Il8 LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOMParaphrase of Shem brings to mind, in its title, the text that Hippolytus of
Rome in his account of the Sethians calls the Paraphrase of Seth, but its con-
tents do not square well with his description of that text. Rather, the Para-
phrase of Shem is a gnostic account of the creation of the world, with strongly
sexual characteristics, in which Shem is the hero. The Second Treatise of the
Great Seth appears to be Sethian only in title. This text is a gnostic meditation
on the meaning of the life and death of Jesus and the relationship between
gnostic and emerging orthodox Christians. The Gospel of Mary, a fragmen-
tary gospel attributed to Mary (that is, Mary of Magdala), is a gnostic dialogue
of Jesus with his students. The Naassene Sermon describes "serpentine" gnos-
tics, who studied the mystery religions and drew gnostic conclusions. The ser-
mon contains passages reminiscent of the Gospel of Thomas, including a
provocative statement that proclaims the remarkable transformation of those
who are spiritual and embrace knowledge: "This is the gate of heaven and the
house of god, where the good god dwells alone, where no impure person en-
ters, none psychical, none carnal. It is reserved for the spiritual alone, and
those who come there must put on the wedding garments and all become
bridegrooms, made masculine by the virgin spirit."
Such is the gnostic message of hope for the spiritual and the enlightened.
They will come to the light, to god, and be transformed.