Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

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Ben C. Smith
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Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

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Peter wrote:
Peter Kirby wrote:What is the relationship of Group 3 to Group 2? Did Group 2 start later? There is at least one piece of evidence that Group 2 started later. The text Eugnostos the Blessed belongs to the third group, presenting its beliefs in relatively plain terms. The text Sophia of Jesus Christ has recast the original as a dialogue with "Jesus" the "Christ," and it belongs to the second group. Given this reuse of the document from group 3 in the document from group 2, as well as the greater pileup of terms present in group 2, we can suggest that group 2 was a development out of group 3 (although some elements of group 3 may also be later than some of the earlier texts of group 2).
So I decided to create a simple synopsis, in English translation only, of these two texts. Both translations come from the Nag Hammadi Library website, with a few minor formatting changes (as well as a change from Sophia to Wisdom in the title of the second text, though not throughout the text itself):

Eugnostos the Blessed
The Wisdom of Jesus Christ
Eugnostos, the Blessed, to those who are his.After he rose from the dead, his twelve disciples and seven women continued to be his followers, and went to Galilee onto the mountain called "Divination and Joy". When they gathered together and were perplexed about the underlying reality of the universe and the plan, and the holy providence, and the power of the authorities, and about everything the Savior is doing with them in the secret of the holy plan, the Savior appeared - not in his previous form, but in the invisible spirit. And his likeness resembles a great angel of light. But his resemblance I must not describe. No mortal flesh could endure it, but only pure, perfect flesh, like that which he taught us about on the mountain called "Of the Olives" in Galilee. And he said: "Peace be to you, My peace I give you!" And they all marveled and were afraid. The Savior laughed and said to them: "What are you thinking about? Are you perplexed? What are you searching for?"
-Philip said: "For the underlying reality of the universe and the plan."
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.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 an empty life; it is self-made. Providence is foolish. Fate is an undiscerning thing.“For whatever is from itself is a polluted life; it is self-made. Providence has no wisdom in it. And fate does not discern.”
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.“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."
-Matthew said to him: "Lord, no one can find the truth except through you. Therefore teach us the truth."
He-Who-Is is ineffable. No principle knew him, no authority, no subjection, nor any creature from the foundation of the world, except he alone.The Savior said: "He Who Is is ineffable. No principle knew him, no authority, no subjection, nor any creature from the foundation of the world until now, except he alone, and anyone to whom he wants to make revelation through him who is from First Light. From now on, I am the Great Savior.”
For he is immortal and eternal, having no birth; for everyone who has birth will perish. He is unbegotten, having no beginning; for everyone who has a beginning has an end. No one rules over him. He has no name; for whoever has a name is the creation of another. He is unnameable. He has no human form; for whoever has human form is the creation of another.“For he is immortal and eternal. Now he is eternal, having no birth; for everyone who has birth will perish. He is unbegotten, having no beginning; for everyone who has a beginning has an end. Since no one rules over him, he has no name; for whoever has a name is the creation of another. {He is unnameable. He has no human form; for whoever has human form is the creation of another.}”
-“And he has a semblance of his own - not like what you have seen and received, but a strange semblance that surpasses all things and is better than the universe. It looks to every side and sees itself from itself. Since it is infinite, he is ever incomprehensible. He is imperishable and has no likeness (to anything). He is unchanging good. He is faultless. He is eternal. He is blessed. While he is not known, he ever knows himself. He is immeasurable. He is untraceable. He is perfect, having no defect. He is imperishability blessed. He is called Father of the Universe.”
He has his own semblance - not like the semblance we have received and seen, but a strange semblance that surpasses all things and is better than the totalities. It looks to every side and sees itself from itself. He is infinite; he is incomprehensible. He is ever imperishable (and) has no likeness (to anything). He is unchanging good. He is faultless. He is everlasting. He is blessed. He is unknowable, while he (nonetheless) knows himself. He is immeasurable. He is untraceable. He is perfect, having no defect. He is imperishably blessed. He is called Father of the Universe.-
-"Philip said: "Lord, how, then, did he appear to the perfect ones?"
