The earliest christians had a secret unwritten knowledge not transmitted to every one Guy Stromsa (university of Jerusalem?) Hidden Wisdom, By Guy G. Stroumsa, Copyright 1996, E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands [ A lot of the sentences herein under are direct quotes from the book. Unfortunately, I have been working with it so long I no longer know which is which. If one is going to quote any of this it would be very wise to check out the book first, or to paraphrase extensively to avoid engaging in inadvertent plagiarism.] There was a secret tradition which faded from Christianity “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.” 1 Cor.2:6-7 This secret wisdom was kept to a small group of initiates. The main argument of the book is that: 1 We can detect the existence of esoteric doctrines since the earliest stages of Christianity, and throughout the first centuries. 2 The origin of these early Christian esoteric traditions is to be found in the immediate background of Christianity, i.e. in first century Judaism 3. The earliest Christian esoteric traditions are adopted and developed by various groups which we usually call gnostics and were at the basis of their mythology. 4. Already before the end of the second century, the esoteric traditions were played down, blurred, and denied by the church fathers, until they eventually disappeared. 5. .... In ancient society the oral tradition remained strong. There was a double truth known among the "masters of truth" Revealing the truths endangered the group. We know the secrets and can state them with precision A law of silence existed. There was a link between ritual and doctrine. Some truth is not to go abroad. Some Christians are not taught all the truths Some revelations are to be kept orally and not written. The secret oral tradition was about Jesus and was from the apostles. The apostles did know secret mysteries and taught them to some. The uninitiated are not permitted to know them.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:32:33 +0000
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