THE EGYPTIAN FOUNDATIONS OF GNOSTIC THOUGHT

historical process or cosmogonic hierarchy, an awareness attained through synchronic
epiphany, one to be associated with a certain amount of intellection. 13
Archaic Gnosis
might be said to place its own emphasis upon the Memphitic Word, but one that does
not see the numinous power originating in the pneumatic Anthropos, but rather in the
divine hierarchy that can be made to serve humankind through correct procedure, the
semantic ornamentation of the diachronic rite. The upper end displays a keen sense of
the ironic with respect to language – the earlier Memphitic word by Hellenistic times
takes on a double entendre, or hypostatic stature, and this bright blade of ‘numinous
discourse’ is wielded by a sophianic figure. 14
At the other extreme words exist upon a
theurgic palette, or doctrinal liturgy, often applied with a marked penchant for mindnumbing
literalism and cant. Two respective examples can be given here:
There was a time, says he, when there was nothing: not even that nothing was
there, but simply, clearly, and without any sophistry there was nothing at all.
When I say ‘there was’, he says, I do not indicate a Being, but in order to
signify what I want to express I say, says he, that there was nothing at all. For
that, says he, is not simply something ineffable which is named (indicated); we
call it ineffable, but it is not even ineffable. For what is not (even) inexpressible
is called ‘not even inexpressible’, but is above every name that is named. For
the names do not even suffice, he says, for the world, so multiform is it, but fall
short. And I do not have it in me to find correct names for everything; rather it
is proper to comprehend ineffably, without using names, the characteristics of
the things which are to be named. For (the existence of) the same designation(s
for different things) has caused the hearers confusion and error about the
things.... Since therefore there was nothing, no matter, no substance, nothing
insubstantial, nothing simple, nothing composite, nothing non-composite,
nothing imperceptible (non subjective), no man, no angel, no god, nothing at all
that can be named or can be apprehended by sense perception, nothing of the
mental things and thus (also nothing of all that which) can be simply described
in even more subtle ways, the non-existent god... without intelligence, without
perception, without will, without resolve, without impulse, without desire,
13
J.F. Borghouts, “3h.w (akhu) and hk3.w (hekau). Two Basic Notions of Ancient Egyptian
Magic, and the Conception of the Divine Created Word”, in La Magia in Egitto al Tepi dei
Faraoni, 39: “3h.w or hk3.w is best translated as `magical utterance’... the ‘creative
emanation’ sometimes takes the form of a stream of thought, and one gets the impression
that especially in the Late Period such creative power is chiefly vested with ‘intellectual
capacity’.”
14
This impression of the female divinity wielding discourse with irony is nowhere more
evident in the Gnostic corpus than in the Thunder: Perfect Mind.
For I am the first and the last:
I am the one who is honoured and the one who is scorned.
I am the whore and the holy one...
I am the sound of the manifold voice, and the word of many aspects.
I am the story: (I am) my name...
I am the hearing that is attainable to everything,
I am the speech which cannot be grasped.
I am the name of the sound and the sound of the name.
(13.16-28; 14.12-15; 20.28-33: Coptic transcription from NHS, vol. XI, 234, 236, 250 &
252).