In this episode, David and Gene begin their exploration of "The Secret Gospel of John," also known as the "Apocryphon of John," a pivotal text in the Sethian Gnostic tradition. They discuss the text's history, its multiple versions, and its significance as a comprehensive presentation of Gnostic cosmology and theology.
The discussion delves into the concept of the Monad, the ultimate unity in Gnostic thought, comparing it to similar ideas in Pythagoreanism and Kabbalah, and exploring its characteristics as the ineffable, unnameable source of all qualities. In the process, David and Gene draw parallels with modern cosmology and to the symbolism of the point within a circle, relating it to biological concepts like seeds and zygotes, while always emphasizing the text's primary focus, which is on the inner world of the mind.
This episode introduces Barbelo, the first emanation from the Monad, representing forethought and the beginning of psychic evolution. David and Gene examine the qualities attributed to Barbelo and how these relate to human consciousness. They conclude by discussing the "birth" of Christ as a metaphor for the self-reflective development of mind, emphasizing the importance of understanding these texts as spiritual guidebooks rather than mere stories.
This is the first episode of a multi-part series on the “Secret Gospel of John.” It begins the exegesis of the text, and also stage for a deeper exploration of Gnostic philosophy as a path of spiritual discovery and growth.
Deep Dive:
Chapters:
- 01:15 Introduction
- 02:39 The Apocryphon of John
- 04:28 History of the Text
- 07:02 Secret Book of John
- 11:06 The Monad
- 14:42 Point in the Circle
- 20:22 Barbelo
- 25:13 The Birth of Christ
- 27:57 Conclusions
Resources:
- MiddleChamber.org - Symposium on Masonic Esoterica
- The Nag Hammadi Scriptures
- The Apocryphon of John - Frederik Wisse Translation
- Gnosis.org - The Gnosis Archive
- The Red Book: A Reader's Edition by Carl Jung
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