Notas Carpocracianos.doc

8/13/2019 Notas Carpocracianos.doc

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http://www.terra.es/personal2/samidas/cap1.htm

En el siglo II los carpocracianos, secta gnóstica cuyas doctrinas nos transmitióClemente de Alejandra, preanuncian el comunismo y el inmoralismo de los!hermanos del Espritu li"re#$ practica"an en %oma y en Alejandra uncomunismo crudo y radical incluyendo, como &latón, la comunidad de mujeres.Epi'anio, hijo de Carpócrates, ense(a un igualitarismo a"soluto. )ontano 'undóuna especie de *erusal+n terrena comunista. En el siglo III otro grupodenominado !apostólicos# optaron por el comunismo.

http://www.ecoisiones.cl/diccionario/C/CA%&-C%ACIA-.htm

CA%&-C%ACIA-

m"olos o conceptos sim"ólicos utili0ado en esoterismo o religiones.

)oimiento cristiano del siglo II ue pro'esa"a las doctrinas de Carpócrates de

Alejandria, gnóstico ue recha0a"a el Antiguo estamento, de'enda la pree3istencia de las almas para e3plicar las imper'ecciones del hom"re ysostenan ue an *os+ engendró carnalmente a *esucristo.

El 'in supremo ue todo hom"re religioso de"e tener, seg4n loscarpocracianos, es la unión con lo 5iino, lo ue lograron &it6goras, &latón,Aristóteles y *es4s.

7ajo el ponti'icado de Aniceto, un hijo de Carpócrates, Epi'anes y su mujer,)arcelina, se esta"lecieron en %oma y organi0aron un centro de la secta, peroan Irineo les acusó de practicar la magia y de negar la distinción entre el "ien

y el mal, por lo ue su'rieron una dura represión.http://es.wi8ipedia.org/wi8i/Eangelio9secreto9de9)arcos

El eangelio secreto de )arcos es un eangelio apócri'o perdido del ue secitan dos "rees 'ragmentos en una carta atri"uida a Clemente de Alejandraue 'ue descu"ierta en 1;<, y so"re cuya autenticidad e3isten serias dudas.

eg4n a'irma el autor de la carta, durante el siglo II circularon al menos dosersiones di'erentes del eangelio de )arcos en la ciudad de Alejandra. =na

de ellas, redactada primero, correspondera al actual eangelio canónico de)arcos$ la siguiente, escrita despu+s y dirigida a un grupo de iniciados, sera eleangelio secreto de )arcos, al ue corresponden los 'ragmentos citados en lacarta.


http://www.ecovisiones.cl/diccionario/C/CARPOCRACIANOS.htm

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelio_secreto_de_Marcos


http://www.ecovisiones.cl/diccionario/C/CARPOCRACIANOS.htm

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelio_secreto_de_Marcos



o e3iste ninguna otra re'erencia a un eangelio secreto de )arcos en laliteratura cristiana conocida. e sa"e, sin em"argo, ue e3istió un eangelio de)ateo alternatio, ue Ireneo, *erónimo y otros autores denominan Eangeliode los >e"reos. &or otra parte, los manuscritos ue se conocen del eangeliode )arcos no son e3actamente iguales entre s, por lo ue la idea de ue un

mismo eangelio circulase en arias ersiones di'erentes no es en a"solutoe3tra(a.

e han puesto en cuestión tanto la autenticidad de la carta como la e3istenciadel eangelio secreto. &or una parte, este eangelio resulta enormementepol+mico, ya ue contiene posi"les implicaciones so"re la se3ualidad de *es4sue muchos cristianos pueden encontrar graemente o'ensias. &or otro lado,las anómalas circunstancias en ue la carta 'ue descu"ierta hacen sospecharue pudiera tratarse de una 'alsi'icación.

5escu"rimiento y desaparición ?editar@

En 1;<, )orton mith, pro'esor de historia antigua en la =niersidad deColum"ia, descu"rió en la "i"lioteca del antiguo monasterio ortodo3o de )ara"a, a unos 2 8ilómetros de *erusal+n, una carta copiada a mano en lasp6ginas en "lanco de un li"ro impreso en el siglo BII. Da carta esta"a escritaen griego, con una caligra'a caracterstica del siglo BIII. El autor seidenti'ica"a al comien0o del te3to como Clemente, autor del tromata, esdecir, el conocido teólogo y moralista cristiano Clemente de Alejandra, ueiió hacia el a(o 2.

mith 'otogra'ió las tres p6ginas del li"ro ue contenan la carta. )6s adelante,al traducirla, hi0o algunos descu"rimientos sorprendentes. Da carta esta"adirigida a un tal eodoro, personaje completamente desconocido, y en ellaClemente responda a una serie de preguntas so"re una secta del cristianismoprimitio de la ue s hay noticias, los carpocracianos, as llamados por elnom"re de su 'undador, Carpócrates. En este conte3to se encontra"an lasre'erencias al eangelio secreto de )arcos, utili0ado por los carpocracianos,del ue la carta cita"a dos "rees 'ragmentos.

ras su descu"rimiento por mith, el li"ro ue contena la carta 'ue archiadopor los monjes de )ar a"a. in em"argo, ning4n otro especialista ha logradoe3aminar la supuesta carta de Clemente de Alejandra. )6s recientemente hansalido a la lu0 nueas 'otogra'as del te3to, tomadas por el antiguo "i"liotecario



del monasterio. am"i+n est6 documentado su traslado a otra "i"lioteca griegaortodo3a.

Da cuestión de la autenticidad ?editar@

5e"ido tanto a la naturale0a pol+mica de los contenidos de la carta y laimplicación de la e3istencia de un eangelio secreto como al hecho de ue eloriginal no puede ya ser e3aminado Fni datadoF por los estudiosos, laautenticidad del descu"rimiento de mith es o"jeto todaa de un encendidode"ate, sin ue pueda en la actualidad a'irmarse si se trata o no de un te3toaut+ntico.