Before anything is visible among those that are visible, the majesty and the authorities that are in him, he embraces the totalities of the totalities, and nothing embraces him. For he is all mind, thought and reflecting, considering, rationality and power. They all are equal powers. They are the sources of the totalities. And their whole race <from first> to last is in the foreknowledge of the Unbegotten, for they had not yet come to visibility.The perfect Savior said to him: "Before anything is visible of those that are visible, the majesty and the authority are in him, since he embraces the whole of the totalities, while nothing embraces him. For he is all mind. And he is thought and considering and reflecting and rationality and power. They all are equal powers. They are the sources of the totalities. And their whole race from first to last was in his foreknowledge, (that of) the infinite, unbegotten Father."
-Thomas said to him: "Lord, Savior, why did these come to be, and why were these revealed?"
-The perfect Savior said: "I came from the Infinite that I might tell you all things. Spirit-Who-Is was the begetter, who had the power <of> a begetter and a form-giver`s nature, that the great wealth that was hidden in him might be revealed. Because of his mercy and his love, he wished to bring forth fruit by himself, that he might not <enjoy> his goodness alone, but (that) other spirits of the Unwavering Generation might bring forth body and fruit, glory and honor, in imperishableness and his infinite grace, that his treasure might be revealed by Self-begotten God, the father of every imperishableness and those that came to be afterward. But they had not yet come to visibility.”
Now a difference existed among the imperishable aeons.“Now a great difference exists among the imperishables."
-He called out, saying: "Whoever has ears to hear about the infinities, let him hear!"; and "I have addressed those who are awake."
Let us, then, consider (it) this way: Everything that came from the perishable will perish, since it came from the perishable. Whatever came from imperishableness will not perish but will become imperishable, since it came from imperishableness. So, many men went astray because they had not known this difference; that is, they died.Still he continued and said: "Everything that came from the perishable will perish, since it came from the perishable. But whatever came from imperishableness does not perish but becomes imperishable. So, many men went astray because they had not known this difference and they died."
-Mary said to him: "Lord, then how will we know that?"
But this much is enough, since it is impossible for anyone to dispute the nature of the words I have just spoken about the blessed, imperishable, true God.-
Now, if anyone wants to believe the words set down (here), let him go from what is hidden to the end of what is visible, and this Thought will instruct him how faith in those things that are not visible was found in what is visible. This is a principle of knowledge.The perfect Savior said: "Come (you) from invisible things to the end of those that are visible, and the very emanation of Thought will reveal to you how faith in those things that are not visible was found in those that are visible, those that belong to Unbegotten Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Lord of the Universe is not rightly called Father but Forefather. For the Father is the beginning (or principle) of what is visible. For he (the Lord) is the beginningless Forefather. He sees himself within himself, like a mirror, having appeared in his likeness as Self-Father, that is, Self-Begetter, and as Confronter, since he confronted Unbegotten First Existent. He is indeed of equal age with the one who is before him, but he is not equal to him in power."The Lord of the Universe is not called Father, but Forefather, the beginning of those that will appear, but he (the Lord) is the beginningless Forefather. Seeing himself within himself in a mirror, he appeared resembling himself, but his likeness appeared as Divine Self-Father, and <as> Confronter over the Confronted ones, First Existent Unbegotten Father. He is indeed of equal age <with> the Light that is before him, but he is not equal to him in power.”
Afterward he revealed many confronting, self-begotten ones, equal in age (and) power, being in glory and without number, who are called The Generation over Whom There Is No Kingdom among the Kingdoms That Exist. And the whole multitude of the place over which there is no kingdom is called Sons of Unbegotten Father. Now the Unknowable is ever full of imperishableness and ineffable joy. They are all at rest in him, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy, over the unchanging glory and the measureless jubilation that was never heard or known among all the aeons and their worlds. But this much is enough, lest we go on endlessly. This is another principle of knowledge from <Self->begotten."And afterward was revealed a whole multitude of confronting, self-begotten ones, equal in age and power, being in glory (and) without number, whose race is called The Generation over Whom There Is No Kingdom from the one in whom you yourselves have appeared from these men. And that whole multitude over which there is no kingdom is called Sons of Unbegotten Father, God, Savior, Son of God, whose likeness is with you. Now he is the unknowable, who is full of ever-imperishable glory and ineffable joy. They all are at rest in him, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy in his unchanging glory and measureless jubilation; this was never heard or known among all the aeons and their worlds until now."
-Matthew said to him: "Lord, Savior, how was Man revealed?"
