Gnosticism, Kabbalism

In this article we will discuss Gnosticism and Kabbalism. Gnosticism and Kabbalism both began at around the same time, one a perversion of Christianity, and the other Judaism. They have a great deal in common, especially the idea that secret truths are hidden in the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus. The material for this video comes from two of my university textbooks, Practical Systematic Theology, and Religion: History and Mystery. 

1. Gnosticism

The Book of Acts, chapter 8, records the meeting of Simon Peter, an apostle of Christ, and Simon Magus who was considered to be a sorcerer. After seeing that people received the Holy Spirit after the apostles laid hands upon them, Magus tried to purchase this power with money. Simon Magus had taken an interest in Christian theology but was never converted. According to tradition, he became the father of Gnosticism, a cult which was considered a heretical form of Christianity. Keep in mind that Simon Magus was a Samaritan by birth. His mother was a Jewess and father Persian. There was a great deal of animosity between Jew and Samaritan, and perhaps this led Simon to seek other answers to life rather than within the pages of his mother's religion of Judaism.

2. Gnostic Teachings

Gnosticism comes from the word 'gnosis', or knowledge, and in this case, a secret knowledge available to only a select group. Gnostics believed that there was an uncreated god/goddess who created several Aeons, one known as Sophia (Greek for wisdom). Sophia, in turn, created demigods. One of the demigods was the Hebrew God Jehovah. According to the Gnostics, Jehovah created the universe and all material things, but, because he was a jealous god, he was responsible for evil in the world. Jehovah tried to stop the first humans from receiving knowledge. After they tried to gain it by eating of the 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil', Jehovah banned them from the Garden of Eden and punished them. Lucifer is the good guy in Gnostic teaching; he had crept into the garden to help the humans find gnosis (knowledge) and was then cursed by Jehovah.

Sophia sent Lucifer's brother, Jesus, to teach people how to get back to the truth, but His disciples misunderstood Him. Gnostics believed that the entire material world was evil because it had been created by a lesser god, Jehovah. Therefore, they claimed that Jesus never had a real human body at all; He simply appeared to be human. This particular idea is called 'Docetism', from the word 'doce', 'to appear'. For Christians, this theology, apart from being offensive, reduced the gospel message to a farce. Moreover, if Jesus wasn't a real person, then His sacrifice on the cross was not real, and therefore, ineffective. In his first letter to the Church the apostle John writes against this teaching of Gnostics, putting an emphasis on the real humanity of Jesus.

For Gnostics, only the spirit world can be pure and holy, taking its roots back to Sophia who has no material form. For the leaders of Gnosticism, such as Simon Magus, the power to perform the supernatural was given to those who climbed up through various stages of esoteric teaching, and was closely tied to visitations of angels and other spiritual beings. The apostle Paul may be directly confronting these ideas in Colossians chapter 2.

3. Gnostic Practices

Little is known about Gnostic practices as much of their literature was destroyed. However, some of the 'gospels' written by Gnostics to counter the Christian gospels still survive, and also a lot of literature written by Christians about their practices, especially Irenaeus’ books entitled ‘Against Heresies’. Salvation for Gnostics is to find the spark of the divine Sophia which remains within, and develop it through various techniques including meditation and asceticism. Many scholars have seen a very direct link to Eastern religions here, especially some of the early teachings in the Gathas and Avestas, the writings of the Zoroastrians. This would not be unlikely as Simon Magus' father was Persian and may have had access to such literature.

Women played a large role in leadership, especially because of their communication with spirits and angels who presumably passed on secret information about salvation, not unlike what we  see in shamanism and from New Apostolic Reformation teachers today such as Paula White. 

Irenaeus writes of a man called Marcus, a Gnostic false prophet whose practices and claims sound exactly like the self-proclaimed prophets of today. Marcus claimed to be able to perform the supernatural, that he received this power and excelled from his own human master, and had a special anointing and power. Irenaeus writes.

But there is another among these heretics, Marcus by name, who boasts himself as having improved upon his master. He is a perfect adept in magical impostures, and by this means drawing away a great number of men, and not a few women, he has induced them to join themselves to him, as to one who is possessed of the greatest knowledge and perfection, and who has received the highest power from the invisible and ineffable regions above. (Irenaeus, Book IV, 33.6)

Marcus' technique for imparting ‘spiritual gifts’ is incredibly similar to the practices occurring in Pentecostal/Charismatic churches around the world. In this quote, the false prophet is imparting the gift of prophecy.

“Behold, grace has descended upon you; open your mouth and prophesy.” 

On the woman replying, “I have never at any time prophesied, nor do I know how to prophesy”; then engaging, for the second time, in certain invocations, so as to astound his deluded victim, he says to her, 

“Open your mouth, speak whatsoever occurs to you, and you shall prophesy.” 

