What are your thoughts on the Prophets and other saints in relation to Gnosticism? While I would initially classify all the prophets as agents of the Craftsman, ala Marcion, Jesus did quote from them so they can't all be bad. Valentinians, I think, thought that Sophia still worked through some of them.
I will post my own thoughts, but what of your own? Do you agree with these, or do you think otherwise?
Adam (and Eve): Undetermined
Adam has been cast as both a villain and a hero. Paul, for instance, seems to have viewed Adam negatively, comparing him to Christ constantly. Yet some gnostic texts declare Adam to have been holy, so holy in fact that the Craftsman was scared of it. It certainly seems to hint that, for after Adam had eaten from the fruit, he had to be cast out of the Garden unless "he become like us."
It seems that it could be read that Adam made prisoners of us through sin (Paul), but that his act allowed us none-the-less to be free of the total control of the Craftsman. In this sense, we only became prisoners because the Craftsman, in his fear, damned us with sin. It wasn't so much Adam (and Eve) that ruined us, but in their attempt to be free made the Craftsman hit the panic button.
Seth: Gnostic
Seth is constantly valued in gnostic texts, specifically the Sethians. Eve claims that Seth is a "replacement" from God for Abel after being killed by Cain. It could be she was talking of the Father. Seth is also said to be of the same image as Adam, so if Adam is really the heavenly man (as some texts declare), Seth would be of the Father and not of the Craftsman.
Cain: Craftsman
I know there were groups who valued Cain, but I don't think he is a gnostic at all. Extra-biblical sources say he is the product of Satan, but I wonder if it could have been the (first) attempt of the Craftman to establish a messiah figure. The story of Abel and Cain with the offerings could be against this idea, but it very well could be a test (which the Craftman seems to love doing: Abraham, Moses & the Hebrews, Psal 11:5). Cain, being imperfect like his father, failed the test (ironically). Jesus, then, would be the second Adam, Seth and Cain rolled into one.
Despite his horrible crime, the Craftsman was lenient on him, even offering to protect him! There was something special about Cain that let the Craftsman look the other way to the murder of Abel.
Enoch: Undetermined
Enoch is said to have been "taken" and did not experience death. This leads two possibilities. The first is that he was saved from death by the Father, in the same way that we are saved from death through Christ. On the other hand, extra-Biblical tales say he became the a scribe in heaven, hinting to the Craftsman. I guess it depends on how we view that.
Noah: Craftsman
Noah is said to be the only one to gain the Craftsman's favor when he chose to flood the world. He was the only man he did not regret. This idea does go along the way of thought that the Craftsman hated the gnosis gained of humanity. They would not have been worshipping him. The sons of God which were corrupted by the Sons of Man could be archons who received gnosis? I thought I had read there was a real Son of the Craftman who defected when he learned the truth. I thought it was Abraxas, but I can not find the source.
Abraham: Craftsman?
This one is tough. By all accounts, it seems that Abraham was a servant of the Craftsman, but his association with the Melchizedek says to be otherwise. He knew there was something greater, but did he pursue it? Is he at fault because he knew there was more but refused it?
Jacob: Craftsman
Jacob is by all accounts a son of the Craftsman, and it says a lot about both of them. The Craftsman says all the time that he is loved (while Esau is hated), even from the womb! He is manipulative, sneaky, and a robber.
David: Craftsman
Same as Jacob, David is a cut from the same cloth. He is a drunkard, adulterer, liar and traitor. But still "a man after God's own heart."
Solomon: Unknown
Solomon is a tricky one. He asked for wisdom, which could be gnosis, but was it really Sophia or wisdom of the Craftsman. He makes it known that the wisdom is of justice, but Proverbs speaks of Lady Wisdom. It is tough. Perhaps the wisdom was initially of the Craftsman when he was younger, but grew to gnosis (in the same way Adam was thought to be of the Craftsman but had the divine spark). He is said to have caused the Craftsman displeasure when he was older, so it could be acting on gnosis.
