Basic
Worldview:
104
Why Christianity?
A Few
Words on Gnosticism
Judaism
and Christianity Introduction and History
History
of Judaism Continued
Scholarly
Objections and Historicity of Daniel (P. 1)
Historicity
of Daniel (P. 2) & Judeo-Christian Syncretism
A
Few Words on Gnosticism
Christianity
- A Sect of Judaism (P. 1)
Christianity
- A Sect of Judaism (P. 2) & Prophecy in Judaism
Is
Jesus the Jewish Messiah? (P. 1)
Is
Jesus the Jewish Messiah? (P. 2)
List
of Messianic Qualifications & the Resurrection of Jesus
(P. 1)
The
Resurrection of Jesus (Part 2)
Study
Conclusions and Overall Comparisons
Additional
Material
The
Sufferings of Eyewitnesses
Comparison
of Mystical Religions to Judeo-Christianity
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 1)
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 2)
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 3)
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 4)
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 5)
Rabbinical
Judaism Accepts Christian Interpretations (P. 6)
Introduction | Section 1
| Section 2 | Section
3
Since it has been established earlier in this study that the
teachings of the Christian New Testament can historically
be traced directly back to Jesus, his apostles, and earliest
disciples during the 1st century B.C., we can now compare
New Testament historicity with that of Gnosticism.
Earlier in our study, during our analysis of Propositional
Religions, we discussed Gnosticism as a mystical religion
that was a composite of Greek thought, Judeo-Christianity,
and other ancient mystery cults. With that in mind we categorized
Gnosticism with Propositional Mysticism rather than Evidentiary
Monotheism (as exhibited in Old and New Testament Judeo-Christianity).
On the other hand Christianity is clearly a product of non-mystical
Judaism
"Christianity - Christianity is in a direct sense an offshoot
of Judaism, because Jesus and his immediate followers were
Jews living in Palestine and Jesus was believed by his followers
to have fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah."
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
The fact is that to deny that New Testament Christianity is
the Christianity taught by Jesus Christ himself contradicts
the firmly established academic standards used to determine
the life and accomplishments of Alexander the Great, Julius
Caesar, Plato, and other such figures, including ancient historians
themselves. These academic standards validate that the New
Testament teaching was the teaching of Jesus Christ himself
to such an extent that this alone should silence critics on
this point. However, since recent suggestions have been made
that Gnostic forms of Christianity were the authentic teachings
of Jesus and not the views expressed in the Christian New
Testament, further discussion of the origin of Gnosticism
is warranted. Toward that ends, the following quotes will
demonstrate that Gnostic works were later in origin than those
of the Christian New Testament and post-New Testament literature,
devoid of historical detail, and without historical connection
to the central figures of Christianity.
While New Testament Christianity spread throughout Judea and
the Roman empire during the 1st century B.C., Gnosticism did
not become widely held until the 2nd century B.C.
"Gnosticism - dualistic religious and philosophical
movement of the late Hellenistic and early Christian eras.
The term designates a wide assortment of sects, numerous
by the 2d cent. A.D." - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth
Edition. 2001
"Gnosticism - philosophical and religious movement
prominent in the Greco-Roman world in the 2nd century AD."
- Britannica.com
The fact that Gnosticism became widespread in the 2nd century
A.D. after the onset of Christianity, means that Gnosticism
was influenced by Christianity and not the other way around.
"Gnosticism - Christian ideas were quickly incorporated
into these syncretistic systems, and by the 2d cent. the largest
of them, organized by Valentinus and Basilides, were a significant
rival to Christianity." - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth
Edition. 2001
Historically speaking, it is quite clear that the early promoters
of Gnostic Christianity were a product of the 2nd century
A.D. blending of Christian and mystery religion.
"Gnosticism - Scholars trace these salvation religions
back to such diverse sources as Jewish mysticism, Hellenistic
mystery cults, Iranian religious dualism (see Zoroastrianism),
and Babylonian and Egyptian mythology...Christian ideas were
quickly incorporated into these syncretistic systems,
and by the 2d cent. the largest of them, organized by Valentinus
and Basilides, were a significant rival to Christianity."
