Ophite diagram

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Reconstruction of the ophite diagram

Under the name Ophitendiagramm become known diagram of Ophianer is a drawing with written addenda that deep insight into belief and worship of these Gnostic allows sect.

Lore

The drawing itself has not been preserved. In a polemical work against the Christians, the Alethes Logos - to be translated as "True Word" - the Platonist Celsus described a drawing of the Gnostic sect of the Ophians in the second half of the 2nd century AD. The writing of Celsus is only included in excerpts, namely in the counter- writing of the Alexandrian theologian Origen (185-254) known as Kata Kelsou or Contra Celsum . Origen deals with the corresponding section of the Celsus script in Book VI, chapters 22-38 of his reply. Origen was also able to get a copy of the drawing. In his reply he distances himself from the Ophites and polemics against them as well as against his actual opponent Celsus. However, one can assume that Celsus paints a picture of Christianity that no longer existed in this diversity during Origen's lifetime.

reconstruction

In their polemics, both Celsus and Origen agree on the main elements of the Ophite diagram: "Ten (circles) held together by one (circle)", and: "The seven Archontic circles would be enclosed by a circle, which they claim he be the soul of the universe and be called Leviathan ". There are deviations in some additions, for example in the names for animal-shaped sub-gods, the so-called "Archons", or their "angel names", as well as in added formulas. From this it can be concluded that either the copies of the Ophite diagram in Celsus and Origen differed slightly or that the copy of Origen was already badly damaged. By reproducing incantations, a descent through the individual spheres represented by the circles is described. Therefore, today it is a scientific Opinio communis that concentric circles are involved. However, there are also deviating attempts at reconstruction.

function

Celsus introduced his description of the Ophite diagram with the description of the Mithras mysteries. He evaluates the ascent of the mystic accomplished there into the sphere of fixed stars as positive in order to be able to contrast the descent described in the Ophite diagram. This way of reasoning enables the conclusion that the Ophite diagram is connected with cult; likewise the multitude of formulas and descriptions that can be found in the written additions. From a cautious point of view, it is a "didactic diagram". More daring descriptions see a kind of Gnostic mandala, a meditation picture or diagram in the representation. The first view does not exclude the second. It was also believed that it was a "Gnostic diagram" (a name that goes back to Celsus and Origen), which depicts the journey of a soul as an ascent to and descent from other spheres.

meaning

The drawing shows the main elements of a fairly early Gnostic system. It makes clear that dualism and the rejection of the world are constitutive for this kind of esoteric religiosity. Today there is hardly a comprehensive representation of Gnosis that does without the Ophite diagram, be it through a description or through the reproduction of a drawing. As a representation of a simple Gnostic system, the Ophite diagram gives an example of the principles according to which a world-rejecting esoteric teaching can be designed.

Its elements come from the ancient Egyptian, Jewish and Christian religions. Gnosis is generally counted among the late antique mystery religions, but there are currently esoteric groups who see themselves as standing gnostics or even call themselves ophites. Because of the snake symbolism, the ophites are often viewed as the forerunners of Satanism , or Satanists themselves expressly attribute their cult to the ophites.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagram, p. 152, Figure 2.
  2. ^ Robert Bader, Alethes Logos.
  3. ↑ Marcel Borret, Origène, Contre Celse III, pp. 232–272 (Greek text with French translation); Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagramm, pp. 39–83 (Greek text with German translation).
  4. ↑ Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagram, pp. 50–51.
  5. ↑ Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagram, pp. 73–75.
  6. ↑ So first Wolfgang Ullmann, Apokalyptik und Magie im Gnostischen Mythos, p. 188.
  7. ↑ Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagram, pp. 142–142; Gerhard Raabe, Gnosis and Freemasonry, pp. 270–271.
  8. ↑ Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagram, pp. 5–14, - Overview of the history of research; Job details also in Gerhard Raabe, Gnosis and Freemasonry, p. 296.
  9. ↑ Birger Pearson, Gnostik Iconography, pp. 252-257.
  10. ↑ Christoph Markschies, picture books, p. 107, Gnostik Iconography, p. 252–257.
  11. ↑ So first Wolfgang Ullmann, Apokalyptik und Magie im Gnostischen Mythos, p. 188.
  12. ↑ Following Bernd Witte, Ophitendiagramm, p 37, Birger Pearson, Gnostic Iconography, p 257, and Gerhard Raabe, Gnosis and masonry, S. 269th
  13. ↑ Gerhard Raabe, Gnosis and Freemasonry, p. 259.
  14. ^ Siegfried G. Richter , The Ascent Psalms of Herakleides. Investigations into the ascension of souls and the soul mass among the Manichaeans (= languages ​​and cultures of the Christian Orient. Volume 1). Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden 1997, pp. 23-27.
  15. ↑ Karl-Wolfgang Tröger , Gnosis, pp. 296–216.
  16. ↑ Serious derivation of the Satanists from the Ophites.

literature

  • Robert Bader: The Alethes Logos des Kelsos (= Tübingen contributions to classical studies . 33). Stuttgart-Berlin 1940.
  • Marcel Borret: Origène. Contre Celse. Volume III (= Sources Chrétiennes . 147). Paris 1969.
  • Christoph Markschies: Gnostic and other picture books in antiquity. In: Journal of Ancient Christianity. Volume 9, 2005, pp. 100–121.
  • Birger A. Pearson: Gnostic Iconography. In: Birger A. Pearson: Gnosticism and Christianity. New York 2004, pp. 249-267 ( Studies in Antiquity and Christianity ).
  • Gerhard Raabe: Gnosis and Freemasonry. In: Quatuor Coronati. Volume 44, 2007, pp. 265–274.
  • Karl-Wolfgang Tröger : The Gnosis. Doctrine of salvation and belief in heretics. Freiburg im Breisgau 2001, ISBN 3-451-04953-8 .
  • Wolfgang Ullmann: Apocalyptic and Magic in Gnostic Myth. In: Karl-Wolfgang Tröger: Old Testament-Early Judaism-Gnosis. Berlin 1980, pp. 169-194.
  • Bernd Witte: The Ophite diagram according to Origen's Contra Celsum VI, 22-38 (= work on late antique and Coptic Egypt. 6). Altenberge 1993, ISBN 3-89375-090-8 .