The mysteries imparted to the awakened by a hierophant or Gnostic Revealer.īob explains that the Gnostic concept of providing an astral map of extraterrestrial domains has its origins in:īabylonian astrology and Mithraism, but it was no doubt made real by the visions of ascetics who, alone in their desert cells, strove mightily against the demons of temptation.The ascension of the disembodied soul through the heavenly realms guarded by angelic or demonic gatekeepers.He rebuilds the text by taking the natural trajectory of two prevalent Gnostic myths: In less poetic terms, Bob adeptly reconstructs the Gospel of Mary, drawing from the theologies and literary devices of Middle Platonic Gnostic Christians such as the Valentinians and Sethians.
Yet deconstruction and filling those dark niches of any censorship is a Classic Gnostic aspect, and Robert Price does exactly this in his book, The Pre-Nicene New Testament. Sadly, much of the beginning and middle are missing from the Gospel of Mary. As far as the dating goes, most academics place it in the middle to late 2 nd century. Most scholars do agree it’s heavily tinged with Stoic philosophy.
Others, like April DeConick, see the text as a Valentinian work. Some scholars like Karen King contend the Gospel of Mary does not originate from any Gnostic school of thought but originating from a Platonic corner of early Christianity. She is portrayed as a leader, comforting and guiding the apostles after the ostensible death of Jesus, even if her role is challenged by Simon Peter (a popular Gnostic cipher for Orthodoxy). A more complete version of this gospel can be found in the Berlin Codex, originally discovered in the late 19 th century in Upper Egypt. Within its well-preserved pages, Mary Magdalene shares a mystic vision with the other disciples regarding the heavenly realms. Contrary to popular belief, the Gospel of Mary is not found in the Nag Hammadi library (although most versions include it). Mary Magdalene’s Gnosis is displayed in full in the Gospel of Mary. There’s something about Mary, and according to the Gnostics that “something” was that she had the Gnosis. The Gnostic Gospel Dialogue of Savior even proclaims her as the “woman who understood completely.” Far beyond the orthodox version of a penitent sinner or soft porn projection for medieval artists, the Gnostics presented Mary Magdalene as a spiritual visionary, a religious leader, and perhaps the main disciple of Christ. Mary Magdalene is a towering yet enigmatic figure in historical Gnosticism, from the Nag Hammadi texts to the folklore of the Cathars, from the polemics of the church fathers to the theology of modern Gnostic churches.
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