The issue with that is that I don't think earliest Christianity was overly concerned about Jesus's life on earth. That came into focus towards the end of the Second Century. AoI is about how the Beloved descended through the heavens and (arguably) arrived on earth without being noticed by anyone, including angels:Earl Doherty wrote:[If] we can accept that the bare alternative verse of the Latin/Slavonic version is closer to the original, we can hardly believe that this represented a knowledge on the part of that writer or editor about an earthly Jesus and a Gospel-like story attached to him. What would have prompted him to deal with it in such a perfunctory fashion? He has gone into such minute detail about the descent of the Son through the heavens and his dealings with the spirit entities which inhabit the non-material spheres. When he gets to the climax of the Son's descent involving an incarnation on earth, if he knows an entire story containing a wealth of tradition (from the Gospels or otherwise) he is hardly likely to reduce it to a single anti-climactic phrase "he dwelt with men" which tells us nothing. A writer composing a work about Isaiah's vision of the Son's descent could not fail to include something about his life on earth.
Chapter 9:
14. And the god of that world will stretch forth his hand against the Son, and they will crucify Him on a tree, and will slay Him not knowing who He is.
15. And thus His descent, as you will see, will be hidden even from the heavens, so that it will not be known who He is.
...
Chapter 10:
24. And those who kept the gate of the (third) heaven demanded the password, and the Lord gave (it) to them in order that He should not be recognized. And when they saw Him, they did not praise or laud Him; for His form was like unto their form...
26. And I saw when He made Himself like unto the form of the angels in the second heaven, and they saw Him and they did not praise Him; for His form was like unto their form...
27. And again I saw when He descended into the first heaven, and there also He gave the password to those who kept the gate, and He made Himself like unto the form of the angels who were on the left of that throne, and they neither praised nor lauded Him; for His form was like unto their form.
29. And again He descended into the firmament where dwelleth the ruler of this world, and He gave the password to those on the left, and His form was like theirs...
30. And I saw when He descended and made Himself like unto the angels of the air, and He was like one of them.
...
Chapter 11:
19. And after this the adversary envied Him and roused the children of Israel against Him, not knowing who He was, and they delivered Him to the king, and crucified Him, and He descended to the angel (of Sheol).
This metaphysical explanation for why a god came to earth without being recognised seemed to be an important point for early Christianity. I don't think Earl Doherty was ever able to break free from the notion that the historicist position meant emphasising the life of a Gospel Jesus rather than focusing on the significance of the death of Jesus.
Except that AoI specifies that the Beloved will appear in the form of Isaiah, in other words, a man. So this implies at least a docetic form appearing on earth.Earl Doherty wrote:On the other hand, we can tell nothing about the envisioned nature of this 'dwelling with men in the world,' for it is substantially the equivalent of the declaration that personified Wisdom came to earth and dwelt among men—and where Wisdom was concerned, no material incarnation was envisioned. (p. 124)
IIUC, "mundus" meant "the world", in the sense that we use it. So not just the earth's surface, but also the earth and surrounding atmosphere as well, depending on the context. So "mundus" might well incorporate the earth, the air and up to the firmament. But I'm guessing it wouldn't mean just "firmament". (A reminder that I have no knowledge of ancient languages). But regardless of the meaning of "et in mundo" in the AoI, the Son of Man is clearly living on earth amongst men.dbz wrote: ↑Tue Oct 25, 2022 4:52 pmN.B. Per "et vidi similem filii hominis et cum hominibus habitare et in mundo, et non cognoverunt eum". It may be an anachronism to translate "et in mundo" as and in the world. Given the commentary of Vitruvius on cosmology "unum a terra inmane in summo mundo ac post ipsas stellas septentrionum" in reference to the firmament.
see previous post#144787 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 25, 2022 12:34 am