limitless light

That which is not, is not.

That which is, never ceases to be.

–Bhagavad Gita

 

Thy Will Be Done

“Thy Will Be Done”
Is the name of the River
That carries me along.
This day, I surrender my ego
To that eternal river
As I will surrender my spirit to it
At the last breath of this body.
The river will carry me then
Until my next work is clear.

–Danaan Parry (  Extract from the essene book of meditations and blessings)

http://www.earthstewards.org/ESN-Danaan.asp
http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC34/Parry.htm
http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC28/Parry.htm

 

Basic Sethian Christian History

Basic Sethian Christian History

by Bishop Thomas Saunders, www.njcdlp.org

Sethians are Gnostics. The term Gnostic is mysterious, and often debated, but if you want to qualify Christian Sethian Gnosticism, it is when the followers of John the Baptist, decided to follow Jesus.

John the Baptist: (5 B.C. 33{?} A.D.) Jewish prophet who in the New Testament baptized and prepared the way for Jesus. He was executed by Herod Antipas at the behest of Herod’s daughter Salome.
According to Heracleon John was a Levite. His father was Zacharius who officiated as a Priest in the Jewish Temple. His mother was Elizabeth, related to Mary, mother to Jesus. Among his followers were Dositheos, Matthias, Simon Magus, and many other disciples and witnesses to Jesus. See; ”The Cave of John the Baptist,” by Simon Gibson, Doubleday, 2004. Mandaeans believe John the Baptist, called Yahya in the Sidra d-Yahia (Book of John), was the last and greatest of the prophets. While Mandaeans agree that he baptized Jesus (Yeshu), they reject the latter as either a saviour or prophet. And they viewed John as the only true Messiah. http://www.answers.com/topic/john-the-baptist (Source: ”Saunders Gnostic Glossary,” SGG)

After the execution of John the Baptist, his supporters formed alliances, and among those were Simon Magus, Philip, Dositheos, Matthias and Jesus. It is important to Sethian history that this relationship is noted, in order to establish this bonding, and its importance to Sethian relationships with later students of this philosophy. Theodotus explains Seth….

Seth: ”From Adam three natures were begotten. The first was the irrational, which was Cain’s, the second the rational and just, which was Abel’s, the third the spiritual, which was Seth’s. Now that which is earthly is “according to the image,” that which is psychical according to the ” likeness ” of God, and that
which is spiritual is according to the real nature; and with refer­ence to these three, without the other children of Adam, it was said, “This is the book of the generation of men.” And because Seth was spiritual he neither tends flocks nor tills the soil but produces a child, as spiritual things do. And him, who “hoped
to call upon the name of the Lord” who looked upward and whose “citizenship is in heaven – him the world does not contain.” (Theodotus, Criddle Collection.) (SGG)

Theodotus, and Heracleon of Alexandria, were Valentinian students, and the fragments of their work which are extant, link the entire lineage of Alexandrian Gnosticism together. It is through the study of these fragments that the parallels from John the Baptist, to Origen, and other later Gnostics can be made. Clement of Alexandria’s, ”Stromata,” is also dedicated to explaining Gnostic traditions.

The Alexandrian church is historically credited to Mark, who went there on his way to Rome, with Peter. There is little doubt that what became Sethian Christianity is a secret level of study, applied mostly to scripture. This makes the ”Gospel of Thomas,” or ”The Secret Sayings of the Living Jesus,” the principle source of Jesus wisdom to the Sethian system. Chaldean, and Pythagorean traditions of occult, and secret traditions seem to have prevailed into Sethian ways. The term Sethian comes about through the following explanation of what is Sethian.

Sethian: It is a name for a specific sect of Gnostics, but also a category created by scholars to refer to a number of sects that are related to Valentinians. The Sethians as a group were known to Hippolytus who dedicated Book Five in his work, ”The Refutation of All Hereseys,” to denouncing them. (See Gaffney) Seth was a character of Gnosticism who represented a savior figure and third son of Adam, founder of the Gnostic race. Generally Sethian works include, “Pistis Sophia,” “Allogenes,” ”The Gospel of Mary,*” “Sentences of Sextus,” “Marsanes,” “Gospel of The Egyptians,*” ”The Apocalypse of Adam,*”
“Origin of The World,” ”The Gospel of Thomas,*” ”The Gospel of Philip,” “The Three Steles of Seth,” “Melchizidek,” ”The Apocryphon of John,” ”The Gospel of Judas,” Trimorphic Protennoia,” the un-named text in the Bruce Codex, and ”Zostrianos.” (Others) Some Sethian works suggest strong ties with
Jewish Gnosticism, as well as Platonic thought, as well as Zoroasterism. (They maintained three principles; darkness below, light above, and spirit in-between, according to work attributed to Dr. Roy Blizzard, University of Texas. See also; ”Sethian Gnosticism, A Literary History,” Turner) see also;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sethian ( * Indicates works from the Nag Hammadi Lib., with other works by the same name.) (SGG)

