In order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus

To rise above the darkness of Kali Yuga, humanity must embrace the teachings of Jesus—not as religious dogma, but as living spiritual truth. His message of love, forgiveness, and resurrection is the eternal light that dispels ignorance and awakens the soul. Jesus did not come to establish religion; He came to reveal the path to the Divine within. In this age of confusion and conflict, His words remain the compass of compassion, guiding seekers toward spiritual rebirth and union with the Divine Feminine (Holy Spirit).

1. Introduction

The assertion that humanity must follow the teachings of Jesus to rise above darkness finds a profound and compelling explanation in the Gnostic interpretation of Christianity, particularly as articulated in texts like the Gospel of Judas. The core of this argument lies in the belief that the image of God, or Imago Dei, that every individual carries deep within makes them inherently superior to the malevolent cosmic forces, or "rulers of chaos," that govern the material world[1]. This paper will argue that the inherent divinity in humanity, the Imago Dei, is the key to overcoming spiritual darkness, a truth illuminated by the teachings of Jesus when viewed through a Gnostic and mystical lens. By exploring the theological and mystical dimensions of this thesis, drawing from Gnostic Christianity, orthodox theology, and Eastern mystical traditions, this paper will demonstrate that the path to liberation is not one of external appeasement or ritual, but of inner awakening and the realization of the divine spark within.

2. The Imago Dei: Humanity's Divine Blueprint

The concept of the Imago Dei is a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian theological anthropology, establishing a fundamental connection between humanity and the divine. The primary biblical reference is found in Genesis 1:26-27, where God declares, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness." As Peter Soes notes in the St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology, this phrase, betzalmenu kidmutenu in Hebrew, can be interpreted in two primary ways: either that humans are created as the image of God (bet essentiae) or according to the image of God (bet normae)[2]. While traditional interpretations have often focused on human rationality or moral capacity as the locus of the divine image, modern scholarship increasingly favors a functional interpretation. This view, informed by ancient Near Eastern royal ideology, posits that humans are created to act as God's representatives in creation, exercising divine dominion and serving as a living embodiment of God's presence in the world[2]. This understanding of humanity as the "living statue of God" within the cosmic temple of creation provides a powerful foundation for the Gnostic belief in the inherent divinity of the human spirit.

3. The "Rulers of Chaos": Gnostic Cosmology and the Nature of Darkness

Gnostic cosmology presents a starkly dualistic worldview, contrasting the spiritual realm of light and truth with the material realm of darkness and ignorance. This material world, according to Gnostic belief, is not the creation of the ultimate, transcendent God, but of a lesser, flawed being known as the Demiurge, often identified as Yaldabaoth, the "Child of Chaos"[3]. The Demiurge and his servants, the Archons, are the "rulers of chaos" who govern the material world and seek to imprison the divine spark, a fragment of the true God, that has fallen into their domain and become trapped within human bodies. As the Wikipedia entry on Archons explains, these malevolent cosmic rulers are often associated with the seven planets and are seen as preventing souls from leaving the material realm[3]. This cosmic drama sets the stage for the Gnostic understanding of salvation, which is not about redemption from sin in the traditional sense, but about liberation from the ignorance and illusion of the material world and the tyranny of its chaotic rulers.

4. Jesus's Teachings as a Path to Liberation: The Gnostic Interpretation

From a Gnostic perspective, Jesus is not a sacrificial lamb who dies for the sins of humanity, but a divine messenger who descends from the realm of light to awaken the divine spark within humanity. The Gospel of Judas portrays Jesus as taking Judas aside for intimate, personal instruction, revealing to him the true nature of the cosmos and the path to liberation[1]. The core of Jesus's teaching, in this view, is not about faith in his atoning sacrifice, but about the attainment of gnosis—a direct, experiential knowledge of the divine that awakens the soul to its true nature and origin. This inner awakening empowers individuals to see through the illusion of the material world and transcend the influence of the Archons. By following the teachings of Jesus, one "turns upward to the holy race" and prepares the soul to rejoin God in eternity upon the death of the physical body[1]. This is the ultimate act of rebellion against the rulers of chaos, an assertion of the soul's inherent superiority and its ultimate destiny in the realm of light.

