Discussion Notes for Diversity in Early Christianity

Contents

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Diversity in the Second and Third Centuries: Sources and Approaches

 

1. Early Christian Apocrypha

  • Defining the concept / category:
    • “apocrypha” = “hidden” / “heretical” / non-canonical
    • Gelasian decree (VI CE) and the scope of the apocrypha, both available and unavailable (http://www.tertullian.org/decretum_eng.htm)
    • Scholarly definitions of Early Christian or New Testament Apocrypha as a collection (overlaps with other categories, including Nag Hammadi writings)
  • Overview of writings often included:
    • Gospels (fragments, dialogue gospels, infancy gospels, passion gospels); Acts; Pseudo-Clementine literature; Apocalypses
    • Writings we will deal with: “Jewish” gospels, Pseudo-Clementine literature

2. Nag Hammadi writings

  • History and significance of discovery (in 1945)
    • Gospel studies: e.g. Coptic Gospel of Thomas
    • Study of “gnostic” forms of Christianity:
      • The opponents speak
      • Overview of “Gnosticism”
        • Problem of “gnosticism” as a category
        • Different schools and variations (e.g. Valentinus, Sethian, etc)
        • Debates about origins of gnosticism
        • Some common elements in the Nag Hammadi literature: Philosophical / Middle Platonic basis (e.g. emanations from the perfect principle); Use of scripture; Knowledge and salvation; Material vs. spiritual; Descent and Ascent; Christ as spiritual saviour figure
  • Overview of writings:
    • Gospels (dialogues); Acts; Biblical interpretations; Apocalypses; Prayers; Letters; Treatises / expositions; Wisdom literature; Philosophical teachings
    • Some writings we will consider: Apocryphon of John, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary

3. Anti-heresy writers

  • Nature and context of these sources
  • Overview of some authors:
    • Irenaeus, elder in Lugdunum / Lyons (II CE): Detection and Overthrow of the False Knowledge (“gnosticism”)
    • Hippolytus of Rome (late II CE – early III CE): Refutation of All Heresies
    • Tertullian of Carthage (II-III CE): Against Marcion
    • Epiphanius of Salamis, metropolitan in Cyprus (IV CE): Medicine Chest (Panarion)

4. Assessing forms of Christianity in the sources

  • Review of our findings regarding overlapping strands and forms in Asia Minor:
    • “Jewish” and “Judaizing“ strands (Galatians, Ignatius)
    • Docetic strands (Johannine epistles, Ignatius)
    • Ascetic strands (Colossians, Pastoral epistles, Acts of Thecla)
    • Prophetic strands (John’s Apocalypse, Montanism)

     

  • Review of our findings regarding strategies and techniques in battles between forms of Christianity (struggling with opponents)
  • Assessing forms of Christianity in the Apocrypha, Nag Hammadi writings, and Anti-heresy writers
    • Preliminary steps: Questions of authorship, date, genre, and cultural contexts
    • Searching for forms of Christianity: Belief / Worldview < -- > Practice / Ritual
    • Comparing and plotting out forms of Christianity

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Judean Followers of Jesus (second-fourth centuries): Ebionites

 

1.  Background: Jerusalem Jesus-followers and their Judean heirs

  • Observance of Judean practices among Jerusalem Jesus-followers
    • Evidence from the situation at Galatia
  • Centrality of James the Just and Peter for Judean forms of Christianity

2.  Ebionites ("Poor ones") and other Judean followers of Jesus in patristic sources (see Oskar Skarsaune)

  • Judeans following Jesus in Justin's discussion with Trypho (about 160 CE)
  • Making sense of the "Ebionites"
    • Ebionim as a positive term in the Hebrew Bible (cf. Psalm 37; cf. 4Q 171 2:9-12; 3:10)
    • Anti-Heresy (patristic) writers identifying heretical "schools" and their founders: Ebion
    • Irenaeus (about 190 CE) and other patristic authors on the Ebionites:
      • Christology:
        • Son of Joseph (Haer. 1.26.2; 5.1.3)
        • Adoptionism based on fulfillment of the law (see Hippolytus, Refut. 7.22)
      • Authoritative writings:
        • Hebrew Bible, Matthew
        • Anti-Pauline
      • Judean way of life:
        • Jesus as example of perfect fulfillment of the torah (Hippolytus, 7.34.2)
    • Origen (3rd century) on the "two types" of Ebionites
      • 1) Virgin birth vs. 2) Regular birth
      • Origen's loose use of "Ebionites" for all Judean believers in Jesus (not a particular sect)
    • Epiphanius (4th century): nothing new
      • Dependent on earlier sources and use of Pseudo-Clementine works - but see the Gospel of the Ebionites