Several things link the above texts together, but the main parallels are in regard to the study of the system of the Monad, and other theme specific language, found almost exclusively in Sethian documents. It is only recently that scholars have been able to sufficiently interpret enough of the exclusive vocabulary of Sethian works, to comprehend some of its deeper meanings. Orthodox sources, like Bible dictionaries lacked almost all of the lexicology needed to comprehend Sethian meanings. Without the working lexicology of this system, scholars lacked the knowledge to comprehend it, as a unified system. That is slowly changing.

Among the Sethian works is, ”The Book of Thomas the Contender,” written by Matthias and the Gospels of Thomas, Philip, Mary, and Judas. These works form a core epistemology to the Apostolic lineage of the other Sethian texts. This makes ”The Pistis Sophia,” extremely important to the acuumulated knowledge of Sethian ways.

One example of a follower of John the Baptist , who converted to Christianity is Dositheos. According to ‘Acts,'(8) the Apostle Philip, taught and stayed with this group of Samaritans. The text mentions Simon Magus, but not Dositheos.

Dositheos: Believed to be the founder of Samaritan Gnosticism in the first century, and associate of Simon Magus. Dositheans were a Gnostic sect which called “God” only ‘Elohim’ not ‘Yehouah or Lord.’ He is stated as the author of the “Three Steles of Seth.” See; (NHL p. 396.) http://essenes.net/Dosithean.html
(SGG)

The ‘Steles,’ may be one of the first written documents of Christianity. Biblical scholars who claim the Sethian texts are not from the birth of Christianity are plentiful, but those studying these texts are challenging that idea. It is hard to believe that the writers of the Sethian texts are not who they say they are. The entire Alexandrian Sethian lineage would have to be lying, including that which is known about Basilides.

Basilides: (?-138) An Alexandrian Gnostic who formed sects around 120 to 138. Known to be associated with Valentinus, and Mathias, and other early Christian leaders. May have also had knowledge of Dositheos and others associated with Simon Magus, or Gnosticism in Samaria. He is associated with Sethian works by Theodotus, and Clement. Thought to have had knowledge of both mystical and Hellenistic philosophy. (See also; ”The Other Bible,” by Barnstone, Harper, 1980; See also; ”Stromata.”) http://essenes.net/new/Basilides2.html http://essenes.net/new/budgnostics.html http://essenes.net/new/Basilides5.html

Another Alexandrian Gnostic was Carpocrates. He and his followers are not popular with other Alexandrian Gnostics.

Carpocrates: (100?-150 CE); Formed a sect in Alexandria known as Carpocrations. Possible successor to Samaritan Simon Magus. He taught reincarnation in his Gnostic philosophy. An individual had to live many lives and adsorb a full range of experiences before being able to return to God. They practiced free
sexuality. They believed that Jesus was the son of Joseph. They questioned the docetic aspects attributed to Jesus. (See; “Sromata,” Bk 3.) http://www.antinopolis.org/carpocrates.html

Basilides, and Pantaenus, were teachers of Clement, and Valentinus. When Peter and Mark visited Alexandria on the way to Rome, Pantaenus was appointed the head of the Catachise school. Later Mark returned to Alexandria with Peter’s notes and some of Paul’s work. Pantaenus is fondly mentioned by Theodotus…

Pantaenus: (b.?- 212) Appointed to head the Christian Catechise School of Alexandria by Peter. Originally, the Alexandrian church was thought to be founded by Mark, Peter, Barnabus, and Glaucius. Known to have been a Stoic, and teacher of Clement. Pantaenus is known to have done missionary work as far east as India. Claims to have discovered Eastern Christians in possession of the
”Gospel of Matthew,” written in Hebrew and presented by Bartholomew. (SGG)http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11446b.htm
www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=808

It is through the association with the first Christians of Alexandria, that an Apostolic lineage for the Gnostic Gospels, and the Sethian works can be established. Although the Orthodox and Catholic church still deny this lineage, and claim the Gnostic texts are from the second and third century, the historical and archeological evidence against that idea is mounting. The Koran is correct in stating there was a ”secret Christianity.”

