The Gnostic Bible: Gnostic Texts of Mystical Wisdom form the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

(Elliott) #1
LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOM 297

this house will be left desolate,
or rather it will be destroyed.
But the whole inferior godhead will not flee from these places
into the holies of the holies,
for it cannot mix with the pure light and the perfect fullness.
Rather, it will be under the wings of the cross and under its arms.
This ark will be the salvation of people
when the floodwater surges over them.^87

SECRET OF THE TRUTH


If some belong to the order of the priesthood,
they will be able to go within the veil with the high priest.
So the veil was not torn at the top,
since it would have been open only to those above.
Nor was it torn at the bottom,
since it would have been revealed only to those below.
But it was rent from top to bottom.^88
Those above opened to us who are below,
that we may go in to the secret of the truth.
The truth is what is held in high regard, since it is strong.
But we shall go in there by means of lowly types
and forms of weakness.
They are lowly when compared with the perfect glory.
There is glory that surpasses glory.
There is power that surpasses power.
Therefore, the perfect things have opened to us
together with the hidden things of truth.
The holies of the holies has been revealed,
and the bridal chamber has invited us in.

THE PERFECT LIGHT


As long as the seed is hidden, wickedness is ineffectual,
but it has not yet been removed from the midst of the seed


  1. These lines reflect on the crucifixion and the great flood.

  2. Again, observations based on the rending of the temple veil at the time of the crucifixion.

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