Third Book — Mysteries of the Light
Source context· Greco-Christian stream · Greco-Latin cultural age
- Stream
- Greco-Christian
- Cultural age
- Greco-Latin (4th post-Atlantean cultural age)
- Composed
- c. 300 CE
- Soul-faculty
- Intellectual Soul
What this work carries
The Third Book of Pistis Sophia (Askew Codex) preserves initiatic dialogue-material concerning the soul's ascent through graduated light-worlds and the judgement of the dead. It surfaces mystery-school cosmology concerning hierarchical aeons and the post-mortem fate of the human being. These teachings encode older Hellenistic and Jewish apocalyptic strata transmitted through Egyptian Gnostic circles of the third and fourth centuries CE.
Language frame
The work is cast as a revelatory dialogue between the Risen Christ and his disciples, employing the Coptic translated from a Greek original. Its distinctive form combines apocalyptic vision-narrative with catechetical question-and-answer, a structure characteristic of Egyptian Valentinian and Sethian Gnostic literary practice.
Steiner’s engagement
- GA 228, 1923-07-28Steiner notes that all original Gnostic writings were destroyed and that Europeans know the Gnostics only through polemical counter-writings, making direct textual access to Gnostic wisdom historically obstructed.
- GA 87, 1902-04-19Steiner identifies the Gnostics as bearing, alongside ancient religious systems worldwide, a foundational view of cosmic development that stood at the intersection of mystery-knowledge and early Christianity.
- GA 69c, 1912-11-16Steiner characterizes Gnostic thinkers such as Basilides, Marcion, and Valentinus as representing the central developmental idea that the Christ-impulse is absolutely necessary for the entire evolution of humanity on earth, and cautions against dismissing Gnostics as mere fantasists.
Cross-tradition congruence
- Neoplatonic henology (Plotinus, Enneads)The Third Book's graduated hierarchy of light-worlds and the soul's progressive ascent toward a supreme luminous source shows structural congruence with the Plotinian schema of procession and return through hierarchically ordered hypostases.
- Jewish Merkabah mysticismThe soul's passage through guarded celestial gates and the angelic gatekeepers encountered during ascent show structural congruence with Merkabah hekhalot literature's account of the mystic's passage through the seven heavenly palaces.
- Egyptian Book of the Dead / weighing of the soulThe Third Book's detailed account of post-mortem judgement and assignment of souls to differentiated realms shows structural congruence with the Egyptian psychostasia tradition in which the deceased's deeds are weighed before divine assessors.
- 1Chapter 102 — Of the proclamation of the disciples
Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments · Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one]
1,614 words - 2Chapter 103 — Mary questioneth the Saviour
Of the soul of the righteous man who hath not received the mysteries at death · Virgin of Light
583 words - 3Chapter 104 — John questioneth Jesus
Light-kingdom · Perchance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom
513 words - 4Chapter 105 — John continueth his questioning
First Mystery · Light-kingdom
834 words - 5Chapter 106 — John continueth his questioning
Further of the forgiveness of sins · First Mystery and the mystery of the Ineffable
552 words - 6Chapter 107 — John continueth his questioning
Of pretenders who receive the mysteries · A former saying explained
742 words - 7Chapter 108 — Mary again questioneth Jesus
Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me · Light, so that it will be good and goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-kingdom
497 words - 8Chapter 109 — Mary continueth her questioning
How he who possesseth the mysteries can come forth out of the body without suffering · Light, until it reacheth the region of its kingdom
389 words - 9Chapter 110 — The mystery of the raising of the dead
I have just said, then will they quickly come to pass for him
461 words - 10Chapter 111 — How the disciples shall make proclamation
Beware of the doctrines of error · And it is not I, and they will lead many astray
1,478 words - 11Chapter 112 — Of the ascension after death of the good soul that hath received the mysteries
Light, until it reacheth the region of its kingdom up to which it hath received mysteries · I come not to your region from this moment onwards
1,398 words - 12Chapter 113 — Mary interpreteth from former sayings
They said: 'The king's · Lord, is the first thought
1,091 words - 13Chapter 114 — I have spoken
I have spoken
213 words - 14Chapter 115 — Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Finely hast thou spoken
How the soul of the sinner is stamped with his sins · I may tell you the word in truth, in what type the mystery of baptism forgiveth sins
734 words - 15Chapter 116 — Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying
This, my Lord, is the word which thou hast spoken clearly · I am come to cast peace on the earth? Nay, but I am come to cast division
403 words - 16Chapter 117 — Mary further questioneth Jesus
Lord, I will still continue to question thee · Lord, bear with me questioning thee
255 words - 17Chapter 118 — Now, therefore, my Lord, concerning the word which thou sayest: |304
Mary, thou spiritual and light-pure Mary · First Mystery, it will be forgiven
394 words - 18Chapter 119 — Of such initiated who sin and die without repentance
Of the unending forgiveness of those who have received the mystery of the Ineffable · Of such initiated who sin and die without repentance
532 words - 19Chapter 120 — Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying
And when she had said this, the Saviour said: "Well said, thou spiritual light-pure Mary · Of the unending compassion of the great mysteries for the repentant
607 words - 20Chapter 121 — Mary interpreteth from a former saying
Lord, with precision have I precisely followed all the words which thou hast said · When then Mary had said this, the Saviour said: "Well said, thou spiritual Mary
413 words - 21Chapter 122 — Jesus trieth Peter
He had baptized her three times, and yet she had not done what was worthy of the baptisms · Saviour had said this, he tried [Peter] to see whether he was compassionate and forgiving
444 words - 22Chapter 123 — There is no limit to the number of mysteries the faithful may receive
There is no limit to the number of mysteries the faithful may receive
416 words - 23Chapter 124 — The fate of the gnostic who sinneth is more terrible than that of the ignorant sinner
Now, therefore, who hath ears to hear, let him hear
339 words - 24Chapter 125 — Of those who procrastinate, saying they have many births before them
Light and no one be able to go forth · Those who procrastinate are excluded from the Light
761 words - 25Chapter 126 — Of the dragon of the outer darkness
Of the rulers of the twelve dungeons and their names · This [is] he who is called in his region 'Charachar
605 words - 26Chapter 127 — What souls pass into the dragon, and how
Thus will the souls be led into the outer darkness · I tell you at the expansion of the universe
625 words - 27Chapter 128 — The disciples bewail the fate of sinners
How to save the souls of sinners · A summary of the formulæ
981 words - 28Chapter 129 — Melchisedec follow them and lead them before the Virgin of Light
Melchisedec follow them and lead them before the Virgin of Light
254 words - 29Chapter 130 — Mary pleadeth for those who have neglected the mysteries
Have then mercy, O Lord, with such souls · Give them then, O Lord, a gift in thy goodness and give them rest in thy mercy
1,324 words - 30Chapter 131 — Of the light of the sun and the darkness of the dragon
Of the cup of forgetfulness · Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "They do not come down in this manner into the world
1,568 words - 31Chapter 132 — Salome is in doubt
Saviour had heard Mary say these words, that he called her most exceedingly blessed · Mary had said this, Salome started forward to Mary and embraced her anew
2,176 words - 32Chapter 133 — There is no escape from the destiny
Light, may be bound in the Light-land to the orders of the inheritances of the Light · The mysteries are for all men
594 words - 33Chapter 134 — The criterion of orthodoxy
The Books of Yew · I rent myself asunder and am come into the world, that I may save them
633 words - 34Chapter 135 — No soul had entered into the Light before the coming of the First Mystery
Light, go on high and inherit the Light-kingdom · Light, I will carry their souls with me into the Light
572 words
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