Algunos hechos son induda"les: el li"ro e3iste, y en +l hay una carta escrita

con caligra'a del siglo BIII ue mith 'otogra'ió. El estilo del te3to es el deotras o"ras de Clemente de Alejandra, y las citas del eangelio secreto utili0anun lenguaje muy similar al del Eangelio canónico de )arcos.

Das ra0ones a 'aor y en contra de la autenticidad pueden resumirse comosigue:

A 'aor ?editar@

El e3amen de la caligra'a de la carta, tal y como aparece en las 'otogra'as uetomó mith, arroja la conclusión de ue corresponde al siglo BIII. i de erdad'ue escrito en esta +poca, una 'alsi'icación tan per'ecta no ha"ra sido posi"le,pues implica un conocimiento e3haustio de la literatura cristiana primitia ueesta"a lejos de ha"erse alcan0ado por entonces.

Da carta es per'ectamente coherente con lo ue se conoce del cristianismoprimitio, incluyendo la re'erencia a los carpocracianos, secta de la ue haynumerosas menciones de otros autores.

Da moderna crtica literaria ha isto en la carta numerosos rasgos estilsticos yde oca"ulario estadsticamente 'recuentes en la o"ra de Alejandra, lo ueparece apuntar ue la carta es aut+ntica. am"i+n las "rees citas de )arcoutili0an el lenguaje propio del eangelista )arcos, lo ue parece indicar ueproceden del mismo autor.



En contra ?editar@

Da desaparición del manuscrito impide ue pueda reali0arse un an6lisisumico de la tinta utili0ada, lo ue permitira sa"er con certe0a si 'uee'ectiamente escrito en el siglo BIII. ada prue"a ue no sea una'alsi'icación del siglo BB.

En la literatura de los primeros tiempos del cristianismo no hay ni una solaalusión ni a un eangelio secreto de )arcos, ni a la supuesta carta deClemente a eodoro acerca de los carpocratianos. El propio Clemente, uemenciona a los carpocratianos en otros lugares de su o"ra, no hace jam6sre'erencia a esta carta.

E3isten algunas contradicciones entre lo ue Clemente a'irma en esta carta ylo ue dice en la mayora de sus o"ras.

Das similitudes de oca"ulario y estilo tanto con )arcos, en los 'ragmentos

citados, como con Clemente, en el resto de la carta, son tantas ue parecenproducto de una imitación deli"erada ue hu"iese concentrado en estos "reeste3tos muchos de los elementos caractersticos de am"os. Como demuestra enun sorprendente artculo A.>. Criddle GCriddle:1;H, es estadsticamenteimpro"a"le la coincidencia en un te3to tan peue(o de tantas pala"rascaractersticas del oca"ulario de Clemente.

Da carta de )ar a"a ?editar@

Da supuesta carta de Clemente est6 dirigida a un seguidor suyo llamado eodoro. Este 4ltimo le ha"ra interrogado acerca de los carpocracianos.Clemente asegura ue el eangelio secreto de )arcos ue utili0a esta secta hasido 'alsi'icado por ellos, y para demostrarlo aduce dos pasajes del erdaderoeangelio secreto de )arcos, ue +l a'irma conocer. E3plica ue )arcosescri"ió dos eangelios: uno, el canónico, dirigido al com4n de los 'ieles, y otro,el secreto, escrito en Alejandra tras el martirio de &edro y dirigido a auellosespiritualmente m6s aan0ados, conteniendo ense(an0as secretas. ste serael eangelio secreto de )arcos, seg4n Clemente manipulado por los

carpocracianos. A continuación Clemente cita dos pasajes de este eangelio,anotando ue el primer 'ragmento citado se sit4a inmediatamente despu+s de)arcos 1:JK, y el segundo en 1:KL. Contin4a se(alando ue otros pasajesso"re los ue eodoro ha preguntado son 'alsi'icaciones, aunue no los cita. Dacarta se interrumpe a"ruptamente, en medio de la 'rase Ahora, la erdaderainterpretación con'orme a la erdadera 'iloso'a...



El te3to del eangelio secreto ?editar@

Clemente cita 4nicamente dos 'ragmentos del eangelio secreto de )arcos, delos ue indica su u"icación en relación con el )arcos canónico.

&rimer 'ragmento ?editar@

eg4n Clemente este 'ragmento de"e situarse entre )arcos 1:JK y )arcos1:J;.

M llegaron a 7etania, y ha"a all una mujer cuyo hermano ha"a muerto.Dlegó, se postró de rodillas ante *es4s y le dijo: N>ijo de 5aid, ten piedad de

mN. &ero los discpulos la reprendan. *es4s se en'adó y se 'ue con la mujerhacia el jardn donde esta"a la tum"a. M al instante se oyó desde el sepulcrouna gran o0$ y acerc6ndose *es4s hi0o rodar la piedra de la puerta de latum"a. M en seguida entró donde esta"a el joen, e3tendió su mano y loresucitó. M el joen, mirando a *es4s, sintió amor por +l y comen0ó a suplicarleue se uedara con +l. M saliendo de la tum"a, se 'ueron a la casa del joen,pues era rico. M despu+s de seis das le dio *es4s una orden$ y cuando cayó latarde ino el joen a *es4s, estido con una t4nica so"re el cuerpo desnudo. Mpermaneció con +l auella noche, pues *es4s le ense(a"a el misterio del reinode 5ios. M saliendo de all se olió a la otra ri"era del *ord6n..

