THE ALLEGORY EXPLAINED...COMING OUT OF EGYPT 4. Egypt represents the body. When the initiate identifies with only the body and the flesh they are in captivity. To come forth out of Egypt was understood as leaving behind the idea of being merely a body and discovering the soul. This was the beginning of the Spiritual experience and discovery of God. Hippolytus recounts for us that those who are ignorant...are Egyptians in need of departing Egypt; that is from their body centered existence (Hippolytus, Ref., 5.11). The ignorant Egyptians represent those without Gnosis, without the knowledge of the Divine Spark within them. It was this class of people who remain identified with their physical selves and who did not possess the knowledge/Gnosis; that they were Divine Sparks of God entrapped in these fleshy and carnal bodies. CROSSING THE RED SEA...BAPTISM...FIRST STAGE 5. Crossing the Red Sea was understood as symbolizing a purifying baptism, which is the first stage of initiation on the path of spiritual awakening for those who are conscious. Explaining that Exodus should be understood allegorically, Paul writes: Our ancestors passed through the Red Sea and so received baptism into the fellowship of Moses (I Cor. 10:1-6): 1 Cor 10:1-6 1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (KJV). Initiation by baptism begins a process in which initiates must face their doubts and confusion, symbolized by the Jews being afflicted in the desert for 40 years. THE DEATH OF MOSES...SECOND STAGE 6. Having come to possess this knowledge & Gnosis that within their body dwells the Divine Spark or soul of God then the next stage is experiencing the death of the old self which was represented by the death of Moses. Moses is mythically reborn as Joshua/Jesus. THE PROMISED LAND ACHIEVED...SALVATION...THIRD STAGE 7. It is through this new Moses, this Joshua/Jesus, that one completes the journey to the Promised Land, representing the reborn initiate who realizes Gnosis. It is only thought this new man (Joshua/Jesus) that the goal of salvation can be achieved in the Old Testament for Israel. All of this was understood in a literal sense. But that will change with the Gnostic New Testament of Marcion. The basic structure of the Exodus allegory, representing the fundamental stages of Gnostic initiation, is the framework upon which the Jesus myth was constructed. PARALLELS TO THE JOSHUA/JESUS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 8. This same Exodus story is retold through the Gnostic Christ of the New Testament. BEING BORN AGAIN...BAPTISM...FIRST STAGE 9. The first stage of initiation into this higher self-awareness of ones self and the soul within is one of cleansing and purification and struggle. In the Exodus myth this is the crossing of the Red Sea, which inaugurates 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. We find the exact same thing inn the Jesus story represented by Jesus baptism, followed by his 40 days in the wilderness. DEATH OF THE OLD SELF...THE OLD MAN...SECOND STAGE 10. The next stage in the process of initiation is the death of the old self which precipitates Gnosis. This is represented in the Exodus myth by the death of Moses and in the Jesus myth by the death of Jesus on the cross. Does Paul teach this Gnostic Exodus allegory through the New Testament Christ? He sure does. Rom 6:6 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (KJV) Eph 4:22-23 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind (to the revelation of Christ-God within you); (KJV) Col 3:9-10 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (KJV) In Col 3:9-10 Paul appeals to believers who have come to the Gnosis of God within them and that they have been created in the image of God, to not fall back into lives typified by sin and fleshly deeds. Live according to the higher knowledge that they have received: Col 1:27 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV) JESUS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD...SALVATION...THIRD STAGE 11. The experience of Gnosis is represented in Exodus by Joshua-Jesus crossing to the Promised Land. This is the salvation of Israel as depicted in the Old Testament. Its paralleled in the New Testament if found in Jesus resurrection from the dead and ascension to Heaven.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:06:34 +0000
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