The Gnostic Crucifixion E-Book

G. R. S. Mead

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 56

Beschreibung

7. "John, one there needs must be to hear those things, from Me; for I long for one who will hear. 8. "This Cross of Light is called by Me for your sakes sometimes Word (Logos), sometimes Mind, sometimes Jesus, sometimes Christ, sometimes Door, sometimes Way, sometimes Bread, sometimes Seed, sometimes Resurrection, sometimes Son, sometimes Father, sometimes Spirit, sometimes Life, sometimes Truth, sometimes Faith, sometimes Grace. 9. "Now those things [it is called] as towards men; but as to what it is in truth, itself in its own meaning to itself, and declared unto Us, [it is] the defining (or delimitation) of all things, both the firm necessity of things fixed from things unstable, and the "harmony" of Wisdom. 10. "And as it is Wisdom in "harmony," there are those on the Right and those on the Left-powers, authorities, principalities, and daemons, energies, threats, powers of wrath, slanderings-and the Lower Root from which hath come forth the things in genesis.

Leseprobe

The Gnostic Crucifixion

The Gnostic Crucifixion ECHOES FROM THE GNOSIS.PREFACE.THE VISION OF THE CROSS.COMMENTS.POSTCRIPT.Copyright

The Gnostic Crucifixion

G. R. S. Mead

ECHOES FROM THE GNOSIS.

Under this general title is now being published a series of small volumes, drawn from, or based upon, the mystic, theosophic and gnostic writings of the ancients, so as to make more easily audible for the ever-widening circle of those who love such things, some echoes of the mystic experiences and initiatory lore of their spiritual ancestry. There are many who love the life of the spirit, and who long for the light of gnostic illumination, but who are not sufficiently equipped to study the writings of the ancients at first hand, or to follow unaided the labours of scholars. These little volumes are therefore intended to serve as introduction to the study of the more difficult literature of the subject; and it is hoped that at the same time they may become for some, who have, as yet, not even heard of the Gnosis, stepping-stones to higher things.G. R. S. M.

PREFACE.

The Gnostic Mystery of the Crucifixion is most clearly set forth in the new-found fragments ofThe Acts of John, and follows immediately on the Sacred Dance and Ritual of Initiation which we endeavoured to elucidate in Vol. IV. of these little books, in treating ofThe Hymn of Jesus.The reader is, therefore, referred to the “Preamble” of that volume for a short introduction concerning the nature of the Gnostic Acts in general and of the LeucianActs of Johnin particular. I would, however, add a point of interest bearing on the date which was forgotten, though I have frequently remarked upon it when lecturing on the subject.The strongest proof that we have in our fragment very early material is found in the text itself, when it relates the following simple form of the miracle of the loaves. “Now if at any time He were invited by one of the Pharisees and went to the bidding, we used to go with Him. And before each was set a single loaf by the host; and of them He Himself also received one. Then He would give thanks and divide His loaf among us; and from this little each had enough, and our own loaves were saved whole, so that those who bade Him were amazed.”If the marvellous narratives of the feeding of the five thousand had been already in circulation, it is incredible that this simple story, which we may so easily believe, should have been invented. Of what use, when the minds of the hearers had been strung to the pitch of faith which had already accepted the feeding of the five thousand as an actual physical occurrence, would it have been to invent comparatively so small a wonder? On the other hand, it is easy to believe that from similar simple stories of the power of the Master, which were first of all circulated in the inner circles, the popular narratives of the multitude-feeding miracles could be developed. We, therefore, conclude, with every probability, that we have here an indication of material of very early date.Nevertheless when we come to the Mystery of the Crucifixion as set forth in our fragment, we are not entitled to argue that the popular history was developed from it in a similar fashion. The problem it raises is of another order, and to it we will return when the reader has been put in possession of the narrative, as translated from Bonnet’s text. John is supposed to be the narrator.(The Arabic figures and the Roman figures in square brackets refer respectively to Bonnet’s and James’ texts. I have added the side figures for convenience of reference in the comments.)

THE VISION OF THE CROSS.

1. [97 (xii.)] And having danced these things with us, Beloved, the Lord went out. And we, as though beside ourselves, or wakened out of sleep, fled each our several ways.2. I, however, though I saw the beginning of His passion could not stay to the end, but fled unto the Mount of Olives weeping over that which had befallen.3. And when He was hung on the tree of the cross, at the sixth hour of the day darkness came over the whole earth.And my Lord stood in the midst of the Cave, and filled it with light, and said:4. “John, to the multitude below, in Jerusalem, I am being crucified, and pierced with spears and reeds, and vinegar and gall is being given Me to drink. To thee now I speak, and give ear to what I say. ’Twas I who put it in thy heart to ascend this Mount, that thou mightest hear what disciple should learn from Master, and man from God.”5. [98 (xiii.)] And having thus spoken, He showed me a Cross of Light set up, and round the Cross a vast multitude, and therein one form and a similar appearance, and in the Cross another multitude not having one form.6. And I beheld the Lord Himself above the Cross. He had, however, no shape, but only as it were a voice—not, however, this voice to which we are accustomed, but one of its own kind and beneficent and truly of God, saying unto me:7. “John, one there needs must be to hear those things, from Me; for I long for one who will hear.8. “This Cross of Light is called by Me for your sakes sometimes Word (Logos), sometimes Mind, sometimes Jesus, sometimes Christ, sometimes Door, sometimes Way, sometimes Bread, sometimes Seed, sometimes Resurrection, sometimes Son, sometimes Father, sometimes Spirit, sometimes Life, sometimes Truth, sometimes Faith, sometimes Grace.9. “Now those things [it is called] as towards men; but as to what it is in truth, itself in its own meaning to itself, and declared unto Us, [it is] the defining (or delimitation) of all things, both the firm necessity of things fixed from things unstable, and the ‘harmony’ of Wisdom.10. “And as it is Wisdom in ‘harmony,’ there are those on the Right and those on the Left—powers, authorities, principalities, and dæmons, energies, threats, powers of wrath, slanderings—and the Lower Root from which hath come forth the things in genesis.11 [99]. “This, then, is the Cross which by the Word (Logos) hath been the means of ‘cross-beaming’ all things—at the same time separating off the things that proceed from genesis and those below it [from those above], and also compacting them all into one.12. “But this is not the cross of wood which thou shalt see when thou descendest hence; nor am I he that is upon the cross—[I] whom now thou seest not, but only hearest a voice.13. “I was held [to be] what I am not, not being what I was to many others; nay, they will call Me something else, abject and not worthy of Me. As, then, the Place of Rest is neither seen nor spoken of, much more shall I, the Lord of it, be neither seen [nor spoken of].