El a(adido ue los carpocracianos haca a este 'ragmento era el siguiente:estando desnudo con Gel otro tam"i+nH desnudo Ggriego: gymnOs gymnPH. oindica dónde se situa"a este a(adido, pero el 4nico lugar lógico donde puedecolocarse es despu+s de y permaneció con +l auella noche. El a(adido delos carpocracianos parece entonces insinuar cierta pr6ctica homose3ual de

*es4s mientras ense(a al joen el misterio del reino de 5ios. Clemente recha0aesta interpretación. &or otro lado, numerosos autores han se(alado lasanalogas de este 'ragmento con el episodio de la resurrección de D60aro G*uan

11:K1FKKH.

egundo 'ragmento ?editar@



Este segundo te3to est6 situado en medio de un ersculo G1:KLH del )arcoscanónico en ue realmente parece ue 'alta algo. )arcos 1:KL dice:Entonces inieron a *ericó e, inmediatamente despu+s, al salir de *ericó +l,sus discpulos y una gran multitud ?...@. Esta discontinuidad narratia ha hechopensar a autores como >elmut Qoester y *. 5. Crossan ue el eangelio

canónico de )arcos es en realidad una ersión a"reiada Fo e3purgadaF deleangelio secreto. El te3to es el siguiente:

M esta"an all la hermana del joen a uien ama"a *es4s, y la madre de +ste yalom+$ pero *es4s no las reci"ió..

Interpretaciones ?editar@

mith de'endió ue el eangelio secreto era el eangelio original de )arcos, entanto ue el canónico ha sido e3purgado de algunos pasajes. Como ejemploaduce el segundo 'ragmento ue, al situarse entre las dos 'rases de )arcos1:KL )arcos 1:KL, Entonces inieron a *ericó y y al salir de *ericó dota demayor coherencia a la narración.

En cuanto al joen citado en el primer 'ragmento, mith cree ue se trata delmismo personaje ue sigue a *es4s cu"ierto con una s6"ana G)arcos 1K:;1H,y huye cuando *es4s es arrestado en el huerto de Retseman.

En un li"ro pu"licado en 1S< G*esus the )agicianH, mith desarrolla una teoraso"re *es4s ue tiene su "ase en el segundo 'ragmento del eangelio secreto.El encuentro entre *es4s y el joen es para mith una iniciación secreta,reserada sólo a un grupo selecto de seguidores, similar a la de las religionesmist+ricas. En concreto, mith sugiere una pr6ctica "autismal de car6cterm6gico. >ay ue tener en cuenta ue la idea de ue *es4s "auti0ara a susseguidores no aparece en los eangelios sinópticos, aunue s en el Eangeliode *uan.

Este ritual secreto de iniciación implica"a, seg4n mith, una unión espiritualcon *es4s en la ue el iniciado reali0a"a una especie de iaje m6gico al %einode 5ios. mith especula so"re u+ tipo de ritos tenan lugar en esta iniciación,pero da por sentado ue tenan un importante componente 'sico. Dlega incluso



a a'irmar ue el li"erarse de las leyes puede ha"er lleado a ue secompletara la unión espiritual con la unión 'sica.

&ara mith, *es4s 'ue "6sicamente un mago, e incluso llega a pensar ue 'ue

condenado a muerte acusado de "rujera, y ue ciertas pr6cticas li"ertinasreali0adas por algunas primeras sectas cristianas, como los carpocracianosmencionados por Clemente, tiene su origen en las ense(an0as de *es4s mismo.

Da interpretación de mith ha sido recha0ada por casi todos los estudiosos.%eginald Tuller considera ue estas supuestas ense(an0as secretas y ritualesde iniciación son sospechosos de anacronismo para la +poca histórica de *es4s,y tienen en cam"io muchos puntos de contacto con lel gnosticismo ue sedesarrolló en Alejandra en el siglo II.

El tema del secreto en el eangelio canónico de )arcos ?editar@

En el eangelio canónico de )arcos hay muchas re'erencias a ense(an0assecretas ue eran impartidas por *es4s 4nicamente a su crculo m6s allegado.Da idea de di'erentes nieles de iniciación es com4n a todas las religionesmist+ricas, muchas de las cuales eran contempor6neas del cristianismo.UE3istan tam"i+n en el cristianismo, seg4n parece indicar la carta deClemente, diersos nieles de iniciaciónV

En )arcos, el tema del secreto es "astante complejo, y ha"a llamado laatención de los estudiosos mucho tiempo antes de ue 'uera descu"ierta lacarta de )ar a"a. eg4n %o"ert ). Rrant GRrant 1LJH, la idea del secretoest6 presente en el te3to eang+lico tanto a tra+s del 'recuente tema delsilencio como del de las ense(an0as secretas de *es4s.

Das re'erencias al silencio son muy 'recuentes. *es4s ordena silencio a losdemonios en el momento del e3orcismo, para ue no ha"len acerca de +lG)arcos 1:2;$ )arcos 1:JK$ )arcos J:12HH, y tam"i+n a sus seguidores o a losue han sido curados por +l G)arcos 1:KJFK;, )arcos ;:KJ. )arcos S:JL, )arcos<:2LH. A sus discpulos les pide ue mantengan en secreto ue es el )esasG )arcos <:J, la trans'iguración G)arcos :H, o incluso su estancia en iroG)arcos S:2KH, o sus iajes por Ralilea G)arcos :JHH.



En cuanto a las ense(an0as secretas, en )arcos K:1F12, *es4s dice ue elsecreto del %eino de 5ios sólo ser6 reelado a sus allegados, en tanto ue a losde 'uera, todo les resulta enigm6tico G)arcos K:1F12H. )uchas de lasense(an0as de *es4s an dirigidas a un grupo escogido de discpulos G)arcos;:JS, )arcos 1J:JH, y todas las re'erencias a la pasión y la resurrección tienenlugar en el camino, lejos de las multitudes G)arcos 1:J2H

odas estas re'erencias al secreto parecen aalar la re'erencia de Clemente enla carta a un eangelio secreto, dirigido a una minora escogida, de mayorper'ección espiritual.

http://wwwFuser.uniF"remen.de/Wwie/ecret/secmar89home.html

he letter o' Clement o' Ale3andria to heodore

ranscription o' the Rree8 te3t

"y )orton mith

GInternet ersion "y *ac8 Qilmon and Xieland Xill8erH

his page contains gree8 letters. he pages are designed 'or XindowsF;. osee the gree8 letters you need the 'ont ERree8, which can "e downloaded

here: ER%EEQ.0ip GInstallation: =n0ip, then open the ControlFpanel, thenTonts, then add new TontH. -therwise you see the gree8 te3t in latin lettersin the standard transliteration with Y>EA and YendFIR)A.

