Greco-Christian stream·Pistis Sophia·Third Book — Mysteries of the Light·Chapter 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
Source context
- Theme
- mysteries of light as gnosis — the illuminating function of divine light within initiatic knowledge
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
- GA 8, chapter 9Steiner treats the Johannine Apocalypse's light-symbolism as pointing to a future condition in which the mysteries of light are no longer concealed but openly disclosed to transformed human consciousness.
- GA 228, 1923-07-28Steiner notes that the writings of the Gnostics were systematically destroyed, leaving their light-oriented doctrines accessible only through polemical counter-texts.
- GA 69c, 1912-11-16Steiner identifies the Gnostic thinkers Basilides, Marcion, and Valentinus as holding that the Christ-impulse is absolutely necessary for the entire development of humanity, a view he regards as genuinely penetrating despite later dismissal.
- GA 87, 1902-04-19Steiner describes early Gnostic teaching as synthesising ancient religious systems worldwide within an initiatic framework centred on knowledge as the path to spiritual reality.
Cross-tradition
- Neoplatonism / PlotinusThe Plotinian emanation of the One as intelligible light — nous as self-luminous — shows cross-tradition congruence with Gnostic Christian schemas in which light-mysteries constitute the highest stratum of divine self-disclosure.
- Hermetism (Corpus Hermeticum)The Hermetic Poimandres vision, in which Nous appears to the seer as limitless light before revealing the architecture of cosmic creation, exhibits cross-tradition congruence with Gnostic treatments of light as the medium of highest gnosis.
- Zoroastrian tradition (Ahura Mazda / Asha)The Zoroastrian identification of Ahura Mazda with boundless light and truth (Asha) as the structural principle of cosmic order shows cross-tradition congruence with the Gnostic Christian equation of divine light and salvific knowledge.
Chapter 108
CHAPTER 108
Mary again questioneth Jesus.It came to pass, when Jesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that Mary adored the feet of Jesus and kissed them. Mary said: "My Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me."
The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Question concerning what thou desirest to question, and I will reveal it |275. unto thee in openness."
And Mary answered and said: "My Lord, suppose a good and excellent brother whom we have filled with all the mysteries of the Light, and that brother hath a brother or kinsman, in a
word he hath in general [any] man, and this [man] is a sinner and impious or better he is no sinner, and such an one hath gone out of the body, and the heart of the good brother is grieved and mourneth over him, that he is in judgments and chastisements,--now, therefore, my Lord, what are we to do to remove him out of the chastisements and harsh judgments?"
And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Concerning this word, therefore, I have already spoken unto you at another time, but hearken that I may say it again, so that ye may be perfected in all mysteries and be called 'the perfected in every fulness.'
How the souls of those who have come out of the body may be helped by those on earth."Now, therefore, all men, sinners or better who are no sinners, not only if ye desire that they be taken out of the judgments and violent chastisements, but that they be removed into a righteous body which will find the mysteries of the godhead, so that it goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-kingdom,--then perform the third mystery of the Ineffable |276. and say: Carry ye the soul of this and this man of whom we think in our hearts, carry him out of all the chastisements of the rulers and haste ye quickly to lead him before the Virgin of Light; and in every month let the Virgin of Light seal him with a higher seal, and in every month let the Virgin of Light cast him into a body which will be righteous and good, so that it goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-kingdom. "And if ye say this, amēn, I say unto you: All who serve in all the orders of the judgments of the rulers, hasten to hand over that soul from one to the other, until they lead it before the Virgin of Light. And the Virgin of Light sealeth
it with the sign of the kingdom of the Ineffable and handeth it over unto her receivers, and the receivers will cast it into a body which will be righteous and find the mysteries of the Light, so that it will be good and goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-kingdom. Lo, this is it on which ye question me."