Gnostic Revisions of Genesis Stories And Early Jesus TraditionsThis book argues that the intellectuals behind early Gnostic revisions of Genesis stories were second-century Christians with an ideological background in Greek-Hellenistic philosophy, who adopted and reinterpreted biblical narrative materials with a view to exposing the inferiority of the creator-God of Genesis and the ignorance of those Christians who continued to worship this God. It also discusses controversies between Gnostic and early orthodox Christians about the person and the mission of Jesus Christ. The first part examines the possible polemical function, the philosophical thought structure, and the narrative scheme of the Genesis rewritings, and continues with studies of individual episodes of the Gnostic myth, from the creation of Adam up to the story of Noah and the Flood. The second part focuses on Gnostic reinterpretations of the teaching and the passion of Jesus. The book includes essays about Gnostic theology, ancient and modern readings of Gnostic texts, and an appendix dealing with the ancient baptist community in which Mani was reared. |
Contents
Gnostic Interpreters | 1 |
1 | 17 |
Theology | 29 |
The Creation of Adam and Eve ApJohn The creation of Adam | 65 |
54 | 71 |
Noah and the Flood ApJohn HypArch ApocAdam The motivation of the creator | 100 |
The Ineffable God ApJohn TrimProt | 108 |
The Teaching of Jesus | 119 |
Johannine Vocabulary and Gnostic thought | 152 |
ApJohn | 163 |
The Baptists of Manis Youth and | 170 |
120 | 178 |
Bibliography | 185 |
197 | |
199 | |
202 | |
Other editions - View all
Gnostic Revisions of Genesis Stories and Early Jesus Traditions Gerard P. Luttikhuizen Limited preview - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
Acta Johannis Acts of John ActsJohn Adam Alcibiades ApJohn Apocalypse of Peter ApocPet Apocryphon Apocryphon of John apostles archons Aristotelian Aristotle Babylonian baptists biblical body Book of Elchasai Brill chap chapters Christ Christological Coptic cosmic powers cosmic rulers creation creator Cross of Light Demiurge Denzey disciples divine early Christian Ebionites Elxai Epinoia Epiphanius explain Father Fihrist frame story Genesis Gnosis Gnostic myth Gnostic texts God’s Gospel Greek Havelaar Hippolytus human HypArch idea interpretation Irenaeus Jesus Jewish Christianity Johannine Junod and Kaestli LetPetPhil Lord Mani’s Manichaean Merkelbach Moses mystery Nag Hammadi Codex Noah non-Gnostic Norea Old Testament origin Paradise story passage Philo philosophy Platonic polemical Prologue pseudo-Clementine psychic quoted readers reference revealed Saviour Scriptures sect Seth Sophia soul sources speaks spirit suffering Syrian teachings TestTruth thought tion traditions Transjordan transl Trimorphic Protennoia TrimProt Valentinian water rites words Yaldabaoth