est: a"gde0hi8lmn3oprstu'cyw GERree8H

1. Ze8 twn epistolwn tou agiwtatou 8lhmento tou strwmatewV eodwrwV

2. 8alw epoihsa epistomisa ta arrhtou didas8alia twn8arpo8ratianwnV

J. outoi gar oi pro'hteuente astere planhtaiV oi apo th stenh twn

entolwn o

K. dou ei aperaton a"usson planwmenoi twn sar8i8wn 8ai enswmatwnamartiwnV

;. pe'usiwmenoi gar ei gnwsinV w legousiV twn "aewn tou satanaVlananousin ei

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/secmark_home.html

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/secmark_home.html



L. ton 0o'on tou s8otou tou yeudou eautou aporriptonteV 8ai8aucwmenoi

S. eleuerou einaiV douloi gegonasin andrapodwdwn epiumiwnV toutoioun an

<. tistateon panth te 8ai pantwV ei gar 8ai ti alhe legoienV oud outwsum

. 'wnoih an autoi o th alheia erasthV oude gar panta talhh alheiaVoude

1.thn 8ata ta anrwpina do3a 'ainomenhn alheian pro8riteon th alh

11.ou alheia th 8ata thn pistinV twn toinun ruloumenwn peri toueopneustou 8a

12.ta mar8on euaggeliouV ta men yeudetai pantelwV ta deV ei 8ai alhhtinaF

1J.periecei oud outw alhw paradidotaiV sug8e8ramena gar talhh

1K.toi plasmasi paracarassetai wsteV touto dh to legomenonV 8ai to a

1;.la mwranhnaiV o goun mar8oV 8ata thn tou petrou en rwmhdiatri"hnV

1L.anegraye ta pra3ei tou 8uriouV ou mentoi pasa e3aggellwnV oudemhn ta

1S.musti8a uposhmainwnV all e8legomeno a crhsimwtata enomise proau

1<.3hsin th twn 8athcoumenwn pistewV tou de petrou marturhsantoVparhlen

1.ei ale3andreian o mar8oV 8omi0wn 8ai tatautou 8ai ta tou petrou upo

2.mnhmataV e3 wn meta'erwn ei to prwton autou "i"lion ta toi pro8op

21.tousi peri thn gnwsin 8atallhlaV suneta3e pneumati8wteron euF

22.aggelion ei thn twn teleioumenwn crhsinV oudepw omw auta taaporrhF

2J.ta e3wrchsatoV oude 8ategraye thn iero'anti8hn didas8alian tou

2K.8uriouV alla tai progegrammenai pra3esin epiei 8ai allaV eti prose

2;.phgage logia tina wn hpistato thn e3hghsin mustagwghsein tou a8roa



2L.ta ei to aduton th epta8i 8e8alummenh alheiaV outw ounF

2S.propares8euasenV ou 'onerw oud apro'ula8twV w egw oimaiV 8ai

2<.aponhs8wn 8atelipe to autou suggramma th e88lhsia th enF

2.ale3andreiaV opou eiseti nun as'alw eu mala threitaiV anaginw

J.8omenon pro autou monou tou muoumenou ta megala musthriaVtwn de mi

J1.arwn daimonwn oleron tw twn anrwpwn genei pantote mhcanwntwnVo 8ar

J2.po8rathV up autwn didaceiV 8ai apathloi tecnai crhsamenoV

JJ.outw pres"uteron tina th en ale3andreia e88lhsia 8atedoulwsen

JK.wste par autou e8omisen apogra'on tou musti8ou euaggeliouV o 8ai

J;.e3hghsato 8ata thn "las'hmon 8ai sar8i8hn autou do3anV etiF

JL.de 8ai emianeV tai acrantoi 8ai agiai le3esin anamignu anaide

JS.stata yeusmataV tou de 8ramato toutou e3antlhtai to twn 8arpo8rati

J<.anwn dogmaV toutoi ounV 8aw 8ai proeirh8aV oudepote ei8teonV ou

J.de proteinousin autoi ta 8ateyeusmena sugcwrhteon tou mar8ou ei

K.nai to musti8on euaggelionV alla 8ai me or8ou arnhteonV ou gar apasipan

K1.ta alhh le8teonV dia touto h so'ia tou eou dia solomwnto parag

K2.gelleiV apo8rinou tw mwrw e8 th mwria autouV pro tou tu'lou ton

KJ.noun to 'w th alheia dein epi8ruptesai didas8ousaV auti8a 'h

KK.siV tou de mh econto arhsetaiV 8aiV o mwro en s8otei poreueswVhmei

K;.de uioi 'wto esmenV pe'wtismenoi th e3 uyou anatolh tou pneumatoKL.tou 8uriouV ou de to pneuma tou 8uriouV 'hsinV e8ei eleueriaV panta gar