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
As Britannica.com asserts, no Gnostic teachers prior to this
period are known to us. In fact, until 1945, our knowledge
of Gnosticism was largely dependent upon the writings of early
Christian leaders who cataloged and refuted Gnostic teaching
with Old and New Testament scripture.
"Gnosticism - Until the discovery at Nag Hammadi in Egypt
of key Manichaean (1930) and Coptic Gnostic (c.1945) papyri,
knowledge of Gnosticism depended on Christian sources, notably
St. Irenaeus, St. Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Clement
of Alexandria. Among principal Gnostic writings are the
Valentinian documents Pistis-Sophia and the Gospel of Truth
(perhaps by Valentinus himself)...Gnostic elements are
found in the Acts of Thomas, the Odes of Solomon, and other
wisdom literature of the pseudepigrapha Christianity." - The
Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
Gnostic works of literature do not appear until after the
Christian New Testament was written. Dating to the 2nd and
3rd centuries A.D., Gnostic texts emerged as a result of the
rise of Gnosticism's first major leaders, such as Valentinus.
"Gnosticism - The dualistic phase was reached after
the expansion of Gnosticism into the Hellenistic world and
under the influence of Platonic philosophy, from which was
borrowed the doctrine that a lower demiurge was responsible
for the creation of this world. This teaching is to be found
in the Apocryphon of John (early 2nd century) and other
documents of popular gnosis discovered near Naj' Hammadi in
upper Egypt in the 1940s and in the Pistis Sophia, a 3rd-century
Gnostic work in Coptic belonging to the same school. The learned
gnosis of Valentinus, Basilides (qq.v.), and their schools
presupposes this popular gnosis, which, however, has been
thoroughly Hellenized and Christianized and sometimes
comes very near to the views of Middle Platonism." - Britannica.com
As Gnosticm began to spread during the 2nd century, orthodox
Christians like Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp (who was
himself discipled by John the Apostle of Jesus) documented
their heretical beliefs and vigorously refuted them showing
that even as Gnosticism first began to syncretize with Christianity
it was identified and resisted by those with historical connections
to the authentic teaching of Jesus, his apostles and early
disciples.
"Irenaeus - c.125-c.202, Greek theologian, bishop of
Lyons, and Father of the Church. Born in Asia Minor, he
was a disciple of St. Polycarp...Only two of his works
surviveÑneither in the original Greek. Against Heresies
establishes Christian doctrine against the Gnostics and incidentally
supplies much information on Gnosticism." - The Columbia
Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Polycarp - c.A.D. 70-A.D. 156?, Greek bishop of Smyrna,
Father of the Church. He was a disciple of St. John,who
appointed him bishop. Thus he linked the apostles and such
2d-century Christian expositors as St. Irenaeus." - The
Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
So, it is clear that Christianity is a product of Judaism
alone, despite the contentions offered by some that the authentic
form of Christian teaching is found in Gnosticism. A simple
analysis of historical documentation has shown that the New
Testament understanding about Jesus and his teaching predates
that of the Gnostic schools.
Likewise, we have the documents of post-New Testament Christian
leaders (like Irenaeus) which sternly refute Gnostic claims,
pre-date the available Gnostic writings, and constitute clear
evidence that the anti-Gnostic nature of New Testament Christianity
can be attributed to Jesus, his apostles and disciples. Thus,
the Gnostic Christianity, which became prominent as the Church
approached the third century A.D. and eventually culminated
in the Roman Catholic endeavors of that time, is clearly shown
to be the imposter and not the original form of Christianity.
And, as we have said, to deny that New Testament Christianity
is the Christianity taught by Jesus Christ himself contradicts
the firmly established academic standards used to determine
the life and accomplishment of Alexander the Great, Julius
Caesar, Plato, and other such figures, including ancient historians
themselves.
With that said, we now move on to our examination of the evidence
offered by Judaism and Christianity to substantiate their
claims. We will begin by examining Christianity's claim to
be a correct interpretation of Old Testament Jewish teachings.
