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| Whence Came the Gospel; The Number of Heavens According to Basilides; Explanation of Christ's Miraculous Conception.
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Chapter XIV.—Whence
Came the Gospel; The Number of Heavens According to Basilides;
Explanation of Christ’s Miraculous Conception.
The Gospel then came, says (Basilides), first from
the Sonship through the Son, that was seated beside the Archon, to the
Archon, and the Archon learned that He was not God of the universe, but
was begotten. But (ascertaining that) He has above Himself the
deposited treasure of that Ineffable and Unnameable (and) Non-existent
One, and of the Sonship, He was both converted and filled with terror,
when He was brought to understand in what ignorance He was
(involved). This, he says, is what has been declared:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”838
For, being orally instructed by
Christ, who was seated near, he began to acquire wisdom, (inasmuch as
he thereby) learns who is the Non-Existent One, what the Sonship (is),
what the Holy Spirit (is), what the apparatus of the universe (is), and
what is likely to be the consummation of things. This is the
wisdom spoken in a mystery, concerning which, says (Basilides),
Scripture uses the following expressions: “Not in words
taught of human wisdom, but in (those) taught of the
Spirit.”839
The
Archon, then, being orally instructed, and taught, and being (thereby)
filled with fear, proceeded to make confession concerning the sin which
He had committed in magnifying Himself. This, he says, is what is
declared: “I have recognised my sin, and I know my
transgression, (and) about this I shall confess for
ever.”840
When, then,
the Great Archon had been orally instructed, and every creature of the
Ogdoad had been orally instructed and taught, and (after) the mystery
became known to the celestial (powers), it was also necessary that
afterwards the Gospel should come to the Hebdomad, in order likewise
that the Archon of the Hebdomad might be similarly instructed and
indoctrinated into the Gospel. The Son of the Great Archon
(therefore) kindled in the Son of the Archon of the Hebdomad the light
which Himself possessed and had kindled from above from the
Sonship. And the Son of the Archon of the Hebdomad had radiance
imparted to Him, and He proclaimed the Gospel to the Archon of the
Hebdomad. And in like manner, according to the previous account,
He Himself was both terrified and induced to make confession.
When, therefore, all (beings) in the Hebdomad had been likewise
enlightened, and had the Gospel announced to them (for in these regions
of the universe there exist, according to these heretics, creatures
infinite (in number), viz., Principalities and Powers and Rulers, in
regard of which there is extant among the (Basilidians)841
| 841
κατ᾽
αὐτους. Ulhorn fills up the
ellipsis thus: “And in reference to these localities of the
Archons,” etc. | a very prolix and verbose treatise, where
they allege that there are three hundred and sixty-five heavens, and
that the great Archon of these is Abrasax,842
| 842
This is a more correct form than that occasionally given, viz.,
Abraxas. See Beausobre, Hist. Manich., lib. ii. p.
51. | from the fact that his name comprises
the computed number 365, so that, of course, the calculation of the
title includes all (existing) things, and that for these reasons the
year consists of so many days);—but when, he says, these (two
events, viz., the illumination of the Hebdomad and the manifestation of
the Gospel) had thus taken place, it was necessary, likewise, that
afterwards the Formlessness existent in our quarter of creation should
have radiance imparted to it, and that the mystery should be revealed
to the Sonship, which had been left behind in Formlessness, just like
an abortion.
Now this (mystery) was not made known to previous
generations, as he says, it has been written, “By revelation was
made known unto me the mystery;”843
and, “I have heard
inexpressible words
which it is not possible for man to declare.”844
The light, (therefore,) which came
down from the Ogdoad above to the Son of the Hebdomad, descended from
the Hebdomad upon Jesus the son of Mary, and he had radiance imparted
to him by being illuminated with the light that shone upon him.
This, he says, is that which has been declared: “The Holy
Spirit will come upon thee,”845
(meaning) that which proceeded from the
Sonship through the conterminous spirit upon the Ogdoad and Hebdomad,
as far as Mary; “and the power of the Highest will overshadow
thee,” (meaning) the power of the anointing,846
| 846
Miller’s text has “judgment,” which yields no
meaning. Roeper suggests “Ogdoad.” | (which streamed) from the (celestial)
height above (through) the Demiurge, as far as the creation, which is
(as far as) the Son. And as far as that (Son) he says the world
consisted thus. And as far as this, the entire Sonship, which is
left behind for benefiting the souls in Formlessness, and for being the
recipient in turn of benefits,—(this Sonship, I say,) when it is
transformed, followed Jesus, and hastened upwards, and came forth
purified. And it becomes most refined, so that it could, as the
first (Sonship), hasten upwards through its own instrumentality.
For it possesses all the power that, according to nature, is firmly
connected with the light which from above shone down (upon
earth).E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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