1 / 31

What was Gnosticism? Which “Gospels” Came First?

THE DA VINCI CODE: Gnosticism Renewed (III). What was Gnosticism? Which “Gospels” Came First?. Characteristics of Gnosticism. From Greek gnosis , knowledge Leaders Marcion and Valentinus The Gnostic Writings (Nag Hammadi Scrolls): ~ 45 titles, five “gospels”. The Gospel of Truth

beau-boyer
Download Presentation

What was Gnosticism? Which “Gospels” Came First?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. THE DA VINCI CODE: Gnosticism Renewed (III) What was Gnosticism? Which “Gospels” Came First?

  2. Characteristics of Gnosticism • From Greek gnosis, knowledge • Leaders Marcion and Valentinus • The Gnostic Writings (Nag Hammadi Scrolls): • ~ 45 titles, five “gospels”. • The Gospel of Truth • The Gospel of Thomas • The Gospel of Philip • The Gospel of the Egyptians • The Gospel of Mary • Date – 2nd and 3rd Century • Compared to the word: • Extremely difficult to understand. • Filled with nonsensical things. • Not an objective testimony of historical events, but secret teachings with hidden meanings. • No connection to apostolic authority

  3. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Mt 10:26-27 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.”

  4. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Mt 11:25 “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.’”

  5. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Mk 4:21-22 “And He was saying to them, ‘A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.’”

  6. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Lk 12:2 "But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”

  7. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Mt 19:14 “But Jesus said, ‘Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”

  8. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Eph 3:4 “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.”

  9. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. • Gospel of Thomas “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke” • Not derived from reason, study and intellectual comprehension of objective truth, but mystical, direct, immediate. • Contrast: Dt 29.29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”

  10. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: • Gospel of Thomas 45:30-33: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you”

  11. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: • Elaine Pagels, in Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas: • “Now we can see how John’s message contrasts with that of Thomas. Thomas’ Jesus directs each disciple to discover the light within (‘within a person of light there is light’)” • God is within you

  12. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Physical is evil; only spirit is good. • A good God can have no connection to a physical (evil) world. • Thus, physical world was created by the evil, creator god of the OT • Demiurge or “maker” = lowest level of a series of beings (aeons or archons) descending down from the true God. • Christ was an aeon who took possession of the body of the human Jesus.

  13. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Physical is evil; only spirit is good. • A good God can have no connection to a physical (evil) world. • Thus, physical world was created by the evil, creator god of the OT • Contrast: Gen 1:31 “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

  14. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Physical is evil; only spirit is good. • A good God can have no connection to a physical (evil) world. • Thus, physical world was created by the evil, creator god of the OT • Contrast:1 Tim 4:1-5

  15. Characteristics of Gnosticism 1 Tim 4:1-5 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”

  16. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dual sexual nature: God = divine father and mother (“divine feminine”) • Bible: Jn 4.24: "God is spirit..." • Did Gnostics uphold women as “sacred feminine”? • Gospel of Thomas 114: “Simon Peter said to them [the disciples], ‘Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of Life.’ Jesus said, ‘I myself shall lead her, in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit, resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’”

  17. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ • The true (spiritual) Jesus did not suffer on the cross, but only his physical substitute: • Apocalypse of Peter 81.4-24: • “The Savior said to me, ‘He whom you saw being glad and laughing above the cross is the Living Jesus. But he into whose hands and feet they are driving the nails is his fleshly part, which is the substitute. They put to shame that which remained in his likeness. And look at him, and [look at] me!’”

  18. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ • The true (spiritual) Jesus did not suffer on the cross, but only his physical substitute: • The Second Treatise of the Great Seth 56.6-19: • Jesus: “It was another…who drank the gall and the vinegar; it was not I. They struck me with the reed; it was another, Simon, who bore the cross on his shoulder. It was another upon whom they placed the crown of thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height…over their error…And I was laughing at their ignorance.”

  19. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ • The true (spiritual) Jesus did not suffer on the cross, but only his physical substitute: • Acts of John 93 – “his substance was immaterial and incorporeal…as if it did not exist at all”

  20. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ • The true (spiritual) Jesus did not suffer on the cross, but only his physical substitute: • Da Vinci Code: Jesus merely human • Gnostic gospels: Jesus too divine to be human

  21. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ • The true (spiritual) Jesus did not suffer on the cross, but only his physical substitute: • Contrast: 1 Jn 1.1-3; 2.18,22; 4.2-3; 2 Jn 7

  22. 1 John 1:1-3 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life --and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

  23. 1 John 2:18 “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour…Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.”

  24. 1 John 4:2-3 “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”

  25. 2 John 7 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

  26. Characteristics of Gnosticism • Main Teachings 1. Central Theme = Gnosis (Knowledge) • A secret knowledge available only to an elite few. 2. A knowledge found within one’s self and through experience: 3. Dualism • Dual nature of God and of the physical world • Dualism in Jesus Christ

  27. The New Gnosticism • Characterized by feminism and goddess worship (the goddess Sophia) • Emphasis on experience and direct revelation from the Spirit • Contrast: 2 Cor 5.7 • Rejection of authority • Elaine Pagels in Beyond Belief: • “This research helped clarify what I cannot love: the tendency to identify Christianity with a single, authorized set of beliefs however these actually vary from church to church – coupled with the conviction that Christian belief alone offers access to God” (pg.29)

  28. Which “Gospels” Came First? • Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John • Muratorian Canon (~170 A.D.) -- Names only the four • Irenaeus (ca. 180 A.D.): Four accepted, inspired Gospels • Against Heresies 3.11.8: “It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the ‘pillar and ground’ of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side… the gospel is quadriform”

  29. Which “Gospels” Came First? • Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John • Muratorian Canon (~170 A.D.) -- Names only the four • Irenaeus (ca. 180 A.D.): Four accepted, inspired Gospels • Justin Martyr (ca. 160 A.D.): Mentions the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke as “the memoirs of the apostles and those who followed them” • Tatian (ca. 180 A.D.) -- Diatessaron (lit. “through the four”) – A harmony of the four gospels

  30. Which “Gospels” Came First? • Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John • Was the Gospel of Thomas a “Fifth Gospel”? • Origin (185-254): • “I know a certain gospel which is called ‘The Gospel according to Thomas’ and ‘Gospel according to Matthias’ and many others have we read….Nevertheless among all these we have approved solely what the church has recognized., which is that only the four gospels be accepted”

More Related