8a

KS.ara toi 8aaroiV soi toinun ou8 o8nhsw ta hrwthmena apo8riF

K<.nasaiV di autwn tou euaggeliou le3ewn ta 8ateyeusmena elegcwnV a



K.melei meta toV hsan de en th odw ana"ainonte ei ierosolumaV 8ai ta

;.e3h ewV meta trei hmera anasthsetaiV wde epi'erei 8ata le3inV

;1.8ai ercontai ei "hanian 8ai hn e8ei mia gunh h o adel'o auth apeF

;2.anenV 8ai elousa prose8unhse ton ihsoun 8ai legei autwV uie da

;J."id elehson meV oi de mahtai epetimhsan authV 8ai orgisei o

;K.ihsou aphlen met auth ei ton 8hpon opou hn to mnhmeionV 8ai

;;.euu h8oush e8 tou mnhmeiou 'wnh megalhV 8ai proselwn o ihsouap

;L.e8ulise ton lion apo th ura tou mnhmeiouV 8ai eiselwn euu opou

;S.hn o neanis8o e3eteinen thn ceira 8ai hgeiren autonV 8rathsaF

;<.th ceiroV o de neanis8o em"leya autw hgaphsen auton 8aiF

;.hr3ato para8alein auton ina met autou hV 8ai e3elonte e8

L.tou mnhmeiou hlon ei thn oi8ian tou neanis8ouV hn gar plousioV 8aime

L1.hmera e3 epeta3en autw o ihsouV 8ai oyia genomenh ercetai o

L2.neanis8o pro autonV peri"e"lhmeno sindona epi gumnouV 8ai

LJ.emeine sun autw thn nu8ta e8einhnV edidas8e gar auton oLK.ihsou to musthrion th "asileia tou eouV e8eien de anastaF

L;.epestreyen ei to peran tou iordanouV epi men toutoi epetai toV 8ai

LL.prosporeuontai autw ia8w"o 8ai iwannhV 8ai pasa h peri

LS.8ophV to de gumno gumnw 8ai talla peri wn egraya ou8 euF

L<.ris8etaiV meta de toV 8ai ercetai ei iericw epagei mononV 8ai h

L.san e8ei h adel'h tou neanis8ou on hgapa auton o ihsouV 8ai

S.h mhthr autou 8ai salwmhV 8ai ou8 apede3ato auta o ihsouV

S1.ta de alla ta polla a egraya yeusmata 8ai 'ainetai 8ai estinV h

S2.men oun alhh 8ai 8ata thn alhh 'iloso'ian e3hghsi ...

?>ere the te3t a"ruptly stops in the middle o' the page@



http://wwwFuser.uniF"remen.de/Wwie/ecret/letterFengl.html

ranslation "y )orton mith:

Trom the letters o' the most holy Clement, the author o' the tromateis. o heodore.

Mou did well in silencing the unspea8a"le teachings o' the Carpocratians. Tor

these are the wandering stars re'erred to in the prophecy, who wander 'romthe narrow road o' the commandments into a "oundless a"yss o' the carnaland "odily sins. Tor, priding themseles in 8nowledge, as they say, o' the deepthings o' atan, they do not 8now that they are casting themseles away intothe nether world o' the dar8ness o' 'alsity, and, "oasting that they are 'ree,they hae "ecome slaes o' serile desires. uch men are to "e opposed in allways and altogether. Tor, een i' they should say something true, one wholoes the truth should not, een so, agree with them. Tor not all true things arethe truth, nor should that truth which merely seems true according to humanopinions "e pre'erred to the true truth, that according to the 'aith.

ow o' the things they 8eep saying a"out the diinely inspired Rospelaccording to )ar8, some are altogether 'alsi'ications, and others, een i' theydo contain some true elements, neertheless are not reported truly. Tor thetrue things "eing mi3ed with inentions, are 'alsi'ied, so that, as the sayinggoes, een the salt loses its saor.

As 'or )ar8, then, during &eterNs stay in %ome he wrote an account o' the

DordNs doings, not, howeer, declaring all o' them, nor yet hinting at the secretones, "ut selecting what he thought most use'ul 'or increasing the 'aith o'those who were "eing instructed. 7ut when &eter died a martyr, )ar8 cameoer to Ale3andria, "ringing "oth his own notes and those o' &eter, 'rom whichhe trans'erred to his 'ormer "oo8 the things suita"le to whateer ma8es 'orprogress toward 8nowledge. hus he composed a more spiritual Rospel 'or theuse o' those who were "eing per'ected. eertheless, he yet did not diulgethe things not to "e uttered, nor did he write down the hierophantic teaching o'

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/letter-engl.html

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/letter-engl.html



the Dord, "ut to the stories already written he added yet others and, moreoer,"rought in certain sayings o' which he 8new the interpretation would, as amystagogue, lead the hearers into the innermost sanctuary o' that truth hidden"y seen eils. hus, in sum, he prepared matters, neither grudgingly norincautiously, in my opinion, and, dying, he le't his composition to the church in

Ale3andria, where it een yet is most care'ully guarded, "eing read only tothose who are "eing initiated into the great mysteries.

7ut since the 'oul demons are always deising destruction 'or the race o' men,Carpocrates, instructed "y them and using deceit'ul arts, so enslaed a certainpres"yter o' the church in Ale3andria that he got 'rom him a copy o' the secretRospel, which he "oth interpreted according to his "lasphemous and carnaldoctrine and, moreoer, polluted, mi3ing with the spotless and holy wordsutterly shameless lies. Trom this mi3ture is drawn o'' the teaching o' the

Carpocratians.

o them, there'ore, as I said a"oe, one must neer gie way$ nor, when theyput 'orward their 'alsi'ications, should one concede that the secret Rospel is "y)ar8, "ut should een deny it on oath. Tor, ot all true things are to "e said toall men. Tor this reason the Xisdom o' Rod, through olomon, adises,Answer the 'ool 'rom his 'olly, teaching that the light o' the truth should "ehidden 'rom those who are mentally "lind. Again it says, Trom him who hasnot shall "e ta8en away, and, Det the 'ool wal8 in dar8ness. 7ut we are

children o' light, haing "een illuminated "y the dayspring o' the spirit o'the Dord 'rom on high, and Xhere the pirit o' the Dord is, it says, there isli"erty, 'or All things are pure to the pure.

o you, there'ore, I shall not hesitate to answer the uestions you hae as8ed,re'uting the 'alsi'ications "y the ery words o' the Rospel. Tor e3ample,a'ter ,And they were in the road going up to *erusalem, and what 'ollows,until A'ter three days he shall arise, the secret Rospel "rings the 'ollowingmaterial word 'or word:

And they come into 7ethany. And a certain woman whose "rother had diedwas there. And, coming, she prostrated hersel' "e'ore *esus and says to him,Non o' 5aid, hae mercy on me.N 7ut the disciples re"u8ed her. And *esus,"eing angered, went o'' with her into the garden where the tom" was, andstraightway a great cry was heard 'rom the tom". And going near *esus rolled



away the stone 'rom the door o' the tom". And straightway, going in where theyouth was, he stretched 'orth his hand and raised him, sei0ing his hand. 7utthe youth, loo8ing upon him, loed him and "egan to "eseech him that hemight "e with him. And going out o' the tom" they came into the house o' theyouth, 'or he was rich. And a'ter si3 days *esus told him what to do and in the

eening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth oer his na8ed "ody.And he remained with him that night, 'or *esus taught him the mystery o' the8ingdom o' Rod. And thence, arising, he returned to the other side o' the

*ordan.

