Chapter XV.—God’s Dealings with the Creature; Basilides’ Notion of (1) the Inner Man, (2) the Gospel; His Interpretation of the Life and Sufferings of Our Lord.

When, therefore, he says, the entire Sonship shall have come, and shall be above the conterminous spirit, then the creature will become the object of mercy. For (the creature) groans until now,828    Rom. viii. 19–22. and is tormented, and waits for the manifestation of the sons of God, in order that all who are men of the Sonship may ascend from thence. When this takes place, God, he says, will bring upon the whole world enormous ignorance, that all things may continue according to nature, and that nothing may inordinately desire anything of the things that are contrary to nature. But (far from it); for all the souls of this quarter of creation, as many as possess the nature of remaining immortal in this (region) only, continue (in it), aware of nothing superior or better (than their present state). And there will not prevail any rumour or knowledge in regions below, concerning beings whose dwelling is placed above, lest subjacent souls should be wrung with torture from longing after impossibilities. (It would be) just as if a fish were to crave to feed on the mountains along with sheep. (For) a wish of this description would, he says, be their destruction. All things, therefore, that abide in (this) quarter829    Or, “their own peculiar locality” (Bunsen). are incorruptible, but corruptible if they are disposed to wander and cross over from the things that are according to nature. In this way the Archon of the Hebdomad will know nothing of superjacent entities. For enormous ignorance will lay hold on this one likewise, in order that sorrow, and grief, and groaning may depart from him; for he will not desire aught of impossible things, nor will he be visited with anguish. In like manner, however, the same ignorance will lay hold also on the Great Archon of the Ogdoad, and similarly on all the creatures that are subject unto him, in order that in no respect anything may desire aught of those things that are contrary to nature, and may not (thus) be overwhelmed with sorrow. And so there will be the restitution of all things which, in conformity with nature, have from the beginning a foundation in the seed of the universe, but will be restored at (their own) proper periods. And that each thing, says (Basilides), has its own particular times, the Saviour is a sufficient (witness830    This word is added by Bunsen.) when He observes, “Mine hour is not yet come.”831    John ii. 4. And the Magi (afford similar testimony) when they gaze wistfully upon the (Saviour’s) star.832    Matt. ii. 1, 2. For (Jesus) Himself was, he says, mentally preconceived at the time of the generation of the stars, and of the complete return to their starting-point of the seasons in the vast conglomeration (of all germs). This is, according to these (Basilidians), he who has been conceived as the inner spiritual man in what is natural (now this is the Sonship which left there the soul, not (that it might be) mortal, but that it might abide here according to nature, just as the first Sonship left above in its proper locality the Holy Spirit, (that is, the spirit) which is conterminous),—(this, I say, is he who has been conceived as the inner spiritual man, and) has then been arrayed in his own peculiar soul.

In order, however, that we may not omit any of the doctrines of this (Basilides), I shall likewise explain whatever statements they put forward respecting a gospel. For gospel with them, as has been elucidated, is of super-mundane entities the knowledge which the Great Archon did not understand. As, then, it was manifested unto him that there are likewise the Holy Spirit—that is, the conterminous (spirit)—and the Sonship, and the Non-Existent God, the cause of all these, he rejoiced at the communications made to him, and was filled with exultation.  According to them, this constitutes the gospel. Jesus, however, was born, according to these (heretics), as we have already declared. And when the generation which has been previously explained took place, all the events in our Lord’s life occurred, according to them, in the same manner as they have been described in the Gospels. And these things happened, he says, in order that Jesus might become the first-fruits of a distinction of the different orders (of created objects) that had been confused together.833    See Clemens Alexandrinus, Strom., ii. p. 375, ed. Sylburg. [Comp. cap. viii. vol. ii. p. 355, this series.] For when the world had been divided into an Ogdoad, which is the head of the entire world,—now the great Archon is head of the entire world,—and into a Hebdomad,—which is the head of the Hebdomad, the Demiurge of subjacent entities,—and into this order of creatures (that prevails) amongst us, where exists Formlessness, it was requisite that the various orders of created objects that had been confounded together should be distinguished by a separating process performed by Jesus. (Now this separation) that which was his corporeal part suffered, and this was (the part) of Formlessness and reverted into Formlessness. And that was resuscitated which was his psychical part, and this was (part) of the Hebdomad, and reverted into the Hebdomad. And he revived that (element in his nature) which was the peculiar property of the elevated region where dwells the Great Archon, and (that element) remained beside the Great Archon. And he carried upwards as far as (that which is) above that which was (the peculiar property) of the conterminous spirit, and he remained in the conterminous spirit. And through him there was purified the third Sonship, which had been left for conferring benefits, and receiving them. And (through Jesus) it ascended towards the blessed Sonship, and passed through all these. For the entire purpose of these was the blending together of, as it were, the conglomeration of all germs, and the distinction of the various orders of created objects, and the restoration into their proper component parts of things that had been blended together. Jesus, therefore, became the first-fruits of the distinction of the various orders of created objects, and his Passion took place for not any other reason than the distinction which was thereby brought about in the various orders of created objects that had been confounded together. For in this manner (Basilides) says that the entire Sonship, which had been left in Formlessness for the purpose of conferring benefits and receiving them, was divided into its component elements, according to the manner in which also the distinction of natures had taken place in Jesus.  These, then, are the legends which likewise Basilides details after his sojourn in Egypt;834    Bernays and Bunsen read τὸν Περίπατον, which Abbe Cruice and Duncker consider erroneous, referring us to Eusebius, Hist. Ecclesiast., iv. 7. and being instructed by the (sages of this country) in so great a system of wisdom, (the heretic) produced fruits of this description.