She then, vainly puffed up and elated by these words, and greatly excited in soul by the expectation that it is herself who is to prophesy, her heart beating violently [from emotion], reaches the requisite pitch of audacity, and idly as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it happens to occur to her, such as might be expected from one heated by an empty spirit.

(Irenaeus, Book I, 13,2)

Self-proclaimed prophets and apostles such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney Howard-Brown, Kathryn Krick, and others, claim to have received their ‘anointing’ or gift from people like Kathryn Kullman or Kenneth Hagin or their ‘african spiritual father’ and like Marcus, deceive many gullible people.

Within Gnosticism there is an emphasis on the human person as divine, and self development to full divinity as in Hinduism and Buddhism. Self is essentially good because humans can become divine, and many Gnostic practices resemble closely the religions of the Aryans. 

From the writings which have survived, it appears that Gnosticism split into two radically different factions. On the one side were the ascetics who taught that the body must be overcome and restrained. Strict forms of self-discipline were applied in order to gain higher spiritual awareness.

On the other side was almost the complete opposite. Some Gnostics believed that the body could not affect the spirit at all and practiced extremely liberal forms of sexuality, indulging in orgies. They believed that the emotions, lusts and desires must be released in order to free the spirit from bodily bondage, in a similar way to the people of the past who had worshipped Baal, Ashtorah, etc. In general terms, anything that Jehovah banned must be the way to spiritual freedom. Jehovah had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their immoral sexuality and homosexuality, so it was assumed that similar practices must be beneficial in finding secret knowledge.

Kabbalism

Kabbalism has been around for about 2000 years, although some scholars believe that its roots began while the Jews were prisoners during the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BC, citing the many similarities between Zoroastrianism from the Aryans. It can be defined as a theosophical (mystical) approach to understanding or experiencing the Hebrew Bible, which began to be taught in secret about 100 years before the birth of Christ with the 'Works of Heaven' and 'Divine Chariots', written by Rabbis around this time. According to Kabbalist tradition, the secrets of Kabbalism were handed down and then finally compiled in the Zohar in the 11th to 13th centuries AD.

The idea of Kabbalism is that behind the stories of the Hebrew Bible is a mystical, secret truth which is known only to a select few who pass it on to others. Stories such as the Tree of Life, Moses speaking to God through the burning bush, Ezekiel's flying chariot, Jacob's ladder that extended to heaven, and others, have a secret meaning. 

Like Gnosticism, Kabbalism has the idea of a god who is unknowable, an uncreated being behind everything else. This god is called Ein Sof, the 'Infinite One'. Ein Sof is said to be the one from whom Jehovah came into being. From Ein Sof came what, for Kabbalists, are the Ten Sefirot - emanations of energy which form the Kabalistic Tree of Life. The goal of Kabbalists is to unite these ten energies through self-development, and thus be united with Ein Sof.

Zohar

The Zohar, a word meaning 'splendor' or 'radiance', is found in the Book of Ezekiel and also in Daniel 12:3 which reads; 'the wise ones will shine with the radiance of the firmament'. The Zohar is the most popular of Kabbalist teachings and was first published by Moses de Leon in the 13th Century AD. De Leon ascribed the work to Shimon bar Yochai, a 2nd century mystic who supposedly spent thirteen years in a cave hiding from the Romans and reading the Torah. He is said to have been inspired by the Prophet Elijah to write the Zohar. Many modern scholars believe that it was De Leon himself who wrote the Zohar, attributing it to Yochai in order to give it value financially, but this claim was denied by his closest followers.

Kabbalist Teachings (Generally)

The Zohar contains discussions of God's nature, mythical cosmology (astrology), mystical psychology, the nature of the human soul, the relationship of Ego to Darkness, and the 'True Self' to the 'Light of God'. There are many different branches of Kabbalism and interpretations of beliefs; therefore, we will speak in general terms. Kabbalists believe in two aspects of God.

Firstly, that God in His essence is infinite, utterly transcendent and unknowable. Secondly, God as manifested. God is knowable through various emanations from Him, both spiritually and physically. Humans, as emanations of God, are able to perceive God through the mysteries He has hidden through secret messages in the Torah and other revelations.

Humans can climb a type of spiritual ladder by doing spiritual actions and good deeds. In this way a person becomes righteous and moves along the journey towards perfection. However, the righteous person must be careful and hold everything in balance. An over-emphasis on justice might lead to unfair punishment, excessive love might lead to sexual sin, etc. This in turn can be interpreted as the origin of evil. Some Kabbalists believe that evil originates from God because evil is thought to be able to exist from an excess of good, while others believe that evil simply must exist as a contrast to good.

Human beings represent both the physical and spiritual aspects of God and are, therefore, the center of the creation and universe as manifestations of God. The human soul has three parts or levels of being - from the most base animal part linked to cravings and instinct, to the highest 'super-soul' which makes humans distinct from all other creatures by virtue of our ability to communicate with God.