A second generation of Alexandrian Christians can be seen in the sons of Basilides, and Carpocrates….

Isidore: Son of Basilides, who according to Hippolytus received special teaching from Mathias. He wrote trying to show that Greek philosophers borrowed from the Prophets. He also held that passions emanated from a part of the soul. http://www.dacb.org/stories/egypt/isidore.html (SGG)

Epiphanes: Son of Carpacrotes of Alexandria. Died at age 17. Clement stated that Epiphanes had been taught the way of the ”Monad.” “But the followers of Carpocrates, and Epiphanes think wives should be common property.” (See; Bk 3, of ”Stromata.”) His work ”Concerning Justice,” can be read at; http://www.vinesbranch.com/view/?pageID=181476
http://www.gnosis.org/library/ephip.htm (SGG)

Clement of Alexandria, succeeded Pantaenus, his teacher, as the head of the Christian school. Clement’s teachings are more plentiful than earlier works which serve to explain Sethian ways. The first generation of Alexandrians established what appears to be two separate types of Church, or a church, within a church. This according to most authors this was a Gnostic tradition of the time. If you compare, and contrast Clement’s ”Stromata,” with ”Instructor,” perhaps this is a look into the two types of teaching.

Clement of Alexandria: (?-215 A.D.) Greek theologian, writer, and head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Clement succeeded his teacher Pantaenus about A.D. 190, and took over the direction of the school. Wrote “Stromata” in which he makes various assessments of others including Basilides, Plato,Valentinus, and Gnostic beliefs. Declared that the Gnostic seeks to become God. (See also;
Clement’s ”Instructor,” which is more of an Orthodox work, compared to ”Stromata.”) (SGG)http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/clement.html

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml

It is during this second period in Alexandria, that Heracleon, and Theodotus did their great studies, which contribute greatly to the knowledge we have about Sethian ways.

Heracleon: A Valentinean Gnostic Sage, possibly from Sicily, who flourished around 120? A.D. He declared that, ”the orthodox church was dogmatic and like nourishing stagnant water.” Origen and Clement preserved some of his commentary on the ”Gospel of John,” and others of which some fragments still exist. (See; ”Fragments of Heracleon.”) http://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/fff/fff56.htm (SGG)

Theodotus: A student of Valentinus, and Pantaenus in the Alexandrian lineage. Theodotus explains that passions are called spirits: ” The passions that are in the soul are called spirits, not spirits of power, since in that case the man under the influence of passion would be a legion of demons; but they are so
called in consequence of the impulse they communicate. For the soul itself, through modifications, taking on this and that other sort of qualities of wickedness, is said to receive spirits.” ( See; Fragments of Theodotus, Kirby, Criddle.http://neonostalgia.com/xtian/Extracts_from_Theodotus.htm , and
Theodotus, Early Christian Writings, Kirby. ) (SGG)

Clement, produced a valuable student named Origen. Valentinus produced several students who served to carry on the Sethian traditions. Origen’s work reflects he changed terms to suggest Gnostic ideas. This may be due to the violence against Gnostics starting in earlier times.

Origen: (185- 254 C.E.) Born in Alexandria. He studied Greek philosophy with Ammonius, and others. He became a Christian under Clement. Some of his surviving work is considered somewhat Gnostic in its nature according to later western Christian leaders. Origen was declared heretical on the basis of his beliefs in the pre-existence of souls and his beliefs about apokatastasis. In 553 A.D the Chalcedonians anathematized him. http://www.iep.utm.edu/o/origen.htm (SGG)

Some of the Gnostic works do not state the author, but some do. One important work to the understanding of Sethianism, was written by Valentinus.

