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Gnosticism

Class Survey

  1. This physical world is only temporary. We go to a spiritual world in the afterlife.

Psalms 37:28,29 Eccl. 1:4

  1. Aside from some moral lessons, prophecies about Christ, and the ten commandments, the Old Testament does not really apply to us today, and should only be studied secondarily to the New Testament.

The Old Testament reveals the growth of the God's people. It constitutes most of the Bible and instructs us on worship, living, etc.
Dividing Old and New Testaments: Dispensationalism. Ramist Logic.

There is a strong Aristotelian influence on gnosticism as well. “Reasoning our way to God”. Aristotelian logic demands the categorization of what is known in order for it to be known. Thus the categorization of the law into Judicial, Moral, and Civil law by Aristotelian theologians during the Middle Ages gave way to this wording in the Westminster Confession.

We are bound by the whole Bible, not just pieces and parts of it. We are bound, even if they way we observe its Laws has changed, we are still bound by it.

  1. Redemption is more important than creation.

Redemption is oriented toward Creation. The purpose of redemption is to save creation from its bondage to sin. The purpose of redemption is to make God's original intent for man possible.
Romans 8:18-23

  1. Spiritual is good. Physical is bad.

Genesis 1.

  1. The most important aspect of the Old Testament is that it leads us to Christ.

Although the Old Testament points to Christ, it is not its sole focus. The Old Testament teaches us all of God's character, not just Christ.

  1. God is not a God of hate.

Ps. 5:5, Ps. 11:5, Ps. 26:5, Ps. 31:6, Ps. 119:113, Ps. 139:21-22


  1. The reason why God needed a new covenant is because all the others failed.

No, the purpose for each new covenant God makes is to reveal more of Himself to His people.

  1. The Bible applies to Spiritual things and reason applies to physical things.

Romans 8:18-23

Gnosis: gr. Knowledge

Although Gnosticism is not concretely defined in general, all its forms had one thing in common, and that is that the physical realm is evil or base, and that the spiritual world is good or superior. Christian Gnosticism in general believed:

  1. That the god of the Old Testament and the god of the New Testament are two separate gods. The god of the Old Testament is an evil, lesser god who created the physical world. The god of the New Testament is the greater good god.

  2. That the elect are spiritual beings that have emanated from the good god's essence (and are thus shared in his divine essence), and were trapped by this evil god and made to live in physical bodies in his world.

  3. Jesus was this greater good god's incarnation (although he wasn't really in a physical body) to bring the news of redemption to those who are trapped souls. They could be saved by this new knowledge (gnosis).

  4. The god of the New Testament is a good god, and is not capable of hate, or judgment (he does not judge), or the massacres that the god of the Old Testament was involved with.

  5. The Gnostics also held that there were several “layers”, “aeons”, or other “evil gods the spirit would have to find its way through to return to the good god.

This means that the physical world was seen as something of no value. It was only temporary, and a by product of an evil demiurge.

The Old Testament was of no value as it was just an account or this evil demiurge's enslavement of the elect.

Redemption is far more important, since creation only involves the evil demiurge.

The true god is not a god of hate or judgment.

 

Beginnings of Gnosticism

Acts 8:4-25: Account of Simon the magician (Magus).

Justin's Apology mentions Simon Magus having lived in Samaria at the time of Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD)

 

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. 21 Although some claim to have it, they have abandoned the faith. May grace be with all of you! I Timothy 6:20-21

The word Gnosis appears only here in Scripture.

Marcion

One of the most original theologians of early Christianity. Defended Gnosticism from the scriptures themselves.

After reading Isaiah 45:7, concluded that since a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, there had to be two gods.

Marcion, unlike other gnostics before him, utilized Scripture to defend his doctrine. Especially Paul's epistles (read II Co. 5:1-5, also Paul's distinctions between flesh and spirit).

Marcion's form of gnosticism was especially threatening to the Church:

  1. As it more closely resembled Christian doctrine than the other forms.

  2. Had sought to compile its own canon before the orthodox Church had.

  3. The Marcion brand of gnosticism had a definite organized church for almost four centuries.

Some distinctives from other forms of gnosticism:

  1. Did not mythologize his doctrine (no “layers” or “aeons” ), stuck strictly to Scripture.

  2. Did not believe that the elect came from the good god, but they also were created by the evil demiurge. So essentially the purpose of redemption was not to return to the essence of god, but be in a relationship to god.

Irenaeus

Read Gonzalez pp. 68-71 “Irenaeus of Lyons”

 

For next Week:

There is no required reading, however it is suggested that you read Chapter 9 in Gonzalez' book The Story of Christianity.