[27] Ὅταν οὖν [ἀν]έλθῃ, φησί, πᾶσα [ἡ] υἱότης καὶ ἔσται ὑπὲρ τὸ μεθόριον [τὸ] Πνεῦμα, τότε ἐλεηθήσεται ἡ κτίσις: «στένει γὰρ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν καὶ βασανίζεται», καὶ «μένει τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ», ἵνα πάντες ἀνέλθωσιν ἐντεῦθεν οἱ τῆς υἱότητος ἄνθρωποι. ἐπειδὰν [οὖν] γένηται τοῦτο, ἐπάξει, φησίν, ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον τὴν μεγάλην ἄγνοιαν, ἵνα μ[έν]ῃ πάντα κατὰ φύσιν καὶ μηδὲν μηδενὸς τῶν παρὰ φύσιν ἐπιθυ[μήσῃ]. ἀλλὰ γὰρ πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ τούτου τοῦ διαστήματος, ὅσαι φύσιν ἔχουσιν ἐν τούτῳ [ὡς] ἀθάνατοι διαμένειν μόνῳ, μενοῦσιν οὐδὲν ἐ[π]ιστάμεναι τούτου τοῦ διαστήματος διάφορον οὐ[δὲ] βέλτιον: οὐδὲ ἀκοή τις ἔσται τῶν ὑπερκειμένων ἐν τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις οὐδὲ γνῶσις, ἵνα μὴ τῶν ἀδυνάτων αἱ ὑποκείμεναι ψυχαὶ ὀρεγόμεναι βασανίζωνται, καθάπερ [οἱ] ἰχθύ[ε]ς ἐπιθυμήσα[ντε]ς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι μετὰ τῶν προβάτων νέμεσθαι: ἐγένετο [γὰρ] ἄν, φησίν, αὐτοῖς ἡ τοιαύτη ἐπιθυμία φθορά. ἔσται οὖν, φησίν, ἄφθαρτα πάντα τὰ κατὰ χώραν μένοντα, φθαρτὰ δὲ εἰ ἐκ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ὑπερπηδᾶν καὶ ὑπερβαίνειν βούλοιντο [τόπων]. Οὕτως οὐδὲ[ν] ὁ ἄρχων τῆς Ἑβδομάδος γνώσεται τῶν ὑπερκειμένων: καταλήψεται γὰρ καὶ τοῦτον ἡ μεγάλη ἄγνοια, ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ «λύπη καὶ ὀδύνη καὶ στεναγμός»: ἐπιθυμήσει γὰρ οὐδενὸς τῶν ἀδυνάτων οὐδὲ λυπηθήσεται. καταλήψεται δὲ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸν μέγαν ἄρχοντα τῆς Ὀγδοάδος ἡ ἄγνοια αὕτη, καὶ πάσας τὰς ὑποκειμένας αὐτῷ κτίσεις παραπλησίως, ἵνα μηδὲν κατὰ μηδένα [τόπον] ὀρέγηται τῶν παρὰ φύσιν τινὸς μηδὲ ὀδυνή[σε]ται. καὶ οὕτως ἡ ἀποκατάστασις ἔσται πάντων, κατὰ φύσιν τεθεμελιωμένων μὲν ἐν τῷ σπέρματι τῶν ὅλων ἐν ἀρχῇ, ἀποκαταστα[θησο]μένων δὲ [εἰς τόπους ἰδίους] καιρο[ῖ]ς ἰδίοις. Ὅτι δέ, φησίν, ἕκαστον ἰδίους ἔχει καιρούς, ἱκανῶς ὁ σωτὴρ [μαρτυρεῖ] λέγων: «οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου», καὶ [δὴ καὶ] οἱ μάγοι [οἱ αὐτοῦ] τὸν ἀστέρα τεθεαμένοι. ἦν γάρ, φησί, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ [τοῦ οὐκ ὄντος θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν] γενέσεως [ἀστέρων] καὶ [τὴν] ὥραν ἀποκαταστάσεως ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ προλελογισμένος σωρῷ. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κατ' αὐτοὺς νενομι[σ]μένος «ἔσω ἄνθρωπος», [ὁ] πνευματικὸς ἐν τῷ ψυχικῷ. ὅ ἐστιν [ἡ τρίτη] υἱότης, ἐνταῦθα ἀπολιποῦσα τὴν ψυχήν_ οὐ[χ ὡς] θνητήν, ἀλλὰ [ὡς] αὐτοῦ μένουσαν κατὰ φύσιν, κα[θά]περ [καὶ] ἡ προτ[έρ]α υἱότης ἄνω λέλοιπεν τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα τὸ μεθόριον, ἐν [τῷ] οἰκείῳ τόπῳ_, ἰδίαν τότε περιβεβλημένη ψυχήν. Ἵνα δὲ μηδὲν τῶν κατ' αὐτοῦ[ς] παραλείπωμεν, ὅσα καὶ περὶ εὐαγγελίου λέγουσιν ἐκθήσομαι. εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστι κατ' αὐτοὺς