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Pistis Sophia · 73 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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[170 ] Because that I was not seeking after the manner (in) which seek the men of the World; but we are seeking indeed in the knowledge of the Height, this which thou gavest to us, and we are seeking also in the type of the search which is preferable, this which thou taughtest us for to seek in it. Now therefore, my Lord, be not angry with me, but reveal to me the word about which I shall ask thee. It happened therefore, Jesus having heard these words, saying them Maria, the Magdalene, answered then (but, MS) Jesus, said he to her, Seek after that which thou wishest to seek after, and I shall reveal it to thee in an exactness with a certainty, Amen, amen I say to you, Rejoice in great joy and be [171 ] glad greatly greatly, ye are seeking after every thing in an exactness, and I shall be glad greatly greatly, because ye seek after every 92 thing in an exactness. And ye seek after the manner (in) which it is worthy to seek. Now therefore, seek after that which thou seekest after, and I shall reveal it to thee in joy. It happened therefore, Maria having heard these words, saying them the Saviour, she rejoiced in great joy, and she was glad for her greatly greatly. Said she to Jesus, My Lord and my Saviour, then of what kind are the twenty-four Invisibles, and being, also, of what type: or otherwise rather of what nature: or, then, being of what nature is their light? But answered Jesus, said he [171 ] to Maria, What is that which is in this World being like to them: or what, rather, of Place which is in this World is that which is resembling unto them? Now therefore unto what shall I compare them: or, rather, is that which I shall say concerning them: for there is not any one in this World unto whom I shall be able to compare them; and there is not any of appearance in it unto whom I shall be able to liken them? Now therefore there is not any in this World being of the nature of the heaven, Amen I say to you, Each Invisible, is great(er) than the heaven with the Sphere which is upon it, and with the twelve Aeons together nine times, according as I finished saying to you another time. And there is not any light in this World being preferable unto the light [172 ] of the sun. Amen, amen I say to you: The twenty-four Invisibles are of light more than the light of the sun which is in this World ten thousand times according as I finished saying to you another time. Because that the light of the sun in his truth of shape is not in this Place. Because that his light passeth through many veils of Places. But the light of the sun in his truth of shape, this which becometh in the Place of the Virgin of the Light shineth more than the twenty-four Invisibles and with the great Forefather invisible and with also the great Triple-powered God a ten thousand times, according as I finished saying to you another time. [172 ] Now therefore, Maria, there is not any appearance in this world, nor is there light, nor is there shape comparable to the twenty-four Invisibles, that I should compare them unto them: but yet another little time, thou with thy brothers of fellow-disciples, I shall take you unto all the Places of the Height, and I shall take you unto the three Spaces of the First Mystery, until the Places only of the Space of the Ineffable. And ye will see all their shape in truth without comparison. And whenever I should take you unto the Height, ye will see the glory of those of the Height.
Themes
Aeonscosmology

Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.

The text explicitly mentions 'twelve Aeons together' as a component of the divine structure.

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Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

Jesus declares there is no one in this world comparable to the Invisibles and that he cannot compare them to any appearance or light.

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Body As Obstacleanthropology

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

The material world is characterized by veils and deficiency compared to the divine realm.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A clear distinction is drawn between the deficient material world and the superior divine realm of the Invisibles.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The text emphasizes that the Invisibles are 'Invisible' and their true nature cannot be compared to any earthly appearance.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The passage extensively describes the Invisibles as beings of light surpassing even the sun's light in this world.

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Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

The text references 'the Height' and 'the Sphere which is upon it', implying a structured cosmic order of being.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

The passage centers on seeking the 'knowledge of the Height' and revealing truth in an exactness rather than through faith or ritual.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The text describes a revelation reserved for those who seek in the knowledge of the Height and are prepared to receive it.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

Jesus is depicted as an active responsive reality who reveals truth and grants joy to those who seek him.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

The text specifies exact numerical relationships such as 'twelve Aeons together nine times' and 'ten thousand times'.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

Jesus states there is no one in this world comparable to the Invisibles, using paradoxical language to convey their transcendence.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Maria directly addresses Jesus as 'My Lord and my Saviour' in a petitionary tone.

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Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The promise of being taken to the 'Places of the Height' implies a journey back to the divine origin.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

Maria asks about being taken to 'all the Places of the Height' and the 'three Spaces of the First Mystery'.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1o
And herein the Divine Yearning showeth especially its beginningless and endless nature, revolving in a perpetual circle for the Good, from the Good, in the Good, and to the Good, with unerring revolution, never varying its centre or directi…”
Both passages discuss the pursuit of higher knowledge and the nature of divine or transcendent realities. They emphasize the limitations of worldly understanding and the need for divine revelation or inspiration to comprehend these higher truths.
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Both passages discuss the ineffable nature of divine beings and the limitations of human language and understanding in describing them. They also emphasize the transcendence and immanence of the divine, using metaphors and comparisons to convey these concepts.
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Both passages discuss the pursuit of higher knowledge and the nature of divine realms. They emphasize the inadequacy of worldly comparisons to describe the divine and the transformative experience of attaining higher understanding.
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p. 176 BOOK II. PART I. SECTION II. Khî Wû Lun, or 'The Adjustment of Controversies 1 .' 1. Nan-kwo Sze-khî 2 was seated, leaning forward on his stool. He was looking up to heaven and breathed gently, seeming to be in a trance, and to…”
Both passages describe a mystical experience where the seeker is guided by a teacher to understand higher realities beyond the physical world. They share a theme of seeking knowledge and insight that transcends ordinary human experience.