Paganism Surviving in ChristianityLewis, Abram Herbert
Religion
Paganism Surviving in Christianity
Lewis, Abram Herbert
Christianity and other religions; Paganism
“was a type of the Demiurge, who, on the arrival of the Saviour,
learned his own change of place, and gave thanks to Bythus. They also
assert that by Anna, who is spoken of in the Gospel as a prophetess,
and who, after living seven years with her husband, passed all
the rest of her life in widowhood until she saw the Saviour, and
recognized Him, and spoke of Him to all, was most plainly indicated
Achamoth, who, having for a little while looked upon the Saviour
with his associates, and dwelling all the rest of the time in the
intermediate place, waited for Him till He should come again and
restore her to her proper consort. Her name, too, was indicated by
the Saviour when he said, ‘Yet wisdom is justified by her children.’
This, too, was done by Paul in these words, ‘But we speak wisdom
among them that are perfect.’ They declare also that Paul has
referred to the conjunctions within the Pleroma, showing them forth
by means of one; for, when writing of the conjugal union in this
life, he expressed himself thus: ‘This is a great mystery, but I
speak concerning Christ and the Church.’”[41]
Another instance is found in the interpretation which they made of the
raising of Jairus’ daughter:
“They maintain further, that that girl of twelve years old, the
daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, whom the Lord approached
and raised from the dead, was a type of Achamoth, to whom their
Christ, by extending himself, imparted shape, and whom he led anew
to the perception of that light which had forsaken her. And that
the Saviour appeared to her when she lay outside of the Pleroma
as a kind of abortion, they affirm Paul to have declared in his
_Epistle to the Corinthians_ (in these words): ‘And last of all, He
appeared to me also, as to one born out of due time.’ Again, the
coming of the Saviour with His attendants, to Achamoth is declared
in like manner by him in the same epistle, when he says: ‘A woman
ought to have a veil upon her head, because of the angels.’ Now that
Achamoth, when the Saviour came to her, drew a veil over herself
through modesty, Moses rendered manifest when he put a veil upon his
face. Then, also, they say that the passions which she endured were
indicated by the Lord upon the cross. Thus, when He said, ‘My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ he simply showed that Sophia
was deserted by the light, and was restrained by Horos from making
any advance forward. Her anguish again was indicated when He said,
‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death’; her fear by the
words, ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me’; and
her perplexity, too, when He said, ‘And what I shall say, I know
not.’”[42]
This Method Opposed by Some.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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