Authoritative Teaching

The Authoritative Teaching is a gnostic tractate of the Nag Hammadi Library placed in Codex VI.^[1] The text is dated around the 3rd century AD.^[2]

Overview

Authoritative Teaching is considered a Gnostic text because it makes implications that the soul is initially a divine entity that has been placed on the immoral Earth to face the trials of evil and regain its elevated place in the heavens through the attainment of knowledge.^[3]

The text gives a metaphoric teaching about a soul (her) from a divine world that comes to see the material world but gets distracted and creates earthly attachments. Some of the metaphorical identities that the soul is given include a prostitute, a contestant, a bride, an invalid, a fish, and wheat.^[3] However, God the father watches over the soul and warns the soul of earthly attachments.^[2] These attachments are Lust, Pride, Greed, Fraud, Ignorance, Envy, & Vanity.^[4]

References

1. Michael Matkin, J. (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Gnostic Gospels, The Complete Idiot's Guide Series. Penguin. p. 201. ISBN 9781592573882.
2. Van Den Broek, R. (2013). Gnostic Religion in Antiquity. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 33. ISBN 9781107031371.
3. director, James M. Robinson, (1977). The Nag Hammadi Library : Chenoposkion Manuscripts English (1st U.S. ed.). New York: Harper & Row. p. 278. ISBN 0-06-066929-2.
4. Perkins, Pheme. Gnosticism and the New Testament. Fortress Press. p. 173. ISBN 9781451415971.