Sethianism

The Sethians were 1 of the main currents of Gnosticism during the 2nd & 3rd centuries AD. Along with Valentinianism & Basilidianism.

It was speculated to have originated in the 2nd century AD as a fusion of 2 distinct Hellenistic Judaic philosophies & was influenced by Christianity & Middle Platonism.

The Sethians (In Latin: Sethoitae) are 1st mentioned (alongside the Ophites) in the 2nd century by our boy, Irenaeus (who wasn’t Gnosticism’s friend) & in Pseudo-Tertullian texts. All later accounts appear to be largely lifted from Irenaeus. Hippolytus repeats info from Irenaeus.

According to Epiphanius of Salamis (circa 375), Sethians were found, in his time, only in Egypt & Palestine. But 50 years earlier, they had been found as far as Greater Armenia. Greater Armenia (a.k.a. the Armenian Empire) was an Armenian kingdom (in the ancient Near East) that existed from 331 BC to 428 AD, 758 years.

Philaster’s (4th century AD) Catalogue of Heresies puts the Ophites, Cainites, & Sethians as pre-Christian Jewish sects. However, since Sethians identified Seth with Christ (in the Second Logos of the Great Seth), Philaster’s belief that the Sethians had pre-Christian origins hasn’t found acceptance in later scholarship.

Sethianism claims that gnosis 1st descended upon Seth (3rd son of Adam & Eve), whose knowledge the Sethians regard as their origin.

Norea (who’s either Noah’s wife or Adam & Eve’s daughter) plays a role. As seen in Mandaeism & Manicheanism.

The Sethian cosmogonic myth (or their origin of the universe/cosmos) gives a prologue to Genesis & the rest of the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Hebrew/Christian Bible). This presents a radical re-interpretation of the Orthodox Jewish conception of creation & the divine relation to reality. Their cosmogony is most famously in the Apocryphon of John, which describes an Unknown God.

From the “Unknown God” emanate aeons. This is a series of paired female & male beings. The 1st of these is Barbelo, who is a co-actor in the following emanations.

The aeons that result are representative of the various attributes of God, which are indiscernible when they aren’t abstracted from their origin. God & the aeons comprise the sum total of the spiritual universe, known as the Pleroma. Pleroma generally refers to the totality of divine powers.

In some versions of the myth, the aeon Sophia (knowledge) imitates God’s actions, performing an emanation of her own without the prior approval of the other aeons in the Pleroma. This results in a crisis within the Pleroma, leading to the appearance of Yaldabaoth.

This figure is commonly known as the demiurge (the “artisan” or “craftsman”) after the figure in Plato’s Timaeus. Sophia, at first, hides this being. But it escapes, stealing a portion of her divine power from her in the process.

Yaldabaoth uses this stolen power to create a material world imitating the divine Pleroma. To complete this task, he spawns a group of entities known collectively as Archons, the petty rulers & craftsmen of the physical world. Like him, they’re commonly depicted as zoomorphic, having animal heads.

At this stage, the events of the Sethian story start to cohere with the Genesis story everyone knows. The demiurge & his archontic associates fulfil the role of the Creator. In Genesis, the demiurge proclaims himself to be the only god, claiming that there weren’t any other gods better than him.

The demiurge unknowingly emanates a shadow ‘image’ of Adam, while unwittingly transferring the portion of power stolen from Sophia into the 1st physical human body. He then makes Eve from Adam’s rib in an attempt to isolate & regain the power that he’s lost.

By way of this, he tries to SA Eve, who then contains Sophia’s divine power. Several texts picture him as failing when Sophia’s spirit transplants itself into the Tree of Knowledge. The pair eat from the tree of the divine epignosis, guided by Christ appearing as an “eagle” above it to guide them to remember their true “nature above.”

Most surviving Sethian texts are preserved only in Coptic translation of the Greek original. Very little direct evidence of Gnostic teaching was available before the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library.

We’ve posted a few of these texts. Check them out at your leisure:

• Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit
• Second Treatise of the Great Seth
• Pistis Sophia
• Gospel of Judas
• Manichaean Psalms of Heracleides

The Gospel of Judas is the most recently discovered Gnostic text. National Geographic (Yes, that National Geographic. You know, NatGeo, y’all!) published an English translation of it. Our founder has a VERY well-worn copy of this book. It’s well-worn because they’ve read it numerous times.

