Spirituality & Religious Studies1h ago

Archon(s)

Archons in Gnosticism & religions closely related to it are the builders of the physical universe. Among the Archontics, Ophites, Sethians, & in the writings of the Nag Hammadi library, the Archons are rulers, each related to 1 of 7 planets. They prevent souls from leaving the material realm.

The political connotation of their name reflects rejection of the governmental system as flawed without a chance of true salvation.

In Manichaeism, the Archons are the rulers of a realm within the “Kingdom of Darkness,” who together make up the Prince of Darkness. In Hypostasis of the Archons, the physical appearance of Archons is described as androgynous, with their faces being those of beasts.

The Gnostic concept of the universe is the role played in almost all Gnostic systems by the 7 world-creating archons, known as the Hebdomad. These 7 are, in most systems, semi-hostile powers & are reckoned as the last & lowest emanations for the Godhead. Below them, & frequently considered as proceeding from them, comes the world of the devilish powers. There are certain exceptions. Basilides taught the existence of a “great archon” called Abraxas, who presided over 365 archons.

Evidently, from works like the Apocryphon of John, the Ophite Diagrams, On the Origin of the World, & Pistis Sophia, Archons play an important role in Gnostic cosmology.

As rulers over the material world, they’re called archontes (“rulers” or “principalities”). As with Classical astrology, which thought of a sphere of fixed stars above the spheres of the 7 planets, beyond the spheres of the evil archons (Hebdomad), there were the supercelestial regions, which a soul must reach by gnosis (knowledge) to escape the dominion of the Archons. This place is thought of as the abode of Sophia (Wisdom) & Barbelo, also called Ogdodad.

The Ophites accepted the existence of these 7 archons:

  • Yaldabaoth, a.k.a. Sakias, who emerged later, the Archon of fornication, & Samael
    • Saturn
    • 2nd, 6th, 7th, & 8th Heaven. Cast into Tartarus.
    • Feminine name: Pronoia (Forethought) Sambathas, “week.”
    • Prophets: Moses, Joshua, Amos, Habakkuk
    • From Hebrew yalda bahut, “Child of Chaos.” The outermost who created the 6 others, & therefore the chief ruler & Demiurge par excellence. Called “the Lion-faced,” leontoeides.
  • Yao
    • Jupiter
    • 1st Heaven
    • Feminine name: Lordship
    • Prophets: Samuel, Nathan, Jonah, Micah
    • Perhaps for Yahweh, but possibly also from the magic cry iao in the Mystery cults.
  • Sabbaoth
    • Mars
    • 6th & 7th Heaven. Above 7th Heaven. World of poverty – Sabaoth together with his son, Christ.
    • Feminine name: Deity
    • Prophets: Elijah, Joel, Zechariah
    • Pistis Sophia supported Sabbaoth in his rebellion against his dad, so she established the kingdom for Sabbaoth over everyone that he might live above the 12 gods of chaos, receiving great authority against all the forces of chaos. Hence, his name is derived from Sabbath, which corresponds to the 7th Heaven of rest that he rules, indicating either rest from his struggle or that the 1 will not rest on his dad’s creation, but change it. The Hebrew Bible term Tzevaot, “Armies,” was thought to be a proper name, hence Jupiter Sabbas or Sabazios.
  • Adonaios
    • The Sun
    • Feminine name: Kingship
    • Prophets: Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel
    • From the Hebrew term for “the Lord,” used of God; Adonis of the Syrians, representing the Winter seen in the cosmic tragedy of Tammuz.
  • Astaphaios
    • Venus
    • 6th Heaven, which is Sophia, a name of the female aspect of the lowest Heaven. 8th Heaven – possibly Ogdoad or Pleroma together with Christ. 4th Heaven. 9th Heaven – Abortion.
    • Feminine name: Sophia
    • Prophets: Esdras, Zephaniah
  • Elaios, sometimes Ailoein, or Adonaeus
    • 5th or 6th Heaven
    • Mercury
    • Feminine name: Jealousy
    • Prophets: Tobias, Haggai
    • From Elohim, God (El)
  • Horaios
    • The Moon
    • Feminine name: Wealth
    • Prophets: Michaiah, Nahum
    • From Jaroah or “light” or Horus
  • Seth
    • 3rd Heaven
  • David
    • 4th Heaven

In the Nag Hammadi text, On the Origin of the World, the 7 powers of the Heavens of Chaos are:

