Books of Jeu
TheBooks of Jeuare twoGnostictexts. Though independent works, both theFirst Book of Jeuand theSecond Book of Jeuappear, inSahidic Coptic,in theBruce Codex.[1]They are a combination of agospeland anesotericrevelation; the work professes to record conversations Jesus had with both the maleapostlesand hisfemale disciples,and the secret knowledge (gnosis) revealed in these conversations.
Authorship and date[edit]
The date of the Bruce Codex, which contains the sole surviving copy of the work, is unknown and disputed, with estimates ranging from the 3rd to the 10th century. It is believed that the Sahidic Coptic of the Codex version is a translation, however, and the original was written inKoine Greekin the early3rd century.This estimate is because thePistis Sophiamentions the two books of Jeu twice (158.18 and 228.35), suggesting that the Books of Jeu were written before it, and the Pistis Sophia is dated to the late 3rd or early 4th century.[2]
The author is unknown, but was presumably a Gnostic Christian inRoman Egypt.[2]
Content[edit]
The work frequently refers to Jesus as "the living [one]" or "the life-giving", in reference to the resurrection. There are standard references to Gnostic theology: the disciples ask Jesus to "teach us the hidden knowledge". According to Jesus, the Father projected "Jeu" (Ίεου) from his bosom, and then 28 emanations formed over the Aeons,with each form, mystic name, and number spelled out with great precision. Jesus gives the "threebaptisms"to those present of water, fire, and the Holy Spirit, and explains the Gnostic mystery that will save them from theArchons.Jesus says that after the disciples' souls were purified and saved, they will eventually transmit themselves through the Aeons to a transcendent realm in the place of the great invisible God, the great virginal Spirit, and 24 emanations of God. The work then discusses the secret names of the aeons, their numbers, their seals, their passwords, formula which allow free passage through thecelestial spheres,and other esoteric details. Jesus closes with a warning to only share such information with those worthy to receive the true knowledge. Much of the work is illustrated with detailed diagrams, rather than being solely text.[2]
One of the unusual features of the Books of Jeu are that they predominantly consist of mystic incantations and similarly esoteric diagrams, often including concentric circles and squares. The text was perhaps used as a sort of prayer book or spell book for Gnostic rituals. The text also includes Gnostic hymns of praise.
Analysis[edit]
The work is somewhat similar to the GnosticApocryphon of John.[2]
M. R. Jameswas unimpressed with the work; he wrote that its "mystic diagrams, and numbers, and meaningless collections of letters (...) require a vast deal of historical imagination and sympathy to put oneself in the place of anybody who could tolerate, let alone reverence, the dreary stuff."[3]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^DeConick, April; Shaw, Gregory; Turner, John D. (2013).Practicing Gnosis: Ritual, Magic, Theurgy and Liturgy in Nag Hammadi, Manichaean and Other Ancient Literature. Essays in Honor of Birger A. Pearson.BRILL. p. 137.ISBN9789004248526.
- ^abcdPuech, Henri-Charles(1963) [1959]. "VII. Gnostic Gospels and Related Documents: The Two Books of Jeu". InSchneemelcher, Wilhelm(ed.).New Testament Apocrypha: Volume One: Gospels and Related Writings.Translated byWilson, Robert McLachlan.Philadelphia: Westminster Press. p. 259–263.
- ^James, Montague Rhodes(1924)..Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. xxiii – viaWikisource.[scan
]
Further reading[edit]
- Schmidt, Carl(1892).Gnostische Schriften in koptischer Sprache aus dem Codex Brucianus.Leipzig: Hinrichs.,for the original Coptic text and a German translation
- Evans, Erin (2015).The Books of Jeu and the Pistis Sophia as handbooks to eternity: exploring the gnostic mysteries of the ineffable.Leiden: Brill.ISBN978-90-04-30119-1.OCLC910964849.