Valentinus: (100-180 C.E.) Gnostic teacher some believe is the writer or had a part in the writing of the Gnostic “Gospel of the Truth,” ”A Valentianian Exposition,” and others. Also formed secular Gnostic groups who’s written works are referred to as Valentinian. The ” A Valentinian Exposition,” explains in part the use of the ”monad.” (See; Sethian Monadology. SGG.) http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/valentinus.htm

Valentinian: A general reference to types of work which seem related, and to have other than Sethian roots. See; ”The Valentianian Exposition,” “Gospel of Truth,” “Tripartite Tractate,” others) References to Archons, Aeons, Demiurge, Logos and Autogenes are common to Valentinean works. However, Valentinian works are also related to Sethian ideas. (SGG)http://www.gnosis.org/library/valentinus/Organization.htm

One important Valentinian student was Bardesanes: (155-233 A.D.) Bardesanes, or Bar-daisan (so called from the river Daisan (the Leaper), on the banks of which he was born), was born at Edessa, on July 11th, 155 A.D., and died, most probably in the same city, in 233, at the age of 78. His parents, Nuhama and Nahashirama, were nobles. He became a follower of Valentinus, and is called by some the ”Last of the Gnostics. His most famous work was a collection of 150 Hymns or Psalms on the model of the Psalm-collection of the second temple, as still preserved in the Old Covenant documents. He is known for qualifying free will. ”And that everything is not in our own Free-will, that is that Free-will is not absolute, is plainly visible in everyday experience. Fortune also plays its part, but is not absolute, and Nature also. Thus “we men are found to be governed by Nature equally, and by Fortune differently, and by our Free-will each as he wishes.” http://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/fff/fff57.htm (SGG)

Other Gnostics were known after Bardesanes, and probably calling him the ”Last of the Gnostics,” is a bit misguided. A late woman Gnostic is known…Marcellina: (330-398 A.D.) The only sister of St. Ambrose of Milan. She was older than St. Ambrose, and was born most probably at Trier, where her father resided as “Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum.” Mentioned to have led a Gnostic sect founded by Heracleon. A list of Valentinians can be found at: http://essenes.net/valen10.html

Perhaps the title of the ”Last of the Gnostic,” belongs to Pachomius. It is with the Nag Hammadi association that scholars have connected the Sethian works to Egyptians. It appears he defied the Roman Church into modern times, with the recovery of the Sethian works.
Pachomius: (290-346) Founded the Christian monastery around Nag Hammadi Egypt. Thought by some to have held Gnostic beliefs. He is known as the most probable person to have had the Nag Hammadi texts. He is known to have opposed Athanasius who took over as the Orthodox authority in Alexandria around 297, ending the reign of Origen there. Athanasius, is said to have organized the books of Bible before the Nicean influence of Eusebius. He opposed the Gnostics, and is known to have posted himself in front of the Nag Hammadi mountains, where the texts were eventually found. (Encyclopaedia Britannica), (SGG) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachomius

Bits and pieces of Gnosticism seem to have survived in history, but it is doubtful the Sethian ways could be put together without the Sethian texts. It was and is the aim of the Orthodox and Roman Church to destroy the Sethian works, and hide the epistemology of the Secret Christianity. They still deny the lineage of the Sethian texts to this day. Are they correct?

 

Reflections for March 31, 2007

Psalm 103:20,21
From the psalms of our teacher David the prophet and King may his blessings be with us all, amen.
Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His bidding. Bless the LORD, you His hosts, you ministers of His, that do His will. Alleluia.

The gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew may his blessings be with us all, amen. (Matthew 13: 44-52)
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price,
Went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.
Glory be to God forever.

The 12 responses

Hosanna in the highest, this is the King of Israel, blessed is He who comes in the Name, of the Lord of Hosts.

(1)
The four Incorporeal Beasts, carrying the throne of God, a face of lion a face of a calf, a face of human and a face of an angel.

Hosanna in the highest…

(2)
We indeed exalt you, with your cousin Elizabeth, saying “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

Hosanna in the highest…

(3)
The Angel Gabriel, was seen by Daniel, standing on his feet, on the banks of the river.

Hosanna in the highest…

(4)
Michael the head of the heavenly, you are the first, in the angelic orders, serving in the presence of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest…

(5)
Mark the Apostle, and the Evangelist, the witness of the passion, of the only-begotten God.

Hosanna in the highest…

(6)
Jesus Christ sent you, O twelve Apostles, to preach in the nations, and to convert them to Christianity.

Hosanna in the highest…

(7)
For seven whole years, Saint George endured, Seventy impious kings, Judging him every day.

Hosanna in the highest…

(8)
Remove from your hearts, all the evil thoughts, and the deceiving suspicions, that darken the mind.

Hosanna in the highest…

(9)
And when You come again, in Your fearful appearance, may we never hear You say, “I do not know you.”

Hosanna in the highest…

(10)
John witnessed, in the four gospels, “I baptized my Savior, in the waters of the Jordan.”