The First who appeared before the universe in infinity is Self-grown, Self-constructed Father, and is full of shining, ineffable light. In the beginning, he decided to have his likeness become a great power. Immediately, the principle (or beginning) of that Light appeared as Immortal Androgynous Man. His male name is Begotten, Perfect Mind.The perfect Savior said: "I want you to know that he who appeared before the universe in infinity, Self-grown, Self-constructed Father, being full of shining light and ineffable, in the beginning, when he decided to have his likeness become a great power, immediately the principle (or beginning) of that Light appeared as Immortal Androgynous Man, that through that Immortal Androgynous Man they might attain their salvation and awake from forgetfulness through the interpreter who was sent, who is with you until the end of the poverty of the robbers.”
And his female name is All-wise Begettress Sophia. It is also said that she resembles her brother and her consort. She is uncontested truth; for here below, error, which exists with truth, contests it. Through Immortal Man appeared the first designation, namely, divinity and kingdom, for the Father, who is called Self-Father Man revealed this. He created a great aeon for his own majesty. He gave him great authority, and he ruled over all creations. He created gods and archangels and angels, myriads without number for retinue. Now through that Man originated divinity and kingdom. Therefore he was called God of gods, King of kings."And his consort is the Great Sophia, who from the first was destined in him for union by Self-begotten Father, from Immortal Man, who appeared as First and divinity and kingdom, for the Father, who is called Man, Self-Father, revealed this. And he created a great aeon, whose name is Ogdoad, for his own majesty.
"He was given great authority, and he ruled over the creation of poverty. He created gods and angels, <and> archangels, myriads without number for retinue, from that Light and the tri-male Spirit, which is that of Sophia, his consort. For from this, God originated divinity and kingdom. Therefore he was called God of gods and King of kings.”
First Man is Faith (pistis) for those who will come afterward. He has, within, a unique mind and thought - just as he is it (thought) - reflecting and considering, rationality and power. All the attributes that exist are perfect and immortal. In respect to imperishableness, they are indeed equal. (But) in respect to power, there is a difference, like the difference between father and son, and son and thought, and the thought and the remainder."First Man has his unique mind, within, and thought - just as he is it (thought) - (and) considering, reflecting, rationality, power. All the attributes that exist are perfect and immortal. In respect to imperishableness, they are indeed equal. (But) in respect to power, they are different, like the difference between father and son <, and son> and thought, and the thought and the remainder.”
As I said earlier, among the things that were created the monad is first, the dyad follows it, and the triad, up to the tenths. Now the tenths rule the hundredths; the hundredths rule the thousandths; the thousands rule the ten thousands. This is the pattern <among the> immortals. First Man is like this: His monad [...]. Again it is this pattern that exists among the immortals: the monad and the thought are those things that belong to Immortal Man. The thinkings are for <the> decads, and the hundreds are the teachings, and the thousands are the counsels, and the ten thousands are the powers. Now those who come from the [...] exist with their [...] in every aeon [...].“As I said earlier, among the things that were created, the monad is first.”
[...] In the beginning, thought and thinkings appeared from mind, then teachings from thinkings, counsels from teachings, and power from counsels. And after all the attributes, all that was revealed appeared from his powers. And from what was created, what was fashioned appeared. And what was formed appeared from what was fashioned. What was named appeared from what was formed, while the difference among begotten things appeared from what was named, from beginning to end, by power of all the aeons."And after everything, all that was revealed appeared from his power. And from what was created, all that was fashioned appeared; from what was fashioned appeared what was formed; from what was formed, what was named. Thus came the difference among the unbegotten ones from beginning to end."
-Then Bartholomew said to him: "How (is it that) <he> was designated in the Gospel Man and Son of Man? To which of them, then, is this Son related?"
Now Immortal Man is full of every imperishable glory and ineffable joy. His whole kingdom rejoices in everlasting rejoicing, those who never have been heard of or known in any aeon that came after them and its worlds.-
Afterward another principle came from Immortal Man, who is called Self-perfected Begetter. When he received the consent of his consort, Great Sophia, he revealed that first-begotten androgyne, who is called, First-begotten Son of God. His female aspect is First-begotten Sophia, Mother of the Universe, whom some call Love. Now, First-begotten, since he has his authority from his father, created angels, myriads without number, for retinue.The Holy One said to him: "I want you to know that First Man is called Begetter, Self-perfected Mind. He reflected with Great Sophia, his consort, and revealed his first-begotten, androgynous son. His male name is designated First Begetter, Son of God, his female name, First Begettress Sophia, Mother of the Universe. Some call her Love. Now First-begotten is called Christ. Since he has authority from his father, he created a multitude of angels without number for retinue from Spirit and Light."
-His disciples said to him: "Lord, reveal to us about the one called Man, that we also may know his glory exactly."
