon johannis, said to be christs revelation to his disciple john. Elaine pagels has a persuasive answer, spectacularly illustrated. The gnostic society bookstore, offering a carefully selected collection of recent books on the subject of gnosis and gnosticism. What is gnosticism the study of nag hammadi the great. Often it is difficult to provide answers to why questions because unless the reasons have been documented or a person is alive to attest to why something was done, we do not really know. Probably the most consequential vision of the future ever written is the bibles book of revelation. The author describes this having occurred after jesus has gone back to the place from which he came. The things john had already seen are recorded in chapter 1.
Later writers then began using gnosticism to refer to other heretical beliefs from early christianity. The book of gnostic revelation gnostic revelation society on. This free online course reveals how you can discover the true meaning of the revelation or apoclaypse of st. The gnostic revelation society author of the book of gnostic.
Explore the gnostic conception of god in this book, as a complex intellect consisting of numerous aspects called aeons. Dec 12, 2016 a final myth about gnosticism is that it was prosex and that traditional christianity was antisex. In the tradition of elaine pagelss the gnostic gospels and beyond belief. The book of revelation is first and foremost a book about a cosmic war for earth. Pius charles murray, library journal the book is eloquently argued, and presents its reading of texts clearly.
Gnosticism, as already seen, is not one aspect of thought alone, but many. In other words, gnostics celebrated sexuality and traditional christians were puritanical prudes. Of course, gnosticism describes the god of abraham as satan, devil, serpent, dragon, and as being cast down from heaven as satan is portrayed in revelation. The book of revelation takes it to another realm again. Christ tells john to write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. Gnosticism was perhaps the most dangerous heresy that threatened the early church during the first three centuries. Through the bestselling books of elaine pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the gnostic gospels. It compares jesus to a monstrous looking being and yet also brings a new and better world in the wake of the destruction of it.
Jan 02, 2020 a simple outline for the book of revelation is found in revelation 1. A forbidden gnostic text that claims to be jesus secret teachings to his brother james have been unearthed in an ancient trash heap in egypt. The kabbalistic revelation of jesus christ the savior who baptizes with fire, which his inner god the monad gave unto him, to show unto his servants or bodhisattvas things which must shortly come to pass in the initiation. It is quite possibly the most jewish book in the new testament, full of hebrew figures of speech and using references to the. Gnosticism is clearly not some minor biblical issue. Denial of the crucifixion of jesus gnostic apocrypha apocryphal revelations petrinerelated books. The secret book of john, also called the apocryphon of john or the secret revelation of john, is a secondcentury sethian gnostic christian text of secret teachings. This knowledge is not intellectual but mythical and comes through a special revelation by jesus christ, the redeemer, or through his apostles. The term gnosticism does not appear in ancient sources, 8 and was first coined in the 17th century by henry more in a commentary on the seven letters of the book of revelation, where more used the term gnosticisme to describe the heresy in thyatira. Edgar cayce on the book of revelation the afterlife. Therefore, while some forms of gnosticism may claim to be christian, they are in fact decidedly nonchristian. The book of revelation is a book that is very difficult to understand when we do not know a bit of kabbalah and alchemy.
The secret gospel of thomas, king has produced a study on another early apocryphal christian text. This site includes the entire hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. Introduction the climax of revelation juxtaposes spectacular violence and a spectacular wedding, both of which are culminations of themes present throughout. The two witnesses from march 21 to april 19, develop your ability to see internal images. This talk is from a series of lectures lash gave on gnostic sabotage in the book of revelation 2012. In the first chapter, the risen and exalted christ is speaking to john. However itor the kind of extreme individualistic epistemology it embracescan lead historians to an overly skeptical approach particularly to those sources that were intended to recount and inform events of the past, that is, testimony in this restricted sense. Pagels to john of patmos, is the last book in the new testament and the only one thats apocalyptic rather than historical or morally prescriptive.
Mar 14, 2020 he specifically identified gnosticism with modernity, entitling a chapter, gnosticismthe nature of modernity, and admonished readers to recognize the essence of modernity as the growth of gnosticism. The revelation of adam barnstone translation the nag. The term gnosticism does not appear in ancient sources, and was first coined in the 17th century by henry more in a commentary on the seven letters of the book of revelation, where more used the term gnosticisme to describe the heresy in thyatira. One website goes on to summarize this form of literature, succinctly. Not much is known concerning the famous gnostic sect called the nicolaitans. As with almost all gnostic groups, the various historica. It describes jesus appearing and giving secret knowledge to john the apostle. The apocryphon of john collection the gnostic society. The great dragon of the book of revelation gnostic warrior. To him who overcomes i will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of god. The secret revelation of john the secret book of john.
The prophetic record of human destiny and evolution sacred wisdom zinovia dushkova. Revelation to this day is one the strangest books in existence, esoteric, ambiguous, and filled with abyssal monsters and destruction. Supposedly the book of enoch was used by the essenes. Oct 14, 2005 the following text was utilized as the basis for discussion in a lecture of the free online course about the real meaning of the book of revelation. This site includes the entire nag hammadi library, as well as a large collection of other primary gnostic.
The book of revelation is not written by john, but by a gnostic priest called cerinthus, whilst channelling the spirit of helios aka lucifer. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading revelations. This belief flew in the face of judaism and christianity, both of which believed that god created the world genesis and that it was good, not evil. It is quite possibly the most jewish book in the new testament, full of hebrew figures of speech and using references to the old testament at the rate of about per chapter.
It breathes with the life of vision that vitalized early christianity, a life suppressed and then largely forgotten in later ages. Download the audio lecture here the transcription is here. It breathes with the life of vision that vitalized early christianity, a life. The divine origin of evil in valentinian gnosticism several gnostic systems in late antiquity envisioned a separation between the truly supreme, transcendent deity and the inferior, mediocre or even malevolent creatordeity, the demiurge the term is borrowed from pl. The site includes the gnostic society library with the complete nag hammadi library, and a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. Gnosticism in its ancient form has passed away, but it is interesting to observe how its spirit reappears from time to time in modern days. Revelation itself follows from a vast tradition of apocalyptic literature. The book of revelation the book of revelation, a free online course this free online course reveals how you can discover the true meaning of the revelation or apoclaypse of st. The apocryphon of john collection the gnostic society library. Here we present the first chapter of the book of revelation with clarifications and meanings added in parentheses. Furthermore, revelation continues in its implications of psychopathic humanism by portraying heaven as a place where god exists forever in the middle of a city serving as a piece of furniture and self edification for the glorified saints therein. The ancient gnostics and the revelations of the urantia book.
The book of revelation often called the revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words, the apocalypse, the revelation, or simply revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible. Gnosticism forced its way into prominence during the first few centuries, and the apostles and early christian leaders opposed this heresy. The secret revelation of john is an excellent book, full of sound scholarship and attention to nuance, and presented in an accessible manner. Paul goes on to show in the book of galatians that the primary racial group in the foreground of the book of galatians are not. Indeed, the book of revelation is an alchemical book that requires a lot of meditation and, more than that, a practical life in initiation, because really it is guidance for the path of the selfrealization of the being.