A Valentinian Exposition

1A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION (XI,2), with ON THE ANOINTING, ON BAPTISM A AND B, and ON THE EUCHARIST A AND B Introduced by Elaine H. Pagels Translated by John D. T urner A Valentinian Exposition expounds the origin of the creation and the process of redemption in terms of Valentinian theology, specifically in terms of the myth of Sophia. The tractate thus offers the only original Valentinian account of that myth: The Tripartite Tractate (1,5) recounts another version that features the Logos instead of Sophia. The author begins by promising to reveal “ my mystery,” and follows the ac­ count with baptismal and eucharistic prayers and benedictions. This suggests that A Valentinian Exposition offers a kind of secret catechism for candidates being initiated into gnosis. Following the revelation of the mystery, the candidate is invited to participate in anointing, baptism, and the eucharist, as Gnostic Christians understand these sacraments. Besides relating the Sophia myth and referring to sacramental rituals, A Valen­ tinian Exposition has a third remarkable feature: it gives firsthand evidence of theological controversies among different groups of Valentinian theologians. The heresiologists attest that gnostic teachers disagree among themselves on the interpretation of fundamental doctrines; thus A Valentinian Exposition demon­ strates the truth of Tertullian’s statement that Valentinian Christians “ disagree on many specific issues, even with their own founders” (Praescr. 42). Irenaeus, Hippolytus, and others mention several such issues involving the story of Sophia: the interpretation of the primordial source (in what sense is it monadic or dyadic), of Limit (what are his functions) and the passion of Sophia (what moti­ vated it). While the church fathers sketch out various positions taken on these issues, the author of A Valentinian Exposition engages each issue, challenging certain views and advocating others. Valentinian theologians disagreed, first of all, on the question of whether the primordial root of all is a monad or a dyad. According to Irenaeus, Valentinus himself and the followers of his student Ptolemy said that the primal source is a dyad consisting of the Father of the All and his feminine counterpart, Silence,

24 8 2 the Mother of all things (Haer. 1.11.1). But this author insists, on the contrary, that the Father is one, singular, a monad; and that the Silence, far from being the Father’s dyadic syzygy, was merely the state of tranquility in which the Father reposed in his original solitude. Second, this author discusses the function of Limit: he himself maintains that Limit possesses four powers, while other Valentinians attribute to Limit only two of those four powers. As this author interprets the story, Limit first separated Sophia’s passion from the pleroma, and so protected and confirmed the aeons against the violation her transgression incurred. Yet Limit also restrained Sophia from being absorbed into the Father, and, finally, he separated her passions from her and confirmed her as well. A third issue of controversy among Valentinian theologians concerned the interpretation of Sophia’s suffering. According to Irenaeus’ account, some Valentinians said that Sophia, in transgressing her role in the pleroma, only ex­ pressed the involuntary longing of all the aeons for closer communion with the Father (Haer. 1.2.2); others said that she willfully and audaciously attempted to rise above the condition of interdependence she shared in common with all the other aeons, and dared to imitate the Father himself (Haer. 1.2.3). The author of A Valentinian Exposition apparently takes a position closer to the latter view, which indicates that Sophia willfully violated the pleromic harmony, and later repented of this as she turned back to the Father. This text goes on to describe how Sophia, after suffering in isolation, repented and received Christ, who descended to become her divine counterpart. Their di­ vine reunion demonstrates the Father’s will that “ nothing ... happen in the ple­ roma apart from a syzygy” (i.e., that all beings except himself be interde­ pendent); and shows how all things “ will come to be in unity and reconciliation.” Finally, this text offers what appear to be liturgical fragments of a Valentinian celebration of baptism and the eucharist: in this respect, as in others mentioned above, the text offers a unique and valuable opportunity to investigate various forms of Valentinian thought and ritual practice. A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION XI 22, 1-39, 39 [...] 1 enter [...] 1 the abundance 1 [...] 5 those who [... 16 I will speak] my mystery 1 [to those who are] mine and 1 [to those who will be mine]. Moreover it is these who 1 [have known him who] is, the Father, that20 [is, the Root] of the All, the 1 [Ineffable One 1 who] dwells in the Monad. 1 [He dwells alone] in silence, 1 [and silence is] tranquility since, after all, 1 [he was] a Monad and no one 25 [was] before him. He dwells 1 [in the Dyad] and in the Pair, and his 1 Pair is Silence. And he pos­ sessed 1 the All dwelling within 1 him. And as for Intention and 30 Per­ sistence, Love and Permanence, 1 they are indeed unbegotten.

