Archontics

TheArchontics,orArchontici,were aGnosticsect that existed inPalestine,SyriaandArmenia,who arose towards the mid 4th centuryCE.They were thus called from theGreekwordἄρχοντες,"principalities", or "rulers", by reason that they held the world to have been created and ruled by malevolentArchons.

History

Epiphanius of Salamisseems to be the earliest Christian writer who speaks of this sect. He relates that a young priest in Palestine named Peter had been charged with heresy, deposed from the office of the priesthood and expelled by BishopAëtius.He fled into a part ofArabia,where there was a center ofEbionitism.In his old age, he returned to Palestine, where he lived the life of ananchoritein a cave nearJerusalemand attracted followers by the austerity of his life and the practice ofextreme poverty.Shortly before the death ofConstantius II(337–361),Eutactus,coming fromEgypt,visited the anchorite Peter and was imbued by him with the doctrines of the sect and carried them into Greater and Lesser Armenia.

Beliefs

The Archontics held that there wereSeven Heavens,ruled by theDemiurgesurrounded byArchonsbegotten by him, who are the jailers of thesouls.In the eighth heaven dwells the supremeMotherof light. The king or tyrant of the seventh heaven isSabaoth,thegod of the Jews,who is the father of theDevil.The Devil, dwelling upon earth, rebelled against his father, and opposed him in all things, and byEvebegotCain and Abel.Cain slew Abel in a quarrel about their sister, whom both loved.

"They say," records Epiphanius, "that the soul is the food of the Archons and Powers without which they cannot live, because she is of the dew from above and gives them strength. When she has become imbued with knowledge... she ascends to heaven and gives a defence before each Power and thus mounts beyond them to the upper Mother and Father of the All whence she came down into this world."

Practices

"Some of them", continues Epiphanius, "pretend to fast after the manner of the monks, deceiving the simple, and boast of having renounced all property."Theodoretreports that it was the practice of some to pour oil and water on theheads of the dead,thereby rendering them invisible to theArchonsand withdrawing them from their power. However,Epiphaniusstates that "they condemn baptism and reject the participation of theHoly Mysteriesas something introduced by the tyrant Sabaoth, and teach other fables full of impiety. "

Texts

Theirapocryphalbooks included:

• The greater and lesserSymphonia
• TheAscension of Isaiah
• Allogenes

In Mandaean texts

Gelbert (2023) suggests that in theGinza Rabba(Right Ginza9.1), theMandaictermnakriṭiais actually a reference to the Archontics.

Bibliography

• Jonas, Hans (1958).The Gnostic Religion.p. 169.
• Layton, Bentley (1987).The Gnostic Scriptures.Doubleday. pp. 191–198.

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Guldner, Benedict (1907). "Archontics".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chambers, Ephraim,ed. (1728)."Archonticks".Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences(1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.