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Gnostic sects and founders
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Justin orJustinus was an earlyGnosticChristian from the 2nd century AD recorded byHippolytus.[1] He is often confused in sources withJustin Martyr as "Justin the Gnostic".[2][3]
Justin's life is unknown, although he likely came from aJewish-Christian background. Most information about him comes from Hyppolytus, who might have been familiar with Justin's most important work,Baruch.[2] He is counted among the earliest Gnostics, having lived in the era ofSimonians likeSimon Magus,Dositheus,Menander andSaturninus.[4]
His teachings, synthesized in a gospel calledBook of Baruch, were a highlysyncretic gnostic current that mixed Jewish Christianity withclassical mythology.[2] They are considered one of the first transitions between Jewishmonotheism and full-blown gnosticism.,[3][4] although they differ substantially fromSethian andValentian beliefs. For example, Justin omits any concept of the devolution or fall of the divine,[5] and he presents the creation of the world in a positive light.[2][3]
According to Justin, there were three primordial, eternal entities. Reigning supreme was the male Good One, owner of foreknowledge (identified with theMonad and the creator of the universe, as well as the GreekPriapus),[6] under which there were the maleElohim (the Jewish god andDemiurge or creator of the world) and the femaleEdem (identified withGaia and described as a "half virgin, half viper" being similar toEchidna).[7] Elohim and Edem, ignorant of the existence of the Good One, fell in love and copulated, giving birth to twenty-fourangels of both paternal and maternal nature, also creating the world in the process. Those angels then created mankind out of Edem's human part and the animal kingdom out of her snake part. However, Elohim discovered the Good One and ascended to his heaven, where he was charged to stay to redeem himself from having thought himself the greatest. Dominion over the Earth was thus assigned to Edem who, vengeful and heartbroken by Elohim's departure, released the evils of famine and disease on the world. Her twelve angels ruled the world asarchons.[6]
Edem further ordered one of her maternal angels, Naas (identified with theserpent of Edem), to cause adulteries and dissolution of marriages among men. In response, Elohim sent one of his own paternal angels, Baruch, in order to warnAdam and Eve not to eat from theTree of Knowledge, which represented Naas himself. However, Baruch failed, as Naas had previously seduced both Adam and Eve, leading them to eat from the tree.[6] Baruch's next attempts to save mankind throughMoses and thebiblical prophets failed too, so Elohim now chose an uncircumcised prophet,Heracles, to carry on the task. Heracles defeated all the twelve maternal archons by force, a series of battles known as theTwelve Labors, but he was ultimately deceived and divested of his power by one of the conquered archons, the beautifulBabel orOmphale.[6] Only much later, Elohim finally found a human who could resist the enticement of the angels,Jesus (a son of Elohim in anadoptionist way), who would preach his true word despite being crucifixied by work of Naas.
Only five names of the angels of Elohim are preserved: Baruch, Michael, Gabriel, Amen and Esaddeus. The twelve angels of Edem are Naas, Babel, Achamoth, Bel, Belias, Satan, Sael, Adonaios, Leviathan, Carcamenos, Lathen and Pharaoh.[8]
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