The whole multitude of those angels are called Assembly of the Holy Ones, the Shadowless Lights. Now when these greet each other, their embraces become like angels like themselves.
First Begetter Father is called Adam of the Light. And the kingdom of Son of Man is full of ineffable joy and unchanging jubilation, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy over their imperishable glory, which has never been heard nor has it been revealed to all the aeons that came to be and their worlds.
The perfect Savior said: "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear. First Begetter Father is called Adam, Eye of Light, because he came from shining Light, and his holy angels, who are ineffable (and) shadowless, ever rejoice with joy in their reflecting, which they received from their Father. The whole Kingdom of Son of Man, who is called Son of God, is full of ineffable and shadowless joy, and unchanging jubilation, (they) rejoicing over his imperishable glory, which has never been heard until now, nor has it been revealed in the aeons that came afterward, and their worlds.”
-“I came from Self-begotten and First Infinite Light, that I might reveal everything to you."
-Again, his disciples said: "Tell us clearly how they came down from the invisibilities, from the immortal to the world that dies?"
Then Son of Man consented with Sophia, his consort, and revealed a great androgynous Light. His masculine name is designated Savior, Begetter of All things. His feminine name is designated Sophia, All-Begettress. Some call her Pistis (faith).The perfect Savior said: "Son of Man consented with Sophia, his consort, and revealed a great androgynous light. His male name is designated Savior, Begetter of All Things. His female name is designated All-Begettress Sophia. Some call her Pistis.
Then Savior consented with his consort, Pistis Sophia, and revealed six androgynous spiritual beings who are the type of those who preceded them. Their male names are these: first, Unbegotten; second, Self-begotten; third, Begetter; fourth, First begetter; fifth, All-begetter; sixth, Arch-begetter. Also the names of the females are these; first, All-wise Sophia; second, All-Mother Sophia; third, All-Begettress Sophia; fourth, First Begettress Sophia; fifth, Love Sophia; sixth, Pistis Sophia. From the consenting of those I have just mentioned, thoughts appeared in the aeons that exist. From thoughts, reflectings; from reflectings, considerings; from considerings, rationalities, from rationalities, wills, from wills, words. Then the twelve powers, whom I have just discussed, consented with each other. <Six> males (and) females (each) were revealed, so that there are seventy-two powers. Each one of the seventy-two revealed five spiritual (powers), which (together) are the three hundred and sixty powers. The union of them all is the will. Therefore our aeon came to be as the type of Immortal Man. Time came to be as the type of First Begetter, his son. The year came to be as the type of Savior. The twelve months came to be as the type of the twelve powers. The three hundred and sixty days of the year came to be as the three hundred and sixty powers who appeared from Savior. Their hours and moments came to be as the type of the angels who came from them (the powers), who are without number.-
E-"All who come into the world, like a drop from the Light, are sent by him to the world of Almighty, that they might be guarded by him. And the bond of his forgetfulness bound him by the will of Sophia, that the matter might be <revealed> through it to the whole world in poverty, concerning his (Almightys) arrogance and blindness and the ignorance that he was named. But I came from the places above by the will of the great Light, (I) who escaped from that bond; I have cut off the work of the robbers; I have awakened that drop that was sent from Sophia, that it might bear much fruit through me, and be perfected and not again be defective, but be <joined> through me, the Great Savior, that his glory might be revealed, so that Sophia might also be justified in regard to that defect, that her sons might not again become defective but might attain honor and glory and go up to their Father, and know the words of the masculine Light. And you were sent by the Son, who was sent that you might receive Light, and remove yourselves from the forgetfulness of the authorities, and that it might not again come to appearance because of you, namely, the unclean rubbing that is from the fearful fire that came from their fleshly part. Tread upon their malicious intent."
-Then Thomas said to him: "Lord, Savior, how many are the aeons of those who surpass the heavens?"
-The perfect Savior said: "I praise you (pl.) because you ask about the great aeons, for your roots are in the infinities. Now when those whom I have discussed earlier were revealed, he provided….”
And when those whom I have discussed appeared, All-Begetter, their father, very soon created twelve aeons for retinue for the twelve angels.{"Now when those whom I have discussed earlier were revealed, Self-begetter Father very soon created twelve aeons for retinue for the twelve angels”}
And in each aeon there were six (heavens), so there are seventy-two heavens of the seventy-two powers who appeared from him. And in each of the heavens there were five firmaments, so there are (altogether) three hundred sixty firmaments of the three hundred sixty powers that appeared from them. When the firmaments were complete, they were called The Three Hundred Sixty Heavens, according to the name of the heavens that were before them.-
And all these are perfect and good. And in this way the defect of femaleness appeared.{“ All these are perfect and good. Thus the defect in the female appeared."}
