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.”819    Prov. i. 7. 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.”820    1 Cor. ii. 13. 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.”821    Ps. xxxii. 5; li. 3. 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)822    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,823    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;”824    Eph. iii. 3–5. and, “I have heard inexpressible words which it is not possible for man to declare.”825    2 Cor. xii. 4. 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,”826    Luke i. 35. (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,827    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).

[26] Ἦλθεν οὖν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον [πρῶτον] ἀπὸ τῆς υἱότητος, φησίν, διὰ τοῦ παρακαθημένου τῷ [μεγάλῳ] ἄρχοντι υἱοῦ τὸ [πρῶτον] πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα, καὶ ἔμαθεν ὁ ἄρχων ὅτι οὐκ ἦν [αὐτὸς] θεὸς τῶν ὅλων, ἀλλ' ἦν γεννητὸς καὶ ἔχων ὑπεράνω [αὑτοῦ] τὸν τοῦ ἀρρήτου καὶ [ἀ]κατονομάστου οὐκ ὄντος καὶ τῆς υἱότητος κατακείμενον θησαυρόν: καὶ ἐπέστρεψε καὶ ἐφοβήθη, συνιεὶς ἐν οἵᾳ ἦν ἀγνοίᾳ. τοῦτό ἐστι, φησίν, τὸ εἰρημένον: «ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος κυρίου»: ἤρξατο γὰρ σοφίζεσθαι [ὁ ἄρχων], κατηχούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ παρακαθημένου [αὐτῷ] υἱοῦ [καὶ] διδασκόμενος τίς ἐστιν ὁ οὐκ ὤν, τίς ἡ υἱότης, τί τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, τίς ἡ τῶν ὅλων κατασκευὴ [καὶ] ποῦ ταῦτα [πάντα] ἀποκατασταθήσεται. αὕτη ἐστὶν «ἡ σοφία ἐν μυστηρίῳ λεγομένη», περὶ ἧς, φησίν, ἡ γραφὴ λέγει: «οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλ' ἐν διδακτοῖς πνεύματος [λεγομένη]». κατηχηθεὶς οὖν, φησίν, ὁ [μέγας] ἄρχων καὶ διδαχθεὶς καὶ φοβηθείς, ἐξωμολογήσατο περὶ ἁμαρτίας, ἧς ἐποίησε μεγαλύνων ἑαυτόν. τοῦτό ἐστι, φησί, τὸ εἰρημένον: «τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου ἐγνώρισα καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω: ὑπὲρ ταύτης» «ἐξομολογήσομαι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα». Ἐπεὶ οὖν κατήχητο μὲν ὁ μέγας ἄρχων, κατήχητο δὲ καὶ δεδίδακτο πᾶσα ἡ τῆς Ὀγδοάδος κτίσις καὶ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις τὸ μυστήριον, ἔδει λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑβδομάδα ἐλθεῖν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἵνα καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἑβδομάδος ἄρχων παραπλησίως διδαχθῇ καὶ εὐαγγελισθήσεται. ἐπέλαμψεν [οὖν] ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ μεγάλου ἄρχοντος τῷ υἱῷ τ(οῦ) ἄρχοντος τῆς Ἑβδομάδος τὸ φῶς, ὃ εἶχεν ἅψας αὐτὸς ἄνωθεν, ἀπὸ τῆς υἱότητος, καὶ ἐφωτίσθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἄρχοντος τῆς Ἑβδομάδος, καὶ εὐηγγελίσατο τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῷ ἄρχοντι τῆς Ἑβδομάδος, καὶ ὁμοίως κατὰ τὸν πρῶτον λόγον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐφοβήθη καὶ ἐξωμολογήσατο. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἑβδομάδι πάντα πεφώτιστο καὶ διήγγελτο τὸ εὐαγγέλιον αὐτοῖς_κτίσεις γάρ εἰσι κατ[ὰ] [αὐτὰ] τὰ διαστήματα καὶ [κόσμοι] κατ' αὐτοὺς ἄπειροι, καὶ ἀρχαὶ καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ ἐξουσίαι: περὶ ὧν μακρός ἐστι παρ' αὐτοῖς πάνυ λόγος [καὶ] διὰ πολλῶν λεγόμενος: ἔνθα καὶ τριακοσίους ἑξήκοντα πέντε οὐρανοὺς φάσκουσι, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ἄρχοντα αὐτῶν εἶναι τὸν Ἀβρασάξ, διὰ τὸ περιέχειν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ψῆφον τξεʹ, ὡς δὴ τοῦ ὀνόματος τὴν ψῆφον περιέχειν πάντα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν [ἐκ] τοσούτων ἡμερῶν συνεστάναι: _ἀλλ' ἐπεί, φησίν, ταῦθ' οὕτως ἐγένετο, ἔδει λοιπὸν καὶ τὴν ἀμορφίαν [τὴν] καθ' ἡμᾶς φωτισθῆναι, καὶ τῇ υἱότητι τῇ ἐν τῇ ἀμορφίᾳ καταλελειμμένῃ οἱονεὶ ἐκτρώματι ἀποκαλυφθῆναι «τὸ μυστήριον, ὃ ταῖς προτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη», καθὼς γέγραπται, φησίν: «κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον» καὶ «ἤκουσα ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ εἰπεῖν». Κατῆλθεν [οὖν] ἀπὸ τῆς Ἑβδομάδος τὸ φῶς, τὸ κατελθὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ὀγδοάδος ἄνωθεν τῷ υἱῷ [τοῦ ἄρχοντος] τῆς Ἑβδομάδος, ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν υἱὸν τῆς Μαρίας, καὶ ἐφωτίσθη συνεξαφθεὶς τῷ φωτὶ τῷ λάμψαντι εἰς αὐτόν. τοῦτό ἐστι, φησί, τὸ εἰρημένον: «Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ», [τουτέστι τὸ φῶς] τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς υἱότητος διὰ τοῦ μεθορίου Πνεύματος ἐπὶ τὴν Ὀγδοάδα καὶ τὴν Ἑβδομάδα διελθὸν μέχρι τῆς Μαρίας, «καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι», [τουτέστιν] ἡ δύναμις τῆς [δια]κρίσεως, [ἡ κατελθοῦσα] ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκρωρείας [τῆς υἱότητος] ἄνωθεν [διὰ] τοῦ δημιουργοῦ μέχρι τῆς κτίσεως, ὅ ἐστι τοῦ Ἰ(ησ)οῦ. μέχρι δ' ἐκείνου φησὶ συνεστηκέναι τὸν κόσμον οὕτως, μέχρις οὗ πᾶσα ἡ υἱότης, ἡ καταλελειμμένη ἐν [τῇ] ἀμορφίᾳ εἰς τὸ εὐεργετεῖν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ εὐεργετεῖσθαι, δια[με]μορφωμένη κατακολουθήσῃ τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἀναδράμῃ καὶ [ἀν]έλθῃ ἀποκαθαρισθεῖσα καὶ γενομένη λεπτομερεστάτη, ὡς δύνασθαι δι' αὑτῆς ἀναδραμεῖν, ὥσπερ ἡ πρώτη [υἱότης]. πᾶσαν γὰρ ἔχει τὴν δύναμιν συνεστηριγμένην φυσικῶς τῷ φωτὶ τῷ λάμψαντι ἄνωθεν κάτω.