Jewish gnosticism and Mandaeism

[theosis]

We know that Abrahamic gnostic sects are pre-Christian but besides gnosticism-lite (mysticism that eventually developed into Kabbalah) I'm not sure if there's much of a record of fully-developed gnosticism among Jewish communities.

For example, the Mandaeans are clearly an offshoot off heretical Judaism (the Ginza Rba makes plenty of references to the Tanakh). However, Mandaean theology is so wildly different from that of Second Temple Judaism that there must have been some sort of intermediary stage. In Mandaeism, Adonai is only a lesser emanation, he's not even the demiurge. There had to have been sects that diverged less from orthodox theology but still placed great importance on Yahweh.

Are there any texts that describe these heretical sects?

 

[SheikhHorusFromTheSky]

Maybe you can search within the Nag Hammadi Scriptures. I have one myself - maybe I'll search one for you.

 

[Levite]

We know that Abrahamic gnostic sects are pre-Christian but besides gnosticism-lite (mysticism that eventually developed into Kabbalah) I'm not sure if there's much of a record of fully-developed gnosticism among Jewish communities.

For example, the Mandaeans are clearly an offshoot off heretical Judaism (the Ginza Rba makes plenty of references to the Tanakh). However, Mandaean theology is so wildly different from that of Second Temple Judaism that there must have been some sort of intermediary stage. In Mandaeism, Adonai is only a lesser emanation, he's not even the demiurge. There had to have been sects that diverged less from orthodox theology but still placed great importance on Yahweh.

Are there any texts that describe these heretical sects?

Mandean theology is wildly different from every kind of Judaism. I have always had the personal suspicion-- without any supporting evidence, I freely grant-- that the Mandeans were the result of one of the failed attempts of the Hasmonean kings, who experimented with aggressively proselytizing (if not compulsorily converting) local non-Jews (one of our darkest hours, and worst ideas). Otherwise, it is difficult to imagine any sizable community of Jews being sufficiently self-hating as to construct a religion that so thoroughly treats God with such contempt, and so thoroughly vilifies Jewish tradition.

As far as I am aware, there was never a Jewish community that incorporated fully developed Gnosticism into its theology and practice, though, as you allude to above, concepts from Gnostic thought have been syncretized into Judaism, usually into mysticism, and inevitably with considerable alteration.

 

[theosis]

As far as I am aware, there was never a Jewish community that incorporated fully developed Gnosticism into its theology and practice, though, as you allude to above, concepts from Gnostic thought have been syncretized into Judaism, usually into mysticism, and inevitably with considerable alteration.

Most of the literature I've read on the Mandaeans suggests that they were members of a heretical Jewish baptismal sect that lived on the banks of the Jordan.
Their own version of Genesis is pretty interesting -- characters from the Bible feature prominently (especially Adam, the "first Mandaean") but they prominently reject Moses as a "false prophet." You see fragments of the Hebrew Bible throughout their scripture but it's usually rephrased in imaginative ways.

 

[Shermana]

Mandean theology is wildly different from every kind of Judaism. I have always had the personal suspicion-- without any supporting evidence, I freely grant-- that the Mandeans were the result of one of the failed attempts of the Hasmonean kings, who experimented with aggressively proselytizing (if not compulsorily converting) local non-Jews (one of our darkest hours, and worst ideas). Otherwise, it is difficult to imagine any sizable community of Jews being sufficiently self-hating as to construct a religion that so thoroughly treats God with such contempt, and so thoroughly vilifies Jewish tradition.

As far as I am aware, there was never a Jewish community that incorporated fully developed Gnosticism into its theology and practice, though, as you allude to above, concepts from Gnostic thought have been syncretized into Judaism, usually into mysticism, and inevitably with considerable alteration.

Levite, did I ask you before your opinion on why James the Just is called "Jacob the Gnostic" in the Talmud?

 

[Levite]

Levite, did I ask you before your opinion on why James the Just is called "Jacob the Gnostic" in the Talmud?

Although I know of no significant community of Jewish Gnostics, it is quite true that heresy involving various elements of Gnostic thought was a pervasive issue in the Land of Israel at the turn of the Common Era, and for the first couple of centuries CE. One of the most famous sets of stories in the Talmud, for example, involves a great Rabbi and mystic, a colleague of Rabbi Akiva's named Elisha ben Abuya, who became a Gnostic heretic.

There is no reason to suppose the same sorts of issues were not faced in early Jewish Christian sects, especially given that Christianity incorporated far more Gnostic ideas into their mainstream theology than Judaism ever did.

 

[Shermana]

Although I know of no significant community of Jewish Gnostics, it is quite true that heresy involving various elements of Gnostic thought was a pervasive issue in the Land of Israel at the turn of the Common Era, and for the first couple of centuries CE. One of the most famous sets of stories in the Talmud, for example, involves a great Rabbi and mystic, a colleague of Rabbi Akiva's named Elisha ben Abuya, who became a Gnostic heretic.

