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Pistis Sophia · 152 of 160 · tr. George Horner

Document FOURTH-h

And they took away their eyes up, they saw a great light which is much greatly, native of earth shall not be able to speak of it. Said he also to them again, Look out on the Light, see what ye see. Said they, We are seeing a fire with water with wine with blood. Said [331 ] Jesus, who Aberamentho is, toward his disciples, Amen I say to you, I brought not anything unto the World, while coming, except this fire with this water with this wine with this blood. I brought the water with the fire from the Place of the Light of the Lights from the Treasury of the Light. I brought the wine with the blood from the Place of the Barbelos, and after a little time my Father dispatched to me the spirit which is holy in the type of a dove: but the fire with the water with the wine they became unto a purifying of the world. The blood also became to me for sign, because of the body of the mankind, this which I took from the Place of the Barbelos, the great power of the Invisible God. The 189 spirit also is drawing in front of every soul, taking them [332 ] unto the Place of the Light. Because of this I said to you, I came to cast a fire upon the earth, which is this, that I came to purify the sins of all the World in fire. And because of this I said to the Samaritan woman, Thou wast not knowing the free-gift of God, and who it is who saith to thee, Give me that I may drink: Thou wast asking him and he (would) give to thee water living, and it (would) become to thee for a fountain in thee, springing up unto a life of unto age. And also because of this I took a cup of wine, I blessed it I gave it to you, because this is the blood, the Covenant which they will shed for you unto the forgiving of your sins. And also because of this they thrust the spear in unto my side, came out water with blood. But these are the mysteries of the Light which are wont to forgive sins, which are those, the appellations and (with, MS ) [332 ] the names of the Light. It happened therefore after these (things), commanded Jesus, Let all the powers of the Left (hand) come unto their Places. And Jesus with his disciples remained upon the mountain of the Galilaia. Added also the disciples, they prayed him, How long therefore dost not thou cause them to forgive our sins which we did with our unlawfulness, and make us worthy of the kingdom of thy Father. But Jesus, said he to them, Amen I say to you, Not only shall I purify your sins, but I shall make you worthy of the kingdom of my Father. And I shall give to you the mystery of the forgiving of sin upon the earth, that that which ye will forgive upon the earth, they shall forgive to him in the heavens, and that which ye will bind upon the earth it will become being bound in the heavens. I shall give to you the mystery of the kingdom of the heavens that ye also [333 ] shall do them to the men. But Jesus, said he to them, Bring to me fire with some wood of vine. They brought them to him, he offered up the Oblation: he put the two jars of wine one on the right hand and the other on the left of the Oblation. He put the Oblation in front of them. He put a cup of water by the vessel of wine which (is) on the right, and he put a cup of wine by the vessel of wine which (is) on the left, and he put some cakes according to the number of the disciples in the midst of the cups. He put a cup of water behind the cakes.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

The divine is described using human attributes such as having a 'hand' and being able to 'command' powers.

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Apocatastasiscosmology

The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles.

The text promises the forgiveness of sins and purification of the world, implying a restoration of cosmic order.

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Birth Of Word In Soulanthropology

Eckhart's signature doctrine that the Father eternally begets the Son in the ground of the soul; the human interior as the actual site of the divine generative act, distinct from inner_light's static indwelling.

The text states that the spirit is drawing in front of every soul and taking them unto the Place of the 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 water with blood from the body of mankind is described as a source of power rather than a hindrance to divine knowledge.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

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

The text contrasts the purifying fire with the material world and the 'Left hand' powers.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The Light is described as native of earth and beyond human ability to speak of it directly.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

The passage repeatedly emphasizes the 'Light' as a central divine reality that purifies sins and reveals mysteries.

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Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

Jesus commands powers to come to their Places and promises forgiveness of sins for those who do not forgive others.

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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 disciples are instructed to 'Look out on the Light' and see what they see as a path to understanding.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The passage explicitly describes 'mysteries of the Light' and 'esoteric teachings' reserved for those ready to receive them.

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Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

The disciples are told to look out on the Light which is native of earth and will reveal what they see.

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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 portrayed as an active, personal reality who commands powers and offers living water.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

The disciples are taken unto the Place of the Light by the spirit, implying a union with the divine realm.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

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

The text presents fire as purifying and water as life-giving simultaneously.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The disciples explicitly pray Jesus to forgive their sins and make them worthy of the kingdom.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

Fire is described as a purifying medium that will be cast upon the earth to cleanse sins.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The text identifies Jesus as 'Aberamentho' and emphasizes the 'appellations and names of the Light' as keys to forgiveness.

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Theosis Deificationsoteriology

The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.

The promise of being made worthy of the kingdom suggests a transformation into a partaker of divine status.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

Jesus commands powers to come to their Places and uses consecrated material symbols like wine and water in an Oblation.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
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“200 Redemption is a work performed by the whole Trinity through the Second Person. (So, too, is Creation. Cf. p. 65, n. 2). 201 i. e. We strive to distinguish the two planes of Being in God. Cf. Athan. Creed: “Neither confounding…”
Shared concept: Theosis Deification — The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIII-av
“It is well observed by Ficinus, in lib. i. Eunead. ii. Plotin. “that the fire which is enkindled by us is more similar to the heavens than other terrestrial substances. Hence it participates of light, which is something incorporeal, i…”
Shared concept: Ritual Fire — Fire as medium of divine presence. (derived)
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“13.) Man can attain real similarity to God and perfect beatitude only by decisively willing to put his will into the Son, as the Heart or Light of the Father. "God has the eternal and unchangeable will to generate His Heart and his Son, an…”
Shared concept: Birth Of Word In Soul — Eckhart's signature doctrine that the Father eternally begets the Son in the ground of the soul; the human interior as the actual site of the divine generative act, distinct from inner_light's static indwelling. (derived)
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Page 3 (part 11)
“1-10, 18, 19 as a natural sequel, where p. xxvi [paragraph continues] Enoch summons his children to receive his parting words. Then comes the Apocalypse of weeks, xciii. 1-10, xci. 12-17. The original order of the text, therefore, was:…”
Shared concept: Eschatological Judgment — Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration. (derived)