Hosanna in the highest…

(11)
He who sits upon the Cherubim, on the throne of His glory, He entered Jerusalem, such a great modesty.

Hosanna in the highest…

(12)
Among those born of women, no one is like you, you are great among the saints, O John the Baptist.

Hosanna in the highest…

 

http://tasbeha.org/

 

Gospel of Thomas part 3

Read it all 

(3) Jesus said,
"If those who lead you say to you,

'See, the kingdom is in the sky,'
then the birds of the sky will precede you.

If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,'
then the fish will precede you.

Rather, the kingdom is inside of you,
and it is outside of you.

When you come to know yourselves,
then you will become known,

and you will realize that it is you who are
the sons of the living father.

But if you will not know yourselves,
you dwell in poverty and

it is you who are that poverty."

Deuteronomy 30:11-14
”This commandment …

is not in the heavens …

Nor is it beyond the sea, ...
it is …on your lips

and in your heart"

Beware of leaders

who point you this way and that.
You can search high and low,
but it is within yourself

that you must make the two into One,
so that there no longer is

an inside or an outside.
This is both Knowledge of your self
and Knowledge that there is no self.
Recognizing your kinship with

Life, Knowledge and Spirit
results in unimaginable riches.
Ignorance, however, is poverty,

and you, alone, are responsible
if you believe that to be your destiny.

 

Gnostic words for March 31, 2007: Authades, Autogenes, Avatar

Authades: Authority (heavenly/pleromic) in Pistis Sophia (Askew Codex) who casts emanations in the ‘pleromic’ realm, and has powers over archons, aeons, and other entities including in the Heimarene. Word ‘Authades’ may mean ‘thought.’ (See; Sabaoth.)

Autogenes: “Self Generated,” in reference to the first Aeon or the guiding light. May refer to the growth of a monad into a genus and species type form and structure. (See; Monogene, and Allogene.)

Avatar: A term used in literalist works, meaning a messenger from a divine source who’s purpose it is to exact revenge, or punishment. An avenger. Gnostic demons (messengers) are called forms, and reflect darkness or four levels of agnosia, or aponoia in a person’s mental state. Also a Hindu term referring to
an incarnation of a deity. Avatars are not mentioned in Sethian works, (See; ”Seven Forms of Wrath,” ”Gospel of Mary.” See also; Tarturos.

 

The Second Stele of Seth

The Second Stele
of Seth
Great is the first aeon, male virginal Barbelo, the first glory of the invisible Father, she who is called “perfect”.

Thou (fem.) hast seen first the one who truly pre-exists because he is non-being. And from him and through him thou hast pre-existed eternally, the non-being from one indivisible, triple power, thou a triple power, thou a great monad from a pure monad, thou an elect monad, the first shadow of the holy Father, light from light.

We bless thee, producer (fem.) of perfection, aeon-giver (fem.). Thou hast seen the eternal ones because they are from a shadow. And thou hast become numerable. And thou didst find, thou didst continue being one (fem.); yet becoming numerable in division, thou art three-fold. Thou art truly thrice, thou one (fem.) of the one (masc.). And thou art from a shadow of him, thou a Hidden One, thou a world of understanding, knowing those of the one, that they are from a shadow. And these are thine in the heart.

For their sake thou hast empowered the eternal ones in being; thou hast empowered divinity in living; thou hast empowered knowledge in goodness; in blessedness thou hast empowered the shadows which pour from the one. Thou hast empowered this (one) in knowledge; thou hast empowered another one in creation. Thou hast empowered him who is equal and him who is not equal, him who is similar and him who is not similar. Thou hast empowered in begetting, and (provided) forms in that which exists to others. […] Thou hast empowered these. – He is that One Hidden in the heart. – And thou hast come forth to these and from these . Thou art divided among them. And thou dost become a great male noetic First-Appearer.

Fatherly God, divine child, begetter of multiplicity according to a division of all who really are, thou (masc.) hast appeared to them all in a word. And thou (masc.) dost possess them all without begetting and eternally indestructible on account of thee (fem.).

Salvation has come to us; from thee is salvation. Thou art wisdom, thou knowledge; thou art truthfulness. On account of thee is life; from thee is life. On account of thee is mind; from thee is mind. Thou art mind, thou a world of truthfulness, thou a triple power, thou threefold. Truly thou art thrice, the aeon of aeons. It is thou only who sees purely the first eternal ones and the unbegotten ones.

