Christian Origins in Mystical Knowledge: The Role of Mystical Experiences in Early Christianity
Eli of Kittim
I agree with Paul-Louis Couchoud who, in his work The Mystery of Jesus, expressed the idea that Christianity's origins lay in mystical experience, not historical events. He wrote:
“At the origin of Christianity there is... not a personal biography, but a collective mystical experience, sustaining a divine history mystically revealed."
Biblical exegesis demonstrates that the New Testament is based on foreknowledge pertaining to the coming of Christ that was mystically revealed beforehand to a few preselected witnesses and written in advance. See, for example, 1 Peter 1:10-11 in which the life of Christ was actually “predicted” (Gk. προμαρτυρόμενον) beforehand by “the Spirit of Christ.” Acts 3:20-21 also says that Christ will not be sent to earth until the consummation of the ages (cf. Mt. 19:28). Luke 17:30 tells us that the Son of Man has not yet been revealed (ἀποκαλύπτεται). The notion that everything in the New Testament comes by way of revelations and “prophetic writings” is attested by all the New Testament books (see e.g. Romans 16:25-26; Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:18-19)! The idea that Biblical history is written in advance is recorded in Isaiah 46:10 (CEV):
“From the very beginning, I told what would happen long before it took place.”
Thus, Christ’s gospel, crucifixion, and resurrection are known beforehand by the foreknowledge of God! This mystical knowledge that is communicated by means of revelations should be the guiding principle for New Testament interpretation. First, we read that “the gospel concerning his Son” is “promised beforehand” (προεπηγγείλατο; Romans 1:2). Second, the text confides in us that Jesus was known to be crucified “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (προγνώσει; Acts 2:22-23). Third, this theme is reiterated in Acts 10:40-41 where we are told that Jesus’ resurrection is only visible “to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God” (προκεχειροτονημένοις)! Bottom line, the New Testament is based on mystical knowledge (gnosis) and written in advance. In other words, the New Testament is an apocalypse! It’s not a history. Paul, who was the earliest Christian writer, admitted that everything he knew about Christ was based on mystical knowledge. In his letter to the Galatians (1:11-12), he wrote:
“I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”
The New Testament epistles clearly demonstrate that Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection are prophetic events that will occur at the end of the ages, or at the end of the world. For example, Galatians 4:4 proclaims that Jesus will be born during the consummation of the ages, expressed by the apocalyptic phrase τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, which is defined in Ephesians 1:10 as the end of the world! Christ’s birth in Revelation 12:5 is also set in the future. In First Peter 1:20 it is explicitly stated that Jesus will be initially revealed “at the final point of time”. Additionally, Hebrews 9:26 says that Jesus will die for the sins of humankind once “at the end of the ages” (ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων)! A word study of the phrase ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων demonstrates that it refers to “the end of the world” (cf. Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; Dan. 12:4 LXX). Revelation 19:10 also informs us that the testimony to Jesus is prophetic (not historical).
In fact, most of the evidence with regard to the Messianic timeline in both the Old and New Testaments is consistent with an eschatological messianic appearance. For example, Zephaniah 1:7-8 declares that the Lord’s sacrifice will occur during “the day of the Lord” (not in antiquity; cf. Zeph. 1:14-18). Isaiah 2:19 says that people will hide in the caves of the rocks when “the Lord … arises to terrify the earth.” In other words, the Lord’s resurrection is not separate from but contemporaneous with judgement day (cf. Rev. 6:15-17)! Similarly, Daniel 12:1 puts the death and resurrection of the anointed prince just prior to the great tribulation of the end times. In fact, First Corinthians 15:22-24 tells us explicitly that Christ will be resurrected at the end-times (an idea also entertained by James Dunn). That’s precisely why the New Testament accounts of Jesus are essentially futurist (Mk 13:23). My method is therefore revolutionizing the field of historical Jesus Studies by showing that the New Testament is based on mystical Knowledge (gnosis) pertaining to the coming of Christ that was revealed beforehand to certain witnesses and written in advance.
“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.”
—Matthew 13:11
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