3.  "Jewish" Gospels in Origen, Jerome, and Epiphanius (see Hans-Josef Klauck and Craig Evans)

  • Problems in sorting through the quotations: Nature of our evidence in Origen, Jerome, Epiphanius and others
    • Number of Jewish gospels involved (two-gospel [G. Hebrews = G. Nazoreans] and three-gospel theories)

     

  • Gospel of the Hebrews (late first - early second c.)
    • Origen as key source; independent of synoptic gospels
    • Key passages:
      • Alternate baptism episode and hints of adoptionism (no. 2);
      • Holy Spirit as mother (no. 3);
      • Seeking-finding (no. 4; cf. Mt 7:7; G.Thom. 2)
      • Centrality of James the Just (no. 7 in Jerome)

       

  • Gospel of the Nazoreans (early second c.)
    • Jerome as key source; closely related to G. Matthew
    • Key passages: Issue of Jesus' baptism (no. 2); Rich man and the law (no. 16; // Mt 19:16-30)

     

  • Gospel of the Ebionites (mid-second c.)
    • Epiphanius as key source; problems in using Epiphanius (IV CE)
    • Key passages:
      • No locusts and Epiphanius' claim of Ebionite vegetarianism
      • Alternate baptism episode and adoptionism

 

4.  The Pseudo-Clementine literature and "Jewish Christianity" (Georg Strecker, Graham Stanton)

  • Introductory matters:
    • Genre: Novel about Clement and the preachings of Peter
      • Plot: Family separated; youthful Clement seeking answers to life's problems in philosophy; conversion to following Jesus; accompanying Peter on his journeys; Peter's debates with Simon Magus; reuniting of family
    • Date (pre-410 CE) and alternate versions (Homilies, Recognitions, Letters)
    • Problems of solving literary relations: Source criticism and the early edition theory (Preachings of Peter, Strecker)
    • Pseudo-Clementine writings as sources for Judean Christianity:
      • F.C. Baur (Peter vs. Paul) and his heirs
      • Perspectives of Judean Jesus-followers preserved: Epistle of Peter to James, Homilies 17.13-19
        • Recognitions 1.27-43 and 52-71: Apology for Judean believers in Jesus

       

  • Judean perspectives
    • Epistles of Peter to James (discussion)
      • Peter's "preachings" as authoritative
      • Alternate interpretations of Peter:
        • vs. the "man who is my enemy" = teaching the "dissolution of the law" (Paul)
      • Strategies in defending "truth" and combatting alternate interpretations
        • Institution of requirements and initiations to teach the "preachings" of Peter
        • Compare opposition's strategies in reverse (differing content to "truth" and "error")

     

    • Homilies 17.13-19: Peter vs. Simon (Paul) - debate on visions (discussion)
      • Reminder of Paul's stance in Galatians 1-2: Independence of Peter and other "pillars"; direct revelation (vision) of Jesus from God
      • The debate between Peter and Simon: What is true revelation?  Who truly knows the teachings of Jesus?

       

  • What do things writings tell us about Judean forms of Christianity and their relation to other (e.g. Pauline) forms of Christianity?