But the first divisions are as thou wast divided. Unite us as thou has been united. Teach us those things which thou dost see. Empower us that we may be saved to eternal life. For we are each a shadow of thee as thou art a shadow of that first pre-existent one. Hear us first. We are eternal ones. Hear us as the perfect individuals. Thou art the aeon of aeons, the all-perfect one who is established.

Thou hast heard! Thou hast heard!
Thou hast saved! Thou hast saved!
We give thanks! We bless thee always! We shall glorify thee!                                                                  ***********************************

The Three Steles of Seth is a lofty meditation on the Son, the Mother and the Unknown Father, as received by Dositheus. Could Dositheus have been a founder or one of the founders of the Sethian Christian community? We have no proof. There is little doubt, however, that Dositheus and his followers envisioned themselves as “a body of enlightened Gnostic Adepts,” whose mission was to spread the inner, esoteric doctrine of Jesus.

This brings us to Seth, the son of Adam, whose memory and teaching was enshrined by the Sethians, a Christian- Gnostic sect, who are said to have preserved his teaching. According to Jewish historian Josephus, Seth had left esoteric information for his posterity in the form of tablets on a high mountain.< 6> This esoteric doctrine had been handed down to the “seed of Seth.” This “seed,” calling itself the “living and unshakable race,” is the direct inheritor of this doctrine. Seth was considered to be the son of the Man (Adam) and thus was seen as a divine Archetypal man or Son of Man. The Sethian- Gnostics looked to Seth as their divine archetype, and this archetype was reproduced in Jesus.

Commenting on another Sethian- Gnostic gospel, called the Gospel of the Egyptians, Stephan Hoeller writes:

The prototype of all Gnostic messengers of light according to this gospel is Seth, third son of Adam and Eve, who unlike the imperfect, contending brothers Cain and Abel had a clear knowledge of his own nature and of his connection with the imperishable realm and its celestial denizens.

Seth is represented as the father of a race of enlightened, knowing humans who uphold the principles of Gnosis in every generation…. The race of Seth may also be understood as a body of enlightened Gnostic adepts present in the world in every generation who possess a distinguished, luminous prehistory in their own right.< 7>There is no question that the earliest Christian sects, whether they were called Nazoreans, Christianoi or Dositheans, believed themselves to be an elect and chosen race with a decidedly “distinguished” prehistory. This is evident in the epistles of Paul, who repeatedly speaks of the “elect” and of the “saints” whom the Father foreknew in the beginning and who are the inheritors of the promise. These early Christian sects considered themselves enlightened through a superhuman knowledge bestowed upon them by Jesus. The Essenes, some of whom later joined the various Christian sects, also considered themselves as a chosen race who preserved in purity the teachings of Seth, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, etc.

According to Church Father Epiphanius, the Sethians believed Jesus to have been previously incarnated on earth as Seth. He writes:

Now, these Sethians proudly derive their ancestry from Seth, the son of Adam, and honor him and attribute to him whatever belongs to excellence and righteousness and the like. They do not stop short of calling him the Christ and insist that he was Jesus….
But the anointed (Christ) itself came as Jesus, a descendant of Seth by descent and by succession of peoples; [the Christ] was shone forth in the world not through being born but in a mysterious way. This was Seth himself, who both formerly and at that time— as the Christ— visited the human race, having been sent from above, from the Mother. (Emphasis added.)

extract from

http://essenes.net/TheLostChristianityOfTheOriginalSects.htm

ADDITIONAL

Audio from Br. Matthew Ouroboros, Vicar of the AGCA
http://www.gnostic-church.org/

Matthew describes such themes as Seth, Gender and Gnostic dualism: 

http://www.archive.org/details/AGCA_radio_march06

 

Gnostic Words for March 30, 2007: Aristotle, Ascetic, Asclepius

Aristotle: Ancient Greek philosopher thought to have devised the “Square of Opposition” a device whereby logic can be graphed. The device was handed down in the philosophies of many and was generally known by Pre-Socratic Philosophers. http://www.iep.utm.edu/a/aristotl.htm

Ascetic: One who practices a renunciation, or change of worldly pursuits to achieve spiritual attainment. (See; ”The Birth of Christianity, Crossan, Harper, San Francisco, pg’s, 270, 410-11.)