3A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION (XI,2 ) 4 8 3 God 1 came forth: the Son, Mind of the All, 1 that is, it is from the Root 1 of the All that even his Thought stems, 35 since he had this one (the Son) in 1 Mind. For on behalf of the All he received 1 an alien Thought 1 since there was nothing before him. From 1 that place it is he who moved 23 [... 18 a] gushing [spring]. 1 Now this [is the] Root [of the All] 20 and Monad without any [one] 1 before him. Now the second [spring] 1 exists in Silence and [speaks] 1 with him alone. And the [Fourth] 1 accordingly is he [who] 25 restricted himself [in the] 1 Fourth: while dwelling in the 1 Three-hundred-sixtieth, he first brought 1 himself (forth), and in the Second [he] revealed 1 his will [and] 30 in the Fourth he spread 1 himself [out]. While these things are 1 due to the Root of the All, let us for our part 1 [enter] his revelation 1 and his goodness and his 35 descent and the All, that 1 is, the Son, the Father of the All, and 1 the Mind of the Spirit; 1 for he was possessing this one before 24 [...]. 18 He [is] a [spring]. 1 He is [one] who appears 20 [in Silence], and [he is] Mind of the All 1 dwell­ ing secondarily with 1 [Life]. For he is the projector 1 [of] the All and the [very] hypostasis 1 of the Father, that is, [he is] the [Thought] 25 and his descent below. When he willed, 1 the First Father revealed himself 1 in him. Since, after all, because 1 [of him] the revelation is available to the 30 All, I for my part call the All 1 “ the desire of the All.” And he took 1 such a thought concerning the All - 1 I for my part call the thought “ Mono­ genes.” 1 For now God has brought35 Truth, the one who glorifies the Root of the 1 All. Thus it is he who 1 revealed himself in Monogenes, 1 and in him 1 he revealed the Ineffable One 25 [. ..] 18 the Truth. [They] 1 saw him [dwelling] in the Monad [and] 20 in the Dyad [and] in the Te­ trad. [He] 1 first brought forth [Monogenes 1 and Limit]. And Limit [is the 1 separator] of the All [and the confirmation 1 of the All], since they are [. . .] 25 the hundred [.-..]. 1 He is the [Mind . . .] 30 the Son. [He is] completely [ineffable] 1 to the All, and he is the confirmation 1 and [the] hypostasis of the All, the [silent veil], 1 the [true] High Priest, 1 [the one who has] 35 the authority to enter 1 the Holies of Holies, revealing 1 the glory of 1 the Aeons and bringing forth the 1 abundance to (fragrance). The East 26 [... 18 that is] in [him. He is the one who 1 revealed himself as] the 20 primal [sanctuary] and [the] treasury of 1 [the All]. And [he] encompassed the All, 1 [he] who is higher [than the] All. These for their part 1 [sent] Christ [forth to 1 establish her] just as [they] were estab­ lished [before 25 her] descent. [And they say 1 concerning] him: [... 29 He is not manifest, but 1 invisible] to [those remaining within Limit]. 1

44 8 4 And he possesses four 1 powers: a separator [and a] 1 confirmer, a form-provider [and a 1 substance-producer]. Surely [we alone] 35 would discern 1 their presences and the time 1 and the places which [the] 1 like­ nesses have confirmed because they have 27 [...] 18 from these [places 1 ...] the love [...] 20 is emanated [... 1 the] entire Pleroma [...]. 1 The persistence [endures] 1 always, and [...] 1 for also [...] 25 the time [.. .] 1 more [... 29 that is], the proof of his [great 1 love]. So why a 1 [separator] and a confirmer 1 and a substance-producer and a 1 form-provider as others have 1 [said]? For [they] say concerning 35 [Limit] that he has two powers, [a] (separator) and 1 [a confirmer], since it separates 1 [Depth] from the Aeons, in order that 28 [...] 18 These, then [...] 20 of [Depth ...]. 1 For [... is] the form [...] 1 the Father of the [Truth ... 1 say] that Christ [...] 1 the Spirit [...] 25 Monogenes [...] 1 has [...]. 29 [It is a great and] 1 necessary thing for us to [seek with] 1 more diligence and [perseverance] 1 after the scriptures and [those who] 1 pro­ claim the concepts. For about [this] 1 the ancients say, 35 “ [They] were proclaimed 1 by God.” So [let us] 1 know his unfathomable 1 richness! [he wanted 29 ... 18 servitude ...] 20 he [did not] become 1 [...] of their life 1 [... they look] steadfastly 1 [at their book] of knowledge 1 and [they regard 25 one another’s appearance]. [That] Tetrad 1 [projected the Tetrad 1 which is the one consisting of] Word and [Life 1 and Man and] Church. 1 [Now the Uncreated One] projected 30 Word and Life. Word 1 is [for] the glory of the Ineffable One 1 while Life is for the glory of 1 [Silence], and Man is for his 1 own glory while Church 35 is [for] the glory of Truth. This, then, 1 is the [Te­ trad] begotten 1 according to [the likeness] of the Uncreated (Tetrad). 1 And [the] Tetrad is begotten 30 [... 16 the Decad (i.e., ten)] 1 from [Word and Life] 1 and the Dodecad (i.e., twelve) from Man], and [Church became a] 20 Triacontad (i.e., thirty). [Moreover], it is the one [from the Triacontad] 1 of the [Aeons who bear fruit] 1 from [the Tria­ contad]. 1 [They] enter [jointly 1 but they] come forth [singly, 25 fleeing from] the Aeons [and the Uncontainable Ones. 1 And] the Uncontainable Ones, [once they had] 1 looked [at him, glorified Mind] 1 since [he is an Uncontainable One that exists] 1 in the [Pleroma]. [But30 the Decad] from 1 Word and Life brought forth 1 decads so as to make the Pleroma 1 become a hundred, end 1 the Dodecad from Man 35 and Church [brought] forth and [made] 1 the Triacontad so as to make [the three] hundred 1 sixty become the Pleroma of the 1 year. And the year of the Lord 31 [... 18 perfect ...] 1 perfect [...] 20 according