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The Marcionites and their Critics (esp. Tertullian)

 

1. Reconstructing Marcionite Christianity

  • The nature of our sources: Problems in reconstructing Marcionite belief and practice
    • Patristic authors and other materials:
      • Justin (ca. 155 CE), Irenaeus (ca. 190s CE), Hippolytus (early 200s CE)
      • Tertullian (ca. 207-208 CE) as the principal source (will return to his attack and strategies further on)
      • Anti-Marcionite elements in Gospel manuscripts and in other places
    • Attacks from other sides: The Pseudo-Clementines on "Simon Magus" (Judean perspectives on Marcion)
  • Marcion's background and history:
    • Problems in getting at the truth: The "barbaric" Marcion according to Tertullian
    • Survey of what we think we know of his life
      • Born around 100 CE, perhaps son of a church leader there
      • Shipper from Pontus (Sinope)
      • Activity in Rome around 139-140s CE: Donation, calling of a council, excommunication
    • The demography of his movement: Marcionite Christianity on the map
  • Marcion's worldview (read various passages from Justin, Irenaeus, and Hippolytus)
    • The legalistic god of this world (creator in the Old Testament) and the loving unknown god (Father) that sent Jesus to save humans from the god of this world
      • Contrasting character of these two gods: Marcion's read of the Old Testament
      • Use of the tree and fruit metaphor (Lk 6:43-44; see Tertullian 1.2)
      • Distinctions from some Nag Hammadi (gnostic) authors: Creator god not evil (just legalistic and just in his legalism); no sophisticated middle platonic notions of emanations; death of Jesus for sin is central; literal interpretation of Judean scriptures
    • Law (judgement) and Gospel (love)
    • Views on Jesus
      • Jesus not the Jewish messiah of the creator god
      • Paying the penalty for sin owed to the creator god (alternate ranson theory)
      • Jesus as only apparently human - Docetism

     

  • Marcion's writings and canon
    • The Anti-theses (contrasts): Showing the contrasting characters of the Creator god and the God who sent Jesus
    • Authoritative collection of writings:
      • No Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
      • Centrality of Paul - other disciples misunderstood Jesus and continued to worship the creator god
      • Paul's letters (10, except Pastorals) and Luke - Excising the bad parts
      • Marcion's influence and the move towards a canon of scripture
  • Marcionite practices
    • Marriage and asceticism (Tertullian, 1.29)

 

2.   Marcion's opponents: Basis and nature of the attack in Tertullian's Against Marcion

  • Tertullian's Against Marcion
    • Genre and judicial rhetoric: Marcion on trial
    • Structure:
      • Book 1:  Debunking Marcion's Stranger god - non-existent
      • Book 2:  Debunking Marcion's characterization of the Creator God of the Old Testament (Creator God is good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, not sinful, angry, hostile, proud, capricious, petty, weak)
      • Book 3: Debunking Marcion's view that Jesus came from the unknown god rather than the Creator God (one Christ, not two)
      • Books 4-5: Detailed critique of specific elements in Marcion's Antitheses

       

  • Tertullian's critical strategies, arguments, and techniques in the attack
    • Logic and "common sense" (e.g. 1.3, 1.26)
    • Analogies or examples (e.g. 2.16 on the surgeon's equipment)
    • Negative view of "philosophy" (e.g. 1.13)
    • New / unknown = inferior; old / known = superior (e.g. 1.8, 1.10, 3.1 on heresy late)
    • Interpretation of authoritative writings:
      • Scripture interpretation (Old Testament) (e.g. book 2, 3.5 ff.)
      • Gospels, Paul's writings, etc (e.g. 1.20 on Galatians 1-2, 3.8 on the docetism of the opponents of John the elder)
    • Name-calling and guilt by association (e.g. 1.5, 1.9)
    • Apostolic authority and the "rule of faith" (3.1)

     

  • Tertullian as evidence for Marcionite views and practices

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Apocryphon of John: Mythology, Philosophy, and Biblical Interpretation

 

1.  "Gnosticism" and "gnostic" forms of Christianity: Problems in categories

  • Discussion of Michael Allen Williams' Rethinking 'Gnosticism'
  • "Gnosticism" as varied phenomena and groups - need to approach each writing on its own terms with attention to distinctive elements

2.  Introducing the Apocryphon of John

  • Date: pre-180 CE (see Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.29-); manuscripts (long and short recensions)
  • Genre and structure:
    • Dialogue gospel:
      • Debate and John's questions (1-ff)
      • Monologue answering regarding the spiritual Triad / fullness, Sophia's mistake, and the creation of the material world (2.25ff)
      • Dialogue regarding creation of humans (13.19ff)
      • Closing dialogue
  • Key sources: Bible and Platonic writings
  • Traditional categorization as "Sethian gnosticism"
    • Sethian themes across several Nag Hammadi writings
  • The basis of the mythology
    • Platonic philosophy and speculation
    • Biblical interpretation
      • Williams on the problem of identifying "gnostic" biblical interpretive techniques: Inversion / reversal as a principle?
      • Biblical interpretation in the Apocryphon of John: allegory and non-literal interpretations; some inversion as a result of view of creator god as ignorant (e.g. qualities of Satan)