Asclepius: Name of Tractate 8, of Codex VI of the Nag Hammadi Lib., also known as “The Perfect Teachings.” Also name of main character of the text. The text is Hermetic, and related to the “Discourse of the 8th and 9th.” (See also; ”Kybalion,” Three Initiates, Inner Traditions, 2004, List of Hermetic
Principles.)

 

Reflections for March 30, 2007 : Eternal Life

“As long as you are not aware of the continual law of Die and Be Again, you are merely a vague guest on a dark Earth.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Heavenly Father,
in glorifying Jesus
and sending us your Spirit,
You open the way to eternal life.
May my sharing in this Gift increase my love
and make my faith grow stronger.
Send Your Spirit to cleanse my life
so that the offering of myself to You at Mass
may be pleasing to You.
May my sharing in the Eucharist,
our Bread of Life,
bring me eternal life.

(Prayer for Eternal life with God)

“I know I am deathless. No doubt I have died myself ten thousand times before. I laugh at what you call dissolution, and I know the amplitude of time.” —Walt Whitman

“Learn thou! the Life is, spreading life through all; It cannot anywhere, by any means, Be anywise diminished, stayed, or changed. But for these fleeting frames which it informs with spirit deathless, endless, infinite, They perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight! He who shall say, “Lo! I have slain a man!” He who shall think, “Lo! I am slain!” Those both know naught! Life cannot slay. Life is not slain!” —Krishna – Bhagavad Gita (The Song Celestial: 2)

“It can be shown that an incorporeal and reasonable being has life in itself independently of the body… then it is beyond a doubt bodies are only of secondary importance and arise from time to time to meet the varying conditions of reasonable creatures. Those who require bodies are clothed with them, and contrariwise, when fallen souls have lifted themselves up to better things their bodies are once more annihilated. They are ever vanishing and ever reappearing.” —Origen

“`But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.” —Matthew 17:12, 13)

“Souls are poured from one into another of different kinds of bodies of the world.” 

“The counterfeit of the spirit is stationed without the soul, watching over it and dogging it, and the rulers bind it to the soul with their seal and with their bonds, and force it to commit mischiefs unremittingly, that it may be their slave forever, and be under their subjection forever in the transmigration into bodies: And they seal this counterfeit to the soul, so that it may be in every kind of sin and all the desires of the world. It is because of this that I have brought the mysteries into the world, which break all the bonds of the counterfeit of the spirit, which make the soul free and ransom it from the hands of its parents, the rulers, and transform it into pure light, to bring it into the kingdom of the True Father, the first everlasting mystery.”  Pistis Sophia

“Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness And tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day! Such is the salutation of the dawn.” —Kalidasa Light and Darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this neither are the good good, nor evil evil,  nor is life life, nor death death. For this reason each one will dissolve into its earliest origin. But those who are exalted above the world are indissoluble, eternal.  –Gospel of Philip

Whole sections of the New Testament have been doctored by the ideological thought police, namely the church patriarchy, a quick look at the brutal hands the bible has been through should be enough to indicate the strong possibility that it has been tampered with. Reincarnation is implicit all through the new testament, references may be read in and read out just as quickly depending on the honesty of the reader . One of the reasons reincarnation has been almost entirely extracted from the new testament is because it disempowers the church hierarchy, the doctrinal police. Jesus showed that every individual is in control of their own spiritual destiny and that priestly intervention was not only not necessary but utterly worthless. Although the bible is a flawed documents there is still enough unadulterated information to give the sincere reader a picture of what jesus really meant, fortunately the translators did not understand all of what they were translating so felt no need to make it conform completely to their preconceived ideology, perhaps more fortunate is the fact that a lot of what jesus said cannot be grasped purely intellectually, a lot information is presented literally and the meaning is self evident however most of the true substance can only be understood intuitively , after much meditation , words are a poor medium of explanation of abstract spiritual concepts . Anthropomorphic premises are valid only up to a certain level of understanding, whence logic and intellect cease to be adequate tools of understanding .The nature and quality of spiritual existence cannot be explained from a purely physical perspective, consequently we are left what has become a confused and ambiguous doctrine.