5A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION (X I,2 ) 4 8 5 to [... 22 Limit] and 1 [...] Limit [... 27 the] greatness 1 which [...] the 1 [goodness ...] him. Life 30 [...] suffer 1 [...] by 1 the face [...] in the presence of 1 the [Pleroma ...] which he wanted 1 [ .. .. And] he wanted 35 to [leave] the Thirtieth - 1 being [a syzygy] of Man and 1 Church, that is, Sophia - to surpass [the Triacontad and] bring the Pleroma 32 [...] 16 his [...] 1 but [... and] 1 she [...] 22 the [All ...] 28 but [...] 1 who [...] the All [...]. 32 He made [...] the thoughts 1 and [... the] Pleroma 1 through the Word [...] his 35 flesh. These, then, [are the Aeons that] are like 1 them. After the [Word] entered 1 it, just as [I] said before, 1 also [the one who comes to be] with 1 the Uncontainable One [brought] forth 33 [...] 11 before they 1 [...] forth [...] 1 hide him from 1 [...] the syzygy and 15 [...] the movement and 1 [...] project the 1 Christ [...] and the seeds 1 [...] of the cross 1 since [... the imprints] of the nail 20 wound [...] perfection. 1 [Since it is] a perfect form 1 [that should] ascend into 1 [the Pleroma], he did not [at all] want 1 [to] consent to the suffering, 25 [but he was] detained 1 [...] him by Limit, 1 that is, by the syzygy, 1 since her correction will 1 not oc­ cur through anyone except30 her own Son, 1 whose alone is the fullness 1 of divinity. He willed 1 within himself bodily 1 to leave the powers and he descended. 35 And these things (passions) Sophia suffered 1 after her son ascended from 1 her, [for] she knew 1 that she dwelt in a 34 [... 10 in unity] 1 and [restoration. They were] 1 stopped [...] 1 the brethren [ . . . ]' these. A [...] did not [...] 151 became [...]. 1 Who indeed [are] they? [The ...], on the one hand, 1 stopped her [...], on the other hand, [...] 1 with the [...] 1 her. These [moreover are those who were] looking at me, 20 these who [... these] 1 who considered [...] the 1 [death]. They were stopped [...] her 1 and she repented [and she] 1 be­ sought the Father of the [truth], saying, 25 “ Granted that I have [re­ nounced] 1 my consort. Therefore [I am] 1 beyond confirmation as well. I deserve 1 the things (passions) I suffer. 1 I used to dwell in the Pleroma 30 putting forth the Aeons and 1 bearing fruit with my consort.” 1 And she knew what she was 1 and what had become of 1 her. So they both suffered; 35 they said she laughs since she remained 1 alone and imitated the Uncontainable 1 One, while he said she [laughs] since 1 she cut herself off from her consort. 35 [ . . . ] 10 Indeed [Jesus and] Sophia 1 revealed [the creature]. Since, after all, 1 the seeds [of] Sophia are 1 incomplete [and] formless, 1 Jesus [contrived] a creature of this 15 [sort] and made it of the 1 seeds while Sophia worked with 1 him. [For] since they are seeds 1 and [without form], he descended 1 [and brought] forth that 20 pleroma [of aeons] which are in that 1 place,