A'ter these words 'ollows the te3t, And *ames and *ohn come to him, and allthat section. 7ut na8ed man with na8ed man, and the other things a"outwhich you wrote, are not 'ound.

And a'ter the words, And he comes into *ericho, the secret Rospel adds only,

And the sister o' the youth whom *esus loed and his mother and alome werethere, and *esus did not receie them.

7ut the many other things a"out which you wrote "oth seem to "e and are'alsi'ications.

ow the true e3planation and that which accords with the true philosophy...

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http://wwwFuser.uniF"remen.de/Wwie/ecret/CriddleFTe".html

ecret )ar8 F Turther Comments

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/Criddle-Feb99.html

http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/Secret/Criddle-Feb99.html



"y Andrew Criddle.

Te". 1

In recent discussions on Crosstal8 there hae "een seeral mentions o' mypaper in the *ournal o' Early Christian tudies concerning the letter attri"utedto Clement concerning ecret )ar8. It might "e help'ul 'or me to ma8e a 'ewcomments.

he paper claims that the letter is an imitation o' ClementNs style dating 'rom amuch later period, it does not ma8e a de'inite claim as to e3actly when theletter was written or "y whom. Although some aspects o' )orton mithNsconduct may arouse suspicion, I do not "eliee that a seenteenth oreighteenth century 'orgery can "e ruled out.

he paper argues that the 'ragment is too good to "e true. It shows moreClementine traits and less diergence 'rom the oca"ulary o' ClementNspreiously 8nown wor8s than a typical passage o' similar length 'rom ClementNsundisputed wor8s.

he precise leel o' statistical signi'icance claimed 'or my results does, I agree,depend upon argua"le decisions as to how to analy0e the statistics, "ut thiswor8s "oth ways, there are more or less plausi"le ways o' presenting the datawhich would produce a higher nominal leel o' signi'icance than I claimed inmy paper. )orton mithNs own analysis o' the oca"ulary, Gseen nonFClementine words, 1; used once only "y ClementH, which I did not 'ollow indetail 'or reasons mentioned in my paper, would "y my methods produce ahigher leel o' signi'icance than I claimed 'or my analysis, G"ased on 'our nonFClementine words, and nine used once only "y ClementH.

I agree that one should use this type o' statistical argument with caution, "utthe particular circumstances increase oneNs unease a"out the Clementineorigin o' this 'ragment. It is a letter allegedly "y Clement, no other suriingletters "y Clement "eing aaila"le 'or comparison. GA 'ew isolated sentencesuoted "y other writers as 'rom letters "y Clement do surie, "ut are too "rie'to proide any "asis 'or comparison with anything.H he 'ragment draws on



pagan mystery religions to descri"e Christian "elie' and practice to an e3tentmuch greater than anything 'ound in ClementNs undisputed wor8s. It is di''icultto "eliee that a passage di''ering su"stantially in 'orm and content 'romanything in ClementNs preiously 8nown opus would "e more Clementine instyle than most passages 'rom ClementNs preiously 8nown wor8s.

It would "e help'ul i' de'enders o' the authenticity o' the letter would relate itmore closely to their iew o' ClementNs own li'e situation rather than merelyma8ing claims as to its general acceptance "y Clementine scholars, claims thatare in any case e3aggerated. Gee the article "y -s"orn in econd Century1<J.H I hae great di''iculties in 'inding a plausi"le conte3t 'or the letter and Isuspect that this di''iculty is general i' not generally ac8nowledged. )ortonmith himsel' sometimes seems to "e suggesting that the ecret Rospel wasnot aaila"le 'or catechumens "ut was used in "aptism "y the Ale3andrian

church, i.e. its e3istence and nature was more or less 8nown to "apti0edAle3andrian Christians, at other times he seems to suggest that it was reealedonly to those who had undergone some su"seuent initiation. he 'act that theletter admits more than one interpretation is not in itsel' a pro"lem.

he di''iculty is that any interpretation 'ails to meet all the 'acts. At onee3treme, i' the Rospel was more or less 8nown a"out "y all Ale3andrianChristians in 'ull 'ellowship, then the letterNs injunction to presere secrecya"out it een i' this inoles lying on oath is di''icult to ta8e seriously.

At the other e3treme, i' the Rospel was aaila"le only to those who hadundergone some su"seuent secret initiation, then it is most unli8ely thatClement would "e prepared to diulge in'ormation a"out it in a letter to acorrespondent who, on this interpretation, would not "e entitled to 8now a"outit.

Although the 'ollowing points are matters o' legitimate dispute, I also 'ind it

hard to "eliee either that a ersion o' )ar8 aaila"le to a large segment o' theAle3andrian church would hae le't no clear trace on the su"seuent tradition,or that Clement would hae supported secret initiation ceremonies su"seuentto "aptism. hose who di''er on the second point, are, I "eliee, ta8inglanguage in Clement a"out initiation, which is in'luenced "y &hilo and commonin )iddle &latonism, more literally than is appropriate.



I agree that in late eoF&latonism and later Christian writers such as &seudoF5ionysius such language may "e meant literally, "ut that is another story.

I hope these comments clari'y some o' the issues inoled.

