The Wisdom of Jesus Christ - Part 4

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The Father and the Kingless Generation (98,9-100,16)

 

(p.290) Mary said to him, " Master, then how can we know this? "

 

The perfect Savior said, " Bring yourselves from what is invisible to the end of

those who are visible, and the emanation of thought itself will reveal to you

how faith in what is invisible can be found in those who are visible, who belong

to the unconceived Father. Whoever has ears to hear should hear.

 

" The Lord of the universe is addressed not as Father but as Forefather. <The

Father is> the beginning of those who will appear, but the Lord [20] is the

Forefather without a beginning. When the Forefather saw himself within himself

in a mirror, his resemblance appeared there, but his image appeared as the

divine Father by himself and the reflection above reflections and the

first-existing unconceived Father. [21] He is as old as the light before him but

not as powerful. Afterward there was revealed a multitude of beings, just as old

and powerful, who are self-conceived and reflective. Glorious and without

number, their generation is designated the generation over whom there is no

kingdom. You yourselves have appeared from the people of this generation. And

the whole multitude of beings with no kingdom over them is designated the

children of the unconceived Father, God, Savior, Son of God, whose likeness is

among you. [22] This is the unknowable one, who is full of imperishable glory

and ineffable [indescribable] joy, and all these beings are at rest in him,

constantly rejoicing in ineffable joy in the Father's unfading glory and

unending praise that was never heard or known among the aeons [eternal realms]

and their worlds until now. "

 

The Nag Hammadi Scriptures (The International Edition)

Edited by Marvin Meyer; Advisory Board: Wolf-Peter Funk, Paul-Hubert Poirier,

James M. Robinson; Introduction by Elaine H. Pagels

The Wisdom of Jesus Christ, p.290

HarperCollins Publishers - New York

ISBN:978-0-06-052378-7

ISBN-10: 0-06-052378-6

 

Notes:

 

[20] Lit., " he, " here and below.

 

[21] Cf. 'Secret Book of John' II,4, on the Father gazing at his reflection in

the luminous water.

 

[22] In Sethian texts, the people of Seth are often referred to as the

generation without a king, or the kingless generation. Cf., e.g., the 'Nature of

the Rulers,' the 'Revelation of Adam,' and the 'Gospel of Judas.'