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The Core of Gnosis

[Analyzing Kurt Rudolph’s GNOSIS]

by byron lebeau ©2000 bulldog2000@netzero.net

When we consider the core of gnosis, (divine knowledge), we are considering that which emanates from the mind of the Father-God, the Father-Mother of all & everything. Nothing of a devalued or frivolous nature can be included in this forest. Since everything from the Father-God contains within it ‘The Divine Spark’ - it is this same SPARK (The Spirit in Man) that makes possible a reunion between the Father & His spiritual sons (the illumined sons & daughters who have gained the gnosis, perfecting it through the single-minded PURE heart, the children of God, humble, meek and one with the Father-God.)

The paradox of true gnosis and anyone who struggles to attain it, has to do with EMANCIPATION; the freedom to be a SLAVE TO LOVE.. This freedom is the birthright of the ‘KINGLESS RACE' who need none to tell them that they are the NOBLE ONES of the Earth. They are also the SALT OF THE EARTH because they allow the seed to prosper & grow - always in agapic love that yearns for gnosis, just as Mary Magdalene became ‘more of a man’ (cf. ‘The Gospel of Philip’) than the men who surrounded the ‘Revealer’, so that when the light was turned on, she was less blind then they were, because she saw THE ALL!!!

Men tend to garb things in ritual & magic, symptoms of a DEVALUED gnosis. REAL gnosis is naked, pure & of the ‘clear light’, so that anyone can ascertain its beauty. This exemplifies the ‘KINGLESS RACE' for those who see.!

The drama that unfolds in this Gnostic core, must deal with the restoration to its origins of this divine spark of light, which through fatal events has ‘fallen’ into this world, a restoration mythologically represented as an ‘ascent of the soul’. [cf: Kurt Rudolph’s GNOSIS, p.91] It may be appropriate here to state that THE ROBE OF GLORY would reflect a TRUE mythological reflection of this key core drama. Anything that detracts from this ascent (which presupposes a descent, does not reflect TRUE gnosis where restoration is a fundamental tenet.)

Gnosis did not have a hierarchical administration, nor could it do so as long as it proclaimed salvation solely through knowledge. A distinction between ‘priests’ & ‘laity’ is untenable for them, for the community believed that the blessing of salvation was anchored in a personal & spiritual (pneumatic) experience & encompassed only the ‘perfect ones’, who felt they belonged to a non-worldly community. [Rudolph, p. 215]

This characteristic of the ‘perfect ones’ reflects their disdain for the Kingdom of Man of which Satan rules as its prince, which is only one of many worlds whose dictum is: POWER - CONTROL - DECEPTION & SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, having nothing to do with the principle of nobility! On the other hand, those of the ‘KINGLESS RACE' instinctively shy away from those who have been infected with EGO - ARROGANCE - & PRIDE which are the chief characteristics of the FALSE kingdoms of man, whether their function be church or government! To the true Gnostic - today you be chairman - tomorrow, the one who serves the chairman.... as a child...THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT.

This is why ‘The Apocalypse of Peter’ condemned the ‘bishop’ & ‘deacon’ as "waterless canals’ IN THE MOUTH OF CHRIST. [Rudolph, p. 216] Did not Feodor Dostoyevsky unmask these "waterless canals" in his psychological exposure of corrupt church officials in THE BROTHERS’ KARAMAZOV? This dryness continues to this day in the Kingdom of Man.

What is the true baptism of the soul? Kurt Rudolph quotes from, ‘The Exegesis on the Soul’.[p. 220] [The purification of the soul is to regain the chasteness of her former nature & to turn herself back (again);. That is her baptism.]

He further points out in ‘The Testimony of Truth’ that water baptism is rejected since Jesus pointed out that the ‘baptism of truth’ is, in fact, the RENUNCIATION OF THE WORLD. This is yet another indication that the process must, of necessity, come from within, with external ritual being superfluous; therefore, those that perform such ritual are also superfluous.... As the baptism of Jesus signifies the descent of the spirit of CHRIST upon him, so the baptism of the Gnostic is an act which imparts to him the spirit (pneuma) of immortality, redemption & resurrection, AND THERBY (my emphasis) makes him a pneumatic. In baptism, the Gnostic obtains his immortal garment or the ‘perfect man’ (CHRIST). [Rudolph, p. 227]

Of course the above was dramatized in ‘The Testimony of Truth’, and confirmed as necessary (Jesus becoming the CHRIST) in ‘The Tripartite Tractate'. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized and it was clearly manifested in the life of Jesus as portrayed in THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST by Levi Dowling. As Edgar Cayce stated in READING 2533-7:

[Jesus is the man - and yet gained that strength that HE had promised, in becoming the Christ, by fulfilling & overcoming the world.... The power , then, is in the Christ. The pattern is in Jesus.]

This is the 'fate' of ALL the sons & daughters of the ‘KINGLESS RACE'' since as the pure children of the Father-God - ABBA - it can be said of them: SEE HOW THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER1 Love each other PERFECTLY, and you will be garbed in THE ROBE OF GLORY.