3.  The Mythology and Worldview of the Apocryphon of John

  • Bentley Layton's explanation of the story's plot (and subplot):
    • Act 1: Expansion of the first principle into the spiritual realm (pleroma = "fullness")
      • Theft or loss of some aspect of the spiritual realm
    • Act 2: Creation of material universe
    • Act 3: Creation of humans
      • Deception of the thief (Ialdabaoth = creator god of the Hebrew Bible), leading to transfer of spiritual elements or power to humans
    • Act 4: Subsequent history of humanity
      • Gradual recovery of the missing spiritual elements or power as souls return to the spiritual realm through knowledge (gnosis) gained from the saviour
  • 1) Imagining and sketching the perfect spiritual realm ("fullness")
    • Background:
      • Jewish heavenly court: Emanations glorifying God
      • Platonic notions: Self-explication (expression) and inward reflection (thinking) of the mind as the source of derived beings
    • The Invisible Spirit and the Primal Triad
      • Father - Invisible Spirit
      • Mother - Barbelo - First Thought and Self-Image of the Father - primary mediator between Invisible Spirit and everything else, including mediator of salvation
      • Child
    • Emanations or emissions: Aeons ("Eternities")
      • Adamas, the perfect human, and Seth
      • Sophia
  • 2) The Fall: The creator god (demiurge) and his creation
    • Sophia ("Wisdom") and her mistake: The illegitimate thought (emanation) of Sophia
    • The jealous god of the Hebrew bible (Exod 20:5; 34:14; Deut 5:9, etc.) - ignorant creator-god (demiurge) - Ialdabaoth
      • Parallels with Satan in other mythologies
    • Archons ("Rulers") as offspring of the creator-god
    • Created world as poor imitation of the spiritual realm

     

  • 3) Creation of humans
    •  Interpretation of Genesis 1-4
      • First humans (possessing the spiritual sparks) as superior to the archons
        • Struggle for "the power" in Adam
      • Adam: the image of spiritual Adamas in the water, the breath / spirit blown into the earthly Adam (from the spiritual realm) (Gen 1-2)
      • Sophia's attempt to right things
      • Eve = Life: Vain attempt of Ialdabaoth to remove Adam's intelligence, revelation (Gen 2)
      • Paradise and the trees (Gen 3)
      • Yaldabaoth introduces sex
        • Cain and Abel (Gen 4): Offspring of Ialdabaoth
      • Seth and the story of salvation (humans with spiritual sparks in the soul)

       

  • 4) Salvation and the return to the spiritual realm
    • "Christ"  or Barbelo as revealer and bringer of knowledge (gnosis)
    • Seth's offspring and the return of souls to the pure light

     

    • Interpretation of Genesis 6
      • Yaldabaoth's futile attempts in the struggle: Flood and archons mating with daughters of men

4.  Implications regarding forms of Christianity

 

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Sophia of Jesus Christ: Platonic Philosophy and Nag Hammadi Forms of Christianity

 

1.  Philosophical background of Nag Hammadi forms of Christianity

  • Importance of Platonic and others forms of philosophy for understanding cosmological speculations among Nag Hammadi Christian authors
  • Platonic philosophy on the nature of the universe
    • Plato's Timaeus
      • Good creator God (demiurge) who is (being) (e.g. not jealous)
        • Being (original //eternal // mind // soul) vs. becoming (copy //perishable // sensations = passions)
        • Eternal world-soul as prior to body - soul as place of mind, reason, and intelligence
      • Creation
        • Copy of original (ideas) and eternal
        • Creation of gods (planets, stars)
          • Creation of animals and humans from the elements - material elements (fire, air, water, earth) + dilution of the soul of the universe
          • Man: mind/reason/soul vs. sensations
            • Transmigration of souls
            • Righteous life: conquering sensations to comprehend what is with the mind / soul - release from transmigration
            • The "perfect man" - "to return and dwell in his native star"