6[since even the uncreated ones of] 1 those [Aeons are of] the pattern of the [Pleroma] 1 and the [uncontainable] Father. 1 The Uncreated One 25 [brought forth the pattern] of the uncreated, 1 for it is from the uncreat­ ed 1 that the Father brings forth 1 into form. But the creature 1 is a shadow of pre-existing 30 things. Moreover, this Jesus created 1 the creature, and he worked 1 from the passions 1 surrounding the seeds. And he 1 separated them from one another, 35 and the better passions he introduced 1 into the spirit and the worse ones 1 into the carnal. Now 1 first among [all] those passions 36 [...] 9 nor [...] 1 him, [since, after all], Pronoia 1 caused [the] correction to 1 project shadows and 1 images of [those who] exist [from] the 1 first and [those who] are [and] 15 those who shall be. This, [then, is] the 1 dispensation of believ­ ing 1 in Jesus for the sake of [him who] inscribed 1 the All with [like­ nesses and] 1 images [and shadows]. 20 After Jesus brought [forth further] 1 he brought [forth] for 1 the All those of the Pleroma 1 and of the syzygy, that [is, the] 1 angels. For si­ multaneously with the 25 [agreement] of the Pleroma 1 her consort pro­ jected 1 the angels, since he abides in 1 the will of the Father. For this 1 is the will of the Father: 30 not to allow anything to happen in the 1 Pleroma apart from a syzygy. 1 Again, the will of the Father is: 1 always produce 1 and bear fruit. That she should suffer, 35 then, was not the will 1 of the Father, for she dwells 1 in herself alone without 1 her con­ sort. Let'us 37 [...] 9 another one [ . . . ] ' the Second [...] 1 the son of another [...] 1 is the Tetrad of the world. [And] 1 that Tetrad put forth [fruit] 1 as if the Pleroma [of the world were] 15 a Hebdomad. 1 And [it] entered [images] 1 and [likenesses and angels] 1 and [archangels, divinities] 1 and [ministers]. 20 When all [these things were brought to pass 1 by] Pronoia [...] 1 of Jesus who [...] 1 the seeds [...] 1 of Monogenes [...]. 25 Indeed they are [spiritual] 1 and carnal, 1 the heavenly and the 1 earthly. He made them 1 a place of this sort and 30 a school of this sort for 1 doctrine and for form. 1 Moreover this Demiurge 1 began to create a 1 man according to his image on the one hand 35 and on the other according to the likeness of those who 1 exist from the first. It was this sort of 1 dwelling place that she used 1 for the seeds, namely 38 [ .. . 10 separate 1 . . .] God. When they 1 [. .. ] in behalf of man, 1 [since] indeed [the Devil] is one 1 [of] the divine beings. He removed himself 15 and seized the entire [plaza] 1 of the gates and he 1 [expelled] his [own] root 1 from [that] place 1 [in the body] and 20 [carcasses of flesh], for [he is enveloped] by 1 [the man] of

7A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION (X I,2 ) 4 8 7 God. And [Adam 1 sowed] him. Therefore [he acquired] 1 sons who [angered 1 one another. And] Cain [killed] 25 Abel his brother, for [the Demiurge] 1 breathed into [them] 1 his spirit. And there [took place] 1 the struggle with the apostasy 1 of the angels and mankind, 30 those of the right with those of the left, 1 those in heaven with those on earth 1 the spirits with the carnal, 1 and the Devil against God. 1 Therefore the angels lusted 35 after the daughters of men 1 and came down to flesh so that 1 God would cause a flood. 1 And he almost 1 regretted that he had created the world 39 [... 10 the consort] 1 and [Sophia and her Son] 1 and the angels [and the seeds]. 1 But the syzygy is the [complete one] 1 and Sophia and Jesus and [the angels] 15 and the seeds are [images 1 of] the Pleroma. Moreover the Demiurge 1 [cast a shadow over] 1 the syzygy and [the] Pleroma, 1 and Jesus and [Sophia] and the [angels] 20 and the seeds. [The complete one 1 glorifies] Sophia; the image 1 [glorifies] Truth. [And] the glory [of 1 the seeds] and Jesus [are] those of [Silence 1 and] Monogenes. [And] 25 the [angels] of the males and [the 1 seminal ones] of the females 1 [are] all Pleromas. 1 Moreover whenever Sophia [receives] 1 her consort and Jesus 30 receives the Christ and the seeds 1 and the angels, then [the] 1 Pleroma will receive Sophia 1 joyfully, and the All will 1 come to be in unity and 35 reconciliation. For by this 1 the Aeons have been increased; 1 for they knew that 1 should they change, they are 1 without change. ON THE ANOINTING XI 40, 1-29 [... ] 9 according to [... ] 10 the type of [... ] 1 see him. It is fitting for 1 [you at this time] to send thy Son 1 [Jesus] Christ and anoint 1 us so that we might be able 15 to trample [upon] the 1 [snakes] and [the heads] of the scorpions 1 and [all] the power of the Devil 1 since he is the shep­ herd of [the 1 seed]. Through him we [have 20 known] thee. And we [glorify] thee: 1 [Glory] be to thee, the Father in the [Son, the 1 Father] in the Son, the Father [in the] 1 holy [Church and in the] 1 holy [angels]! From 25 now on he abides [forever 1 in] the perpetuity of the Aeons, 1 forever until the [untraceable] Aeons 1 of the Aeons. 1 Amen.