-{And <he> said to him: "How many are the aeons of the immortals, starting from the infinities?"}
The first aeon, then, is that of Immortal Man. The second aeon is that of Son of Man, who is called First Begetter ["who is called Savior" added in Codex V]. That which embraces these is the aeon over which there is no kingdom, (the aeon) of the Eternal Infinite God, the aeon of the aeon of the immortals who are in it, (the aeon) above the Eighth that appeared in chaos.{The perfect Savior said: "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear. The first aeon is that of Son of Man, who is called First Begetter, who is called Savior, who has appeared. The second aeon (is) that of Man, who is called Adam, Eye of Light. That which embraces these is the aeon over which there is no kingdom, (the aeon) of the Eternal Infinite God, the Self-begotten aeon of the aeons that are in it, (the aeon) of the immortals, whom I described earlier, (the aeon) above the Seventh, that appeared from Sophia, which is the first aeon.”}
Now Immortal Man revealed aeons and powers and kingdoms and gave authority to everyone who appeared from him, to make whatever they desire until the days that are above chaos. For these consented with each other and revealed every magnificence, even from spirit, multitudinous lights that are glorious and without number. These received names in the beginning, that is, the first, the middle, the perfect; that is, the first aeon and the second and the third. The first was called Unity and Rest. Since each one has its (own) name, the <third> aeon was designated Assembly, from the great multitude that appeared in the multitudinous one. Therefore, when the multitude gathers and comes to a unity, they are called Assembly, from the Assembly that surpassed heaven. Therefore, the Assembly of the Eighth was revealed as androgynous and was named partly as male and partly as female. The male was called Assembly, the female, Life, that it might be shown that from a female came the life in all the aeons. Every name was received, starting from the beginning.{"Now Immortal Man revealed aeons and powers and kingdoms, and gave authority to all who appear in him, that they might exercise their desires until the last things that are above chaos. For these consented with each other and revealed every magnificence, even from spirit, multitudinous lights that are glorious and without number. These were called in the beginning, that is, the first aeon and <the second> and <the third>. The first <is> called Unity and Rest. Each one has its (own) name; for the <third> aeon was designated Assembly from the great multitude that appeared: in one, a multitude revealed themselves. Now because the multitudes gather and come to a unity we call them Assembly of the Eighth. It appeared as androgynous and was name partly as male and partly as female. The male is called Assembly, while the female is calledLife, that it might be shown that from a female came the life for all the aeons. And every name was received, starting from the beginning.”}
From his concurrence with his thought, the powers appeared who where called gods; and the gods from their considerings revealed divine gods; and the gods from their considerings revealed lords; and the lords of the lords from their words revealed lords; and the lords from their powers revealed archangels; the archangels revealed angels; from <them,> the semblance appeared, with structure and form for naming all the aeons and their worlds.{"For from his concurrence with his thought, the powers very soon appeared who were called gods; and the gods of the gods from their wisdom revealed gods; <and the gods> from their wisdom revealed lords; and the lords of the lords from their thinkings revealed lords; and the lords from their power revealed archangels; the archangels from their words revealed angels; from them, semblances appeared, with structure and form and name for all the aeons and their worlds.”}
All the immortals, whom I have just described, have authority - all of them - from the power of Immortal Man and Sophia, his consort, who was called Silence, who was named Silence because by reflecting without speech she perfected her own majesty. Since the imperishabilities had the authority, each provided great kingdoms in all the immortal heavens and their firmaments, thrones (and) temples, for their own majesty.{"And the immortals, whom I have just described, all have authority from Immortal Man, who is called Silence, because by reflecting without speech all her own majesty was perfected. For since the imperishabilities had the authority, each created a great kingdom in the Eighth, (and) also thrones and temples (and) firmaments for their own majesties. For these all came by the will of the Mother of the Universe."}
-{Then the Holy Apostles said to him: "Lord, Savior, tell us about those who are in the aeons, since it is necessary for us to ask about them."}
Some, Indeed, (who are) in dwellings and in chariots, being in ineffable glory and not able to be sent into any creature, provided for themselves hosts of angels, myriads without number for retinue and glory, even virgin spirits, the ineffable lights. They have no sickness nor weakness, but it is only will: it comes to be in an instant.{The perfect Savior said: "If you ask about anything, I will tell you. They created hosts of angels, myriads without number, for retinue and their glory. They created virgin spirits, the ineffable and unchangeable lights. For they have no sickness nor weakness, but it is will. [And they came to be in an instant.]}
