THE EGYPTIAN FOUNDATIONS OF GNOSTIC THOUGHT

mind of a god, and can well be called the “philosophical harbingers of the Pre-
Socratics.” 39
The Gnostic Trimorphic Protennoia manifests a word-empowered cosmology
which demonstrates this focus upon the inner and outer:
We alone [are separate] from the manifest world since we are [saved by the]
hidden [wisdom] [in our] hearts [by means of] the ineffable and immeasurable
[Voice]. And the one who is hidden within us pays the tribute of his fruit to the
Water of Life. Then the Son who is complete in all respects, that is, the Word
which originated through this Voice which preceded it in the heights, (and) who
possesses within himself the name which is a Light, he revealed the
imperishable things and all of the unknown things were made known. And those
things that are difficult to interpret and secret, he revealed.... (36.33-37.11) 40
The Greek loan word hermeneia, which means “interpretation” or “power of speech”,
from which hermeneutic derives, ties in well with the sense of the “power of words”
to “give utterance”, etc. consonant with the Memphite theology expressed in this
work. Archaic Gnosis, as we have defined it, is more traditionally Egyptian in its
recourse to the written word, the sacred texts that must be at hand in order to effect
salvation. The Salt Papyrus, already cited, is thus on par with the inter-textuality of
On the Origin of the World. A premier example of Archaic Gnosis, alongside the
Pistis Sophia, is The Books of Jeu. The Gnostic aspirant here emulates the divine
voice which gives rise to the emanation process:
But I have called upon the name of my Father, to ensure that he should move
the true god so that he will emanate... This is the first voice which he gave
(voice to): he stirred his emanations until they emanated. (50.13-18 & 52.9-
10) 41
Human identification with divine entities including various transformations is
a hallmark of Egyptian religious experience Coffin Text 335 commences with the
identification of the deceased with Atum, the Sun-god, Nun, and Osiris:
There comes into being a speech by me, Atum. I was (once) alone; I was Re at
his first appearings, when he arose from the horizon, I am the Great One, the
self-created. Who is the Great One, the self-created? He is the water of the
Abyss.
Who created his names, Lord of the Ennead, who will not be repelled from the
gods. Who is he? He is Atum who is in his sun. ...The supervisor of what exists.
Who is he? He is Osiris.
... I have got rid of my wrongdoing, I have dispelled my evil, I have removed
the falseness which was on me.
39
Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 158.
40
Coptic transcription from NHS, vol. XXVIII, 404, 406. Emphasis added.
41
Coptic transcription from NHS, vol. XIII, 26, 30.