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Gnostic sects and founders
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Saturninus orSatornilus (Greek: Σατόρνινος active 100–120 AD) was an earlySyrianGnosticChristian from the1st centurySimonian school. He is quoted in the works ofIrenaeus,[1]Justin Martyr andHegesippus.[2][3][4] The movement he established was calledSaturnians.
He was supposed to be an apprentice ofMenander, who had learned underSimon Magus and established a school inAntioch. Saturninus andBasilides were among his greatest students and went to teach after him, the former staying in Antioch and the latter moving toAlexandria.
Saturninus adhered to Menander's doctrines while Basilides developed them in different ways.[1] However, while Menander called himself the messengers of God, Saturninus consideredJesus Christ the only who could receive this title, and therefore might have been the first teacher to introduce Christ in Gnosticism.[5][6] At the same time, he also introduced the notion of theGod of Judaism being an evil impostor, thePlatonic idea of a descended spark of life,[7] and the idea that there are different classes of men.[2] Finally, Saturninus might have been the source ofdocetism mentioned byIgnatius of Antioch in his letters.[8]
Saturninus endorsed harshasceticism, committing tovegetarianism andcelibacy, and was accused of introducing the idea ofencratism.[9]
Saturninus preached that matter was impure, and that the world had been created by sevenrebel angels (known as the planetaryarchons), the leader of which called himself theGod of the Jews in imitation to the true God, the Father of all. However, while tyrannical, those angels weren't the main satanic figure, but neutral entities. Unlike Simon and Menander, Saturninus was adualist,[10] believing that God was opposed by an equal principle that would beSatan,[2] distinct from thedemiurgic archons.[6][11]
After rebelling against God to create the world, the rebel angels would have switched their battle against Satan and his servants, who desired to dominate this creation.[2][6] Man would have been created by the angels after a shining vision that appeared before them from above, but as they were unable to make him capable of standing erect, God took pity on them and helped their creation, inspiring a spark on life on some men. However, Satan would have intervened as well as the serpent ofEden,[6] creatingmarriage andprocreation, as well as making the rest of the men evil.[2][5]
Men were initially ruled by the God of Jews, but as he was a false deity, and not powerful enough to shield them from Satan's influence, the true God would have sent a spirit savior, Jesus Christ.[12] According to other versions, he was sent because the archons opposed the Father.[6] In any case, since flesh was susceptible to evil, he was merely adocetic being, and through his presence he would have passed the knowledge to overthrow the God of Jews, destroy the wicked, and make the sparks of life return to the Higher God.[9]
Saturninus might have been influenced byZoroastrianism, as the dualism between God and Satan is similar to that ofAhura Mazda andAhriman, while his seven angels would be similar to theAmesha Spenta.[5] His demonization of the God of Jews, also done by his gnostic partners, might have been a consequence of theanti-Jewish sentiment caused among Christians and Romans by theBar Kokhba revolt.[6]
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