This text portrays Judas Iscariot as the “13th spirit/daemon,” who “exceeded” the evil sacrifices of the “man who clothed me (Jesus).”

Its reference to Barbelo & inclusion of material similar to the Apocryphon of John & other such texts connects the text to Barbeloite &/or Sethian Gnosticism.

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Samael

Also spelled Smil, Samil, or Samiel.

He’s an archangel in Talmudic & post-Talmudic tradition. He’s a figure who is the accuser or adversary (Satan in the Book of Job), seducer, & destroying angel (in the Book of Exodus).

Although many of his functions resemble the Christian idea of Satan, to the point of being sometimes classified as a fallen angel. He’s not necessarily evil, since his functions also result in good, like destroying sinners.

In Midrashic texts, he’s considered to be a member of the heavenly host, often with grim & destructive duties. 1 of Samael’s most significant roles in Jewish lore is that of the main angel of Death & the head of satans. He appears frequently in the story of the Garden of Eden & engineered the Fall of Adam (& Eve) with a snake in writings, during the Second Temple period. However, the serpent isn’t a form of Samael. But a beast he rode, like a camel.

In a single account, he’s also believed to be the father of Cain. As well as the partner of Lilith.

In early Talmudic & Midrashic literature, he hasn’t yet been associated with Satan. Only in later Midrashim is he given the title “head of satans.”

As a guardian angel & prince of Rome, he’s Israel’s archenemy. By the beginning of Jewish culture in Europe, Samael had been established as a representative of Christianity due to his identification with Rome.

In some Gnostic cosmologies, Samael’s role as a source of evil became identified with the Demiurge, the creator of the material world.

Samael was 1st mentioned during the Second Temple period & immediately after its destruction. He’s 1st mentioned in the Book of Enoch, which is a part of the Jewish apocrypha, along with other rebellious angels. In 1 Enoch, he’s 1 of the Watchers who descended to Earth to have adult spicy time with human women. Although he’s not their leader. Samayaza is their leader. (A post about Samyaza is coming soon. Research on him is ongoing, right now.)

In the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch, he’s the dominant evil figure. Samael plants the actual Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil. He’s then banished & cursed by God. To take revenge, he tempts Adam & Eve into sin by taking the form of the serpent.

He further appears as the embodiment of evil in the Ascension of Isaiah & is called by various names:

• Melkira, “King of evil/wicked.”
• Malkira/Malchira, “Messenger of evil.”
• Belkira, “Lord of the Wall.”
• Bechira, “Elect/Chosen of evil.”

The names Belial & Satan are also applied to him. He gains control of King Manasseh to accuse Isaiah of treason.

In Talmudic & Midrash, Samael’s role as an agent of evil is relatively marginal. From the 5th or 6th century onward, he becomes 1 of the most prominent among the demonic entities. Samael hasn’t been identified with the angel of Death in the Talmud.

In the Exodus Rabbah (the Exodus Midrash), Samael is pictured as the accuser in the heavenly court & tempter to sin, while Michael defends Israel’s actions. Here, Samael is identified with Satan. While “Satan” describes his function as an “accuser,” Samael is considered his real/proper name.

He also fulfills the role of the Angel of Death when he comes to take the body of Moses & is called the leader of Satan.

The title of “satan” is also applied to him in the Midrash Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, where he was the chief of the fallen angels, & a 12-winged seraph. According to the text, Samael opposed the creation of Adam & descended to Earth to tempt him into evil.

Riding the serpent, he convinces Eve to eat the Forbidden Fruit. His role here might be inspired by the Islamic idea of Iblis, who refused to prostrate himself before Adam because he consists of fire & Adam merely of dust. This Midrash also reveals that Samael sired Cain with Eve.

In the smaller Midrash, he’s the ruler of Hell. Several sources (like Yalkut Shimoni) describe him as the guardian angel of Esau, relating him to Rome, the 1 who wrestled with Jacob, the angel who ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, & a patron of Edom. Which makes sense because Esau was the “father” of Edom.

