Authoritative Teaching

The Authoritative Teaching is a gnostic tractate of the Nag Hammadi Library placed in Codex VI.[1] It makes implications of a divine spirit being placed on the immoral Earth to face the trials of evil and regain its elevated place in the heavens through attaining knowledge.[2] The text is dated around the 3rd century AD.[3]

Content overview

The text gives a metaphoric teaching about a soul (her) from a divine world that comes to see the material world but gets distracted and creates earthly attachments. Some of the metaphorical identities that the soul is given include a prostitute, a contestant, a bride, an invalid, a fish, and wheat.[2] However, God watches over the soul and warns the soul of earthly attachments such as Lust, Pride, Greed, Fraud, Ignorance, Envy, & Vanity.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ Michael Matkin, J. (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Gnostic Gospels, The Complete Idiot's Guide Series. Penguin. p. 201. ISBN 9781592573882.
  2. 1 2 director, James M. Robinson (1977). The Nag Hammed Library : Chenoposkion Manuscripts English (1st U.S. ed.). New York: Harper & Row. p. 278. ISBN 0-06-066929-2.
  3. 1 2 Van Den Broek, R. (2013). Gnostic Religion in Antiquity. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 33. ISBN 9781107031371.
  4. ↑ Perkins, Pheme (1993). Gnosticism and the New Testament. Fortress Press. p. 173. ISBN 9781451415971.
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