MELCHIZEDEK
1.    Genesis 14:18 And melchisedek king of Salem [possibly Jerusalem] brought forth bread and wine, and he was high priest of the most high god.
2.    Psalm 110:4The lord has sworn and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
3.    Hebrews 5; 6 As he saith in another place, thou art priest for ever after the order of melchizedek, crying and tears unto him that was able to save from death, and was heard in that he feared.
4.    5:8Though he were a son he learned obedience by the things he suffered.
5.    5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obeyed.
6.    5:10 Called of god an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
7.    5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are hard of hearing.
8.    6:20Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus, made a high priest fore ever after the order of Melchizedek.
9.    7:2 To whom Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being by interpretation “ KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS “ and after that also king of salem, which is “KING OF PEACE.”
10.   7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.
11.   7:12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change of the law.
12.   7:15And it is far more evident, for the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest.                                                                                                                                                                                               13.   7:22By so much was Jesus made a surety of better testament.
14.   7:23And they were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.
15.   7:24But this man, because he continueth forever, hath unchangeable priesthood. RESURRECTION
16.   HEBREWS 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
17.  ROMANS6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death , we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection                                                                                                                                                                                        18.  LUKE 14:13 But thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
19.  14:14 And thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee for thou shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.                                                                                                                                                                                                  20.  20:27 Then came to him certain Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection. ADAM
21.   ROMANS 5:14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of adams transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
22.   5; 19 For by one mans disobedience many where made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
23.   LUKE13: 38, Which was the son of enos, which was the son Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the Son of God.                                                                                                                                                                                                       24.   1 CORINTHIANS 15:45 And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.                                                                                                                                                                                   25.    REELATION 1; 11 Saying I am the alpha and omega, the first and last.
26.   1; 18 I am the alpha and omega the beginning and the ending, saith the lord, which is, which was, and which is to come, the almighty.                                                                                                                                                                                                  27.   3; 14 These things says the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation god.
  REFERENCE VERSES
28.   ZECHARIAH 3:8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee, for they are men wondered at, for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
29.   6:11Then take silver and gold and make crowns and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of josedech, the priest.
30.   6:12And speak unto him, saying, behold the man whose name is the BRANCH, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the lord.
31.    6:13Even he shall build the temple of the lord, and he shall bear the glory, and the council of peace shall be between them both.                                                                                                                                                                                                    32.   ROMANS 5:14 Nevertheless death reign from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
33.   5:19 For as mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
34.   1CORINTHIANS 15; 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive.
35.   1CORINTHIANS 15:45 And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.                                                                                                                                                                                 36.   2 CORINTHIANS 5; 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are home in the body, we are absent from the lord.                                                                                                                                                                                                37.   5:7 We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the lord.
38.   JOHN 8:56 Your father abrahm rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.
39.   8:57 Then the Jews say unto him, thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen abraham? 40.   8:58Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
41.   LUKE 21:32 Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
42.   21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things that are written may be fulfilled. (Extract from BIBLICAL EVIDENCE OF REINCARNATION
By Gary, Oblate of O:N:E: http://essenes.net/gary.html )  

 

Gospel of Thomas part 2

(2)

Jesus said,
"Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds.
When he finds, he will become troubled.
When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished,
and he will rule over the All."

Luke 12:57
"Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?"

The Buddha said,

"But believe only what you yourself judge to be true"

SEEKING God,

we often find but a thread.
But this one FIND,

will lead to two excited states.
The first is being TROUBLED,
because the thread is often difficult to follow,
but eventually, you will be ASTONISHED,
because, following the thread,

it leads within, where we learn,

we can judge for ourselves what is true.
When we learn there is no outside judge

waiting to judge us, we are no longer a slave,

but master of our own demons;
we RULE ourselves.

(2) cont.

GREEK VERSION
Jesus said,

“Let not him who seeks, cease until he finds,
and when he finds he will be astonished;
when he is astonished, he will reign;
when he reigns he will rest."

GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS
"He who seeks will not cease until he finds;
when he finds he will be astonished,
when he is astonished, he will reign;
when he reigns, he will rest."

SEEK, first by "wiping the slate clean"

of any preconceived notions.
Wash them all away

in the flowing waters of BAPTISM.

FIND the spark that will ignite the blaze.
Anoint your head with the fire of CHRISM.

You will be ASTONISHED as you consume

words of Wisdom, which the Mother of All

has concealed within the bread of Life (96),

and as you drink fruit of the true Vine (40),

which contains Knowledge of the Father,

celebrating the EUCHARIST.

You will REIGN

after you declare your freedom from false gods

and rulers who seek to imprison your soul.
This is a rite of passage;

this is your REDEMPTION.

Next, you must make the two into One;
this will transform your soul into a living Spirit.
The pairs are joined together

in the BRIDAL CHAMBER.
There you will finally have a place

to lay your head and REST (86).