Andrew Criddle

andrewc[wro3.com

http://www.gnosis.org/li"rary/grsFmead/'ragments9'aith9'orgotten/'''JJ.htm

Tragments o' a Taith Torgotten "y R.%.. )ead G7uy this "oo8 at Ama0on.comH

>E CA%&-C%AIA.

-=% main source o' in'ormation is Iren\us$ ertullian, >ippolytus andEpiphanius simply copy their predecessor. Carpocrates, or Carpocras, wasGaccording to Euse"iusH a &latonic philosopher who taught at Ale3andria in thereign o' >adrian GA.5. 11SF1J<H$ he was also the head o' a Rnostic circle, whomthe Church 'athers call Carpocratians, "ut who called themseles simply

Rnostics. Xith regard to the charge which Epiphanius "rings against them twohundred and 'i'ty years a'terwards, it is eidently 'ounded on a completemisunderstanding o' the jum"led account o' Iren\us, i' not o' malice prepense$'or the 7ishop o' Dyons distinctly says, that he "y no means "eliees that theydid the things which he thin8s they ought to hae done, i' they had consistentlycarried out their teachings] As a matter o' 'act, the whole con'usion arisesthrough

p. 2J

the incapacity o' the latter Church Tather to understand the elements o' thedoctrine o' re"irth. he main tenets o' the school were as 'ollows.

heir Idea o' *esus.

http://www.gnosis.org/library/grs-mead/fragments_faith_forgotten/fff33.htm

http://www.gnosis.org/library/grs-mead/fragments_faith_forgotten/fff33.htm



he sensi"le world was made "y the 'a"ricating powers, or "uilders, 'ar in'eriorto the ine''a"le power o' the un8nown ingenera"le Tather. *esus was the son o'

*oseph and )ary, and was "orn li8e all other men$ he di''ered 'rom the rest inthat his soul, "eing strong and pure, remem"ered what it saw in its or"it roundGor conersation withH the ine''a"le Tather. his is also the idea Glying "ehind

the &ythagorean, &latonic and >ermetic traditionsH o' the orderly course o' thesoul in harmonious circuit round the piritual un, in the &lain o' ruth, when itis in its own nature. In conseuence o' this reminiscence Gwhich is the source o'all wisdom and irtueH the Tather clothed him with powers, where"y he mightescape 'rom the dominion o' the rulers o' the world, and passing through alltheir spheres, and "eing 'reed 'rom each, 'inally ascend to the Tather. In li8emanner all souls o' a li8e nature who put 'orth similar e''orts, shall ascend tothe Tather. hough the soul o' *esus was "rought up in the ordinary *ewishiews, he soared a"oe them, and thus "y the powers he receied 'rom a"oe,he triumphed oer human passions.

7elieing, then, that all souls which rise a"oe the constraints o' the worldF"uilding rulers, will receie similar powers and per'orm li8e wonders, theseRnostics still 'urther claimed that some o' their num"er had actually attainedto the same degree o' per'ection as *esus, i' not to a higher

p. 2J1

degree, and were stronger than &eter and &aul, and the other Apostles whohad attained similar powers.

In 'act they "oldly taught that men could reach higher degrees o' illuminationthan *esus$ it is not, howeer, clear whether they made the usual distinction"etween *esus and the Christ. hese powers were o' a magical nature, andthe ne3t paragraph o' Iren\us puts us strongly in mind o' the tenets o' theimonian school. uch ideas seem to hae "een ery prealent, so much so

that Iren\us complains that outsiders were induced to thin8 that such iewswere the common "elie' o' Christianity.

he ne3t paragraph deals with the doctrine that there is no essential eil in theunierse, %eincarnation."ut that things are "ad and good in manNs opinion only.Det us, there'ore, see



how Iren\us, 'rom his summary o' their doctrine o' re"irth, arries at thisgeneralisation.

he soul has to pass through eery 8ind o' e3istence and actiity in its cycle o'

re"irth. Iren\us is apparently drawing his in'ormation 'rom a ). whichasserted that this could "e done in one li'e$ that is to say, apparently, thatsome souls then e3isting in the world could pay their 8^rmic de"t in one li'e.Tor the ). uotes the saying, Agree with thine adersary uic8ly whiles thouart in the way with him, lest at any time thine adersary delier thee to the

judge, and the judge delier thee to his o''icer, and thou "e cast into prison.Amen, I say unto thee, thou shalt not come 'orth thence till thou has paid theuttermost

p. 2J2

'arthing. ow, the adersary is the accuser Gdia"olusH, that is to say the8armic record in the manNs own nature$ the judge is the chie' o' the worldF"uilding powers$ the o''icer is the "uilder o' the new "ody$ the prison is the"ody. hus the ). e3plains the te3tFFprecisely the same e3egesis as is giento it in the &istis ophia treatise, which e3plains all in the 'ullest manner on thelines o' reincarnation and what Indian philosophers call 8arma.

7ut not so will Iren\us hae it. >e asserts that the doctrine means that thesoul must pass through all e3perience good and "ad, and until eerye3perience has "een learned, no one can "e set 'ree. hat some souls can doall this in one li'e] hat the Carpocratians, there'ore, must hae indulged in themost unmentiona"le crimes "ecause they wished to 'ill 'ull the tale o' alle3perience good and "ad, and so come to an end o' the necessity o'e3perience.

Iren\us, howeer, immediately a'terwards adds that he does not "eliee theCarpocratians actually do such things, although he is 'orced to deduce such alogical conseuence 'rom their "oo8s. It is, howeer, eident that the wholea"surd conclusion is entirely due to the stupidity o' the 7ishop o' Dyons, who,owing to his ina"ility to understand the most elementary 'acts o' the doctrineo' reincarnation, has started with entirely erroneous premises, although thematter was as clear as daylight to a "eginner in Rnosticism.



he circle o' the Carpocratians is said to hae esta"lished a "ranch at %ome,a"out 1;, under a

p. 2JJ

certain )arcellina. hey had pictures and statues o' many great teachers whowere held in honour "y their school, such as &ythagoras, &lato, and Aristotle,and also a portrait o' *esus.

