THE GNOSTIC CONCEPTION OF THE CROSS. 



115 



with Gnostics. In the Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle 

 Andrew, the apostle cries before being fastened to the Cross : 

 " Rejoice, 0 Cross, which has been consecrated by the body of 

 Christ and adorned by His limbs as if with pearls. Assuredly 

 before my Lord went up on thee, thou hadst much earthly fear ; 

 but now, invested with heavenly longing, thou art set up according 

 to my prayer 0 good Cross, which hast received comeli- 

 ness and beauty from the limbs of the Lord ; 0 much longed for, 

 and earnestly desired, and fervently sought after, and already 

 prepared beforehand for my soul longing for thee, take me away 

 from men, and restore me to my Master, in order that through 

 thee He may accept me. who through thee hast redeemed 

 me."* 



In this passage the Cross upon which the apostle is to suffer 

 appears to be identifi d with that of Christ Himself. If it might 

 be susceptible of an orthodox interpretation, or if it has been 

 toned down to more orthodox methods of thought, it is obviously 

 of Gnostic origin. A more or less parallel passage in the Enco- 

 miasta Amnyma of t he same apostle — a document already cited 

 in another connexion, shows the Gnostic method of invocation 

 and the Gnostic conception of the Cross quite distinctly : " 0 

 Cross, ingenious implement of the salvation ^Tought for men by 

 the Highest ! 0 Cross, unvanquished trophy of the victory of 

 Christ over the enemy ! 0 Cross, life-bringing wood, planted 

 in the earth, but the fruit treasured up in heaven ! 0 venerable 

 Cross, sweet object, sweet name, 0 adorable Cross, which has 

 carried the Master, the true vine, as a cluster, and hast borne the 

 robber as fruit, faith blossoming through confession. Thou who 

 led back the worthy to God through knowledge (iiri^vcoaLi;), and 

 called back those in sins through repentance, disdain not hence- 

 forth to receive me also ! But how long do I loiter sapng these 

 things and delay to let myself be fastened to the Cross, that I may 

 be made living through it and discharge gloriously the death 

 debt through it! Therefore, come, ministers of my joy and ser- 

 vants of the proconsul, fulfil the will of both, and bind the lamb to 

 the tree, bringing the Form [i.e., the flesh] to the Demiurge, 

 and the soul to the Giver, "f 



The Gnostic conceptions of the Cross as a double of Christ, 

 of salvation as knowledge, and of matter and spirit, as well as 



* Apocr. Gospels, Acts, and Revelations, p. 341 f. 

 t Lipsius, op. dt., i, 596. 



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