THE GNOSTIC CONCEPTION OF THE CROSS. 



101 



Christian scheme, Gnosticism required to evade, as has just been 

 seen. That knowledge was conveyed to the Gnostic by esoteric 

 means, acquaintance with spiritual mysteries supposed to have 

 been revealed secretly by Christ, or through a mystical experience. 

 The Gnostic's superiority to matter was gained by sacraments, 

 initiations, and other rites. 



Enhghtenment, or Gnosis, as the esoteric revelation of mysteries 

 hid from ordinary men, is well seen in the Gnostic Acts of Thomas. 

 In these Acts God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are called " hidden," 

 and the apostle reveals them and their mysteries. Christ is the 

 " hidden Rest " or the " hidden Light,'' and there is a " hidden 

 mystery " of the oil used in initiation. How remote is all this 

 from the New Testament idea of Christ as the Light enlightening 

 all men ! 



The conception of enhghtenment or of mysteries revealed by 

 Christ secretly to the apostles, usually after the Resurrection, 

 is extensively shown in the Coptic BooJc of the Saviour and 

 similar works. The Gnostic view of the universe is detailed 

 by Christ. He explains the meaning and purpose of mystic 

 sacraments, which bring the soul into the light of hghts ; He 

 also gives them the mysteries by which the ascending soul may 

 pass through the gates of the spheres, the seals and master- 

 words by which the Archons may be confounded.* 



Further, Christ's revelation dehvered men from the slavery 

 of Fate — in practice the bondage to the power of the planetary 

 Archons or AVorld-rulers, including or additional to the Demiurge, 

 or God of the world of matter. The escape was brought about 

 by the knowledge of magic formulae, charms, and sacraments 

 imparted by the Sa\aour, as has just been seen. These were to 

 be used by the soul on its ascent through the heavens of the 

 Archons to the Pleroma after death. f 



This Gnosis was impossible for men of the material type ; 

 only the Gnostic, the irvevixarLKo^, was destined to it. Psychical 

 men might or might not reach a certain salvation, but they 

 could never obtain Gnosis with all the rich destiny which attended 

 on it. 



* See these works in K. Schmidt, Kopt.-gnost. Schriften, Leipzig, 1905, 

 and in G. R. S Mead, Pistis Sophia, a Coptic Gnostic Gospel, London, 

 1896. 



t Sse W. Anz, Zvr Frage nach dem Ursprung des Gnostizismus, in 

 Texle und Untersmhungen, xv, 4, Leipzig, 1897. 