Thus were completed the aeons with their heavens and firmaments for the glory of Immortal Man and Sophia, his consort: the area which <contained the pattern of> every aeon and their worlds and those that came afterward, in order to provide the types from there, their likenesses in the heavens of chaos and their worlds.{"Thus the aeons were completed quickly in the heavens and the firmaments in the glory of Immortal Man and Sophia, his consort: the area from which every aeon and the world and those that came afterward took (their) pattern for their creation of likenesses in the heavens of chaos and their worlds.}
And all natures from the Immortal One, from Unbegotten to the revelation of chaos, are in the light that shines without shadow and (in) ineffable joy and unutterable jubilation. They ever delight themselves on account of their glory that does not change, and the rest that is not measured, which cannot be described or conceived among all the aeons that came to be and their powers.{And all natures, starting from the revelation of chaos, are in the Light that shines without shadow, and joy that cannot be described, and unutterable jubilation. They ever delight themselves on account of their unchanging glory and the immeasurable rest, which cannot be described among all the aeons that came to be afterward, and all their powers. Now all that I have just said to you, I said that you might shine in Light more than these."}
-{Mary said to him: "Holy Lord, where did your disciples come from, and where are they going, and (what) should they do here?"}
-{The Perfect Savior said to them: "I want you to know that Sophia, the Mother of the Universe and the consort, desired by herself to bring these to existence without her male (consort). But by the will of the Father of the Universe, that his unimaginable goodness might be revealed, he created that curtain between the immortals and those that came afterward, that the consequence might follow .... every aeon and chaos - that the defect of the female might <appear>, and it might come about that Error would contend with her. And these became the curtain of spirit. From <the> aeons above the emanations of Light, as I have said already, a drop from Light and Spirit came down to the lower regions of Almighty in chaos, that their molded forms might appear from that drop, for it is a judgment on him, Arch-Begetter, who is called Yaldabaoth. That drop revealed their molded forms through the breath, as a living soul. It was withered and it slumbered in the ignorance of the soul. When it became hot from the breath of the Great Light of the Male, and it took thought, (then) names were received by all who are in the world of chaos, and all things that are in it through that Immortal One, when the breath blew into him. But when this came about by the will of Mother Sophia - so that Immortal Man might piece together the garments there for a judgment on the robbers - <he> then welcomed the blowing of that breath; but since he was soul-like, he was not able to take that power for himself until the number of chaos should be complete, (that is,) when the time determined by the great angel is complete.}
-{"Now I have taught you about Immortal Man and have loosed the bonds of the robbers from him. I have broken the gates of the pitiless ones in their presence. I have humiliated their malicious intent, and they all have been shamed and have risen from their ignorance. Because of this, then, I came here, that they might be joined with that Spirit and Breath,} and might from two become one, just as from the first, that you might yield much fruit and go up to Him Who Is from the Beginning, in ineffable joy and glory and honor and grace of the Father of the Universe.
-"Whoever, then, knows the Father in pure knowledge will depart to the Father and repose in Unbegotten Father. But whoever knows him defectively will depart to the defect and the rest of the Eighth. Now whoever knows Immortal Spirit of Light in silence, through reflecting and consent in the truth, let him bring me signs of the Invisible One, and he will become a light in the Spirit of Silence. Whoever knows Son of Man in knowledge and love, let him bring me a sign of Son of Man, that he might depart to the dwelling-places with those in the Eighth.”
But this much is enough. All I have just said to you, I said in the way that you might accept, until the one who need not be taught appears among you, and he will speak all these things to you joyously and in pure knowledge."Behold, I have revealed to you the name of the Perfect One, the whole will of the Mother of the Holy Angels, that the masculine multitude may be completed here, that there might appear in the aeons, the infinities and those that came to be in the untraceable wealth of the Great Invisible Spirit, that they all might take from his goodness, even the wealth of their rest that has no kingdom over it. I came from First Who Was Sent, that I might reveal to you Him Who Is from the Beginning, because of the arrogance of Arch-Begetter and his angels, since they say about themselves that they are gods. And I came to remove them from their blindness, that I might tell everyone about the God who is above the universe. Therefore, tread upon their graves, humiliate their malicious intent, and break their yoke and arouse my own. I have given you authority over all things as Sons of Light, that you might tread upon their power with your feet."
-These are the things the blessed Savior said, and he disappeared from them. Then all the disciples were in great, ineffable joy in the spirit from that day on. And his disciples began to preach the Gospel of God, the eternal, imperishable Spirit. Amen.
Eugnostos the BlessedThe Wisdom of Jesus