     

    • Key developments in "Middle Platonism" (II BCE-III CE)
      • Indirect nature of many of the sources (few writings have survived) and variety among Platonic thinkers
      • Characteristics
        • Blending of philosophical influences: Pythagorean, Stoic and Platonic
        • The "unwritten doctrines" of Plato
          • Reconciling the first principles notion with Plato's Timaeus:  The One/Monad = the Good (sometimes Mind or Father), the Dyad (sometimes Mother), and the Creator (Demiurge)
        • Antiochus of Ascalon (I BCE): Ideas as thoughts in the mind of God
        • Albinus (I CE):
          • Divine Triad - First God (Mind = Good); Second God (Universal Intellect); World-Soul
          • Emanations: First God generates others in his mind (hypostatization = personification of thoughts); Souls as further emanations
          • Descent and ascent of souls
        • Numenius of Apamea (II CE): Divine Triad; Matter is evil

         

  • Nag Hammadi authors like that of Sophia as free-thinking Platonists: Blending Platonic speculations (especially the divine principle[s] and emanations) with Jewish scriptural interpretations

2.  Worldviews and mythologies in Eugnostos and Sophia of Jesus Christ

  • Introductory issues: Dates (I BCE and I-II CE) and genres (letter vs. dialogue gospel); Literary relationship between the two works; similarities and differences in details of the worldviews
  • Eugnostos the Blessed
    • Some limited influence of Genesis: e.g. Adam of Light (other than that no obvious Jewish connection)
    • Divine Triad and further emanations (by means of "androgynous light"):
      • 1) God of Truth (= Father of the Universe = Forefather);
      • 2) Self-Father (image of the Forefather);
      • 3) Immortal Androgynous Man (= Perfect Mind = Sophia)
        • Son of Man (Adam of Light?)
          • Saviour (= Pistis Sophia)
            • 12 beings or powers then emanate 72 that emanate 360 (calendrical connection)
        • gods, lords, archangels, and angels
    • The coming "one who need not be taught" (Saviour?) and who will bring "pure knowledge"
  • Sophia of Jesus Christ
    • Christianizing of Eugnostos:
      • Framework of dialogue between Christ (identified with the coming "Saviour" and / or Son of Man of Eugnostos) and the disciples
      • Added mythology:
        • The Almighty and "the robbers" or authorities (cf. Apocryphon of John) (manuscript pp. 107ff)
          • Sophia's mysterious "defect"
          • Drops from the Light (sent from Sophia) in the world of "poverty" (negative view of material realm - not quite as evident in Eugnostos)
          • Wakening the drops, shaking forgetfulness, and going "up to the Father
        • The "defect of the female" interpreted and explained: Sophia's mistake ("to bring these to existence without her male")
          • Drop from Light and Spirit in the world of Almighty = Yaltabaoth (BG 118ff)
          • Breath and soul as the means by which the Light entered poverty = "the world of chaos" (?)
          • Salvation: Loosing the bonds of the robbers and rejoining Spirit
            • Gnosis: Knowing the Father in pure knowledge via Christ
            • "Sons of light"

         

    • Practices: "Unclean rubbing" - attitudes towards sexuality?

 

3.  Implications regarding forms of Christianity

  • Comparing worldviews in Eugnostos, Sophia, and Apocryphon of John
    • Common elements and differences

 

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Gospel of Philip: Rituals and Initiation into the Mystery

 

1.  Introduction

  • Popular uses in film: Mary Magdalene as Jesus' lover in the Da Vinci Code (63.32-64.4)
  • Date (early III CE), provenance (perhaps Syria), genre (anthology of teaching and ritual materials - catechesis
  • Content: Problems in finding a structure - sayings (of Valentinus and others?); sayings of Jesus; metaphors and parables
  • Attestation?: Epiphanius (Panarion 26.13.2-3) on a Gospel of Philip

2.  Worldviews reflected in the Gospel of Philip

  • Hints of (Valentinian?) mythology:
    • The "fullness" (68.10-15); Echamoth and Sophia; "The world came about through a mistake" (75.1-5)
    • Valentinian background and the mythology of Sophia