In Kabbalah, Samael is described as the “severity of God.” He is listed as 5 of the archangels of the world of Beri’ah. Among his portions are Esau, the people who inherit the sword & bring war; the goats & se’irim (demons); & the destroyer angel.

Both Samael & Lilith are major demons in earlier Jewish literature traditions. They don’t appear paired together until the 2nd half of the 13th century, when they’re introduced together. Lilith is a demon created alongside Adam. She wasn’t originally created as a demon. She morphed into a demoness down the road. She was originally created as Adam’s (1st) wife. Lilith then becomes Samael’s bride. With her, Samael created a host of demon kids, including a son, the “Sword of Samael” (or of Asmodai).

In the Kabbalistic work Treatise on the Left Emanation, Samael is part of the qlippoth (Qlippoth is the representation of evil/impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism), prince of all demons, & husband of Lilith. The 2 are said to parallel Adam & Eve being emanated together from the Throne of Glory as a counterpart. Asmodeus is also mentioned to be subservient to Samael & married to a young (or alternate), lesser Lilith.

In the Zohar (1 of Kabbalah’s principal works), Samael is described as a leader of the divine forces of destruction, part of the qlippoth. He’s mentioned again as the serpent’s rider. He’s also described as having mated with Eisheth Zenunim (a princess of the qilppoth); Na’amah (She originated from & is often mixed with another Naamah, sister to Tubal-Cain); & Agrat bat Mahlat (a demoness), all being “angels” of sacred prostitution.

It’s also said that the founder of Hasidic Judaism, Baal Shem Tov, summoned Samael to make him do his bidding.

Samael is also pictured as the angel of Death & 1 of the 7 archangels, the ruler over the 5th Heaven (This refers to 1 of the 7 firmaments, or physical layers, located above the open sky.) & commander of 2 million angels, such as the chief of all destroying angels. Think about the angel(s) who destroyed the Egyptians who didn’t have the lamb’s blood on their doorframes (Exodus 11).

In 3 separate Gnostic texts (found in the Nag Hammadi library), Samael is 1 of the 3 names of the Demiurge. He had 2 other names in these texts: Yaldabaoth & Saklas. After Yaldabaoth claims sole divinity for himself, the voice of Sophia (“wisdom,” the personification of wisdom) comes forth calling him Samael, due to his ignorance.

In Hypostasis of the Archons, Samael is the 1st sinner. The First Epistle of John calls the devil a sinner from the beginning. His appearance is that of a lion-faced serpent.

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An Inclusive Rather Than Exclusive Spirituality: Kirpal Singh and the Lesson of Nag Hammadi: https://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2019/02/an-inclusive-rather-than-exclusive.html

#gnosis #spirituality #gnostic #gnosticism #naghammadi #naghammadilibrary #gnosticgospels

Who Created the Nag Hammadi Library? Where the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Scriptures Came From, by James Bean - blog entry: https://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2025/10/who-created-nag-hammadi-library-where.html

#gnostic #gnosticism #naghammadi #naghammadilibrary #gnosticgospels #monks #Pachomius

A few selections from The Teachings of Silvanus, using a new translation: https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/a-few-selections-from-the-teachings-of-silvanus-using-a-new-translation-675ea8da7b16

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New Translation of the Gospel of Philip by Dr. Samuel Zinner - Read it Online Here: https://OtherGospels.com/philip

IMAGE: Coptic Page of the Gospel of Philip from The Nag Hammadi Library #Gnostic #NagHammadiLibrary #Gnosticism #GospelOfPhilip #OtherGospels

Nice to see, The Other Bible, by Willis Barnstone online at the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/otherbible0000unse/mode/2up

#Gnostic #gnosis #NagHammadiLibrary #DeadSeaScrolls #Mandaean #Manichaean #Apocrypha #Gospels #ExtraCanonical #Scriptures #OdesOfSolomon

Syriac Mystics of Eastern Christianity - The Spiritual School of Saint Thomas (Gospel of Thomas) - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast Available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Substack, etc...: https://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2024/02/syriac-mystics-of-eastern-christianity.html

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