It was never in doubt that these two texts are related, of course, but my goodness.
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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

Post by rakovsky »

Dear Ben,

Thank you for providing this nice lineup of the two texts.
I was reading through your text and a jump between two sections felt strange to me.

"They all are equal powers. They are the sources of the totalities. And their whole race <from first> to last is in the foreknowledge of the Unbegotten, for they had not yet come to visibility."
AND THEN:
"Now a difference existed among the imperishable aeons."

Reading through the published text:
https://books.google.com/books?id=L9Y3A ... an&f=false

I see that there is a transition statement
"For what which appears has not yet been arrived at".

Maybe there is a reason why you left that out, or you overlooked it?

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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

rakovsky wrote:Dear Ben,

Thank you for providing this nice lineup of the two texts.
I was reading through your text and a jump between two sections felt strange to me.

"They all are equal powers. They are the sources of the totalities. And their whole race <from first> to last is in the foreknowledge of the Unbegotten, for they had not yet come to visibility."
AND THEN:
"Now a difference existed among the imperishable aeons."

Reading through the published text:
https://books.google.com/books?id=L9Y3A ... an&f=false

I see that there is a transition statement
"For what which appears has not yet been arrived at".

Maybe there is a reason why you left that out, or you overlooked it?
The reason is that the statement you highlight was absent both from the Sophia and from Eugnostos at the links I used (giving in the OP). I have no expertise on whatever texual issues may be at play here; I simply used what I found on the Nag Hammadi website.
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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

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OK. I heard that there are several versions of Eugnostos' text.

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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

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I see Epistle of Eugnostos as another "secretly" Christian writing, next to Apocalypse of Adam and Odes of Solomon and probably some other 1st-3rd century "Old Testament Pseudigrapha". The author intentionally does not openly mention "Jesus". One reason can be that Jesus was not accepted by most people in the Roman empire still at that time and Christianity was an underground or illegal religion. The ending of the Epistle of Eugnostos hints at this as I will explain below. Yet many scholars do not realize this and maybe even most scholars don't consider Apocalypse of Adam or Epistle of Eugnostos to be Christian (even gnostic Christian).

At the end, he writes:
But this much is enough. All I have just said to you, I said in the way that you might accept, until the one who need not be taught appears [or: "is revealed"] among you, and he will speak all these things to you joyously and in pure knowledge.
What I get from this is that the author did not mention Jesus because he was writing in the way that they might accept, while Christ the Logos ("who does not need to be taught") is revealed to his audience. He is writing to a non-Christian audience who might accept these gnostic ideas in a form that does not mention Jesus. He has in mind that once they have Jesus revealed to them, then Jesus will convey these same ideas.

And this explains why in the next work (Sophia of Jesus Christ), Jesus speaks the ideas in the text. This suggests to me that we are talking in both cases of a gnostic Christian work, but it's just that in the first text (Eugnostos' Letter), the author doesn't say directly that he is Christian or mention Jesus openly.

The other thing that this brings up to me is how Christian teachings or messages were sometimes made hidden intentionally in Christian writings from this period of the 1st-3rd century AD. In the Didache there is not much about Jesus' divinity. And in Mark's gospel, the process of the virgin birth or the process of Resurrection itself or the resurrection experiences are not narrated openly. Yet the authors did believe in these things.

Even in the Gospel of Thomas there is a "hidden" or "secret" teaching about Jesus' status and who he should be correctly compared to:
Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like."
Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel."
Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying whom you are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out."
And he took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?"
Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up."
Jesus' answer that would fit in directly with the disciples' guesses of Jesus' identity is not narrated. It is kept a secret. Only, it is something that those outside the "gnostics" (those with this secret knowledge) would consider extremely heretical.

Jesus' divine status, his virgin birth, the process of his resurrection, the resurrection appearances that were only to the faithful believers, the Transfiguration that was only shown to three disciples on the Mount - these were, in the earliest times of Christianity, secrets that were just for those who got catechized into these holy "mysteries" and brought into the Christian "communion".

Many centuries later, modern "Skeptical" secular scholars who live in a much different type of society where Christianity does not operate illegally semi-underground do not get this situation or how this mystery aspect worked as part of the teaching. They take the texts at plain value. Since the Didache doesn't openly explain the doctrines of Jesus' divinity, they take that at face value as if this was not something the Didache's author taught. These Skeptical scholars, in their own way, find the teaching of Jesus' divinity "heretical" too. They don't believe in it. It's a wrong teaching in their minds that they reject. So they are like the people on the outside who find this teaching heretical and for some Skeptics it means being ready to cast stones / insults. So when they make guesses about whether the author of these texts had secret information/"doctrines"/"knowledge" that the Skeptics don't believe in and are not openly narrated in the text, the Skeptics and many scholars propose that the author did not have these ideas. In fact, based partly on the Skeptics' biases without openly admitting it or maybe even realizing it, they sometimes even propose without direct evidence that the passages teaching these things (eg. in Paul) are later interpolations.

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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

Post by iskander »

rakovsky wrote:Many centuries later, modern "Skeptical" secular scholars who live in a much different type of society where Christianity does not operate illegally semi-underground do not get this situation or how this mystery aspect worked as part of the teaching....
The " very difficult to believe passages " in the NT are easily understood as additions of the Jewish culture to the life of a Jewish hero.
Re: Baa Baa Black Sheep and Baa Baa White Sheep
by beowulf » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:15 am
Translation of Isaiah 7:14, numbers 1to 4 are copied from reputable confessional Jewish publishers
Isaiah 7:14
1 - Artscroll Stone Edition
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold the young woman will become pregnant and bear a son, and you will name him Immanuel.


2- Chabad
Therefore, the Lord, of His own, shall give you a sign; behold, the young woman is with child, and she shall bear a son, and she shall call his name Immanuel
http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo ... rashi=true


3- JPS Study Bible
14 Assuredly , my lord will give you a sign of his own accord. Look, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son. Let her name him Immanuel


4-The Koren Jerusalem Bible
http://www.korenpub.com/EN/products/tan ... 9653010550
[[/b]has been recognized as the most authentic Hebrew/English Tanakh.[/b]
. Only this very one is to be trusted!!! ?
14 -- Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold; the young woman is with child, and she will bear a son, and shall call his name 'Immanuel.