ἡ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων γνῶσις, ὡς [προ]δεδήλωται, ἣν ὁ μέγας ἄρχων οὐκ ἠπίστατο. ὡς οὖν ἐδηλώθη αὐτῷ ὅτι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἅγιόν ἐστι [τουτέστι] τὸ μεθόριον, καὶ ἡ υἱότης, καὶ θεός, ὁ τούτων αἴτιος πάντων, ὁ οὐκ ὤν, ἐχάρη ἐπὶ τοῖς λεχθεῖσι, [φησί,] καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο, [καὶ] τοῦτ' ἔστι κατ' αὐτοὺς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς γεγένηται κατ' αὐτοὺς ὡς προειρήκαμεν: γεγενημένης δὲ τῆς γενέσεως τῆς προδεδηλωμένης, γέγονε πάντα ὁμῶς κατ' αὐτοὺς τὰ περὶ τὸν σωτῆρα ὡς ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις γέγραπται. γέγονε δὲ ταῦτα, φησίν, ἵνα ἀπαρχὴ τῆς φυλοκρινήσεως γένηται τῶν συγκεχυμένων ὁ Ἰησοῦς. ἐπεὶ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος διῃρημένος εἰς Ὀγδοάδα_ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου, κεφαλὴ δὲ [τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου] [τῆς Ὀγδοάδος] ὁ μέγας ἄρχων_, καὶ εἰς Ἑβδομάδα_ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ κεφαλὴ [τοῦ ὑποσελήνου κόσμου, κεφαλὴ δὲ] τῆς Ἑβδομάδος ὁ δημιουργὸς τῶν ὑποκειμένων_, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο τὸ διάστημα τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς, ὅπου ἐστὶν ἡ ἀμορφία, ἀναγκαῖον ἧν τὰ συγκεχυμένα φυλοκρι[νη]θῆναι διὰ τῆς τοῦ Ἰησοῦ διαιρέσεως. ἔπαθεν οὖν τοῦτο ὅπερ ἦν αὐτοῦ σωματικὸν μέρος: ὅ[περ] ἦν τῆς ἀμορφίας, καὶ ἀπεκατέστη εἰς τὴν ἀμορφίαν. ἀνέστη δὲ τοῦτο ὅπερ ἦν ψυχικὸν αὐτοῦ μέρος: ὅπερ ἦν τῆς Ἑβδομάδος, καὶ ἀπεκατέστη εἰς τὴν Ἑβδομάδα. ἀνέστηκεν δὲ τοῦτο ὅπερ ἦν τῆς ἀκρωρείας οἰκεῖον τοῦ μεγάλου ἄρχοντος, καὶ ἔμεινε παρὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τὸν μέγαν. ἀνηνέγκ[ατ]ο δὲ ἄνω μέχρι [τοῦ στερεώματος] τοῦτο ὅπερ ἦν τοῦ μεθορίου Πνεύματος, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐν τῷ μεθορίῳ Πνεύματι. ἀπεκαθάρθη δὲ ἡ υἱότης ἡ τρίτη δι' αὐτοῦ, ἡ ἐγκαταλελειμμένη [ἐν τῇ ἀμορφίᾳ] πρὸς τὸ εὐεργετεῖν καὶ εὐεργετεῖσθαι, καὶ ἀνῆλθε πρὸς τὴν μακαρίαν υἱότητα, διὰ πάντων τούτων διελθοῦσα. Ὅλη δὲ αὐτῶν ἡ ὑπόθεσις [περὶ] σύγχυσιν [καὶ] οἱονεὶ πανσπερμίας [σωρὸν] καὶ φυλοκρίνησιν καὶ ἀποκατάστασιν τῶν συγκεχυμένων εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα . τῆς [γὰρ] οὖν φυλοκρινήσεως ἀπαρχὴ γέγονεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ τὸ πάθος οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς χάριν γέγονεν [ἀλλ' ἢ] ὑπὲρ τοῦ φυλοκρινηθῆναι τὰ συγκεχυμένα. τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ φησὶν ὅλην τὴν υἱότητα, τὴν καταλελειμμένην ἐν τῇ ἀμορφίᾳ πρὸς τὸ εὐεργετεῖν καὶ εὐεργετεῖσθαι, δεῖν φυλοκρι[νη]θῆναι, ᾧ τρόπῳ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πεφυλοκρίνηται. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ἃ καὶ Βασιλείδης μυθεύει, [ὃς] σχολάσας κατὰ τὴν [τῶν] Αἰγυπτ[ί]ων [χώραν] καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν τὴν τοιαύτην σοφίαν διδαχθείς, ἐκαρποφόρησε τοιούτους καρπούς.