There is no reason to suppose the same sorts of issues were not faced in early Jewish Christian sects, especially given that Christianity incorporated far more Gnostic ideas into their mainstream theology than Judaism ever did.

I would be much interested to hear about Elisha Ben Abuya's views if possible.

What I believe may be the case is that the concept of the LORD being "Ialdabaoth" and the "Jewish god was the evil Demiurge" concept is actually more of a post-Marcionite gentile Gnostic development, I'm not quite sure if the early Jewish Gnostics had any such concept, or if they were rebellious against the Law and the Tanakh in any respect. I think works like the Pistis Sophia demonstrate that the Tanakh and the Law were not at all at odds with their beliefs, unlike the groups like the Sethians and Cainites, though the PS does condemn various rival Gnostic groups for certain obscene practices I care not to list that various "Church Fathers" agreed was the case with them.

Also, there's the fact that the very-Jewish early Christians like Cerinthus were called "Gnostic", and one of the charges was that they still supported Jewish Law.

I would also be interested to find out further what exactly constituted a "Gnostic heresy" within Judaism and what eventually turned into "Normative" (If you can call it that) Qabala.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Most of the literature I've read on the Mandaeans suggests that they were members of a heretical Jewish baptismal sect that lived on the banks of the Jordan.

Please reference the literature.

 

[theosis]

A prominent scholar on Mandean studies:

But nowadays a consensus, based on linguistic and historical research, puts Mandaeism back into its original, "heretical" Jewish baptist milieu. (Buckley 1993)

He quotes the principal holy text of Mandaeism:

And they (i.e. the Mandaeans) loved the Lord, that is, Adonai, until in the House
of Israel there was created something which was not placed (i.e. was placed by
unnatural means?) in the womb of Mary (Miriai), a daughter of Moses (Misa). It
was hidden in her womb for nine months and bewitched her until the nine months
were fulfilled and she was in labor and brought forth a messiah (msgiha)."'2

A polemical Mandaean prayer (note that for some reason Mandeans believe that the mother of Jesus was a prominent figure in the Jewish community before her "conversion" to Mandaeism. They recount this conversion in weekly prayer, noting how she now prefers Mandaean religious customs to her "former" religion.")


Have you not heard, daughter Miriai,
what the Jews say about you?
The Jews say, 'Your daughter loves a man,
she hates Judaism and loves Nasiruta (Mandaean teachings)
she hates the door of the bit ama
and loves the door of the maskna,
she hates the tuttfita
and loves the fresh wreath.
On the Sabbath (sapta) she carries on work;
on Sunday (habsaba)s he keeps her hand (from it)'.53

On the Mandaean view of Jesus:

Mandaeism developed from Judaism, but, from a Mandaean viewpoint, Jesus was wrong in creating his own religion.

 

[theosis]

The alphabet in Mandaean and Jewish gnosticism
(Cohn-Sherbok 1981) is an interesting study in the similarities between Kabbalah and Mandaeism.

 

[Shermana]

Did the Mandaeans obey Jewish Law? I don't remember ever reading they did. The Jewish Gnostics however, there may be some solid reasoning to assume they did, especially with the Pistis Sophia in mind.

 

[theosis]

Did the Mandaeans obey Jewish Law? I don't remember ever reading they did. The Jewish Gnostics however, there may be some solid reasoning to assume they did, especially with the Pistis Sophia in mind.

The Haran Gawaitha is the principal Mandean historical-religious text, and it tells the story of how the sect converted from fairly orthodox Judaism to a heterodox sect by the time of Christ (And they the Mandaeans loved the Lord, that is, Adonai, until in the House of Israel there was created something which was not placed (i.e. Jesus who was born of a virgin).

The text notes that several prominent Jewish figures at the time (John the Baptist and Mary) converted to Mandaeism. According to Lady Drower (one of the few Westerners who have had extensive contact with Mandaeans), posited that the religion's anti-Judaic overtones likely have roots in a time when the Mandaens indeed were a heretical sect that resided in Jerusalem. Orthodox clergy exercised power over the community -- this was deeply resented. Here's a paper that supports this view.

Think about the attitudes some Protestant groups display toward the Papacy and Catholic ideas about the virgin Mary. It's not inconceivable that these religious and ecclesiastical differences could lead to a total break in theology as well. Extreme Christians such as Marcion who desired an utter break with Judaism were in a very similar position theologically to the Mandaeans.

It's a very strange religion, that's for sure. According to some scholars (Ajae (2000)), Mandaeism may have influenced Marcionism and other anti-Torah Christian gnostic sects. It's probably the earliest gnostic sect whose texts we have preserved almost in their entirety.

From an Abrahamic's perspective, they went astray on many theological grounds (going so far as to call Moses a false prophet) but their texts may shed light on the initial break between orthodoxy and Abrahamic gnosticism.