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Pistis Sophia · 154 of 160 · tr. George Horner

Document FOURTHj

This is the baptism of the First Oblation which guideth in unto the Place of the truth, and in [335 ] unto the Place of the Light. After these (things) also said they his disciples, Rabbei reveal to us the mystery of the Light of thy Father, since we knew thee while thou sayest, that there is also baptism of Fire, and there is also baptism of Spirit, being holy, of the Light, and there is a spiritual anointing, these which are wont to take the souls unto the Treasury of the Light. Say therefore unto us their mystery, that we may inherit also the kingdom of thy Father. Said Jesus to them, These mysteries after which ye seek? There is not mystery more excellent than they, which is about to take your souls unto the Light of the Lights, unto the Places of the truth with the goodness, of the Place of him who is holy of all those who are holy, unto the Place in which there is not woman, nor is there male, nor is there shape in that Place, but [336 ] a light is being steadfast ineffable: there is not that which is more excellent therefore than those mysteries after which ye seek, except the mystery of the Seven Voices with their forty nine powers, and their tickets, and with the Name which is more excellent than all of them, the Name in which is becoming every name, and every light and every power. He who knoweth that Name, whenever he should come out of the body of the matter, shall not any smoke nor any darkness nor authority nor Ruler of the Sphere of the Destiny, nor Angel nor Archangel nor power, they shall not be able to hold back the soul which knoweth that Name. But whenever he should come out of the World and (should) say that Name unto the fire, it is wont to be quenched, and is wont the darkness to withdraw. And whenever he should say unto the demons with the Receivers [336 ] of the Darkness which is outer, with their Rulers with their authorities with their powers, they will all perish and their flame burn and they (will) cry out, Thou art holy, thou art holy, he who is holy of all those who are holy. And whenever they should say that Name unto the Receivers of the judgments which are evil, with their authorities with all their powers, and the Barbelo also with the Invisible God with the three Triple-powered Gods, at the hour in which they will say this Name in those Places, they will fall all of them 192 one upon another and be dissolved and perish, and they (will) cry out, O Light of every Light which becometh in the Boundless Light, remember us also and purify us. But having finished saying these words Jesus, cried out all his disciples, they wept in a great cry, saying, ( Four leaves wanting. ) 193
Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The Father is addressed directly as 'thy Father' and Jesus speaks to the disciples using personal pronouns.

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Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The Place of the Light is described by negation: no woman, male, shape, or smoke exists there.

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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 text states that when the soul comes out of the body of the matter, it is freed from smoke and darkness.

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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 establishes a fundamental opposition between Light/Darkness and Spirit/Fire as ontological forces.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The Place of the Light is described as ineffable and inaccessible to ordinary perception or form.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

Light is repeatedly invoked as a central attribute of the Father and the Place of Truth.

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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.

The passage describes the perishing of demons and Receivers of Judgments when they utter the Name.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The text outlines a path for souls to be taken unto the Treasury of the Light after baptism.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

Salvation is contingent upon knowing the Name and inheriting the kingdom through direct knowledge rather than ritual alone.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The disciples seek the 'mystery' of the Light which is revealed to them by Jesus.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

The promise of inheritance suggests the divine realm is accessible through personal knowledge rather than external location.

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Living Godtheology

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

The Father is depicted as active and responsive to the disciples' questions about mysteries.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The goal is to be taken unto the Place of the Light with the goodness of the holy Father.

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Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

The Place of Truth is defined by the absence of gender and form, dissolving binary oppositions.

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Prayerpraxis

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

Disciples cry out to the Father and demons for purification and remembrance.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The text describes a guided passage of souls from baptism unto the Place of Truth.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

Fire is mentioned as a medium that can be quenched by the Name.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The Name of the Father is presented as ontologically powerful, capable of quenching fire and dissolving demons.

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Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

Salvation is linked to knowing the Name rather than external rituals or baptism alone.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

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

The text describes a movement from baptism unto the Place of Truth and Light.

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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.

Salvation involves inheriting the kingdom of the Father and being holy like him.

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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.

The practice involves uttering names to alter reality, such as quenching fire or dissolving demons.

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Related passages · 8 parallels
christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 15)
"The Spirit of Christ in His children is not bound to a certain form, so that He could say nothing but what is found in the writings of the apostles; but as the Spirit was free in the apostles, and as they did not all use the same expressio…”
Both passages discuss mystical insights and the transformative power of divine names or spirits. They emphasize the transcendence of earthly forms and the direct experience of the divine, though within different religious contexts.
egyptian|The Egyptian Heaven and Hell|Chapter 4 (part 9)
Entrance to the Boat of Millions of Years was likewise obtained by the knowledge of magical words and formulae, and of the secret names of the great gods, but the food on which lived the beatified souls who succeeded in securing a place in…”
Both passages describe a mystical journey to a divine realm, emphasizing the importance of secret knowledge or names to navigate this realm. They also highlight the transformation of the soul into a state of light and the overcoming of obstacles through this knowledge.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXXVIII
XXXVII-XLIV. The First Parable . XXXVIII. The Coming Judgement of the Wicked . CHAPTER XXXVIII 1. The First Parable. When the congregation of the righteous shall appear, And sinners shall be judged for their sins, And shall be driven from t…”
Both passages discuss the ultimate fate of the righteous and the wicked, emphasizing the revelation of secrets and the judgment of sinners. They share a theme of divine light and the transformation or destruction of evil forces, though they come from different mystical traditions.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XLVI
XLVI. The Head of Days and the Son of Man . CHAPTER XLVI. 1. And there I saw One who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full o…”
Both passages describe mystical revelations and divine figures with transformative powers. They share themes of divine light, righteousness, and the ultimate dissolution of evil forces, though they come from different religious traditions.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXII
LXII. Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty: Blessedness of the Righteous . CHAPTER LXII. 1. And thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said: 'Open your eyes and lift up your…”
Both passages describe a divine figure who holds ultimate authority and judgment, and the transformation or salvation of the righteous. They share themes of divine revelation, the power of sacred names or words, and the ultimate destiny of the soul or the righteous.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXXXI
LXXXI. The Heavenly Tablets and the Mission of Enoch . CHAPTER LXXXI. 1. And he said unto me: 'Observe, Enoch, these heavenly tablets, And read what is written thereon, And mark every individual fact.' p. 108 2 And I observed the heavenly t…”
Both passages deal with mystical knowledge and the afterlife, emphasizing the importance of divine names or tablets that confer protection and understanding. They share a theme of esoteric wisdom leading to salvation and the transcendence of earthly limitations.
western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|3. The Triangle Of Solomond
Matthew, and in several Hebrew copies, as follows: “The sacred word MALKUTH substituted for KETHER, which is its kabalistic correspondent, and the equipoise of GEBURAH and CHESED, repeating itself in the circles of heavens called eons by th…”
Both passages discuss mystical knowledge and names that confer power and protection, particularly in the context of the afterlife or spiritual realms. They share the concept of secret names or words that have transformative and protective powers, guiding the soul through spiritual trials.
western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|5. The Blazing Pentagrama
We proceed to the explanation and consecration of the Sacred and Mysterious Pentagram. At this point, let the ignorant and superstitious close the book; they will either see nothing but darkness, or they will be scandalized. The Pentagram…”
Both passages describe mystical symbols and rituals that confer spiritual power and protection. They share the concept of sacred knowledge (a name or symbol) that grants the possessor authority over dark forces and access to divine realms, reflecting a common mystical theme of esoteric empowerment.