     

  • The human condition:
    • Animals and slaves vs. free children and those who belong above (cf. 78-81)
    • Sons of Adam vs. sons of the perfect man (58.20-30)
    • Separation of Eve and Adam as source of death - "entering again" as destruction of death (68.20-25)
      • "acquire the resurrection" (66.10-25; 75.1-10 [realized eschatology])
      • "Precious" soul and "contemptible body" (56.20-25) - "it is proper to destroy the flesh" (82.25-30)

       

  • Salvation and the Saviour
    • Jesus = Christ = the perfect man
      • Docetic: "he did not appear as he was" (57.29-58.10; cf. 68.25-30)
      • Christ's role: ransom / redeem the sons of the perfect man from the robbers = rulers (53.10-15; 55.5-25)
        • "rectify the fall" (71.15-25)
    • "Knowledge" (73.25-74.10; 77.15ff) and knowing oneself (76.15-25)
    • Ritual enactments of salvation: The "mystery"

3.  Community practices and rituals (esp. pp. 148-151)

  • The "mystery": Stages of initiation and the process of reunification
    • Holy of Holies analogy (69.22-25; 84.15-85.20) and stages explanation
    • Components or stages in the ritual process (read 67.27):
      • Rebirth; Baptism; Anointing (Chrism); Redemption
      • Bridal Chamber and "rest" (65.1-23; 68.22-26; 70.12-17; 81.34-82.26)
        • Gender separation analogy and androgyny ideal: "the image [ = male] and the angel [= female] are united" (65.20-25); concept of reuniting with one's angelic counterpart

         

  • Kisses and breath
    • The "holy kiss" in Paul's letters (Rom 16:16; 1 Thess 5:26)
    • Kiss as means of "conception from the grace" (59.1-5; 58.30-59.6)
    • Breath as means of conception (63.6-10; 70.23-24)

     

  • Views on sexual intercourse (61.10-15) and scholarly debates

4.  Relation to other forms of Christianity

  • Valentinus and Valentinian Christianity
  • Critique of the views ("error") of other Christians (e.g. 53-54; 55; 56.15-20; 65.35ff; 75.1-10)

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Gospel of Mary Magdalene: Ascent of the Soul

 

1.  Introductory matters:

  • Manuscripts (half missing [pp. 1-6, 11-14 missing], some Greek fragments), date (second century), genre - dialogue gospel

2.  Analysis of the writing and its worldview:

  • The dialogue about "matter" and "sin"
    • Platonic background:
    • Returning to its roots: material (dissolution) or spiritual (ascent to the spiritual realm)
    • Overcoming the passions of material existence (those things "like the nature of adultery") in order to return to one's spiritual origins
    • "Son of Man is within you": The spiritual element (= perfect man) of the soul

     

  • Mary Magdalene as the favourite disciple, comforter, and recipient of secret teachings
    • Context:
      • Mary Magdalene in other literature: Gospel of Philip; Dialogue of the Saviour
      • Debates on women's authority in Christianity: Remember the Acts of Paul and Thecla and Pastoral epistles

       

  • "I saw the Lord in a vision": Vision through the soul, spirit, or mind?
  • Mary's vision of an ascending soul (Saviour or Mary)
    • Ascent of the soul in context
      • Notions of multiple heavens with powers
      • Compare the Dialogue of the Saviour
    • Encountering "powers" that attempt to hinder the ascent of the soul

     

  • Closing dialogue and controversy about Mary's teaching -- relation to other forms of Christianity
    • Andrew representing other Christians: "strange ideas"
    • Peter representing other Christians: "knowledge" from a woman?
    • Mary's and Levi's response: Be ashamed and put on the "perfect man"

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The Gospel of Judas: Polemics and Critique of Other Christians

 

1.  Introductory matters

  • The figure of Judas in early Christian literature: betrayer
  • Controversy on the portrayal of Judas: Judas as the good guy (e.g. National Geographic), or evil (e.g. DeConick)?  Typical revelation of gnosis or parody?
    • Difficulties in translation and interpretation
    • Lack of relevance regarding the historical Jesus
  • Context in polemics: Portrayal of Jesus as laughing at the ignorant disciples - cipher for critique of other followers of Jesus
  • Manuscript (26 pages; 3rd or 4th century), date (140-200 CE), genre (dialogue gospel, but before resurrection)
    • Structure and content: 3 day discussion with disciples; secret revelation to Judas
  • Patristic references to a Gospel of Judas (Irenaeus 1.31.1-2 [see Gathercole, p. 210] and Epiphanius)

