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Justin's Baruch: a Showcase of Gnostic Syncretism

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10 JUSTIN'S BARUCH: A SHOWCASE OF GNOSTIC SYNCRETISM The book Baruch of the Gnostic Justin is preserved in Hippolytus alone (ReJut. 5.23.1-27.5 and 10.15.1-7, pp. 198-209 and 393-395 Marc.).! It displays a strong Jewish background. Nevertheless, elements of Iranian (Persian), Greek, and above all Christian beliefs are visible enough in the system. I think Justin's Baruch may serve as a showcase of Gnostic syncretism at work. ACT ONE: THE PRIMORDIAL STATE Theme 1: The Three Principles oj the All (5.26.1 and 10.15.1). Baruch belongs to the Gnostic systems operating with three fundamental prin­ ciples (such as are the systems of the Naassenes, Peratics, Sethians, Ar­ chontics, Docetists, of Monoimus, and of the Simonian Megale Apophasis as well). The three principles of the All (TjO"cxv 'tpET~ &.pxcxt 'twv OAWV) are: the Good One (0 'Aycxeo~), Elohim CEAWd[J.) and Edem CEOE[J.). All three are "unbegotten" (&.yEWYj'tOL), i.e., imperishable and eternal. The first two are male, the third one is female. The supreme principle, the Good One, alone possesses the foreknowledge about the All (1tpOYVWO"'tLXO~ 'tWV OAWV), while Elohim and Edem do not (they are &.1tpOYVWO"'tOL). Elohim is also called "Father of all what is created" (1tcx't~P 1t&nwv 'tWV YE.WTj'twv), and, in addition, "unknown and invisible" (otyvwO"'to~ xcxt 1 This article is an expanded public lecture delivered on March 4, 1986, at the Univer­ sity of Illinois at Urbana, on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of its Department of the Classics.-Select literature onJustin's Baruch: HansJonas, Gnosis und spatantiker Geist. Teil 1: Die mythologische Gnosis, Giittingen, 1934, 335-341 (3rd ed., 1964); Ernst Haenchen, "Das Buch Baruch. Ein Beitrag zum Problem der christlichen Gnosis," Zeitschrift Jur Theologie und Kirche 50 (1953) 123-158 = Idem, Gott und Mensch. Gesammelte AuJsatze, Tubingen, 1965, 298-334; Robert M. Grant, "Gnosis Revisited," Church History 23 (1954) 36-45 = Idem, After the New Testament, Philadelphia, 1967, 194-207; Manlio Simonetti, "Note suI Libro di Baruch dello gnostico Giustino," Vetera Christianorum (Bari) 6 (1969) 71-89; Idem, Testi Gnostici Cristiani, Bari, 1970,52-60; Ernst Haenchen in Werner Foerster, Die Gnosis, Zurich und Stuttgart (Artemis), I, 1969,65-79 (English translation edited by R. McL. Wilson, Oxford, 1974); R. van den Broek, "The Shape of Edem ac­ cording to Justin the Gnostic," Vigiliae Christianae 27 (1973) 35-45; Karin Kvideland, "~lohims Himmelfahrt," Temenos (Helsinki) 10 (1974) 68-78; Maurice Olender, "Elements pour une analyse de Priape chez)ustin Ie Gnostique," Hommages aMaarten}. Vermaseren, Vol. II, Leiden, 1978,874-897 (Etudes Preliminaires aux Religions Orientales dans l'Empire Romain, 68). Greek text: Hippolytus: Refutatio, ed. M. Marcovich, Berlin, 1986 (PTS, Vol. 25). 94 JUSTIN'S BARUCH A SHOWCASE OF GNOSTIC SYNCRETISM &6plX'to~). In her turn, the female principle, Edem, is irascible and double­ minded (opyO.1j and OLyvwflWV or O(yvwflO~). Her name is also Israel (5.26.7 and 37), and Earth (rij: 5.26.7; 9; 36). Where do these three principles come from? As for Edem, already her name tells us that she is Eden from Gen. 2:8 (KIXL iq)1)'twcrt:v XUpLO~ 6 9t:o~ 1tlXpaot:Lcrov iv Eot:fl xlX'ta &vlX'toAa~). However, since she is Earth as well, the possibility remains that Hebrew 'adamah, "earth," had played some part in the paretymology of the name of Edem. 2 Elohim is obviously the Jewish God-Demiurge, "Father of the whole Creation." Nevertheless, his epithets, &j\lwcr'to~ xlXL &6plX'tO~, have puz­ zled scholars. So Hans Jonas (p. 336 and n. 1) suggested that all three epithets of Elohim-&1tp6yvwcr'to~ xlXL &yvwcr'to~ xlXL &6plX'to~-should have active sense, while translating, "ohne Vorauswissen, Erkennen und Sehen." But he appended this caveat: "... so ungewohnlich im gnostischen Sprachkreise auch diese Bedeutung von &yvwO"'to~ und &6plX'to~ sein mag." In his turn, Ernst Haenchen (p. 125 n. 4) rejected Jonas' interpretation, while taking both adjectives in their normal passive sense, "unbekannt" and "unsichtbar." But then he took them for a later expansion to be deleted: "Wir vermuten deshalb in den Worten xlXL &yvwcr'to~ xlXL &6plX'to~ den Zusatz eines Bearbeiters oder Abschreibers ... " Thus Haenchen omits both words in his translation of Baruch in W. Foerster, Die Gnosis, p. 72. In my view, neither is right, and &yvwcr'to~ xlXL &6plX'tO~, "unknown and invisible," is genuine Justin's. For, (1) both epithets are appropriate for the Jewish God. N oetus calls Him so at Hippo!' 9.10.10 (p. 348.50 M.; cf. 9.9.5, p. 345.19 and 21: &<pIXV~~ &6plX'to~ &j\lwcr'to~ &V9pC:)1tOL~). (2) At 5.26.1 = 10.15.1, Edem has four epithets. Consequently, Elohim's own four epithets serve as counterbalance. And (3), Elohim's epithets "unknown and invisible" form a contrast to the very nature of Edem. She is Earth, and as such she can be known and seen, while Elohim is also Sky (OuplXv6~, 5.26.36) and Zeus (5.26.34 and 35: xuxvo~ and Xp\)cr6~), and as such "invisible." While Elohim and Edem (Eden) are undeniably Jewish, the Good One is more difficult to assess. Certainly, he cannot derive from such a late script as Ezra (4 Esdras 7.138), ca. A.D. 100. Nor can he be explained by means of Mark 10:18 (Luke 18:19; Matt. 19:17): T( flt: Aiyt:L~ &YIX96v; ouod~ &YIX9o~ d fl~ d~ 6 9e.6~, as Robert Grant (p. 37) and others were will­ ing to. It is true that Mark 10:18 is a favorite Gnostic text (compare the Naassenes at Hippo!. 5.7.26; Marcion at Hippo!. 7.31.6; Marcus at 2 So Jonas, p. 336 n. 4; G. Scholem, EranosJahrbuch 22 (1953) 242 f.; van den Broek 40. .
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