The pneumatic soul (spirit) is free of the law, since his spirit dwells above the law, seeing & feeling at all times, the bliss of the Father-Mother God. Its only chain is the CHAIN OF LOVE, since of its very nature it loves each & all always, and constantly fills the void where there is no love...if it be possible...so hence, it becomes a slave to love, regardless of where it may be placed - a TRUE LIGHT in the world which is filled with darkness. Thus the Gnostic takes it upon himself/herself to upgrade ANY vibration, right ANY wrong and throw itself in any & all selfless causes, if possible. This is the fruit of a TRUE Gnostic, and by this fruit you will be able to gauge & judge FALSE gnosis which operates under the cloud of the IMPURE - the DEFICIENT - and the TRULY IGNORANT. (This concept will be elaborated on in PART ll under the heading of, THE MARRING OF THE NAG HAMMADI.)

Kurt Rudolph correctly identifies the true Gnostic with the following observations: [It is noteworthy that in undermining the legitimacy of the earthly order, the Gnostic systems,

in contrast to contemporary theories of the state which regarded King & State as exponents or as an incorporation of cosmic order (harmony!), considered these relations as ‘ungodly’ & inaugurated solely by the evil and ‘stupid’ creator of the world.] {Rudolph, p. 265}

‘Stupid’ may have been a bit harsh a characteristic of the Creator God, but as ‘The Gospel of Truth’ does relate of this same ‘god?’: I AM THE GOD OF THE ENTIRETY: THERE IS NO GOD ABOVE ME....Maybe he was STUPID and maybe that’s why a TRUE GNOSTIC sees this world as a place of passing (a passer bye; a WANDERER.)

Why take the trouble of becoming a ‘PERFECT GNOSTIC’? Rudolph quotes ‘The Apocalypse of Adam’, which indicated that the perfect Gnostic BELONGS TO (my emphasis) a ‘KINGLESS RACE' which excels all ‘kingdoms’ of the past & present and gets its uniquely binding legitimization through the true - albeit unrecognized by the world - Father of men. But the champions of this ‘KINGLESS RACE' are "Kings as immortal within the mortal (realm); they will pass judgment on the gods of chaos and their powers." This same sentiment is reflected in the tractate, "On the Origin of the World’. [Rudolph, p. 266]

As the TRUE Gnostic purifies himself/herself through SUFFERING, whether as victim or simply to ‘bear witness’ to the truth, therein lies the KINGDOM of GOD, where the purified victim or truth-bearer becomes the true judge, so pray that the ‘powers’ turn, and become like little children - lest they be judged!

Rudolph rightly shows a deficiency in the Church Fathers in trying to resolve the problem of the origin of evil as well as the TRUE NATURE OF JESUS THE CHRIST . [pages 368-373] Again, this reflects the sublime concepts of the true Gnostics, (as reflected in Hans Jonas’ THE GNOSTIC RELIGION), that, in my opinion, quite ably answered both of the above questions from a true ontological point of view. Tractates such as ‘The Hypostasis of the Archons’ & ‘The Apocryphon of John" answered the questions of the origin of evil whereas ‘The Tripartite Tractate’ & ‘The Testimony of Truth’ confirmed the true nature of Jesus the Christ.

If you examine enough trees carefully enough, you come across the TRUE FOREST...as in ASK - SEEK -& KNOCK.. This is the true recipe of spiritual discernment.

What makes ‘gnosis’ a viable system of sublime concepts - as Hans Jonas would say? Kurt Rudolph, considered by some as the world’s leading expert on the subject, states the importance of it quite succinctly:[For gnosis, the universe had lost its (religious) reliability, and this posed a challenge to search for a new foundation. This was the motive for the theoretical efforts of gnosis.] (p. 374)

Perhaps the core of gnosis can be summed up in a prayer enunciated by Thomas in ‘The Acts if Thomas’, chapter 167, as referenced by Rudolph. [p. 245] It sums up the Gnostic hope: to be pure & worthy enough so as to overcome both the SNAKE & the DRAGON, and subsequently be received in a far-far better world of the ‘KINGLESS RACE’.

"My Lord and my God,

My hope and my redeemer,

My leader and my guide in all lands!

May you be with all who serve you,

And guide me as I come to you today!

May no one take my soul!

Which I have surrendered to you!

May the tax collectors not see me,

And the creditors not accuse me!

May the (world) snake not see me,

And the dragon’s children not hiss at me!

See, Lord, I have finished your work

And fulfilled your command.

I have become a slave,

Therefore today I obtain liberty.

Now bring it to fruition,

You who have given it to me.

I say this, not because I doubt,

But so that they may hear (it) who ought to hear (it)."

NOTE; Coming soon - PART ll of gnosis which will consider famous UFO/CONSPIRACY authors who either ignore or misapply & actually even distort the GNOSTIC CORE . (cf. ‘THE MARRING OF THE NAG HAMMADI)

Reference: Rudolph, Kurt GNOSIS; The Nature & History of Gnosticism, published by Harper San Francisco, a division of HarperCollins Publishers

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