The Septuagint
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel.
14 διὰ τοῦτο δώσει Κύριος αὐτὸς ὑμῖν σημεῖον• ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Εμμανουήλ•



Notes
a) A young Jewish young woman is to give birth - the wife of the speaker?
b) Rashi, chabad link,
And some interpret that this is the sign, that she was a young girl and incapable of giving birth

c) Septuagint : could παρθένος mean virgin?
beowulf

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Re: Synopsis of Eugnostos and the Wisdom of Jesus Christ.

Post by rakovsky »

Ben C. Smith wrote: Wed May 10, 2017 9:28 am Peter wrote:


[td][b][center]The Wisdom of Jesus Christ[/center][/b][/td][/tr]
-"Whoever, then, knows the Father in pure knowledge will depart to the Father and repose in Unbegotten Father. But whoever knows him defectively will depart to the defect and the rest of the Eighth. Now whoever knows Immortal Spirit of Light in silence, through reflecting and consent in the truth, let him bring me signs of the Invisible One, and he will become a light in the Spirit of Silence. Whoever knows Son of Man in knowledge and love, let him bring me a sign of Son of Man, that he might depart to the dwelling-places with those in the Eighth.”
But this much is enough. All I have just said to you, I said in the way that you might accept, until the one who need not be taught appears among you, and he will speak all these things to you joyously and in pure knowledge."Behold, I have revealed to you the name of the Perfect One, the whole will of the Mother of the Holy Angels, that the masculine multitude may be completed here, that there might appear in the aeons, the infinities and those that came to be in the untraceable wealth of the Great Invisible Spirit, that they all might take from his goodness, even the wealth of their rest that has no kingdom over it. I came from First Who Was Sent, that I might reveal to you Him Who Is from the Beginning, because of the arrogance of Arch-Begetter and his angels, since they say about themselves that they are gods. And I came to remove them from their blindness, that I might tell everyone about the God who is above the universe. Therefore, tread upon their graves, humiliate their malicious intent, and break their yoke and arouse my own. I have given you authority over all things as Sons of Light, that you might tread upon their power with your feet."

Ben, notice the term in Bold above.

My theory is that the Gnostic Gospel of the Egyptians / Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, Epistle of Eugnostos, and Sophia of Jesus Christ have a relationship one to the other that gives more information on them. They are each found in Codex III, which begins with the "Apocryphon of John", which in turn is followed only by each of those three books. (ie. those are the only books in Codex III, which has the "Apocryphon of John" as the only book mentioned on the Codex's flyleaf).

In Codex III:
Book I: The Apocryphon of John was likely written in 90-180 AD: after the Gospel of John and definitely before Irenaeus referred to the Apocryphon.

Book II: The Gnostic Gospel of the Egyptians / Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit was likely written between the Apocryphon of John and 300 AD. This is because (A) It is placed after the Apocryphon in the Codex, (B) it has a colophon saying that it was copied or written down by Eugnostos or Gongessos, and (C) papyri of the Sophia of Jesus Christ, which is based on Eugnostos' Epistle, were found dating from the 3rd century.

Book III: The Epistle of Eugnostos was likely written after Books I and II above, but before 300 AD: It has at least a few Johanine elements like referring to the Only-Begotten one, and it comes after the Apocryphon of John. It is written by Eugnostos, the copyist or author of Book II and was used as the basis for Book IV. It contains a prediction that one will come who will explain Eugnostos' words, which in effect is what Jesus does in Book IV, whose discovered papyri date from the 3rd century.

Based on the above information, you can also see a major relationship between Books II-IV. Book IV, "Sophia of Jesus Christ", references the term "the Great Invisible Spirit", which is also the title of Book II.

One takeaway that I want to suggest is that these books, including Book II were likely written likely within a few decades of each other in the 2nd to third century.

Anne Pasquier tries to give a more precise date of the early-mid second century AD in her article "Influence and Interpretation of the Gospel of John":
Anne Pasquier2.png
Anne Pasquier2.png (850.17 KiB) Viewed 7458 times
I think that her information shows that the similarity with a passage in Aristides' early 2nd century Apology suggests a date rather later than 120-140 AD, although she finds the 110's AD the most likely date.

In The Woman Jesus Loved, A. S. Marjanen comments about Book IV ("Sophia of Jesus Christ"): "The second part of the Savior's greeting in 91,20-23 ("my peace I give to you") is so peculiarly Johanine see (John 14,27; cf. also 16,33) that its occurrence in the Sophia of Jesus Christ must be taken as an indication of Johanine influence on its author."

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