5. The Confluence of Mystical Traditions: Inner Light and Divine Union

The Gnostic emphasis on the divine spark within finds resonance in a wide range of mystical traditions, both within and outside of Christianity. The concept of the "inner light" or the "inward light of Christ" is a central theme in contemplative Christianity, particularly in the Quaker tradition, where it is seen as a direct source of divine guidance and truth[4]. This inner light is the experiential reality of the Imago Dei, the point of contact between the human and the divine. The Eastern Orthodox tradition, with its emphasis on theosis, or deification, offers another powerful parallel. Theosis is the process by which a Christian, through divine grace, becomes more like God, participating in the divine nature and achieving union with God[5]. This transformative process, which is the ultimate goal of the Christian life in the Orthodox view, mirrors the Gnostic quest for liberation and reunion with the divine. Furthermore, the source material from adishakti.org explicitly connects these ideas to Eastern philosophies, where the Self, or Atman, is to be realized as identical to the ultimate reality, or Brahman[6]. This points to a universal mystical truth: the path to liberation from darkness and suffering lies not in external powers or authorities, but in the realization of the divine reality that resides at the core of our being.

6. Conclusion

In conclusion, the statement that "in order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus because the image of God they carry deep within makes them superior to the rulers of chaos" encapsulates a profound mystical truth that transcends the confines of orthodox religious dogma. The Imago Dei is not merely a theological concept but a living reality, a divine spark that grants humanity an inherent superiority over the forces of darkness and chaos that govern the material world. The teachings of Jesus, when understood from a Gnostic and mystical perspective, provide a roadmap for fanning that spark into a flame of liberating gnosis. This inner awakening, which finds echoes in the contemplative and mystical traditions of the world, is the ultimate key to transcending the limitations of the material realm and realizing our true destiny as children of the light. The path to overcoming darkness is not a battle to be fought in the external world, but a journey of discovery to be undertaken within the depths of our own souls.

References

[1] "In order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus because..." adishakti.org, 9 Nov. 2009.
[2] Soes, Peter. "Image of God (Imago Dei)." St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology, 1 Apr. 2025.
[3] "Archon (Gnosticism)." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Sept. 2025.
[4] "Divine spark." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Sept. 2025.
[5] "Theosis (Eastern Christian theology)." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Sept. 2025.
[6] Vanamali. "Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother." Inner Traditions, 2008, pp. 28-31.

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In order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus

One can see why Judas Iscariot stood staunchly at odds with the earliest Christian church. But what was Judas' message for mankind—for worshipping God? Reading Judas claims the Savior took him aside for intimate, personal instruction before his crucifixion. Jesus told Judas that our world is "...a kind of primeval darkness and disorder" similar to that mentioned in the Bible's opening verses.

In order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus because "...the image of God they carry deep within makes them superior to the rulers of chaos" (Judas 13:16-17). By following Christ's exemplary life and his teachings, each person "turns upward to the holy race" (Judas 9:26-30). When death comes naturally, the body will die, but the soul will join God in eternity.

November 7, 2009

"During the 1970s, a leather-bound Coptic papyrus was discovered near Beni Masah, Egypt. This has been translated and appears to be a text from the late 2nd century A.D. describing the story of Jesus' death from the viewpoint of Judas. The conclusion of the text refers (in Coptic) to the text as 'The Gospel of Judas' (Euangelion Ioudas).