Reincarnation is a common belief in Kabbalism, and one which has been controversial. Some Medieval Jewish Kabbalists insisted that only Jews have the pure souls which can reincarnate into the highest echelons of the divine - an interpretation of the Jews as God's chosen people. All other humans (Gentiles) have only a base soul, but these can be reincarnated as Jews in order to continue their spiritual journey. This teaching caused a great deal of tension and was dropped by many later Kabbalist teachers.

Modern Kabbalism

Over the last 200 years Kabbalism has changed from an almost exclusively Jewish religious form to a universal religion in its own right. Its teachings have also taken root in occultism, the Masonic Lodge, New Age Movements, Golden Dawn and the likes. Some of these groups, such as Golden Dawn, are associated with forms of magic and connection with spirits through Tarot, Astrology, spirit channeling, and the worship of angelic beings. New Age societies which practice Kundalini Yoga and meditation, use Kabbalism as it relates to Hindu and Buddhist traditions, whilst Hermetic Kabbalism is tied to alchemy, spirit guides, and so forth. Famous occultists such as Alistair Crowley, the angelic magic of John Dee, and philosophers such as Hegel and Karl Marx, all practiced Kabbalism in different forms. 

In general terms, modern Kabbalism teaches that the Divine Light can be found in every human being. As emanations from 'god', we are god and therefore divine in our own right. Our role is to re-create ourselves in absolute divinity through various means. Human beings, as emanations of the cosmos, are the center of the cosmos. Without humanity, God would have no manifestation. 

Critique

In a world in which it is often difficult to find answers to difficult questions, it's not difficult to imagine why mystery religions flourish. People love mystery and magic. Books like the Harry Potter series are good examples of our fascination to be more than what we are, to have magical powers and know the mysteries of life. 

Gnosticism and Kabbalism appeal to such people, as they appeal to a basic instinct within us that there is more to life than meets the eye. Human beings have an instinct or intuition which calls us higher, which quietly whispers the idea that we were created for perfection. Science claims that we use less than 15% of our brain potential, adding fuel to the fire about what we could achieve if we developed ourselves. But how do we do it?

Many people are simply not satisfied to recognize teachings about the debilitating effects of sin, such as is taught in the Bible. Like Eve, we want it all now, we want answers now! Gnosticism and Kabbalism both promise answers to the select few who dedicate their lives to occult pursuits, and both lead people towards beings who are not natural to this world. There's nothing new about that, but it should ring alarm bells. If the only way human beings can really manifest what we consider 'supernatural' phenomena is through joining to 'spiritual beings', then why has our Creator limited us? If we could use the other 85%, without assistance from otherworldly creatures, would we be 'supernatural' ourselves?

Perhaps the problem lies in recognizing the dark side of our natures which manifests itself every day throughout the world. One only needs to watch the news for thirty minutes to see what humanity is capable of in terms of evil, and this with just 15% of our brain potential. Perhaps God would see our natures corrected before we are given power.

Both Gnosticism and Kabbalism are grounded in the idea that God has hidden knowledge from us. For Gnostics, this is because God is evil and jealous; for Kabbalists, the journey through mysticism is supposed to test our natures along the way. Both of these religions have their roots in perverted interpretations of the Bible, yet millions who have taken the Bible's instructions on face value have discovered that mystical experience Christ called being 'born again' and seen their characters transformed. For such people, the key was in recognizing their potential for evil and their real love of 'sin'. That word sin is almost exclusive to the Bible, a word people don't like to hear as it attacks our pride and sense of autonomy.

For the Gnostic and Kabbalist, knowledge must be given now, whether God wills it or not. For those who interpret the Bible from the view that God wanted us to understand it without a PHD in mysticism, knowledge will be given as God wills, in His time. The Gnostic wants it all now, in this lifetime; the Christian is willing to trust in the benevolent God to develop us in His time.

The bottom line is this: those who seek spiritual power which they can manifest as signs wonders, miracles and supernatural abilities always end up on a journey into the occult and demonic connections. This search is always driven by the ego and the elevation of self which in essence is the root of all sin, the creature trying to make itself God apart from God. Such people may deceive themselves that spiritual power will bring freedom, but in truth they simply become even more enslaved by their own pride and refusal to submit to God’s plan. 

For those Christians who exercise biblical discernment, it is very obvious that forms of Gnosticism and Kabbalism have found their way into especially Charismatic and New Apostolic Reformation churches with their emphasis on mystery, signs and wonders, miracles, divine power, visions, dreams and emphasis on angelic connections. 

I hope this article has been enlightening for you. Te series on World Religions and Cults can be viewed on my YouTube channel, @stevecopland6001.

God bless