  • Yaldabaoth, representing forthought (Sambathas)
  • Yao, representing mastery
  • Sabbaoth, representing divinity
  • Adonaios, representing kingship
  • Oraios, representing wealth
  • Astaphaios, equated with Sophia

The last book of the Pistis Sophia contains the myth of the capture of the rebellious archons, whose leaders here appear as 5 in number:

  • Paraplex
  • Hekate (the Greek goddess)
  • Ariouth (females)
  • Typhon (the monster from Greek mythos)
  • Iachtanabas

In the Apocryphon of John, the demiurge Yaldabaoth, who’s also known by the names Sakla & Samael, creates the “12 authorities,” who are:

  • Athoth (the reaper)
  • Harmas (the jealous eye)
  • Kalila-Oumbri
  • Yabel
  • Adonaios (Sabbaoth)
  • Cain (the Sun)
  • Abel
  • Abrisene
  • Yobel
  • Armoupieel
  • Melcheir-Adonein
  • Belias (ruler over the depths of the underworld)

The 12 authorities then create the “7 Powers,” who are described as representing the 7 days of the week:

  • Athoth, representing goodness, with the face of a sheep (Beep, beep, I’m a sheep. Sorry, we’ll show ourselves out!)
  • Eloaios, representing forethought, with the face of a donkey
  • Astaphaios, representing divinity, with the face of a hyena
  • Yao, representing Lordship, with the face of a snake with 7 heads (This reminds us of the hydra.)
  • Sabbaoth, representing jealousy, with the face of an ape
  • Sabbataios, representing understanding, with the face of a flaming fire

In the system of the Gnostics mentioned by Epiphanius, we find, as the 7 Archons:

  • Iao
  • Saklas (the chief demon of Manichaeism)
  • Seth
  • David
  • Eloiein, probably connected with Enlil of Nippur, Babylonia
  • Yaldabaoth (or #6 Yaldabaoth, #7 Sabbaoth)

In the Hellenized form of Gnosticism, either all or some of these names are replaced by personified vices. Authadia/Authades, or Audacity, is the obvious description of Yaldabaoth, the presumptuous Demiurge, who is lion-faced as the Archon Authadia.

Of the Archons Kakia, Zelo, Phthonos, Errinys, and Epithymia, the last represents Venus. The number 7 is obtained by placing a proarchon, or chief archon, at the head.

That these names are only a disguise for the Sancta Hebdomas is clear, for Sophia (wisdom), the mom of them, retains the name of Ogdoad, Octonatio. The Ogdoad is a purported supercelestial region beyond the 7 Heavens.

Occasionally, as among the Naassenes, 1 meets with the archon Esaldaios, which is evidently the El Shaddai (a name for God in Judaism) of the Bible. He is described as the archon “number 4” (harithmo tetartos).

In Mandaean cosmology, Pthil-Uthra, although not a deity, can be considered the primary archon since he’s viewed as the creator of the material world. Among the Mandaeans, there’s a different conception of the 7. This may predate later use by other Gnostic movements.

In Mandaeism, the 7, together with their mom, Namrus (Ruha) & their dad (Ur), are planets that belong entirely to the World of Darkness. They, & their family, are looked upon as captives of the angel Manda-d’hayye (‘Knowledge of Life’), who pardons them, sets them on chariots of light, & appoints them as rulers of the world.

The Manicheans adopted the Gnostic usage, & their archons are invariably evil beings, who make up the Prince of Darkness. (We soooo wanted to make an Ozzy Osbourne reference, but we won’t) It’s related to how the helper of Adam Kadmon, the spirit of life, captured the evil archons, & fastened them to the firmament. According to another account, they flayed them, & formed the firmament from their skin, & this conception is closely related to the other. Though in this tradition, the number (7) of the archons is lost.

The Bundahishn tells us that in the primeval strife of the devil against the light-world, 7 hostile powers were captured & set as constellations in the heavens, where they’re guarded by good star-powers & prevented from doing harm. 5 of the evil powers are the planets. While here, the sun & moon are, of course, not reckoned among the evil powers, for the obvious reason that in the Persian official religion they invariably appear as good divinities.

In On the Origin of the World, the Archons impregnate the Biblical Eve, an idea probably deriving from the “Sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-4, or the Book of Enoch.

In accordance with the depictions of fallen angels in the Enochian writings, the archons incite passions in humans. Further, they both teach idolatry, sacrifices & bloodshed to enslave the Gnosis & trapping them in ignorance.

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