2.  Gospel of Judas: Portrayal of the eleven disciples and critique of other forms of Christianity

  • Three day discussion with the disciples - the critique of other followers of Jesus
    • Day 1: The laughable eucharist of ignorant disciples, and their god (34-36)
      • Judas' knowledge of the truth: "You are from the immortal realm of Barbelo" - "step away from the others"
    • Day 2: The great and holy generation (36-37)
    • Day 3: The disciples' vision of twelve lawless priests sacrificing (= disciples) (37-43)
      • "the many people you lead astray" (39)
      • the god worshipped as Saklas ("Fool")

       

  • Secret teachings for Judas (favourite or "favourite" parody)
    • Salvation: The souls of the holy generation "taken up" (43)
    • Vision of the 12 disciples persecuting Judas (45)
    • Judas' fate and the scholarly debate: Judas as good guy who ascends to that generation or evil guy who will not see that generation (46)
      • Key factor in latter interpretation of DeConick: Gospel of Judas as a parody
    • Cosmology: Origins of the cosmos and human beings' place within it (47-58)
      • Affinities with Sethian forms: Compare the Apocryphon of John
      • Great invisible spirit and the creation of the aeons / angels
      • Adamas and Seth in the spiritual realm (cf. Apocryphon of John)
      • Saklas among the angels / rulers (archons) over chaos
        • Saklas creates human Adam and Eve
        • The "great generation" with spirit and soul
        • Further critique of other followers of Jesus ("those who have been baptized in your name"): Fornicating and slaying children in Jesus' name again (end of 54-56); worshipping the "Fool" (Saklas)
      • Ultimate salvation and the end: "the image of the great generation of Adam will be exalted" (57)

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Gospel of Truth and Irenaeus: Valentinus and his Opponents

 

1.  Valentinus and The Gospel of Truth

  • Introductory matters:
    • Valentinus (c. 100-175 CE) the author?:  Valentinus' education at Alexandria (contact with teachings of Basilides) and activity at Rome (c. 140s CE)
      • Characteristics of Valentinus' writings and Valentinianism (cf. Bentley Layton):
        • Innovative mythmaker: Adaptation of other "gnostic" teachings yet in a way that tried to intersect with biblical and "cross-centered" Christianity; Allegorical interpretations of "traditional" Christian teachings (living among other Christians)
        • Platonic theology
        • Personal, experiential, and poetic character of some writings, including Gospel of Truth
    • Disciples of Valentinus (e.g. Ptolemy)

     

  • The Gospel of Truth and its teachings on Jesus
    • Introduction to the "gospel of truth": The Word from the mind of the Father as the Saviour; Salvation as redemption of those who are ignorant of the Father

     

    • Overcoming error and ignorance to return to the Father (17.4-24.9)
      • Ignorance of the Father is error; knowledge makes error disappear
      • Role of Jesus, the Christ: Enlightens and brings truth
        • Jesus' death re-interpreted (yet no explicit docetism): error grew angry at him (Valentinian forms of Christianity still have a special place for Jesus' death)
      • Humans: "those from above" ; knowledge brings ascent and return to the totality = Father; analogy of shaking off drunkenness and returning to oneself

       

    • Appearance of truth / knowledge and its effects (24.9-33.32)
      • Unity and the deficiency
      • Jars analogy; name analogy
      • Overcoming illusions
      • Jesus' work (31): "he came by means of fleshly form"
      • Moral exhortation (33)

       

    • Returning to the Father (33.33-end)
      • "the children of the Father are his fragrance"
      • the revelation of the Word and the name of the Father = Son
      • "return again" - heed the "root"

2.  The Valentinian worldview (of Ptolemy) according to Irenaeus

  • Discussion of Ptolemy's cosmology

3.  Irenaeus' techniques in critiquing Valentinian Christianity

  • Discussion of Irenaeus' critique

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