Greco-Christian stream·Pistis Sophia·First Book — Post-Resurrection Discourses·Chapter 42
Pistis Sophia
Pistis Sophia; and I could not come forward because I am the scribe of all the discourses · Philip and Thomas and Matthew
Source context
- Theme
- post-resurrection instruction and transmission of gnosis from the Risen Christ to the disciples
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
- GA 69c, 1912-11-16Steiner identifies the Christ impulse as absolutely necessary for all of humanity's earthly development, a position that Gnostic teachers such as Basilides, Marcion, and Valentinus placed at the center of their thought — directly paralleling the post-resurrection teaching framework of this textual tradition.
- GA 94, 1906-11-04Steiner describes the Christian-Gnostic initiatory path as a specific spiritual-developmental route in which Christ's direct transmission to the disciple is the operative principle.
- GA 228, 1923-07-28Steiner notes that original Gnostic writings were systematically destroyed and are known in Europe primarily through polemical counter-texts, establishing the rarity and significance of preserved post-resurrection discourse literature such as Pistis Sophia.
Cross-tradition
- Mandaean Gnosis (Codex Nazaraeus)The Nazarene Gnostic concept of ferho — the highest creative power — provides cross-tradition congruence with the descending luminous principle that the Risen Christ transmits in post-resurrection dialogue texts.
- Neoplatonist theurgyPlotinian and Iamblichean frameworks of the soul's return to the One through successive levels of illumination show cross-tradition congruence with the ascending-soul narrative structured through the Risen Christ's discourses in this chapter.
Chapter 42
CHAPTER 42
When then Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he said unto them: "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear; and let him whose spirit seetheth up in him, come forward and speak the solution of the thought of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia."
Philip the scribe complaineth.And when Jesus had finished saying these words, Philip started forward, held up and laid down the book in his hand,--for he is the scribe of all the discourses which Jesus spake, and of all of that which he did,--Philip then |70. came forward and said unto him: "My Lord, surely then it is not on me alone that thou hast enjoined to take care for the world and write down all
the discourses which we shall speak and [all we shall] do? And thou hast not suffered me to come forward to speak the solution of the mysteries of the repentance of Pistis Sophia. For my spirit hath ofttimes seethed in me and been unloosed and constrained me to come forward and speak the solution of the repentance of Pistis Sophia; and I could not come forward because I am the scribe of all the discourses."
Jesus explaineth that the appointed scribes are Philip and Thomas and Matthew.It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard Philip, that he said unto him: "Hearken, Philip, blessed one, that I may discourse with thee; for it is thou and Thomas and Matthew on whom it is enjoined by the First Mystery to write all the discourses which I shall speak and [all which I shall] do, and all things which ye shall see. But as for thee, the number of the discourses which thou hast to write, is so far not yet completed. When it is then completed, thou art to come forward and proclaim what pleaseth thee. Now, therefore, ye three have to write down all the discourses which I shall speak and [all things which I shall] do and which ye shall see, in order that ye may bear witness to all things of the kingdom of heaven."