8ON BAPTISM A XI 40, 30-41, 38 [This] is the fullness of the summary 1 of knowledge which (sum­ mary) 1 was revealed to us by 1 our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 the Monogenes. These are the 35 sure and necessary (items) 1 so that we may walk 1 in them. But they are 1 those of the first baptism 41 [---- 10 The first] 1 baptism [is the forgiveness] 1 of sins [...] 1 <who> said, [...] 1 you to the [...] 15 your sins the [... is] 1 a pattern of the [...] 1 of the Christ [which 1 is the] equal of the [... within] 1 him. [...]. 20 For the [...] of Jesus [...]. 1 Moreover, the first [baptism] 1 is the forgiveness [of 1 sins. We] are brought [from 1 those] by [it 25 into] those of the right, [that 1 is], into the [imperishability 1 which is] the Jo[rdan. 1 But] that place is [of] 1 the world. So we have [been sent] 1 out [of the world] 1 into the Aeon. For [the] 1 interpretation of John 1 is the Aeon, while the inter­ pretation 1 of that which [is] the Jord[an] 35 is the descent which is [the upward progression], 1 that [is, our exodus] 1 from the world [into] 1 the Aeon. ON BAPTISM B XI 42, 1-43, 19 [... 10 from the] world 1 [into the Jordan] and from 1 [the blindness] of the world 1 [into the sight of] God, from 1 [the carnal] into the spirit­ ual, 15 [from] the physical 1 [into the] angelic, from 1 [the created] into the Pleroma, 1 [from] the world 1 [into the Aeon], from the 20 [servi­ tudes] into sonship, 1 [from] entanglements [into 1 one another], from [the desert 1 into] our village, from [the cold 1 into] the hot, [from 25 ... ] into a [... ] 1 and we [... ] 1 into the [... 1 thus] we were brought [from] 1 seminal [bodies into 30 bodies] with a perfect form. 1 [Indeed] I entered by way of example 1 [the remnant] for which the Christ 1 [rescued] us in the 1 [fellowship] of his Spirit. And 35 [he brought] us forth who are 1 [in him, and] from now on the souls 1 [will become] perfect spirits. 1 Now [the things] granted to us 1 [by the first] baptism 43 [... 15 invis­ ible ... 1 which] is his, since [... 18 speak] about ...].

9A VALENTINIAN EXPOSITION (X I,2 ) 4 8 9 ON THE EUCHARIST A XI 43, 20-38 [We give] thanks [to you and we 1 celebrate the eucharist], O Father, [remembering 1 for the sake of] thy Son [Jesus Christ 1 that they] come forth [...] 1 invisible [ . . . ] 26 thy [Son ...] 1 his [love . . . ] 30 to [knowl­ edge 1 ...] they are doing thy will 1 [through the] name of Jesus Christ 1 [and] will do thy will 1 [now and] always. They are complete 35 [in] every spiritual gift and [every] 1 purity. [Glory] be to thee through thy Son 1 [and] thy offspring Jesus Christ 1 [from now] forever. Amen. ON THE EUCHARIST B XI 44, 1-37 [...] 14 in the ' [ . . . ] ' the [word] of the [... 1 the] holy one it is [...] 19 food and 1 [drink ...] Son, since you [...] 1 food of the [...] ! to us the [... ] 1 in the [life ... ] 26 he does [not boast 1 ... ] that is [... ] 1 Church [...] 1 you are pure [...] 31 thou art the Lord. [Whenever] 1 you die purely, [you] 1 will be pure so as to have him [...] 1 everyone who will [guide] 35 him to food and [drink]. 1 Glory be to thee forever. 1 Amen.