I will discuss some more later, but this is enough to start the conversation. Do you agree, or disagree, with any of these? What are your thoughts on the (many) unknown?
I will post my own thoughts, but what of your own? Do you agree with these, or do you think otherwise?
Adam (and Eve): Undetermined
Adam has been cast as both a villain and a hero. Paul, for instance, seems to have viewed Adam negatively, comparing him to Christ constantly. Yet some gnostic texts declare Adam to have been holy, so holy in fact that the Craftsman was scared of it. It certainly seems to hint that, for after Adam had eaten from the fruit, he had to be cast out of the Garden unless "he become like us."
It seems that it could be read that Adam made prisoners of us through sin (Paul), but that his act allowed us none-the-less to be free of the total control of the Craftsman. In this sense, we only became prisoners because the Craftsman, in his fear, damned us with sin. It wasn't so much Adam (and Eve) that ruined us, but in their attempt to be free made the Craftsman hit the panic button.
Seth: Gnostic
Seth is constantly valued in gnostic texts, specifically the Sethians. Eve claims that Seth is a "replacement" from God for Abel after being killed by Cain. It could be she was talking of the Father. Seth is also said to be of the same image as Adam, so if Adam is really the heavenly man (as some texts declare), Seth would be of the Father and not of the Craftsman.
Cain: Craftsman
I know there were groups who valued Cain, but I don't think he is a gnostic at all. Extra-biblical sources say he is the product of Satan, but I wonder if it could have been the (first) attempt of the Craftman to establish a messiah figure. The story of Abel and Cain with the offerings could be against this idea, but it very well could be a test (which the Craftman seems to love doing: Abraham, Moses & the Hebrews, Psal 11:5). Cain, being imperfect like his father, failed the test (ironically). Jesus, then, would be the second Adam, Seth and Cain rolled into one.
Despite his horrible crime, the Craftsman was lenient on him, even offering to protect him! There was something special about Cain that let the Craftsman look the other way to the murder of Abel.
Enoch: Undetermined
Enoch is said to have been "taken" and did not experience death. This leads two possibilities. The first is that he was saved from death by the Father, in the same way that we are saved from death through Christ. On the other hand, extra-Biblical tales say he became the a scribe in heaven, hinting to the Craftsman. I guess it depends on how we view that.
Noah: Craftsman
Noah is said to be the only one to gain the Craftsman's favor when he chose to flood the world. He was the only man he did not regret. This idea does go along the way of thought that the Craftsman hated the gnosis gained of humanity. They would not have been worshipping him. The sons of God which were corrupted by the Sons of Man could be archons who received gnosis? I thought I had read there was a real Son of the Craftman who defected when he learned the truth. I thought it was Abraxas, but I can not find the source.
Abraham: Craftsman?
This one is tough. By all accounts, it seems that Abraham was a servant of the Craftsman, but his association with the Melchizedek says to be otherwise. He knew there was something greater, but did he pursue it? Is he at fault because he knew there was more but refused it?
Jacob: Craftsman
Jacob is by all accounts a son of the Craftsman, and it says a lot about both of them. The Craftsman says all the time that he is loved (while Esau is hated), even from the womb! He is manipulative, sneaky, and a robber.
David: Craftsman
Same as Jacob, David is a cut from the same cloth. He is a drunkard, adulterer, liar and traitor. But still "a man after God's own heart."
Solomon: Unknown
Solomon is a tricky one. He asked for wisdom, which could be gnosis, but was it really Sophia or wisdom of the Craftsman. He makes it known that the wisdom is of justice, but Proverbs speaks of Lady Wisdom. It is tough. Perhaps the wisdom was initially of the Craftsman when he was younger, but grew to gnosis (in the same way Adam was thought to be of the Craftsman but had the divine spark). He is said to have caused the Craftsman displeasure when he was older, so it could be acting on gnosis.
I will discuss some more later, but this is enough to start the conversation. Do you agree, or disagree, with any of these? What are your thoughts on the (many) unknown?