According to a 2006 translation of the manuscript of the text, it is apparently a Gnostic account of an arrangement between Jesus and Judas, who in this telling are Gnostic enlightened beings, with Jesus asking Judas to turn him in to the Romans to help Jesus finish his appointed task from God." —Wikipedia

But now the whole story of an institutionalized Jesus is taking a clarity of comprehension and comfort of conscience never experienced before. Jesus is the revealer of the God within, the true God Almighty that is Brahman! Over the next few weeks/months I will give evidence of Jesus and His unfinished teachings that the Comforter without and the Holy Spirit within have brought us back to remembrance as promised. To achieve that I have ordered the following books:

It is going to be a great Christmas,

jagbir
November 7, 2009

Book Review: Reading Judas - The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity by Elaine Pagels and Karen L. King
Author: Regis Schilken — Published: Apr 11, 2007

For thousands of years, Judas Iscariot has been reviled as the betrayer of Christ, the man who purposefully pointed out Jesus, possibly with a kiss, to an armed group of men who had come to take him away. But an archeological find made public by National Geographic provides a different slant on both Jesus and the man who supposedly betrayed him.

Sometime in the 1970s, a gospel according to Judas, translated from its second century Greek into Coptic, was discovered in Middle Egypt near Al Minya. Although damaged considerably, scholars did a remarkable job translating it into English by April 2006.

With Reading Judas one must conclude that the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and now Judas', portray the betrayal of Jesus as divinely willed by God. Jesus states his foreknowledge of Judas' act clearly: "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me" (Matthew 26:20-23). If so, then what Judas did to fulfill the will of God and Old Testament prophecies cannot damn the man forever into the annals of history as a mad traitor.

One of the clearest messages in Judas' Gospel is his disagreement with the apostles and the original church fathers concerning why God became incarnate. Judas believed Christ proclaimed a message of love and life and joy. He believed in forgiveness and the resurrection of the soul after death.

But he adamantly opposed any idea that a good god would ever accept or require blood sacrifice of animals or human beings as martyrs for their faith. Suffering is not an essential ingredient for salvation; God did not need the offerings. In Reading Judas, the tortured, bloodied account of the Son of God being shamefully tortured for his sheep as the "pascal lamb" (I Corinthians 5:7) and then being crucified as a redemptive act "for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:8) horrified Judas Iscariot.

Furthermore, according to other gospels, Jesus had commanded his followers to "...eat my flesh ... drink my blood ..." (John 6:53-55). This was unthinkable to Judas as something possibly touching on cannibalism. Subsequently, the hideous annals of Christians actively seeking martyrdom so they could die like Jesus and gain instant access through the pearly gates was unconscionable.

One can see why Judas Iscariot stood staunchly at odds with the earliest Christian church. But what was Judas' message for mankind—for worshipping God? Reading Judas claims the Savior took him aside for intimate, personal instruction before his crucifixion. Jesus told Judas that our world is "...a kind of primeval darkness and disorder" similar to that mentioned in the Bible's opening verses.

In order to rise above darkness, people must follow the teachings of Jesus because "...the image of God they carry deep within makes them superior to the rulers of chaos" (Judas 13:16-17). By following Christ's exemplary life and his teachings, each person "turns upward to the holy race" (Judas 9:26-30). When death comes naturally, the body will die, but the soul will join God in eternity.

Reading Judas is a highly controversial work, not because of its authors, but because of Judas' words. It begins by explaining how Judas was deigned to betray Jesus as part of a divine plan. Yet Judas' gospel reveals over and over his disbelief that a Divine God would request blood sacrifice of any human being, particularly an incarnate son. Since Judas' gospel "...ends as he hands Jesus over to the enemies who will kill him," one wonders about this vicious circle of reasoning.

I would highly recommend Reading Judas to any reader, Bible believer or not, looking for a mind-provoking book, one that will cause some consternation of thought about historical Christianity and its earliest apostles, disciples and gospel writers. It is well written and easy to follow.

For those readers tolerant of religious history beyond the more accepted, traditional gospels, Reading Judas raises issues about the nature of God, Jesus' incarnation, his death, and the terrible sacrificial deaths of martyrs at the hands of Christian persecutors. No doubt The Gospel of Judas exists, but its words might trouble a reader trying to reconcile how any god could set up a man as sensitive as Judas for a demonic traitor.

https://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-reading-judas-the-gospel/