It is curious to remar8 that Celsus, as uoted "y -rigen Gc. L2H, in re'erring to

these )arcellians, also mentions the >arpocratians who deried their tenets'rom al_m`. Is it possi"le that this is the correct 'orm o' the name, and notCarpocratiansV >arpocrates was the Rr\cised 'orm o' >orus, the )ysteryFRodo' the Egyptians$ and al_m`, we 8now, was a prominent 'igure in the lostRospel according to the Egyptians.

Tragments o' a Taith Torgotten "y R.%.. )ead G7uy this "oo8 at Ama0on.comH

E&I&>AE.

XE ne3t pass on to the contradictory and mani'estly a"surd legends, which&atristic writers hae woen round the second "estF8nown name o' theCarpocratian circle. Xe hae already re'erred to the e3traordinary "lunder o'Epiphanius, who has ascri"ed a whole system o' the Rnosis, which he 'ound inIren\us assigned simply to a distinguished teacher Gpro"a"ly the alentinian)arcusH, to this Epiphanes$ the Rree8 'or distinguished "eing also eiphanes.

his is e3cusa"le in a certain measure, seeing that Epiphanius wrote at the endo' the 'ourth century Gat least 2; years a'ter the time o' the actual EpiphanesHwhen any means o' discrediting a heretic were considered justi'ia"le$ "ut whatshall we say o' Clement

p. 2JK



o' Ale3andria, who is generally 'air, and who lied in the same century asEpiphanesV >is "lunder is een more e3traordinary. his is his legend.Epiphanes was the son o' Carpocrates and Ale3andria, a lady o' Cephallenia.>e died at the early age o' seenteen, and was worshipped as a god with themost ela"orate and lasciious rites "y the Cephallenians, in the great temple o'am`, on the day o' the new moon.

uch an e3traordinary legend could not long escape the penetrating criticismo' modern scholarship, and as early as )osheim the 8ey was 'ound to themystery. ol8mar has wor8ed this out in detail, showing that the 'estial atam` was in honour o' the moonFgod, and accompanied with licentious rites. Itwas called the Epiphany Gb fH in honour o' Epiphanes G fkH,the newlyFappearing one, the new moon. his moon lasted some seenteendays. hus Clement o' Ale3andria, deceied "y the similarity o' the names andalso "y the story o' licentious rites, "eueathed to posterity a scandalous li"el.It is almost to "e dou"ted whether any Epiphanes e3isted. Clement 'urtherasserts that among the Carpocratians one o' their most circulated "oo8s was atreatise -n *ustice, o' which he had seen a copy. >e ascri"es this to Epiphanes,"ut it is scarcely possi"le to "eliee that a "oy o' seenteen or less could haecomposed an a"stract dissertation on justice.

Communism.

Xe thus come to the conclusion that the Carpocratians, or >arpocratians, werea Rnostic circle in Ale3andria at the "eginning o' the second century, and thatsome o' their ideas were

p. 2J;

set 'orth in a "oo8 concerning justice, a copy o' which had come into the handso' Clement. his Rnostic community was much e3ercised with the idea o'communism as practised "y the early Christian circles$ "eing also students o'&lato, they wished to reduce the idea to the 'orm o' a philosophical principleand carry it out to its logical conclusion. he 'alse ideas o' meum and tuumwere no longer to e3ist$ priate property was the origin o' all human miseriesand the departure 'rom the happy days o' early 'reedom. here was, there'ore,to "e community o' eerything, wies and hus"ands includedFFthus carrying



out in some 'ashion that most curious idea, o' &latoNs as set 'orth in he%epu"lic. Xe hae, howeer, no relia"le eidence that our Rnostics carriedthese ideas into practice$ it is also highly impro"a"le that men o' education andre'inement, as the Rnostics usually were, who came to such iews through the&ythagorean and &latonic discipline, and through the teachings o' *esusFFthe

sine u non condition o' such ideal communities "eing that they shouldconsist o' gnostics and "e ruled "y philosophersFFshould hae turned theirmeetings into orgies o' lasciiousness. uch, howeer, is the accusation"rought against them "y Clement. his has already "een in part re'uted "ywhat has "een said a"oe$ "ut it is not impro"a"le that there werecommunities at Ale3andria and elsewhere, calling themseles Christian, whodid con'use the Agap\ or DoeF'easts o' the early times with the orgies and'easts o' the ignorant populace. he &agans "rought such accusations againstthe Christians indiscriminately,

p. 2JL

and the Christian sects against one another$ and it is uite credi"le that sucha"uses did creep in among the ignorant and icious.

he )onadic Rnosis.

he Carpocratian school has "een sometimes claimed, though I thin8improperly, as the originator o' the soFcalled )onadic Rnosis. his idea has"een wor8ed out in much detail "y eander. he 'ollowing summary "y almonwill, howeer, "e su''icient 'or the general reader to 'orm an idea o' the theory.

Trom one eternal )onad all e3istence has 'lowed, and to this it stries toreturn. 7ut the 'inite spirits who rule oer seeral portions o' the worldcounteract this uniersal striing a'ter unity. Trom them the di''erent popularreligions, and in particular the *ewish, hae proceeded. &er'ection is attained "y

those souls who, led on "y reminiscences o' their 'ormer conditions, soar a"oeall limitation and diersity to the contemplation o' the higher unity. heydespise the restriction imposed "y the mundane spirits$ they regard e3ternalsas o' no importance, and 'aith and loe as the only essentials$ meaning "y'aith, mystical "rooding o' the mind a"sor"ed in the original unity. In this waythey escape the dominion o' the 'inite mundane spirits$ their souls are 'reed'rom imprisonment in matter, and they o"tain a state o' per'ect repose



Gcorresponding to the 7uddhist ir^naH when they hae completely ascendeda"oe the world o' appearance.

Documents

Notas Carpocracianos.doc